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SHE AND HE MAGAZINE (Turkish / Jan '99)
SHE AND HE: YOUR NEW ALBUM HAS FINALLY BEEN RELEASED.WHEN YOU HAVE A LOOK AT THE PAST,WHAT KIND OF CHANGES DO YOU SEE?
JAS: I HAVE BEEN INTO THE MUSIC SINCE I WAS 13.I ALWAYS SHUT MYSELF UP TO MY BEDROOM AND WROTE SONGS.SOME OF THE SONGS IN THE FIRST ALBUM ARE FROM THOSE DAYS.BUT EVERYTHING'S DIFFERENT FOR THIS ALBUM.INSTEAD OF A SMALL BEDROOM,I HAVE A CHANCE TO WORK IN ENOU-RMOUS STUDIOS.
SHE AND HE: HOW DO YOU WRITE YOUR SONGS?WHICH ONE COMES FIRST:THE MELODY OR THE LYRICS?
JAS: TO BE HONEST,I DON'T KNOW.I NEVER SAY "YEAH IT'S TIME TO WRITE A SONG".I CAN NEVER GUESS WHERE MY INSPIRATION COMES FROM OR WHEN IT WILL COME THE NEXT TIME.FOR EXAMPLE,I WROTE "SPACEMAN" IN MY BEDROOM.THE ORIGINAL SONG IS A BIT DIFFERENT IN FACT.I'M PLANNING TO RELEASE IT TOO.
SHE AND HE: NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF "SPACEMAN".HOW DID YOU FEEL?
JAS: DON'T EVER ASK!I WAS ABOUT TO LOSE MY MIND.
SHE AND HE: YOU ALSO CAUSED GEORGE MICHAEL DROP FROM THE TOP.DID YOU EVER FEEL SORRY FOR HIM?
JAS: YES,I KNOW.BUT HE ALWAYS DOES GOOD WORK.THAT'S WHY HE ALWAYS HAS A CHANCE TO BE NUMBER ONE.
SHE AND HE: WHAT WILL YOU TELL ABOUT HIS LAST SCANDAL?
JAS: IT'S A VERY HARD QUESTION.IT MUST BE VERY HARD FOR A WORLD WIDE KNOWN STAR TO ADMIT BEING A GAY.I DON'T THINK THAT HE WOULD HAVE ADMITTED THAT,IF HE HADN'T BEEN CAUGHT IN THAT TOILET.
SHE AND HE: WHY DO YOU CHANGE YOUR STYLE SO FREQUENTLY?
JAS: I DO IT BECAUSE I'M A VERY EASILY BORED PERSON.I TRIED HARD TO KILL THE "SPACEMAN" TOO.AND NOW IT'S TIME TO KILL BABYLON ZOO.
SHE AND HE: WHAT DOES IT MEAN NOW?
JAS: THAT MEANS THERE WON'T BE A BAND NAMED BABYLON ZOO AFTER THIS ALBUM.
SHE AND HE: COME ON.PLEASE HOLD ON.YOU WOULDN'T WANT ME TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK,WOULD YOU?
JAS: OK.LET ME EXPLAIN.BABYLON ZOO HAS COMPLETED ITS MISSION SUCCESSFULLY.THAT'S WHY IT WILL FADE AWAY AFTER THIS ALBUM.
SHE AND HE: WHAT ABOUT YOU?WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
JAS: SOLO ALBUM...I WANT TO GO ON MY MUSICAL LIFE IN THAT WAY.
SHE AND HE: WITH THE SAME RECORD COMPANY?
JAS: YES.ALMOST EVERYTHING WILL REMAIN THE SAME.
SHE AND HE: THANKS GOD!I FELT RELIEVED...NOW ANOTHER HARD QUESTION:IF YOU WEREN'T A MUSICIAN,WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING NOW?
JAS: ANY JOB IN HOLLYWOOD.BUT ESPECIALLY WRITING FILM SCRIPTS WOULD BE INTERESTING.
SHE AND HE: HAVE YOU RECENTLY DONE SOMETHING THAT YOU REGRETTED?
JAS: HA HA...YOU CAUGHT ME!WHILE I WAS WORKING ON THIS ALBUM,I WAS OFFERED TO MAKE SONGS FOR SOME SOUNDTRACKS.BUT I DIDN'T ACCEPT.I REGRET REJECTING THEM NOW.
SHE AND HE: WHICH SOUNDTRACKS?
JAS: INDEPENDENCE DAY,GODZILLA...

KULTURE DELUXE AND KULTURE MAGAZINE ('97)

THERE IS NOTHING LESS UNIQUE THAN SOMEONE THE PRESS TAGS THE NEW BRITISH POP SENSATION. IF WE WERE TO BELIEVE THESE "SENSATIONS" HAD THE CLOUT THE PRESS CONFERRED, THE US WOULD ONCE AGAIN FALL UNDER BRITISH RULE BECAUSE OF THE VAST SUMS THE PUBLIC WOULD FUNNEL INTO THE BRITISH ECONOMY.
WHEN THE BRIT PRESS TALKS ABOUT THE BAND'S RUNAWAY SUCCESS, IT SEEMS A BIT...CREEPY.TOO TRUE DISMISS AS EASILY AS THE JESUS JONESES OR THE SOUL II SOULS.
BABYLON ZOO ISN'T LIKE THAT.
AT 24, JAS MANN (WHO, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, IS BABYLON ZOO) HAS CREATED "SPACEMAN," A SINGLE WHICH BECAME THE NUMBER ONE ACROSS MOST OF EUROPE, A SINGLE WHICH SOLD 250,000 COPIES WITHIN IT'S FIRST WEEK, A SINGLE WHICH SOLD FASTER FOR EMI THAN ANY SINGLE SINCE THE BEATLES "SHE LOVES YOU." THE SONG IS A TECHNO-ROCK HYBRID WHICH LODGES IN THE BRAINS DELICATE BALLAD RECEPTORS WITH ITS SOLID HOOKS AND SARDONIC WIT. IT'S THE KIND OF SONG THAT "ALTERNATIVE ROCK" DETRACTORS LOVE TO HATE BUT CAN'T DISSUADE ANYONE FROM PURCHASING.
BABYLON ZOO IS MANN'S SECOND BAND. HIS FIRST, THE SANDKINGS, WAS A HIGH-SCHOOL AFFAIR WHICH CREATED A MINOR STIR BEFORE VANISHING COMPLETELY. ALSO IN HIS REPERTOIRE IS THE ROLE OF FILM MAKER, ARTIST, AND UNABASHED SCIENCE-FICTION GEEK.
KD: YOUR PRODUCTION COMPANY IS CALLED NEW ATLANTIS, AND THE NAME BABYLON ZOO INSINUATES SOME CONNOTATIONS OF EXOTICA AND A WORLD OF WONDER. HOWEVER,IN PAST INTERVIEWS YOU INFER THAT YOU DON'T CONSIDER THE NAME TO BE A REFLECTION OF ANYTHING POSITIVE.
JM: YEAH, I THINK IT'S PART POSITIVE AND PART NEGATIVE, WHICH IS WHAT I BASICALLY WENT FOR. LIKE ANY GREAT FILM, I THINK THE TITLE OF THE PIECE SETS A SORT OF COMMON GROUND, A PHILOSOPHY OF HOW THE FILM SORT OF MOVES ON. I MEAN, I DEAL A LOT WITH EVOLUTION, AND I DEAL A LOT WITH US NOW, AND WHAT WE WERE IN THE PAST AND WHAT WE WILL BE IN THE FUTURE, AND IN THAT WHOLE FUTURISTIC SENSE OF WRITING. THE WORD "BABYLON," I WANTED TO USE THAT BECAUSE IT EXISTED BEFORE EGYPTIAN TIMES AS A PARADISE WHERE EVERYTHING WAS FREE, EVERYBODY WAS EQUAL, AND THE WORD "ZOO," WHICH IS MAYBE SOCIETY NOW, THIS GEOMETRIC CONCRETE JUNGLE THAT WE LIVE IN. THIS IS US ENSLAVED WITHIN OUR BOXES. YOU KNOW, OUR CAR, OUR HOME, OUR OFFICE. WE LIVE IN BOXES EVERY SINGLE HOUR OF THE DAY. YOU DEAL WITH THE TWO, HOW WE EVOLVED FROM PARADISE TO A SUPPOSED MODERNIST PARADISE, BUT IS IT? THAT'S THE SORT OF FEEL THAT I WAS TRYING TO GET AT WITH THE NAME.
KD: THE THEORY OF PSYCHO-GEOGRAPHY IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS I'VE FOUND TO DEAL WITH THAT, WHERE YOU PLAY WITH YOUR NOTIONS OF SPACE BY REACTING TO EACH ENVIRONMENT ON A MORE ASSOCIATIONAL, SUB-CONSCIOUS LEVEL.
JM: YEAH, DEFINITELY. THE THING IS, YOUR SPACE, YOUR ENVIRONMENT, IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE CREATED AND YOU CREATE. YOU CAN CHANGE THAT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, BUT YOUR WHOLE PERSONA. I LIKE DEALING WITH ENCLOSED ENVIRONMENTS, SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENTS, AND HOW YOU FEEL WITHIN EACH PLACE THAT YOU'RE IN. FOR INSTANCE, THE OFFICE. PEOPLE WILL ADOPT A DIFFERENT PERSONA IN A DIFFERENT ROOM. IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO THE SIZE OF THE ROOM, THE DIMENSIONS OF THE ROOM, THE ACTUAL ESTHETICS OF THE ROOM, AND THE SITUATION THAT YOU'RE IN. WHETHER IT'S IN YOUR CAR, YOUR HOME, YOUR BATHROOM, IT'S A DIFFERENT PERSONA. YOU ACTUALLY DO TAKE ON DIFFERENT ALTER EGOS AND DIFFERENT FACETS OF YOUR PERSONALITY. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT INTERESTS ME MASSIVELY. IT'S SO SIMPLISTIC, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT CAN BE VERY COMPLEX.
KD: WELL, THE BATHROOM IS THE BEST EXAMPLE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE DO A LOT OF SINGING, AND READING, BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY PLACE THAT PEOPLE FEEL...
JM: COMFORTABLE.
KD: COMFORTABLE AND ALONE.
JM: YOU ARE ALONE. IT IS COMFORT. NOT IN A LITERAL WAY, BUT YOU ARE THERE. YOU ARE STRIPPED DOWN. IT DOES BECOME YOU AND YOUR ONE LITTLE SPACE. IT'S QUITE AN INNOCENT ENVIRONMENT, THAT WHOLE FEEL. I MEAN, I WRITE MOST WHEN I'M SITTING IN THE BATH. IT'S THE ONLY PLACE WHERE I DO FEEL TOTALLY RELAXED. YOU DO FEEL QUITE ISOLATED. I THINK IT'S QUITE QUITE GOOD TO GET INTO ISOLATED ENVIRONMENTS. INDIVIDUALS HAVING TO DEAL WITH AN ENVIRONMENT ON THEIR OWN, THE THOUGHT PROCESS COMPLETELY CHANGES. I DO THINK ROOMS AND ENVIRONMENTS TOTALLY AFFECT OUR WHOLE PERSONA.WITH MY RECORDING STUDIO, I WANTED TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WAS LIKE MY ENVIRONMENT, SOMETHING THAT I WANTED. MAYBE I WANTED TO SEE OUT THERE, OR MAYBE THIS IS A FUTURISTIC SORT OF PARADISE, SO I HAD SIMULATED FISH AND ROBOTS AND I'VE GOT A MINI-JUNGLE GOING ON IN THERE. IT'S THE SORT OF PLACE THAT'S LIKE A LOST WORLD, THE NEW ATLANTIS, SOMEWHERE DIFFERENT. AMBITION OF MINE. IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN.
KD: IT MUST ALSO BE NICE THAT WITH YOUR COMMERCIALLY SUCCESSFUL MUSICAL PROJECTS, YOU CAN FINANCE OTHER PROJECTS YOU'RE WORKING ON.
JM: I'VE ALWAYS DONE IT. TO BE HONEST, THE FIRST THING I RELEASED WAS MY FIFTEEN MINUTE FILM. I DIDN'T EVEN RELEASE A RECORD. I FOUND A RECORD LABEL, AND THEY ACTUALLY AGREED AFTER MUCH FIGHTING TO RELEASE MY FILM.IT WASN'T LIKE SUCCESSFUL, BUT IT WAS SHOWN IN SMALL CINEMAS FOR INDEPENDENT RELEASES. IT SPURNED A LOT OF INTEREST.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AS AN ARTIST, AS A MUSICIAN, YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE FACT THAT YOU ARE A CREATIVE PERSON. OBVIOUSLY, YOU WANT SUCCESS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU WANT SATISFACTION AND IDEAS. YOU WANT YOUR IDEAS TO BE RELEASED, AND SO FOR ME, IT IS A PLATFORM TO MAKE THE THINGS I WANT TO MAKE, TO MAKE THE FILMS I'VE WANTED TO MAKE, AND TO PUT ON THAT WHOLE AFFAIR RATHER THAN TO KEEP GOING IN THAT WHOLE FORMULA AND KEEP RELEASING ALBUMS AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. THERE'S PLENTY OF HOURS IN A DAY TO BE INVOLVED IN SO MANY OTHER THINGS. FILM IS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE. I ALWAYS WANT TO DO SOMETHING INVOLVED WITH FILM.
KD: WHERE DO YOU THINK YOUR FIRST BAND, THE SAND KINGS, WENT WRONG?
JM: WEEELLLLL, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS. WHEN I LOOK BACK TO THAT, IT'S LIKE A SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPH. YOU LOOK BACK AT IT AND THINK, "OH, MY GOD, LOOK AT THAT HAIR." SOMEBODY OBVIOUSLY PUT A BOWL ON MY HEAD AND CUT AROUND IT. THAT'S WHAT IT WAS, I WAS FIFTEEN YEARS OLD. WHEN YOU'RE THAT AGE, YOU JUST DO IT. SOMETIMES IT WORKS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. THERE'S NO THOUGHT PROCESS GOING INTO IT. YOU JUST PICK UP YOUR GUITAR. YOU'VE GOT YOUR MATES, WHO ARE AT SCHOOL WITH YOU, AND YOU JUST MAKE A NOISE. SOMETIMES IT KICKS IN, AND PEOPLE THINK IT'S GREAT, AND SOMETIMES THEY THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT THEY THOUGHT. THEY LAUGHED AT IT. I NEEDED IT AS EXPERIENCE TO UNDERSTAND. YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BAD HAIRCUTS TO FIND OUT WHAT IS THE GOOD ONE.
KD: WHO DO YOU SEE AS BEING THE MAIN BABYLON ZOO FAN BASE?
JM: IT'S UNBELIEVABLY WEIRD. IT'S SO FLEXIBLE. WE DO SHOWS, AND THERE'S KIDS FROM 15-16 TO 25 PLUS. AND IT'S STRANGE, WE GET A MASS WIDE RANGE. IT'S BIZARRE, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY WORK IT OUT. YOU KNOW, THOSE THEORISTS IN MUSIC, THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY DETACHED. THE PEOPLE THAT PUT PEOPLE INTO LITTLE BOXES AND SAY, "THIS IS THE MARKET YOU MOVE INTO." THEY'RE COMPLETELY BAMBOOZLED. THE PRESS WE GET IN ENGLAND IS NOT THE TEEN PRESS. IT'S LIKE THE GUARDIAN, THE TIMES, Q, AND ALL THOSE MAGAZINES. IT DEFIES THE OTHER SIDE. IT IS QUITE AN ADULT THING. I'VE JUST COME BACK FROM AUSTRALIA, AND IT GOES FROM KIDS TO METALLICA FANS. THAT'S GOOD, THOUGH, BECAUSE I BELIEVE MUSIC SHOULD BE FLEXIBLE. I LIKE SUCH A VARIETY OF MUSIC, AND A LOT OF MY FRIENDS DO AS WELL. IT OPENS YOUR MIND TO DIFFERENT FORMS. IT'S DANGER WHEN YOU GET STUCK IN ONE RUT AND START ONLY LIKING ONLY ONE CERTAIN SORT OF MUSIC.
KD: THEN YOU'RE DRAWING FROM THE SAME WELL, AND THAT WELL'S EVENTUALLY GOING TO RUN DRY.
JM: THAT'S THE GREAT THING ABOUT ART. I LOVE MONDRIAN AND I LOVE MONDIGLIANI, TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT ARTISTS, BUT I LOVE THEM JUST AS MUCH, CAN'T CHOOSE BETWEEN. THAT'S WHAT I SEE MUSIC AS REALLY.
KD: DO YOU THINK THAT YOUR NEXT RELEASE COULD VERY WELL CONFOUND A LOT OF FANS?
JM: WELL, NOT OUR FANS. OUR FANS PRETTY MUCH GET THE FACT THAT THEY COULD GET AN ACOUSTIC SONG OR A COMPUTERIZED TUNE. THEY KNOW THAT THEY MIGHT GET EITHER/OR. I THINK I'LL STRIP DOWN A LOT FOR THE NEXT ONE, AND HAVE IT QUITE BASIC, BUT STILL USE THE ELEMENTS OF A FUTURISTIC SOUND. I'M PLAYING A LOT WITH TEMPOS NOW. I THINK IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE QUITE DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S BEEN OUT. IT'S GOING TO BE A ROCK ALBUM WITH VERY BIZARRE TEMPOS GOING OFF IN IT. I WANT TO PLAY AROUND WITH THAT IDEA.
KD: WITH BRITISH POP, BANDS WILL FREQUENTLY ROCKET TO THE LIMELIGHT, AND THEN FADE OUT REALLY QUICKLY. TWO THAT COME TO MIND ARE EMF AND RIGHT SAID FRED. DO YOU THINK THAT YOUR EVOLUTION AND CROSS-POLLINATING WILL PREVENT THAT? OR DO YOU HAVE ANY FEARS OF THAT HAPPENING?
JM: PERSONALLY, I DON'T, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I STILL BELIEVE IN THE OLD CLASSIC FORM OF THE SONG, AND WRITING THE SONG. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PLAY IT ON A WASHBOARD IF IT'S A GREAT SONG. THAT'S THE MAIN THING. THAT'S SOMETHING I'D NEVER LOSE. I DID. I MIGHT PAINT, AND I MIGHT USE DIFFERENT MATERIALS, LIKE CAR PAINT OR METALLICS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF A PAINTING'S NOT INTERESTING. THE FORM THAT'S ON TOP WON'T HELP IT AT ALL. PLAYING WITH STARS, PLAYING AROUND WITH MOVEMENTS AND IDEAS IS A GREAT THING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE SONG IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME, AND IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN, 'CAUSE I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INTO SONGS AND SONG-WRITING. I THINK YOU CAN GET COMPLETELY LOT IN THIS MIXING IN STYLES AND MOVING AROUND, WHERE IT BECOMES CONFUSING. A LOT OF THESE BANDS HAVE. THEY SORT OF FELL INTO A CHASM, A SORT OF BLACK HOLE OF THEIR OWN, AND NOBODY ELSE IS IN THERE. THEY START TRYING DESPERATELY TO GET OUT. I DO BELIEVE IN THE REAL IDEALS OF MUSIC THAT WILL NEVER GET LOST IN MY EYES, AND THAT'S SONG-WRITING.
KD: ONE LAST QUESTION: IN THE Q ARTICLE THAT I GOT IN THE PRESS KIT, THERE'S A PHOTO OF YOU WEARING A GREAT SILVER JACKET. WHERE DID YOU GET THAT JACKET?
JM: OH, YOU WANT ONE? WHAT'S QUITE STRANGE IS THAT ALL THE FANS THAT FOLLOW BABYLON ZOO AROUND ARE EITHER STALKERS OR CLOTHES MAKERS. IT'S REALLY BIZARRE. WE GET SENT SO MUCH STUFF. SOMEBODY SENT ME THAT. THEY SEND THROUGH SILVER JACKETS, SPACE SUITS, ALL-IN-ONES, JEWELRY, THE LOT. IT'S QUITE AN INDIVIDUAL THING. IT'S LIKE INTERGALACTIC AVIATION.
KD: I GUESS THAT SHOULD BE MY GOAL, TO ACHIEVE POP STARDOM TO GET A LOT OF CLOTHING.
JM: OH, YEAH, LOT'S OF FREE THINGS! ISN'T THAT AMAZING? YOU CAN OPEN YOUR OWN SHOP AFTERWARDS WITH ALL THE FREEBIE CLOTHING YOU GET.
KD: SO PRETTY SOON WE CAN EXPECT THE JAS MANN THRIFT STORE WITH ALL THE STUFF YOU DON'T WEAR.
JM: I THINK YOU'LL GET THE NEW ATLANTIS STORE FOR ALL.

SPACEBOY
INTERVIEW BY TIM MARSH

SOME KIDS DREAM OF SCORING THE GOAL THAT WINS THE FA CUP FINAL. JAS MANN, GROWING UP IN BLEAK WOLVERHAMPTON, JUST WANTED TO BE A MUSICIAN.BUT WHEREAS MOST POPSTAR WANNABES MUST BE CONTENT WITH YODELLING INTO A HAIRBRUSH IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR JAS MANN HAS ALREADY EARNED ENOUGH DOUGH TO OUT SPRINT EVEN ALAN SHEARER.ARRIVING ON THE BACK OF A LEVI'S AD, BABYLON ZOO'S FIRST SINGLE 'SPACEMAN' SOLD A 1/4M COPIES IN ITS 1ST WEEK - THE FASTEST SELLING BRITISH DEBUT EVER, AND EMI'S FASTEST SELLING SONG SINCE THE BEATLES 'SHE LOVES YOU'.NOT ONLY DID IT SHIFT OVER 1M COPIES IN THE UK, SPACEMAN MADE NUMBER 1 ACROSS EUROPE, AND LOOKS SET TO BREAK IN THE STATES TO AN EXTENT BLUR AND OASIS CAN ONLY DROOL ABOUT.SO WHO IS THIS 24 YEAR OLD WUNDERKIND, WHO SEEMS TO HAVE EFFORTLESSLY SPLIT THE MUSIC PRESS DOWN THE MIDDLE?BORN IN BRITAIN TO SIKH PARENTS, JAS RETURNED TO INDIA AGED 3-YEARS OLD AND LIVED WITH HIS GRANDFATHER, SOAKING UP MEMORIES OF SUGAR CANE FIELDS AND SPIDER MONKEYS. MOST OF HIS ADOLESCENCE HOWEVER WAS SPENT BACK IN WOLVERHAMPTON WITH HIS 2 SISTERS, NO RECORDS, AND A DIET OF BOLLYWOOD VIDEOS AND SCI-FI.BUT WITH A NEW SINGLE DUE LATER THIS MONTH, CAN JAS OVERCOME THE 1-HIT WONDER LEAD BALLOON WHICH SUNK OTHER LEVI'S AD DERIVED HITSTERS LIKE STILTSKIN AND FREAKPOWER?

CL: WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP IN WOLVERHAMPTON?
JM: I THINK I TOOK ALL THE POSITIVE THINGS FROM BOTH CULTURES RATHER THAN THE NEGATIVE SIDE.I LIKED THE FACT THAT IT WASN'T 1-DIMENSIONAL. I LIKE THINGS LIKE THAT, IT KEEPS THE SOUL EXCITED. AND WANT THAT TO BE A GREAT POSITIVE INFLUENCE COMING FROM MY MUSIC.
CL: YOU'VE GOT A PRETTY WEIRD SOUND THERE JAS. WHO ARE YOUR MAJOR INFLUENCES?
JM: AT HOME I ONLY EVER REALLY LISTENED TO JAMES BOND THEMES AND ACTION MOVIE SOUNDTRACKS, SHIRLEY BASSEY, BIG STAR SPANGLED THINGS. ONLY NOW, DOING LOTS OF TV SHOWS AND LISTENING TO THE RADIO, I'M HEARING SO MUCH MORE.I FEEL LIKE A PIECE OF BLOTTING PAPER ABSORBING EVERYTHING.
CL: YOUR SINGLE 'THE BOY WITH THE X-RAY EYES' (RELEASED END OF AUGUST, EMI) IS REMIXED BY JUNGLE DON GOLDIE. WEIRD COLLABORATION IF I MAY SAY SO.
JM: GOLDIE CONTACTED OUR A&R AND ASKED TO DO IT. IT'S QUITE ODD HANDING OVER YOUR WORK TO PEOPLE TO COMPLETELY JIGGLE WITH IT. BUT GOLDIE DOES THE DANCE THING BETTER THAN I DO.
CL: DESPITE YOUR MASSIVE SALES, YOU ALSO SEEM TO PISS A LOT OF PEOPLE OFF. WHY? AND DOES IT BOTHER YOU?
JM: A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH ARRIVING AT NO.1 IN THE CHARTS WITH 'THAT' ADVERT. MUSIC JOURNALISTS COULDN'T SAY THEY'D DISCOVERED ME, I WAS ALREADY SUCCESSFUL. SOME PEOPLE WERE RESENTFUL, BUT NO IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME. I KNEW I WAS GOING TO GET A LOT OF FLACK FROM THE ADVERT. WHEN LEVI'S ASKED TO USE MY SONG [AFTER HEARING IT ON A DANCE SHOW ON PICCADILLY RADIO IN MANCHESTER] I DECIDED I'D RATHER SELL 3 MILLION SINGLES, THAN SPEND THE NEXT THREE YEARS SELLING 60,000 LIKE MOST BANDS DO. BUT I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DJ'S LIKE SIMON MAYO OPENING SUPERMARKETS AND THEN GOING ON RADIO AND BEING MR CREDIBLE AND CRITICISING ME.
CL: WHAT D'YOU THINK OF THE INTERNET?
JM: I FIND IT A LITTLE SLOW, AND IT SEEMS TO BE SLOWING DOWN RATHER THAN SPEEDING UP. I'VE LOOKED AT DOING THINGS ON THE NET, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE SO LUDDITE, SO BASIC ABOUT WHAT YOU PUT ON THERE, YOU'RE BETTER OFF PICKING UP A BOOK OR GOING TO THE CINEMA.IT DOESN'T SUIT MY CREATIVITY, BUT AS AN INFO SERVICE IT BEATS WACKING AROUND A MUSEUM.
CL: WHAT'S THIS I HEAR ABOUT YOU WORKING WITH ROBBIE WILLIAMS?
JM: YEAH, I BUMPED INTO ROBBIE IN MILAN. HE SEEMS TO LIKE WHAT ME AND ARTHUR BAKER DID WITH 'SPACEMAN' AND ASKED ME TO WRITE AND PRODUCE SOME STUFF FOR HIM.
CL: I HEAR YOU ARE GOOD FRIENDS WITH ITALIAN FOOTBALLER AND HEARTTHROB PAULO MALDINI.
JM: 1 OF THE PERKS OF BEING SUCCESSFUL IS THAT RECORD COMPANY ORGANISES MEETINGS LIKE THIS.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A HUGE FOOTBALL FAN, AND HE SEEMS TO LIKE MY MUSIC. IT'S A BIT OF A MUTUAL ADMIRATION SOCIETY. I THINK HE'S AN UNBELIEVABLE FOOTBALLER, AND A GREAT GUY.
CL: DO YOU PREFER TINKERING IN THE STUDIO OR JUMPING UP AND DOWN IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE?
JM: 100% LIVE, I LOVE LIVE. I AM THE BIGGEST SHOW OFF ON EARTH. STAGE IS ALL ABOUT SHOWING OFF, ANY ARTIST WHO SAYS NOT IS A LIAR.

ENVY MAGAZINE
JAS MANN
THE BRAINS BEHIND BABYLON ZOO TALKS ABOUT HIS MATE PAULO MALDINI, VEGAN
DIETS AND THE LOATHSOME PHENOMENA OF BACK SLAPPING CELEBRITIES.

EVEN THOUGH SPACEMAN WAS OF THE BIGGEST AND FASTEST SELLING SINGLES OF ALL TIME, YOU GOT A FAIR BIT OF FLACK FOR IT. DID IT ANNOY YOU WHEN CRITICS SAID THAT IT WOULDN'T HAVE DONE ANYTHING WITHOUT THE LEVI'S COMMERCIAL?
WITHOUT SOUNDING TOO RIDICULOUSLY OBVIOUS AND POMPOUS I HAVE TO SAY THAT CRITICS WILL ALWAYS SAY THINGS WHICH THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND. MY SUCCESS DID NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. I HAD BEEN PLAYING MUSIC SINCE I WAS ELEVEN YEARS OLD, HAD LEARNT NINE INSTRUMENTS AND THEN IT TOOK ME FOUR YEARS TO GET A RECORDING CONTRACT, SO I WASN'T SUDDENLY GETTING A BIG BREAK. I WAS PLEASED THAT THE ADVERT GAVE MY WORK EXPOSURE SO I DIDN'T REALLY CARE THAT MUCH ABOUT WHAT THEY SAID. PANICKING ABOUT WHETHER YOUR MUSIC IS CREDIBLE OR NOT IS A WASTE OF TIME, ANYWAY. IT'S ART AND ART IS NOT MEANT TO BE ANALYSED IN TERMS OF THE POP CHARTS.
WHY DO YOU THINK THAT THE FOLLOW UP SINGLES DIDN'T DO AS WELL?
PROBABLY BECAUSE NONE OF THEM WERE GIVEN RADIO AIRPLAY. ACTUALLY, "SPACEMAN" ONLY GOT IT BECAUSE THE RECORD WENT TO NUMBER ONE.I ALSO THINK THAT THE PRESS HAD A HARD TIME DEALING WITH WHAT I WAS. THEY SAW ME AS A ASIAN POPSTAR AND I REALLY RESENTED IT. AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED I WAS A ROCK AND ROLL ACT WHO JUST HAPPENED TO BE ASIAN. IF YOU ARE GOING TO PIGEON-HOLE PEOPLE LIKE THAT YOU MAY AS WELL THEN REFER TO ALL MUSICIANS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE. MAYBE THEY SHOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT CHART FOR PEOPLE WITH BIG EYEBROWS, THOSE WITH BEARDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
PERHAPS IT WAS THE SKIRT THAT THREW THEM . . .
YEAH, THAT AND THE SILVER TALONS. BUT WHY SHOULDN'T YOU DRESS LIKE THAT AND PLAY ROCK AND ROLL. I THINK SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS ODD THAT I WASN'T OUT EVERY NIGHT GETTING HAMMERED WITH THE OASIS' AND BLURS OF THIS WORLD AND TALKING ABOUT COUNTRY HOUSES WHEN I LIVE IN CHELSEA. NOW THAT'S FAKE. IF YOU HAVE AN IOTA OF INTELLIGENCE YOU CAN SEE THROUGH THAT FACADE. BUT THE REALLY FUNNY THING IS THAT TWO YEARS LATER, THE CLOTHES THAT MADE ME DIFFERENT ARE PART OF THE WHOLE MACHINE AND YOU SEE DAVID BECKHAM GOING OUT TO DINNER IN A SARONG. BUT I CAN'T BE BOTHERED TO GET TOO CYNICAL ABOUT IT. BESIDES, I'D RATHER GET UP PEOPLE'S NOSES.
DID YOU FEEL UNDER PRESSURE NOT TO BE A ONE TRICK PONY?
NO. IF I HAD WANTED TO FEEL SUCCESSFUL THEN I WOULD HAVE RELEASED MY SECOND ALBUM A LOT EARLIER. ALSO, I'M EQUALLY AS INTERESTED IN FASHION AND ART AS I AM IN MUSIC, SO I NEVER WANTED TO BE CHURNING OUT MASSIVE HITS ONE AFTER THE OTHER. WITH "SPACEMAN" I ACTUALLY ACHIEVED EVERYTHING I WANTED TO UNDER THE GUISE OF BABYLON ZOO. IT WAS INTERGALACTIC SPACE ROCK FOR THE 21ST CENTURY AND I'VE DONE THAT NOW. I NEVER WANTED TO BORE OTHER PEOPLE OR MYSELF, BUT THERE CAME A TIME WHEN I WAS IN INTERVIEWS THINKING TO MYSELF, "YOU'RE SO BORING, SHUT-UP". IT WAS LIKE PORRIDGE WAS POURING OUT OF MY MOUTH AND IT FELT HORRENDOUS.
AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE SEEN AS MAKING A COMEBACK. IS THAT STRESSFUL?
NOT REALLY. I'VE BEEN DOING LOADS OF OTHER THINGS, SO I'M NOT JUST FOCUSED ON MY MUSIC. I'VE JUST GOT BACK FROM LA WHERE I'VE BEEN MAKING A FILM. I PLAY AN INTERGALACTIC HITCH-HIKER. IT'S FUNNY, I ALWAYS GET OFFERED ROLES TO DO WITH SPACE AND THE FUTURE. MIND YOU I'M HARDLY LIKELY TO BE INUNDATED WITH SCRIPTS FOR PERIOD DRAMAS CONSIDERING I AM SLIGHTLY COFFEE COLOURED. IT'S JUST NOT REALLY DONE IS IT? I HOPE THAT PEOPLE LISTEN TO MY LATEST ALBUM, BUT THE LAST SINGLE DIDN'T GET ANY AIRPLAY EITHER, SO WE'LL SEE. I'VE ALREADY SOLD OVER FIVE MILLION RECORDS IN MY CAREER, SO I RECKON I HAVEN'T DONE TOO BADLY.
DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL STILL SEE YOU AS A BIT SPOOKY?
SPOOKY? HA HA. I DON'T THINK I'M SPOOKY, WELL, IT'S NOT LIKE I SET OUT TO BE WEIRD, I JUST LIVE IN AN INTENSIVELY CREATIVE WAY. I'VE SPENT MOST OF MY LIFE SITTING IN A ROOM WRITING, I'M HAPPIEST DOING THAT. UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S SO DIFFICULT TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT ATTITUDE WITHOUT SOUNDING TOTALLY PRETENTIOUS. ANYWAY, THE POP WORLD LIKES TO MAKE CARICATURES OF PEOPLE, SO BACK THEN I PLAYED UP TO IT. I REMEMBER POINTING A LOT AT PEOPLE WITH MY LONG CHROME FINGERNAILS AND THAT MADE THEM THINK I WAS A BIT ODD.DON'T WORRY, I DO GET FRESH AIR AND STUFF.
WHAT WAS THE MOST BIZARRE THING THAT HAPPENED TOO YOU IN YOUR HEIGHT OF FAME?
I WAS INVITED BY NASA TO GO AND TRAIN WITH THEIR ASTRONAUTS AT THEIR TEST SITE IN BELGIUM, AS PART OF A CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE NASA IN EUROPE. I HAD TO WEAR A JUMPSUIT AND SHARE A DORMITORY WITH THESE STRANGE CHARACTERS FROM IDAHO AND EXPERIENCE LIFE IN SPACE. THEY WOULD HOLD THESE PRESS CONFERENCES IN THE EVENING AND YOU WOULD GET THE ASTRONAUTS BEING ASKED THESE REALLY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GALAXY, AND THEN THEY WOULD TURN TO ME AND GO, "HEY, WE REALLY LIKED THE CHORD STRUCTURE ON YOUR LATEST SINGLE". SURREAL. THE BEST BIT WAS THE POWDERED NEAPOLITAN ICE CREAM, WHICH REALLY DID TASTE LIKE THE REAL THING. EXCEPT IT WASN'T THAT COLD, OF COURSE.
WERE YOU EVER STALKED?
THERE WAS ONE GIRL WHO WOULD TURN UP AT AIRPORTS AND HAND ME THESE DRAWINGS OF ME STANDING NEXT TO SAINTS.IT STARTED TO GET A BIT WEIRD WHEN SHE WAS SPOTTED IN THE ARRIVALS LOUNGE OF EVERY PLACE I VISITED. I THOUGHT SHE MUST BE REALLY RICH TO FOLLOW ME AROUND LIKE THAT, BUT IT TURNED OUT SHE WAS A SLIGHTLY UNHINGED AIRLINE STEWARDESS.THERE WAS ALSO THIS AUSTRIAN FAMILY WHO TRAVELLED OVER IN A CAMPER-VAN TO SIT OUTSIDE MY PARENT'S HOUSE IN WOLVERHAMPTON FOR WEEKS ON END. THEY WERE BIZARRE.WHEN THEY LEFT AUSTRIA THEY HAD NO ADDRESS, NOTHING, BUT STILL MANAGED TOO FIND MY MUM'S HOME. IT WAS LIKE "CHALLENGE ANNEKA". OH, AND SOME GIRL IN SYDNEY TRAIPSED ROUND AFTER ME FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE CHARGING AT ME WITH A KNIFE. SHE WAS MAULED TO THE GROUND BEFORE ANYTHING NASTY HAPPENED.
WAS IT A RELIEF WHEN THE HYPE DIED DOWN, OR DID YOU MISS IT?
TO BE HONEST, I NEVER REALLY BELIEVED IN IT. IF I HAD BEEN A MET BAR REGULAR, YOU KNOW, A LANGUISH IN MY FAME TYPE THEN IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE MADE ME MISERABLE, BUT I AM SO NOT LIKE THAT. I HATE ALL THAT CELEBRITY BACKSLAPPING, IT'S UTTER ARSE. I KNOW IT SOUNDS CORNY, BUT I ENTERED THE MUSIC INDUSTRY BECAUSE I LOVE PLAYING ROCK AND ROLL,NOT BECAUSE I WANTED MEMBERSHIP AT BROWNS OR BLACKS OR WHATEVER NEW COLOUR THEY HAPPENED TO NAME A BAR AFTER THAT WEEK.
YOUR FIRST BAND, THE SANDKINGS, TOURED WITH THE HAPPY MONDAYS. DID YOU USED TO GO CLUBBING WITH SEAN AND BEZ?
I WAS MORE FRIENDLY WITH MANNY AND IAN BROWN FROM THE STONE ROSES. WE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD TIMES WHEN I WAS ABOUT 17. I REMEMBER ON ONE OCCASION JUST BEFORE THEY GOT REALLY FAMOUS THEY DID THIS SHOW IN A SMALL VENUE IN MANCHESTER. WE WENT IN TO CHECK OUT THE STAGE AND BY THE TIME WE GOT BACK OUT ONTO THE ROAD, ALL THE INSTRUMENTS HAD BEEN STOLEN FROM THE BACK OF THE VAN. WHEN MANNY CAME OUT WE TOLD HIM WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND HE JUST SAID, "DOESN'T MATTER, I'VE GOT A SHOOTER IN THE BACK". I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOD, I'M USED TO BLACK SABBATH BITING THE HEADS OFF CHICKENS BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS. FORTUNATELY, THE GEAR HAD BEEN DUMPED DOWN THE ROAD.
WHO ELSE WAS IN THE ORIGINAL BABYLON ZOO?
IT WAS REALLY JUST ME. I HIRED A LOAD OF SESSION MUSICIANS TO TOUR AND DO PERSONAL APPEARANCES. IT REALLY ANNOYED ME WHEN THE TABLOIDS HAD A GO AT ME FOR GETTING RID OF HALF OF THEM, WHEN I WAS PERFECTLY IN MY RIGHTS. I WAS DOING THIS SHOOT ALL DAY AND THREE OF THE BAND DECIDED TO GO TO THIS PARTY AND GET COMPLETELY DRUNK. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER I HEARD THAT THEY HAD GOT INTO A BIT OF A RUCKUS WITH SOME GIRLS AT THE DO AND HAD PUT ONE OF THEM THROUGH A WINDOW. I SACKED ALL THREE OF THEM IMMEDIATELY.THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GOING TO HAVE THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE REPRESENTING MY MUSIC, IT'S JUST NOT WHAT I AM ABOUT.
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, YOU BECAME VERY ILL. WHAT WAS WRONG WITH YOU?
I HAD BEEN TRAVELLING FOR NINE MONTHS NON-STOP, AVERAGING FOUR FLIGHTS A WEEK AND IT EVENTUALLY TOOK IT'S TOLL.I WENT DOWN TO EIGHT STONE, PROBABLY BECAUSE I WAS A VEGAN AND IN SOME PLACES I VISITED IT HAD BEEN DIFFICULT TO FIND A STEADY SUPPLY OF FOODS THAT I COULD EAT. BY THE TIME I REACHED ITALY I WAS EIGHT STONE, TOTALLY EXHAUSTED AND DANGEROUSLY DEHYDRATED. I ENDED UP IN HOSPITAL IN MILAN WITH ALL THESE TUBES COMING OUT OF ME. BUT IT ACTUALLY TURNED OUT TO BE QUITE GOOD FUN AS A FEW DAYS LATER, FIVE OF THE AC MILAN PLAYERS WERE ADMITTED WITH FOOD POISONING, SO WE WERE PUT IN THE SAME WING. WE CAUSED CHAOS.
HAVE YOU REMAINED FRIENDS WITH ANY OF THE AC MILAN BOYS?
ME AND PAULO MALDINI HAVE BECOME QUITE CLOSE. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH THE ITALIANS WORSHIP HIM THOUGH. ONE NIGHT, ME, PAULO AND ANOTHER FRIEND WENT OUT TO DINNER TOGETHER AND ORDERED THREE TUBORG BEERS. WE WAITED FOR AGES THEN JUST AS WE WERE ABOUT TO ORDER DESERT THE DRINKS ARRIVED. THE THREE BOTTLES WERE COVERED IN WHITE LABELS AND SOMEONE HAD WRITTEN "TUBORG" ON EACH ONE. THE RESTAURANT HAD BEEN TOO AFRAID TO TELL PAULO THEY HAD RUN OUT OF BEER AND HAD SPENT ALL THAT TIME RUNNING AROUND TRYING TO FIND SOME STICKERS TO DISGUISE ANOTHER BRAND. PAULO THOUGHT IT WAS HYSTERICAL. THE WAITER WAS MORTIFIED.
HAS HE TAUGHT YOU ANY ITALIAN?
YES, AND IT'S ALL SHOCKING. ON A RECENT TRIP TO ITALY I ENDED UP SAYING TO SOME GIRL, "YOU'VE GOT MASSIVE TITS AND YOUR MOTHER LOOKS LIKE A FERRET".

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