I'm Derek Martin, a fan from Prince Edward Island, on Canada's east coast.

A Japanese friend of me did me a big favour & translated the Devoto/Noko interview that appears in the Japanese edition of It Only Looks as if it Hurts that came with the Beast Box Box Set. The language is pleasantly mangled after going from English to Japanese and back again, but I quite enjoyed it.

Translated by Machiko, original interviewer unknown.

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What lucky I was that I could see Howard Devote in London, where the wind is blowing as if it was storm, in February.

I phoned the office of Beggars Banquet to contact him and to my surprise a lady said that he was available now, as if she tried to connect another artists.

Besides, it was very kind of them to come to the hotel where I was staying to give me an interview. Nothing could be more absurd than that!

As I have been a fan of MAGAZINE, to say nothing of BUZZCOCKS, I would welcome exciting time as like my heart was jumping out.

I never have been given such a tense moment ever!

Howard Devote, who put a black hat on with walking silently and Noko, who is Howard's partner in LUXURIA and took their tapes with him as a material showed up the hotel. Howard is thirty-seven and Noko twenty-eight. Howard is so quite. Although Noko usually speaks so fast, he was acting like Howard's secretary in this time.

Are you busy?

Howard (H): Quite. It is like there is a mountain of stuff had to do, although we just finished recording.

Could you give me a concept of Beast Box, I just got a sample tape though.

H: The word` BEAST BOX` was used in 70's and hints that it mean an album with a heavy theme. Therefore, it doesn't fit this case at all. We have a song named The Beast Box is dreaming, though. But BEAST BOX it self exist in each songs. Some takes it for religious and other one for something from the universe or something like which has mysterious power. There must be people who think it of splendid scientific discovery. These are main ideas for that song and reflect for other songs as well. It is not big deal if BEAST BOX exists in blain or on TV.

Noko (N): Like unconscious dream or nightmare or spirit of human being.

H: As to ultimate dream which is expressed in song, I think that the dream exists in the inside of BEAST BOX. And then we watch it standing in front of it, which is exhibited in a museum or wherever. The most horrible sight of human being. According to this album, to their disappointment, the first half of it may be easy, in a manner of speaking. But it depends on each individual to decide how well, how like however. Also nobody can criticize how the album is because of the variety of contents. All they have to do first is to feel appeal from the inside by them.

Could we get explanation about the lyrics of songs?

H: Those two songs, Smoking Mirror and I been expecting you, seem to include something so serious, I think. About the words, human right, all sorts of this world and so on come out one after another. When it comes to write a song, we need to approach it from all angles. Without it, the song would be a bore one as like a lot of records already have become bore with an atmosphere, a style of music.

Is it hugely different from poetry and lyrics for you?

H: Although lyrics of song catch some part of poetry, I don't think it lyrics. Lyrics should coexist with music all time. On the other hand, though lyrics must compromise music more, this brings music depth. I can't think about lyrics without thinking about music.

How do you two make songs?

H: However it is up to songs, Speaking of Our Curious Leader, Noko made an idea developed to make the song. A few months ago, we took notes about the first part of this song and we thought that it might be fun to sing it like a national anthem. We used a phrase that we had been keeping for three years. There were times we kept thinking between evolution and stagnation of lyrics. We wrote lyrics before music for Ticket, didn't we? Lyrics is the most important, smallest element for music and that's why we started from lyrics. And Noko added music to it and also tried to make it sound pure. Well, it may be easy that lyrics or concept comes first. And then we build melody and compose with Noko's guitar.

Does just two of you compose LUXURIA? Are you guys standing at equal position?

N: Definitely. Just two of us. Although we use a particular band whenever we live, there is nobody with us when we record.

H: The difference of age means the difference of generation for us. Each generation is called to be changed in three years time. But both generation and age have nothing with music, ever. As well carrier. The most important thing is what if we have same kind of way of thinking and feeling.

Why did you choose music as a resort to express yourself?

H: I was influenced by music when I was in adolescence. Just by simple pop music, though. But music was as much as what changed my life.

Was it pop music? Not punk music?;

H: Although punk music was so exciting for me, I already been involved in music. But, there is no special meaning for that word, Pop music.

Who is you favorite musician who has been your favorite from then?

H: Bob Dylan. He was so special for me. But I didn't think about being musician ever at that time, even if I had duty that I have to complete.

When is the hardest time for you?

H: The time when we produced solo album. And we spent so hard time after that. Because I couldn't be complete satisfied with the album and it showed us how different it was from album which we had expected at first. Also my business as a solo artist wasn't good at the same time. But I didn't want to back to the group and it took long time to find a person who helps me. To be honest, I wanted to find as soon as possible.

When did you meet Noko first?

H: I think in 1986. I was playing both in Peat Sherry Band and in BANKER & UMBRELLA, which was managed by same manager as Magazine.

By the way, how personality was you when you were kid?

H: I was so vague and didn't remember what I did or I cared in adolescent. It's just vague like neither I was too smart nor had a brilliant memory. In a sense, it was so hard for me to live. I was just looking around the world and tried also still try to find the reason, even I don't know how come. Like why so or why I had to fight against such a hardness to live. There were people around me who could manage to handle these situations well but I just couldn't do it. I dare say I wasn't happy at that time.

Did you drive yourself into a tight corner because of the way of thinking you wanted to be perfect? Or the other hands, were you introspective?

H: I don't know. I may be so in another way. I wish I would be the best as much as I can. But I don't want to get anything more than my ability. I think people sometimes have to be introspective as long as I need to be so to know essence.

According to your personality, do you think you are aggressive?

H: I may be so. When I entered into the world of music, I became I was enthusiastic suddenly and adapted to totally different situation which I used to have, like unhappy life. I was full of angry and unmoral. It is kind like of essence of punk rock, I think. But it is the most important that I have something with Iggy Pop. To my always surprise about Iggy Pop, he also has another side. Although the person, like John Lydon, is harmless, Iggy Pop is totally different for him. He is also aggressive but at the same time he has experienced a lot lest he was hurt. I think it's really great. Generally speaking, most of male performers are tend to use a various kind of aggressive way to perform but the other hand it's so hard to handle it. Our music has not only such a element but also has a kind of poison. It means our music has two different sides, aggressive and poison. I wish we could appeal them in this album, especially. First one was terrible, though.

Is there your favorite productions during you have been playing?

H: This is tough question. It's hard to say which is better than the other one, because I was always satisfied no matter which albums we made with BUZCOKS and in MAGAZINE. But I don't keep making songs to say that this one is the best. I lived at that time as much as I could and although I still like these bands with which I had been playing, it's no use mentioning about the past and friends in those days, now. Beast Box has just been completed.

I think although Howard will have been in solitude from the past to the future, what position do you objectivity think that LUXURIA stay in music scene?

H: I really appreciate you think of me so. But I never paid attention to how people think about me. I am more interested in something beyond time or looking for the way of coexistence between tradition and modern. I don't think what we are doing in is not traditional but so general. It is doubtful to be just modern unnecessary. According to BEAST BOX, we use modern musical element, like house but it doesn't mean we stick the modern style. What we are thought that our music is modern is not always bad as long as we know which direction we are heading now. We are not going to give us a piece of our own mind, like R&R or country whatever. Also we don't want to do anything as if it would disappear in a flash. Also, I am interested in keep singing and listening to another voice.

Do you always sing with wishing to change listener's mind?

H: Yes, I have been singing with thinking so.

Do you have any special message, which you want to send listeners?

H: I hope they will have flexible mind to adapt any kind of changing. Things is not always as same as before.

Is there any plan in your future to reflect the deep inside of you to your music?

H: Just to keep doing what we are doing now. I don't think I can express everything whatever I want to write through music but I also don't think the time hasn't been showed up yet. Before the time comes, I have to make sure what I want to write, express or the methodology. Of course, we can't do a couple of things at the same time. I can't do anything else but the one thing, which I decided to do now, because of my personality. In that situation, music is only thing what I have been doing ever since. That's why I think this is the best way for me to express about me by music.

What are you afraid most in your life?

H: Well, I don't have such a special thing but I dare say nothing out if the ordinary. It's like death of my father, romantic love or romantic sexual love, whatever.

And how about the most important thing?

H: Let me see, for example the moment when I feel I don't leave anything to be regretted later even if I die now. How do you think we can have such a moment? It looks impossible if we had a lot of usual things to have to be done, doesn't it?

By the way, how about Noko? What music have you been selecting to play?

N: Well, Bob Dylan is still my favorite artist. His voice is really attractive. As I am guitarist, I often listen to guitar music. I played the guitar as if I played it for movie in my band, BANKER & UMBRELLA. I have been interested in movie music, which create imagination.

H: Have you seen a movie named Miller by Tarcovski? He is brilliant director who can make perfect movie. When I read the article which he talked about the movie, it reminded me of the same experience I had before. He said he was in deep shit when he edited the movie but suddenly everything went all right as if blood runs through body. To be honest, I have same feeling at the album. I hope if somebody understand it.

After the interview, they agreed willingly to be taken pictures and also invited me to go to Hyde Park together. Despite they said they totally run out their energy to make the BEAST BOX, it is heavy enough to give listener a lot of stimulus. Although we have to listen carefully to reach the world which Howard require, this is awesome album, because the more you listen the more substantial we will be. So, that's why the fact they have already headed energetically toward live makes me so glad but at the same time scared me. According their words, it doesn't look so far away when they will come to Japan. Nothing can do but expect that.

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