(From Elegy, French music magazine, March 2006. Special thanks to Nicolas Glorion for the translation. For the original article, click here)

Blind Test: Jaz Coleman

- Jaz says : I like it! It sounds good! Mick , their drummer , came to Prague while we were recording Hosannas. He is actually playing in a band called Kalva Kalva , with very funky rhythms, they play a lot in Germany.

- The guitar is very influenced by Geordie's style! The difference is that they have 2 guitars and we only have only! ......... Oh yes, Playdead , we used to play with them in previous years. Raven is still in contact with them , and one of them is member of The Gathering's fan club .

Jaz : - oh , it's Al. You know what ? I remember him when he used to dress up as a Depeche Mode member. His band used to sound like Depeche Mode by the way!

He came to meet me in Boston , in 1981 , "stole" my girlfriend , and then got a baby with her! Now he's divorced and on the way toward killing another woman's soul (hahaha ...)

In a way , Al is part of "my family" , raven plays on the Ministry album , and Al would like me to play Keyboards with him ...... did not knew this track , which seems to sound like Killing Joke ;

Al likes to "compress" 6/7 guitar sounds , to get the most percutating sound as possible . I like his arrangements , they lose spirituality, but get more "brutality".

The Journalist says to Jaz that Paul Barker was still in the band at this period , but finally left Ministry , and so asks to Jaz what he thinks about it ; Jaz replies that maybe it was to stay spiritually safe ( with a big laugh ) ; Jaz adds that Al is made as an "ox" , everybody dies around him , as Lemmy from Motorhead .....and a big laugh again ...........

The journalist says to Jaz : "the legend says that Lemmy asks all journalists for a jack daniels bottle and a Wax box.  Jaz says, "I just need a cigar ...hahaha...."

Jaz : Who's that?... Oh, Jello Biafra. During our last US tour , he came to see our gig , and was complaining that the three other Dead Kennedys members were making a lot of problems for him ... I like him a lot, he is very sincere. Every time we play in Frisco, he comes to see us play. He made some records with Al I think (LARD). He's a real good man with strong personality.

The journalist thinks that Jaz absolutely won't know this music .... and then says: That's Gang of Four, you know them !!!

Jaz replies, "Of course. Andy Gill produced our 2003 album. I really like the "entertainment" of their debut album. Andy is a great musician who has a little something more than the others ...he is also what I call " an offshore socialist"; it's leftwing caviar! hahahaha... I have always been very suspicious of people declaring their socialists tendencies, but their debut album is excellent..."

then some details about Gang Of Four's comeback , for money or other things ...( big laughs again)

Jaz : "John Lydon ? What Title ? Flowers Of Romance ? With Atkins, sure...."

The journalist asks to Jaz how Martin arrived in Killing Joke at this period.

Jaz : "Very simple. At this period , he had very good physical conditioning. Hahahahaha you need to have good health to be Killing Joke's drummer.  Benny, our actual drummer, is from this generation: sample , double pedal... He is ambidextrous!  Just before the XXVth anniversary tour, he had his leg broken, the one which hits the drum kit, but he could play with his other leg !!!

"About Martin , we had a good time when we were together and he plays very well, but he doesn't have "the team spirit."  He thought mainly about money ... hahahaha ... but he is a very good drummer ... recently he sent me an e-mail, but I replied: 'Sorry Marty, we don't have time for you anymore, but we love you anyway ... hahahaha...but I don't want to play with you now ... continue to send e-mails ... hahahaha........."

The journalist says, it's a French group.

Jaz : What kind of drugs are they taking ?  I want a taste too.

"It seems they're better at using drugs than making music. Tell them to come to see me, we will make 'real' music together, not this shit that's impossible to hear, hahahaha......"

Jaz : "It sounds like a band produced by Youth ... it's exactly the kind of things he likes ... it's German? Sounds like a mix of RAMMSTEIN and CAN.

The journalist asks Jaz if he is a fan of CAN ?

Jaz : "Oh yes ! we made sessions with them in Conny Plank's studio. We couldn't hear their drummer (Jacki Liebezeit) because we were playing too loud !!!!!!! hahaha

"But this band had a great influence on me , It's the first rock band I have loved. I was more interested in classical music when I was young. It's the first pop group I have found original and innovative, and that's why I got involved in rock .

"My parents were horrified. I sold my violin and bought keyboards and amps; then I started Killing Joke and my parents were totally devastated. Today , with my mum, we laugh about it, hahaha...

The Journalist asks Jaz if his meeting with Geordie made him decide to start Killing Joke

Jaz : "Exactly. I met Geordie one day, I was putting the garbage in the street, Geordie was passing there and said to me : 'You are looking for your breakfast inside?'  hahahaha.... Then , he asked me what kind of music I like.  Everything I was saying, he says " bullshit ".  Then i asked Geordie what he was listening to, and I said to him too that's "big bullshit" !!!!!  Then I took him with me in my house, he stayed there three weeks, because he was just thrown out from his flat , then, his mother came to bring him an amp, then he started to play guitar ... ouaouh, it was sounding fantastic."

The journalist asks jaz to talk a little about his concertos records such as LED ZEPPELIN or THE DOORS.

Jaz : "I am very proud of those records , even if they're 'command' records. I think that those bands have influenced me, but same as punk rock, I have discovered this very late."

Jaz : ."Ok , so what ? Recently, I played in a movie from Peter Zelenka; the name is "ROK DABLA."  Dave Grohl plays in this movie. I am dressed as a priest , he gets on his knees and says to me: 'Please , forgive me , I did not steal this guitar line, I was only the drummer!' hahahaha  I said, 'I forgive you my son'

"I am happy to be me, and to have my own life. All those different experiences: Killing Joke, symphony orchestras, paradisiacal islands, barbecues, concert places, fishing, spliffs, all this food on a boat with my 3 daughters ...................Life is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!