NEITHER/NEITHER WORLD

Is there a philosophy behind your music? If so, what is it?

I guess the only philosophy that would be behind my music is my own opinions on things. I believe people should live as closely to their instincts as possible. I think the strong, ideally, should survive and people should stop rewarding people who become "victims" of their own neurosis. I align myself with the workings of Austin Osman Spare and his writings and drawings. He believed that there dwells a state of Neither/Neither, the transcendence beyond good and evil. A place where duality does not exist.

How and why did you become interested in serial killers?

I think my general hatred for society and human beings led me to the interest in serial killers. I am truly interested in forensic pathology and things that come along with the act of murder and death. I look upon most serial killers as garbage men of human society. If everyone was fucking and procreating and no one was killing, what do you suppose would happen when we finally find the cure for all disease and doctors and keep old people alive until they're 150 years old?

With rare exceptions, serial killers seem to be losers. Don't you see any contradiction in glorifying people who got caught?

Yes, I agree to a degree. The guys who get caught usually aren't that bright to begin with. But, I still have to commend them on their success in what they set out to do. Have you ever felt the thrill of senselessly murdering someone? Assuming your answer is no, they have one-up on us. But, that's primarily why I wrote the song 'Hence The Night' and dedicated it to the killer yet to come or for the killer yet to be caught.

Given much of your subject matter, have you had any problems with the Moral Majority, Christian fundamentalists or the politically correct?

No. It's quite simple, I just ignore them. I don't give a shit about Christians or hippies. I get letters everyday from people. Some people don't like to hear anything they don't agree with. Well, I've got news for them, they might have to once in a while. Anyway, if they don't like what I have to say then hell: don't fucking read this interview or listen to my CDs for god's sake!

Did you have any musical involvement before NNW?

Not really. NNW was the first established musical endeavour that I was involved in. At the time I began NNW and released my first 7-inch I was working on some writing about the voodoo religion and it's relationship to Quantum Physics. NNW was sort of a spin off of this study.

Your music seems unique: do you admit to any influences from other people?

I listen to a lot of opera, mainly Wagner, Puccini, and Beethoven. I like some other groups: Pussy Galore, Bauhaus, Love and Rockets, Jesus and Mary Chain, and Black Lily Sisters. Everything influences me and my writing of music.

What music do you like listening to yourself?

I don't like a lot of new groups. Besides classical I mainly like music that comes from this sort of dirge mid eighties thing. I'm not quite sure what happened to bands like Bauhaus and Pussy Galore. I guess there wasn't enough of a demand for that type of music so people stopped making it. Now we are cursed with riot girl shit and Pearl Jam type bands that I really can't stand.

Why was your compilation album produced on a Japanese label?

It was very difficult getting Japanese distribution for my previous CDs, so SSE Communications, which is a Japanese label, re-released a compilation of all of NNW's CDs on one disc called Enter The Abyss. It's a really beautiful arrangement. I was really surprised to hear how intense this CD is. It's music that dates back to our earliest recordings.

What projects are you currently involved in?

My main other musical project is called Phoenix Thunderstone. I write all the music, produce it, and play guitar. The other main person I work with is Sean Heskett. He is the lyricist and singer. He is truly brilliant as a writer. I find it to be an honor to work with such a great visionary person. He is the main singer and plays bass as well. Phoenix Thunderstone is much more rock oriented. I'm not quite sure if NNW fans will be able to appreciate this but it's got a lot of passion to it. We have a brand new CD out on Scratchie Records called Ride of the Lawless.

I also am working with Ivan from Minus Habens on an electronic sounding project. This may appear under the name IT. I am contributing vocals and lyrics. And last but not least I have a split 7-inch with Allegory Chapel LTD and NNW on the other side. I do vocals on the Allegory Chapel song as well as on my own.

Non-musical projects include my online magazine that I publish called Primal Chaos.

What are your future plans?

Besides buying an island? I will continue to labor away at Neither/Neither World and hopefully we will be doing some touring in Europe and Japan in the near future. I am touring a lot with my other band, Phoenix Thunderstone, right now in the United States and we are going back into the studio to work on some new material.

Also, hopefully by middle of next year I will be releasing a fully interactive CD Rom of Primal Chaos magazine. This is something that is being worked on presently.

Thank you.

Dated: 15 November 1996