JARBOE brief interview from GODSEND 11 (June 1989)

Jarboe is a versatile and extremely talented artist who is probably best known for her presence in the influential New York band SWANS. Besides playing keyboards and singing for SWANS, she has contributed heavily to SWANS side project SKIN, as well as produced her own solo work. Her music can be as frightening at times as it can be beautiful. With much voice work in the past, Jarboe has produced music in virtually every imaginable style, from light and sweeping ambience to the horrific, chilling post-industrial shrieks of "Walls Are Bleeding" (from the DRY LUNGS compilation LP on Placebo Records). It was thru this LP that I got in touch with Jarboe, and this short interview ensued.

GS-HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A PART OF SWANS?

J-I joined SWANS in August, 1985--but I was obsessed with the "Filth" album when it came out in 1984 so actually, you could say I became a part of SWANS, or rather SWANS became a part of me...at that time.

GS-HOW DID THE APPEARANCES ON "DRY LUNGS" COME ABOUT?

J-I began communicating with Paul Lemos as a result in his interest in SWANS. Paul invited me to contribute to "Dry Lungs". Paul was familiar with some of my solo work. He compiled both "Dry Lungs" albums on which I appear.

GS-WHY DID THE SOLO PROJECTS AND SKIN COME ABOUT? DID YOU FEEL YOU NEEDED A BREAK FROM SWANS OR JUST THAT THE SOLO WORK DIDN'T MESH WELL WITH WHAT SWANS WERE DOING?

J-First of all, let me clarify that WORLD OF SKIN was a collaborative effort with Michael Gira--not a solo endeavor. He and I had been wanting to work together on more song-like material than SWANS were doing at the time. Now, of course, the two ideas have pretty much merged as SWANS has become song-oriented. I still have the need to do exclusively solo work apart from SWANS and Michael Gira. Currently, I am working in the demo studio on numerous compositions of my own--that is to say both lyrically and musically, I hope to extend my solo work in the near future.

GS-WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL OPINIONS ON BANDS LIKE SKINNY PUPPY, MINISTRY, SEVERED HEADS, AND OTHER "INDUSTRIAL DANCE" BANDS?

J-I must say I feel closer to some of the work by Sarah Vaughan, Julie London, and David Sylvian, and and any Glenn Gould recordings of Bach, Maria Callas, George Winston, and Villa-Lobos.

GS-WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL OPINIONS ON VEGETARIANISM AND ANIMAL RIGHTS?

J-I love animals. I feel great sadness and anger over the exploitation of animals.

GS-ANY CLOSING COMMENTS?

J-Pursue your dreams.