[kj] Jaz interview, The Death And Resurrection Show Film and what he does nowadays + Sziget

[Appocalypsa]

Hello gatherers,

I've found some pretty good new interview with Jaz in one czech 
newspaper. You can find it here: 

http://www.lidovky.cz/ln_noviny.asp?c=A070519_000129_ln_noviny_sko

Because it is in czech and here are very few (almost nobody) czech 
garherers, I've tried to translated it into english. I am sorry if 
there are grammar mistakes. I hope it is readable.
The KJ film is mentioned there as well, if you dont want to bother 
with the whole text, it should be at the end of it (blue).

For those who plan to go to the Sziget festival in Budapest and are 
not sure if it is going to happen:
I met KJ roadie at one czech festival this weekend and asked him if 
there will be some gig in a close time, he said only the Sziget is 
planned. 
So i suppose it is much more than possible they will be there. (but 
god knows....)

Appo


At the end of April was released a new album named Alpha Female from
Czech rock band Gaia Mesiah (check www.gaiamesiah.com , www.myspace.
com/gaiamesiahcom ) which you have produced. Are you satisfied with 
the result?

I am very satisfied. It is hard rock music, the songs are perfect, 
and they have the energy. We experienced mystical moments, 
transcendental states of mind, when we worked on the album.

With help of marihuana?

No, not at all. It was a part of our lives, we all lived that. I 
leaded the production as an opened workshop. I demanded all of the 
members to be a part of the creation of the music. We worked for 16 
hours a day, we didnâ t sleep enough.

It had to be a pretty torturing for the girls and the boy.

But it was worth it. Alpha Female is an album, which belongs to the 
best of what has happened here in the recent time. Because I really 
think that Czech rock music is 20 years behind. Here is no 
underground, punk has never existed here.

Thereâ s no wonder about it, during the communist era you couldnâ t 
play punk a lotâ ¦

Of course. But finally you can find some pretty good bands here. I 
saw Gaia Mesiah the first time when they played at a music festival.
(In Vroutek 2005, KJ were there as well. See www.rfch.cz ) My first 
thought was that it is an American band. But then I got acquainted 
with the bass player, the only man in a band, who is Australian. The
other ones are females â Czechs. It is a family band, sort of tribe.
The man is a poor boy because when they get all together, heâ s 
pretty lost. But they are all really great, full of energy and it is
recognizable in the music. I am very glad I could cooperate with 
them, and I must admit that to cooperate with girls is something 
totally different than to cooperate with men. They have bigger sense
for discipline, they are very creative. According to my opinion they
are the best Czech rock band and I consider them as a part of my 
family I donâ t want to cut the relationships with.

Do you think they could come through abroad?

I seriously donâ t doubt this.

Are you interested in cooperation with some other Czech band?

No. Honestly, I want to keep a year and half for myself and for 
writing classical music. Apart from that I would like to do a tour 
with my band Killing Joke next year and it will take lots of time 
and organization as well. We are going to celebrate 30 years of our 
existence. I canâ t believe I founded Killing Joke when I was 17. 
Thatâ s almost impossible! 

People usually remember you the most because of cooperation with Ä 
echomor in 2000 to 2001. You arranged the album PromÄ ny 
(Transformations) which became very famous and brought Ä echomor to 
the sunlight. Why you donâ t cooperate with them anymore?

They are wonderful people, great band, but I think I came to them in
the right time. We made a film called Year of the Devil then, 
directed by Petr Zelenka (also director of Hosannas video â ¦. 
fortunatelly the film is much more better :)) We wouldnâ t be able 
to outdo it. I donâ t go backwards to what I used to do, I like new 
challenges. But I still acknowledge Ä echomor and I like them still.


I am bit persuaded that people in Czech republic, which want to get 
known, just call Jaz Coleman, because then it is almost certain that
the press will write about them. Donâ t you think?

I canâ t tell this is a truth. Any way, I like the best to do my own
business, I compose my own pieces and if I produce somebody I do it 
only in the case I am really touched by that music. I donâ t need to
crowd anywhere, offer or pander myself. I have enough of my own work
to do, believe this.

You drink coffe and cola â you surprise me with your asketicism. I 
remember you being different in the times when you cooperate with Ä 
echomor. You liked wine.

Yes, Iâ ve ordered a coffe. Here in Prague you cannot stop by one or
two drinks, you always get over four, five or more. First I though I
have some late reaction to what happened in the Year of the Devil 
film because the film discussed alcoholism. Therefore I let my 
doctor to check up my livers and he said that man shouldnâ t drink 
more than one or two drinks a day. But this is fucking boring! So Iâ
ve decided that is better nothing than a little.

I wouldnâ t say that Czech people have such a big problem with 
alcohol.

What!! Czech people drink possibly the most from all of the people 
on the planet! Actually, next to Russians. Seriously, after three 
years in Prague and shooting the film YOTD I had to change a little 
bit my social life and the access to pleasures of this kind. I 
concentrate and work better now.

Although you own a British and New Zealandâ s passport, you have 
lived and worked in turns for few years in Prague. When we met few 
years ago for the first time you were excited about how big 
revolutionaries the Czechs are, how they could fight for the freedom
in 1989.

Yes, of course I was very charmed by that. I admire Czech and 
Moravians as a nation of people who are able to come out to streets 
when they donâ t like something. I love your sense of humour which 
is as black as the one we use in Killing Joke. I think you have a 
big potential which you just have to use. For example in music.

Okay, but after the few years spent here perhaps you donâ t see 
everything so positively. Can you guess better now, what kind of 
people Czechs are? As a domesticated foreigner. How would you 
characterize us? 

Look, I am just an observer and I know, that I have no right to 
encroach on your business. But you want some observations, here you 
are. I think that this country needs some national conciliation, 
grace, if you want. There are still many communists which are 
influential but why to dish up the past? For example Michal David, 
heâ s such a nice guy who was successful during the communism. But 
now heâ s punished for that by public denouncement.

I didnâ t expect that YOU would hold brief for Michal David.

I have no problem with anybody who is good at something. Look at my 
friend Daniel Landa who tends to right wing. Believe me, I know him,
and when I introduced him my black friends he was absolutely 
alright. But even to him happened that somebody smashed his car. And
it could be somebody whoâ s extremely at the right and who assumes 
that Daniel betrays his own fundamentals by associating with black 
people or gypsiesâ ¦
Both of these people, on the left or on the right in political 
spectrum, who I mentioned as an example, are adults, responsible 
men. I donâ t understand why they still suffer because of 
prejudices. And thatâ s the reason why I say that some national 
conciliation on every front will be needed.

When you mentioned Michal David, have you already met at some 
cooperation?

No. But I know him quite well and I also know heâ s got a good taste
applies to single malt whisky.

As well as you. Have you seen his musical play Cleopatra?

No, I donâ t write musicals nor visiting them. It is no big arts for
me. But it is a fact that Michal asked me if I liked to work on 
Cleopatra. In a first moment I thought it would be an opera which I 
was interested in. But as soon as I got know it is supposed to be a 
musical I had to refuse.

What do you do these days?

I compose a concert for cello for Julian Lloyd Webber, besides I 
compose also a concert for two cellos and an orchestra for London 
Philharmonic Orchestra. I record songs for Egyptian singer named Um 
Khalsum whoâ s voice was bigger than pyramids. I arrange the old 
Arabic songs which the BBC is supposed to broadcast. In the recent 
time weâ ve finished a film about Killing Joke and now I work on 
something what I call a pub opera. Itâ s name is Ivana And Dialogues
With Ghosts. It is going to be all in czech and I suppose it will be
my last act before I emigrate from Czech republic (laugh)

Why would you do it?

I love Prague, I am going to be coming back here, but in New Zealand
I live on a beautiful island. After three weeks there I become a 
different man.

Calmer, more moderate?

Are you crazy! I hunt, shoot. But I have a good time.

What do you rate as your home then?

Everything I own I have concentrated on only few places. I love 
Prague, Geneva, an island in Pacific where I got my house, South 
America. In fact I could live anywhere but Prague is one of my 
favourites.

Prague is magical for foreigners. Many of them say it is hard to 
leave. But someone could get an idea that a stay here could be 
considered as some virtue from misery. That you are not wanted in 
abroad and therefore you stay here where you outshine. Something 
like Ivan Král (e.g. Patti Smith band) whoâ s comeback wasnâ t very
successful in Czech Republic. What do you think about that?

I donâ t give a fuck about the otherâ s people opinion. I would let 
know to critics that I got already 47 records. By 47 years. I think 
I am successful and lucky. My band Killing Joke won an award two 
years ago in England for being one of 30 most influential bands of 
nowadays. Next month are my compositions for orchestra and choir 
going to be presented in Cleveland. I canâ t complain. It is 
enjoyable for me to write in Prague. I like the local atmosphere. On
the top of it, it is comfortable. I can be in London in two hours by
plane. Prague awakes extreme reactions, you love it, or hate it â 
and then you should leave it. Well, once I almost did so.

For what reason?

The first day I came here I broke almost all of the bones in my 
ankle. I was lying in the worst czech hospital for three weeks and 
because the bones didnâ t heal well, they had to break it twice 
more. This was they way Prague introduced to me. Now I am trying to 
settle out if I can live without it.

Are you sorry for not doing something in your life?

No, I am not. I make the best of every good situation I get into. 
Simply, I go for it and when it doesnâ t work then I can tell myself
I tried at least. The advantage of having so many records is that 
you donâ t have to work anymore if you donâ t want to.

Do you mean that you donâ t need to work for money anymore?

My modest fees from the 47 records are good enough to cover my needs
and to give me freedom to get on a plane and go wherever I want to.

Few years ago you affirmed that you are a workaholic. Are you still 
able to work for 16 hours a day?

I work a lot but also I have joy. I work only when I need, when I 
feel I am good at it. In the moment I loose a motivation I distance 
of it. The inspiration comes unexpected.

What has happened to the planned project when you wanted to transfer
Karel Krylâ s songs to classical music?

I have already done several sketches and it wonâ t last more than a 
week to finish it. What I write are arranges for violin, accordion, 
two harps and contrabass. It is going to be very chamber, only 
instruments, no vocals. His manifestation speaks, it is almost a 
spiritual experience. Krylâ s songs have followed me and donâ t let 
me to sleep. And I even donâ t understand a word!

You really donâ t know the lyrics?

No, I donâ t. Purposely I didnâ t have them to be translated because
I wanted to feel the soul of him, the point. 

Weâ ve already spoken about the czech music scene â what is you 
opinion about products of the competition Ä esko hledá SuperStar? 
(czech equivalent of American Idol)

Competitons of this kind have only one purpose â to fool masses. It 
is almost a complot committed to quality music. This is probably all
I can say about it.

I would like to come back to a mentioned film about Killing Joke. 
What will be the name and what will it be about?

Itâ s going to be named The Death and Resurrection Show and it is 
going to be something between documentary and a feature film. Within
a creation I was inspired by Petr Zelenka who I could watch during 
the work on YOTD film. How did he behave as a director, how did he 
staff the actors. I was fascinated by his method of civil acting, in
fact no acting.

How do you mean that?

For example he called me and asked me for a meeting the next day. I 
turned up to the place and found out it was not going to be any 
dinner or coffe but that a film was going to be taken. Actually he 
didnâ t give me a chance to be afraid of anything, to get stressed, 
to stylized into an actors role. He just said go there and say this.
Absolutely normally how you ordinarily say that. And I did it. It 
was a fun. We all enjoyed it. With Killing Joke we did something 
similar. People donâ t actually act there but they express their 
relations to Killing Joke. There will be Led Zeppelin, those who 
have left from Nirvana, The Doors, Jimmy Page, one member of Rolling
Stones. We are planning to send this film to a Sundance festival.

It sounds interesting. So in the end you become a film-maker.

And thatâ s not all. Soon I am going to work on a twelve part TV 
serial with my friends â heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is going 
to be some kind of action fun â the singer Bruce Dickinson is going 
to pilot an airbus which is going to take, step by step, the fans on
a board and bring them in concerts. Such a happening it will be. 

Have you still got some dream you want to come true?

Of course. I have many dreams which come and leave but one of them 
still remains. On the island in New Zealand where I live I would 
like to have a chapel to be built. I have already designed it and 
now I look for an architect which would be able to build it. This is
one of my obscure thoughts, but I really mean it.

You surprise me â where does the spirituality comes from?

I was raised like this. There were Christians in our family since 
ever; my parents were deeply dedicated to Leonardo da Vinciâ s 
ideas. I am mainly interested in relations between various 
religions. I look for what they have in common and what divides 
them. I studied Christianity with the best savants. I am trying to 
find the answers to many questions. But I donâ t know if I can make 
it, I have lots of work to do but very little time.

How would you like the people to remember you?

I would like them to remember me for my work, especially in 
classical music. I begin to think about literature career; so far Iâ
ve started by writing diaries. Iâ ve named them magical diaries and 
I describe there my daily experiences, experiments in esoteric area.
I note everything and I am able to find even a year 1979 and what I 
did that time, what did I feel or what I thought. You wouldnâ t 
believe how instructive it is and how much Iâ ve changed since that 
time.

Do you write every day?

Yes, I do, every morning. Very early morning. Wherever I go I have a
notebook and a pencil (taking out an old notebook from a bag). 
Tomorrow Iâ ll write in there I had made an interview for Lidové 
Noviny. 

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