* The veracity of the following statements *
* has yet to be determined *
JAPANESE MINISTER X INTERVIEW
This interview was conducted in Tokyo Japan by the ultra hip Japanese magazine The Now Now Now just before the release of the second MINISTER X CD M2X in 2003.
The questions were asked and answered through an interpreter. The magazine was, of course, printed in Japanese, but they were kind enough to translate it to English for us here. As a result of the back and forth translating there are some prime examples of what is termed “Engrish”.
Notes of explanation have been added where appropriate.


NNN- Welcome to Japan, we are honored to have you and your music here. The CD is of sugar. (sweet)
MX- Thank you, I receive pleasure (have fun) each time I am here.
NNN- Please tell our readers what is new about your CD that is different from the CD    that came before it.
MX- Yes, it is very different in ways that are noticeable to your readers. There is a focus on the melody of the music. I used instruments noted for their melodic qualities.
NNN- As what such instruments were used?
MX- Well, a lot of Hammond organ was used, a lot of electric guitar was used also. I used fewer drums tracks. The percussion is to add color to the music. On the first CD percussion dominated many tracks, but not so much with this release. However, I did use much percussion on the track “The Gate City Grind”. I had to have just one.
NNN- You had to have…?
MX- I wanted to have a track that was weighted down (heavy) with drums and percussion. It gives great pleasure to me to use drums in that way. I discover (find) it is fun and a challenging way. But I strongly felt I wanted to a change with M2X. I wanted to use loops of randomness (random loops) that have melodic qualities, change the tonal centers (key) and arrange them in new and creative ways in order to have original and to have qualities of songs.
NNN- Yes, I understand. What are the titles of the songs that have the original and qualities of songs?
MX- The representative tracks are titled Felonious Funk, that one to me is very pleasurable, Loops Noir, Jazz-o and The X Man Commeth. Say What? is also melodic but it’s different.
NNN- Yes! Say What? is very popular. It is played in many Disco clubs in Tokyo. Our famous D.J. Agogo is using it many times. He says you have a good fuck on your tracks. (It was explained to me that the Japanese term for “strong touch” is something like “fuc”. I seem to recall the interpreter saying “nice touch”.  It would appear things went somewhat awry)
MX- Oh yes! D.J. Agogo is a good and honorable friend. He and I mixed at a Rave a few miles outside of Kobe three nights ago. We used the entire M2X CD during the night.
NNN- Was the track Hell and a Half also used? It is very disturbing to the mind of the listener.
MX- We used it only at the start.
NNN- Are you a worshiper of the Christian religion’s Satan?
MX- No, I do not believe in such gods.
NNN- The images of the CD cover art are disturbing to the mind of the viewer. Why is the reason?
MX- I have always been a fanatic of horror fiction books and American and British movies of horror. I enjoyed the original Godzilla too by the way. (I got a blank stare for that one)
I enjoy them so much that it comes out in my art. It gives great pleasure to my mind and ears. Hell and a Half is meant to frightening and disturbing. Fever Dream on the first CD was meant to be disturbing as well.
NNN- Are there other influences on the M2X CD as well?
MX- Yes. On this CD I used the titles of famous known Jazz works or artists and manipulated them to fit many of the tracks on this CD. ‘Round about Daylight, Say What? and Felonious Funk are examples of that. The Sultans of Bling was taken from a song by Dire Straights. Jazz-O was taken from Jell-O. The X Man Commeth was taken from an old film The Ice Man Commeth. I just have pleasure (fun) with it. For me that is the key, to have a pleasurable time (fun).
NNN- What will be you activities for the remainder of your time in Japan?
MX- I have an appearance at three Audio Media Stores (record stores) and I plan to record some new music with Japanese producer Hoti in Hong Kong.
NNN- Thank you Minister X for your valuable time in speaking with us about your M2X compact disc. It will be available tomorrow, it that correct?
MX- Yes. It is available on Free The Music Records and can also be ordered at FREETHEMUSIC.NET.
NNN- Domo arigato Minister X.
MX- Domo!

The following is an interview with Sam Iambient of Minister X for the U.K. magazine SUB-VIBE. The interview took place in Amsterdam following the release of the first Minister X CD in 2001.

S-V: The new disc is fantastic mate, very diverse, how would you describe it?
MX: Thanks. Well…I’d say it’s fantastic, very diverse. (Laughs) It’s influenced by ambient music among other things, and even though most of it isn’t exactly ambient, it is stream of consciousness. I think that’s the common thread through out the album, the flow of one idea into another.
S-V: The spirit of ambient then?
MX: Yeah. I tried to make a seamless as possible transition from one theme to another.
S-V: What else did you draw from?
MX:  Oh Lord, well, there’s also some Pink Floyd in there, some, Planet Drum, lots of Planet Drum, let’s see, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Jamaican Dub, maybe some Dust Brothers.
S-V: That’s a diverse lot. How can it all fit together?
MX: Well, again, it’s not all a tangible influence one can point to and say “Hey! There’s a Pink Floyd influence right there!” But, to give you a specific example; I read a few years back an interview with Butch Vig, the drummer for Garbage, talking about working with drum loops. He said something to the effect that he would use multiple drum loops at once, having 3 or 4 going at one time.  Now, me, being a dumb fucker, I had not thought to do that and immediately scoped it out, found it to be good and use it. Bada-Bing.
S-V: You talk about using loops, would you consider this an electronic album?
MX:  No, not really. I don’t anyway. Even though I was working with samples and loops, they were samples of real instruments that had to be played.

* The veracity of the previous statements *
* has yet to be determined *