You come from Slovenia and still live and work in Ljubljana. Slovenia has been through its share of troubles during the World Wars and the realignments in the former republic of Yugoslavia, at which point you also constituted the NSK state. My question derives from that formation and has nothing to do with countries and politics. It’s about the internet web, which seems to have formed a life of its own. On the long term and for Laibach, could it be a means for boundaries to drop towards artistic and creative globalization or more likely to contribute to a whole new totalitarianism? Or is it merely a harmless toy, maybe?

Laibach: Real freedom is not a real issue anymore since long time: civilisation has come to the point where we are now fighting only for a more or less convincing virtual Idea of freedom and not for Freedom per se. Internet - like other useful technological tools – successfully expands the very feeling of freedom, but at the same time it enslaves us and makes us entirely dependent from it.

      Could we see Laibach in the future recycling contemporary hits, giving them a new concept / facade?

Laibach: Maybe, why not; different interpretations of these songs are always possible and they are always a challenge. 

      What is the creative process like for a unanimous constitution such as Laibach? How does Laibach come about to creating an album and where does the primary idea stem from?

Laibach: In practice we still follow the principle of classical industrial production and collectivism… But first we meet & talk and we decide about the basic idea of the album.  We follow the principle of dialectic materialism – thesis, antithesis, synthesis. For VOLK the basic idea came with the previous album – ANTHEMS. First we have collected information about the original anthems, comparing versions and recordings. Than we forgot everything for a while and when we finally started to work on songs we followed our instincts and let  anthems leading us into their own directions. 

      In addition to this, given the fact that you deny originality and consider music one great big circle (pretty much like the circle of life) does this imply you don’t own copyright of your material?

Laibach: We owe it by law but we understand it literary – as “the right to copy”. In most cases and legal jurisdictions copyright in practice is of limited duration and after a while copyrighted work officially becomes public domain -  part of a common cultural and intellectual heritage which, in general, anyone may use or exploit whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes.  As such it cannot be owned by anyone. 

       On your new album Volk you worked with specific national anthems. What were the criteria you applied in choosing them and subsequently the countries they represent?

Laibach: Nations were chosen by their historic context and their role within political and cultural imperialism. The main criterion was the imperial character of a nation-state. Of course we couldn’t include all the imperial countries but only the most aggressive ones.

      Looking at Volk’s cover and general artwork, we can’t seem to find the familiar Laibach cross anywhere… Instead, a new V symbol has taken its place. Is there any significance behind that? What do you want to imply and how does that fit with the new album?

Laibach: There is a cross, but you have to look for it in the head of a stylised profiled V(olk) symbol – a cross-screw. Cross is a powerful and omnipresent symbol and sometimes it has to step backwards so that other content can step in.      

Laibach:  It is an interesting and quite possible interpretation, but it is in fact only Laibach on European tour, riding away from the burning city where we just had a concert, into another town.  

      On “America” you have incorporated a sample of an evangelical preacher. Is Laibach saying something about religion? Is religion something that people should abide by or be afraid of?

Laibach:  Religion is opium for the masses, an illusion, which derives its strength from the fact that it fits our (sexual, spiritual, material) instincts and desires. But religion is also what the individual (or collective) does with his own solitude. If you are never solitary, you are never religious.

Laibach: Of course – pop is music for sheep and we are wolfs, disguised as shepherds.

      Electronics had taken over on WAT but the new album is led into new sonic avenues. Did you become bored of electronics? Is this the new way forward?  

Laibach:  No, we are not bored of electronics. Volk has been 50 % recorded by electronics and entirely mixed and produced with computer tools.

      What can you tell us about ‘Silence’?

Laibach:  Silence (Boris Benko & Primoz Hladnik) is a brilliant musical duet from Ljubljana. Since we heard their music for the first time, we always wanted to invite them to do something together. With VOLK we have created a concept where such collaboration made sense. Silence accepted the invitation and did a great work. With their music and vocal arrangements they helped us to create the album the way we wanted it to sound.

     You have dedicated this album on Boštjan Hladnik. Who is he and how do you feel that he has influenced you or your country?

Laibach:  Boštjan Hladnik was a film director and one of the very few pop artists in Slovenia. In 60’ he was assistant of Claude Chabroll, hanging out with Brigitte Bardot, Serge Gainsbourg, Roman Polanski and Jean Luc Godard, etc. From 60’ on he created many interesting featured films and some of them partly affected the Genesis of Laibach as well. During 80’ we have used some of his movies on our concerts and he bought our Opus Dei record to his teenage son Primož Hladnik who has since then grew up in one of the Silence members.  Volk record was   literary created in Bostjan Hladnik’s garden and in his presence. Unfortunately Bostjan died before the record was completely finished.  

      We’ve heard from people that have already seen one of your concerts that you’ve got some very pretty girls on stage together with their drums. What more can you tell us about them?

Laibach:  On Laibach concerts these girls are Laibach members and they also act as such. This is   really the only thing important for us and for the show there is nothing more to say.   

      In Volk you have incorporated other people’s propaganda, religion, and culture. Do you feel that this tells us something about you as well? Where do you find yourself standing?

      Supposed you had the chance to include an extra song into the track list and it was about Greece. What would your view on Greece be and how would you come about it? I wonder what our national anthem would sound like in a Laibach context…

Laibach:  It would probably be difficult to do Greek anthem without Mikis Theodorakis and Zorba the Greek in mind. That is the real pop song known around the world as the Greek “anthem”.

      People look at Laibach and are deeply influenced by your aesthetics. Some associate you with the right wing movement. Do you take these views under consideration and if so, do you feel restricted by them?

Laibach:  Laibach gives a possibility for many different interpretations but it is far away from daily politics. Although we are interested in politics and ideologies, we do not actively support any political options, especially not the right wing ones.    

      Why did you choose “Anglia” as the single that would promote Volk?  

Laibach:  The British Empire was the most extensive and aggressive empire in world history and for a substantial time it was not only a major power but the foremost power in the world.  By 1921, the British Empire held sway over a population of between 470 and 570 million people, approximately one-quarter of the world's population and it covered more than 37 million km², about a quarter of Earth's total land area. It was, at one time, referred to as "the empire on which the sun never sets" because the empire's span across the globe ensured that the sun was always shining on at least one of its numerous colonies. Though it has now mostly evolved into the Commonwealth of Nations, British influence remains strong throughout the world: in economic practice, legal and governmental systems, society, sports, and the English language itself, to name but a few.  Today Britons still think they are the masters of the world – therefore they deserve to be treated as such.

      Did Laibach have any saying in the production of the superb promotional video that was released?

Laibach:  Of course; do you think that we let people doing things in our name without our blessing? The video & film director Saso Podgorsek is our friend and associate and we work closely on every video and film he does for Laibach.

      Last time you’ve been in Greece was almost 15 years ago. That performance was characterised as a crossover of historical parody and a post-modern totalitarian anthem by the press at the time and left the audience troubled with so many things other than the music they had just listened to. Can you recollect anything from that performance and is it likely that your forthcoming concerts in Greece will have the same effect on people?

Laibach: We remember that we played in an open space, which looked like  amphitheatre, it was very windy and the concert was supported by the Greek Communist Party. And also the audience was very interesting.     

      What should we expect from Laibach on stage in the year 2007? 

Laibach:  The least you expect – the more you will get.

      Is there a specific place or city on earth that you really want to do a concert and    haven’t done yet?

Laibach:  Huh, there are many cities and places we’d like to do a concert. In Athens we’d surely prefer to play on the Acropolis than in the club.

      I’ve done some homework and realized there isn’t much point in trying to talk you into an “all time favourite artists and albums/ bands to watch/ influences/ now listening to” question. Instead, would you care for a “first word that comes to mind” game (as many words as you’d like gladly accepted)?

 Laibach:

~ Richard Wagner - Volkswagner
~ DAF - Deutsche Arbeitsfront
~ Kraftwerk - Playtime
~ Rammstein – Lost Highway
~ Madonna – di Campiglio
~ Juno Reactor - 2001: A Space Odyssey
~ Bela Bartok -  Bela Lugosi
~ The Beatles and the Stones – Bosnia and Herzegovina
~ Einsturzende Neubauten – WTC  (World Trade Center)
~ Ultraviolence – Depeche Mode
~ Depeche Mode - Ultraviolence
~ The Residents – Robert Schilling
~ Diamanda Galas -  Ἀντιγόνη

      Nskstate.com features the words “the Slovenia of Athens” both in English and Greek as well as the owl, a prominent symbol of wisdom in Greek mythology (Goddess Athena’s “pet”) and popular culture, in its banner. I would like to know your connection to nskstate.com and what the Greek references are all about.

Laibach:  NSKSTATE.COM is one of the independent and freewheeling virtual NSK Embassies, based in Greece. It is entirely edited, designed and orchestrated by the Greek team of NSK citizens. We don’t interfere in their editorial decisions.  

      Let’s finish off with Laibach’s views of the current state of things in the World. 9/11 was a huge shock for people but already feeding Hollywood. Middle East and the terrorism issue haven’t concerned the media much lately, still one can only guess. And Europe shall always be the anile continent (which is also synonym to senile btw). Slovenia’s economy is doing quite well and will enter the Euro zone starting from January. 

Laibach:  We all live in very fragile, saturated, overloaded cynical times and we should practice more modesty, quietness and wisdom. Life is loosing lots of meaning and lots of sense and we should be grateful for every ray of light, grateful that there is still something to live from and to die for.

       So what is Laibach? Behind the totalitarian symbols and icons, the provocative, ambiguous and (very) witty words, the answers that bring more questions, the alchemical cover versions, the depersonalization, the crossover sounds and your very own state of mind is there something we have yet to discover as listeners, observers and communicators? As opposed to pop culture should Laibach be taken seriously (but not too seriously)?

Laibach:  What is Laibach? Who can tell… We are no ordinary type of group, we are no humble pop musicians, we don’t seduce with melodies and we are not here to please you. We have no answers to your questions but we can question your demands. We are the thieves of the lost horizons, we are the mirror of the deadly curse. We shall give you nothing and in return we’ll take even less. We are the engineers of the human souls, we are wolfs disguised as shepherds.