TM: Please tell us about the new orientation of PAGA GROUP, the concept of 'Gnosis'?
KB: It's not a concept. I have nothing against concepts when they are used in the way that MAGMA used them. But concepts like Rock Français¹ where the emphasis is not on music, nor musicality, have nothing to do with Paga. In Rock Français, their initial idea was literary. From the point of view of a new orientation, there are two major reasons for what has changed. Firstly; the change in personnel. We have a new drummer who has completely altered the colour...
¹ Rock Français: 80's /90's post-punk indie bands as opposed to French Progressif (typically 70's /80's).TM: In relation to Claude Salmieri?
KB: Completely, it's another universe. Still Paga, but it's another Paga, just as there were different styles of Magma.
TM: I find 'Gnosis' interesting in the sense of a return to your sources with a less haunted, less possessed "direction"
KB: Perhaps. Personally I find this closer to an idea that I had for Paga, not just with François Laizeau, but also with Eric Séva on saxophone. Primarily, it's a jazz-rock formation and yet the music is neither jazz, nor jazz-rock. I think that this is analogous to the same phenomenon that we saw with Magma in the beginning. I mean that it is not the group that is searching; it's the fans who are searching to understand the group. When they have found the group, it will be easy for us, but musically, the group have already found themselves.
I believe that one should listen to the music and not allow oneself to get carried away. One should listen attentively, just as one listens to "classical music". There are elements, which we have had for a very long while. This music was not arrived at by chance. It's not a concept. It is very profound. You need to come to see us play. You need to listen to the music in depth. One must not allow oneself to listen superficially. In this sense, there has been a reversal. I am not saying that the music was superficial before, but that the group was in gestation. The group is a little more mature now, I think.TM: Some years ago, in Notes Magazine, you talked about making a solo album. Is this still in progress? Or is it an old dream? Or will it be released sooner or later?
KB: It is just a matter of time. It's not made yet. But it's not a dream, because it would be easy enough to realise. But realising dreams for nothing, is like slashing a sword through water... I have made enough records to satisfy a good part of my ego. To have my name on the sleeve of a solo album, in itself does not interest me. My interest would be in working on my compositions, which have accumulated over the years. But, I do so many other things that I reckoned it was better to concentrate on what I am already doing.
TM: Precisely, let's talk about your other musical activities.
KB: I made an album with another group, LE GRAND BLUES BAND. It is the same music that I was performing before I joined Magma, which I had not done for twenty-five years and which I still love, even though I do not commit 100% of my time to it. What I mean is, if I was not with PAGA, I could think of nothing I would rather perform. I found that this music from my roots is still interesting and I prefer that to being a backing singer, something I still do from time to time. The Blues is more my roots than French Variety or Rock Francais. Furthermore, I continue to write in many journals about the subjects which interest me; music, technology etc. Additionally, I'm involved in a small way with computers, C.A.D. (Computer Aided Design or Drawing), I also write books on the history of musical instruments. Actually, I have a museum, which is starting to become quite substantial. It's a museum that involves everything to do with electricity and music. It's called MUSELEC. Currently, in an area of 130m2, I stock hundreds of products and documents. I've got musical instruments, Hi-Fi's, stage amplifiers, tape recorders, mixing consoles... I catalogue them and later, when I have the means, I shall put the valuable ones in a site to be constructed in Alfortville within the framework of "La Cite du Spectacle". For now though it is still in the planning stage.
TM: Could you tell us about your graphic-art activities?
KB: I have returned to things that I've done a few times in the past. Notably, the sleeve for a Magma album; which was never released. The theme is Ptäh, and Christian might use it. And then, I have done a lot of graphics research. Logos for societies, record sleeves for other people, symbols... but mainly logos and lettering. I work with a computer.
TM: Do you use a Macintosh?
KB: Yes.
TM: What software do you use: Quark? Illustrator? Photoshop?
KB: I use Illustrator, Photoshop and XPress. I scan images from items, which have been suggested, or things that I have drawn myself or else salvaged from other documents, and then work on each of the pixels2. It's all good. There is no one tool more important than the others, and none that are not required. I think that total computerisation is dangerous because one loses some of the notions that come at the draughting level. One loses the feel of the material. I also work in 3D. This brings me closer to what I would draw by hand. I still draw manually, but with a different tool.
² Pixel: Picture Element, for example the tiny dots in the photos above (Each dot can vary in colour and brightness).TM: In any case, the computer is still just a tool
KB: There you are. I often see things that have been produced rather carelessly with a computer. That is to say that someone started with an idea and then got swamped with the bright psychedelic images and vivid colours available to them. They needed to have structure. It needs someone to make choices.
TM: The same problem is present in Airbrush artwork.
KB: There you are. Previously it was the airbrush, which created plastic art. But not all airbrush works. Because it seems too easy. One can avoid that trap by proper training in the technique required. Actually, it is quite a precise technique and when you eventually acquire this skill, you can get good results, without having to know how to draw, that's beauty of these things. It's like the synthesizer. One can go "poot-poot" on a synth, but you are not really playing the synth.
TM: It should remain physical, organic in any case?
KB: Yes, because it's not the synth itself that is playing, it is you who is playing it. It's you who is drawing; the computer does not do it. The computer is there to help us, to give us the facilities. It is there to save us time, to give us different materials, colours and textures. We make the choices.
TM: Have you any plans for exhibitions?
KB: Yes. There is a girl who has already put on exhibitions during many OFFERING concerts and with Magma, and more recently too. I have boxes of drawings; full of things, which are almost successful enough, one day I could use these. I intend to write a book on Magma that will be a very precise diary with many photographs and illustrations. That will use much of what I have produced so far.
TM: Concerning the music of OFFERING, what do you think of their current approach?
KB: It's very simple. I have seen Offering
from time to time since the group's formation. I have not always liked them.
It was full of things that I didn't always like. But when I saw them at the
Bataclan, that was the start of a serious maturity. In contrast, I like the
Trio very much. WELCOME, the group which Christian 'recently formed with Simon
(Goubert) and the Belmondo brothers, are fabulous.
Les Voix de Magma at the Bataclan were superb. I've listened to their album,
and that is very good too. They play with a good spirit, but it is said that
they only sing what I used to sing, and so they do not add anything great. In
fact, they're really good. They bring many things. There are a lot of things
going on. Clearly it is less risky to perform with Les Voix de Magma than with
Offering, because Offering involves many improvisations and these depend on
circumstances. For me, Christian is more Magma than Offering. But I hold him
in great esteem, and respect him for what he does with Offering, even though
it has not always been as good as it is now. I have discussed plans with Christian,
notably to sing ballads with the Trio. Obviously, I would rather volunteer for
that, than to sing with Offering. Possibly, I might even sing in Les Voix de
Magma. But having said that, they don't need me. I say that in all humility
and sincerity - they're magnificent. I would join, not to improve the thing,
but for the pleasure of being there, because they do not need improving. I am
not here in Malakoff tonight to pay homage to Christian; I'm here for the pleasure
of the concert.
TM: Finally, will PAGA go on tour soon?
KB: We are at La Cigale on the 14th of March. Someone is working on the touring aspect. In the immediate future there will be many concerts, notably at festivals in May, June, July and the beginning of August. The real tour will start in March 1995, when we will have a new album to promote.
Blois 26-05-94 Montlucon 27-05-94 A clinic in Montluçon 28-05-94 Fnac Forum, Châtelet 31-05-94 Brest 09-06-94 Ris-Orangis 10-06-94 Lons-le-Saunier 08-07-94 Geneva 09-07-94 Nice 10-07-94 Nice 11-07-94 Château-Renault 21-07-94