Stephen Mallinder of Cabaret Voltaire:
Looking back now
R.J. Preece: I think we know that what you did was artistically and musically significant. But at the time in the mid-80s, did you know it? Or when did you know it?
Stephen Mallinder: I think you have a certain level of confidence in what you do. "Arrogance" is the wrong word. I think when you go into it, you’re aware that you’re doing it for the right reasons—and you have your own moral and ethical code. And we weren’t driven by money, but by a a desire to make music and make a statement. Even if that statement was ambiguous, we kind of wanted to cause a stir. We thought that by having the name “Cabaret Voltaire”, that with it came a certain responsibility. It wasn’t meant to be purely entertainment; it was meant to be something a little bit more serious—and to provoke people—wrapped within an outer wrapping of entertainment. We were working in entertainment, in the music industry, with popular music, it was important, but it was something that we also felt was a responsibility.
Looking back, I think we were very much a part of democratizing music, and we wanted to demystify the process of making music—to show it’s a myth. You don’t have to be trained in music to create sounds and to produce and release music. That’s what we were saying back in 73-74. And that’s the way the world is now—and all the tools of creation, production and dissemination are there in everybody’s bedrooms, front rooms and studios.
I think that’s the fascinating thing that exists now. This contrasts with a celebrity art and celebrity music culture.
I wish I had a crystal ball to see how it’s going to work out…
artdesigncafe.com is pleased to report that Stephen Mallinder joined our editorial advisory team a few months after this interview.
Stephen Mallinder interview, intro | In the 70s | Crackdown | Kino | Big Funk | Sensoria | Looking back now
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