interview : This Immortal Coil

This Immortal Coil is a tribute album to Jhonn Balance - a founding member of Coil - who passed away in 2004. Stéphane Grégoire, the head of the record label "Ici, d'ailleurs" has invited several artists (Yaël Naim, Bonnie Prince Billy, Yann Tiersen, Matt Elliott (Third Eye Foundation), DAAU, Chapelier Fou, Sylvain Chauveau, Christine Ott, Oktopus, Nightwood, David Donatien & Nicolas Jorio) to produce moving re-interpretations of their favourite Coil songs. This is Stéphane's interview.

1. Your first musical memories?
My father playing Abbey Road for the first time. My mind was stuck with I want you. I was 6, the beginning of my deep love for the musical kind.

2. The best record you received as a present? / The worse one?
Nick Drake’s Fruit tree box for a birthday more than 20 years ago. The worst? I don’t remember the worst record I received as a gift, I forgot it immediately, no time to loose, there are too many good records to discover every day we have.

3. The first record that you lost?
Well I lost so many CDs… I don’t remember the first one but I do remember that I lost Terre Theamlitz's Soil album and it was really a pain in the… because it is my favourite and it’s hard to find now.

4. The name of your imaginary band?
This Immortal coil, but it isn't a dream anymore.

5. In which environment do you like to record music?
I don’t write music, I listen to it. All the time. But night time is the best moment to do so. People and cars are sleeping, less noise.

6. What will music sound like in 50 years / 5000 years?
Well, music is often a loop allowed each time to bring new elements by new technology. I hope it’ll be more rock and punk in that person's mind, no matter if it is electronic or classical or typically rock inspired, just that it will take more energy and revolt from the core.

7. Which underrated album will start a new musical genre?
Bourbonese qualk's Unpop.

8. Which album should never have been made?
Ha-ha I can’t only speak for one album, there are too many which should never have been made! I can’t answer. Every time I’ve had the bad luck to be in a place playing the radio or some kind of MTV stuff; they are full of things which should never have existed. Without an elitist or arty judgment, I dislike popular music most of the time. It tends to dumb down people. These fucking entertainers, artists or majors had their time.

9. Your favourite album to have a drink?
First Tipsy album trip tease would be the one.

10. Your dream collaboration?
Well I think I just did it with This Immortal Coil, Bonnie Prince Billy with Christine Ott & DAAU… but I’d love to do something with Ben Chesney of Six Organs of Admittance and Yaël Naim.

11. The record that freaks you out?
Hum, some old stuff from Popol Vuh or pièces from Penderecki and that's scary enough.

12 .The record you would like to listen to right now?
Right now, I want to listen to the garden score for Derek Jarman by Simon Fisher Turner. Precisely the part with Balanescu Quartet mixed with noise and industrial sounds, really awesome. I’ll play it at home tong for my own pleasure!

13. The film that tickles your creativity?
It could be No country for old men or Babel for recent movies. But it should definitely be Blade runner. I saw it the first time in 1981. I was 13 years old and it was exactly how I wanted to feel.

14. The little-known track that everyone should have heard of?
There are so many… Things behind the sun, Nick Drake or How to hang on a dream by Tim Hardin or All the pretty Little horses by Current 93/Nick Cave or I gave you by Matt Sweeney and Bonnie Prince Billy just to name a few.

15. An album or an artist you wouldn’t want to be?
Christopher Cross, Michael Jackson, and so many French singers…

16. The cover version you would love to do?
Sinnerman, Nina Simone.
All the things we ever wanted, Bauhaus.

17. The mashup you would love to do?
Jimmy Hendrix with Dälek or something which brings ecstatic and powerful feelings.

18. The text you would like to produce a soundtrack for?
An excerpt from 100 years of solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

19. Have you ever had auditory hallucinations?
Yes, I often have auditory hallucinations. I hear rhythm or music in quiet places most of the time, or sometimes in really noisy ones; for some kind of balance probably.

20. How would you like to die?
silently


This Immortal Coil - the dark age of love

Go to This Immortal Coil website, listen to other tracks on their myspace and go to the Ici, d'ailleurs website.