THERE IS ANOTHER WORLD... &IT IS IN THIS ONE / PaUl elUard RUFUS KNIGHT / SHOULD WE START WITH MY WORD LIST?

NIGEL YANG / YEAH, THE LIST WAS PRETTY GOOD BECAUSE THOSE ARE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE IN MY HEAD ALL THE TIME. THERES ACOUPLE OF THINGS, IDONT KNOW HOW YOU GOT THEM THE REFERENCE TO CHRIS MARKER. HAVE IEVER WRITTEN ANYTHING ABOUT THAT PUBLICLY OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU JUST GUESSED? RK / LAJETE &SANS SOLEIL? NY / LAJETE IS AHUGE INFLUENCE BUT IDONT THINK IVE EVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT IT THOUGH. RK / IGUESS IJUST KIND JUST OF READ INTO THINGS... JONNINE STANDISH / THIS THE TIME-TRAVEL ONE TOLD IN STILLS &HE WITNESSES HIS OWN DEATH. RK / I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST AN INTERESTING REFERENCE FOR SOME OF THE SONGS & IMAGERY YOU USE. NOSTALGIA, THATS ALWAYS BEEN ON MY MIND. THE RELATIONSHIP, IF THERE IS ONE, BETWEEN TARKOVSKY &THE FIRST ALBUM. NY / ITS KIND OF A STRANGE RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE ITS PROBABLY NOT SO MUCH AN ARTISTIC OR AESTHETIC RELATIONSHIP AS IT IS TO DO WITH REAL LIFE OCCURRENCES. WHEN HATE ROCK HAD THEIR VERY FIRST REHEARSAL UP IN THE MACEDON HILLS OUTSIDE OF MELBOURNE, SEAN & I GOT TOGETHER & PLAYED IN HIS DADS SHED &RECORDED IT ALL: THATS ACTUALLY WHERE WE FIRST WROTE HA&AFEW OTHER SONGS. MY GIRLFRIEND, NOW WIFE, ANDREAWAS UP WITH US & IDONT ACTUALLY KNOW THE TRUTH OF WHAT HAPPENED BUT ANYWAY, WED REHEARSED &IHAD ACOPY OF NOSTALGHIATO WATCH SO IPUT IT ON. IWAS REALLY TIRED &IFELL ASLEEP & KEPT OF WAKING UP & THINKING THAT I WAS SEEING THOSE TWO GETTING A BIT TOO CLOSE. I DONT USUALLY IMAGINE THINGS, SO ISUSPECT SOMETHING MAY HAVE HAPPENED. BUT IT KIND OF INJECTED THE REALLY WEIRD TENSION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. JS / WHICH IONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT YEARS OF MEETING YOU GUYS NY / & OTHER STUFF HAPPENED SINCE THEN BUT ITS STRANGE HOW THAT FILM WAS LINKED WITH MASSIVE TENSION THAT EXISTED BETWEEN SEAN &I. RK / THATS INTERESTING BECAUSE AMOTIF IN THE FILM IS THE SEXUAL TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS; EUGENIABARING HER BREAST IN VAIN TO ANDREI. NY / YEAH... IONLY HAVE AHALF-ASLEEP MEMORY OF IT THOUGH.

& DIDNT DO A GOOD JOB OF IT EITHER, BUT I UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING MYSTERY TO THINGS YOU HOLD DEAR. NY / BEING IN HTRK WAS NEVER REALLY ABOUT BEING FRIENDS. BUT ONLY WHEN EVERYONE IS REALLY STRONG CAN THIS ATTITUDE PERSIST. IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT ONE OF US WOULD WEAKEN IN FACT WE ALL TOOK TURNS TO BREAK DOWN AFTER WE LEFT MELBOURNE. YOUR BANDMATE LOSES IT IN AFOREIGN CITY, YOU REACH OUT AHELPING HAND &THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW YOURE COOKING THEM DINNER ITS ALL DOWNHILL FROM THERE. JS / I DONT THINK IM BEING TOO ROMANTIC IN SAYING WE WERE AFAMILY. YOU ALWAYS THINK YOUR BROTHERS &SISTERS ARE LAME AT SOME POINT & REBEL. HTRK AS A THING WAS VERY DIFFERENT TO MY RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU GUYS PERSONALLY. IVE NEVER BEEN CLOSER TO TWO PEOPLE IN MY LIFE YET IWAS FEELING GUILTY ABOUT BEING MY ORDINARY SELF SOMETIMES. NY / SEAN WANTED US ALL TO KEEP OUR DISTANCE, WHEREAS IWAS GETTING TIRED OF THE ALIENATION WITHIN THE BAND, EVEN IF IT DID LEND ITSELF TO MYSTIQUE & ATTRACTION TO ONE ANOTHER IWANTED TO BRING JONN MORE INTO IT, DISCLOSE SOME SECRETS. IRONICALLY, THIS DIFFERENCE OF OPINION OVER HOW MUCH CONNECTION TO MAKE WITH EACH OTHER BECAME THE NEW SOURCE OF TENSION BETWEEN SEAN &I, &NOT APLEASANT OR CREATIVE ONE. JS / INEVER KNEW THIS WAS GOING ON, ICOULD JUST FEEL IT. RK / DO YOU FEEL A SPECIFIC RELATIONSHIP OR TIE TO THE HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAS [EXPATRIATE] MUSICAL CANON? NY / THE HISTORY IS IMPORTANT, PERHAPS MORE SO THAN THE MUSIC. OUR FAVOURITE FROM THAT ERAIS OF COURSE THE MOST ACCESSIBLE THE BIRTHDAY PARTY &OTHER GROUPS &COLLABORATIONS ROWLAND [S. HOWARD] WAS APART OF. AT THE BEGINNING WE DREW ALOT OF INSPIRATION FROM THE BIRTHDAY PARTY, TRACY PEWS BASS SOUND, THAT STRENGTH. STRANGELY IVE NEVER HEARD ANY BIRTHDAY PARTY RECORDS EXCEPT THE LIVE 1981-82 DISC, WHICH I FELT WAS ALL IEVER NEEDED. SEAN WAS MUCH MORE FAMILIAR WITH OEUVRES & HISTORICAL DETAILS HE USED TO READ A LOT OF BOOKS ON PUNK & POST PUNK HISTORY, ON ALL SORTS OF SUBCULTURES IN FACT. HE WAS BIG ON THE SCIENTISTS &X, ESPECIALLY IAN RILENS BASSLINES. WE ARE PROUD OF THIS HISTORY IN AUSTRALIAN MUSIC IREMEMBER BEING VERY EXCITED WHEN IFOUND MUSIC CREATED IN THIS CITY ID GROWN UP IN THAT ACTUALLY INSPIRED AWE IN ME. THE ECHOES OF INFLUENCE OF ROWLAND ARE EVIDENT ON ASMALLER, MORE PERSONAL LEVEL TOO. THERES AMORE RECENT CHAPTER IN GREAT AUSTRALIAN MUSIC IN THE FORM OF THE BAND HUNGRY GHOSTS. AROUND THE TIME BEFORE HTRK STARTED, JP FROM HUNGRY GHOSTS RANDOMLY GAVE ME THEIR FIRST CD I HAD NO IDEA WHO THEY WERE. IT WAS THEIR SELF TITLED DEBUT, A REALLY GREAT INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM, COINCIDENTALLY PRODUCED BY LINDSAY GRAVINA & ROWLAND S. HOWARD. HUNGRY GHOSTS MUSICAL INTEGRITY WAS INSPIRING &LOOKING BACK I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE SHAPED MY GUITAR PLAYING IN A WAY THAT GRABBED ROWLANDS ATTENTION. THROUGH LIVING WITH JP I WAS INTRODUCED TO THE MUSIC OF EINSTRZENDE NEUBAUTEN &IT WAS THE FIRST TIME ID HEARD THE NAME JOHN CAGE MENTIONED. HERE I ALSO DISCOVERED NO WAVE & THE CINEMA OF TRANSGRESSION. I FIND IT QUITE FUNNY THAT I AM PERSONALLY LINKED INTO THIS THREAD OF AUSTRALIAN 80S UNDERGROUND. AS A MALAYSIAN-CHINESE KID FROM A MIGRANT FAMILY I THINK THIS CONNECTION IS QUITE FUNNY. ITS NEVER BEEN AFORCED CONNECTION, ITS JUST SLOWLY WEBBED AROUND US. IGUESS THE EXPLOSION OF ENERGY FROM BACK THEN CAN STILL BE FELT 30 YEARS LATER &IT SHAPES OUR LIVES IN UNEXPECTED WAYS WE ARE NOT ENAMOURED WITH THE HISTORY, WERE JUST SENSITIVE TO THE REPERCUSSIONS.

HTRK
RK / HOW DID THIS UNDERLYING TENSION WITH SEAN IN YOUR MUSIC AFFECT YOUR RELATIONSHIPS OFF STAGE? NY / ONLY AFTER SEAN DIED DID I REALISE HOW MUCH TENSION WE HAD AMASSED OVER THE YEARS BETWEEN US. THE TENSION WAS INTENSE, &POSSIBLY GREATER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BECAUSE WE NEVER, EVER FOUGHT. THERE WAS NO RESPITE. IN THE BEGINNING WE CULTIVATED THE TENSION WE MADE VERY FEW CONCESSIONS FOR EACH OTHERS FEELINGS & REALLY HAD FUN KEEPING EACH OTHER IN THE DARK. THIS WAS ACREATIVE DECISION WED MADE. BUT WITH SEAN THE LIES CREPT INTO NORMAL LIFE &HE GOT SEDUCED BY ACERTAIN STRAIN OF ROMANTICISM THAT IN THE END BECAME TOO EXTREME. FOR ALONG TIME HE HAD ASUPERHUMAN ABILITY TO COMPARTMENTALISE THE MANY CONFLICTING PARTS OF HIS LIFE IBECAME FRUSTRATED... JS / YEAH, THE PLAN WAS TO KEEP OURSELVES INTERESTED IN EACH OTHER, OR THRILL EACH OTHER, THIS MEANT FOR ME HIDING SOME OF THE MUNDANE &EVERYDAY THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN MY LIFE. IWOULDNT SAY IHAD FUN KEEPING YOU GUYS IN THE DARK,

RK / ITHINK IASK THIS BECAUSE NEW ZEALANDS NATIONAL IDENTITY IS REASONABLY BURIED &MORE STRONGLY COMES ACROSS IN ARTISTS LIKE COLIN MCCAHON &BANDS LIKE THE DEAD C. NY / I SAW AN EXHIBITION RECENTLY OF MICHAEL STEVENSON & A LOT OF HIS PAINTINGS REALLY MADE ME THINK OF THAT KIND OF TEXTURE IN THE DEAD C, THELA & THE NEW ZEALAND NOISE SCENE WHICH I WAS REALLY, REALLY INTO &STILL REMAIN INTERESTED IN. AT THE BEGINNING, BEFORE HATE ROCK STARTED I WAS REALLY INTO THE CORPUS HERMETICUM STUFF & THAT TO ME IS THE COLOUR OF A LOT OF NEW ZEALAND ART & MUSIC. I WAS ACTUALLY BORN IN WELLINGTON &CAME TO MELBOURNE WHEN IWAS ABOUT AYEAR OLD. WHAT IVE REALLY NOTICED BEING IN LONDON IS ITS ALL ABOUT SELFPROMOTION. AUSTRALIANS HAVE AN UNWILLINGNESS TO BOAST OR SELF-PROMOTE. JS / WEVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS ALOT. RK / ITHINK ITS AN ANTIPODEAN THING; YOU JUST TEND TO BE BLOWN AWAY BY THE SHAMELESSNESS OF IT WHEREAS WE BECOME QUITE HUMBLED BY IT &ITHINK THATS ATRAIT OF AUSTRALIAN &NEW ZEALAND PEOPLE. NY / YEAH, IT FEELS REALLY CORPORATE TO SELF-PROMOTE... JS / I HAVE TO AGREE; ITS SOMETHING I CANT PHYSICALLY DO AS AN AUSTRALIAN, ITS NOT PART OF YOUR SOUL. & YOU FEEL, MAYBE THE WORD IS RESENTMENT, TO PEOPLE AROUND YOU IT FEELS SO TEENAGE, THERES SO MANY EXCLAMATION MARKS IN FACEBOOK UPDATES & ACTUALLY IT MAKES ME FEEL VIOLENT. THE QUESTION, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AUSTRALIAN, THIS HAS COME UP IN CONVERSATION ALOT IN THE LAST YEAR QUITE ALOT NY / I GUESS AS AUSTRALIAN OR NEW ZEALANDERS WERE JUST MORE FINELY TUNED TO PEOPLE BEING OSTENTATIOUS. ITS KIND OF AWFUL THAT IN THE BUSINESS WORLD THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOUR IS REWARDED & IT SEEMS TO HAVE BLURRED OVER INTO CREATIVE FIELDS. WE NOTICE IT IN THE MUSIC SCENE BUT ITS THE SAME BEHAVIOUR THAT CAUSES RESTAURANTS TO COVER THEIR WHOLE WINDOWS IN REVIEWS. WE WONT HAVE ABAR OF IT &IT DOES MAKE US ABIT ANGRY. JS / WELL IT MAKES US ABIT ANGRY BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY THAT BEHAVIOUR REALLY WORKS &ITS SOMETHING THAT, INSTINCTIVELY, WE CANNOT DO. RK / &YOU THINK HOW DO YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT? JS / IKNOW! &ITHINK, IF WE WERE REWARDED WITH SOME FORM OF SUCCESS BY DOING SUCH ATHING, IWOULDNT ENJOY IT. IFEEL LIKE IT HAS TO COME IN AN ORGANIC WAY. THIS HAS BEEN AHOT TOPIC FOR ACOUPLE OF YEARS SO IM SORRY WERE OFFLOADING! RK / THE IDEA OF CORPORATE LIFE IS SOMETHING THAT YOURE DEALING WITH IN THE NEW ALBUM. ITS AVERY STRANGE PLACE TO BE... JS / THERES HEAVY CORPORATE THEMES. AS MUCH AS IDESPISE IT, IM REALLY INSPIRED BY IT AT THE SAME TIME. A LOT OF INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHT ABOUT ART COMES FROM WHAT AFFECTS YOU, WHETHER THATS ON AGOOD LEVEL OR NOT. MYSELF & SEAN ESPECIALLY REALLY HAVE HAD THESE CORPORATE DOUBLE LIVES DURING THE DAY &THEN AT NIGHT WE BECOME OURSELVES. NOT SO MUCH NIGEL, HES KIND OF GOT OUT OF IT IDONT KNOW HOW OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. IVE ALWAYS BEEN REALLY JEALOUS AS HES ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO WORK FROM HOME. SEAN WAS KIND OF WORKING FROM HOME BUT HE WAS DEALING WITH THESE MEGA-INTENSIVE CORPORATE CONFERENCE CALLS; HED BE IN HIS UNDERWEAR COMPLETELY WIRED TALKING TO EIGHT PEOPLE IN SAN FRANCISCO HOLDING THE WHOLE MEETING & THEY WOULD JUST THINK HE WAS A GENIUS. HED BE AT MY HOUSE SAYING I CANT BELIEVE IM PULLING THIS SHIT OFF AS IM GOING TO WORK IN MY CORPORATE BLAZER & WE WOULD LAUGH AT THIS COMPLETELY ALTERNATE UNIVERSE THAT WE HAD THAT NOTHING TO DO WITH WHO WE WERE. WE FELT LIKE KINDRED SPIRITS. IM SURE THATS WHY THOSE SUBJECTS HAVE LEAKED INTO THE ALBUM. RK / THIS CORPORATE/ARTISTIC DOUBLE-LIFE REALLY IS ACCOMPANIED BY THAT OF A NIGHT LIFE. JONN, YOUVE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT YOU FELT YOUR OWN ADOLESCENCE HAD BEEN SWALLOWED UP BY THE NIGHT. THERES A STRANGE IRONY ABOUT BEING ABLE TO REMOVE YOURSELF

ENOUGH TO COMMENT ON YOUR VICES, &THEN WILLINGLY THROW YOURSELF BACK IN THE SAME SITUATION NIGHT AFTER NIGHT. HOW DO YOU BEGIN TO PUT MUSIC &WORDS TO THESE STATES? JS / MARRY ME TONIGHT IS ASIMPLE CONCEPT THAT AWOMAN IS AS PREDATORY, NIHILISTIC &NARCISSISTIC AS AMAN. IWAS ABLE TO DOCUMENT MY SUPERNOVAIN THE AFTER HOURS AS IHAD COMPARTMENTALISED MY LIFE INTO WORK, NIGHT & HTRK. THE GIRL WAS METAPHORICALLY BEING SWALLOWED UP BY THE NIGHT &INTO THE UNKNOWN WRITING LYRICS WAS AWAY TO TRACE IT. THERE WAS A CERTAIN METAMORPHOSIS GOING ON, LIKE A SECOND ADOLESCENCE. I WAS GOING THROUGH A PRETTY HEDONISTIC TIME, IT WAS ALL CRUSHES &HEARTBREAK. YOU WONT FIND ANY CONCEPTS OF LOVE IN THESE SONGS; ITS DESIRE FROM BEGINNING TO END. MARRY ME TONIGHT IS ALSO ASOCIAL COMMENTARY ON WOMENS FEARS &MY OWN FEELINGS OF BEING UNDERWHELMED BY THE ROLES OFFERED IN WOMANHOOD. IWAS BORED BY THE CONCEPT OF BEING ABUSY MUM OR HAVING ACAREER &LOSING MY UNCOMPROMISING SIDE. ITS NOT SO STRANGE TO THINK THE GIRLS ARE BEING PREPPED FOR SOMETHING SINISTER [LUCILE HADIHALILOVICS INNOCENCE]. WHATS THE MOST FUCKED UP THING WE CAN DO TONIGHT LETS DIE TONIGHT OR MARRY ME TONIGHT. RK / ALMOST EVERY PROFESSIONAL IKNOW HAS ASUBSTANTIAL ADDICTION OR SUBSCRIPTION TO SOMETHING FAR REMOVED FROM THE OFFICE & ITS INCREDIBLE TO SEE HOW THEY STILL MANAGE TO HOLD IT TOGETHER, RUN ABUSINESS, TAKE CARE OF FAMILIES JS / ITS FASCINATING; IT REALLY TAKES UP A LOT OF MY THINKING, THESE DOUBLE LIVES THAT ARTISTS HAVE TO LIVE IN ORDER TO SURVIVE. ITS REALLY RARE THAT YOU CAN JUST CONCENTRATE ON THE ONE THING THAT YOU LOVE TO DO. IVE TRIED THAT &FAILED; ISPENT AYEAR IN BERLIN JUST TRYING TO DO THE ONE THING THAT IVE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO, MUSIC, & I FOUND THAT ILOST MY ANGER, MY DRIVE, MY ROUTINE TO WRITE ITS ALMOST LIKE IDIDNT HAVE HERES MY FREE TIME &IM GOING TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT IT FELT LIKE THE WORLD JUST BECAME A BLUR. SO WITH THE CORPORATE LIFE, YOU THINK FUCK, IVE ONLY GOT THREE HOURS & IM ACTUALLY GOING TO CREATE SOMETHING BECAUSE I JUST HAD THE WORST EIGHT HOURS OF MY LIFE IN THE OFFICE. FOR US, WE REALLY NEEDED THAT ANGER. RK / ITHINK THATS REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN YOURE CREATING; YOU NEED AN AGITATOR. IMEAN, ARCHITECTURE FOR INSTANCE JS / REALLY? IT IS PRETTY CORPORATE RK / WELL YOU GET SUCKED INTO THIS IDEALISTIC PERSPECTIVE OF IT WHEN YOU STUDY BUT THEN YOU GET INTO PRACTICE ITS CLIENT DRIVEN, BUDGETING, FEASIBILITY ET CETERA. THE TIME YOU DONT HAVE TO BE DOING THAT, YOU LEARN TO USE TO SATIATE YOUR CREATIVITY. JS / IHAD AFRIEND WHO WAS AN ARCHITECT IN MELBOURNE &SPENT AYEAR DESIGNING SCREWS THAT WENT INTO STAIRS FOR AFIRE ESCAPE &JUST WENT ABSOLUTELY CRAZY. RK / ISNT THAT INCREDIBLE? & THATS THE REALITY OF IT! IM NOT EXPLICITLY DRAWING SCREWS BUT IT COMES PRETTY CLOSE SOMETIMES. SPEAKING OF THIS DEPARTURE FROM THE CORPORATE LIFE, SOMETHING THAT COMES ACROSS INDIRECTLY IN THE MUSIC & SOME OF THE ASSOCIATED IMAGERY IS THE USE OF SUBSTANCES. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS OF SPECIFIC INTEREST? JS / ITHINK ITS SOMETHING THAT WE EXPERIMENTED WITH IN THE EARLY STAGES OF MEETING EACH OTHER &CREATING MUSIC TOGETHER, ITS CERTAINLY ATOOL TO LOSE ALL YOUR INHIBITION & MUSIC & DRUGS TEND TO GO REALLY WELL TOGETHER. BUT ITS NEVER BEEN SOMETHING THAT WAS NECESSARY FOR MAKING THE MUSIC, IN NO WAY AT ALL. I REMEMBER THERES A FANTASTIC QUOTE FROM SLEAZY [PETER CHISTOPHERSON] FROM COIL THAT GOES ANY KIND OF PSYCHEDELIC CAN BE AREALLY AMAZING WAY OF OPENING ADOOR &SHOWING VIEWS THAT YOUVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE, BUT ONCE YOUVE HAD AREALLY GOOD LOOK, IDONT THINK THAT YOU NEED TO CONTINUE SEEING IF ITS STILL THERE BY OPENING THE DOOR AGAIN. ITS NOT ANECESSITY FOR YOUR LIFE. ITHINK ITS RE-

ALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE HAD THOSE EXPERIENCES BUT ITHINK IF YOU KEEP GOING BACK TO THE SAME PLACE THERES SOMETHING REALLY BORING ABOUT THAT. RK / THE REASON I ASK IS THAT A THEME YOUVE TALKED ABOUT FOR THE NEW ALBUM IS DYSPHORIA & I THINK ITS AMAZING THAT YOU MANAGE TO CAPTURE THAT IN YOUR MUSIC BECAUSE ALOT OF PEOPLE DISREGARD IT AS THIS EXTERNALITY BUT ITS QUITE AN INTERESTING STATE TO BE IN. NY / I REALLY FOCUS A LOT ON THAT FEELING. JUST RETURNING TO DRUGS, ITHINK THE THING THAT DOESNT GET BORING IS THE EXTREMITY OF THE COMEDOWN; EACH TIME IT JUST GETS WORSE &WORSE. JS / YOU REALLY LIKE THAT! NY / SEAN USED TO LOVE IT AS WELL. BUT ITS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN HAVE AREALLY DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIP WITH; ITS NOT PURE DISLIKE, BECAUSE AFEELING LIKE THAT HAS SOME BIZARRE APPEAL & PSYCHICALLY IS VERY INTERESTING. DYSPHORIACAN START TO ENTER YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU HAVENT HAD DRUGS FOR AWHILE JUST AS IT MAY INEVITABLY HAPPEN IF YOUVE TAKEN TOO MANY. IT IS AREALLY POWERFUL SOURCE OF FEELING, ITHINK. ITS NOT JUST GREY NOTHING; ITS ACTUALLY REALLY HARD TO PUT INTO WORDS WHICH IS WHY ITS ATOUCHSTONE FOR ME WHEN IM THINKING ABOUT AUNIQUE FEELING THAT IM TRYING TO PORTRAY IN THE MUSIC THAT IFEEL ISNT BEING EXPRESSED BY ANYONE ELSE ACCURATELY. RK / IT CAN BE A POINT OF CLARITY SOMETIMES. YOU START CHANNELING SOMETHING THAT ISNT HIGH, ISNT NORMAL BUT SOMEWHERE ELSE ENTIRELY. ACTUALLY IFIRST HEARD HALIKE THAT, IFELT LIKE IWAS IN ONE OF BILL HENSONS INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPES THEYRE AMAZING, DO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE IN AUSTRALIA? JS / THEYRE IN WEST MELBOURNE, IN ALTONA. I REMEMBER TRYING TO RIP OFF SOME OF HIS WORK MYSELF & SO I GOT IN CONTACT WITH HIM TO FIND OUT WHERE HE SHOT ALOT OF HIS PHOTOGRAPHS &HOW HE GOT THOSE SKIN TONES. HE SAID HE PAINTED SOME OF THE MODELS SILVER &JUST SHOT THEM WITH CAR &STREETLIGHTS. IWANTED TO WORK WITH HIM BUT HE SAID NO. RK / IVE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN HIS PROCESS; I HEARD THAT HE HAND AGITATES PRINTS WHEN THEYRE DEVELOPING TO BLUR THEM. ITS PRETTY INCREDIBLE WHAT HE MANAGES TO CAPTURE ON FILM. JS / IREALLY WANTED HIM TO SHOOT US ACTUALLY. THAT NAKED SHOT OF THE THREE OF US, IHAD HIM IN MIND TO ACTUALLY SHOOT US BUT HE NEVER SHOT BANDS, HE WAS FAR TOO BIG-TIME HE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PERFECT PHOTOGRAPHER FOR THAT PICTURE. RK / WHATS HE DOING NOW? WHAT IS THE PERCEPTION OF HIM AFTER THE ROSLYN OXLEY INCIDENT? JS / IREMEMBER READING SOMETHING RECENTLY THAT HE WAS DOING ACOUPLE OF LECTURES. RK / ISAW ALECTURE OF HIS ON YOUTUBE RECENTLY, IT WAS PHENOMENAL, ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES OF HIM SPEAKING. ITS GONE NOW, BUT IT WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD. YOU HEARD HIM SPEAK &YOU COULD JUST HEAR HIS BREADTH OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHERE HIS PHOTOGRAPHY COMES FROM. JS / IDONT REALLY KNOW WHERE IT COMES FROM. WHAT DID YOU FIND OUT? RK / WHAT WAS HIS BOOK BEFORE LUX ET NOX? MNEMOSYNE, I THINK & IN GRECIAN MYTH SHE WAS THE PHYSICAL EMBODIMENT OF MEMORY. JUST THOSE REALLY BEAUTIFUL, CLASSIC REFERENCES THAT SEEM SO FAR REMOVED FROM CONTEMPORARY CULTURE SIMILAR TO PETER GREENAWAY & ITS SO NICE TO HEAR SOMEONE TALK WHOS OLDER, REALLY WELL EDUCATED & NOT MENTIONING TWITTER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE HE DOES SORT OF CAPTURE THAT INDEFINABLE YOUTH-GENDER JS / BUT PEOPLE GET SO SCARED ABOUT IT. I THINK HE TREATS YOUTHS AS EQUALS ITS LIKE AYOUTH TAKING APHOTO OF AYOUTH. TAKING THESE ADOLESCENTS OUT OF THEIR BEDROOMS &BRIGHTLY COLOURED CLOTHES &PLACING THEM INTO BLACKNESS IS SURREAL. THEY BECOME WILDLIFE. THESE PHOTOS

ALLOW US TO BE A TOURIST, LOOKING AT SOMETHING WE USUALLY MISS, THE LAST MOMENT OF PURITY BEFORE DECAY. ASTAR BEFORE IT COMBUSTS. IT TELLS YOU MORE ABOUT YOUR OWN LIFE IN YOUR REACTION TO THESE PHOTOS. INNOCENCE IS INTERESTING &BEAUTIFUL BUT ITHINK ITS EXPERIENCE THAT IS SEXY. RK / & YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE YOU CAPTURE THAT, LYRICALLY, IN A FEW OF YOUR TRACKS LIKE RENTBOY. JS / YEAH, ITS GOT KIND OF AHENSON VIBE ACTUALLY, VERY MUCH SO. IN FACT IKIND OF IMAGINED IWAS BILL HENSON WHEN IWROTE THAT SONG. RK / REALLY? THATS INTERESTING BECAUSE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CALEB PICKED UP ON. I WAS DESCRIBING THE TRACK TO HIM BEFORE HE HEARD IT & ONCE HED LISTENED TO IT HE SAID WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, ITS ABOUT AGUY WHO WORKS AT AVIDEO STORE. JS / GREAT. THATS SO GOOD. IT WAS REALLY THAT ABOY &AVIDEO WERE KIND OF ONE &THE SAME. NOT QUITE ABOY WHO WORKED IN AVIDEO STORE; BUT THATS SO FUNNY, IM GOING TO LAUGH ABOUT THAT FOR AGES. IWAS VERY MUCH THINKING THAT IWAS ABILL HENSON-ESQUE MALE CHARACTER WHEN IWROTE THE LYRICS TO THAT SONG. IMEAN MOST OF THE SONGS ON MARRY ME TONIGHT DONT NEED MUCH EXPLANATION; THEYRE SO LITERAL. EVERYTHING THAT WAS WRITTEN ABOUT USUALLY HAPPENED THE WEEKEND BEFORE, OR THE NIGHT BEFORE WE WENT INTO REHEARSAL, ALMOST LIKE ADIARY ENTRY, WITHOUT TOO MUCH METAPHOR. IT WASNT TOO LONG BEFORE I MET SEAN & NIGEL THAT I HAD LOST MY YOUNGER BROTHER TO SUICIDE. WELL ILOST HIM TO SCHIZOPHRENIA. IGUESS I STARTED TO SING & DOCUMENT MY MOVEMENTS INTO LYRICAL SNAPSHOTS, OR SHORT MOVIE SCENES BECAUSE IDIDNT WANT TO LOSE MYSELF LIKE IHAD LOST HIM. IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING IHAD TO DO, IT WAS LIKE ARELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE, SERIOUSLY. IAM REALLY INTO THE BALLAD OF SEXUAL DEPENDENCY, ABOOK OF PHOTOGRAPHS BY NAN GOLDIN. SHE DOCUMENTED HERSELF & HER FRIENDS LIVES FOR ASIMILAR REASON SHE LOST HER SISTER TO SUICIDE. SHE SAID IT WAS ABOUT TRYING TO HOLD ONTO PEOPLE, MAKING SURE THEY DIDNT DISAPPEAR WITHOUT A TRACE. I NEVER EXPERIENCED THE SAME LOWS OR GOT AS FUCKED UP AS THE LIVES IN THESE PHOTOGRAPHS, BUT THERE WAS ACERTAIN AESTHETIC I COULD RELATE TO IN MY OWN LIFE. I WANTED THE SONGS ON MARRY ME TONIGHT TO DESCRIBE SLEAZY, DRUGGY &SAD SCENES LIKE THESE. RK / THE LYRICISM OF WORK (WORK, WORK) IS FAR MORE LAYERED THAN MARRY ME TONIGHT. YOUVE SAID THAT YOU LIKE TO WRITE WORDS THAT DISAPPEAR &THE SENTIMENT REMAINS, THAT ARE SO UNAWARE OF THEMSELVES THAT YOU FORGET ITS A SONG. CAN YOU SPEAK ABOUT YOUR WRITING PROCESS; DID YOU STILL WRITE FROM ALTERNATE PERSPECTIVES ON THE LATEST ALBUM OR WAS IT MORE INSULAR? JS / WITH THE CREATION OF WORK (WORK, WORK), IF ALINE OR WORD SNAPPED ME OUT OF THE MOOD OF THE SONG, IT WAS OUT. AS THE ALBUM STARTED TO TAKE SHAPE, IVE LOST LINES IVE LIVED WITH FOR YEARS, THAT ITHOUGHT MAYBE EVEN DEFINED THE SONG. WEVE HAD ASTRICT CONCEPT THAT THE ALBUM IS TO BE LISTENED TO IN ONE BLOCK. SOME LINES CAN HAVE THE EFFECT OF AMOBILE PHONE GOING OFF IN ACINEMA. IVE BEEN UNCOMPROMISING IN WHAT STAYS &WHAT GOES. IM NOT INTERESTED IN THE OVERLY POETIC OR ANYTHING THAT GIVES ME UP AS BEING AMANIPULATIVE SONG WRITER. IKEEP THINGS KIND OF CONVERSATIONAL. IVE BEEN INSPIRED BY THE WAY YOU WAKE UP &YOUVE SWALLOWED AWHOLE DENNIS COOPER NOVEL. IM ALSO INTERESTED IN HIS THEMES AROUND THE INADEQUACIES OF LANGUAGE &INARTICULATE YOUTH. EACH SONG IS ASTUDY OF SUBMISSION INTO GIVING YOUR POWER OVER TO SOMETHING ELSE. ICOVER THE SEVEN SINS &TRY TO HAVE AGO AT INVENTING NEW ONES. IN EACH SONG THERE IS A LAYERING OF THE THREE LIVES WE COMPARTMENTALISE, OUR CORPORATE LIVES, OUR PRIVATE LIVES &OUR LIFE WITHIN HTRK. THERE IS AFEELING IN THESE SONGS THAT THE TIERS WE KEEP SEPARATE ARE STARTING TO LEAK. RK / SEANS BASSLINES BEING SO FUNDAMENTAL TO YOUR SONGS TO DATE; DID HE EVER SPEAK ABOUT HIS FEELINGS TOWARD THE IDEAS EXPRESSED ON NOSTALGIA&MARRY ME TONIGHT? HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE HIS APPROACH TO MUSIC &INSTRUMENTATION?

312

313

NY / SEAN WAS THE PERFECT ARBITER HE WAS VERY STAUNCH. WHO THE HELL IS STAUNCH THESE DAYS? IT WAS ONE OF HIS MOST UNIQUE QUALITIES. HE CONSISTENTLY INSPIRED AUSTERITY & MINIMALISM. TO MY DETRIMENT I TEND TO BE MORE OPEN TO NEW TRENDS IN MUSIC SEAN WOULD ALWAYS BE THERE TO DENOUNCE THEM &KEEP ME PURE. I KNOW HE LOVED LISTENING TO NOSTALGIA. HE TEXTED ME ON AFREEZING NIGHT WHEN HE WAS IN TRANSYLVANIA(OF ALL THE PLACES!) SAYING IT JUST CAME ON SHUFFLE &WAS, IN HIS WORDS, BEAUTIFULLY EVOCATIVE. HED CAUGHT THE TRAIN TOO FAR & ENDED UP IN DESTITUTE OUTSKIRTS AT DAWN WITH SOME ROMANIAN PROSTITUTES CLAWING AT HIM. WHAT BETTER TIME THAN TO LISTEN TO NOSTALGIA. ILIKE THAT WE SUCCEEDED IN CREATING MUSIC THAT WE OURSELVES CAN LISTEN TO FOR PLEASURE. SEAN HAD GREAT RESPECT FOR THE CLASSICAL TRADITION &WOULD SOMETIMES WRITE HIS BASSLINES ON A STAVE, & THINK IN THOSE FORMAL, STRUCTURED TERMS, USING OSTINATI & COUNTERPOINT. WE BOTH LIKE BACH, MAHLER, SCHOENBERG, BERG, WEBERN &SO ON. WE ARE SOMEWHAT CONSERVATIVE IN THIS WAY & WE ARE STILL DRAWN TO PATHOS IN MUSIC SO LONG AS IT IS TEMPERED WITH SOME SORT OF RESTRAINT. SEAN WOULD RESPOND MOST POSITIVELY TO MUSIC THAT REMINDED HIM OF THE EXISTENCE OF ARCHETYPES, OR NOTICEABLY AIMED FOR SOME SORT OF PLATONIC IDEAL. SO WITH HTRK IT MAKES SENSE THAT WE WOULD AIM FOR SYMMETRY OR HARMONY MOST OF THE TIME. SEAN HATED UGLY SOUNDS FOR THE SAKE OF UGLY SOUNDS, DISCORD FOR THE SAKE OF IT. HIS APPROACH TO MAKING MUSIC IS SIMPLE GET RID OF DISTRACTIONS, REWARD ALISTENERS PATIENCE, &REMAIN FOCUSED ON OUR SINGULAR INTENT, WHICH IS TO PRODUCE SADNESS &SEXUAL DESIRE SIMULTANEOUSLY. RK / I DID READ A WHILE AGO ABOUT MARRY ME TONIGHT & ROWLANDS INVOLVEMENT IN IT & THAT THERE WAS AN EFFORT TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE &ROMANTIC; WHAT WAS THIS PARTICULAR VIEW OF ROMANCE? JS / I DONT THINK HE HAD A PARTICULAR VIEW, IT WAS JUST IN EVERY PORE &EVERY GENE IN HIS BODY; IDONT THINK HE HAD ACHOICE. ITHINK HE WAS JUST BORN THAT WAY. I DONT THINK IT WAS ANYTHING HE TRIED TO PUT INTO HIS WORK; IT JUST CAME OUT BY BEING ROWLAND. HES PRETTY CLOSE TO BEING ONE OF THE MOST ROMANTIC PEOPLE IVE EVER KNOWN, WITHOUT TRYING OR THINKING ABOUT IT. ITS VERY RARE THAT YOU MEET PEOPLE LIKE THAT. IDONT THINK HE EVER SAID WERE GOING TO MAKE THIS ALBUM REALLY ROMANTIC ITHINK JUST BEING IN HIS PRESENCE, IT WAS GOING TO GO THAT DIRECTION INSTINCTIVELY. RK / HES DEALT WITH IT A LOT THROUGHOUT HIS WORK; THERES ALWAYS BEEN ASTRONG ROMANCE PRESENCE IN HIS LYRICS. JS / EVEN DOWN TO THE LITERATURE HE LOVES READING. HE WAS COMPLETELY OBSESSED WITH CRIME NOVELS & TWISTS, ROMANTIC LEADS & FEMME FATALE THAT INFLUENCED HIM AS AKID. WE FOUND OUT HED FINISH ABOUT TWO NOVELS A WEEK HIS ENTIRE LIFE. HE WAS JUST A WALKING CRIME NOVEL, JUST FULL OF CATS & POISON & GUNS. I COULD PROBABLY TALK ABOUT ROWLAND FOR HOURS AS FAR AS ACCESSIBILITY GOES, HE REALLY HEARD THAT WE HAD SOME POP SONGS, WHICH WE KNEW WE WERE PLAYING AROUND WITH THE CONCEPT OF A SONG; WE KEPT THE SONGS TO AROUND THREE TO FIVE MINUTES, &HAD SOME STRUCTURE OF ABEGINNING, MIDDLE &END WHEN WE WERE WRITING, SO HE PICKED UP ON THE FACT THAT WE WERE INTERESTED IN THE CRAFT OF ASONG &JUST PUSHED THAT FURTHER. HE REALLY ENJOYED ACCESSIBLE POP MUSIC. LATER IN LIFE HE DIDNT TRY &DIG TOO DEEP UNDERGROUND TO FIND MUSIC. ITHINK HE &LINDSAY [GRAVINA] ENJOYED EXTRACTING THE SENTIMENT FROM THE MUSIC &THAT THE DELIVERY &CRAFT WERE AS IMPORTANT. NY / IFOUND ROWLAND &LINDSAY WERE VERY MUCH ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY &ITHINK FOR SOME PEOPLE LIKE ROWLAND WHO ARE NATURALLY EXPERIMENTAL, ACCESSIBILITY IS ACTUALLY THE CHALLENGE. WERE LIKE THAT TOO, I THINK. THE HARDEST THING IS MAKING OUR MUSIC LISTENABLE & WITH MARRY ME TONIGHT THERE WAS ACONCERTED EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THAT BUT WITH OUR NEW ALBUM NOT AS MUCH BECAUSE MY TENDENCY HAS BEEN NOT TO COMPROMISE FOR LISTENERSHIP.

314

RK / IM JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT LIVE RELEASE YOU PUT OUT IN APRIL; ITS VERY DIFFERENT TO MARRY ME TONIGHT, MUCH CLOSER TO NOSTALGIA... JS / ITHINK ALSO THAT WHEN THE THREE OF US WERE PLAYING TOGETHER ON ASTAGE THERE WAS ALOT OF TENSION, WHICH IS THE NATURE OF ATHREE-PIECE; INEVER FELT COMPETITIVE BUT THE THREE OF US ARE SO LOUD &SO STATIC &OF EQUAL DISTANCE APART SOMETIMES IT REALLY FELT LIKE AFORCE COMING OUT OF THE STAGE, WHICH IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT TO WHEN YOURE RECORDING &DOING YOUR PARTS SEPARATELY. ANY TIME IHEAR LIVE RECORDINGS, THEYRE SO FAR REMOVED FROM THE STUDIO BECAUSE ICAN HEAR SEAN PLAYING OFF NIGEL, ME TRYING TO BE HEARD OVER NIGEL ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU DONT EVEN NEED TO WORRY ABOUT IN ASTUDIO. NY / BUT TO MAKE AGOOD RECORD, OR ONE THAT PEOPLE CAN LISTEN TO OVER &OVER, THE LESS TENSION IN THERE, USUALLY, THE BETTER. PEOPLE LIKE THINGS THAT ARE SMOOTH, WHERE NOTHING JUMPS OUT TOO MUCH. I THINK THATS WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO WITH MARRY ME TONIGHT & TO AN EXTENT THIS NEW RECORD AS WELL. ITS STILL THAT KIND OF FLAT-LINED SCENE SO THAT IT CAN BE LISTENED TO OVER &OVER &OVER &HAS ALASTING POWER. JS / NIGEL MENTIONED TO ME THE OTHER DAY THAT IF IT WERE THE LAST DAY ON EARTH IN 500 YEARS TIME, WHAT ALBUM ARE YOU GOING TO PUT ON, &THESE THEMES HAVE BEEN RUNNING ROUND OUR HEAD WHILE WEVE BEEN MIXING FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO. NY / THAT IDEA, ITS KIND OF ALAME ONE, IWOULDNT HAVE EVER MADE IT PUBLIC OR ANYTHING BUT IF YOU KNEW THE WORLD WAS GOING TO END &YOU THREW APARTY, WHAT RECORD WOULD YOU PUT ON &IWANT IT TO BE THIS NEW ONE. IT EVOKES AFEELING THAT IHAVENT REALLY BEEN ABLE TO FIND IN ANY OTHER SCENARIO OR IMAGINARY SCENARIO, &WE OFTEN DO THINK UP IMAGINARY SCENARIOS FOR OUR MUSIC, AS IF IT WERE DESIGNED FOR APARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT OR HAPPENING BUT THIS IDEA OF THE LAST PARTY ON EARTH KIND OF STUCK. JS / ITHINK IT HAD ALOT TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT WE KNEW THIS WOULD BE LAST ALBUM THAT SEAN WOULD PLAY ON WHICH HAS HAD A LOT TO DO WITH NIGELS FEELINGS OF NOT WANTING TO COMPROMISE. ITS REALLY ABOUT DOING THE RIGHT THING BY SEAN &THERES BEEN ALOT OF SUBCONSCIOUS THOUGHTS THAT TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY SEAN WE WANT THIS TO BE, IWOULDNT SAY THE PERFECT ALBUM, BUT AN ALBUM YOU CAN PLAY FOREVER THAT HAS ATIMELESSNESS TO IT. IF THERE WAS AN ALBUM THAT WE COULD PLAY FOREVER ON REPEAT IT WOULD BE LOVELY IF IT WAS THIS ALBUM, THE LAST ALBUM THAT SEAN WAS PART OF. NY / THERES DEFINITELY THE IDEA OF MEMORY THERE. ONE OF MY STRONGEST MEMORIES OF BEING WITH SEAN IS ACTUALLY BEING PRETTY MANGLED ON MDMAIN ABED WITH ANDREALISTENING TO MULTILABY VLADISLAV DELAY &THAT WAS KIND OF AN EPIPHANY; THE COLLUSION OF THE DRUGS &MUSIC, THE VIBE OF LISTENING IN BED &THAT MEMORY OF CLOSENESS BETWEEN EVERYONE IS SOMETHING IVE TRIED TO IMPART ON THE NEW RECORD. IF IHAD TO PUT ATEXTURE TO IT WOULD BE KIND OF TREACLE-Y. ITS ABOUT CONNECTING &WANTING TO SHARE AMUSICAL EXPERIENCE WITH SOMEONE IF ITS ALL GOING TO GO TO SHIT. IF IT WAS TO GET PLAYED AT THE LAST PARTY THEN ITS BECAUSE ITS GOING TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. RK / IT DOES HAVE QUITE ADENSE QUALITY TO IT &ALTHOUGH THESE THEMES ARE LYRICALLY DIRECTIONAL, TO TURN THEM INTO APHYSICAL SOUND THEY MUST HAVE TO BE CHANNELED THROUGH ANUMBER OF REFERENCES. WHAT SOUNDS, RECORDED OR OTHERWISE, HAVE BEEN MOST INFLUENTIAL FOR THE PROCESS OF WORK (WORK, WORK)? NY / LET ME THINK... THE MIX & ARRANGEMENT IN ROXY MUSICS AVALON BY BOB CLEARMOUNTAIN WAS ABIG ONE FOR ME. CLEARMOUNTAINS MIXES ARE AN EXAMPLE OF APLATONIC IDEAL ALMOST, ALMOST REALISED. THEN WE HAVE VLADISLAV DELAYS MULTILA. BOTH PRODUCTIONS ARE EXEMPLARY IN HOW WELL THEY EXPRESS AMENTAL SPACE, WITH EACH BEING ON TOTALLY DIFFERENT ENDS OF ASOCIOPOLITICAL &ECONOMIC SPECTRUM. AVALON IS IDYLLIC & SALUBRIOUS; MULTILA IS THICK & DIFFICULT. BOTH SPEAK OF DECADENCE, THE DETERIORATION OF MORALS. THESE TWO REFERENCE POINTS EXISTED FOR ME IN THE LEAD UP TO THE PRODUCTION OF WORK (WORK, WORK) BUT BECAME TOTALLY IRRELEVANT FROM THE TIME WHEN I STARTED ACTUAL WORK. ONE REFERENCE THAT I DID KEEP IN MY HEAD THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH WAS PHILLIPE GRANDRIEUX. IREAD AN INTERVIEW AWHILE AGO IN ROUGE ITHINK WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT HUE &HAZE. IHAVE WRITTEN DOWN, ABOVE MY

MIXING DESK, CONCENTRATE ON HUE &HAZE. THE COMPLEX EFFECTS HIS FILMS HAVE ON AUDIENCES IS VERY INTERESTING TO ME. PEOPLE DONT WALK OUT OF HIS FILMS BECAUSE THEY ARE SHOCKED OR REPULSED; THEY ARE, IF ANYTHING, BORED OR JUST START TO FEEL SHIT. MOSTLY, THEY DONT KNOW WHY THEY DONT LIKE IT. LOW LEVEL CONFUSION ON AGUT LEVEL MAYBE. GRANDRIEUXS RHYTHMS & FILM LOGIC ARE SO STRONG THAT THEY HAVE THE POWER TO TURN YOU OFF AS STRONGLY AS IT CAN TURN YOU ON. SOMETHING FAR MORE INTERESTING THAN PLEASURE ARISES IN ME WHEN IENGAGE WITH HIS VISION THIS COMPLEXITY OF FEELING, A MIX OF DISTASTE & BOREDOM & EXHILARATION & PASSION RK / ...IN ASIMILAR WAY ATRAIT OF THOSE CHAIN REACTION RECORDS, TOO NY / YEAH, THEYRE A HUGE INFLUENCE ON US. I ACTUALLY HAD THE IDEA OF GETTING VLADISLAV DELAY TO PRODUCE THIS NEW RECORD BUT DECIDED IN THE END NOT TO BECAUSE ITHOUGHT WE COULD DO SOMETHING MORE UNIQUE IF WE DID IT OURSELVES. WE WERE ENCOURAGED BY PAUL SMITH, OUR LABEL MANAGER, TO DO IT OURSELVES &WERE REALLY GLAD THAT WE DID. JS / WITH THE HEADSPACE THAT WE WERE BOTH IN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY HARD FOR ANOTHER TO COME INTO OUR WORLD. WE DID ALOT OF PACING &ALOT OF TALKING RK / WELL, ESPECIALLY AFTER YOUD JUST LOST SOMEONE WHO WAS PART OF THAT WORLD. JS / YEAH, IT JUST FELT MORE NATURAL JUST TO STICK TOGETHER & TO CHIP AWAY AT IT, BIT BY BIT. I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO HARD TO BRING ANOTHER PERSON IN TO MIX. RK / ITHINK THE REPETITION &DELAY OF THOSE DRUMBEATS IN THOSE CHAIN REACTION RECORDS DOES BEGIN TO SUGGEST AKIND OF MEMORY OR ECHO-SPACE, WHETHER THATS PHYSICAL OR MENTAL, IT REALLY DRAWS YOU INTO THE MUSIC NY / I THINK THATS RIGHT. I THINK DELAY AS A TOOL IS OVERUSED IN MUSIC TO THE POINT WHERE NO ONE EVEN THINKS ABOUT IT ANY MORE BUT IN ESSENCE IT IS TRULY HALLUCINATORY & TIME SHIFTING & THE GREAT THING ABOUT THOSE CHAIN REACTION RECORDS IS THAT THEY REALLY FOREGROUND THAT. RK / VLADISLAV DELAY DESCRIBES MULTILAAS ATOOL TO LEARN ABOUT THE UNINTENTIONAL STATES OF US. IT IS AWAY TO SEE YOUR OWN EMOTIONAL LOOPS. WHICH SITS REALLY NICELY WITH THAT SITUATION BETWEEN YOU, SEAN & ANDREA&WITH SOME OF THE THEMES ON WORK (WORK, WORK); REPEATED ACTS OF SUBMISSION, EMOTIONAL DEFEAT, SUBJUGATION. IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT THE LOOP THAT YOU ARE EXPLORING EQUALLY WITH YOUR MUSIC & LYRICS? NY / IHAD NEVER READ THAT MULTILASPIEL ABOUT EMOTIONAL LOOPS ETC. UNTIL LAST YEAR WHEN ISTARTED RESEARCHING THE ALBUM BEFORE STARTING ON WORK (WORK, WORK). IFIND IT QUITE ASLIPPERY PIECE OF TEXT ITS NOT EXACTLY LUCID IS IT? BUT NEITHER IS THE ALBUM, SO IT SHARES THE SAME CHARMS. APART FROM THE PRACTICAL REALITY OF USING TWO ELECTRONIC LOOPING DEVICES TO TRAP ANY SOUNDS I MAKE, THE LOOP AS A CONCEPT DOES NOT FIGURE, CONSCIOUSLY ANYWAY, IN OUR MUSIC. & I DONT KNOW WHAT AN EMOTIONAL LOOP IS, OR COULD BE ICANT GRASP THIS IDEA. EMOTIONS FOR ME ARE NOT CYCLICAL OR MATERIAL. THEY ARE TOO SUBTLE TO BE GIVEN A FORM OR DIRECTION. FOR MY FINAL YEAR AT UNIVERSITY, IDID AVIDEO ESSAY ON THE LOOP, DRAWING ON BERGSON, HEGEL, DELEUZE &OTHERS, WHERE IANALYSED WHY &HOW VIDEO LOOPS OR SOUND LOOPS CAN CHANGE OR HEIGHTEN OUR CONSCIOUSNESS WHILST WE ARE EXPERIENCING THEM. YES, IT DOES FEEL TERRIBLY NICE TO BE TRAPPED WITHIN ANOISE LOOP. NOWADAYS, IDONT INTELLECTUALISE IT PAST THAT POINT AS IN, AT ALL. ALL IKNOW IS THAT IPERSONALLY PREFER WHEN THE LOOP IS EXACTLY THE SAME, AHARD DIGITAL COPY, WITHOUT ANY SOFT OR SUBTLE CHANGES IN TEXTURE WHICH IS WHY INEVER GOT INTO THE DISINTEGRATION LOOPS, PHILIP JECK OR INDEED ZVEXS LO-FILOOP JUNKY [AGUITAR PEDAL]. SOME PEOPLE FIND THIS KIND OF SOUND ART TRANSCENDENT; IFIND IT TEPID SENTIMENTAL EVEN. IWANT TO FEEL TRAPPED, RESTRICTED BY MUSIC, LIKE SOMETHING IS BEING ENFORCED NOT LIKE IM DRIFTING AWAY. WITH WORK (WORK, WORK), DESPITE THEMES OF SUBMISSION IN THE LYRICS, MUSICALLY WERE STILL EXERTING SOME SORT OF POWER, NO MATTER HOW SLIGHT SO LONG AS ITS PURE IN ORDER TO IMPOSE AMOOD.

RK / THAT IDEAOF MECHANISATION OR DIGITAL COPY IS PREVALENT IN WORK (WORK, WORK) &REALLY TIES INTO THE THEMES OF TECH-NOIR THAT YOUVE MENTIONED TOO. NY / THERE ARE SEVERAL SONGS THAT HAVE THAT FEELING OF SOMETHING VAGUELY FUTURISTIC WELL SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL WE ARE IN EVOKING THOSE KIND OF FEELINGS, HOWEVER ITS DEFINITELY NOT IN AHYPERMODERN SCI-FIWAY. WERE NOT GOING FOR HARD SCI-FI, ITS NOT EVEN SOFT SCI-FI. MORE THAN ANYTHING ITS JUST ACHEAP STYLISATION, LIKE PULP. IDONT THINK THAT WERE PARTICULARLY AVANT-GARDE OR FORWARD-LOOKING; WERE NOT TRYING TO CREATE NEW SOUNDS OR REALLY PUSH BOUNDARIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WE FALL BACK ON THINGS LIKE COMIC-BOOKS, WE REALLY LOOK TO THOSE FOR INSPIRATION. JS / WERE NOT TRYING TO CHANGE THE FACE OF MUSIC. RK / THERES ALWAYS A GRITTINESS TO IT, THERES ALWAYS AN EMOTIONAL RESONANCE OR ATEXTURE; ITS NOT SLICK &FUTURISTIC. NY / IAGREE. THOUGH INTERNALLY, THE PHILOSOPHY IN ALOT OF TECH-NOIR IS ALSO OF GREAT INTEREST. IN [NEON GENESIS] EVANGELION, THE EXISTENTIALISM IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL &ITHINK THATS IN THE MUSIC. RK / IM JUST THINKING ABOUT THOSE CRONENBERG REFERENCES TOO &HIS VISIONS OF EXISTENTIALISM &BODY HORROR START TO GIVE FUTURISM THAT GRITTINESS, TEXTURE &, IN AWAY, AREALITY. NY / CRONENBERG IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES. I KNOW SEAN WAS REALLY INTO ONE OF CRONENBERGS REALLY EARLY FILMS, STEREO, HAVE YOU SEEN THAT? IN SOME WAYS, CRONENBERG MORE THAN ANY OTHER DIRECTOR PARALLELS WITH OUR WORK; THE WAY HE DEALS WITH THE ABJECT IN A HUMOROUS WAY, I THINK IS A COMMON THREAD. FINDING BODILY FLUIDS, ORIFICES, PUSTULES &GROWTHS GROTESQUE &FINDING THE BODY GROTESQUE IN GENERAL; ITHINK ICAN RELATE TO THAT. THE BODY IS SOURCE OF GREAT COMEDY. JS / THATS AREALLY GOOD WAY OF PUTTING IT. NY / BUT YOU KNOW, WERE NOT REALLY INTERROGATING ANY OF THESE BIG CLASSIC CRONENBERG THEMES ITS THE LITTLE THINGS IN HIS FILMS THAT IFIND INSPIRATION IN, LIKE THAT SCENE IN EXISTENZ WHEN JUDE LAW &JENNIFER JASON LEIGH ARE WRITHING AROUND ON AHOTEL BED, PLUGGED INTO THEIR GAME POD. THEYRE SO TURNED ON BY THE GAME, THE CEREBRAL STIMULATION, THEY DONT EVEN NEED TO TOUCH IT MAKES ME THINK OF TANTRAOR SOMETHING, ITS VERY AROUSING. RK / PRODUCING THE ALBUM ON YOUR OWN, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE COMPOSITION OF WORK (WORK, WORK); HOW DID YOU APPROACH THE PROCESSING & ARRANGEMENT OF THE TRACKS & START TO PUT SOUND TO THESE EMOTIONS? NY / IENVISAGE ACHARACTER, AYOUNG BOY SITTING BY THE WINDOW, STARING OUT AT THE RAIN. HE IS AT THE VERY END OF AHUGELY DRAINING ACID TRIP &HE FEELS VERY, VERY METALLIC. I HAD THIS IMAGE IN MY HEAD TO MAKE ALL PRODUCTION DECISIONS VERY EASY. ALL I HAD TO THINK OF WAS, WOULD THIS RECORD FLOW WITH THIS BOYS SCENARIO ALL THE SOUNDS &TRACKLISTING ON THIS RECORD ARE MADE FOR HIM AT THIS MOMENT IN HIS LIFE. RK / CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR MUSICAL EDUCATION, BOTH FORMAL &INFORMAL. HOW DID YOU DEVELOP YOUR EAR? JS / IHAD EIGHT YEARS OF CLASSICAL PIANO TRAINING AS AKID BUT IDIDNT ENJOY IT SO MUCH, IGOT NERVOUS AROUND ALL THE FORMALITY. IHAD SINGING LESSONS AROUND THIS TIME, THOUGH IMADE MY TEACHER PROMISE SHE WOULDNT LOOK AT ME. IT WAS MY EXPERIENCES IN THE MELBOURNE UNDERGROUND RAVE SCENE THAT DEVELOPED MY PERCEPTION ABOUT MUSIC, WHEN TECHNO WAS NEW &REBELLIOUS & ECSTASY WAS ECSTASY. DANCE SONGS WOULD TAKE YOU ON JOURNEYS FOR HOURS &HOURS. FRIENDS WOULD PILE INTO MY CAR AFTER THE RAVE AT 5AM &WED LISTEN TO HYPNOTIC UNDERGROUND TECHNO RADIO STATIONS. ONE WORD ON REPEAT CAN CHANGE MEANING &DISTORT OR BECOME ABSURD &BACK TO REALITY. ADULTS FOUND THIS MUSIC UNLISTENABLE. IWAS EXCITED TO BE ON THE SIDE THAT GOT IT &WILL PROBABLY ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE MUSIC THAT NOT EVERYONE GETS.

315

316

NY / IALSO WENT TO ALOT OF RAVES. THE LATE 90S MELBOURNE RAVE SCENE PROBABLY STILL HAD THE INNOCENCE THAT HAD LONG SINCE PASSED IN THE UK & USA I FEEL FORTUNATE TO HAVE EXPERIENCED GOOD-TO-HONEST PLUR [PEACE LOVE UNITY RESPECT] BEFORE POLY DRUG USE TAINTED THINGS. IVOWED NEVER TO SEE ABAND AGAIN BECAUSE DANCING ON GOOD PILLS WAS THE MOST FUN ICOULD EVER IMAGINE! IWAS GOING TO RAVES WHEN IWAS SUPPOSED TO BE PRACTISING THE PIANO FOR MY MUSIC DEGREE. SEAN & I BOTH HAD FORMAL CLASSICAL TRAINING & MET THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY MELBOURNE CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC, WHERE I DID A YEAR OF PERFORMANCE BEFORE DROPPING OUT. SEAN WENT THERE THE YEAR AFTER ME, STUDYING FLUTE PERFORMANCE. HE WAS ALSO EXCELLENT AT THE PICCOLO &WAS VERY PROUD OF THIS FACT. YOU CAN TELL ALOT ABOUT SEAN FROM THIS. SEX, DRUGS, ROCK &ROLL... &PICCOLO. AFTER WE HAD BOTH DROPPED OUT OF MUSIC SCHOOL, SEAN &IMOVED IN TOGETHER & DISCOVERED ALL SORTS OF MUSIC TOGETHER, FROM SLINT, BIG BLACK, JUNE OF 44, TO THRILL JOCKEY RECORDS WHERE WE DISCOVERED THE ELECTRONIC MUSIC OF OVAL, WHICH TOOK US ONTO THE EUROPEAN LABELS MILLE PLATEAUX &MEGO. FOR SOME REASON, IREMEMBER AN ALBUM BY DEAN ROBERTS CALLED ...& THE BLACK MOTHS PLAY THE GRAND SILENT CINEMA STRUCK A HUGE CHORD WITH US BACK THEN. ANYTHING ON SIGMAEDITIONS WAS GREAT. FENNESZS ENDLESS SUMMER WAS PRETTY LIFE CHANGING, AS WAS PITAS GET OUT & THIS AWESOME RECORD CALLED GET DIRTY BY MASSIMO, ALSO ON MEGO. AT THIS POINT THE INTERNET HAD ALREADY STARTED TO OPEN UP &WE BECAME OVERWHELMED AT THE HUGE HISTORY OF MUSIC NOW LAID OUT BEFORE US. AT THIS TIME IT WAS JUST AN EXPLOSION OF INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET; YOU STILL COULDNT DOWNLOAD THE ACTUAL MUSIC. LUCKILY FOR US, WE GOT TO HEAR A LOT OF AMAZING STUFF WITHOUT NEEDING TO BUY ANY RECORDS BECAUSE RMIT UNIVERSITY SUDDENLY STARTED COLLECTING AN INCREDIBLE SELECTION OF AVANT GARDE, MUSIQUE CONCRTE &NEW EXPERIMENTAL ELECTRONIC MUSIC FOR ITS CD LIBRARY, LIKE CYCLO [RYOJIIKEDA&CARSTEN NICOLAI], ROXANNE TURCOTTES AMORE &WORKS BY HORATIU RADULESCU [SPECTRALIST COMPOSER] &ELAINE RADIGUE. ITHINK IT WAS ALL CHOSEN BY MARK HARWOOD, WHO IS NOW OPERATING PENULTIMATE PRESS. ANOTHER PERSON WHO INTRODUCED US TO ALOT OF GREAT MUSIC WAS AREK GUBENKOGLU, WHO WAS IN DWORZEC. HE LENT US A LOT OF ELECTROACOUSTIC IMPROVISED MUSIC FROM AMM & ERSTWHILE RECORDS, AS WELL AS PIL & HARRY PUSSY & THE LIVE JOY DIVISION BOX SET LES BAINS DOUCHES. WED COUNTER THE CEREBRAL END OF ALOT OF NEW IMPROV &COMPUTER MUSIC WITH RECORDS BY USUAL SUSPECTS VELVET UNDERGROUND, NEU!, SUICIDE, THE STOOGES, GUN CLUB, DAF, THROBBING GRISTLE.... & THE LOST IN TRANSLATION SOUNDTRACK. WE ALSO GOT INTO EARLY ADULT. I REMEMBER THE ROUGH TRADE COMPILATIONS ON POST PUNK & ELECTRONIC MUSIC, & SOUL JAZZ NEW YORK NOISE COMPILATIONS WERE REALLY EXCITING. WOLF EYES DREAD WAS BIG, AS WAS LES RALLIZES DNUDS 77 LIVE & ALL THE STRATEGIES AGAINST ARCHITECTURE DISCS. ENOS ANOTHER GREEN WORLD WAS AN EDUCATION IN ITSELF, AS WAS DAVID BOWIES LOW &BLIXABARGELDS COMMISSIONED MUSIC. EARLY BUMROCKS.COM POSTS REALLY PUSHED OUR BUTTONS &BROADENED OUR HORIZONS. FROM THEN ON, WITH THE EMERGENCE OF OTHER MP3 BLOGS, OUT TASTES DIVERGED & THE FRAGMENTARY NATURE OF THE INTERNET TOOK OVER &WE STARTING GETTING INTO ALL SORTS OF RANDOM STUFF THAT DIDNT STICK AS MUCH. MORE RECENT SHARED REVELATIONS WERE FOUND IN RECORDS LIKE METRIBY [MIKAVAINIO] &KESTO BY PAN SONIC. THE LAST RECORD IGAVE TO SEAN, FOR HIS BIRTHDAY JUST AMONTH BEFORE HE DIED, WAS A BARBARA MASON 12 SINGLE CALLED ANOTHER MAN. RK / WHAT WAS IT LIKE FINALISING THE ALBUM WITHOUT SEAN; WAS IT THERAPEUTIC? WHAT KIND OF PRESENCE DOES HE HAVE ON THIS ALBUM, SPECTRAL OR OTHERWISE? NY / IVE LONG BEEN AWARE OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL IDEA OF DEATH & DESTRUCTION GIVING RISE TO UNHERALDED BURSTS OF LIFE & CREATIVITY. BUT ID NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS PHENOMENON PERSONALLY. WHEN SEAN DIED, HE LET LOOSE SO MUCH ENERGY &POWER INTO ME. IDID NOT DENY THIS ENERGY ITOOK IT FROM HIM LIKE AGIFT, THE GREATEST GIFT HE EVER GAVE ME. SO THIS RECORD WAS WRITTEN ON THAT HIGH.

MANY OF THE BASIC FOUNDATIONS OF THESE SONGS WERE WRITTEN BY SEAN WHILST HE WAS LIVING IN BERLIN HE WOULD EMAIL THROUGH THESE ROUGH DEMOS, BUT WE NEVER WORKED ON THEM PROPERLY. ONLY POSTHUMOUSLY DID WE ADD OUR LAYERS, TURNING THESE SKETCHES INTO PROPER SONGS THAT IKNOW HE WOULD HAVE LOVED. AS FOR HIS GHOST IM RELUCTANT TO SAY TOO MUCH WE FEEL WE NEED TO KEEP SOME STORIES SECRET, CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS FOREVER. BUT I CAN TELL YOU ONE STORY. FOR YEARS, SEAN HAD WANTED TO CALL AN HTRK RELEASE OR SONG ANATHEMA. I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT SOUNDED TOO GOTHIC. HIS ANATHEMATITLE IDEAHADNT COME UP FOR YEARS &WAS PROBABLY NEVER GOING TO COME UP EVER AGAIN. AFTER HE DIED, IN BETWEEN RECORDING SESSIONS FOR WORK (WORK, WORK), IPICKED UP ATEMPORARY JOB STOCKTAKING CLOTHES AT ABIG WAREHOUSE. SO ITS 1:00AM IN THE MORNING &IVE STILL GOT AHUGE PILE OF BAGS &WALLETS &LEATHER GOODS TO SCAN. ICOME ACROSS THIS UGLY WALLET, OUT OF A PILE OF OVER 200 WALLETS. FOR SOME REASON IT REMINDS ME OF SOMETHING SEAN WOULD LIKE; ITS GOT COARSE SEAMS, IT LOOKS RIGID &ABIT BULKY. ISTARE AT IT &WONDER WHETHER ISHOULD BUY IT, AS INEED ANEW WALLET, EVEN THOUGH ID NEVER USE SUCH AN UGLY THING. WHEN IOPENED IT UP TO GET AFEEL FOR IT TO HELP ME DECIDE, IDISCOVERED INSIDE, TUCKED INTO ASECRET COMPARTMENT, APIECE OF PAPER ARIPPED OUT BIT OF ADICTIONARY WITH THE ENTRY ON ANATHEMA. MY HEART WAS RACING; IBOUGHT THE WALLET. FATE COULDNT HAVE BEEN POINTING MORE TO CALLING THE ALBUM ANATHEMA BUT OF COURSE WE STILL DEEMED IT AS SOUNDING WAY TOO GOTH. FINALISING THE ALBUM WITHOUT HIM WAS THE BEST THERAPY ICOULD HAVE EVER HOPED FOR, IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH THE SHOCK &SENSE OF LOSS. THROUGH MY GRIEF IALSO EXPERIENCED ONE OF THE HAPPIEST TIMES OF MY LIFE, WORKING WITH JONN WITH ASTEADY FLOW OF IDEAS THROUGH INTUITION. EVERY DECISION WAS MADE WITH HIS SPIRIT IN MIND HIS SADNESS, HIS TENDERNESS, HIS WICKEDNESS. JS / THE LINE BETWEEN KEEPING IT TOGETHER &GOING UNDER IS SO FINE. WE ALL KNOW THIS ITS LIKE THE LUCK OF CROSSING AROAD. WHEN MY BROTHER WENT MAD, IT WAS APPARENTLY MY MOTHERS FUNERAL PLUS HIS HIGH SCHOOL EXAMS WHICH WAS THE TRIGGER, BUT IWAS OK. INEVER SAW THAT BROTHER AGAIN. EXCEPT ONCE, FOR ACOUPLE OF SECONDS. WE WERE SMOKING TOGETHER OUTSIDE IN THE COURTYARD OF AMENTAL WARD. THERE WERE MOSTLY BOYS PACING BACK & FORTH NEAR US, LIKE THE WAY HE WALKED, CHAIN SMOKING THE SAME WAY HE SMOKED. SCHIZOPHRENICS TAKE ON A SIMILAR APPEARANCE, THE SAME FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, MANNERISMS, HOLDING CIGARETTES BETWEEN FINGER & THUMB, DRAWING BACK HARD, LAYERS OF FLANNEL SHIRTS, THERMAL SOCKS, HOODIES ON A30 DEGREE DAY. WHEN MY DAD WASNT AROUND ID BE LIKE, HEY ANDREW, ITS ME, SNAP OUT OF IT, &HE JUST WOULDNT. WE WERE BOTH SO COMPETITIVE WITH EACH OTHER, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE ULTIMATE PRANK. HE LOOKED AROUND THE COURTYARD, THIS DAY AT THE MENTAL WARD &THEN LOOKED AT ME &SAID, THIS IS REALLY FUCKED UP ISNT IT &ISAID YEP, &WE SMILED AT EACH OTHER FOR ACOUPLE OF SECONDS &THEN HE WAS GONE AGAIN. PEOPLE THAT MAKE ME OVERLOOK MYSELF, THEY ARE EVERYTHING. THEY ARE KIND OF LIKE AMEDITATION, AWAY TO GET CLOSER TO YOURSELF. FASCINATION IS ASTRONG THEME IN MY WRITING &IN MY DEALINGS WITH PEOPLE. INEVER MENTION THE SEX REALLY, IT FEELS TOO EASY. IM MORE INTERESTED IN THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE BEFORE & AFTER. IT TAKES AN EXPLOSION FOR ME TO ACT OUT SEXUALLY WITH SOMEONE, AS FASCINATION IS AN IMMORTAL SENSE OF IMAGINATION. IM JUST AS CURIOUS ABOUT NATURAL BEAUTY AS IAM WITH ACRAFTED SYNTHETIC BEAUTY. I THINK THE THREE OF US SEE SYMMETRY, ATTRACTIVENESS & CHARISMA AS A DISCIPLINE AT SOME LEVEL, EVEN AT THE CONCEPTION LEVEL, MAYBE LIKE FATE OR SOMETHING. SEANS BEAUTY WAS QUITE SOMETHING; I TOLD A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE HE WOULD MAKE THE PERFECT DEVIL. WEVE THOUGHT AT DIFFERENT TIMES THAT HETEROSEXUALITY FEELS ABIT LAME REALLY. THE THREE OF US HAVE BEEN ATTRACTED BY THE ROMANCE OF THE LONDON &BERLIN ANARCHIST GAY SCENE. HOMOSEXUALS ARE THE LAST PUNKS. MY VOICE IS MORE DAMAGED WHEN IM ON MY OWN. I HAVE MORE OF A SENSE OF MY AUDIENCE WHEN IM SINGING IN MY ROOM. IM DEFINITELY WORKING FOR THE UNDERDOG. /

317