David J.- The Most Enigmatic Vampire On Earth

AÑO: 5 | NÚMERO 49

THE 13th UN A R E V IS TA IM A GINA RIA

DAVID J. THE MOST ENIGMATIC VAMPIRE ON EARTH

[ Interview wuth David J. by Pablo Müllner.

Photographs: Eric Hanes , Judy Lyon, Circle23 and Louis Rodiger. ]

THE MOST ENIGMATIC VAMPIRE ON EARTH

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I don’t want to stretch on reverence to Bauhaus and their phenomenal impact on my ears, personal style and my life, along with many other people avoiding the blandness of the mainstream rock and roll circle.

Bauhaus was, is and will always be the perfect Monster of Rock: bizarre, glamourous and dangerous. If you want me to read me ranting about them even more, you only need to check out our June edition and read my interview with Bauhaus drummer Kevin Haskins. Now it’s time for me to mumble some questions to David J, bass player for Love and Rockets, The Bubblemen and, of course, that sacred beast Bauhaus.

David is arguably the most understated figure among the very powerful individualities that formed Bauhaus, looking thin as all of them, but probably even more vampirish for his veil of shyness and apparent cool rigidity, perhaps the result of a very wicked drug growing on him like poison. As we often see him – dark shades, no smiles, just chilling undertones whenever he comes round.

David J’s sharp, mysterious persona is once again in the spotlight surrounding several solo gigs , is re-released solo record “Crocodile Tears and The Velvet Cosh” (originally out in 1985) and his impending l engthy tour with Bauhaus vocalist Peter Murphy to celebrate the band’s 40th anniversary. If luck is on our side, we will be catching up with him and Peter on October 11th when they play live at Buenos Aires’ The Vorterix Theater, presenting the first Bauhaus album “In The Flat Fields”.

I had the privilege of speaking with David J, who passes his days as a musician, solo artist, soundtrack composer.

Hi, David! It´s such an honor to speak with you – I will never get tired of saying that Bauhaus means a lot to me! So here I am wondering about what kind of shows are on the horizon. I understand you recently played two solo dates, but that you will be joining Peter for the rest of your tour dates? How does it feel about to be on the verge of a big tour around Europe and well beyond?

Impending stormy weather!

your sibling in not one, but two bands?

Any Gallagher brothers-type dynamics happen between you?

It is a family business similar to the Kray twins!

Getting more serious now: I really enjoy your album “Crocodrile Tears and The Velvet Cosh”. It is very different sound, not just from the Bauhaus/L&R cannon, but it´s just different! Really stripped down, and smooth but not entirely polished, love When I interviewed your brother Kevin the sax parts on it, and some Bowie and Haskins in June, I recall the expression Dylan reminiscences, but a very personal “you cannot do business with family”… and beautiful record! Can you tell me While that is an over-generalization, I do why you decided to re-release this album want to ask what it is like playing with specifically? And why via Glass Records?

All black sheep have to go home!

What about your dates with Peter – what do you plan to play from Bauhaus’ discography? Because your pulsating, galloping, stimulating music is hard to create, it seems you’d need to be joined by others in your life performance of Bauhaus music. Who will fill out the band?

The Spirit!

“American Pie”, I mean it´s not even the same tempo or anything but it has that same spirit that it tells more than that it actually says. We all love Bowie here but losing him was maybe also acknowledging a world that has started to change for the worse politically, socially… Did you feel anything like that?

Black star rising!

Well talking of Bowie and his incredible I was just listening and watching your legacy, we all have our favourite Bowie live performance for KEXP, and learned a moments, I have to say mine will always be few things about your personal life as well “Labyrinth” as it is one of the first movies so… As the most British and vampirishly really shook my world. What is your fave distant Bauhaus member, rarely seen out David Bowie film? of your shades in the early dates, how did The one that plays in my head. you decide to settle in California? Do you even sunbathe or visit the beach?

Apart from Bowie, which other artists I live for ‘June gloom’! have had an inspiring impact on you?

The bright dark ones.

You opened the KEXP session with “The Day that David Bowie Died” and I thought You played live with Black Francis and several things at the same time. First, I find even record a one-off song in the studio it very similar in spirit to Don McLeod´s together. How did that happen? – a very

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unexpected and cool partnership!

The allignment of planets and their moons.

I recently interview Rat Scabies of the Damned, he was really funny and well, terribly down to earth. I always wondered if Bauhaus got to spent time with other post-punk bands like them, even if they are probably a couple of year older – bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Killing Joke and The Damned?

Passing ghost ships in the night.

you tell us more about those works? Is that a complete different thing to writing rock songs?

One is the moon and one is the sun.

Well, David I could continue for hours…

But it is time to close this one. Is there anything else you’d like to say to our readers before saying GoodBye? A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma is sometimes far more simple than it appears!

I read somewhere that you have It was a pleasure, a dark delight, indeed! composed a few soundtracks for theater, Thank you so much! a radio play based upon Samuel Beckett, Thank you, sir! and also a play about Edie Sedwick. Can

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The13th U NA R EVISTA IMA GINA RIA