Blixa Bargeld: “Art is not dead, because freedom is not dead”

Photography: Óscar Fernández Orengo

(Versión en castellano aquí)

As you will see in the turbulent start of the interview, Blixa Bargeld (Berlín Occidental, 1959) has come to the Kosmopolis CCCB festival in Barcelona to talk about his book and offer one of his solo vocal performances, and he doesn’t seem very inclined at the beginning to talk about his long and fruitful trajectory: singer of Einstürzende Neubauten, guitarist for Nick Cave’s Bad Seeds until 2003, music and vocalist with Alva Noto or Teho Teardo, actor, theatre director, performer, composer… Certain discrepancies with the Spanish edition of his litany put him in a bad mood, but after seeming for an instant like if he was going to rip my head off and use it as a handmade drum, he relaxes and answers all questions very politely. He speaks with precision and clearness, and we end up talking about, amongst other things, the tension in silence, anarchist self organization, preeminence of context over sound, the birth of crowdfunding or the future of art.

We have not much time and there are so many things I would like to ask you about your trajectory: your solo performances, Neubauten, your writings… I’m a great fan of your work. I’d like to start talking about your usage of the voice.

So this interview is not about the book.

Well, not only that…

That’s interesting. I’m here to promote the book. I was not prepared to do any interview about Neubauten. It’s a bit unfortunate. I have to reassess if this is at all possible. Hartmut! [Calls his assistant] I’m here for a literature festival promoting the book! Why am I sitting here answering questions about my artwork, trajectory or Einstürzende Neubauten? Have we done a concert here, have we just released a record?

I’d love that, but the interview will be about your whole trajectory, not only Neubauten.

OK! Good! Sorry about that. Ask your questions!

I was saying that I would like to talk about your usage of the voice. You have defined yourself sometimes not as a musician but as a vocalist, in the sense that you use the voice as your main weapon…

No, I don’t like weapons.

Yeah, you’re right, I read that you didn’t like to be called a vanguardist because it sounds too military.

Exactly.

Let me rephrase… Voice is your main instrument. How did you train yourself to use, modulate, place and change that voice, from whispers to your recognizable scream?