DUKE COTTONHEAD interviewed; talks about his lo-fi RWANDA-BILLY group "WASTED CONVERSATION".

JOURNALIST: do you have a "diktat" in the group, imposed rules?

DUKE: yes, we have to wear a "WASTED CONVERSATION" t-shirt to every rehearsal.

JOURNALIST: how did you meet and is there a leader, a sort of guru?

DUKE: we met at an "african dance party" function where i was the "official photographer"( i still haven't been paid-valery!) and ROCKETT 808(my drummer-we are a power-duo) was doing the security. he's hard you know! we found that we had a mutual interests in MELVIN VAN PEEBLES and the BAD BRAINS. there's no leader, but i do most of the work, and ROCKETT gets the girls. i've yet to meet the person that could be ROCKETT'S guru, or minen for that matter. maybe genghis khan?

JOURNALIST: your music is very"garagey". which groups are important for you, and is there an artist you place on a pedastal?

DUKE: LINK WRAY(native american descent), DAN SARTAIN, THE LAST POETS, GUITARWOLF, SUICIDE. pioneers and bravehearts all! on a pedastal; only one really, in terms of long-term impact on my life; JOHNNY ALLEN HENDRIX. another guy i admire bigtime is JIM JARMUSCH. but, even innovators stand on the shoulders of those who came before and paved the way.....all inspirational art from the soul.

JOURNALIST: what do you think of fanaticism, and were you fans yourselves before being in a group?

DUKE: no, i never listened to music at all until recently when i decided to try and play the guitar to hypnotize girls. apollo and his lyre you know. no, i'm just fuckin witcha! what is your definition of a fan? a consumer? an acolyte? a groupie? ROCKETT and i both bought a lot of records, went to a lot of concerts, etc. but i personally never obsessed on a single artist, there was too much going on. ROCKETT, however, has maintained a punk fanzine here in FRANCE for more than a decade.

JOURNALIST: which are the dictates that you never bow before?

DUKE: do this because everybody else is doing it! do things this way because that's the way it's always been done! these really have been the major themes in my life. "do-it-yourself" has been the story of my life, and i've paid the price!(....laughs).

JOURNALIST: which dictates would you accept to follow?

DUKE: do it again, you could do better! you have to stoop to conquer! don't show your teeth when you smile:) move aside and let the youth and the "inevitable march of progress" pass through!

JOURNALIST: what do you think of musical pigeon-holing?

DUKE: sells more records doesn't it? and to be honest, "time is money". internet attention spans demand precise categories like, for example:-category(1)"GOOD MUSIC"; category(2)"PURE SHITE". everything else are just derivatives. we fall into the second category voluntarily.<(;:)-

JOURNALIST: your concerts are genuine mystical experiences, do audience reactions scare you sometimes?

DUKE: er,..., i think you've got the wrong group there. we are "stand-up performers". when we play, people stand up and walk out.(...nearly falls over laughing).

JOURNALIST: do you consider the lyrics of your songs religious or simply melodic poetry?

DUKE: what are you on dude? i want some-now! no, only kidding. if you want to portray us as pretentious wankers, i'll answer that question. if not.....next question?

JOURNALIST: what is a wasted conversation?

DUKE: this one! (falls off chair, and a small dark stain appears on his jeans around the genital region).

sorry about that, we only formed the group so that one day a journalist would ask us that question. no, a "wasted conversation" has several interpretations; trying to communicate with(1) someone who is unwilling to listen(2) someone who is incapable of understanding(3)someone while you yourself are incapable of being coherent. do i make myself clear?

JOURNALIST: to finish, an either or questionnaire:-

Q) WHITE STRIPES or THIN WHITE DUKE?

A) FLAT DUO JETS with DUKE COTTONHEAD

Q )brown beer or white beer?

A) rum punch everytime

Q) BLACK SABBATH or BLACK KIDS?

A) black is beautiful

Q) whitechapel or soho(london)?

A) westbourne grove, man!

Q) snow-white or emile l'étrange?

A) ERYKAH BADU

Q) the WHITE ALBUM(beatles) or the BLACK ALBUM(prince)?