Douglas P. (Death in June) interviews circa 1992 regarding "Little Black Angel"?

[alexreed]

I'm writing a piece right now about how DIJ's "Little Black Angel" came from Oscar Brown Jr's "Brown Baby" by way of the Jim Jones Peoples Temple album He's Able (eventually leading to a Ladytron dance version).  I've got a stack of a hundred old noise/industrial/neofolk zines, but none in which Douglas P. discusses But What Ends When the Symbols Shatter?  Does anyone by any chance know of any interviews where he discusses that material?  (I'm guessing it'd be in zines.)  I'd love to talk scans/photocopies if such a thing is available.

[burdizzo]

I did read in an interview w/ DIJ that the SS were nicknamed 'black angels', and this was what the song was referencing. God only knows what mag., and when...

[tiny_tove]

there might be something about it in aldo chimenti's "Nascosto tra le rune", by tsunami, but it is a massive book and it is impossible to read through it quickly. I will ask to the editor.

[Stridulum]

According to "Nascosto tra le Rune" (by the way: an English translation is currently being revised by Douglas P. and will be available as soon as possible), both references are correct. The main inspiration is indeed Oscar Brown Jr's "Brown Baby" which the Temple adapted into "Black Baby", and yes there also seems to be a reference to Rupert Butler's "The black angels", a book about the Waffen-SS that Douglas read while in Iceland. No interview quotes are reported, though.

[tiny_tove]

From another "expert"

"Misery and Purity", chapter 7 , page 167. It describes the record track by track and quotes Glasnost zine as main reference of the time.

[Dr Alex]

Mikko, rename this thread to Death In June.

Douglas is one of BEST artist ever!!!
His lyrics, voice, music, mask..everything is amazing!
Listening whole discography these days [except today...].

[alexreed]

Thanks very much for your help.  Looks like the F.I.S.T. #5 zine is another source.  I don't suppose there are originals of this or Glasnost lying around on anyone's shelves, are there? 

[Dr Alex]

http://www.deathinjune.org/wiki/index.php?title=Interviews

[burdizzo]

I have a copy of Fist if the interview's not online already.

[HongKongGoolagong]

Mikko, rename this thread to Death In June.

Douglas is one of BEST artist ever!!!
His lyrics, voice, music, mask..everything is amazing!
Listening whole discography these days [except today...].

I have three DIJ albums here, my opinions:

THE WORLD THAT SUMMER - Had heard about how great this album is from reading eg the Robert Forbes book mentioned in the thread. What a disappointment when I finally got a copy. Music is like annoying post-punk pop, terrible synthesiser, lyrics aren't too brilliant either - emo style moans about unhappiness with added pretentious qualities. The long ambient thing on side three is OK I guess.

BUT WHAT ENDS WHEN THE SYMBOLS SHATTER - Much better musically, enjoyably warm acoustic songs similar to Nick Drake, unusual lyrics and I enjoyed the Jim Jones references but Current 93 recordings of the time were probably better.

ALL PIGS MUST DIE - Now this one I do like, a magnificently childish attack on his record label with acoustic songs which are all reprised as noise tracks in the second half of the album. A ridiculous yet entertaining piece of work.

[Dr Alex]

"The World That Summer" is different from usual DI6 work but it's true masterpiece!!!
"But, What Ends When The Symbols Shatter?" is classic. Great album with amazing lyrics!
"All Pigs Die" is good album. Not so great expect album title song. Other songs are... Good, nothing special for me.
I suggest "Symbols And Clouds" compilation with remastered "But, What Ends When The Symbols Shatter?" and "Rose Clouds Of Holocaust" with some re-recorded classics. One of the best remastered releases ever!!! It's little bit expensive but get rip if you can't afford original one!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

[burdizzo]

The stuff that'd be 'like Joy Division' would be their first album, 'The Guilty have no Pride'. It was a bit earlier than '85, and was OK, I suppose. 'Nada!' came out in 1985, and I gave it a spin a few months ago, and wondered how the hell I ever liked it so much. It seemed pretty weak and dreary. However, if it's the martial stuff you're after, then I'd suggest the work w/ Albin Julius from the late '90s - 'Take Care and Control' and 'Operation Hummingbird'. Julius more or less did the music, and so a couple of the tracks sometimes cropped at Der Blutharsch live shows, and on live albums. It's a pity both bands have gone off the boil since then. DIJ's 'All Pigs Must Die', and the couple he did w/ Boyd Rice were pure horse manure, and I've not bothered with 'em since, at all.
I would, all the same, recommend 'But, What Ends When The Symbols Shatter?'. It is guitar-based and folky, but it's well done and a real 'grower'.
Mind you, I sometimes feel DIJ's 'big name' stems as much from the image and 'aura' around the group, as it does from the musical merits - or otherwise - of their work. But, it's like I say about a lot of neo-folk: I would be broadly sympathetic towards it, but often find the music a bit insubstantial.

[totalblack]

One of my all time favorite bands. I like all the material a lot up to the early 2000s where it gets pretty weak. Every record that came out in the 80s is solid, my favorite period being "The World That Summer", "Brown Book", "Wall of Sacrifice", and "But What Ends When The Symbols Shatter". I think BWEWTSS is one of my favorite records of all time. Although I don't have much to say about the later collaborations with Boyd Rice, "Music, Martini's and Misanthropy" is a great album.

[Dr Alex]

All collaborations with Boyd Rice are amazing!!
I finally listened "Alarm Agents" and it's really great but "Scorpion Wind" is masterpiece!!