Interview:2001-Polish Interview

This are the answers to questions from a Polish magazine, whose name escapes me, asked in 2001. I'm sure your imaginations can fill in the blanks of the missing questions! I never got to see a finished copy so I can only assume this was published somewhere in Poland in late 2001/early 2002:

1. I dont feel the 2 are related whatsoever. Apocalyptic is a word used by others not by me! Anyway, I never believed in putting Death In June in any sort of musical genre or ghetto and neither do I feel any particular affinity to any particular musical style. My tastes are very eclectic and how Death In June articulates those interests is possibly one of the factors that makes Death In June unique. Whether Death In June is representative of a particular Zeitgeist is another matter, however. The literal meaning of the Greek word Apocalypse is Revelation and perhaps many people in the World during the days, weeks, months since September 11th,2001 have had their eyes opened in a way none would have ever predicted.

2. Destiny seems to have provided Warsaw to be included for a rare acoustic concert. Some weeks ago there was an invitation of sorts about the possibility to perform in Poland and it came at a time when I was thinking about how I would commemorate the 20th anniversary of Death In Junes first performance.which was the 25th November, 1981 in London with Nick Caves old group The Birthday Party. Ive never before visited Poland, at least in this Life, let alone performed there, so I thought this would be an appropriate moment. The opportunity may never raise its head again as we live in such uncertain times!!

3. The line-up will just be myself on acoustic guitar and John Murphy who has been the percussionist for the group for the past 6 years. He has previously worked with people like Current 93, SPK, The Associates and Michael Hutchence of INXS besides having his own groups like Kraang and Knife Ladder. It will be a very stripped back affair showing the songs in their purest form. 2 years ago I was first asked to do this type of performance in Greece and I was initially very nervous about such a presentation of my work. However, that raw display of my songs in Athens made even myself appreciate them on a level Id never really heard before so we have on special events tried this approach in Germany, Australia and New Zealand. Let there be no mistake about one thing. Since 1985 when the last of the other original members besides myself departed the group I have been Death In June. Simon Norris was just a hired hand for some projects and I havent worked with him since 1994 because he became too involved with his own separate projects.

4. Death In June performing in Croatia in 1992 during the war gave birth to many things. First of all, I released an album entitled Something Is Coming which featured both live and studio material that I had recorded in Croatia during this period. The proceeds from this [about U.S.$35,000] went on to finance equipment for a hospital in Zagreb that helped rehabilitate soldiers and civilians who had lost arms and legs during the battles or by treading on mines. There were a terrible number of them and during that time most of the Western governments wanted to keep a big distance from the Balkans so aid like that was very much left up to individuals like myself or some professional aid agencies like the Red Cross etc. They were very bad days. But, also out of my involvement in Croatia I got to meet people who helped set up an Anglo-Croatian record company called Twilight Command. which became a part of my own English label NER. Weve since released a number of select titles and whilst most have not had a direct link to the Balkan conflict certainly the Death In June presents Kapo! album did as well as the brilliantly unique material by Tehom. He was a Croatian front line soldier in a special forces unit who introduced himself to me in 1992. Since then we issued 2 albums The Despiritualisation Of Nature and Theriomorphic Spirits but sadly the man behind Tehom died of cancer before the release of the last album 2 years ago. He was only 28 and we have our suspicions about why he died at such a young age of such a disease. The issue of chemical warfare and the possible usage of depleted Uranium during the conflict has only ever been rumoured about.

5. People are too easily scandalised- and not just in Poland! The same people would be just as outraged by a photographic exhibition of male actors who have dressed up as women or murderers! But, both would be as equally interesting and alluring as the wonderful world of Nazis and the interesting roles they have all played in various actors career moves in the cinema! I have the book by Piotr Uklanski and enjoy it very much although I think that alongside the photos of actors from Monty Pythons Flying Circus and Hogans Heroes the most glaring omission is Mel Brooks The Producers. There are some fantastic looking Nazis in that great film and I highly recommend anyone with a good sense of humour and an open mind to see it -and Piotr Uklanskis book!! Perhaps, if he is doing another exhibition of his works I could volunteer some of Death In Junes more ambient musical works to accompany the photos as impressionable individuals swoon in the galleries at the handsome features of such actors as Krzysztof Kiersznowski all dreSSed for succeSS!?

6. I love the Pet Shop Boys but if those kind of collaborations are meant to happen then Ive found that they just do! One cannot force a situation. That situation will find its own time if it is truly meant to be. So far, that time has not been...