On a steep learning curve

Not many would have dared predict that a Danish band called Michael Learns To Rock would take off, of all places, in Asia and not the English-speaking markets that their music catered to.

In a region where bands such as Roxette, Ace of Base and 2 Unlimited have enjoyed a fairly good run, the runaway success of Michael Learns To Rock (MLTR) should not surprise. But as any of the former bands could have told MLTR, stardom in Asia often has a way of turning your schedule - and your life - haywire.

With Asian fans spanning the Philippines, Japan and China clamouring for even a little of your time, life can turn into one long road tour that wears you down. If Asian fans have not heard from MLTR in more than 1.5 years, it is because they have needed time to recuperate from the after-effects of Asian stardom.

'We felt it was about time we did something else. We needed some time off because we were so tired,' said lead guitarist Mikkel Lentz, in Beijing where the band was honoured as MTV's 'best band in Asia' during the inaugural 1999 CCTV-MTV Music Honors recently.

Bassist Soren Madsen added with heartfelt agreement: 'We needed a break; otherwise we would have gone nuts.' But after a year off and the rest working on remixing another 'greatest hits' album, MLTR is back and ready to rock'n'roll, say the band members which also include drummer Kare Wanscher and, keyboardist/lead singer/composer Jascha Richter.

The new release, Strange Foreign Beauty Remixed And More, contains one new song (Strange Foreign Beauty) plus 13 of the bands greatest hits - including Paint My Love and That's Why (You Go Away) - which have been rearranged and remixed.

'It's meant as a new album for countries where we have never been released before, like the UK and the US,' Lentz said of Strange Foreign Beauty Remixed And More, which hit the shelves last week. 'We've collected the very best of our songs and remixed them. Part of the reason is to release the songs in these areas [UK and US] while for the Asian audience it would still be something new yet familiar.