Anju Singh interview: Turning A Page of Madness (and Touring Japan with The Nausea's Requiem): LIVE SCORE TONIGHT at the VIFF Centre

EDIT: This will be in two parts: a BEFORE and an AFTER, reflecting a correction and a couple of observations about this evening's screening:

1. BEFORE

Disclaimer: as of writing this, I have not seen A Page of Madness, the silent Japanese film being live-scored by (local avant-gardist and metal musician) Anju Singh tonight at the VIFF Centre. I looked at a few minutes of it, went "Holy hell, what IS this?" -- because it is a film I had not heard about prior to the announcement of this screening, and because it is as remarkable and formally ambitious, perhaps even more so, than much better known (and much more frequently live-scored) silent films, such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (which has bonkers set design but a fairly conventional narrative exposition, which does not seem to be the case for A Page of Madness, which fractures standard cinematic logic to convey mental illness). I decided that a) I needed to see it; that b) I wanted to see it theatrically, with Anju scoring it; and that c) the film would be best appreciated if I knew as little of it as possible. Besides, I don't have to give spoiler alerts for a film I have not seen! 

The good news is: I know Anju (not well) and have seen her perform in a few different contexts, from all-female avant garde improvisation with the Her Jazz Noise Collective and other projects to drumming with the metal band AHNA. I first met Anju -- 20 years ago, in the storied Fake Jazz Wednesdays scene, where she was a co-organizer and frequent performer. There is a very, very interesting article to be written about Anju Singh, I think, doing a deep dive into her background. This is not that article -- it is focused almost entirely on the live score tonight and Anju's recent Japanese tour with her project The Nausea. Who Singh is aside from all that -- perhaps come to the VIFF Centre tonight with the old Christian maxim in mind that we can know a tree by its fruits? 

Anju promotional image for The Nausea, 

photography is Dani Osborne, collage is by Anju Singh

HOWEVER, given that I know the film -- based on a treatment written by Yasunari Kawabata, I gather -- even-less-well than I know Anju, I wanted to give some options to readers, before reading the interview below, or for further reference later: there is an interesting feature article which can be found here, giving some history and speaking with an expert in Japanese cinema about the film, the filmmaker, and its original context of reception. The whole film, with what I presume is its 1971 score -- added when the film, long thought lost, was re-discovered in the filmmaker's garden shed -- can be seen here. And Anju's website and musical history can be found here. (The website of Harlow Macfarlane, who contributes to tonight's project and who is discussed below as well, can be found here). 

Oh, and Anju assures me, "Yes there will be merch." (Please sign and save me an LP!)

End introduction; let's get to it.

Allan: How did you hear of this very odd film? Where did the idea of scoring it come from? How did you connect with the VIFF...?

Anju: I came across the film a couple years ago when I was researching specifically experimental, silent films so that I could practice scoring to film without worrying about copyright issues in case I came up with something I really liked and wanted to release it. I love experimental film and so coming across this was exciting. While I didn’t finish a score for this film when I came across it at first, I did end up using sections of the film, specifically the abstract parts, for my video art work, which I was also developing at the time.

The reason I was interested in scoring a film in the first place was that every time I played a set with The Nausea live, people would approach me and say “hey, you should compose for film!” and I suppose one day I was like, 'Ya maybe I should! So I started teaching myself by practicing scoring to films I found on Archive.org that were before 1925 or whatever the copyright cut off was at the time. Since then, I’ve been doing composing mentorships with experienced film composers so my skills have grown a lot.

Allan: Does your doing this score or your interest in this film connect to The Nausea's April tour of Japan? I know almost nothing of Japanese silent cinema -- is it something you've explored much of?

Anju: It is actually totally just coincidence that these things aligned but as you know, the Japanese noise and experimental music scene is vibrant and I knew a little bit about Japanese experimental film, but most recently I discovered 1970s experimental Japanese theatre through another project. I just love experimental art and really admire the risks that artists who work in these genres take, so I was really excited all around. But I love experimental art from all over the world, Korea has so much cool video art, and I’m learning about India’s underground extreme metal scene, and the experimental electronic music I’ve been checking out from Mexico is amazing too. Basically, I’m interested in what people are doing in other places because in niche genres like noise or experimental art, you have a limited audience or community in one place. Globally, it’s a huge movement.

Allan: Have you collaborated with Harlow before? (Do you have a favourite recording or project of his? Mine is Funerary's Call's Nightside Emanations). His musical instruments make him a perfect fit, but I don't know what you may have done together...? What precisely are his contributions (they're recorded, and you're improvising around them, or...?). (Did you see any of his past silent film score stuff? I caught his Haxan live score...).

Anju: I have never collaborated with Harlow but we have performed on the same bills for many years, well over a decade! I like all of his projects. I am using his pre-recorded sounds and composing around them, and then I also have some pre-recorded sounds too. Sadly, he works in film and had to work so can’t do this live, but I’m just really happy we got to collaborate because I respect him artistically very much.

Allan: I know (though I have made too much of this in a past feature) that Harlow has an interest in the occult, which connects with his ideas about where music comes from (I am possibly oversimplifying). Is that a topic you've talked about? Do you have an interest in the occult/ spiritualism/ etc?

Anju: I don’t know if I’m a spiritual person, and I often feel like something is wrong with me because I’m not, haha. I mean maybe I’m spiritual? I have no idea. I’m definitely obsessive and go deep into my art forms. I suppose my spirituality is making art and music from a place deep within that is honest and real for me and in defiance of what I’m told is the norm. I read about spirituality, religion, the occult, and mythology a lot and I actually write my own mythologies for my art through lyrics or in screenplays, but I don’t follow something specific. I think I’m far too skeptical and wary of things to follow something closely. You should have heard me in temple when they tried to tell me who god was as a kid! I follow my inner intuition most of all. Oh and maybe if anything, I fall into existentialist camps because I’m constantly agonizing about existence and meaning...

Allan: I sort of lost touch with your music around AHNA. Bring me up to date? What bands have you been in since then? Did you ever tour Japan with any of them?

Anju: I plays drums in a death metal band called GRAVE INFESTATION touring Japan in November, I also drum for CEREMONIAL BLOODBATH and TEMPLE OF ABANDONMENT, I play guitar in ENCOFFINATE and bass in DEATHWINDS, and I do synth and vocals in DARK RECOLLECTION, a synth/dark wave project. And then I have an active personal art practice which is a bunch of things under my name ANJU SINGH. 

Anju Singh by Chelsea Mandziuk

Allan: Who/ what is The Nausea, exactly? That's you on violin? Tell me about Requiem?

Anju: I’m not going to limit myself to instrumentation or members, but to date; it’s me doing experimental violin, doom, and harsh noise on violin. Requiem is my first LP and it has been in the works for like 10 years and I am so glad it’s out because I’m ready to move on to the next phase of material, which may or may not include violin.

I don’t know why I am so drawn to violin, I’ve been playing forever but it’s not even my strongest instrument, though sometimes to experiment openly and freely you need less rigid structures around you.

I’m happy with Requiem and actually listened to it twice today after not listening to it for a bit after submitting the masters for vinyl pressing. I think it’s solid. I am excited to do the next stuff. I am feeling more confident in performing with an emphasis on my love of harsh noise, extreme volumes, and challenging sound environments. The next material will push ahead in that direction. But at the same time, I’m also naturally a person who likes some things to be musical sometimes so that will always show up. 

Allan: What I saw of A Page of Madness -- I only looked at the first few minutes, because I'm saving myself for your score -- it seemed to have a unique, idiosyncratic film language -- there was a lot of looking. Is is particularly difficult to follow the story? How much preparation do you recommend? I worry I may be distracted from your score by just trying to figure out what's going on! Any preparatory notes are welcome -- what is the film about, to you?

Interesting questions.. but I do think the filmmakers intended to allow us to feel and experience the film rather than try to control how it is represented or how the storyline shows up. There is a very clear storyline that I can follow, but on first watch, it was the expression of the inner mind and emotions that I found most intriguing. I’d say don’t prepare just watch it, but also there no title cards the way that most silent films have so maybe we do need context. I’m not sure, I’m going to ask people before the screening if they want me to tell them a synopsis or not. I can see both sides.

To me, the film is actually about the shared experiences of mental illness and mental health struggles. While we put some people into cells in institutions, everyone struggles with mental health battles probably at some point in their lives. I mean I could be wrong, but I’d like to meet someone who is in perfect mental health “shape” all the time. I think the film for me describes shared experiences and empathy with those in the asylum. I feel it’s showing how similar, not different we are. I also think the film is about the weight of guilt and responsibility when you’ve made “a mistake”. Guilt and shame are both very interesting concepts to me because they seem so unproductive yet are so valued.

Allan: I gather the director of A Page of Madness was a non-female kabuki actor -- the VIFF guide describes him as a "female impersonator." but again, in terms of things I don't know much about, Gender and Japanese Kabuki is way up there. The Japanese term is apparently onnagata. Are Japanese concepts of gender of interest or relevant here?

Anju: I don’t have much to say about this because I honestly don’t know, sorry! I think asking an expert is better.

Allan: Anything else people should know about upcoming performances, music, the film, etc?

Anju: I will be sharing a composition I wrote for a video at CINEWORKS on August 19th. [This involves cut-up scenes from a popular science fiction series, the name of which is omitted for purposes of avoiding copyright hassles!]

Allan: Anything to report about the April tour of Japan? Did you visit any particular temples? Take in a public bath? See Keiji Haino in his native setting? Are there any must-dos on the itinerary for the upcoming tour?

Anju: We went to a lot of temples, saw some of the best noise in my life, and really enjoyed the train system. I just want to most of all soak in the culture so we didn’t stay in touristy areas and that was perfect, even if we couldn’t read any menus and I often was confused about what I ordered.

2. AFTER: 

I have corrected a misunderstanding in the above: Anju's tour of Japan was in April -- it is not forthcoming. Oops. I presume no one in Japan has been led on by this (my reach does not extend so far). When you write in a rush, you make mistakes. 

Anyhoo: Anju's score was remarkable, as was the film, but I had some difficulty following the various passages in and out of reality offered by the film, and was relieved to bond in that difficulty with programmer Tom Charity, who was on hand to conduct the Q&A. Anju was charmingly unpretentious, funny, and direct -- which can be rare qualities at relatively highbrow arts events, which (I felt) the very-decent-sized audience truly appreciated. But it's not an easy film to make sense of the first time through: for instance, there is a scene where the protagonist murders a doctor, which, we gather, was a fantasy, but the film deliberately makes the line between fantasy and reality quite thin, to impart the experience of mental illness, so you can't be blamed if you find yourself confused when said doctor re-appears. There are scenes, especially early on, where it is easier to follow the shifts between reality and delusion, but as the delusions accumulate, I think it would take someone far more perceptive than I am to keep track of it all. Even Anju -- forthright and funny -- copped to still being puzzled by a few things in the film.  

Anyhow, it's not an easy movie to fully take in... especially if, aided by a somewhat trance-inducing score and exhausted by the effort of concentration, you fall asleep a couple of times.  

Sorry, folks. Rest assured that I only snored twice, and they were small snorts, which woke me up (Shaun of the Cinematheque was sitting immediately behind me and reassured me when I asked afterwards that he could not tell where the snort -- he only heard one of them -- came from: "That was you!").

But even though I struggled to stay awake and make sense of the narrative, I very much enjoyed the evening, as did the audience (and I did buy a copy of The Nausea's Requiem, which I am looking forward to spinning). It's nice to have such a successful event before the break in VIFF programming: for those who do not know, the VIFF Centre will be closing for awhile for renovations, including improved projection and sound. The seats are being re-upholstered, as well; there is one you can sit on in the lobby if you want to test them out -- but do not worry, the seats are not being replaced, as I initially said; they simply have a different kind of seat in the lobby, for upholstery-testing purposes, which will NOT be used to replace the seats in the theatre (because that's not going to confuse anyone!). If you want to try the new upholstery out, I would hurry, there aren't many shows left before they close for renovations. More about the refurbishments here. 

Meantime, I think that Anju's next performances will probably have a few slightly out-of-place onlookers as a result of her smashing success tonight; that will be interesting to see. There was a very civilized Japanese woman whom I helped with the reading of some black metal fonts. Ceremonial Bloodbath will apparently be playing the Cobalt on June 29th (this is not entirely online yet that I can see, but Anju had handbills). Following that, The Nausea will be playing a metal show at Green Auto, which doesn't entirely make sense -- The Nausea is NOT a metal project, and Green Auto is a bit of an odd space for them, methinks (The Nausea would better fit a room with seats, where you can close your eyes and lose yourself in the music). But I think I might check that out, too...

I would tell you what the other bands on the bill are, but fucked if I can read'em. (Actually I gather the top-billed band at the Cobalt show is Phrenelith, from Copenhagen, Bandcamp here, and the other band is Noroth, also called Norothovcascadia; I am not even going to try with the Green Auto gig.  

There were other people who one usually does not see at metal and noise events checking out Anju's merch, which seemed to sell quite well. A European woman was asking at the table about the merch before the movie, if the bandname was a reference to Sartre's La Nausee (Anju confirmed later that it was). But the prize for interesting customers goes to these two, whom you might recognize: 

That's Joyce and Jacqueline Robbins, who by way of introducing themselves will let you know that they act presently in A Series of Unfortunate Events, on Netflix -- the Lemony Snicket adaptations. I wonder if this is because they figure that people these days are most likely to know of them through a current popular series, or if it is because they have learned from experience that if they tell film geeks that they worked with Robert Altman in the 1970s, they'll be deluged with questions?

I suspect the former; these were two very chatty, articulate, intimidatingly intelligent twins, who took turns finishing each other's sentences, even: certainly the most intense twins I've been around (the Soskas have nothing on them). So I doubt they'd be shy talking about Altman or anything else in their filmography. Maybe they'll make it out to a Ceremonial Bloodbath show, too?

You could ask them about Altman. (They have their own Wikipedia page, which probably doesn't cover half of what they've done -- they recounted some of their career as we milled about by the merch table -- but I cannot do it justice.)

Oh, and they're also in The Reflecting Skin. I guess I have to watch that again, because I don't remember them in it at all! From 1990:

...so all told, that was a pretty interesting night at the movies! 

See you at Ceremonial Bloodbath, maybe? 

Hmm.