Cover Suggs and Chas Smash Photograph by Nick Knight
Carey Labovitch Simon Tesler Tim Hulse Shauna Lovell Tabitha Coote Jeremy Leslie Sullshitters back with a bang . Rolling Stones recalled. Book Reviews Walk out to Workforce. Journeying with JosefK. Junk Jewellery. Music Video J • I • G s A·W
BLITZ 4 • If you were wondering what happened to your two favourite TV tough guys, then wonder no more, because .. The Bullshitters are bac k! Oh yes, tune in to Channel Four at 1 1 pm on Saturday November 3rd and enjoy the latest episode in the action-packed adventures of Bodie and Doyle, sorry- Bonehead and Foyle. They've been out of action for a while, of course (of course?). as a result of the now notorious 'Gay Serum' plot, which led to Bonehead 'coming out' on Hampstead Heath and being cashiered from the force. Naturally Foyle resigned as a point o~ principle. Back on civvy street, Bonehead has set up a School For TV Tough Guys, while Foyle is making a success of serious drama in the West End. So when Commander Jackson of 015 contacts them again after his daughter has been kidnapped, they're none too keen to go back into action until he shows them a few compromising photos of themselves found on the body of a Russian agent. that is. And this operation is so undercover that fast cars and walkie talkies are out of the question-so they're equipped with a bag of lOp's and two London bus passes. Will the Commander's daughter be saved? More to the point, will she be saved from her middle-class aspirations of acting in Bill Forsyth comedies? Will the Arts Council pay the ransom? Will our heroes' true 'relationship' finally be revealed) Will The Professionals ever be the same again) Sitting on the other side of two plates of spaghetti, Keith Allen and Peter Richardson are grinning away. Co-writers and co-stars of The Bullshitters, they're very pleased with themselves at the moment. Allen especially, since the idea of doing a full fifty minutes-worth has been with him ever since he used to do brief before." Bullshitters sketches on Whatever Meanwhile, as they say. Richardson You Want. The two of them wrote the is now at work on the new Comic new full-length version in four days Strip film, which he has written and and with typical immodesty Allen stars in and is also directing(!). Allen is describes the end result as "better about to do some 'straight' acting .for than anything I've seen on television a change after landing himself a major that anybody's written." role in Comrades, a film about the It isn't, of course, but it is well Tolpuddle Martyrs. worth seeing if only to wonder at the Bonehead and Foyle may well remarkable similarity between Allen surface again in the future. Watch out and Richardson and the rear for strange men with bus passes . Professionals- Lewis Collins and o TIM HULSE Martin Shaw. Add to this the always welcome presence of Robbie Coltrane as the Commander, Alan(a) Pellay camping it up as one of the villains and a brief appearance (yes, another one) by Elvis Costello as an agent (a theatrical one) and you've got a highly enjoyable fifty minutes of, um . Bullshit, I suppose, And there's even room for a bit of sly comment on the role of Government arts funding and the acting profession itself. Probably the most p~estigious • An old gypsy woman in the heart of agency Magnum, Koudelka has spent feather in the cap of The Bullshitters is Czechoslovakia. her face numbed by twenty years capturing on film such the presence of Stephen (The Hit) anguish, cradles the head of her dead subjects as East European gypsies Frears as director. In fact, Frears only child; a group of Irishmen, their faces and their ways of life and death, arrived on the scene after a last worn and creased, crouch on the top Russian invaders in Prague, and minute phone-call from Allen when all of a desolate mountain ; a baby sleeps people at rest, play and worship sorts of in-fighting had left the project in a cot in an alley somewhere in across Europe, Cultural voyeurism) temporarily direction-less. He'd never England. No sir! Koudelka's humanity and his directed comedy before. "But his These three images form but a small ability to project the viewer straight attitude to the film was just fantastic:' part of the stunning sel ection of black into the heart of the photographic says Allen. "He'd just stand there and white photos taken by Czech matter dispels that factor. Like former giggling while we were shooting, then emigre Josef Koudelka and Magnum stars Capa and Brassai, say. 'Hmm. Do you think that works? currently on show at the GLC Josef K is one helluvah picture-taker. Is that funny enough for you7 OK. threatened Hayward Gallery on Makes muc king about with next shot: He enjoyed himself, 'cos London's South Bank. Now a polaroids so much origami , . he'd just never worked like that freelancer for Paris-based photo o A D RIAN J ONES BLITZ 5 Contemporar y Slang by Jonathon (sic) Green (Pan £2.95) is worth a browse. The English tongue thunders on, consuming laflguage and leaving a trail of lexicons in its wake. Siangophiles are like the mudlarks of lin guistics, and they seem to have a great time, but if they stopped to smarten up their cross-references (something this book needs as a matter of urgency), they'd fall off the moving vehicle altogether. Green, I fear, has a pretty tenuous grasp on his subject(s) : there are many slangs in here and most of them are wildly incompatible. If this got into the hands of an unscrupulous TV scriptwriter, I fear for the consequences. Onward! Queens by Pickles (Quartet. £8.95) we can well do without, thank you very m uc h. This is a pen-portrait of the gay landscape of London, and it looks reasonably accurate, and the dialogue is soundly constructed, but- and this is a very big but-the whole thing is underwritten with self-loathing, every word of it. Pickles presents a milieu that I could see a young man staying in the closet forever just to avoid. Surely it can't be as dismal and meaningless to be male , N T and gay and in London as all this suggests? Now I know why they put 'non-scene' in the personal ads in the • Welcome to one of the few corners mags. in British publishing where the Scene. Catch Let's Go Down The obscure art of book-reviewing in a Cavern by Spencer Leigh and Pete confined space is practised . This Frame (Vermilion £5.95), the obscure art has many charms to chronicle of That Time in UverpooL recommend it. the greatest of which mostly concerned with the also-rans. is the enormous conceit it endows on You'll love it if you're in it. And Blood those few mortals who perform it. On The Tracks by Chris Rowley Watch and wonder, as I pl'ough (Proteus, £5.95) would be a very through no less than nine volumes in welcome biography of avenging angel fewer column inches than it takes to poet-turned-religious wally Bobby describe this month's frocks! Hoop-Ia! Zimmerman, if it were not for the W e chew them up and we spit them pedestrian writing style. I am almost out! Catch! convinced that writers of Rock Books Catch Graham Swift's atmospheric and writers of talent are mutually masterpiece of the Fens, Waterland, exclusive societies. Did I say it before? now in paperback (Picador, £2.50) I'll' say it again . and the best value for money in the Number seven. No, thaI's eight .. pile. Whether literary cults can be I've lost count. so I must be doing all formed in three sentences is a feat r ight! The Sony Tape Rock Review, never before attempted. So let's edited by Les!ey-Ann Jones, Robin declare the Graham Swift Cult OPEN Eggar and Phil Swern (Rambletree/ here and now, and see what happens. Pelham, £3.95) Foreword by a lifelike Probably not much. Bill Wyman puppet. I'm not disposed Perhaps I should seek advice on the to argue with stuff like this- I believe formation of cults from Peter York, you get more graven images, more who with M odern T imes has golden calves for your money this economically re-cycled his pointed way than most others, and this is and ironic observations on British large and brightly coloured, and I get fashion -( an unfashionable word), the impression that it's meant to be demonstrating once again the put away in a cupboard and got out in enormous entertainment value to be ten years' time- much to the gleaned from flippancy about things embarrassment of all concerned . Is th at are dear to your heart. That's this what we want to remember about (Heinemann, £7,95)-you've got to 1984? be careful not to lose your publisher's Ha! The bottom of the pile! Blade credits on the fast bends here. on a Mirror by Lesley-Ann Jones Moving down the page we catch a (Arlington, £9.95) is described as a glimpse of one of the few Rock Books 'novel' in the accompanying blurb. worth possessing-a monumental Well .. . this sort of thing gets put out journal of Mr Bowie's circum by publishers all the time. Junk shops navigation of the planet last year are full of them. Presumably ,it's on my entitled Serious Moonlight (Sidgwick desk because LAJ has been on the & Jackson. £9.95). The text is telly. Maybe it is of interest to youflg actually readable, the pictures are people. Probably not. If you're superior to anything I've seen preparing your first novel out there, elsewhere and-Hey Presto! don't open this book, whatever you Exclusive! -there are excerpts from do- it'll depress the hell out of you . the Globetrotter's diary. I think this is This is just plain old-fashioned, sloppy, the first Bowie prose in print in this terrible writing. Jones has blatantly country, but the cognoscenti will no gone o ut to undercut Jac kie Collins doubt correct m e if I'm w rong. They on styte, w it. and liter acy, w ins on all usually do. Anyway the book's great. counts, and insults everybody's Next! intelligence. Cynical. Ah-ha! The Dictionary of o MARC ISSUE BLITZ 6 ,------o N EW MUSIC VIDEOS his camping it up, the set suffers were you I'd OD on something else. (RE)VIEWED BY SIMON GARISH somewhat from the hard rockin' How about a Ready, Steady. Go •••• It's It's A Ballroom :Blitz arrangements. Quite nicely shot Special Edition of Otis Redding Tools You Can Trust though, but it won't win the neutrals (Picture Music)····? No doubt about Remake Remodel over. it-one of the finest purveyors of Shame Shame Shame Hang on, there's the most awful sweet soul music ever, caught in the moaning coming from the bed next surreal setting of the Ready, Steady, • The bleary eyes and pock-marked door .. Gracious! It's David Sylvian Go! studio with space cadet Cathy face say it all, I'm afraid. What repeating the songs from Japen, MacGowan. Classics like My Girl and happens? I stray away for a couple of Instant Pictures (Virgin)··· . Respect are given a deluxe wash and weeks for a few of those romantic Wonder what 'he's in here for? Too blow dry. But dry your eyes, sucker, Aegean nights and a torrent of music much sushi, I suspect. Still, the this is tough! videos hit my desk. It's been strictly no Eastern imagery conjured up by the Tougher still is Labour Of Love sleep 'til Hammersmith as a result and old chap isn't half bad, even if the from UB40 (Virgin/DEP quite frankly, Miss Haversham, my image of the group performing them International)····. The monochrome constitution is in need of a lift. isn't that thrilling. Wait a minute, legs videos for Cherry Oh Baby, Red Red Compilations are Go! Or so it seems, akimbo, arm outstretched in dramatic Wine and Please Don't Make Me Cry and this month it's the Polygram pose, who can that be down the are padded out by extra footage acted collective who get their expenses corridor? If II didn't know better I'd say out/ adlibbed by the group and their signed for Don't Watch That, it was David Bowie Live friends to give us a convincing, bloody Watch This (Polygram)···. The static room full of old museum exhibits. Self (Videoform)'" staging songs from film short in the mould of the classic fades to reveal the best of the recent effacement is the name of the game as his Serious Moonlight Tour. I seem to British 'kitchen sink' drama. Brownie chart promos, like The Bluebells' Stones videos old and new are linked remember Part One being released as points to director Bernard Rose for Young At Heart and Tears For Fears' by the pair in wisecracking mood. a video collection earlier this year the moodiness and pace of the whole Mother's Talk. What lifts the Once again, those ageing moving which I heartily endorsed. This isn't piece (which relegates Thriller to assortment above the ordinary is the targets dodge the flak, and some l quite as good, if only because the oblivion, incidentally). inclusion of material like We Are Ninja Six months of reviewing in-concert songs are better known and are too Finally, I implore you to educate from The Frank Chickens and videos is too much for any mortal. but much a part of my subconscious. Of yourselves with Hip Hop. A Street Feelabeelia's Feel It- clips that don't the food here is very good and the course that could be the fault of the History (Polygram)···· . Dignitaries get enough exposure in VCRland. infrequent visits from family and hospital medicine. Even so, the show like Gary Byrd and Afrika Bambaataa Rock Cocktail (CBS/ Fox)' on the fr,iends are much appreciated . One is masterfully directed by old hand take you on a tour of the Bronx's other hand will leave you neither group that didn't send flowers is David Mallet. and you certainly feel a major money-spinning industries shaken nor stirred. There again, what Twisted Sister, but they must have part of the action. break dancing, rapping, graffiti art do you expect when the menu consists been far too busy with Stay Hungry Phew! I've weathered the ration of and good times. Take your eyes away of Journey, Quiet Riot and Toto? Rock (Virgin)·,their woeful cliched heavy live videos for this month-the from the screen for even a second Cocktail? Forget it. Joe, I'm leaving .. metal hoedown. Freddie Mercury is normalisation process begins herel Or and you'll miss something important. Film director Julien Temple can do way ahead of Sister's Dee Snider does it? Duran Duran are Dancing Camera work second to none, and a no wrong these days it seems and when it comes to self parody, and it On The Valentine (Picture Music)", subject that should be on every school once again he's got his finger on the only takes the moustached one a which, as the blurb tells you, is a video curriculum. button with Rewind-The Rolling handful of numbers to take off his EP made up of their clips for The There you have it then, my friends, Stones Great Video Hits shirt in Queen, We Will Rock You Ref/ex, New Moon On Monday and the music video review that wouldn't (Vestron)···. Bill Wyman is portrayed (Peppermint)·'. You can follow The Union Of The Snake. Director lie down. Unfortunately its author as a museum keeper, while J agger is Freddie's chest wig through twenty Russell Mulcahy has added some does not possess the same energy. trussed up inside a display case in a one of their greatest hits, but for all previously unseen footage, but if I Chin! Chin!
B BLITZ 9 • More delving into the Rolling mouth his room number to eager Stones archives- despite Mick youn g! members of the audience, how Jagger's forthcoming solo album Keith electrocuted himself onstage, (scheduled for release this month, you how Brian was a general pain in the probabl,y won't see it until next year), arse, how Charlie would much rather The Stones roll on regardless, now have been back at home with the into their twenty-first year. Not too wife. Most of it is interesting, much of surprisingly, ti;]eir coming of (old) age it is fascinating-Mankowitz seems to has been accompanied by a flood of have had his camera permanently at biographical writings, of which the the ready, and the photographs most recent is the really-rather-good many of them previously unpublished after-all Satisfaction (Sidgwick & capture everything. Most extraordi Jackson, £7.97), Gered Mankowitz's nary are the snaps of th e Stones on book of photographs from the far tour, arriving in an armoured car, away days of 1965 and 1966, standing about while the local sheriff Mankowitz spent a year and a half as tells the audience to 'cool it', bringing the Stones' 'official' photographer, the audience back to fever pitch again, accompanied them on the tour that then arguilng with the authorities when broke them big in The States, and the sheriff pulls out the plugs. The shot everything from their album picture here was taken in Washington covers to their passport photos. As when four girls leapt on stage and you might expect, the result is a pretty began to mol'est Brian Jones. The comprehensive record of how motorcycle cop in the foreground was Mick'n'Keefn'Brian'n' the other two about to pull his gun on Mankowitz, made their way from UK chart success Exciting stuff. I bet Mick Jagger would to world notoriety. It's all here-how give anything to be nineteen again. Mick made Marianne, how Bill used to o TOM ELIOT
BLITZ BLITZ Robert Redfordreturns in The Naturale Extraterrestrialism in John Sayles' The Brother From Another Planet e Mastroiannigets smuttyin Gabriela e Film News. F • I L • • s
THE NATURAL Directed by Barry Levinson. Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Glenn Close.
• Even if Hollywood's favourite son, Robert Redford, is beginning to look like your favourite shirt - worn and wrinkled but still a smash at the right party - it's apparently still acceptable for him to playa twenty year-old in the early parts of his new film. Since The Natural is highly implausible and hugely corny, perhaps it's fitting to see the Golden Wonder dashing about with a terminal look of youthful abandon on the face that launched the careers of a thousand plastic surgeons. Semantics apart Bob's back after a three year absence as farmer's son, Roy Hobbs, a 'natural' baseball pitcher. At twenty, he leaves his childhood sweetheart (Glenn Close) and the farm to tryout for the Chicago team But since this is the 1930's, when all manner of dodgy characters were standing in the shadows, something rather unfortunate happens to Hobbs on the way to the changing rooms. Sixteen years later, with hardened cynicism replacing youthful abandon and without a word of explanation, Hobbs re-emerges to pursue the elusive ambition of being "the best there ever was". An intriguing air of mystery hangs over most of the film, despite a some what dodgy script which has Redford gazing romantically into the eyes of his loved one and murmuring the immortal words, " God, I love base ball". But even though Hobbs tends to wallop the ball best when thunder and lightning are striking - at the same time, of course - the overall look is exceptional, direction is well crafted by Barry Diner' Levinson and Bob is well supported by a decent cast which includes Robert Duvall who, it says here, " brings his granite force to the role of Max Mercy, a gimlet-eyed sports columnist". I couldn't have put it better myself The Americans have dubbed The Natural a cross between RockV and Star Wars in terms of its heroics, and they probably basked in every star spangled moment; the English, ever warped, were rolling in the aisles for the most part. Who cares? I loved it. JUDY LI PSEY Big Bob-so Natural. the same to you. THE BROTHER FROM ANOTHER Sayles aims a few passing shots at PLANET rich white heroin traffickers, low-rent Directed by John Sayles. Joe bureaucrats and half a dozen or so Mo~ton, Dee Dee Bridgewater. other lumps in the low life, and usually hits his target leaving one wishing • Ah-ha! The new John Sayles film! I he'd swung a little harder in the first suppose the first thing you want to place his little victories are often know is, is it the new Lianna, or is it tainted with whimsy as they stand the new Piranha? here. Well ... it ambles along quite The individual scenes are cleverly sociably inbetween, as a matter of and wittily constructed, but the ,in fact. It's The Black Man who Fell to different continuity between them, Earth, and he's a runaway slave from and the rather casual approach to plot another galaxy contemplating New development suggest that the York's underlife. Joe Morton's sketches have been all but fully formed 'innocent abroad' is well equipped - before Sayles remembered that the with ET-style glowing fingers which plot had to be skewered through have magica'i healing properties them; this makes for an experience equally applicable to grazed knees on more akin to hearing an album of small children and tq clapped-out songs than hearing a story told, but computer games. Through these same what the hell .. fingers he can hear the ancient echoes Despite 'its many flaws, The Brother of previous arrivals in the empty halls is well worth seeing for its more of the Ellis Island immigration buildings numerous good, almost great pass in a delightfully transparent opening ages. It's worth the gate money, all scene. And he has this rather literal things considered. ability to ... keep an eye on things, Joe Morton models extreterrestrial'chic which is best left undescribed, if it's all o M AR C ISS U E
And in case you're wondering, no, he doesn't do it with the horse as well. They're GABRIELA just good friends. Marcello Mastroianni in Gebriela. Directed by Bruno Barreto. Marcello Mastroianni, Sonia a small Brazilian coastal village, which inextricable from the inhabitants' Braga. is governed in effect by a tight sexual behaviour, but one asks oneself despotic circle of colonels. The social really what narrative purpose is • W ith the film only three-quarters climate is so male-oriented and served as one sees Mastroianni sneak one. half the original audience had oppressive as almost to require any up on Braga for the nth time as she spersed itself about the West End, cuckolded husband to kill his wife and prepares a meal or goes about the esumably in the common purpose her lover in order to re-assert his gardening. According to one f putting as much distance as community standing. Whatever American Critic, quoted on the nossible between themselves and the happened to blackmail? In any case, advertising poster, she is " tastier than uestionable spectacle of Marcello this is the backdrop to the exhausting a cup of Brazilian coffee and a lot . astroianni coupling at regular love affair already mentioned. sexier:' which I'm sure Braga will find ervals and less regular angles with Director Bruno Barreto would have a source of great professional ucky Sonia Braga. The purpose of done much better, however, to reduce encouragement, Which reminds me, I elr f li ght is clear then, the motive this relationship to the scale of the met a gorgeous capuccino the other SS so . Were the men envious of the others which are featured here and day. rvour with which this 60 year-old concentrate on his film's strength, Braga, of course, plays the title role . about the sultry South American which lies in the evocation of a and that about says it all, since 'ress? Were the women repulsed by claustrophobic, gossip-loving, small Gabriela turns out to be little more t s me flabby, coronary-inducing town in the throes of change. At than a vehicle for her dark looks and IOn? Whatever the reason, only a times, the town's backwater ambience gyrating loins. The original' novel, ttering of weary reviewers stayed is reminiscent of the television incidentally, by Jorge Amado, was if even the toilet the last Clochemerle which also struck the hugely successful in the Americas and Di ning unsullied room in the precise, understated, rural note. even became a TV series in Brazil, ..sa, would provide the venue for The gradualliberalisation of moral which perhaps says even more. of their frantic encounters. and social attitudes is confidently ~ tr oianni plays the bar owner in suggested here, and is, naturally, o M A RK BRENNAN BLITZ 13 .' , ", . ' " ,.
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BEAUTYAND THE BEAST (OR JUST MORE ZTT PROPAGANDA?)
Photographs by Peter Brown Styling by lain R. Webb Hair and Make-up by Debbie Bunn BLITZ o o
BLITZ 17 1c:a BLITZ a regular column starts this month
... So I stopped interviewing other people fanzines because they wanted to be me, of those chee'ks. tongue stic king into t hat and I let them interview me. I'm pretty legitimately big-headed, reluctantly one. What a good hobby this is! And what good at being interviewed (stop me if indulgent, and all they really wanted to a good job that I had lots of things to say. you've heard this one before) because I know was how they could get into the The Americans turned up-the W all tell good jokes and know something NME. I told them, I'm trying to get out. Street Journal: about myself. After years of interviewing Soon I could tell Blitz that I'd got out. I've "The thing about Morley and ZTT is people like Wham, Duran Duran and Paul' been interviewed ever since. that they're all so obviously pleased with Weller I know how important it is to know "So why did Trevor Horn ask you to their success." something about yourself. (For example make public his record labelr A nd now,l see there's a summit. or -and hit me if you've heard this one I told good jokes and-kill me if you've something, to this thing. The S unday before-knowing whether you're a heard this one before-wanted just like Times Magazine. For some reason, The subjective or objective narcissist.) him to sell millions of records of Sunday Times' Washington Being interviewed became a favourite extraordinary quality, insight and correspondent is the m an who's hobby this year. I've some tips, for when fascination. interviewing me, but the last profile he it's your turn. What you do, you see, is let 'What does Zang Tuum Tumb stand worked on was about Sam Shepard, so I t he interviewer believe that they're forr don't feel let down. Even better, he plucking bright thing.s from your mind The power of the imagination. realised that my interview with Phil and memory that no one else could. It was no longer green fanzines Collins was hysterical. not nasty. and that Ignore the questions. talk like hell, and interviewing me. European pop my Police-In-India report w as quite act surprised at what you're saying, like magazines were the first to be rewarding. He went through my life with you've never heard the like before. The dumbfounded by the nosy NME star awful scrutiny -I got pretty so lemn at interviewer then feels a good job is being forming a record label: they thought we'd one point and forgot my script-and I'm done, and doesn't have to make anything be signing things like Throbbing Gristle, glad that this is some kind of summit, as up. Unless it's the Daily Mail. but they forgot how much I loved The even I'm beginning to get a bit tired It helps to know what you're talking Monkees. talking about myself. I'll probably get about, to have ideas and ideals: if you As Frankie Goes To Hollywood became over it. Then BLITZ wanted me to wear know what you're doing and why and all tabloid stuff, the toilet papers were shorts and dress up as The Alcoholic next that, and it's more than just sin and money talking to me, the Mail. the News Of The to The Beauty, and I felt properly arrived (more?), then you'll be an enchanting, World, the Express, delighting me with as a kind of equiv alent to Norman Mailer, provocative interviewee, you can dance their rotten misquotes, and some journals or Lorraine Chase, or Bernard Manning. right through the obvious and repetitive even began quoting McLuhan and Now I can really get going. questions, and it all looks quite wonderful MacLaren in connection wi,th my Then The Sun rang up to see if it was in print. involvement-a further delight, if only true that I was getting married. They 'What is your worst featurer because it is obvious that Roland Barthes, were told to fuck off. I've decided t o (long pause) I'm a snob. Saatchi and Saatchi and Jonathan King begin turning down some interviews now. "And your bestr are more relevant. The CND youth Auberon Waugh, M artin Amis, J o hn I'm a snob. magazine got dead serious. Accolade! Mortimer, Melvyn Bragg-they 're the It started after making an unchristian -Pete York expressed an interest in kind of people I might let interv iew me. name for myself as a sensitive writer for talking to me, for which he earned two And I've always fancied a front cover the New Musical Express. Some slim Camparis in a Newcastle pub. Time Out somewhere. W hat else can you d o in t he spring onions decided to interview me blow-jobbed me over three pages: Morley 20th Century but be noticed. for their fanzines-they put together pop in full flow, in full colour, ego sticking out Disappear?
.... sockS, £4.95 per pair; from Harvey Sloane Street, London SW 1., and *Cream waterproof raincoat, NichOlls; Navy beret, £ 1.99, from Chinese Laundry, Kings Road. £ 190, by Katherine Hamnett; Black Chelsea Girl. SW3.; Stephen King and Justin raincoat by Matsuda; Cream o Tapestry suits, £230, by Stephen Steel from Stephen King •.Kings leather hat, £85. by Wendy King; Shirts. £35 each. by Stephen Road. SW3.; Harvey Nicholls. Dagworthy; Black cord and fur King; Ties from a selection at 20th Matsuda and Fred Spur from hat. to order; by Bernstock-Spelrs; Century Box; Rock Jewellery with Harvey Nicholls. Knightsbridge. Mirrored sunglasses. £ 1 2.50. by dlamante detail. £ 15.95. by Ann London SW 1.; Bernstock-Spelrs Justin Steel. Fern for Fred Spur. from Joseph laddress as above); o Navy wool blazers. £ 136. by • Ties by Charles Jourdan. Kenzo. Wendy Dagworthy from Jones. Katherine Hamnett; Patterned Harvey Nicholls. All from Harvey Kings Road. London SW3.. and boxer shorts. £25.95, by Coup De Nicholls. The Clothes Shop. Weybrldge. Coeur: Navy blue knee-length Katherine Hamnett from Joseph, Surrey.
RT ."".,. Nephew of the famous Lew, Michael Grade is continuing the traditions of a family which has been synonymous with the British entertainment industry for much of the last fifty years. Still only 41, he was recently appointed Controller of BBC 1.
" IWAS BROUGHT up w;'h money, wh;ch ,I suppose accounts for a lot. Sut I'm just beginning to learn how to live without it. I suppose ,I must have taken one of the biggest pay cuts ever .. ." Don't feel too sorry for Michael Grade. The man who took over as Controller of SSC-1 just a few months back still smokes one of those bulbous, flaking cigars and seems extraordinarily happy for someone who's just had his gross annual income reduced by an estimated £ 150,000. Little wonder really: he's back ,in the country where the name of Grade has been synonymous with entertain ment success since TV began and for some time before; he's just put behind him three uncharacteristically unsatisfying. years locked into the grid of a nuclear ratings war as the president of a production company based in Los Angeles; and he has, after all. just taken over what he regards as the most exciting job in British television. He comes at a time when the tabloids talk of 'crisis' at the Beeb, when the bods at the Edinburgh TV festival embrace rumours of the axeing of such things as Breakfast Time with glee, and when major shuffles at the top have given rise to a certain awareness that something will change soon (and that it'll be pretty dramatic when it does). At 41, Grade shoulders more responsibilities than he himself would care to admit. He claims his main role is to make consistently good quality, entertaining and popular programmes. His staunch Seeb critics say he's there merely to work miracles with the ratings (and if that means compromise, then so be it). "What nonsense!" shrugs Grade in a smoke-choked sixth-floor office at Television something like that). his nephew would music. The latter has waned as little as the Centre. "The fact is that when the SSC want probably put up something altogether more former. to be popular they do it with a style and a cultured. Like a pastel portrait of Melvyn Influence and the family name led to a job as quality that lTV can never match." Bragg. a 17 year-old sports reporter on the Daily When we spoke, Grade had been at the For while Grade still has the family taste for Mirror. He left six years later to prop up one BBC for exactly three weeks. He admitted he the big cigar and the continental tan, he part of the Grade organization when his father was still finding his way in the maze of certainly enjoyed a far superior education to fell ill. and later jointly formed the hugely corporate administration. He hadn't yet had his elders. A string of famous public schools, successful talent agency London Management. time to customize his office in Grade colours, by most accounts unhappy years ("I remember where he earned himself, for better or worse, but when he does it's unlikely that he'll follow being bitterly disappointed when a a reputation as 'the man who discovered family tradition. Whereas his uncle may have housemaster wouldn't allow me to bring a Larry Grayson'. He was recruited into the (at gaudied up the walls with a framed photo of portable TV into my room") were nonetheless that time) ailing London Weekend TV in 1973, crumpled pantomime horses in full gallop on brightened by an early enthralment with aged only 30. Sunda y Night at the London Palladium (or romantic television serials and a great love of It would be wrong to suggest that his expectations
.Intervievv by Simon Garfield • Photographs by Richard Croft
manoeuvring behind a certain 'Snatch of the money that are very hard to resist, and also Day'. because I was scared of getting stale at LWT. Five years ago Grade drew up a scheme You can't do that job for too long before you whereby lTV would buyout all TV soccer start to get blase." coverage and leave the Beeb with an hour of L.A . disappointed him for reasons that he Jimmy Hill's chin every Saturday but flippantly likens to matrimony. "It's like absolutely no goalmouth action to go with it. marriage in the sense that you never know He presented the Football League with what until you live it. You can go away for a few amounted to a £5m deal in a secret hotel dirty weekends but it's not the same. The meeting behind the back s of both BBC and pressures in America came from too many lTV executives, but the Office of Fair Trading sources. The corporate structure was very uphel'd an ensuing flood of objections and different-it was all short-term, bottom-line kicked the whole idea into a· crowd of angry thinking. Their idea of creating exciting faces from both stations. The man was not programmes was to go out with a cheque popular. Not only had Grade sneaked a flirting book and buy the best people they COUld, and pass without their approval, but his move if those people hadn't come up with something resultingly upped the price of football for in six months they'd pay them off and get both BBC and lTV. another lot in. ! was actually told to do that. I Many felt the BBC would never forgive told them that's not actually the way you do it, him. Instead, after a lengthy pause for and that you nurture talent slowly, but the recovery, they wined and dined him, courted stakes are so high that they can't afford to him across a continent, and offered him one wait." of the top five posts in their empire. A former Grade trumps up the ultimate irony. He colleague at LWT recently likened the move to says that one of the owners of Embassy "the established church ... inviting in the Television, the company he worked for for the anti-Christ". first two years, took eight times as long as the Grade claims there was never any personal six-month norm to make AllIn The Family animosity. "It was far more of an institutional the programme that laid the foundation for grudge. Even at the height of the football deal the whole company. I remember meeting several very senior BBC The other consistent pressure proved to be officials at a social function and being greeted the selling, or more accurately the flogging, very warmly-by the throat! But the successes of programme ideas to the networks. "The that we had at LWT, some of them in areas nonsense of it is that it's not the idea, it's not where the BBC had previously held the high who's doing it, it's simply how well you can ground, I think were quite admired and sell the idea in eight minutes that counts. In all respected, as opposed to the object of my time there .I only met one man in the jealousy. The one thing that really matters whole of American broadcasting who actually here is good programme making." asked the questions that I hadn't thought of appointment as Deputy Controller of myself in terms of what the idea was, where it Programmes (Entertainment) transformed was going and so on. The rest of them all just the station. Even more wrong, perhaps, to burble on about research and 'why don't you ignore the rapid turnaround in LWT's fortunes add a brother?' and 'what if he had a dog7'" in the years that followed. For by the time he OFFER to join the Beeb ,eemed to His former boss at Embassy had a foolproof took over as Director of Programmes in 1977, 1come at an ideal time for him. It meant how-to-get-round-the-networks theory, and it he had created an atmosphere where upheaval-particul'arly for his second wife, an invariably meant compromise. If the plan was creativity flourished in Independent TV as it executive with a US film distributor-but it to do a show about a black-white mixed seldom had before. The South Bank Show, the also meant escape from a three-year stint of marriage, you first had to sell them a show Alan Bennett plays, the Dennis Potter plays, little joy in L.A., a period of moving sideways about three tits-and-ass air hostesses sharing Weekend World and three Prix Italia awards crab-style-and that's putting Grade's a flat, one of whom was black. When you've all were, at least in part, the result of Grade's frustration mildly. got a monster hit on your hands you slowly eye for intelligent programming. Then again, "I went to America first and foremost work in a white male neighbour who so was what many regarded as the filthy because they offer you incredible sums of eventually marries the black air hostess ... ~ BLITZ GR A D E "An English writer told me that he'd been commissioned by an American production company to create a show that had a sort of loner character in it. He went away and came back w ith the whole set-up and they said ' Yeah! Loner! ! This is just what we're after! But why don't we give him a sidekick?' And they started adding ingredients and characters around this loner and he ended up absolutely surrounded, totally submerged by people around him."
R~S GRADE about h;s b;ggest Iachievement out there and he'd probably cite a six-part series of Jeffrey Archer's Kane and Abel. made by the production company he formed after leaving Embassy. His biggest disaster was probably a h igh-school series called Square Pegs that collapsed under a cloud of allegations regarding on-set drug use (which Grade investigated but discovered to be quite unfounded). He also regrets that he probably didn't even leave a mark on American TV. "There was no chance, Even the greatest people there, all of whose abilities are proven and marvellous, even they have to go through the mill and have their ideas turned down , It's unbelievable. There's just no trust." From the other side of the ocean, he followed the emergence of Channel Four with obvious interest. Ultimately, perhaps, it was indirect ly the spur for his return to the 8BC. "Channel Four has changed broadcasting quite dramatically. What is happening is that the lTV channel-1 commitment to serious programming and public service broadcasting is being relaxed considerably, and the IBA is adopting a far less strict attitude towards it. Things are happening in the ITV-1 schedule that I w ould never have been allowed to do three years ago. It's just that the IBA sees all these worthy programmes on Channel Four and hence the rules can change on Channel-1. That of course is having an effect on 8BC-1, which is in the glare of the ratings spotlight." Ah, them ratings, .. Ask most TV critics says, is to produce things that the audience judgements. Also it opened my eyes to a lot of why Grade's been appointed at the Beeb and have never seen before in any form. The the social agenda that I was unaware of, you'll be told that his role is to 'rescue' the shorter-term goal is to " create an atmosphere Being the only one in the Hon's den I would channel from 'defeat' in the ratings war. in which there is a much more relaxed get clawed to death by everybody, but I "You can take ratings too seriously, you structure, of the sort we had at LWT'. And he defended my position as robustly as I could, know," counters Grade with the smile of fears that the size of the Beeb machine might But for a couple of years running, Edinburgh someone who's been down this road many just make that impossible. got a little bit lost and was overtaken by times before. "Obviously we want our What is likely is that Grade will encourage sociologists and academics, I got up and programmes to be watched by as many people an enormous gush of creative talent who, made a very impassioned speech saying that as possible. But the difference between here previously, may well have approached only a lot of very important programme makers and lTV is that we get our viewing figures in lTV. For among programme makers hadn't managed to get to their feet once total isolation and say 'this programme got themselves he remains one of the most during the festival because nobody was talking four million or ten million', whereas at lTV we respected executives in British TV. and no about programmes, The result of that was always looked at our own ratings in relation to sma'll part of this stems from his brazen that the registration fee for the following year what was happening on BBC 1, because that ability to take criticism and act on it. At lTV he was increased enormous'ly in an attempt to w as how the advertisers looked at it. At the practically became the sole flak-catcher for an discourage the academics, and that meant BBC we'd never say 'Christ. we got killed last entire channel. that only the TV establishment could afford to night! Coronation Street got fifteen million The Edinburgh TV festival is the obvious go," and we only got eight million!' Failure is only example. The man actually seemed to derive a Undoubtedly Grade has his prioritie;, right; when you set out to be popular and you're sort of pleasure from being the first executive programmes, and their makers, are not:' to fend off a constant grumble of industry paramount. America has lost sight of that for Grade's current plans are rather vague, complaints for one G&T-stained week in good, he feels. He's joined the BBe to ensure and after three weeks you wouldn't expect Scotland year after year. "In fact I'm guilty of that it won't go the same way. anything else. More to the point. if he had any turning Edinburgh into an establishment Yes, but seriously Michael. don't you wish world-shaking ideas I wouldn't exactly expect occasion, and that's something I very much you didn't have to work quite so many hours? him to tell me about them. But it wouldn't be regret. Don't you wish you had m ore time at home unduly pessimistic to say that you won't see "I first went up because I wanted to hear with your kids? any marked effect of his scheduling for at what people were saying, and they influenced "More time at home? I'd probably only end least a year, maybe two, The 'long shot, he me considerably in terms of programme up watching TV , ..". BLITZ
Judy Blame
24
Photographs by Monica Curtin Styling by Iain R Webb Modelled by Scarlett
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Lenny Henry interview by Dave McCullough
SURELY AT the ou"etthe weake'tth;ng about Lenny Henry is his name. It just seems to ooze that modern kind of boredom that comes with the present media glut of 'bright young faces' who day and night adorn our screens, our radios and our press with their new books. new plays. new underwear, new anything. The world of Breakfast TV and radio phone-ins, wherein the apparent point of all this activity-to inform-is turned completely on its head, becoming merely an excuse for a spot of self-promotion. Amid this exhaltation of the average, Lenny Henry might seem par for the course. Perhaps that's unfair, but the news that he'd signed to Chrysalis Records and was about to bring out singles and an LP was stultifying in its lack of anything approaching interest. Only the thought that he was CLOGGING UP an already too-well-dogged area of activity provoked any reaction at all in this breast, as it moved towards Blackpool to meet and interview Lenny Henry, listening on the way to his new single and thinking how predictably awful it was (Lenny does a Barron Knights send-up of modern chart hits). Lenny was in Summer Season on Blackpool Pier. He didn't want BLITZ to see the show. Surprise surprise.
ARE YOU enJoy;ng Blackpoo" "No." Why not? "I stopped doing Summer Seasons about three years ago. I think I'll stop it again after this. Like, we've been here since May . . ! Twenty weeks of shows; two shows, six times a week. It gets a bit like comedy community service for all the old people of Blackpool. Not that there's anything wrong with that. and it's good the prices have been reduced for them, but it's just that I'm not a Summer Season person anymore. It's not doing anything for comedy ..." That's a strange thing to say for someone who is seen as a fairly established figure in comedy ... "It's not like I\'m Mr Showbiz, you know 'hey, let's do some darkie comedy you guys" I'm not like that at all, and the TV show hasn't been exactly your legit BBC half-hour comedy series . " Flash back : The Lenny Henry Show. as it was so originally called, was in fact a bit of a surprise. Not world-shattering, but it did 2B BLITZ • K I PH 0 TOG R A PH BY MAR K COL Lie 0 T T
Photograph by Mark Collicott
include some nifty moments, especially those rock 'n' roll and modern comedy? Galore on the Edgware Road. I was horrified, featuring the Comic Strip people, It was a "There's a true saying that every rock 'n' I just stood there in the middle of the shop nudge in the right direction and meeting roll star wants to be a comedian and vice 'Nigger') Somebody saying nigger, you know? Lenny Henry confir med the point. He is an versa, How eise could we have got all those I fell off my chair, it was brilliant. A black occasionally impassioned bear of a man who pop stars on Tiswas throwing buckets of person doing white peoples' voices, total seems honest about what he does and who water over people in a cage and loving it? I freak-out. It was state of the art and it changed endeavours to make comedy something more mean, people like Costello or Phi,1Collins are me a great deal. than, as he puts it, "laughing at girls' tits". His fairly reserved normally, , ," "Watching Bobby Ball too was im portant, record will probably still be dreadful but then, He describes his musical attempts as his body and face comedy, And then seeing tee hee, what records aren't these days? "having a go"; his expertise on black soul Alexei work for the first time down The Comic ''I'm glad you were surprised by the TV music is undoubted, the interview being Strip - he singed my eyebrows, phew! It took show because people always expect a certain peppered with various musical references- I a while: there was still the odd temptation to type of thing, The media tells them I'm the just wish he'd stuck to his forte, comedy, and joke about girls with mini-s'k irts on , , ." gobstopper-eyed, swivel-eyed Black that Chrysalis han s ignf~n James Brown or You said 'not doing sexist humour': that Comedian, It's like they're trying to find any somebody else instead, sounds unnatural somehow, like you have to adjective but 'funny' sometimes , , ," What's your relationship with the Comic catch yourself now and again, Do you prefer mainstream rather than, say, Strip crowd) " You've got to really think about it. You're late night Channel Four? 'Their director was our director on Three walking a thin line all the time, there's times "I don't know, r eally, I've got sucked into it, OfA Kind. So we were continually seeing you fall into things, , . I must say, I went to I hadn't a choice, After the anarchic mess of each other. Then II did OTTwith Alexei, so we see A Very Famous Comedian, I won't name Tiswas we wanted to do Three OfA Kind, got intertwined-now I've married Dawn who, in Windsor, There were two black people which is pretty sedate-'boys you've really French so (garbled David Bel/amy voice) we're and me in the place, I was right at the back, I got to calm down and wear some decent even more (he knots his hands Wildly) , , , I thought, 'well this guy is either going to clothes', My own show was another We're all chums. entertain everybody or he's going to say departure , " I don't like the other kind : people who lean something .. : It was five minutes into the Did you mind the respectable aura of Three on microphones and tell racist, sexist jokes, opening and he said, 'oh, I see we've got OfA Kind? never have done, Comedians with big bow some teeth sitting in the audience tonight, " I thought it was quite nifty at times, You ties and Fourth Division footballer hair-cuts some of our coloured community are here, I'd had time to rehearse, unlike OTT! That was and flares, It's just horrible. If you saw a better not say anything or they'll come up on like literally soiling your underwear every photograph of me when I started I did have a to the stage with spears: Dynamite, eh) night, That feeling that you're doing a big bow tie and flares, but it was only because "We're people from the jungle still to a lot programme live and you're not really sure I wasn't sorted out , , . I mean, I was dressing of our top comedians, We're still living in the what's going on is the best feeling ever, like a forty year-old man to appeat to this Forties; black people can't read, they talk though, I remember one night I was supposed audience, Twenty-two years old! I should funny, they can't have Scottish accents or any to be on doing Trevor McDonut and I forgot have got stick-on side burns to match, , ," other kind of accent , , , . , I was running down the corridor whipping How difficult is it steering your middle "I went on Tiswas once with a grass skirt out these glasses and a false moustache! On course) and warrior make-up and I thought I was the other hand I like getting things right, "Obviously you get pressure from people pushing back the boundaries of comedy. What which is the more recent shows, It's dead who'd like to see you walk down the steps at I found I was actually doing was confirming boring but necessary." the beginning, have A Guest, then sit down people's ignorance about black people, It's with your Guest on stools and sing to one very difficult, . ," another- then THE SKETCH, They wanted Have you any personal standards, as Alexei me to do that, I'm sure they did, does, about advertising products on the "With The Lenny Henry Show I wanted to media? do six different plays that would take up each " Depends what it is , I do one, but I think it S WE'VE so'd, Lenny Heney', enley episode but they said, 'actually we'd prefer a has an air of originality about it-the joke is Ainto rock 'n' roll is hardly the all-important shot format'. That's why even now the sketches funny and it actually involves me doing in the arm the genre is gasping for. But he does are longer than normal sketch routines. There something, as opposed to saying, 'buy this: feel passionate about his upcoming recordings, are things I'm not pleased with bllt there are it's really good!' You don't look convinced, I seeing a parallel between his own mixture of other things I know only I could have done, detect an air of cynicism , , , !" funk backing and funny voiceovers and some "I want to keep ramming it down throats I protest, Lenny Henry gets slightly reggae toasters, He may be flattering himself that I'm not your standard idea of the black paranoid. Clearly he was psyched up for this but he means it. comedian-velvet ties and rolling eyes, This interview-got to prove himself, He shouldn't "It's like I started out in rock 'n' roll anyway. sounds really wanky, but I'm not really a have to, It's just the media morass makes it I used to get up in discos allover the Midlands political animal, it's more of a body politic hard to dig out some one with a bit of soul in doing Elvis impersonations, Finally a OJ said I with me, I don't want to hit people over the him, Even if he makes awful records ought to do New Faces, I won it twice and I head but I do want them to know I won't do "I knew I'd be seen as a bit of a running dog was on my way , , , And then, early on in any racist or sexist jokes but I do joke about in some quarters, An establishment figure, I London, while I was learning my comedy, I sex and I am still funny a lot of the time , , ," get it all the time-I'm doing me best, honest' spent half the time as well down Gulliver'S Who changed your ideas on comedy? Let me get on with it, you know? Who listening to Body Heat by James Brown and " Various people. Listening to Pryor; Bill cares? .. " thinking, Jeesus! this is brilliant . Cosby first, though he was a bit bland, Then I Lenny Henry might, and that's why he Do you see a direct link between modern heard 'That Nigger's Gone Crazy' in Tapes might be different than the rest..
BLITZ 29 • Interviews by Marc Issue • Photographs by Tony Barratt
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* There was an extraordinary debate about what previously unseen XL design work should be unveiled in this piece. "How about showing them the Frankie stuff that never got used? Heh! Heh! All the pornographic stuff? ... Better not, that would piss Jill Sinclair (Zang Tumb Tuum) off no end, we'd never work again!" Anyway, what did I want to ask them about? XL have been doing all sorts of things for a very long time.They've brought together histories of interior design, magazines and books, packaging, and they're now studios when ZTT, whose offices as the background of the earliest that Paul Morley is a pleasure to designing record covers and are at SARM, needed a logo doing ZTT press displays, including the work with. "He knows what he associated material. They started for their new label. So they 'threw 'Radiant Obstacle in the Path of wants, his ideas are always well out doing sleeves for Mark Dean's in' the logo design with the rest, as the Obvious' ad on the back of thought through, and the more Innervision label, and it so it were. Visitors to the studios will BLITZ No. 15. The man who does that gets done, the more he knows happened that they were note that the very same speckled the layouts of Ver Frankie Records what he wants." So there you are. overhauling the interior of SARM ground of the walls there is used is called Dave Smart, who reckons Was the 'Bang' announcement on the back of the issue before last a real Picasso or not? "That's a trade secret. But all will be revealed. It's not a real Picasso ... at the moment." But it might be at some later date? He smiles. He has a pleasant If smile. Dave says that yes, of course s they listen to the music and the designs reflect the music, and the T lyrics. Royston says he's more cynical about that sort of thing that if you like the music and enjoy 0 designing a cover for it, it will not necessarily be apparent in the finished design, but if you don't P like a particular record, you can still come up with an interesting and appropriate sleeve design for T it. XL like to put together graphic H identities that will cross over into press ads, T-shirts and whatever, and they like to know that the I record company is going to put their full weight behind a record they work on. In common with all S the other designers interviewed, they felt that Soul and Reggae records have room for a lot of R improvements ... XL? Doesn't that stand for ...? • U
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* Breakfast in South Putney. At 'Ieast that's where Chris Morton better known as C.More Tone said it was over the 'phone. The suburban semi that serves as his home and workplace is tucked between Wimbledon Common and the bottom end of Richmond Park, hardly the design powerhouse you might expect of one of the busiest freelance designers of sleeves. Chris worked for Stiff from its beginning until 1982-six years, turning out some of the wittiest packaging since. .. well, a long time ago. He left Stiff to go freelance when he felt they had become more or less like a, normal record company, although he still has a good relationship with his former employers. Chris did a lot of animation at I can paint a sleeve." getting frustrated with the are particularly badly served by college, but never made it to the His singles bags for Working limitations, 'cos I know I have to design? end of the course-they decided Week are painted, and specifically live with them, and I couldn't really "All areas need a shot in the that Dada influences were not to the wor'k that convinced me he make a living selling actual arm-I got interested in sleeve be countenanced in a commercial was a man to talk to. Does it matter paintings-and I'd probably get design in the first place because I graphic designer, and.he tucked whether he likes the music tl)at bored without having deadlines to knew I could do better than what his portfolio under his arm a few he's wrapping up? keep. I'd like to get into the area of was going around at the time. I'll months before graduating. Then "It shouldn't do, but it does. videos and all the rest of it, but I always do reggae covers because he met Jake Riviera at the point Most people still want a photo of don't have the spare time, they're pretty badly done much of where Stiff was being launched the band or whatever on the front, although I suppose I could make the time, but most bad sleeve into the world. This sort of thing and you'll get a brief to basically the time if I was going to make the design comes down to record happens all the time. tart up the photo and make the effort to move into those areas . .. 1 companies not being prepared to "I love an excuse to paint-there band look contemporary, and don't suppose it takes much more fork out the little extra. The best are a few painters who I've never that's a pretty narrow limitation. If time to design a video than it does situation for me is when the record really got over how wonderful I get onto a job earl'y enough I get to design a record cover once company takes a back seat, I their work was. Braque, Matisse, to art direct the photo session, you've got the hang of it.. ." dream up what I'd really like to do, Schwitters, I'm really happy when and that helps, but it's no good Are their any kinds of music that and it's printable, and the band
*Vaughan Oliver and Nigel people were aware of their work? Grierson are 23 Envelope. They Yes, quite a few, I think. Their work are the house designers at 4AD with the Cocteau Twins has been records, home of The Cocteau particularly successful at doing to Twins, This Mortal Coil, Xmal the eyes exactly what the music Deutschland and .. .and ... does to the ears. The Cocteaux(!) They went to school together. will bring them a brief which They got involved in 4AD when it describes mood rather than was starting. They are well aware precise visual suggestions. For that they have a well-developed Pearly Dewdrops, for example, visual identity, and realise that they wanted to evoke the feeling clients approaching them to do of being cosy indooors on a cold work outside their foster home November evening. More will be will know what to expect from suggested in the design than will them. They feel that it is very be actually depicted. In that sense important to have a certain they are part of an abstract school empathy with the bands that they of sleeve design. if designers can design covers for. They frequently be catergorised in that way. Their hear a song developing right influences are more cinematic and through from the first demos to literary than graphic. They admire the end result, and they will be Tarkovsky and Kafka. I suggest to extremely familiar with the music them that they might move into before setting pen to paper. design for video. orchestrating Vaughan concentrates on the lights and sets. They say they are design aspects of the work while more interested in scripting and Nigel does the photography, but directing. possibly being involved they both decide on the concept in some way in the recording of and finish the work together. the music. Which removes them They wonder at designers who from the realms of promotional knock off three singles bags in an video altogether. They feel that afternoon. they wonder why they promotional video is too do it. They say the work in a bit of haphazard an arrangement of a closet. and did I think that many images around the existing sound.
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n CCCA~ 1 rov If. YUUOH . au • • M,Urr.lWl,l it HFfCfli • • " ro NOWH!Pf, C;RU,r !lAUJ O'''U . f ~ *Shoot That Tiper! are ! everywhere. The boss man, Dave .. Richardson, tells me they never ~ turn a job down because it might 3 not be fashionable, or won't push -.4 out the boundaries of state-of-the ~ art-ness, because even people who .. like MOR music are entitled to ~ have well-designed record sleeves. ~ "last year we did a series of Ronco ~ compilations. Real trash 5' marketing, we came up with the ~ concept and helped out with the TV adverts. Some designers would throw you out of the window if you even suggested they should do that kind of work, but we're not putting it down-people who buy _ their compilation lP's at Woolies have a right to be marketed to just the same as the trendies in their likes it, I can do anything I like. Gucci suits. So we had eighteen its kind that we've done. We might There's no reason why it should be months when every record we fall flat on our faces with it, and if all flat graphics, either-the Floy designed for them went gold, and we do then that's us o ut of that Joy lP cover I've just done is a lot that's the kind of design that we particular game,· but w e'll still have of boxes with funny little toys in like best! Design that works!" an aggressive appr oach t o it-we them, and the cover is just a The Shoot That Tiger! people won't be taking them fifteen ideas photograph of that-I had a great there are ten designers working and being grateful that they pick time going looking for the bits and there at the moment-aren't one. We'll t ake them two good pieces .. :'. particularly well up on music presentations and they can decide fashions. They don't go to the from that..... parties, and they don't like design Shoot that Tiger are prolific. "I magazines. Richardson says he's don't believe in the idea of interested in the client, the record someone who will do one lP cover company, the band, the public who a year and he's a genius. If you've buy the records and that's all; he got a talent you should flog it to has no time for the design death, really take it to its limits. Do fraternity's mutual backslapping everything ... "'. and/or bitching. He started out in but they will be involved in the toy design but found that more forthcoming Cocteau Twins film and more products would be project. developed and he'd get the money 23 Envelope say they have all but they simply never appeared. the artistic freedom they need The patents were being bought up working at 4AD, and being on the and sat on, to prevent the premises they build up good competition from using the ideas. relationships with the people they A few music jobs came along, and design for. They would only go he decided to give it a whirl-"It's outside looking for work if they just the same as any other form of wanted more money. They don't design, you're dealing with want to sell out their way of illustration, typeface and space. looking at things. Nigel says that It's glamorous because it's tied up 23 Envelope sleeves wouldn't look with the fashion industry, and right on Madness records. I have video and all that, and we choose to agree.• to make a living out of it, but you've got to keep it in perspective- it's not a cure for cancer, is it?" Dave Richardson laughs. Deflating the aura that surrounds what he does gives him obvious satisfaction. "All ten of us keep working on all sorts of differentjobs in different styles all the time. We don't have any particular house style. A couple of years ago, for instance, we did some neon things, and suddenly everyone wanted neon designs. It got very boring. Right now we're working on a whole new design for a Dutch magazine, which is the first job of .1> BLITZ 33 I •v .. ii'
* The atmosphere in the studios at Peter Saville Associates is placid, and everything is spotlessly clean. I suppose it's like that all the time; it was when I was there, and I don't think they would have tidied up such an enormous area just for me! There was music playing, but it was turned so low that I could tell it wasn't the Cramps, but I couldn't tell you much else about it. The place is sparsely furnished in the Saville style-matt black cupboards with metal grille facing, neutral grey plan chest, high-tech drawing boards. We sat either side of an enormous white desk top stood on polished wooden trestles. All good stuff. Peter Saville doesn't do nearly so many record sleeves as he used to-he says he's been deliberately avoiding record work for the past eighteen months in order to own regular designers, and they concentrate on other areas, but have their own particular his current list is still impressive. requirements that you have to be He does the New Order sleeves, familiar with. You can get into Orchestral Manoeuvres, Bryan other areas, but it's an uphill Ferry and Wham. How does one struggle. Lately we've done some go about designing a record sleeve advertising, a lot of corporate for New Order? identity-we're stirring up some "I see t hem very occasionaUy interest in design for art galleries, now, because they're based in we've designed a new look for an Manchester and I'm in London, Edinburgh gallery called the Fruit but when they've got something Market, and we're doing one for for me to do they'll simply ca'lll up the Whitechapel Gallery. But we're and say, the single's coming out, testing the water in all the areas or, the album's nearly finished. And we can, and maybe one or two of I'll say, can I hear it, and they'll say, them will pick up." not yet, and I might ask them what So-out into the unknown. it's called, and they'll say they don't Again.• know yet. So I'm left completely without a specific brief, which makes the job very interesting, because I'll have to come up with pure design, and then bring a title to it afterwards. They're unusual people to work for, they like that sort of thing. Is that why there was no title , 14
a self-portrait of his background and his work from Beyond the Fring~ to An Englishman Abroad and his first feature film, Private Functions
~'h~f c~22 f,lmed ~Ne~ YO'k~i"g ~
working again with George Martin, who produced 17 Beatie hits, re-recording and, for the first time in public, singing some of his finest songs as he works on his new film, Give My Regards To Broadstreet
a specially commissioned television essay filmed in Nottingham and Cornwall, to mark the 100th al1niversary of Lawrence's birth
documenting a year in the life of one of Britain's most distinguished actors, with extracts from plays, diaries and his work during his first year with the National Theatre Company
a film by John Read shot in Cumbria, of one of Britain's finest poets ~ H ~ (GJ ~ [L l a study Qf the work of one of the world's greatest living painters ~~O~N~~ [Q)fo\N(c~ a film of an extraordinary new young British dance company from Leeds M~~W~ [L [L a unique film about the affinity between this great music hall actor and the plays of Samuel Beckett
the author of Boys From The Blackstuff and Scully, filmed in liverpool at work on his latest project, a musical play about Elv is Presley
a profile of one of the world's most celebrated and elusive living composers, including performances from his work, filmed in Paris and the studio EDITED AND PRESENTED BY MELVYN BRAGG EVERY SUNDAY ON lTV IN ALMNG ROOM NEARYOU l'%m%lWil~~~~.q11l k " ".. ,._.:. ' .; l!:~ ~ -- ~~4m~:llimm~~:::2::*=": r.. LONDON WEEKENDTELEVISI,ONI Edited by Iain R Webb
36 BLITZ *
r---~B;L~IT~Z~------~=---~~~O~~~37 III Photographs by David Hiscock Modelled by Julia, Cerith Wyn Evans
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* Navy jacket with black velvet collar and cuffs. navy pin-stripe trousers. both from Comme Des Garcons. oSilver-grey tapestry jacket by Culture Shock. ~ Double-breasted raglan sleeved wool suits by John Bellwood. from £170. Comme Des Garcons and Culture Shock f.rom Browns. South Molton Street. London W1. John Bellwood from Issue Clothing. Walkers. Long Acre. London WC2. 'Inspired by Down and Out: Orwell's Paris and London Revisited. by Sandy Craig and Cris Schwarz. published by Penguin Books. O~~ BLITZ
Photograph by Gill Campbell r~ , r
Photograph by Peter Brown
BLITZ AND YOU CAN forget all t hat dreamy, dewy-eyed copy you've been submitting lately, just give m e a piece of social realism on Kim Wilde." I could see The Editor was in no mood for co m promise. I meekly complied and went through the imagin The Cast Miss Kim W ilde -a pop star, seemingly in control, quietly self-pleased, looking to re-establish herself after a sho rt lay-off, distant Monica Cur tin -a photographer, thorough, affable, but a strong self-will, is about to have her phone cut off any day now. Robert - a hairdresser, on the surface a bit of a dandy, soft spoken, not afraid to give advice, the audience never gets to know him well, enigmatic. M asgie -a make-up artist, a New Yorker trying out London for a couple of years, interested, polite. Sheila Sedgwick -a reco rd company press officer, overt, organised, carefully bides her time, big stakes in client protection. Simon Pott er - a journalist, squeaky-clean, cub reporter fixation, an air of mild good humour, eager to please, worries about what people think of him. BLITZ Ladies and Gentlemen, we proudly present: • Interview by Simon Potter • Photograph by Monica Curtin The role players take the stage, a photoKim: Work at what? Simon : Do you enjoy being a pop star, Kim? graphic studio in London's busy West End. Simon: Exuding sex appeal. Kim: Yeah, I like the attention more than I'd Those assembled seem mildly panicked over Kim: I don't think about it at all, I just enjoy it. care to admit. It also means that I'm not tied to Simon Potter's entrance. It's not my fault that I've got big lips, that I a routine, I'd hate that. Ilike the way that being Simon (trying to appear relaxed) : Hi, I'm like wearing red lipstick and have blonde hair. in pop music can be unfair, yet terribly fair at Simon Potter from Blitz magazine. Miss Wilde rolls her tongue round her lip the same time. Sheila: Hi, Simon. We've been expecting you. gloss, sensously. Simon : How do you mean? I'm afraid we're running well behind schedule. Simon: But you deliberately highlight those Kim : Well, you can't always see the people you Kim's just changing for the photo session, but features. want that's unfair. If I don't have a hit record, we'll be able to give you a few minutes for the Kim : What woman wouldn't? Anyway, people that's unfair. If the press give me a hard time, interview somewhere along the line. only really take notice because I'm a famous it's unfair ... And it's fair because it gives me Clearly unimpressed by the time allotted to person. a good life. him, Simon takes a seat and accepts Monica's Simon : But how would you react if. Simon : Is it difficult to maintain friendships offer ofa coffee. He chats casually to Sheila A thirdperson enters the room. It's Sheila. when you're a pop star? and Robert while Maggie attends to Kim's Sheila: OK, Kim, back to the other room. Kim: Well, it is difficult to fit everyb ody in. make-up in a separate room andMonica erects Simon : When can I ask her some more Everyone wants me, you know. Rick and Dad the photographic equipment. questions? want me at the studio (her father and brother Monica: Simon, to save time, would you mind Sheila: Once the photo session gets co-write andproduce her material. but you standing in for Kim while I take a few polaroids underway ... knew that already), friends want me, the in preparation for the main shots. The room is filled with the sound ofcamera record company wants me and (jokingly) my Simon: But I look nothing like Kim. clicks, and Monica's detailed directives to public want me. Monica: Doesn't matter. I only want to Miss Wilde. Miss Wilde for herpart leans Simon : Are any of your friends jealous of your position the lighting. against the door; her leather dress creaSing in success? Simon dutifully walks over to the door the places it's supposed to. Kim : Not close friends. That's something I around which the session will take place. Monica: Angle more to the door, Kim . Put your don't wish to think about. One friend has said Cheers ofencouragement abound from Sheila shoulder back. Extend your back foot. That's that she envies me to my face, but what they and Robert who advise Simon to strike his perfect. say about me behind my b ack I don't get to best James Dean pose. Kim: Monica, do you mind if I spend a couple hear of. There must be a lot of them because I Monica: Right, look into the light would you, of minutes on my hair? keep hearing them talking behind other Simon? Monica: Not at all. people's backs. Simon: It's awfully bright, Monica. Miss Wilde and Robert disappear into the Simon : Do you do that? Monica: That's alright, you'll get used to it. box room. Kim: No, it's uncool. A few minutes later Simon stumbles to his Monica: Simon, I hate to ask you again, but Simon: So if you hate someone you'll tell them seat, struggling to regain his vision. He takes wou'ld you mind posing in Kim's place for to their face will you? somebody else's coffee in mistake for his. another polaroid. It won't take long. Kim: Let's put it this way, I won't tell anyone Sheila: Kim seems to be ready now. Why don't Two minutes pass. else before I let that person know about it. you pop next door, Simon, and chat for a few Simon : Oh, look into the light! I thought you Simon : Can you see yourself being a pop star minutes while Monica finishes setting up. said turn to the right. Sorry, Monica! for a long time? Simon enters a box room which is a jumble Miss Wilde re-enters satisfied with Robert's Kim (looking into the mirror): You know, I'm of Miss Wilde's clothes and various make-up efforts. really pleased with my hair. It hasn't changed applications. The pop singer is wearing a tight Monica: Take over from Simon now, Kim. much, just got longer. Over the past year I've leather dress, which brings to mind dubious Robert, can you help Simon to a chair; the started to look after myself, and now I want to S&Mimages. lights have blinded him again. be well dressed and well groomed the whole Kim (for it is she): I bought this new dress Simon (stumbling): Robert Robert? Is that time. before my new look was even discussed. I you? Simon : What even when you go down the spoke to XL and had this dress specially Robert: I'm over here. It's alright. shops? designed because I'm into those pictures of Miss W ilde starts humming her new single Kim (laughs) : Yeah . Batwoman and Barbarella. I love that sort of 'The Second Time' while Monica takes the final Sheila (entering suddenly) : The car's arrived, thing. shots. Sheila makes polite conversation with Kim. Simon: Don't you ever feel embarrassed by Simon until, suddenly . .. As Miss Wilde gathers her belongings she this new pose? Sheila: Oh, look! The session's over. G'rab a reveals to Simon that some day she'd like to Kim : Weill know it's a sexy image, but it's a quick five m inutes with Kim, Simon, while the work with Dusty Springfield, her heroine. different kind of sexiness to that displayed by car's waiting. With that the pop singer; herpress officer and page three girls in suspenders with their tits Miss Wilde and Simon resume their the journalist leave, the latter mentally sorting hanging out. I think it's much more exciting to conversation in the box room. the evening's bizarre activities, happy in the portray a woman in control of herse'lf than Simon: Where were we? knowledge that his sight could return at any being told what to do at the hands of some Kim: You were going on about the sex image. moment. Just like Monica told him. lecherous photographer. This is obviously a sexy picture (looking down Curtain. Simon: Does the assimilation of such a role at the polaroid), and I hope you understand come easily or do you have to work at it? the thinking behind it. BLITZ Cabaret Voltaire Interview by William Shaw Photograph by Martin Thompson Stephen Mallinder S TEPHEN MALUNDER de,c,'be, the creative process of Cabaret Voltaire thus: "It's like throwing things at the wall and what sticks, sticks." Coming from a member of a group which BLITZ is capable of tempting the music press into selves gazing out of the backs of police vans. some of its most esoteric prose, that seems Most were to be released a few hours later, like a very neat way of putting it. Cabaret some to be charged with obstruction or Voltaire throw things at the wall to see what criminal damage. The City did not Stop. sticks. Stevo, the garrulous mouth behind Some ATTEMPT to demystify the At times it may have seemed like they were Bizzare, thought that it would be funny if this mystifiers, this interview is a little ridiculous. in amongst the sort of company that wanted article was Hlustrated with a photograph of Stephen Mallinder leads you a merry dance. to knock the wall right down-if the metaphor Steven Mallinder throwing a brick at a police Probably not too intentionally, but his polite will stretch that far-but Cabaret Voltaire van (to see if it would stick?). Mallinder, answers tend to take you nowhere very seem to be far more interested in what can be however, indicated that it would not be specific. The man will not be pinned down. thrown rather than acts of demolition. appropriate. Ask him who his heroes are and he'll tell "In areas like that," he says after Stevo had you he's not sure if he has any. joyfully departed to take a look at the civil Ask him to give an example of something disobedience, "I can sympathize, but much as he regards as genius and he says it's not I agree with a lot of the things there, I couldn't something he thinks he can quantify. put my weight behind it. I don't see why I Ask him about his favourite films and he'll G'VE OR take a few month" ir, mace should lie to myself. talk about the elements he can appreciate in or less Cabaret Voltaire's tenth anniversary "All well and good if people like Paul Weller many of them. year. It was in 1975 that the odginalline-up of seem as if they know there's a correct So ,I ask if this is what Stephen Mallinder Mallinder, Kirk and Watson issued their first answer-that's up to them-but I certainly wanted to be when he grew up. cassette, but they'd been experimenting with wouldn't put myself in that position because I "Not really. I knew I didn't want to work tape recorders and oscillators for a year or so don't know. In terms of politics, in terms of very much, that's a fact. I did literally fall into before that. As the story goes, their live philosophy, in terms of religion, I don't know." it. I went to college because I didn't performances confronting the musical status Now there's always been a certain amount particularly want to do any job. I knew that I'd quo of the time were capable of inducing acts of mystique surrounding Cabaret Voltaire. So get involved in something that wasn't totally of considerable physical hostility in their if one of the key words on Mallinder's lips is mainstream. Although we're not intellectuals audiences. communication, what exactly is he trying to and we're not arty, working in a bank or But when people stopped chucking things communicate? working as an insurance clerk and going to and toolk to buying their records, they found "Well that's it. To say we actually wanted to the match on Saturday never appealed to me, themselves in the company of others making communicate something sounds like I'm so by inclination I saw myself doing something similarly post-industrial noises. But while contradicting myself, because I'm saying I in music. I never went to art college or contemporaries like Throbbing Gristle, A haven't got an answer, I'm not politically anything like that. I had a guitar when I was Certain Ratio, Clock OVA and Joy Division motivated or whatever. What I'm saying is we ten years old but it broke and I never really mutated or faded away, Cabaret Voltaire wanted to create some stir in a different way used it again. thrived in a quiet way, diversifying into although we didn't actually know the answers. "But I didn't feel like I had to do this, ambitious video projects, becoming more We wanted to point people in a different arthough I probably did feel a burning, desire accessible, and ever more accepted. And direction. We wanted to stir things, to to do something. It makes it all sound a bit though this may never have been translated challenge things-that was the notion we lackadaisical, the way I fell into it, like I don't into major financial success, these men are were communicating." know what I'm doing here or anything, as if everywhere cited with great respect as Major No one really expects the fickle world of nobody'd miss me. I don't want to put myself InHuences. pop to be able to change a great deal anyway. down too much. I still have a burning desire But does this mean that Richard Kirk and But Cabaret Voltaire are one of those groups to actually do something, something that is Stephen Mallinder are rebels no more? who have gathered up an inpenetrable communicative, something that does actually "You've got to see it from a subjective point reputation that might imply that something fire a spark. of view," explains Stephen quietly, politely. momentous is going on. The fulll weight of "We dr.ifted into being a group, but we did "For us to actually contrive something that's obfuscation of some of the more literary actually want to do something. We did rebellious now would be false. I'm not saying members of the press has been put behind actually want to antagonize. We were rebel that we're not rebellious now, but we've had them, and Cabaret Voltaire seem to revel in it. lious bui music was the obvious thing to do to progress from those very raw days. We They've been called 'propagandists', 'indus because it didn't have the intellectual artistic were just a symptom of the times. It's just an trial mysticists', 'avant garde electro-dance'. snobbery and also we wanted to communi inevitable thing. Really. I mean, we couldn't Stephen says he finds the labels interesting, cate something fast, we wanted something Just stand still for ten years and wait for when but he won't say whether they're right or with feedback. Music is the main thing. It ,is music became very monotonous like it was in wrong, or even that they make him snigger. popular culture and that's why we used it. lit the seventies. Though we're not a very violent "I think that's partly in the nature of was part of us. It was what we'd been antithesis of rioward Jones or whatever, we ourselves. People look on us as being slightly brought up on. We knew its workings. Even are an antithesis, the opposite side of the coin esoteric and are never quite able to pin it though we weren't a pop group, the in a different sort of way." down. It's good. We never like to put things machinery of pop music was what we initially So though Howard Jones may require cleanly in black and white. There's always could use to express it. The same goes for some sort of violent antithesis, we shall have very large areas of grey where there is working in film now." to look elsewhere for that. Cabaret Voltaire ambiguity, where it's left open to interpreta I had been forewarned of Cabaret Voltaire's are far more interested in how we perceive tion. It's not like we believe our own press, tendency in interviews to remain vaguely and the world than how we change it. On their but it's quite nice when people say we must quietly serious. As the interview closed, I most recent single Sensoria they may juxta be such and such. enquired as to just where amongst all this was pose a clip of tape of a Ku Klux Klansman "'it's something that we're conscious of. It's the room for frivolity. Mallinder's dark eyes lit intoning 'Do Right. Always Work. Respect not actually something we've tried to propa up a bit. Authority' with their electro backing, but even gate ourselves, but it's something that's built "Well that's it. We come across as extremely if the crafty reviewer tells you otherwise, up around us. And it's not something that we serious in interviews like this, justifying don't look here for a specific message. They feel obliged to keep to-in a lot of ways we our selves. But there's a hell of a lot of fun in were just interested to see if it stuck to the try to play it off. It's not a case of hating the what we do. A hell of a lot of it we do for a wall. tags we've had, hating the images. It's more a laugh. We never really furrow our brows over case of saying it's good to throw it off and anything. It's not as soul searching as people actually see it in a different way." think. Stephen gives an example: the title of the "I mean," he concludes, "most of the stuff new LIP Micro-phonies. A ridiculous word, he we do, we do drunk anyway." says, that sounded quite nice and was Now that's what I want to hear. Cast aside ATTHE SAME time that the inte~iew discovered as the title of a Three Stooges images of Cabaret Voltaire as the post w as taking place and not much more than a film. The interviewer looks a little surprised at industrial pessimists and imagine this. Two m ile away, some 470 people, described by his unexpected candour. rather drunk men standing in front of a wall the evening news as anarchists, animal rights "The other reason for it," he adds, "is that and throwing things at it, then examining p rotestors and cyclists, were finding them everybody hates it." what sticks and what falls off.• BLITZ Purple prose andApollonias underwear eFloy Joy-bring a hybrid home today eJody Watley andlife after Shalamar e Berntholer-My Suitor and Statelessness ePlus: Torch Song, Virna Lindt, Penguin Cafe Orchestra. T R • A • » ~ , !':I i ii' I en S' ..::r !,.. ~ ~ i' 'it I 5' :I ii' i'.. i •~ S'.. i 3 is: J • "I always wore lingerie, I don't wear Rain and getting the part was just working with Him (the other one)."1 unpredictable, That's the way he is, I it to sleep 'cos it's uncomfortable, you (wait for it!) seven days, I don't even remember the first evening that I met always tease him that he's a verbally know. But I've always dressed like bat an eyelid , ' , him, he asked me, 'Do you believe in conservative gentleman, Because he this, I like wearing black chaps with Yep, for on the seventh day Prince _God?' I said, 'Of course, otherwise I is. But when you see him, even in his underwear underneath, " created a replacement for his former wouldn't be here: And then he asked kitchen, he is stIli bigger than life, I Black chaps? girlfriend Vanity who was originally me, 'Are you hungry?' We walked out remember one day we were in the "Yeah , They're like leather trousers, going to be in the film but then wasn't of the office and went to a cafe and he kitchen-I like his kitchen a lot 'cos I but they're open around here and, , ," and, like, nobody's quite su~e if she had a cup of tea and I had a f~uit juice go cook there for him-and right by Ah, jumped or if she was pushed but and we didn't eat, We immediately got where he washes his dishes-well he Apollonia Kotaro was very keen anyway they do all these auditions and along," doesn't wash dishes-" for me to know that she's always they find this new girl and suddenly And now they're best buddies! I expect he just smashes them up worn 'Ionsheray: as she calls it. She she's P~ince's girlf~iend and her "He's my mentor, my brother, my from time to time , ' also wanted me to know that her name's right up there and the group father, my sister, my mother, my "No, he has someone in to do them favourite colour has always been that used to be called Vanity 6 is now spiritual lover ' , , I remember the first for him, Anyway, he has this big purple ("all my school pictures, I'm called Apollonia 6 and the first single is time I auditioned in Los Angeles it was window and I would stand there and wearing a purple dress"). and (of called Sex Shooter and pow! it's in raining and the sky was like a red, stare at him and just drift away, One course!) when it came to auditions, with a bullet even if it isn't that great a purple, and I thought. 'How weird day I asked him, 'Is there one thing you the music she would always use and then there's the album which isn't the movie is Purple Rain, This is a don't know how to do?' And he sat was, , 1999 and Little Red Corvette great either but Warners like it so coincidence: But these little things there, dazed, trying to figure it out. ("I had the cassette with me at all much that they've insisted on a video happen all the time, We have the same And then he suddenly said, 'I can't times, I knew him through his music" ), for every track and, well, a star is dreams certain nights, you know, it's cook , , ,but I can make babies: See! Wearing lingerie aside, I expect a born, really, Or created, But she very odd," That's how he is," conversation with the Pope would go doesn't see it that way, And she'd like Apollonia talks to Prince every Yes, quite, But what's the a bit like an interview with Apollonia to point out that she's always worn other day, she has dreams about him, connection exactly? you know, whatever the subject. 'He' lingerie , she sees him as often as she can. He's "I don't know! I don't know, I guess just keeps cropping up, Only in this Anyway. Apollonia used to sing in her friend and she says that talkil)g you have to cook to keep a man case He is small and sulky and wears a nightclubs and make minor about him is about talking about happy and if you keep a man happy moustache, During the interview He appearances on TV shows, She herself, So it's no surprise that when I you can have babies, That's the way I gazes down at us from the wall describes herself as Latin-German ask her if she doesn't think there's look at it, , , But he does make great somewhere behind my left shoulder, Jewish, which sounds a bit like an something a bit odd about him, she scrambled eggs," Apollonia is wearing one of His outfits, A-level course, And despite the saucy says: I hadn't the heart to ask if she's We are indeed in The P~esence, So bits in Purple Rain she is actually very "Pardon?" always liked scrambled eggs, , ' when she tells me that the period modest and yes, she is religious, You know, isn't he a bit strange? o TIM HULSE between her first audition for Purple Which is quite important when you're " He's very mysterious, he's very BLITZ startling talents of Ms Lindt are about to be acknowledged at ,last. The first shock comes on intro duction to Virna. Her English is impeccable, proving by a sort of double bluff that she has to be genuinely Swedish. After all, if she was just a Swedish Compact Joke she would say, "zis" and "zat". She says "this" , and "that" and quite a lot else. spend most of the time listening and desperately looking for fibs in her recounting of How She Got Where She Is Today. Clutching the biography so conveniently (too conveniently?) given to me at the door by a Compact minion, I search for discrepancies with little success. Your guess as to tne facts of the matter is as good as mine, but I think we can throw out for a start her claims to have been a spy. Equally certainly we can believe that she is Swedish, 24, an interpreter, an ex-model (having appeared on fifteen different magazine covers), a journalist (a sort of Swedish Julie Burchill). an actress, a graph ic artist and apop star. As for the rest of the information gleaned from the interview, well pick any eight from the following-Virna had worked with Ingmar Bergman before she was 21 ; with Mai Zetterling soon after; she is related to the Lindt choco'l'ate family; her favourite pastime is 'eating chocolate with boys'; her favourite music is Bernard Herrman's theme to Hitchcock's Vertigo; her only live appearance was at Les Bains-Douches in Paris with a snow machine outside the door . . Interrupting the flow of perfectly believable, but still rather suspicious facts, I hurl in my last resort question: " So what's Sweden like then, Virna?" " It is a strange place. Its outside influences are solely from Britain and America, and yet the essential mood of the country is one of non-confomity. It's normal there to be a harc!ened .. cynic and to trust no one, which is all ] very well, but it makes any real protest CI totally harmless. It's the same with E films, they're dismissed unless they're :> MEANINGFUL. Apparently they wanted Spielberg to cut scenes out of Raiders when it was shown over there because they didn't mean anything!" Virna's music is itself hardly the most profound musical cont.ribution to rock's rich hearthrug. It is, however, a s~premely superficial wash of wistful themes to imaginary TV shows and films. Check out Underwater Boy with • Nibbling at the highly polished edges its 'Aqua Marina' overtones, and of anything to do with Compact Dossier On Virna Lindt, an unashamed EARLIER THIS year Madness the pop and description has just begun, but there's no entertainment group, and Stiff, the record sound coming out. I had better ask them company, dissolved their union. As unions go about something. Think fast! I know! in the popular entertainment industry, it had Marc: (cough) ... Does 'Zarjazz' mean been a long and fruitful one, yielding many anything in particular? successful chart hits and giving pleasure, as Suggs: The word itself is an exclamation of obituaries for entertainers generally have it, happiness. It's from the 2000AD comic book, to many. The dissolution of this union was not but it's from a specific planet .. . entirely amicable. The parties separated at a Carl : It's a Betelgeusian word .. . fairly brisk pace, and certain accusations were Suggs: It's just an exclamation of extreme bandied about, none of which will be of any happiness .. . interest at all this time next month, and need Carl : It means that something is really brilliant. not concern us today. Why did you start your own label rather Stiff have stayed Stiff, and Madness have than sign contracts with someone else's? inaugurated their own record label, and Suggs: We'd already thought about setting named it 'Zarjazz: Their recording artistes up our own label before we left Stiff, really. include former Undertone Feargal Sharkey, We'd put a few people onto Stiff before, so we former Scritti person Tom Morley, and the thought we'd do it ourselves. We got involved North London Skiffle'n'Blues group with the choir (The Gospel Choir With The Skiffskats. Madness will henceforth determine Very Long Name I Can't Remember And Can't their own recording schedule, and release Be Bothered To Look Up) and we were going their own records at their leisure ... to make the first record with them, but Stiff So far, so good. snapped them up while we were away on Here I am, crouched in the Zarjazz sofa, tour. At that stage we were going to start up about to interview Suggs and Carl-one third the label with another company while we of Madness, the section that I have least finished the two more albums we had to do difficulty naming-about their new enterprise, for Stiff, but as it turned out we needed the and I am full of good intentions, but I cannot 'Iabel anyway, because we had nowhere else banish the conviction from my mind that to go. there are precious few sensible questions you How long will Madness be supporting can ask members ofMadness anyway. . . Zarjazz financially? Suggs and Carl are looking at me rather Suggs: No time at all-obviously it's our expectantly, and I look back at them. We smile responsibility to get the finance, but it's not at each other. Clearly, an interview of some actually our money, it's Virgin's money. The ~ BLITZ only thing we've supported financially is the think it'd be very enjoyable, exploiting studio, which we built, and that's something people-maybe we could go round looking that we'll always be ab'le to use, so we won't for younger people-kids? Is that what they're be spending any money, really. The label will called?-and just get them to sing our songs, last as long as Virgin are interested in it. and we'd play on the records, we'd do Is everything you release going to be everything ... but I don't think that would be aimed at the charts? much fun, really ... Just as you can't have Suggs: We did make a conscious decision another Motown, you can't have things about that- with Feargal's record, obviously, ideo'logically the way you'd like them, insofar it's something that's going to get a lot of as you do have to be a businessman to a airplay, and we'll push it like other record certain extent when you're running a record companies will p ush other hit singles. But the company. It's a ver.y boring thing to realise Skiffskats record will be put out as a fairly that you can't be brilliantly idealistic, you can't limited release . .. float over it, you have to compromise. In Kentish Town and environs ... ? Hopefully we will. and it won't be forced Suggs: (chuckles) . .. Yeah .. .we do have a down an alley ... certain pressure on us to have hits- not all Would it be preferable not to have a big hits, but the ones we decide are going to be deal made out of having your own ,label? hits had better be hits . .. Suggs: It'd be preferable not to be associated Have you got a long shopping list of with the groups all the time-I suppose that people you want to sign up? means the label as well . Suggs: No, not at all. There aren't that many So that's why you never called it Madness good people around, and most of them get Records .. . Do you think you've been snapped up really quickly. I don't know if moving towards Family Entertainment things have changed, or whether it's always over the years? been like that. Suggs: I think what happened was that we Do you go out and see many bands turned into a pop band and we didn't think we playing live? were, you know? We didn't want to be, we Suggs: ... er, no. The last show I went to see just were . .. was Frank Sinatra, that was alright. I don't It would be a pretty strange sort of thing know who the last band I went to see before to want to be ... that was. I'm going to see The Woodentops Suggs: ... it became a kind of kitsch thing on Friday .. . like, Elvis Costello doing pop records .. (Then they both talked at once for a while, and just as I was beginning to think that neither of them was answering the question . ..J Suggs: ... but we didn't see ourselves as SOME READERS may well be 90;n9 family entertainment, that's not what we aim "Ah-ha!" at this point, BUT the above for. exchange wasn't a very reasonable one. The Carl : It's all down to what other people think fact of the matter is that discovering new of us,and we probably don't always realise talent by scouring the concert circuit belongs what other people think . to the realm of fairytales-it is not based in Suggs: The thing is, you know ... we don't fact; and in starting up a record label which really have any idea of what ... we don't try to releases records that old friends have made, project anything as a .. . a vision, we just do Madness are entering into a definite tradition. what we ... do ... Madness themselves had their first record How does having a label of your own released on 2 -Tone (described in black and GREATEST of the many beaut;e, of help you do what you do? white as "an old pal's label" in the sleeve notes 1Madness is, I believe, that to think of them as Suggs: It just gives us more say, I suppose, of Complete Madness) and while The Prince pop stars at all requires a certain amount of over what goes on. Which means that wasn't exactly a milestone in pop history, concentration. We tend to sort out our hopefully there'll be less wrangling and these entertainers did go on to greater things. memories, experiences and associations into arguing about what we should be doing. More recently, Mr Paul Weller has erected his neat piles for future use, so that we know before, we always had Dave Robinson Respond thing on much the same basis, where to find them later. When a journalist pushing us into doing things, which we won't notwithstanding the vestments of the Church racks what brains he has for questions to ask have now . .. that was something we didn't of the Second Jam Tomorrow ... which pop stars in an interview situation, he (or she) agree with towards the end of our relationship reminds me ... will rummage through the pile of experiences with Stiff anyway, and that's the biggest Is there going to be any kind of unified marked 'Pop groups' first. I didn't fi nd difference, not having someone deciding what image for the label? . . . Iike Respond? Madness in that pile at all, because they you should be doing all the time ... Suggs: It won't be like that at all! merge so perfectly w ith everyday life that I'd And you don't have to draw up contracts Carl: ... because it isn't like that within sorted them away with things like "Going to with yourselves! Madness. We haven't got one person dictating the Launderette;' "Watching The Neighbours Suggs: No! ... Funny, isn't it? to everyone else, and it's the same with the Do Strange Things To Their Cars" and record label. We've all got different tastes, we " Remembering To Send Old Smelly A Birthday all realise that, so we'll put out anything we all Card." Madness are one of those things I've think is good, regardless of ... style. always taken absolutely for granted, like the So the label' won't have a strong newsagents, the postman and crisp packets. ENY, "II ,ay;t ;,' Madne.. ",;k;n9 a b'ow image .. . ? Maybe that's why it feels so odd trying to for workers' autonomy at their time of life! It Carl: Not ,in the way I think you mean . interview them like they were the Thompson makes perfect sense that they should set up I'm not sure what I mean, that's why I'm Twins or something .. their own label so they can run their lives how asking you. Did I read somewhere that you said there they want and get a few new sounds onto Carl: It'll have an image in terms of the way wouldn't be any more Motowns? vinyl while they're about it. It wouldn't make the label is seen, but we'll be signing the Suggs: There isn't going to be a situation sense for them to run around the West End bands for their music ... where one person is going to tell' a lot of other doing Berry Gordy impressions, anymore Suggs: We want people to see the label and people what they've got to do. It isn't like that than it would make sense for them to ... to, I think that this is going to be a good record, anymore, I don't think peop'le accept that dunno, take up gender-bendin~ . . just from seeing the logo-obviously this is anymore . . . Hold on a minute! Berry Gordy something that we can only hope for. But the It's an appealing thought, though, isn't it? impressions? Gender-bending? Lads, I've just bands won't be in any particular style .. . Suggs: It's an appealing thought, but I don't had this idea for a movie .. . ! so BLITZ [] Asecond album for 1984 NEW ALBUM & CH'ROME TAPE AVAILABLE NOW Includes Giant Poster soon 10 be available on Compact Disc LP - ME'RL 48 CHROME TAPE - MERLC 48 • "The Penguin Cafe Orchestra and started again from there. I've was conceived in Japan in 1972, in experimented with that one note in all Kyoto- or a little before that I've kinds of different ways. I haven't come up with a few neat expressions reached a form that I've mastered and to explain about the Penguin Cafe become completely comfortable with, since people started asking me about so I can see why I might be called an it. but I don't like to use them too experimentalist, with a small 'e'. But often. The Penguin Cafe is home- it's the word 'experimentalist' is a bit like where you feel at home, so in a way 'avant garde', which is a completely it's a state of mind, but a very practical passe concept, I think. one, not a narrowly defined state. It "I have no idea where the Penguin seems to be saying that the random Cafe Orchestra stands in our culture at element in life is more important than all, so I don't know why, or whether, the risk that goes with it. There's BLITZ readers would be interested in some contact with this random it. impulse in Zen Buddhism, and in Dada BLITZ readers should be interested and Surrealism- certain Twentieth in it, if I may dictate to you for a Century figures like Satle are close to sentence or two, because sooner or it. Anyway, the Penguin Cafe could be later we get a little tired of fash ion the home of our spontaneity, our music. When pop is exciting and creative impulse- as opposed to nine moving, then we can spend a little to five existence in the city, mortgages, time with it. When pop is wet and the fear of war and Mrs. Thatcher worn and wan and weedy and wally, opposed to the things that keep people then we have no need of it. There's down. .Sometimes I feel that I've built plenty of good music outside. The myself an ivory tower, that it's a haven Penguin Cafe Orchestra LP's are as or an escape, but that aspect of it falls accessible you could wish for. There apart very quickly because it's a are no complicated initiation rites positive energy that's working, and involved. All you have to do is to walk because all my ideas about the into a proper record shop, and ask for Penguin Cafe would come to nothing them. No one will laugh at you, and without the music. you play them on your record player "I found that I was by nature a just like any other sort. It just takes a composer, but to be a composer in little confidence and you can break the modern idiom became too much that pop habitl The latest LP is called for me, the incredible skills and Broadcasting from Home. Try it. disciplines required were way beyond o MARC ISSUE me, so I went right back to one note, RT .T'T' 7 348 OLD COMPTON ST. SOHO LONDON Visit Fans new Shirt shop at 95 Charing Cross Rd. London W.C.2. We're doing for shirts what we've done for t - shirts If a woman can wear the trouse-rs,sl1e can also wear a I Shirt! o I Cost: £1.50 (inc. p&p) I _ From ,----~ STARZONE ""'DRACULA PO Box 225 Watford, Hertfordshire WD1 70G NEAREST -e- TOTTENHAM COURT RD, LlECESTER SQ.~ • Comes a time when you have to jet go over and think, 'This could be examine just why so many people the one that drops the bomb.' Then it chase that perfect pop beat. Torch comes home to.you that all the things Song are amongst the pace makers, you've been striving for could end in basking in the after-glow of a dozen an instant." kind reviews for their latest LP Wish W illiam looked almost heartbroken Thing. as the full impact of his statement On first meeting the trio, you're came home to roost. So what to do? inclined to be taken in by their earnest Would Torch Song twist their aim to "get our music across to as relationship with IRS to a point where many people as possible;' but you the company could become the don't sign to Miles Copeland's IRS perfect vehicle to highlight the trio's label unless the Harvard Business broad aims, deep desires and petty School ethic is central,to your nuances? Can Torch Song do their bit philosophy. to change the world I William Orbit weighed up my A lengthy pause ensued, during accusation carefully, his mild air of which I was tempted to qualify my diffidence prompting his quiet, well question still further, but resisted . measured response. "If we feel strongly enough about "Well we need money to keep Torch something we'll say it and take the Song going." William thought some consequences;' William gazed at me, more before his second delivery. " But satisfied that he'd encapsulated a head if you're talking about luxuries, then full of prose into one sentence. I'd love to be driven aroufCId, because I It was a question I put to the other hate it behind the wheel.. It needn't be two members of Torch Song, singer a big car, I don't crave ostentatious Laurie and studio manager Grant. wealth . Does that answer your Neither, it seemed, wanted to question?" challenge the existing order. Maybe Not really. it's because they've secured a big "Funny you should question our record company advance, or it might motives as a group, though, because be me OD-ing on worthiness. we spend a lot of time trying to work The wordplay was over. We never out why we do certain things." got to know each other well. I think it Desperate to keep Torch Song away was the curious mix of artistry and from the standard replies given to calculation that threw me. The sharp various lines of questioning in previous grey light and cool air of the nearby interviews, I prodded William for some canal stung my face as I left. I hurried political invective. I mean, why notI It away from our meeting place unable is Party Conference season after all. to look back. "Weill get very upset about the o SIMON POTTER . possible armageddon. That fear usually st'rikes me w h en I'm on my own in the bath or something. I hear a BLITZ Kate Garner Photographs by Johnny Rozsa ~ i llll~~!!..~______~..I1..~______.... • " I saw the look you gave her/ and struggle, But being soulful lads they when I saw you later/ you had a just went ahead and did it. golden splinter in your eye/ you dress "We sat around and talked about it up like a killer/ you're wearing out the for ages, then Shaun just said, 'Let's mirror/ and all you've got to tell me in go and see him ,' I thought, 'Perfect. reply/ (you say) baby you know 'I. you Why not?' We were so Il!cky, because know that ~ , " we just set off with some money, and This emillently believable frag ment we were going to By to Detroit, from is written by Shaun and Michael Ward, New York, but there weren't any who used to be part of Clock DVA. flights. Not that we could afford. But and sung by top lovers' rock singer, he was in New York, which was Carroll Thompson. It can be found on amazing because he doesn't spend the Flay Joy LP, Into The Hot, much time there, so we just went to produced by Don Was. A pretty his hotel to see him, found out where dreamy combination, and practically he was staying from Geffen (Records). true, We played the tapes and talked about "We were trying to make something how we wanted to treat the tracks, interesting for us to listen to as well as and he said, 'I'll do it: Brilliant! ------______.. ______iii iii .. iii 05 .. .. __ • other people ... we write for Afterwards we went down to ourselves, and hopefully we please; Greenwich Village and got really "Postman, postman, don't be slow; take this to BLITZ and go, gO,.9 ..... o well, we are pleasing a lot more people pissed, out of our heads. We were by doing that , , " elated I But then the work started , It's NAME (BLOCK CAPITALS) ...... : Their admirable desires also ran to like always wanting to play at Carnegie a choice producer, Hall, (fill in the wild ambition of your ADDRESS ...... : "We thought that Don was the best choice: swoon at your leisure), and person around in the world to do it. , ." getting there, but realising that you've ...... COUNTRy ...... I Although sympathetic to the duo's got to play now. So then we had to go wishes (Carroll came later), Virgin's to Detroit and start work. It was hard (If you don't want to cut up the page, apply by letter instead) budget for their new signing did not work, but it was enjoyable, a lot of the I "':' ______. ______.. .. _ _ _ _ .. _ _ .1 run to such extravagance without a time," 58 BLITZ So what's in your grooves? into pop." " It's not complicated, the music on At which Sean raises an eyebrow: that album, a lot of it is quite simple. It "You trying to say we're Pop?" relies on melody and feeling more And Carroll laughs: than anything else ... ,jt's not "Well . , . popular music ... well, in formularised I don't think. comparison to reggae. , . what can "There are two ballads on the LP you call it . . , oh, into hybrid'" which are quite different from each Mmmmm. 'Bring A Hybrid Into Your other, One being from the American Home', One of yours, MichaeP Soul Tradition, and Sebastapol, which "Yeah . A marketing device. You 'las a more European feel to it. Well ! always regret those things after a think it has anyway, Some melodies while." and some sounds just suggest things "Yeah, 'Pop' is a funny word, 'oyou," because reggae is popular, and funk is The one from the American Soul popular , , ." says Carroll. -rad,tlon, the current 45, Until You Amongst other things, Flay Joy, C me Back To Me, is brilliantly you have aroused a suspicion in some crpreted by Carroll. Thompson. Her strange quarters that you are Pop Introduction to Flay Joy was a brains abusing the body of Soul music priceless idea, , , , How do you plead? I heard the music first. and I really "We didn't try to do a pastiche of liked it So I did a few demos, and anything. Until You Come Back To Me then w e met and tried it out in a is a soul ballad. It's not a pastiche. It's studio, We just got on and took it more like a nod to your roots, I from there. Reggae's important to suppose . . what you liked, and what me, but I ~till wanted to try something you still' like," else as well. o MARK CO RDERY " I started off with Gospel. Started off in the church. Then I went into funk and sOl:ll, then into reggae. Then BLITZ 59 Sylvers, or perhaps because of it the group began to grow artistically until Sylvers' guiding hand began to feel more like a stranglehold. Jody was the first to leave the fold . " I don't think anybody believed I was serious until I actually packed my bags and left. They kept saying, 'She's just upset, she'll come around - you know how girls are: But it really had got to the point where there wasn't any incentive to patch up even the most petty disagreements. When I left it w asn't so much to pursue a solo career as it was to avoid a nervous • When Jody Watley was in her last breakdown . year of school she was dancing on the "The big difference now is I don't US television programme Soul Train have to do what I'm told. I'm involved for a Kentucky Fried Chicken ·Iunch from the writing to the demo to the and all the good will she could grab. finished product. I'm a lot stronger At the time, she was aiming for a that's something you pick up from career as a professional dancer, so it spending a long time on the road with came as a surprise when a record thirteen guysl These days I'm not company approached her (and her afraid to speak my mind." friend Jeffrey Daniel) to be in a group Good thing too, because after called Shalamar. basking in the warmth of a successful "I used to stand in front of the group, plunging into the col'd waters mirror in my bedroom pretending to of a solo career c an be quite a shock be Diana Ross but it never occurred particularly for a young female with to me that it was anything but make no real reputation. believe. The opportu nity to be a singer " That's one of the reasons that I' just fell into my lap, which is odd came to London and signed with an when you think how many people English company. In the States ,it's strive for so long and get nowhere. very difficult for a female artist to That's why I worked my tail off to prove that she can be more than just a make sure I was worthy of such a cute face and a pair of legs. Over here lucky break." you're expected to be more." And work she did, along with the She may not be abl to belt out a others, to take Shalamar from a group song like Alison Moyet or Helen Terry of anonymous session musicians to a but Jodly has a lot more going for her high profile, singing, dancing, fashion than just sex appeal. Chances are conscious soul success. you'll be hearing a lot more of her in In spite of the stern guidance of the future. producer and mastermind Leon o PAT T HOMAS ~PhOnOgram BLITZ 60 21_How often do you go to any of the following? *Gig D Often [j Occasionally o Rarely o Never * Cinema o Often o Occasionally o Ra rely o Never * Club o Often o Occasionally o Rarely O Never * Pub/ Bar o Often 0 Occasionally o Rarely 0 Never 22_Which of these magazines do you buy regularly? BLITZ ISSUES BACK.4-AUTUMN81 Andy Summers of Police reveals all; Raiders of the Lost Ark; Gilbert & George; Haircut 1 00 - the first inter· view; James Cameron, gentleman journalist. • 5-WINTER81/ 82 Stephen Linard & Fi ona Dealey graduate shows; Marianne Faithfu II; The Rock Press; Belle Stars; Patrick Caulfield. • 6 - SPRING 82 Hunter Thompson interview; The sartorial elegance of Nick Heyward, Mick Karn, Kim Wilde, Ronny andThe Belle Stars; Gregory's Girl director Bill Forsyth: Ugly George. • 9 - JAN/ FEB 83 PaulWelierandTony Marchant; Sade; Russ Meyer; Films of Andy Warhol; Angus M c8ean and the surrealist photographers; The Evil Dead; Brook· side - the Phil Redmond interview: .11-MAY83 .13-JUlY/ AUG83 • 18- FEBRUARY 84 .10-APRll83 Julian Cope; What's wrong with The Record Sleeve designers - Ian Peter Murphy- Bauhaus toArthouse; Paul Morley interview; French & British Advertising; Dennis Hopper; Wright. 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