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What hath Goth wrought?
Murphy and Ash are legendary extremes of misunderstood
artists, bringing enigmatic drama to the Bauhaus bio. Historically,
it's fallen on the brothers Haskins to act as voices of reason,
peacemakers and counselors. David J bridges the gap, and discusses
the surprising second reunion, and what fans dare not hope for…a
new album
Hybrid Magazine: How intrusive are interviews?
David J: This tour, we're really doing very few. So you're
one of the privileged. It's a different world now. Word gets out over
the internet. So all of the magazines and that, we don't really need
as much. Now you have concert reviews on the web the next day.
HM: What did it take for you to agree to this tour?
DJ: It was going to be just a one-off when we agreed to do
Coachella, but we had such a great time, the response was great from
the audience. And we began to get offers from promoters all over.
So we said "Let's just do this." I've attended Coachella
for years. The opportunity to co-headline Coachella with these other
bands (Coldplay, Gang Of Four, Cocteau Twins,
New Order) pushed us.
HM: Mr. Murphy has stated that he wishes Daniel Ash had a
higher regard for himself.
DJ: Daniel, he's self-effacing. It's a survival mechanism,
a way of keeping grounded. So that kind of attitude works for Daniel.
I understand where Peter is coming from, because Daniel would never
praise himself. Or recognize himself as he's recognized by his contemporaries.
So Peter finds that frustrating. Everybody has their own survival
tricks.
HM: I recently ran across a David J quote, "Today's consolidated
music industry is not interested in taking risks" inserted into
an interview with former child rockers Hanson.
DJ: The industry is for making money. It finds something it
can sell, and milks it, and reproduces it
HM: Bauhaus' sense of humor often gets overlooked. One of
my favorite bits from the Resurrection tour was when you said the
dance numbers were hard to work out.
DJ: Bauhaus is not to be laughed at. (laughs)
HM: Why do you chose to live in L.A.?
DJ: Mostly for business. I used to hate it, also, but I've
grown…I have friends here who are also not from L.A. so that
helps. I see a different side to it.
HM: How is it being in a band with your brother Kevin?
DJ: There is that bond. And being a rhythm section, there has
to be that psychic connection. It's very good.
HM: There is a disparity between "artistic" and
"art". The members of Bauhaus' accomplishments reveal true
artistry... In various mediums.
DJ: The name Bauhaus, when I proposed it, conveyed that, a
minimalist aesthetic. Accidents become part of the art. You spill
paint onto a photograph, and you don't look at it as being ruined,
but that's saying something. It's saying "Where should that go?"
And I like to bring in that chance element. That makes the work come
alive. In both visual art and in music. Bringing in the random. There's
an exhibition I'm going to have a look at tomorrow in Sacramento,
based around "The Exquisite Corpse" idea, if you're familiar
with that surrealist-consequences idea where one artist draws a head,
one the body and one the legs without seeing what the former has done.
And you make a figure. Artists from all over the world have collaborated
using this device. None have seen the final work. If you're with me.
So that's a good example of what I'm talking about. We've always used
that in Bauhaus. Always been open to that.
HM: You've worked with Dave Navarro, why should he
give a damn about INXS finding a new singer?
DJ: (laughs) It's a gig. I'm glad to see him looking so good
and doing so well. He's a celebrity personality, and someone asked
him to do it. He's come through some very dark, scary times.
HM: Heard of The Mansions? I'd be surprised if they
didn't appear on your DJ playlist.
DJ: I'll look out for them. I like TV On The Radio,
quite original. At Lollapalooza I saw The Arcade Fire and was
really impressed with them, very exciting. The Magic Numbers,
great vocal harmonies like The Mamas & The Papas with The
Velvet Underground. The Dresden Dolls as well, and Johnny
Dowd. Sigur Ros I really love.
HM: The artwork on your website, there's a muddy guy who looks
like Nik Fiend.
DJ: That's Peter Murphy, from the "Mask" video. There's
going to be an art exhibition in New York at a club called Lit on
the Lower East Side. The Fuse gallery opening the eleventh of November
when we play in New York. All those pieces will be featured there.
-Ewan Wadharmi
Bauhaus
www.bauhausmusik.com
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