Do you regard your music as hip-hop ?
No, we regard it as ghetto-tech, prog-hop, bit pop, avant-psych r&b.
You were very active in 2001, you had 2 albums out, which are the projects of Restiform Bodies now that you have a deal with Anticon ?
we have no deal, we’ve never heard of Anticon…are they like anti pop?
Don’t you guys have a deal with Anticon?
Well…regardless, currently telephone jim jesus is in near completion of his rice farmer training and his instrumental ep. Passage has been detained at the mexican border for the past 6 weeks, but has also almost completed his forthcoming solo ep "el si habla no cocaino". Although bomarr died in a fiery car crash last week, his post-mordem masterpiece, "fiery car crash" is due out next year, along with restiform bodies’ as yet untitled full length lp and passage & odd nosdam’s "a stupid you in the twicelight: a white thriller".
Any solo projects?
See above
By the way, Anticon has a strong identity. Where do you fit in?
We don’t., but they’re very kind to us and have helped us a great deal along the way.
I’ve listened to a record of yours : Moods and Symptoms, from where does this album come ? Which one of you was involved in that?
We can neither confirm nor deny that this record exists. We doubt you heard anything at all.
Generally, your music is strongly influenced by the 80s and the type of sounds of this time. From where does this influence come to you?
From the ‘80’s… just outside Ackron, Ohio.
On the other side you use elements of electronica. What brings this ambilavent vision to your music ? Do you see a continuity between one and the other?
We love electronic music, but we wish it wasn’t so ambivalent. The elements… .of… electronic… techno… pop… music… are… from….. and so are we.
What would say to the people who affirm that your music is a hip hop version of what can do Sonic Youth or Beck in pop/rock?
We would say thank you because Beck gets the "chicks" and we love "chicks"…do you know any french "chicks"?
Speaking of lyrical content, the majority of the French don’t understands English. Do you think they can really appreciate your music?
Passage says… "well the strange thing is, I write everything in french, I don’t know how you guys wound up with the english version". ….as he avoids the second part of the question and changes the subject. "I love watching english movies without subtitles and I seem to enjoy them because pictures can speak a thousand words, and yet still, there are no pictures, and yet still…not to be vague or anything"
Do you believe that the lyrics are the most significant part in rap ? And do you consider yourselves as rappers or as ‘poets’ or something?
Lyrics are like butter, you have spread them evenly and not use too much of them in order for the bread to taste good. So we use fake butter. You guys have bread, right?
You are both MCs and Producers, what do you prefer?
Bomarr: …"I want to make this clear, I DON’T rap.
Tel.jim.jesus: speaking should be outlawed, especially in our group.
Passage: I hate rapping, but we drew straws and I came up short.
You and Internet?
Sole took away Telephone Jim and Passage’s Internet privileges because they were using his credit card to purchase mail order brides. Bomarr actually runs the internet from a small room in Oakland, CA… And is the web version of Sir Mix-A-Lot… We call him "Sir-Clix-A-Lot".
Is Internet a good means of promoting your music?
The Internet can promote the un-promotable…it is a vital resource. To be used with skill and prudence…oh look…dangerous liasons is on.
What’s your play-list right now?
Neutral Milk Hotel, B. Fleischmann, Aphex Twin, Bauhaus, Pixies, Windy & Carl, Dat Politics, Palace Brothers, Amp, Stars as Eyes, Jesus and Mary Chain, Will Oldham, Pinback, Lou Reed, Morrissey, Front 242, Depeche Mode, Björk, Stereolab, Radiohead, Black Sheep, Weezer
Any comment to end this interview?
What does a euro look like? Could you send us some? As garth said "Ahm, it's like a new pair of underwear, you know... At first it's constrictive, but after a while it becomes a part of you.