Hej Douglas Hart!

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Vissa band är viktigare än andra, och The Jesus and Mary Chain är defenitivt ett utav dem. Nu är det över tjugo år sedan basisten och orginalmedlemmen Douglas Hart hoppade av bandet, men han har inte direkt legat på latsidan sen dess. Istället började han regissera musikvideor och har gjort över 80 stycken för band som The Stone Roses, The Charlatans, My Bloody Valentine och The Libertines. Förutom det har han regisserat hyllade filmer, provat på livet på turné igen och nu senast spelat in sin första singel som soloartist. På lördag hittar ni honom bakom skivspelarna på Modern Lovers på Pustervik, men först tog han sig lite tid att prata om gamla minnen, nya bandtips, att bli kär i musiken och det svenska popbandet som döpt sig efter honom med oss. Håll till godo!

Hi Douglas, how are you?

– I'm well thanks. Enjoying looking at the sunny streets of London though the window of the dark editing room where I work.

Nice! What have you been up to today?

– I've been editing. And going to pick up some swedish krona for my trip to Gothenburg!

So, you're quite the legend, to say the least. Former bass player and founding member of one of the greatest, most influential bands ever: The Jesus and Mary Chain. Tell us about your time in the band!

– I'm very proud of what we created in the Jesus and Mary Chain. We made great records and shook things up. Let me give you an example: We toured the USA, playing 30 minute sets at a time when bands played for hours, and often played two sets a night. The record label begged us not to do it. They actually got down on their knees and begged us. Told us it was "commercial suicide". We laughed and thought "we like the sound of that phrase. "Commercial suicide". I don't think many bands would have the guts to stick to their guns on that issue. Besides, half an hour of our show was way better than any hour most other bands could offer at that time.

"The record label begged us not to do it. They actually got down on their knees and begged us. Told us it was "commercial suicide". We laughed and thought "we like the sound of that phrase."

How has playing with JAMC affected your life?

– The Jesus and Mary Chain-experience took place in my adolescence and early adulthood, and what better start in life could a boy possibly have? Before that, I'd discovered punk rock at age 12, so these two things shaped my character. Two incredible explosions of creativity and excitement. This would supply enough energy and inspiration to last three lifetimes.

What was the deal with the sunglasses indoors and not having four strings on the bass?

– Having two strings on my bass horrified unenlightened humans. Square musicians, outmoded record producers and pettifogging coterie's of record company executives. The right people were appalled and this made me smile. It was also a direct expression of the wonderful simplicity of our songs and an extension of the punk rock maxim that anyone can start a band.

You quit the band in 19991. How do you feel about still being so accosiated with JAMC, even though you quit the band more than twenty years ago?

– It's only natural people would still associate me with the band after twenty odd years. We wanted to make music that endured. This proves we were successful in doing that.

In 1997 you started playing with Sian Alice Group. How did that happen?

– They were mutual friends of me and Jason Pierece from Spirtualized. I hadn't played with other musicians for many years then. I had lots of offers to play with other bands, but I would always turn them down. I guess the time was right when they asked. I played a couple of shows in Sweden with them, including the wonderful Emmaboda festival.

"I had lots of offers to play with other bands, but I would always turn them down."

So, tell us about your debut solo release this summer?

– After I stopped working with the Sian Alice group, Mark Stewart asked me to play on his last album and I fell in love with playing music all over again. So, when Blank Editions asked me to make a single, I was more than happy to do it. But it wasn't just the music, the prospect of the unique artwork appealed to me too. I shot some super 8-film and chopped it into strips of 15 frames to include in each sleeve, making each one unique. But I'm very proud of the music too, and I had a blast making it. So much so, I have already started on recording the next one…

You're djing in Gothenburg this weekend, been here before? – I once played Gothenburg with the Jesus and Mary Chain. We sailed across the wild North sea in a ferry for 18 hours to get there. It was rough sea from port to port… Unbelievable scenes on board. Sickness and smashing glass all the way. I have never been more happy to see a city than when Gothenburg came into view through early morning fog. We kissed the ground when we disembarked.

"I have never been more happy to see a city than when Gothenburg came into view through early morning fog. We kissed the ground when we disembarked."

What can we expect from your dj-set?

– I will be djing on a Saturday night, and Saturday night was made for dancing! I'll be playing rock n roll, soul, punk rock and disco. The kind of thing that makes me want to get out on the floor.

Did you know there's a swedish popband named Douglas Heart?

– I did! Jeanette Lee from Rough Trade Records told me about them. It was very strange. And very flattering! Though, I'm still not sure exactly why they chose that name? Does it sound exotic to swedish ears?

It is a cool name… What's the best new music you heard this year?

– There is a good new band from London called Charlie Boyer and Voyeurs. They are signed to Heavenly Records, who seem to have found a few good bands recently, like Toy and the Temples.

Finally, what's the plans for the future?

– Actually, I just shot a music video for Charlie Boye. I shot it myself on super 8 film, which I try to use whenever I can. So I will be editing that when i return from my trip to Gothenburg!

Fanny Wijk