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

[Pssyche]

Excellent stuff - thanks for that Appo! 
A tv serial with Iron Maiden - sounds bloody weird.
Cheers

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Appocalypsa 
  To: A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!) 
  Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 9:39 AM
  Subject: *** SPAM *** [kj] Jaz interview,The Death And Resurrection Show Film and what he does nowadays +Sziget


  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 didn’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.

  There’s no wonder about it, during the communist era you couldn’t play punk a lot…

  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 – Czechs. It is a family band, sort of tribe. The man is a poor boy because when they get all together, he’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 don’t want to cut the relationships with.

  Do you think they could come through abroad?

  I seriously don’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 can’t believe I founded Killing Joke when I was 17. That’s almost impossible! 

  People usually remember you the most because of cooperation with Čechomor in 2000 to 2001. You arranged the album Proměny (Transformations) which became very famous and brought Čechomor to the sunlight. Why you don’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 …. fortunatelly the film is much more better :)) We wouldn’t be able to outdo it. I don’t go backwards to what I used to do, I like new challenges. But I still acknowledge Čechomor 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. Don’t you think?

  I can’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 don’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 – you surprise me with your asketicism. I remember you being different in the times when you cooperate with Čechomor. You liked wine.

  Yes, I’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 shouldn’t drink more than one or two drinks a day. But this is fucking boring! So I’ve decided that is better nothing than a little.

  I wouldn’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 Zealand’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 don’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 don’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, he’s such a nice guy who was successful during the communism. But now he’s punished for that by public denouncement.

  I didn’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 who’s extremely at the right and who assumes that Daniel betrays his own fundamentals by associating with black people or gypsies…
  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 don’t understand why they still suffer because of prejudices. And that’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 he’s got a good taste applies to single malt whisky.

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

  No, I don’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 who’s voice was bigger than pyramids. I arrange the old Arabic songs which the BBC is supposed to broadcast. In the recent time we’ve finished a film about Killing Joke and now I work on something what I call a pub opera. It’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) who’s comeback wasn’t very successful in Czech Republic. What do you think about that?

  I don’t give a fuck about the other’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 can’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 – 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 didn’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 doesn’t work then I can tell myself I tried at least. The advantage of having so many records is that you don’t have to work anymore if you don’t want to.

  Do you mean that you don’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 Kryl’s songs to classical music?

  I have already done several sketches and it won’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. Kryl’s songs have followed me and don’t let me to sleep. And I even don’t understand a word!

  You really don’t know the lyrics?

  No, I don’t. Purposely I didn’t have them to be translated because I wanted to feel the soul of him, the point. 

  We’ve already spoken about the czech music scene – what is you opinion about products of the competition Česko hledá SuperStar? (czech equivalent of American Idol)

  Competitons of this kind have only one purpose – 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?

  It’ 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 didn’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 don’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 that’s not all. Soon I am going to work on a twelve part TV serial with my friends – heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is going to be some kind of action fun – 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 – 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 Vinci’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 don’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 I’ve started by writing diaries. I’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 wouldn’t believe how instructive it is and how much I’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 I’ll write in there I had made an interview for Lidové Noviny. 



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