Gene Loves Jezebel are not dark, they're colourful. Their new single 'Heartache' vouches for this. I can vouch for it on the visual side too as it appears that earlier this evening Mike was mugged by an army surplus consignment of blue crushed velvet. 

Jay: "We always found that 'gothic' thing very strange; if anyone casts their mind back to that whole scene, Gene Loves Jezebel was never mentioned, not once - it was only after the event that we were lumped in with it … perhaps it's because I've got black hair." 

Mike: "There's a dark side to everyone that will always be present, that's the Celtic spirit. I'm really proud of the records we've made, and I'd put them up against anything. I think they're remarkable documents that have been overlooked - in years to come they'll be seen as very important records." 

Jay: "John Cale told us he thought it would take ten years before people realized just how good we are." 

Do I detect an air of pent-up aggression within the ranks? If you had three punches, how would you use them? 

"Oh, that's a good one, that," chortles Mike. "I don't feel that angry against anyone." 

The blond wimps out. 

"There are more subtle ways of retaliating against people than by hitting them," philosophises the brunette. 

Such as? 

"Being the best." 

"A great number of American women tell us that they have orgasms when they listen to our music," notes drummer Marcus with appropriate gravity. 

"At the moment, a larger percentage of our following is female," concedes Mike. "So we're going to start talking about football!" 

Is there not an aura of asexuality to the band? 

Mike (defiantly): "I don't think you can confront people with asexuality - I don't think it's as black and white as that, it's a much more complex issue. Sexuality is up to the individual, we're not going to force anything down anyone's throat (hem hem). We've been told we're quite masculine - we're hetero really…lithe young things." 

Jay: "But we're not remotely macho…we're hardly Rambo." 

"There is a feminine side to us," defines Mike. "We're as complex as any human being on that level - we're not one-dimensional animals, none of us. We're very fond of females … and some of us are fond of men. But we won't talk about that." 

Laughing occurs.
 
 
 

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