From Raven's Chat (France)
Here an interview with Eric Konofal of Les Joayaux de la Princesse I realized few years ago for my fanzine! Sorry for the awfull translations in english.

* Can you make a short review of Les Joyaux de ta Princesse, tell me since how many time this association exists, who compose it, what are its aims and its means ? Does "Nocturne", the radioprogramme you animated on Radio Beton in Tours always exist?

- Les Joyaux de la Princesse is an association Law 1901 the goal is to "Create, produce and diffuse difficult new musics". It was born ln 1986. At the beginning, this name had been given to a radioprogram that I made on a local radio station which had just started to broadcast, but the real meaning which marked my life appeared only at the end of 1987 when I met S.B. To avoid any confusion between my personal work and the one of the radio, the radioprogram became in october "Nocturne". Since the disparition of S.B., 1I am the sole member and its articutalion.

* Your production "Aux petits enfants de France" was first released in a limited edition a 49 copies tapes contained in a box "black coffin" ! It was an enthousicistic success to be re-issued few time after as a luxuous CD packaging by the german label Tesco Organisation ! What was the link between Les Joyaux de la Princesse and this label for this release of this production-often misunderstood-as you wrote me it in one of your letter?

- We have to believe that this production, in its entire concept, has awared J. Kohl of Tesco. First, I wasn't disposed to a such re-issue. Weeks after weeks, my scepticism has gone and when the E.P. "Attemagne Annue Zuro" was released, it has totally disappeared. I was warned by some friends, but in reatity, today, I think that we can't be more honest than this person who is comptetely lnvolved in his work. Prejudices were not founded like there are often!

* Tell me about this production, about the whys and wherefores, about the symbolism of the postcard, the document "Le Drapeau" and so on ?

- With this re-issue on CD, the meaning of the coffin, of the death sentence to the "collaborationists" and of the number 49 was lost and it is atways bothered me a little bit ! 49 was the number of Individuals went over on the other side of the government and what it was necessary to shoot to legitime this new temporary government. 49 was also the number of letters contained in the initials of S.B. The whole above-detailled has only a meaning if you see it as a whote. We can't spoil this "symbolic" otherwise we will occult all the sense and the interest of this production ... the ear corn symbolising the work in the fields, the flag, the hope of the nation reconstituted around its doctrine, the propagande free or almost servant of all its apostoles, the added postcard is only here to illustrate the title : "The yound boy". Now, this whole must imperativety be judged at the past and not at the present time, it's a question of respect and again here of integrity to respect.

* You wrote me that this production resutls from a recapitutalion of radioprograms broadcasted on Radio Beton between 86/88 on the role of the 39/45 french government. How does the broadcasting of passages extract from documents of the I.N.A. (the National Institut of Audiovisual) on which we can listen, among other things, the Marechal Petain, has been perceived by the officiats of the radiostation, by other animators or eventuatly by your listeners '?

- Concerning my radioprograms, I would tike ta specify that, at any moment, I didn't want to inftict a political planning or other. The use of documents relating some episodes of World War II, as it was done, had for effect and interest the support of historical themes and historical onty. The musical adding covering the whole should give and bring back this authentical climax and authentical only.

* How are your productions perceived by the critics or by a public more informed ?

- My productions hadn't any criticism that the one I expect.

* Could you talk me about the concretisation of "Ostenbraun" double tapes also released as a luxuous boxset with postcard ? How does the collaboration progress with Douglas Pearce ? Was it difficult to convince him to take part in it ?

- First, it was onty planned to edit an interview with Douglas Pearce, the text for "Death In June Collaboration : Carried Away By Despair", used as a womb, is gone after. Douglas was apparently very enthousiasted by the musics I sent to him. At the time, he wrote me : "We have a similar path!...". The use I was doing of the Poly-800 lnspired to him, I think, like a kind of following to "The World Thot Summer"... This same keyboard was used as a base-line for the retease of the double album but I learnt this after and in my ingenuouness, maybe, I had completed something ! During this collaboration, at every musical as wel aesthetic change, I sent it to Douglas... That took me a lot of time to have his entire approbation and his benediction when the product was finished.

* Will this production be also released by Tesco or another label under a CD format ?

- I think that the reeditlion on CD will be done. It's just a question of time. This one will be certainty different and will not contain, of course, the Interview ! There is no interest to edit such a thing ! So, I don't see another label than N.E.R. or Les Joyaux de La Princesse to satisfy to this new edition... Douglas adds "Ostenbraun" in the official discography of Death In June.

* "Die Kapitulation - L'Allemagne Annee Zero" is your third production! What is this beautiful anthem we can listen on the second track of your 7"? What can you tell me about this single ?

- I regret that you didn't know it !... This lovely tune was the sovietic anthem and this version, the one which was formerly broadcasted through speakers of tanks tolling on the ruins of Germany. The vision of F.Rosselini's movie "Allemagne Annue Zuro" seems to be essential to understand the interest to retease this record. All the Inspiration that I had comes from this cinematographic work. There ls no possible ambiguity : "A ta lueur tremblante de cette bougie symbolique, ce julleucht dont ta flamme symbolise la Victoire de la Lumiere sur les tunebres et de l'espoir sur la mort...".

* When we Listen to your different productions, it seems that you are very concerned by World War Il events ! Where does this interest come from ? Is it a morbid attraction for this period, an attempt ta rehabilate a misunderstood politic, a testimony as a witness of the contemrorary history or an other thing ?

- Things must be ctear ! There is no possible rehabilitation of the past after all this blood flooded from everywhere. Now, I think that there is still a certain fear of tackling such topics. It's easier to use common terms, but we can't see their impact and their meaning. We must present the whote thing even it was blunt without prejudice neither nostalgie interests! On the other hand, I don't see how we can be still satisfied of these ideas so perfectly pre-established today ! The "collaboration" only had for the pinnacle of stupidity almost often irresponsible from these people encouraged ta cowardness... because abandonned to itsetf. But are we so different... and for how many money and days will we be so brave... ln fear, anguish and silence ! It's a question of moral and physical integrity... "Douce France" shoutd be the title if I hadn't privileged the ingenuouness of "Children" before the cowardness of these people so "resistant" (at the tast hour!). Here again, only a few people understand this, too hurried they are to satisfy their hate with complete impunity. If it has any rehabititation, it was the one, of the poor consciences done after the war, by these Individuats too coward to commit exactions without being forgotten.

* What does this sentence Inspire to you : "the examination of the contemporary history of World War II must obligatory lead to the conclusion of the Nurenberg court" ?...

- I don't know exactly the conclusion of the Nuremberg court, so, I can't make mysetf the apostole of historians. I think that heads needed to be cutted or rather to hang and turn quickty the page to not be disturbed in our sleep. But I'm not satlsfied by this point of view and I think that the responsabltities must be shouldered by more than a few men and by more than one nation... even if it is so for away from Europe !

* Do you share some common feelings, musical as well ideological level with Genocide Organ or Tesco ?

- I admire Tesco work with no restricion because it forms a whole which hides no hypocrisy. A result of excellent musical as well as artistical quatity. This label has always known how to keep the same baseline and here is my convergence with this concept, other things don't bother me...

* How can uou define your music, the musical atmospheres you create? Among the productions or bands, recent or not, what do you like to listen to ?

- I cannot describe the atmospheres I create. For me, everythyng comes from emotion in its emotionnal quatity with all the evocative side. I think, on the other hand, that if we want to reach something or someone, we must to want it and to want it, we must release it from ourselves. This is why I admire the emotions of Gustay Malher's symphonies.... a pressure sometimes unbearabte in the "Adagio" and speciaty the sadly superb long slow movement of the third symphony. This zvocation is a real "topy" with its precise discrimination and perfectly measured. All is created on this basis, reflection of perceived images, its integration and in vain, its transmission... leaving a very strong stamp. This can seem disproportionate but I feet the same thing listening to extreme music, where begins work of reflection and interpretation beyond discordance. The music I tisten to is the same that the one I distribute. I like Cold Meat lndustry, World Serpent, Discordia... there is no use to mention Tesco now!

* Have you already play live ?

- I shall always remember the Death In June's concert In Amiens where, at the end, we could listen "Ostenbraun" for the first time. Otherwise. I've never played on a stage.

* In one of your Previous letter, you wrote me about some of your projects : '... a compitation Zyklon B, a work about Tibet andin collaboration with David Tibet, a booklet "Les Joyaux de ta Princesse"... may be another thing with Douglas Pearce". When this compitation with the friends of Tesco and of the Karmanik familly from Cold Meat Industry will be availabte ? What will be its format and its specificity ?

- The last work is "Zyklon B", a compilation with people close to labels like Cold Meat Industry or Tesco. Here again, the product leaves a strong impression. The label was designed with genuine documents difficult to obtain ! The resutt must be judged like a whole and without neglected nothing even the responsability of some people who talk on it ! This must be done "for all to know and tonever forget !". The work about Tibet will never be published. It should consist in a musical soundtrack played during a festival and an exhibition about Tibet in february 1991 ln Orleans. This music had been strongly lnspired by Current 93 "Live at bar Matdoror". I had at the time, David Tibet's authorization for this work and I also should edit this production in collaboration with the association France-Tibet... But they never replied to me ! Then "Live at bar Maldoror" was reteased on CD ! I don't see today on what concept I could base my work to edit it ! Now, I shall make the booklet and, however, It will be published !

* What do you want ta say for conclusion ?

- "Sophie Scholl, student in biology and in philosophy in Munich University, member of the White Rose movement was arrested and executed with five other students ln February 1943. She was 22 years old".

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