[kj] A Letter from Jaz to the Gathering

[Alexander Smith]

Well, some of the quotes mirror statements he made in that Quietus  
interview. It should also be remembered that he's off the sauce these  
days.... which probably has a profound affect on his overall manner.

Alex in NYC


On Feb 10, 2010, at 6:24 PM, sade1 wrote:


> I can't vouch or contest any of the facts therein, but, after years  

> of reading interviews of Jaz, his writings and quotes and odd letter  

> to fans (not to mention the Courtald Talks), Youtube clips, etc. I  

> gotta say that letter just doesn't read as if Jaz wrote it.  

> Something's changed.

> Will be happy to be proven wrong, though.

>   ~~ S

>

>

> ... ... ... ... ... ...

>

> [looking at the current state of things..]

>

> 'Who has the fun..

>   ..is it always a man with a gun...?

>     Someone must have told him if you work too hard... you can sweat"

>

>

> From: Felix Norton <nortonfelix at googlemail.com>

> To: gathering at misera.net

> Sent: Wed, February 10, 2010 12:34:24 AM

> Subject: [kj] A Letter from Jaz to the Gathering

>

> I will be playing all the new 19 KJ songs at the playback party in  

> Geneve in early March. As you know, record companies only like 9 or  

> 10 tracks on a record, so your input would be appreciated. As yet I  

> have not heard any of the final mixes, I spoke to Youth yesterday to  

> pass my condolences on his father, Alan, (who was a father to us all  

> since we were teenagers) who passed away on Sunday morning. I was  

> amazed by the fact that Youth kept going on at the new record, said,  

> it is the best vocals I have ever done, which also echoed in email  

> of Big Paul and ... well, Geordie is beaming! The rough tracks sound  

> unbelievable, so I cannot imagine listening back to everything  

> finished. When we went in the studio the afternoons were dedicated  

> to structured songs and evenings to jams, you cannot tell which is  

> which. One of the jams (which was initiated by Youth) is called The  

> Raven King. The vocals went down very fast, when I listened back to  

> it, it was too painful. However, the lyrics are to be taken in a  

> broader context, I'll give you an example of the first verse:

>

>

>

> The Ravens flown and left the Tower

>

> and Albion feels all abandoned

>

> A desecrated cenotaph - surveillance state and waning choices

>

> Guarded by warriors we knew

>

> Guided by our ancestral voices

>

>

> I am just about to leave for India to do one more vocal (press -  

> Killing Joke appears to be big in India) then continue on a press  

> tour through Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South and North America  

> in three weeks. On February 2 I've finished all recording, having  

> had three days off since writing in studio with Geordie on September  

> 26, and I suppose it is non-stop until the end of the tour. Frankly  

> we'll all be lucky if we can get through to the tour without Iran  

> kicking off. I have always had this horror that if Killing Joke is  

> successful, war will follow, and indeed, if we look at key years  

> i.e. Revelations - Falklands, Extremities - Gulf war I, 2003 - Gulf  

> war II, a pattern emerges. I sincerely hope it is my paranoia this  

> time and as I head to New Zealand I have a sort of pre-Iceland  

> feeling, I hope I'll make it back so I can see you all.

>

> Last year I took Raven's ashes to Lord Shiva's hill in South India,  

> I have become quite religious in my old age, acknowledging perhaps  

> for the first time my Hindu roots I performed Giri-Valam -  

> investigate.

>

> It would be nice to have as many British gatherers at the Paris show  

> - it's gonna be an incredible day. A state ceremony in which (to my  

> amazement) I am to be decorated as Chevalier of the Arts and Letters  

> by the French government for my contributions to classical music.  

> Then I'll introduce my eldest french speaking daughter to her  

> grandmother, my brother and her sisters for the first time - some  

> different music then off for a two hour set with Killing Joke.

>

> Book One is nearly finished, I'll probably upload a couple of  

> chapters.

>

> Well, think of us all on February 26 - the band's birthday and  

> Youth's father funeral.

> You are all my family.

>

> Jaz

>

> PS: The Magpie club and playback party to be held at Moloko bar,  

> L’Usine. Drop us a line if you are coming (HAHA). You must apply for  

> invitation - Grand Union management. Probably first or second Sunday  

> of March.

>

> PPS: It's a great life!

>

> PPPS: Masks are to be worn at all gigs in the manner of a masquerade  

> party as we are re-establishing the ancient feast of fools festival  

> - research it yourself.

>

> The war criminal Blair must pay!

>

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