Once upon a time, in the big bad world of pop, there were a pair of twins and their friends living out their favorite glamorous fairy tale. Their name was Gene Loves Jezebel and a lot of people liked them very much. A lot more, though, had quite the wrong idea about them… So forget the image of doom-laden goths and instead leap into a land of flamboyancy and optimism. A bit of escapism never hurt anybody… 

Having just returned from a tour of America with Echo and the Bunnymen and New Order, the Jezebels have released their fourth album, 'The House of Dolls', and are embarking on a British tour. It is in the States, though, that the Jezebels are finding a receptive audience. The band have a larger following there than the cult status they 'enjoy' in Britain. Just to prove that point, they boast that 'The Motion of Love' was the most requested record in Los Angeles at the time of its release. Can't quite imagine that happening at Radio 1. 

Mike: "The press here were never going to be into a band that was as up front as we were. They have never embraced that sort of thing. It's always been short hair and conservatism. I also think it's very sad if someone can embrace celibacy instead of promiscuity. Also we've never been that consistent, we've never had a plan or a manifesto to crack England." 

Jay: "If we are slightly shy, we're shy of that massive magnifying glass which is the British media. It's an awful dark thing and seems to have no interest in human beings as dignified things." 

The common misconception about GLJ is that they are doom merchants, cynical and rather insular lyric-wise. But this couldn't be further from the truth. Tracks from 'The House of Dolls' such as 'The Motion of Love' and 'Gorgeous' (the next single), are brazenly naïve and unashamedly innocent. Most bands tend to start off with freshness seeping out of them and end up cynical, having tried and tested the machinery of 'the business'. Is this intentional on their part? 

Jay: "in the past, with the other albums, we have always shied away from blatancy. 'Promises' was an indication of our intent, 'Immigrant' was the idea of travel and 'Discover' was an invitation. 'The House of Dolls' is saying this is where we come from, check it out. It's our story and it hasn't really even started." 

Mike: "I think we have grown and matured by our optimism." 

Jay: "We aren't beaten back by bad experiences, we learn from them. We used to be very cynical but I've always thought that the greatest cynics turn out to be the biggest romantics in the end." 

Are you romantic, then? 

Jay: "Totally. A human doesn't breathe unless he has some romance in his bones. We are all very complex creatures and that's one of the problems with the music industry. It tends to make things very black and white." 

And so the fairy tale continues. Our two heroes go from strength to strength. They discover that working with real musicians helps to bring the band into fruition, helps them to blossom. Groups are about ideas and clubbing together. And this group are still on an upward spiral. 

Many people have said that Gene Loves Jezebel are merely cheap exhibitionists. What do you think? 

Jay: "The fact that you are in a group and getting up on stage means you want to be looked at, it doesn't matter whether you're Leonard Cohen or Morrissey. There is an element of the exhibitionist in both of us which we try and direct into the music." 

Mike then lapses into an explanation of the notion of performing and being in a group. "All right then, we're show offs," he finally admits. "What the hell!" 

As Gene Loves Jezebel continue on their fantasy trail in their courageous battle with the evil complacency of the British charts, they will forever remain 'that band with the twins in' until that fight is won and 'TOTP' beckons. Do they find this frustrating? 

Mike: "We don't really think about being brothers or even twins." 

Jay: "But you've always got your best friend for life. Lovers let you down, friends can let you down. But if you're got a twin brother you can always depend on him. That's a wonderful thing, especially in 1987. 

"But at the moment the band is all important. Gene Loves Jezebel are a formidable group. No one should under estimate our power and our will. We have a great belief that what we are doing is good and vibrant. People can ignore it if they like, but ultimately we will get through." 

Mike: "We will not be denied." 
 
 

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