| O' of Undercover Slut chats with Red |
NF: How did you get started in the music industry?
‘O’: A long time a go I actually started a band, about ten years ago, but
it took me a while to find the right performers with the right style and
taste and the right ideas and the whole thing started properly in 2003, I
guess. That is when we started with the record labels and started
touring, before it was more like a scrapbook of what I wanted to do
with my band, Undercover Slut.
NF: You told us in your previous interview that you met the other
members of Undercover Slut at work, did you all hit it off immediately
and form a band or how did it come about?
‘O’: I was working in a store and one of them actually was a shoplifter
and we were actually talking and stuff, I had been working at that store
for a couple of years and I wanted to work in the music business and
when I was talking to them, I discovered that some of them were
actually musicians, one was a bassist and one a drummer. After that,
that is when I started my band
NF: In your last interview with us, you said that Bar Sinister was your
favourite venue to play.
‘O’: A long time a go I actually started a band, about ten years ago, but
it took me a while to find the right performers with the right style and
taste and the right ideas and the whole thing started properly in 2003, I
guess. That is when we started with the record labels and started
touring, before it was more like a scrapbook of what I wanted to do
with my band, Undercover Slut.
NF: You told us in your previous interview that you met the other
members of Undercover Slut at work, did you all hit it off immediately
and form a band or how did it come about?
‘O’: I was working in a store and one of them actually was a shoplifter
and we were actually talking and stuff, I had been working at that store
for a couple of years and I wanted to work in the music business and
when I was talking to them, I discovered that some of them were
actually musicians, one was a bassist and one a drummer. After that,
that is when I started my band
NF: In your last interview with us, you said that Bar Sinister was your
favourite venue to play.
‘O’: We played there last August and the year before. I liked it there, it
was very good and they were all really nice with us and we actually got
paid.
NF: After your recent tour of America, does that still stand?
‘O’: Yes. I mean, we played there about two weeks ago and it was sold out, it was packed and they were the same as they
always were, really nice and treated us well, before that we played in Paris.
NF: We were in Paris earlier this week, where did you play?
‘O’: It was [insert] Noir. It’s like a small venue, sold out.
NF: You say that ‘Sixty Silent Seconds For Your Animal Genocide is your favourite song, why is that?
‘O’: Because it is silent. I’m really pro animal kingdom, so it is just one track on the CD, sixty seconds long of silence, so you
know what I’m saying? We can do it now if you want.
NF: Can you tell us what your name ‘O’ stands for?
‘O’: It’s just my initial. It’s kinda cool, the circumference, and being a constanant too. It can stand for overkill, orgy, you know?
So it’s just my initial, I wanted to come up with a fitting name and I don’t like my first name at all.
NF: How did you come up with your image, the make up most specifically?
‘O’: I’m really in to glam rock in the first place but I always consider this associated with it. I wanted it to be glamour, that’s
why I came up with the red lipstick, some kind of theatric, the white face, the black eyes. You know like the Japanese, the Kabuki
thing.I know KISS did this in 1973 or ’74 but we all have slightly different, we all have our own thing but we all wear the same
make up. We won’t have like a star, I mean, we aren’t like KISS, you know what I’m saying? Just the white face, red lips and
black eyes.
NF: Describe your other band members.
‘O’: Pills is a very talented guitarist. One day I will get along with them, the next day I won’t like them. It is always a love / hate
relationship. He’s been in the band since ’99, so he is like my spine. Fuse is the new drummer, he has been with us for a year
now and toured with us in the States last summer. He’s a cool guy, an excellent drummer. They are my boys, but we don’t travel
together, we don’t share the same room in a hotel so everything I do, I have my own privacy so I feel that I don’t want to do
everything with those guys. They are very talented musicians but we aren’t on the same kind of level, they have their own thing
and I have my thing.
NF: How would you describe Undercover Slut to someone who had never heard you play before?
‘O’: Glamour, rock. Real dirty, provocative with the lyrics, really nasty. You wouldn’t want your kids to see.
NF: What can a fan expect from a live show?
‘O’: Expect the unexpected. I’ve always said that, anything can happen. I could get killed on stage. I don’t know, every time we
play, I just don’t know. Tonight I don’t have a clue what will happen, I don’t even know the set list yet, you know what I’m
saying? We are not like your average band that sticks to the same set list every single night. I like surprise. I want to be surprised
and I want to surprise people, I want to surprise myself as well.
was very good and they were all really nice with us and we actually got
paid.
NF: After your recent tour of America, does that still stand?
‘O’: Yes. I mean, we played there about two weeks ago and it was sold out, it was packed and they were the same as they
always were, really nice and treated us well, before that we played in Paris.
NF: We were in Paris earlier this week, where did you play?
‘O’: It was [insert] Noir. It’s like a small venue, sold out.
NF: You say that ‘Sixty Silent Seconds For Your Animal Genocide is your favourite song, why is that?
‘O’: Because it is silent. I’m really pro animal kingdom, so it is just one track on the CD, sixty seconds long of silence, so you
know what I’m saying? We can do it now if you want.
NF: Can you tell us what your name ‘O’ stands for?
‘O’: It’s just my initial. It’s kinda cool, the circumference, and being a constanant too. It can stand for overkill, orgy, you know?
So it’s just my initial, I wanted to come up with a fitting name and I don’t like my first name at all.
NF: How did you come up with your image, the make up most specifically?
‘O’: I’m really in to glam rock in the first place but I always consider this associated with it. I wanted it to be glamour, that’s
why I came up with the red lipstick, some kind of theatric, the white face, the black eyes. You know like the Japanese, the Kabuki
thing.I know KISS did this in 1973 or ’74 but we all have slightly different, we all have our own thing but we all wear the same
make up. We won’t have like a star, I mean, we aren’t like KISS, you know what I’m saying? Just the white face, red lips and
black eyes.
NF: Describe your other band members.
‘O’: Pills is a very talented guitarist. One day I will get along with them, the next day I won’t like them. It is always a love / hate
relationship. He’s been in the band since ’99, so he is like my spine. Fuse is the new drummer, he has been with us for a year
now and toured with us in the States last summer. He’s a cool guy, an excellent drummer. They are my boys, but we don’t travel
together, we don’t share the same room in a hotel so everything I do, I have my own privacy so I feel that I don’t want to do
everything with those guys. They are very talented musicians but we aren’t on the same kind of level, they have their own thing
and I have my thing.
NF: How would you describe Undercover Slut to someone who had never heard you play before?
‘O’: Glamour, rock. Real dirty, provocative with the lyrics, really nasty. You wouldn’t want your kids to see.
NF: What can a fan expect from a live show?
‘O’: Expect the unexpected. I’ve always said that, anything can happen. I could get killed on stage. I don’t know, every time we
play, I just don’t know. Tonight I don’t have a clue what will happen, I don’t even know the set list yet, you know what I’m
saying? We are not like your average band that sticks to the same set list every single night. I like surprise. I want to be surprised
and I want to surprise people, I want to surprise myself as well.
London
Location: The
Underworld –
Camden
Date: Saturday
19th
November
2005
Location: The
Underworld –
Camden
Date: Saturday
19th
November
2005
NF: How are you liking London so far?
‘O’: I love it. I used to live in Birmingham for two years, that is actually where I
learnt English from. I was born and raised in Paris, France but I don’t like France at
all. I think is a nice country, but it’s depressing and it fucking gets on my nerves,
really, really bad.
NF: We actually had a really good experience in France.
‘O’: Well, there are nice people everywhere, you know they have assholes
everywhere too. My personal experience is, I don’t like France.
NF: How are you feeling about the gig tonight?
‘O’: We’ll see. My mind is just starting to wake up. I have been very tired, I was just
coming in to London and I was all messed up and stuff, but now I am just waking up
so I don’t know what will happen yet.
NF: What is the one CD that should have never been made?
‘O’: So many. So many to mention, I don’t know.
NF: This is one of our harder questions.
‘O’: I love it. I used to live in Birmingham for two years, that is actually where I
learnt English from. I was born and raised in Paris, France but I don’t like France at
all. I think is a nice country, but it’s depressing and it fucking gets on my nerves,
really, really bad.
NF: We actually had a really good experience in France.
‘O’: Well, there are nice people everywhere, you know they have assholes
everywhere too. My personal experience is, I don’t like France.
NF: How are you feeling about the gig tonight?
‘O’: We’ll see. My mind is just starting to wake up. I have been very tired, I was just
coming in to London and I was all messed up and stuff, but now I am just waking up
so I don’t know what will happen yet.
NF: What is the one CD that should have never been made?
‘O’: So many. So many to mention, I don’t know.
NF: This is one of our harder questions.
‘O’: You want one CD? Just one?
NF: Yes.
‘O’: Probably ours.
NF: We’ve never heard that before.
[Everyone laughs.]
NF: Have you been followed by any crazy fans yet or had any bad experiences?
‘O’: Yes. A couple of years ago, I had a quite a few. We’ve had stalkers, we can be very weary. You don’t know if they are
crazy or not.
NF: What would you like to achieve in the next ten years?
‘O’: I don’t know. I would just like to be happy with what I’m doing, no matter what I was doing. It would be nice if my band
started together, my band is like my baby and so we will see what will happen in five years or ten years.
NF: Who do you feel is the most influential role model in today’s society?
‘O’: I have to be honest, I do have my influences but I’ve always tried not to be influenced by people. I just like to be myself.
There are a lot of people I look up to.
NF: Okay, have you got any piercings or tattoos?
‘O’: Piercings, I have one here [his left ear], and one here, [his right ear] and my belly button.
NF: Have you ever been to the Erotic Museum in Paris?
‘O’: I know where it is, yes I know where it is but no, I have never been, I have walked by it though.
NF: Do you receive any hate mail?
‘O’: Oh yes, we get a lot. They don’t understand anything about us. They think we are dirty. When we named the album
Communism Fascism, we got a lot of hate because people didn’t understand it. It was due to come out in all the stores and then
the night before it came out, the stores decided not to sell it just because of the name of the title.
Rapid Questions:
NF: Paris or L.A?
‘O’: You know what, Paris like landscapes nice, L.A same thing, you know? Paris is more winter time, it is more a city for
winter and L.A is for summer. You know what I am saying? Even in L.A, there is a lot of assholes there. I think I am probably
more comfortable with people from the States. But then I am fine living in Paris, because in Paris, there is so much there, that’s
why. If I wasn’t in a city where I didn’t like everyone of everything, then we wouldn’t be called Undercover Slut, we would be
called something else, like Placebo.
NF: Why does Brian come up in every interview?
‘O’: I don’t like that guy. You know, that short guy? Bald? Is he bald? Bald?
NF: He’s not bald. He shaved his head.
‘O’: Oh yeah, him. He’s got big ears.
NF: Black or red?
‘O’: Black or red? You mean black people or red people? [He laughs] I always actually felt that black was not a colour because
it is what all colours come from.
NF: The light spectrum, yes.
‘O’: Black or red? I don’t know. Alright, I like black clothing and I like red blood.
NF: Porn or erotica?
‘O’: Porn movies or erotic movies? Porn movies in a cinema in America. Is that okay?
[Everyone laughs.]
NF: That’s okay. Sex, drugs or Rock ‘n’ Roll?
‘O’: Sex. If there wasn’t any sex then I wouldn’t be here talking to you guys. You know, I’m not really in to drugs, I’m
already fucked up enough in my mind and Rock ‘n’ Roll. Yeah, that’s the thing, I’m mainly talking about Rock ‘n’ Roll when I’
m talking about sex. That’s the reason you are in to music, so Rock ‘n’ Roll, yeah. Good Rock ‘n’ Roll, not Placebo!
[Everyone laughs.]
NF: What was your opinion on Hurricane Katrina and how it was handled?
‘O’: Oh, you mean what happened? I feel sad for the people that died.
How many people died?
NF: It was in the thousands.
‘O’: How many animals?
NF: They didn’t even mention that.
‘O’: Probably even more. It’s a shame because sometimes, you know
Mother Nature, you can’t do nothing about that. You have everything we
have now in our world but sometimes the world, it fucks you up, you
know? You can’t do anything about it.
NF: It happens. What is your opinion on the Bush Administration?
‘O’: You know what, I’m not American, he’s not my President.
I don’t know what is going on in the States. If you asked me the same question about my President then, you know, I would
tell you what I feel about our French President. The American President? It is none of my business how I think. If I was
American, I would say something. I like coming to the States, each time I’m coming to the States, I respect the country for
what it is. I’m not going to say those French fuckers who hate Bush, they don’t know what they are talking about, they don’t
know what is going on in the States. A politician is a politician. A good politician is a good liar, no matter where they are from.
He [Bush] probably did some good things for the States, he probably did some bad things for them, but it is none of my
business.
NF: What is your opinion on the riots that occurred in Paris?
‘O’: The first riot actually started in my neighborhood. I live in the suburbs. In a rough area and I used to get beat up like,
every day. I was the only white kid on the block, you know? I can understand what happened. There were two black kids who
got killed and the other kids got crazy with that, so they burnt cars and buses. What happened? It’s over now?
NF: Yes, it is.
‘O’: There was a curfew, like an 8pm curfew. There were really nasty riots. I know for sure that one day or another, it will
start again. Probably next time, the guys who are starting the riots are going to be more organised, it’s my government’s job to
do something with those kids. I don’t mind those guys, each time they see me, they hate me because I dress like this. I’m not
saying I like those guys but I understand those guys. I understand their hate. It also looks like a religious war. In French
politics, also I should say in American politics they have the modern cars and stuff. That is one of the reasons, we have this ‘I
don’t care about religion’, so it is a religious war. They control the media and stuff, on the other hand they have no money and
are poor and stuff. I’m in the middle, I’m agnostic and I don’t want anything to do with those fuckers. I was born Catholic but
you know, I grew up and I decided that’s not me. I’m just me. I’m agnostic, vegetarian and Sagittarius
NF: Yes.
‘O’: Probably ours.
NF: We’ve never heard that before.
[Everyone laughs.]
NF: Have you been followed by any crazy fans yet or had any bad experiences?
‘O’: Yes. A couple of years ago, I had a quite a few. We’ve had stalkers, we can be very weary. You don’t know if they are
crazy or not.
NF: What would you like to achieve in the next ten years?
‘O’: I don’t know. I would just like to be happy with what I’m doing, no matter what I was doing. It would be nice if my band
started together, my band is like my baby and so we will see what will happen in five years or ten years.
NF: Who do you feel is the most influential role model in today’s society?
‘O’: I have to be honest, I do have my influences but I’ve always tried not to be influenced by people. I just like to be myself.
There are a lot of people I look up to.
NF: Okay, have you got any piercings or tattoos?
‘O’: Piercings, I have one here [his left ear], and one here, [his right ear] and my belly button.
NF: Have you ever been to the Erotic Museum in Paris?
‘O’: I know where it is, yes I know where it is but no, I have never been, I have walked by it though.
NF: Do you receive any hate mail?
‘O’: Oh yes, we get a lot. They don’t understand anything about us. They think we are dirty. When we named the album
Communism Fascism, we got a lot of hate because people didn’t understand it. It was due to come out in all the stores and then
the night before it came out, the stores decided not to sell it just because of the name of the title.
Rapid Questions:
NF: Paris or L.A?
‘O’: You know what, Paris like landscapes nice, L.A same thing, you know? Paris is more winter time, it is more a city for
winter and L.A is for summer. You know what I am saying? Even in L.A, there is a lot of assholes there. I think I am probably
more comfortable with people from the States. But then I am fine living in Paris, because in Paris, there is so much there, that’s
why. If I wasn’t in a city where I didn’t like everyone of everything, then we wouldn’t be called Undercover Slut, we would be
called something else, like Placebo.
NF: Why does Brian come up in every interview?
‘O’: I don’t like that guy. You know, that short guy? Bald? Is he bald? Bald?
NF: He’s not bald. He shaved his head.
‘O’: Oh yeah, him. He’s got big ears.
NF: Black or red?
‘O’: Black or red? You mean black people or red people? [He laughs] I always actually felt that black was not a colour because
it is what all colours come from.
NF: The light spectrum, yes.
‘O’: Black or red? I don’t know. Alright, I like black clothing and I like red blood.
NF: Porn or erotica?
‘O’: Porn movies or erotic movies? Porn movies in a cinema in America. Is that okay?
[Everyone laughs.]
NF: That’s okay. Sex, drugs or Rock ‘n’ Roll?
‘O’: Sex. If there wasn’t any sex then I wouldn’t be here talking to you guys. You know, I’m not really in to drugs, I’m
already fucked up enough in my mind and Rock ‘n’ Roll. Yeah, that’s the thing, I’m mainly talking about Rock ‘n’ Roll when I’
m talking about sex. That’s the reason you are in to music, so Rock ‘n’ Roll, yeah. Good Rock ‘n’ Roll, not Placebo!
[Everyone laughs.]
NF: What was your opinion on Hurricane Katrina and how it was handled?
‘O’: Oh, you mean what happened? I feel sad for the people that died.
How many people died?
NF: It was in the thousands.
‘O’: How many animals?
NF: They didn’t even mention that.
‘O’: Probably even more. It’s a shame because sometimes, you know
Mother Nature, you can’t do nothing about that. You have everything we
have now in our world but sometimes the world, it fucks you up, you
know? You can’t do anything about it.
NF: It happens. What is your opinion on the Bush Administration?
‘O’: You know what, I’m not American, he’s not my President.
I don’t know what is going on in the States. If you asked me the same question about my President then, you know, I would
tell you what I feel about our French President. The American President? It is none of my business how I think. If I was
American, I would say something. I like coming to the States, each time I’m coming to the States, I respect the country for
what it is. I’m not going to say those French fuckers who hate Bush, they don’t know what they are talking about, they don’t
know what is going on in the States. A politician is a politician. A good politician is a good liar, no matter where they are from.
He [Bush] probably did some good things for the States, he probably did some bad things for them, but it is none of my
business.
NF: What is your opinion on the riots that occurred in Paris?
‘O’: The first riot actually started in my neighborhood. I live in the suburbs. In a rough area and I used to get beat up like,
every day. I was the only white kid on the block, you know? I can understand what happened. There were two black kids who
got killed and the other kids got crazy with that, so they burnt cars and buses. What happened? It’s over now?
NF: Yes, it is.
‘O’: There was a curfew, like an 8pm curfew. There were really nasty riots. I know for sure that one day or another, it will
start again. Probably next time, the guys who are starting the riots are going to be more organised, it’s my government’s job to
do something with those kids. I don’t mind those guys, each time they see me, they hate me because I dress like this. I’m not
saying I like those guys but I understand those guys. I understand their hate. It also looks like a religious war. In French
politics, also I should say in American politics they have the modern cars and stuff. That is one of the reasons, we have this ‘I
don’t care about religion’, so it is a religious war. They control the media and stuff, on the other hand they have no money and
are poor and stuff. I’m in the middle, I’m agnostic and I don’t want anything to do with those fuckers. I was born Catholic but
you know, I grew up and I decided that’s not me. I’m just me. I’m agnostic, vegetarian and Sagittarius
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