|
AmbiEntrance: Tell us about the birth of Bella Union. When and why did you decide to start your own label?
Raymonde: CERTAINLY THE EPISODES THAT TOOK PLACE DURING OUR TIME AT 4AD AND
MERCURY WERE HELPFUL FOR US TO SEE HOW NOT TO RUN A RECORD LABEL, AND
AFTER WE LEFT 4AD I WAS ADVOCATING THE SETTING UP OF OUR OWN IMPRINT,
BUT FOR ONE REASON AND ANOTHER WE DIDN'T DO IT. AFTER NEARLY DESTROYING
OURSELVES AT MERCURY IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT 'ARTISTIC CONTROL' MEANS
NOTHING IF THE LABEL ARE HELL-BENT ON BEING OBSTRUCTIVE, SO BELLA UNION
IT WAS......AND IT WAS THE BEST THING WE EVER DID, EXCEPT JUST AFTER WE
SET IT UP LIZ (Fraser) LEFT THE BAND, WHICH WAS A BIT TRAGIC!!
AmbiEntrance: I'm sure you had some preconceived notions about how running your own label would go... what aspects turned out to be easier than you expected, and which were more difficult?
Raymonde: I DON'T THINK ANY OF IT IS DIFFICULT, IN FACT IT'S PISS EASY AS LONG AS
YOU STAY TRUE TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND DON'T GET CARRIED AWAY WITH A
'VIBE' ON A RECORD, AND END UP PRESSING UP TOO MANY....WE'RE HARDLY
LIKELY TO BE 'HAVING A RUN' ON ONE OF OUR TRACKS TO THE EXTENT THAT WE
COULDN'T COPE WITH DEMAND. OUR ARTISTS ARE NOT REALLY BOTHERED WITH THE
COMMERCIAL ASPECTS OF THE BUSINESS. THE HARDEST THING IS GETTING AROUND
THE WORLD LETTING EVERYONE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP TO, ESPECIALLY THE
STATES.
AmbiEntrance: How is working together as labelmates the same as/different than working together in a band?
Raymonde: WELL IT AIN'T AS MUCH FUN AS BEING IN A BAND, AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET
SOME TIME TO REDISCOVER OUR FORM SOON! WE NEVER HAVE THAT MUCH TIME TO
DISCUSS THINGS AS WE'RE BOTH SO MAD BUSY ON OUR DIFFERING ROLES FOR THE
LABEL.
AmbiEntrance: And these differing roles are what?
Raymonde: ROBIN DESIGNS ALL THE WEBSITE STUFF AND THE DIGITAL PARKING
LOT (ONLINE STORE), I DEAL WITH THE usa AND LICENSING, SEARCHING AROUND FOR
NEW MUSIC, THOUGH WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM LED BY THE WONDERFUL FIONA
GLYN-JONES WHO RUNS THE DAY-TO-DAY AFFAIRS OF THE LABEL AND DOES THE WORK
OF 3.
AmbiEntrance: What can you tell us about some of the projects that have been already released on Bella Union? What's in line for future release?
Raymonde: INITIALLY WITH MY SOLO RECORD WE WERE TESTING THE WATER AS FAR AS THE
RECORD LABEL GOES, AND SINCE THEN WE HAVE RELEASED RECORDS FROM DIRTY
THREE, WHO ARE A DREAM TO WORK WITH AS THEY ARE VERY SELF-MOTIVATED AND
HAVE AN IDEA OF WHERE THEY WANT TO BE, AND THEIR CRITICISMS OF OUR
SHORTCOMINGS IN THE PAST HAVE BEEN PERFECTLY VALID....
A RECORD WITH
NANACO, A JAPANESE POET/ARTIST WAS A PERSONAL JOY TO WORK ON, AS THE
PALETTE WAS COMPLETELY BLANK..... FRANCOIZ BREUT'S FIRST ALBUM IS THE
UNIQUE DEBUT OF A MAJOR TALENT. SNEAKSTER HAVE A GREAT ALBUM IN THERE
SOMEWHERE AND THEIR INITIAL RELEASES PROMISE A LOT MORE...WORKING WITH
RUSSELL MILLS AND TOM SMYTH ON UNDARK HAS BEEN INTERESTING AS THEY BOTH
APPROACH THEIR WORK IN A VERY INDIVIDUAL WAY.
FORTHCOMING RELEASES FROM
THE CZARS AND THE WAVE ROOM ARE HUGELY EXCITING PROJECTS WHICH I WOULD
RATHER LEAVE TO THEIR MUSIC TO JUSTIFY. NEW SIGNINGS GWEI-LO ARE GOING
TO BLOW PEOPLE'S MINDS, IT'S A VERY EXCITING AND UNUSUAL SOUND, A KIND
OF SPACE-DUB-GUITAR BAND, BUT NOT IN AN OBVIOUS WAY. MANY MORE THINGS
BUT FOR NOW, THAT'LL DO.......
AmbiEntrance: Simon, you're notably absent from Pearl + Umbra; were you not invited to take part in this project?
Raymonde: I WAS MEANT TO CONTRIBUTE, AND KEPT
PROMISING TO 'POP'UPSTAIRS TO DO IT, BUT I WAS ALWAYS BUSY AT THE WRONG
MOMENT, AND THEN I HAD TO GO TO USA FOR A MONTH TO PRODUCE THE AUTUMNS,
AND MISSED THE BOAT....
AmbiEntrance: You did pitch in a bit for Sneakster's pseudo-nouveau though. Can you tell us about that?
Raymonde: SIMPLE REALLY, MARK (Clifford) WAS UPSTAIRS DOING SOMETHING
AND ASKED ME TO COME AND PUT SOME BASS ON, IT TOOK ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND
I DON'T REALLY REMEMBER IT AT ALL!! NOT A VERY INSPIRING ANECDOTE THAT
WAS IT?
AmbiEntrance:Tell us about Blame Someone Else. Can we expect more solo releases from you?
Raymonde: IT WAS A RELIEF TO BE ABLE TO RELEASE SOME OF THIS OLDER MUSIC I
HAD BEEN WORKING ON DURING LAX PERIODS WITH CT, BUT MY NEXT RECORD WILL
PROBABLY BE LESS LYRICAL AND MORE ABSTRACT. I HAVE BEEN SO BUSY WITH
PRODUCTION AND BELLA UNION IN 1999 THAT I HAVE HAD LITTLE TIME FOR ME, BUT
I WILL RESOLVE THIS IN 2000.
AmbiEntrance: I understand you're involved ina collaboration with Bel Canto's Anneli Drecker. How is that coming along, and where is it heading?
Raymonde: WE GET ALONG
BRILLIANTLY, AND AIM TO DO MORE AND MORE STUFF, BUT TIME, DISTANCE AND
MONEY RESTRICTS US DOING EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT. I HAVE PRODUCED A TRACK OR
TWO FRO HER SOLO RECORD, AND WE ARE DOING A VERSION OF TIM BUCKLEY'S
MORNING GLORY TOGETHER FOR A LABEL CALLED MANIFESTO, AND SOON WILL BE DOING
A SELECTION OF SONGS TOGETHER FOR A BELLA RELEASE NEXT YEAR. SHE'S A
WONDERFUL PERSON WITH A TREMENDOUS GIFT.
AmbiEntrance: You've recently released the Cocteau Twins' BBC Sessions; what's the story behind these pieces?
Raymonde: WE THOUGHT IT APT THAT BELLA UNION RELEASE SOMETHING FROM OUR OWN BAND,
AND THE COMPLETE BBC RADIO SESSIONS SEEMED APPROPRIATE.
AmbiEntrance: Why is there a 12-year gap of material between 1984 and 1996?
Raymonde: COS THE BBC HATED US. WE HAD A FEW ROWS THERE IN THE EARLY 80S, AND
PROBABLY WOUND THE WRONG PEOPLE UP, YOU KNOW SUITS.....BANE OF MY LIFE.
AmbiEntrance: Of these older recordings, do you have personal favorites, and why?
Raymonde: NOT PARTICULARLY, I LIKE THEM ALL.
AmbiEntrance: Being an American and all, I'm not familiar with John Peel; can you explain who he is and why you played for him?
Raymonde: IN THE LATE 70S, PEEL WAS A
SEMINAL INFLUENCE ON A GENERATION OF STUDENTS, PUNKS AND PEOPLE LOOKING FOR
A RADIO STATION THAT WASN'T PLAYING QUEEN AND ELTON JOHN 24 HRS A DAY. HE
INTRODUCED US TO A WHOLE HOST OF COOL MUSIC THAT WE COULD THEN ACTIVELY GO
AND SEEK OUT, THE POP GROUP, THE FALL, JOY DIVISION...ETC ETC
HE HAD THESE
STUDIOS IN MAIDA VALE WHERE BANDS WOULD GO AND RECORD SESSIONS, 4 TRACKS,
AND HIS SHOW WOULD RUN 10-12AM EVERY NIGHT. AFTER COMING BACK FROM A GIG OR
THE PUB, PEEL WAS COMPULSIVE AND COMPULSORY LISTENING. HE'S STILL A
THOROUGHLY COOL MAN, AND I ADMIRE HIM GREATLY.
AmbiEntrance: Three of the tracks were recorded for "Saturday Night Live" in 1983; this wasn't the American TV show though, was it?
Raymonde: NO THERE WAS A RADIO
SHOW BY THE SAME NAME, THOUGH I'D HAVE LOVED TO HAVE DONE THE TV SHOW WITH
DAN ACKROYD.
AmbiEntrance: You joined the Twins in 1983. What are your recollections of those early days? Did you imagine things would go as they did?
Raymonde: IT'S A BIT OF A
BLUR TO BE HONEST.....MY BAND HAD JUST FINISHED AND ROBIN AND LIZ WERE
CLOSE FRIENDS WHO HAD BEEN A FAN OF MY BAND....I'D BEEN WORKING IN A LITTLE
RECORDING STUDIO AND THEY CAME OVER ONE NIGHT, AND ROBIN AND I ENDED UP
WRITING MILLIMILLENARY TOGETHER THAT NIGHT, WHICH LIZ ADORED, AND SHORTLY
AFTER THEY ASKED ME TO COME TO SCOTLAND WITH THEM TO WRITE SOME NEW
MATERIAL, THE FIRST OF WHICH TURNED INTO THE SPANGLEMAKER/PEARLY DEWDROPS
MATERIAL, SO YES IT WAS EXCITING, BUT WE WERE SO BUSY, GIGGING AROUND
EUROPE/US, RECORDING AND GENERALLY LIVING IT 'LARGE', SO IT'S HARD TO HAVE
THAT PERSPECTIVE TO SAY WHAT IT WAS TRULY LIKE....
AmbiEntrance: As artists and as people, how would you say you've changed since the early 1980's when these pieces were first recorded?
Raymonde: HAIRCUTS ARE DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED....CONFIDENT IN WHAT WE CAN DO NOW,
NO BOUNDARY... AS PEOPLE, WELL NATURALLY A BIT CALMER...I LIVED IT LARGE, AS THEY SAY,
FOR MOST OF THE 80S AND THEN RATHER THAN DIE I THOUGHT I'D MOVE ON!!
MUSICALLY, WE LEARNT ALOT BY PRODUCING OURSLEVES, BY NOT TRUSTING
ANYONE.
AmbiEntrance: If you're not living as "large" as before, how would you decribe your life now?
Raymonde: MUCH HARDER, LESS FUN, I RARELY HAVE A DAY OFF....IF I'M NOT IN
THE STUDIO MIXING OR RECORDING, THEN I'M SAT IN FRONT OF COMPUTER ALL DAY
EMAILING...BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS, I AM IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE NOW, AND HARD
THOUGH IT IS, I CHOOSE IT TO BE THAT WAY...WE ANSWER TO NO-ONE, AND CAN
MAKE DECISIONS THAT FEEL RIGHT, RATHER THAN BECAUSE EVERYONE TELLS YOU YOU
SHOULD.
AmbiEntrance: There are rumors that 4AD is planning on releasing a Cocteau Twins restrospective; is there any truth to this? If so, are you involved?
Raymonde: THERE IS TRUTH TO THE RUMOUR, WHETHER WE'RE INVOLVED REMAINS TO BE SEEN...IT'S UP TO 4AD.
AmbiEntrance: Which has stirred more questions from listeners... the "Cocteau" part or the "Twins" part?
Raymonde: THE COCTEAU PART I WOULD SAY, ESPECIALLY IN USA WHERE THEY'RE NOT TOO UP ON THE EUROPEAN ART SCENE!!
AmbiEntrance: In the past, your answers CT interviews were often called "vague", why is this? Be specific.
Raymonde: SUSPICIOUS OF BEING STITCHED UP PERHAPS....NOT
PARTICULARLY ARTICULATE....QUESTIONS WERE ALWAYS VAGUE LIKE...." WHY
DOES YOUR MUSIC SOUND LIKE IT DOES?" I MEAN C'MON!!
AmbiEntrance: What's Liz up to these days? Do you still see her?
Raymonde: DON'T SEE HER MUCH MYSELF, BUT STILL LOVE HER!! SHE'S RECORDING A NEW ALBUM WHICH I AM
SURE WILL BE WONDERFUL.
AmbiEntrance: Will her album be released on Bella Union? If not, was this ever considered?
Raymonde: I'D LOVE IT, BUT CIRCUMSTANCE WOULDN'T ALLOW... WE DON'T
HAVE MUCH OF A RELATIONSHIP AT THE MOMENT, AND THIS IS ONE AREA OF MY LIFE
I WOULD CHANGE GIVEN THE CHANCE... I MISS MY FRIENDSHIP WITH LIZ
TREMENDOUSLY.
AmbiEntrance: You've got quite a nice website at www.cocteautwins.com; haven't you been updating it though?
Raymonde: THAT'S ONE FOR ROBIN REALLY.....AS FAR AS THE W.SITES GO, I TEND TO PROVIDE THE WORDS, AND ROBIN DOES ALL THE
DESIGN...BUT COCTEAUTWINS.COM IS A FAN SITE DESIGNED BY FANS...WE ARE
ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR BELLAUNION.COM
AmbiEntrance: There are literally dozens of Cocteau Twins fansites... do you ever visit them?
Raymonde: NOT OFTEN, BUT IT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR EMAIL ADDRESSES.
AmbiEntrance: Saving the biggest question for last... will there be any new releases from the Cocteau Twins?
Raymonde: I DOUBT IT.....VAGUE ENOUGH FOR YOU?
AmbiEntrance: I've enjoyed your answers, Simon. Anything else you'd like to add while you're here?
Raymonde: I AM AWARE THAT THIS BUSINESS IS CHANGING DRAMATICALLY RIGHT
NOW, FUELLING A RETURN TO THE DAYS WHERE THE FINANCIAL RENUMERATION WAS NOT
THE FIRST THOUGHT IN A MUSICIAN'S MIND. I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT UNTIL WE
HAD THE BIG CHEESE MANAGER AND THE BIG CHEESE RECORD CO, THINGS WERE
BETTER, AS THE MUSIC AND THE 'ART' IF YOU WILL, WERE PARAMOUNT. IN THE LAST
FEW YEARS, LAWYERS AND MANAGERS, AND THE BIGGER LABELS HAVE BEEN BUILDING
BANDS UP, THAT WERE AT BEST, ORDINARY, AND THE RESULT WAS MERELY TO DRAIN
RESOURCES AND WASTE MONEY ON MEDIOCRITY, LEAVING THE LABELS BEREFT OF
FINANCE, LEAVING THE ARTIST WITH A RECORD NO ONE WANTS TO RELEASE...
THE
RESURGENCE OF THE INDEPENDENTS( AND BELLA UNION IS totally INDEPENDENT)
MEANS THAT THERE IS NOW IDEALISM MIXED IN BALANCE WITH REALISM FOR BOTH
ARTISTS AND LABELS....BANDS SHOULD FEEL THAT IF YOU PROFIT THEY PROFIT. OUR
LABEL IS NOT LOOKING FOR COMMERCIAL SUCCESS, WE ARE AIMING TO INTRODUCE
MUSIC WE FIND EXCITING TO A SMALL AND DEDICATED AUDIENCE. THIS AUDIENCE MAY
GROW OCCASIONALLY AND DWINDLE AT OTHER TIMES, SO WE ADAPT.
WE WILL NOT
EXPAND TOO QUICKLY BASED ON A WHIM THAT ONE BAND MAY BE THE 'ONE' AS MANY
HAVE DONE BEFORE. I WANT TO BE HERE IN 10 YEARS TIME YOU KNOW?
| 
