This article is, I suppose, a companion to the Death In June piece which is inevitable as I saw In The Nursery support them at a gig at the Brixton Fridge. As I said in the other piece, the event was memorable because of the atmosphere both bands established. sadly it seems that only DIJ have had the attention which In The Nursery deserve even though the band has released its own video, a mini-album and a few singles. (More of that later...) I myself dismiss all of the controversy attached with DIJ but surely there are pitholes with being linked with them and the NER label?

Anthony: I do not think there are many pitholes from associating with Death In June but there are many manholes here and there which we don't dismiss lightly. It is very worrying that the press have gone to town recently with their so called 'exposes' of bands who they would like to think of as 'fascists'. Kirk Brandon got a lot of stick after his Polish Tour and now DIJ are under the hammer. Don't you think it's a bit strange when only five years ago, these individuals, then 'Crisis', were labelled as extreme lefties. Well I'm not going to offer excuses for DIJ other than I know them and they are good people. I personally, am what you might call an extreme 'lefty' and if I thought I was wilfully perpetuating anything which was in the least bit reactionary, I would be horrified. Our slide shows depict a wide and varied range of images but no-one could miss a whacking great slide of Lenin which appears after the song 'Iskra' which incidentally was the newspaper of the Bolshevik Party. I'm sure if DIJ were of an adroit persuasion they wouldn't have anything to do with us. As far as our association goes, we have two choices - either have nothing else to do with them or to continue our very rewarding relationship. If we were to take the first option we would only be giving some credit to this media myth therefore we will continue to work with DIJ and hopefully contribute to putting the record straight.

Nigel: Unfortunately people believe all that they read in the music journals and it's appalling when an individual can create a slur on a group and cause so much damage to their future.

Bullfrog: I don't think that everyone believes all that they read. With the NME or Sounds you have to pick and choose what you consider to be the truth. Also it isn't just the journalists who lie. How can you tell if a band is just making it all up for a joke or to cover up? At the gig I saw the band crash about with a whole variety of drums. It looked as if they had plundered the London Symphony Orchestra's drum section. Later in a review of the evening they said that"they couldn't afford a drum-kit" - What was it all about? Why did they 'adore' the drum, such a symbolic and evocative instrument?

Nigel: The quote in the NME claiming that we couldn't afford a drum-kit was totally fabricated. When we first started, over three years ago, we had a drummer with a kit, he left and that provided us with a chance to incorporate marching drums. Ever since then we have built up our collection. The military style drumming is now being mixed with orchestral drum techniques. Our sings are now more 'filmic' in their arrangements. In addition the use of the guitar has slowly been dropped.

Anthony: It was a conscious decision to use military and old orchestral drums as we were wary of the potential restrictions which a conventional drum-kit can impose, aurally as well as physically. The drums we use were specifically built as acoustic instruments and thus there resultant sounds are unique. This, together with their powerful visual impact, provides us with a very individual arena to explore. There is no doubt about the fact that drums are symbolic, evocative and seductive instruments. One might even say fetishistic. A long history of their use is present in every culture on earth, therefore each type of drum or drumming has its own implications which the spectator uses or abuses to his or her own ends. My own style of drumming is very influenced by the music of Irish Republican marching bands and the 'KODO' drummers of Sado and the inherent emotive implications of these have moulded my own, what one might call, 'percussive philosophy'. However apparent this may be, since I try to avoid plagiarism.

BF: I first read about ITN in a copy of Grim Humour fanzine and since then a few unexplained 'influences on ITN', which the 'zine listed, have puzzled me. What is influential about Burial?

Klive: The article was, as stated, my opinions and not the groups. The first list was meant to serve as stepping stones, compiled to stimulate. Explanations of them one by one isn't necessary (I think it is, otherwise they fail to stimulate) but as you asked....Burial is a strange enactment of remembrance, that draws closer the myth of Earth Mother. Its influence for me? An interest in death, a preoccupation towards an understanding. Leni Rienfenstahl? (Provocative rather than stimulating? Bullfrog)...I'm entranced by her use of imagery and editing. It's poetic, romantic and masterful. Yes, provocative because her work does reach and penetrate just that little bit more than other filmmakers, both then and today. Eyes ? Eyes convey trust. 1961 ? When myself and Nigel were born. The Moors ? The beauty of the Moors conjures up so much for me. Inspiration. We have filmed up on the Moors many times. I go there often.

BF: Death seems to inspire so many groups these days. Your own slide show seems to be littered with infamous murderers. After the Hindley slide there was almost bated silence from the audience waiting for Charles Manson to appear. It all seems cliched. What do you think?

Nigel: I first have to say that there are no more than three or four slides depicting murderers - and of these, only one has the faces of Brady & Hindley. This was used to depict a lost search on barren land. The other slides are of Richard Bruno Haufmann, the alleged kidnapper and murderer in the Lindbergh case. These are used mainly for the facial expressions. Admittedly, my brother and I do have a certain fascination for criminals and murderers but I cannot see how you manage to come to such a conclusion without knowing us personally. It is interesting though. perhaps the brief and small glimpse of Myra Hindley led you to imagine that the other faces that appeared later, were of infamous murderers?

BF: Anyway, after setting that record straight we turn back to their products. They do have a 30 minute video tape available for all you people with VHS vcr's. It is a 5 track visual version of the mini-LP and titled in the same way, 'When Cherished Dreams Come True'. If you would like to watch it then send £9 for a prerecorded copy or a blank tape and £3 How did they produce the tape at such a cheap price?

Klive: It was produced around the soundtrack of the mini-LP. Since we had been using videos in our live presentations and I had been making and working with video at Art College, we decided to compile old and new material and produce a cheap half hour documentation for our visuals and songs. Dave Henderson from Sounds, took to it quickly and his favourable review brought a good response from people who wanted a copy. We produced it with very little money, just effort and enthusiasm and the use of college video equipment. Looking back at it now, it has served as a satisfying document and marks a certain stage in our progression. We do have plans to work on new video projects but this time we have bigger, elaborate plans and visions which will require more finance.

BF: Why did you individually screenprint the covers for the mini-LP? Did you wish to move away from mass production and add an individual touch for each record?

Nigel: We had the opportunity and the facilities to hand silkscreen each of the 1,000 gatefold covers. We wanted to present something that bit different and also appealing. It turned out to be very, very hard work but rewarding at the same time. All of the artwork and design had been undertaken by us, so the printing was a final personal touch.

BF: Finally, how did you feel about the Fridge gig and its subsequent NME review?

Nigel: We all enjoyed playing that night. We were a bit cramped on stage and could have had a better foldback sound, but the atmosphere was good and the crowd receptive. I personally felt that the review was beneficial for us. It actually analysed what we presented and made some observations which reflect what I see as characteristics of the group, and that is strange for someone totally unknown to us, to grasp some of our intentions.

BF: Just room to say that a 12" record has been released on NER. Called 'Sonority' it is out now. Also two ITN tracks on the NER compilation 'From Torture to Conscience', featuring 'Death In June' and others.

Taken from Bullfrog fanzine - July 1985