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Max Jason Mai: “I don´t like to be limited”

Miro Šmajda aka Max Jason Mai is quite known in his home country, as he participated in the Czech and Slovakian Idols contest 2009, and he got to #2 with his Rock voice. This year he represented Slovakia at the Eurovision Song Contest, where he caused quite a stir with his Metalcore Sound. The charismatic 23-year-old, however, does not seem to care too much about ESC and finds his new image and his debut CD much more important to achieve international fame.

Hey MJM, I hope you are doing well?! Did you already find some time to calm down and relax after the Eurovision stress?
Hello, I´m great, very soon after we came back I continued working on new stuff, so I haven´t had time to relax – music is my relaxation 🙂

You took part in the Eurovision Song Contest in Baku. How has this experience been for you?
Full of positives and also negatives. You know, It´s all about politics, and for the first time there was a band playing metalcore, so we could see so many times lot of people scared about our participation – especially orthodox ESC fans who love traditional national genres or disco pop. But we had enjoyed it, however we absolutely had no chance to go to the finals because we were representing very small country what nobody knows and had no support of national TV or label and so on. All budget was up to me.

You didn´t make it to the final, are you sad about this or do you think it is better that way?
No, it doesn´t matter if you go to the final or not. I focus on my music, to have great stuff on the album and let more and more fans know about this project. That´s all. Eurovision is 2 weeks event. 2 days after Eurovision – nobody gives a f*ck :))

Next to you, who was your favorite act at the ESC?
My favorite? This competition was more about politics than quality of music, but I enjoyed one great moment – Rambo Amadeus. I really love this guy :))

There were a few people who said that someone who plays that kind of music like you do, shouldn´t be part of the ESC, what do you think about these critics? And why did you want to participate?
For me it was just a challenge. To represent RnR. Nothing less, nothing more. And regarding these critics … 99% of people watching this event are not RnR fans, so probably … critics are right. But I don´t give a f*ck what ESC critics say 🙂

Are there some advice you can give to a band in your genre who will be in the contest in future?
Just be yourself.

You have been a participant of the Czech and Slovakian Idols contest in 2009, you made it to the second place, how much did this competition affect you in who you are today?
A lot of experience, but it´s been all the game, and still it is 🙂

After this you released your record “Čo sa týka lásky” which, I think, was sung in Czech. Is that right? It was released under your real name Miro Šmajda. Why do you now sing in English? Or will “Don´t close your eyes”  be the only song you do in English?
I love English. There´s no reason to sing in Czech or Slovak language when English is the international main world language and almost everybody understands what you sing about. I don´t like to be limited – and when you sing in non-international language – you´re automatically limited.

In another interview you mentioned that Max Jason Mai is a completely different thing as the previous stuff that you released as Miro Šmajda, but still it was rock music what you have done before. What would you say are the main differences between both?
MJM is harder, so much harder. It´s also big step forward regarding sound and production, thanks to Michael Elvis Baskette.

Can you tell us more about your musical background? When did you start making music and where does the fascination for Metal/Rock Music come from?
My first steps came to RnR when I was 2 years old and I fell in love with AC/DC and Bon Jovi. Then during the 90´s my life was full of Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Metallica, Metal Church, Helloween, and when I was 15, I started to sing and play the guitar, found my first band during the studies on high school when I was 16, we called Skivers. We played pop jazz rock, then I had heavy metal band Blackjazz, and then I started to play solo.

Are you planning a new album now? And do you already know when it will be out?
We´re gonna work on it during this summer, so probably it would be released during the fall or by to the end of the year.

I read on your website that your interests are music, sports, yoga, love and nature, so tell me how do we have to understand the interest in love? 😉
Love is everywhere around us. You can love everyone you work with, everyone who loves you, you can love everything you do, you can love every part of the nature and world around us. I love also music, my friends, my family, and I love women. Women are the most interesting being on this planet. So there are so many things you can be fascinated by and love them.

You are still pretty young, but you already have a huge background of stuff you have done so far; what kind of goals/dreams do you have for the next couple of years?
It´s been a long road although it´s just 2 and half years since I went professional musician. My dream is to work very hard and do my best regarding every single thing I do, to find a label because we´re still unsigned and play lot of great shows for the fans.

I´m pretty sure you will be able to be successful in whole Europe, maybe also in the USA with your music, do you have plans for a tour? Or how do the plans for the next couple of months look like?
Of course, but first we have to record great debut album and make ourselves and our fans happy and satisfied. We are just in the beginning, the band with no support of label, investor, strong background, so we have to work work work step by step, produce a great record and then go touring and enjoy the music :))

Ok if people want to buy your stuff for example the old Album” Čo sa týka lásky” or then the upcoming one, where can they do that?
Just order – SONY Music Czech.

Is there a question you would love to be asked in an interview and never been asked before?
Noup :)) I´m good 😉 thank you 😉

Some famous last words for the Stalker-Readers?
Haha :)) … See ya soon!!! and keep on rockin´ !!! :))

http://www.maxjasonmai.com
http://www.facebook.com/maxjasonmai
http://www.youtube.com/user/maxjasonmai
https://twitter.com/#!/MaxJasonMai

Sandy Mahrer

Fresh Act editor, reports, reviews, photos - - - Favorite genres? - Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and Pop-Rock etc. Less Death, Black, Grind Core