Q  2000-10

By Lucy O'Brien

Pictures by Jason Bell

Sent to BEP by Stan103  Stan103@PANDORA.BE


"Cash for questions - Björk"


   Miraculously, nothing in the postbag about elves or smoking auk; 
   instead it was journo-bashing, fan-suicides and Goldie's "teeth" all
   the way for the Palme D'Or-winning pixie. Meet the Q congregation,
   Björk...


Björk stands on a roof terrace of the SoHo Grand hotel in New York. It 
is August and it's raining. The whole summer has been bad, and New 
Yorkers are not pleased. "Don't tell anyone," Björk grins, "But I love 
this weather. It reminds me of Iceland." She's been here for two months, 
recording her new album with engineer Jake Davies (Madonna, All Saints) 
in a SoHo loft kitted out with three computers. Björk is producing most 
of it herself. "If I have to lock myself away for a month with a manual 
and a lap top, so be it," she declares.

Now 33, Björk is more reflective than the relentless partygoer of the 
90's. Having a starring role and creating the soundtrack for Lars von 
Trier's Cannes Festival-lauded film Dancer In The Dark seems to have 
triggered off an intense creative phase. She spends most of her days in 
the studio, or hanging out in Central Park with son Sindri. For the Q 
photo session she lets slip a little of the old mischief, donning an 
orange leather dress, a feathery top and shoes with huge lumps of fur on 
the front, while the make-up artist paints on shiny orange lipstick.

"I can look like a tiger," she says, walking gingerly through puddles on 
West Broadway to the newly-opened Tribeca Grand round the corner. The 
foyer resembles a gigantic nightclub, with banks of black candles 
shining against copper tiles. She poses for pictures, grubby finger- 
nails on display. "Do you, er, want to put some nail varnish on?" asks 
the photographer. "Oh no," she says, "I'm fine".

After the session she responds to the questions with relish, taking time 
before each reply.


 Did you enjoy recording the soundtrack for Dancer In The Dark? What is
 your favourite movie soundtrack, and why? (Stephanie Thomas, Poole)

Yeah, it was the most enjoyable part of the film. It took a whole year. 
I was in a classical music school when I was younger, and this was the 
first time my academic side could be expressed. It was a personal 
victory for me. I learned craftsmanship and discipline. In terms of 
movies, my favourite soundtrack is a Hitchcock film, The Ghost And Mrs 
Muir, done by Bernard Herrmann. He was very good at making visual 
things, translating them to audio. His most famous thing was how to make 
a whole orchestra sound like a knife: "Eeee! eee! eee! eee!" [makes 
Psycho knife sound]. He did Taxi Driver. How d'you make a whole 
orchestra sound like a taxi driving by in wet New York? [Demonstrates 
swishing sound]. His effect was goosepimply.

 Have you been offered more film parts in the wake of Dancer In The 
 Dark? (John Wells, London N8)

I've been offered a lot. But musicians get offered films all the time. I 
don't know what makes them think we'll be good actors. Being on stage 
and singing is one of the most introverted actions you can do. It's like 
living in a bubble. Whereas acting is all about communication. A film 
set is my recipe for hell. You have to talk to 10 people five minutes 
after you've woken up, digging inside you. It feels like emotional 
prostitution. Certain people are born to act. They have this detached 
obsession with their individuality. I asked Catherine Deneuve [Björk's 
co-star] how she did this job. She said "Don't you just love sometimes 
to become someone else?" I went, "No". In a word. I've no interest 
whatsoever. I haven't even become myself yet.

 Where do you keep your Palme D'Or? (Michael Regan, Manchester)

I gave it to my friend. She was with me through the shooting for four 
months.

 Why do you think Lars von Trier said you were difficult to work with?
 (Heather Wright, Northwich)

It took him a whole year to convince me to do it. When he talks about 
being difficult, it means I'm not a puppet. I like to collaborate with 
people and say what I think. He sent me a pink silk cushion embroidered 
in Icelandic: "I always promise to say exactly what I feel because 
otherwise Lars will manipulate me." Sometimes during filming he'd take 
me for a walk in the fields and force me to confront him. He wanted my 
involvement. Each time I backed out he reminded me of that cushion. He 
wanted someone like Selma [her character] who'd defend her and react 
like her.

 Should celebs take the law into their own hands vis-ā-vis the 
 paparazzi? (Martyn Basire, Reading)

I can usually deal with the paparazzi OK. But on that occasion [when 
Björk attacked a female reporter in Bangkok airport] they were forcing 
my son to do an interview on live TV. They wouldn't stop. I guess it was 
a mother protection thing - I just lost the plot.

 Who was the last person you punched? (Derek Coulter, Ayr)

That woman in Bangkok. I've gotten into two fights in my life. One when 
I was seven and I hit the babysitter for treating my little brother 
badly. And in Bangkok. That's probably why it was so... erm...dynamic. 
There'd been a 17-year build-up! She fucked with my child and she was 
dead.

 Have you ever considered going to anger therapy classes? If so, did 
 they work? (Jason Bright, Saunderstead)

I'm flattered people think I've got that in me. I don't. I'm just 
protective of the people I love. Most of the time I'm the other way. My 
friends say I should speak out more and be more confrontational.

 Have you seen Polly Harvey and Tori Amos since your Q cover with them
 in '94? (Alan Kerr, Bidford-on-Avon)

I talk to Polly more, probably because she lives in England. We don't 
see each other regularly, I wouldn't say we're friends exactly. But we 
all definitely give each other mutual support. We have similar jobs. 
Tori is magical, euphoric and it's enjoyable to be around her. Polly has 
more of an earthy quality. She's so truthful and has so much integrity.

 How unnerved were you by the video footage of that guy shooting himself
 in Florida? (Jim Brakell, Ellesmere Port)

It was very upsetting. I saw it. You could see the date because it was a 
home video camera. I remember going to Florida, funnily enough, the 
night he killed himself. I was two blocks away from him and he didn't 
know it. So when the letter bomb he sent travelled to England I 
travelled with it. After it happened I got very upset. I wanted to see 
the video. Once something like that has broken its way into your life, 
rather than wrap it up and kiss it goodbye, you have to understand it, 
find a level with that person, from a human point of view. It was 
difficult... I don't think it's right to talk about it now, it's four 
years ago.

 What do you fear in your life, and how do you interact with your fears?
 (Rebecca Cox, Virginia USA)

I fear cowardice in myself, and laziness. I can be sneaky, thinking I'm 
doing something brave when it's really quite cowardly. Like putting 
myself in a work situation that's comfortable, not bringing anything out 
that hasn't been heard before. You have to be truthful with yourself.

 Goldie, his "teeth" and physical intimacy: Discuss. (Jason Guriel,
 Toronto, Canada)

That was four years ago. To comment would put over-importance on 
something that's in the past.

 If time travel were possible, what time and whom would you visit and 
 why? (Sharlini Jeyaratnam, Kuala Lumpur)

I'm against this question because I like now. If you can put magic into 
now the rest falls into place.

 I hear you've been working with Thom Yorke: is there a sexual 
 attraction between the two of you, as I think you're similar? (Joe 
 Pawsay, Chatnam)

No. It's purely to do with our vocals. We are similar in the way we 
search for integrity and communication. We're not into vocal acrobatics.

 What symbol is tattoed on your arm and what does it stand for? (Ruben
 Van Der Auweraer, Tremelo, Belgium)

It's a compass so you don't get lost.

 When do you get your best ideas for songwriting? Also, do you meditate?
 (Peter Cochran, Victoria, Australia)

I don't meditate. Most musicians don't. Music is meditation. In Iceland 
I would go for walks and sing. You start softly because to begin with 
that's all your voice can handle. Then slowly you get braver, writing a 
tune without thinking about it. Verses are how to get there, choruses 
are the highs. You come back after a two-hour walk like that, you've 
meditated without knowing it. If you go to a shrink and get them to 
solve your riddle, you're not gonna want to write a song.

 Are you alarmed by Iceland becoming a trendy place to live? (Andy 
 Pegge, Hull)

I'm quite pleased how long we kept it secret. I'm amazed we got away 
with it for so long, because it is the best place.

 Is there any truth to the rumour that the vocal stylings of Einar Orn
 were as intolerable to you as they were to myself? (Lance Ehlers,
 Albany, New York)

No, Einar is one of my best friends. I've always known music is my 
heart, while others in the Sugarcubes were poets. Einar's BA was in 
Media Studies, now he works on the internet. For me, doing interviews 
was just an excuse to go back and do more music. For him it was the 
opposite. He's obsessed with communication. I don't think he looked on 
himself as a singer.

 Are you in touch with the ex-Sugarcubes? (Jane Durden, Chichester)

Yeah. We all live near each other in Reykjavik. They're all my best 
mates.

 It is true you pooped on stage during a Sugarcubes show? Have you ever
 heard of G.G. Allin? (Marc Hewitt, London E5)

Who's G.G. Allin? [Q: a mad punk person who shat on stage] Er, no. 
[small voice] I didn't poo on stage. I'm flattered that I occupy the 
imagination of people out there.

 A friend of mine was burgled, and they took his entire CD collection
 except for the last Sugarcubes album. Were they burglars with taste?
 (Richard Morris, Leeds)

[Smiles] That's a though question. I'm tempted to say a lot of things. 
But I'm being careful. I'll give that one a miss.

 Lars Ulrich recently made a comment about Napster, along the lines of:
 "If having you as a fan means I have to give you my music for free, 
 then I don't want you as a fan." A true artist would never make a
 statement like that, would they? (Colin Miles, Doncaster)

If I was born with my talent 100 years ago I'd have been a busker. The 
whole machine behind each record is hundreds of people in offices. It's 
ridiculous. If you have a song, you want to play it to someone, it's a 
basic need. The fact I can write a song in my bedroom and put it on the 
internet so that those who're interested can hear it in 10 minutes - 
that's a dream come true in my world. A person like me gets a ridiculous 
amount of money for the job that I do. It's a structure based around 
power and keeping people in offices. So the answer for me lies somewhere 
in the middle: that we don't have to be buskers in the street, but also 
don't have to run an empire on a three-minute pop tune.

 Tell us a really nice story about Tricky. (Jenn Zanger, New York City)

He's a prankster. You never know what's going to happen when he's in a 
room. That's what exciting about him. I liked the time he teargassed the 
paparazzi. That was funny.

 What time do you get up in the morning? (Trish Griffiths, London N16)

It differs according to where I am. For 10 years I was flying five times 
a week. I went through a lot of different time zones - I'd just sleep 
when I was tired. When I'm settled in a place I go to bed around 2am. 
Something magic always seems to happen around midnight. If I get a song 
idea I stay up all night.

 What's the craziest time you ever spent with Nellee Hooper? (Gary 
 Briggens, Barrow-in-Furness)

There have been some good ones. We've had some magical times. I know 
he's got a bit of a reputation in England as the head of Sodom. Let's 
just say he's not one for mediocre experiences [laughs loudly].

 What will your next album be like? (Jacqueline Corkett, Stafford)

It's still moulding. I feel quite protective of the creative process, so 
I'd rather not say, other than that I'm doing it all myself.

 Where do you live now, mostly? Could you describe your home? (Ed Cowan,
 Durham)

In Iceland, by the harbour. I've lived there for quite a while now. It 
used to be a place where they repaired the ships, quite industrial. My 
house is pretty basic.

 Do Icelanders have "Swede jokes" or "Norwegian jokes"? (Andy Cryer, 
 Chatham)

Yes, we can't stand the Scandinavians! They're too calculated and 
organised. They have to have a meeting before doing anything. Icelanders 
are more like the Finns, we love having a laugh and getting drunk.

 Are you seeing anyone at the moment? Do I stand a chance? I am fairly
 ugly but I have a sunny disposition. (John Oakley, Leicester)

That one I'd like to keep a secret. I'd definitely go for a sunny 
disposition. I prefer that to how they look.

 People didn't "get" Homogenic, did they? (Chris Hicks, Royston)

I've been part of 20 albums in my life - every one has been different. 
Each has been a step forward for me. You never know if people will pick 
up on what you do, you've just got to continue on your journey. So 
people didn't get Homogenic? I'm with them. I'm very far from what I'm 
trying to do. But it was a big step from Debut, and a lot closer to 
where I'm heading.

 A supernatural power tells you that a charming 6-year-old child will
 grow up to be a murderous tyrant as evil as Hitler. Could you bring
 yourself to smother it? (Alan Cosgrove, Dundee)

When kids surround me who aren't very well brought up, I get ticklish 
fingers... I want to get in there. I don't think I'd kill it, that's not 
a solution. I'd give it a good upbringing for a few years.

 What are your religious beliefs? (Steve Ryan, Melbourne, Australia)

I believe in nature. It's 5,000 times stronger than us.

 If Ben & Jerry's themed a Björk ice cream, as they've done with Jerry
 Garcia and Phish, what flavour would it be? (Cathy Capozzi, Boston,
 USA)

Vanilla, shrimp and coconut together.

 What drugs do you take, and how often? (Kai Coulter, Brighton)

Coffee and peanuts. Once a week.

 Do you drive and if so, what? (Claire Peligry, Derby)

I don't drive. I tried to drive for a year, but I crashed 10 times.