Why was everybody mad at Björk after she wore a swan dress at the Oscars and then laid an egg right there in the middle of the red carpet ? Did Afghanistan take over the country because of her ? No, it didn’t. That’s why for her revenge, the magnificent Icelandic singer is releasing no less than eight DVDs, four CDs and a box set this summer. Oh yeah, and she’s also playing live at Piers 30-32 on Friday. Isn’t that great ?
What happened ? I thought you were going to finish this tour last year, and then you accidentally got pregnant.
Yeah, it was a weird one. I was meant to do these shows last summer at sort of the end of the “Vespertine” tour, and then I got pregnant and I moved them back a year.
That’s exactly what I heard.
Yeah. So it’s sort of been weird to wait and do those shows, for like a year. I never plan anything up front. I’m pretty spontaneous, so it has an interesting, rewarding feeling to be able to do them.
Like, you wake up and you never know what’s going to happen. Maybe you might put out 47 DVDs tomorrow or something ?
Yeah, it’s exciting.
No, that’s really what happened.
I guess I used these nesting, pregnancy instincts to go through all my recordings I have of my live concerts, which I had, like, 10 years up in the shelf. Like, hundreds and hundreds of hours, so I managed to listen to all that stuff, and I’m putting out CDs now of that.
What if some of your fans go bankrupt trying to buy everything ?
Do you know what ? I’ve had so many complaints over the last 10 years of really angry fans who don’t understand why they’re forced to buy all the bad-quality bootlegs and why I don’t take time out and listen to the stuff. So I sat down and said it’s time not to be selfish anymore, I’ve got to think about these fans. And I sat down and listened to this stuff and when I put it out, they’re all angry because they have to buy it.
I don’t think most people can afford to buy all this stuff unless they are dentists or have doctorates or something.
But nobody is forced to buy anything. Even my most favorite, favorite musicians, I don’t own everything they’ve done. It’s just there if people want it. I don’t think people would feel obliged that they have to buy it.
I would feel lame if I called myself a Björk fan and didn’t buy everything.
No. It’s just now they have a choice. If they want live stuff by me, they can pick between bootlegs or the stuff I’ve chosen, which have better sound recordings. But they’re not forced to buy it. They actually have a choice. The freedom of choice, right ?
If you made so many records, then what else did you do with the past 10 years ? You probably didn’t have too much time to do anything else. Maybe in 1997 you took a break to fly a kite or go whale watching ?
You may have a point. I will have two hours off in a town somewhere and I will use it by going into a CD shop and buying some music, or I will go to a friend’s place and everybody will be chatting while I go through their CD collection. So I am a bit ill.
For just a day, would you like to live like a proper rock star and do cocaine and sleep with Courtney Love and see what that’s all about ?
Sorry, did you say cocaine ?
No, in a fantasy world.
I guess I was in a lot of bands when I was a teenager. I was in bands for 10 years before I did my own stuff, where that was sort of what was going on. But I enjoy so much sitting and making and discussing all those little details. So I guess I get my kicks in making things. From the lifestyle you are suggesting and what I’m doing, I would pick what I’m doing. I’m a total nerd like that. We’ll all go to a party or something and everyone is supposed to be chilling or whatever you call it, and I’ll be in a corner somewhere, discussing someone’s insect collection.
