Welcome back to 120 minutes, I'm Matt Pinfeld and I'm here with my special guest, Björk.
Good to have you, Björk.
Hi, good to be here.
Really glad you stopped by.
Now you have a new album out called Telegram, which is a bunch of remixes of some of your
songs.
There's a new song, My Spine, but one of the things I wanted to bring up is over the years,
in days of the sugar cubes, because I DJ'd clubs for a long time, there were always interesting
remixes of songs coming out, all the way back from Birthday and Cold Sweat, all the way
up.
And even on your first two solo albums, the remixes that would come up of Human Behavior
or Big Time Sensuality, you were always employing and incorporating remixes pretty much through
your whole career.
Is that something, how do you look at remixing as an art form?
Is it something that you see as taking a totally different direction?
I think ever since music started, music started before even man existed, because they found
those flutes with monkeys, even before the man started, so they were playing flutes before
us.
I've always had this thing about having many versions of each song, a bit like saying there's
many sides to every story.
So I really like that, because it just gives you another angle of the same thing, as long
as you focus on what was originally the character of the song, and never lose that, stay that
completely focused, and it's just like a turn-on, because it's exciting, it's a turn-on to
investigate that, the other side of the song if you want.
Right, and is that one of the things that you found interesting?
Because here's a piece of work, a song that you've written or worked on, and you give
it to someone else and it's their interpretation, I mean they've reworked it, they had some
different instrumentation, or they maybe minimalize it and pull it back, or there's different
things, I mean that's got to be a completely different, it's got to be a great experience
to actually hear that and see that being done.
Well I always go so chuffed and so grateful when people that I respect very, very much
show that much interest in my work, to actually throw it on the mixing desk and have a play
with it, and maybe create something there that wasn't there, like add to it, so I just
go really, you know, like grateful, you know, like I'm flattered that they care.
Yeah, and they do, and they've done some amazing work, and we're going to talk more with you
about it in just a little while, we'll be back with Bjork in just a few, right now we're
going to show you the second video from the second Bush album, Razor Blade Suitcase, now
this video is a big hit for her, and it's the second video from that second album.
I'm back with Bjork, I'm Matt Pinfield, and we're talking about the new album called Telegram.
Now let's talk a bit about some of the songs on there now, obviously there's a lot of different
things that have been remixed before, but my spine is a new chuck, you decided to record
one new song, and tell me a bit about the woman you worked with on that.
Oh she's gorgeous, she's called Evelyn Glennie, and she is my age from Scotland, and is probably
one of the few classical percussionists in the world, like she's very like so after,
and she's got like a very fresh approach, you know, to what she does, and we kind of
got this kind of like, kind of started getting really interested in each other, and then
I visited her to Oxford, and we improvised for one day in her garage, which is full of
all these kind of quite exotic drums and things that you can touch and play with or whatever,
and she had made herself out of exhaust pipes she had found in the area, this kind of xylophone,
and so we kind of looked in each other's eyes, had a lot of tea and biscuits as they do where
she lives, and just improvised, and this song came from that, called My Spine.
Wow, so it's actually exhaust pipes from cars, and what did she do, did she actually cut
them to the size so she'd get different sounds out of them, like a xylophone?
I don't know, I didn't even want to know, because it would take the mystery away, I
just thought, what a woman, quite a woman.
That's great to create a thing, percussion and instruments.
We'll talk more with Bjork in just a bit, so keep tuned right here to 120, we'll be
back in just a minute.
Coming back to 120 minutes, I'm Matt Pinfield, and sitting next to me is Bjork, and it's
so nice to have you here, hanging out on a late night, relaxing, pillow, love pad, chill
kind of atmosphere, but anyway, let's talk a bit about the new video for I Miss You.
It's really amazing, some of the videos that you've turned out over the years, going back,
even to things like, I mentioned the off camera motor crash, all the way up through Army of
Me and Human Behavior, and really interesting videos that you've done, and it's also quiet,
obviously, the whole BuzzFeed Berkeley, that thing was amazing, it was beautiful.
But let's talk a bit about the new one, because it's John Kaye from Ren and Stimpy, has done
this animated piece of you, and you definitely lend yourself well to animation, because you
got so much character.
Tell me a bit about how you came to work with John.
Okay, well I've just been really spoiled rotten, because I worked with really, really good
people, you see, and since I was a teenager in Iceland, we ran this label, and people
were doing low budget films, and everything do-it-yourself, attitudes, punk, okay, I can
be an artist too, you know, and all that, which is good for experimentation and experience
and all that, and then after that, I'd just been meeting all these directors, who both,
I'm really flattered, they're really interested in my song, and really make a big effort to
understand what I'm on about, which sometimes is a bit hard to get, you know, and they do,
and John Kaye, like the last of, you know, that I've worked with, you know, was just
brilliant, because I'm his, he's just saved my life so many times, Ren and Stimpy, you
know, stuff that he did, he like created them, but again, you know, I've got to stress, he
like created them, and did the first episodes, and then somebody else took over, and you
can really, really see the difference, you know, but his ones are all gutsy and full
of life and admiration for reality, and I'm, you know, I'm a sucker for stuff like that,
you know, and, but it's all his work, and you see all the drawings he made of me, you
know, it took half a year for him and like 40 mates of his, he's been sending me stuff
back and forth, we've been talking about it, and everything, and it's like really flattering
how he's drawn me, that look, that sexy, like really, like, whoa.
You look great, I didn't do anything, but you look great, yeah, I'm like really, and
all the things that happen in it too, he's a genius, junkies, yeah, it's amazing, I think
people, of course they saw it last week as well, but it's time to see it again, let's
show it to everybody right now, it's such a great video, let's check out Bjork, and
this is from Telegram, and I Miss You, in 120 minutes.
I miss you, but I haven't met you yet, so special, but it hasn't happened yet, you
are gorgeous, but I haven't met you yet, I remember, but it hasn't happened yet, I
haven't been given my best souvenir, but I haven't met you yet, so special, but I haven't
met you yet, I remember, but it hasn't happened yet, I haven't been given my best souvenir,
I miss you, but I haven't met you yet, I know your habits, but will I ignite you yet,
I miss you, but I haven't met you yet, I know your habits, but will I ignite you yet, I
know your habits, but will I ignite you yet, I know your habits, but will I ignite you
yet, I know your habits, but will I ignite you yet, I know your habits, but will I ignite
you yet, I know your habits, but will I ignite you yet, I know your habits, but will I ignite
I'm so impatient, I can't stand the wait.
When will I get my car down? Who are you?
I know by now that you and I are by the time I start waiting.
I miss you.
Bonus minor threat cover on the end of that.
Anyway, I'm Matt Pymfield, and I'm here with Bjork.
And let's talk a bit about your recording career started when you were a young kid.
Back in Iceland, when you were about 11 years old, right?
Yeah.
You did your first record, and I've read, I'd love to hear that you did The Beatles' Fool on the Hill on there.
Yeah, we did six Icelandic songs, and we did four covers, which was translated to Icelandic.
It was that exciting for an 11-year-old.
What other songs did you cover besides Fool on the Hill on there?
One by Stevie Wonder.
Which one was it?
Your Kiss is Sweet, it's called.
I was introduced to a studio with all the knobs, and they did all the fancy tricks for me, playing my voice really fast,
so I sounded like Donald Duck, and backwards, and all that stuff.
I was just mesmerized, you know?
Yeah, it must have been exciting at 11.
And it went gold in Iceland, the record?
Yep, 3,000 copies.
3,000 copies, it's great, it's amazing.
It's all relative to the population in every country, and that's what that's all about, really.
That's really excellent.
Now, you've come to actually work, so many artists have been, like you said, besides directors,
many artists have been really interested in your work, too, from Madonna with Bedtime Stories,
and you work with Tribe Called Quest and some stuff.
How did the Madonna thing come about, and how do you feel about her as an artist?
Well, I think she approached Nelly Hooper, who we were like the team who did Debut, my first record.
He's a great producer, yeah.
Yeah, he's gorgeous, Nelly is.
And Nelly came up with the idea, I'm not sure if it came from her or him,
and that we would do some stuff from her, kind of like, because we were still warm after Debut.
And I at first didn't feel it was right, because Debut was such a personal thing for me,
and it's just like the songs I've written was written from my heart,
and it's a question, maybe she should write from her heart or something like that.
But then suddenly I thought, okay, get an angle, and because I'm an outsider,
I could sort of maybe write a lyric for another mouth, and that suddenly became very exciting to me, you know?
And I ended up finishing doing the song, but I've never met her or anything,
but I think she's a very, very brave person.
And what I like probably most about her is that way she's sort of stuck to her guns as a character, you know?
Yeah, absolutely.
And sometimes she obviously has to go through a lot of struggle to just stay her, I guess, you know?
Yeah, absolutely. But it's a good song, you did a really good job with that as well.
Oh, thanks a lot.
And we're going to actually show a video when we come back right after this break of a song that is remixed on Telegram,
but we're going to show you the original version from Post just after this, so don't go away.
Yeah, she had a ton of
There is no more uncertainty.
And welcome back to 120 Minutes.
I'm Matt Pinfield and I've been speaking with Bjork tonight
and we're going to speak a little more right now.
Now there's a new biography out on you at this point.
Is that true Bjork?
I'm hearing about a book that's been written about you.
Yeah, I wasn't too into it, you know.
I think when people write a biography about you
it sort of means you've done all your best
and squeezed everything out of the toothpaste
and you're just going to like retire after that
or something.
There's absolutely no way I'm stopping now.
I've just died.
You've just begun.
I've got at least 50 years to go.
Absolutely.
But you know, freedom of expression and all that, you know.
So he did his book, but yeah, no comment.
Yeah, I understand.
So let's talk about a couple of...
I mean you've worked with Outkast over there
and let's talk about some of the people you've worked with
in remixing.
What are some of the things on Telegram
that you, some of the songs you found most interesting?
Obviously I'm sure you like them all.
But tell me about some of the marriages
of the people that you worked with in doing the remixes
that maybe things that came up as a surprise musically.
Is there someone in particular
that you worked with on the record?
Oh, it's so emotional for me to make music
and I've been very lucky
because I've worked with so many people
and every collaboration has been very special, you know.
And I never collaborate with people
just because or something.
It always just has like a natural, you know,
foreplay if you want.
And it all sort of has to be,
it has to be really sensitive
and really open and really right, you know.
And if the chemistry ain't right,
you just, no.
You actually never end up doing a song, you know.
And it just has to be right
because I mean to make music
it's like organising an accident, you know.
And you have to be very sensitive
about the right atmosphere and everything.
And everything is precious to me.
I can't, there's no way.
When I picked the songs for Telegram,
I had 50 songs, 50 versions to pick from.
And I picked nine.
And that was such, you know,
like I had beep for me.
That it took me ages and ages to,
and also just get the right order.
And the songs, I mean, there's even songs that are really...