Alphabet interview, Montreux, Switzerland, May 1987

- A like... ?

Robert : A... like an animal.

- Which one ?

Robert : A polar bear

- B like... ?

Boris : Bimbo.

Robert : B like bimbo. Why bimbo ?

Boris : It just came through my head.


- C like... ?

Robert : B should be for black.


- D like... ?

Robert : Doom and gloom.


- E like... ?

Robert : E like elephantine. That's Lol, he's like an elephant.


- F like... ?

Robert : The funny words we use.


- G like... ?

Simon : Good luuuuck.

Robert : Good luck. A very very famous Cure expression.


- After G : H

Robert : H is for happy.

Boris : Which we are all the time.

Robert : Which we are constantly. Excruciately happy.


- I like... ?

Robert : I.


- You ?

Robert : Yeah.

Robert : J for... jump. "Jump to the beat, come on and dance with me."


- K...

Robert : Kaleidoscope. For the multi colored facets of the group.
And also for our clothes sense. K is for clothes sense.

Simon : (laughs)

Robert : L is for... love.

Robert : M

Simon : Amyway.

Robert : Amyway. M.

Robert : N is for nutter.


- Who is nutter ?

(Robert pointing at Simon)

Simon : Good luuuuck.


Robert : O is for obsolete. Which is for most of the groups in this festival except for us.

Robert : P is for pleasure. The pleasure we derive from being obstinate, difficult.
P is for polite. Which we are all the time. P is for pissed (pointing at Simon).

Boris : Which he is all the time (laughs).

Robert : P is for Porl who can't be with us at the moment.

Robert : Q... questions. Very irritating, they come one after the other.


- Is life a question ?

Robert : Yeah. It's a dull question a lot of the time.

Robert : R...

Simon : Roy Walker. What's a redhead, no hair... Just a redhead.

Robert : R is for redhead.

Boris : Take my wife for instance.

Simon : (R is also) for Robert.


- S like Smith maybe ?

Robert : That would go together, wouldn't it ? That's why my Mum called me Robert.

Robert : T is for torture. T is for tea. T is for Tolhurst.

Robert : U... bastard.

Boris : Undy.

Robert : U is for undulating. Just how I see the group.
U is for umbrella. Which we look like we'll need.

Robert : V is for...

Boris : Very good.

Robert : Very nearly the end of the alphabet.

Simon : Vella. Undy Vella.

Robert : W is for white. Which we wear more often than black.

Robert : X is for...

Simon : Xenophobic (laughs).

Robert : Argh...

Robert : X is for x-rated. Which we are after midnight.

Robert : Y is for...

Boris : Y can't I be you ?

Robert : Y is for years and years and years.
Y is for yes. My favorite word. Just say yes.

Robert : Z...

Simon : Zed is what we like to call it in England.

Robert : Z is for... zoo. Which is what this is (Montreux Festival -note).

Simon : And zenophobic (laughs).


- What's your favorite letter ?

Robert : S. 'Cause there's a lot of good words.
Very sensual, sexual, soft...sort of letter. Sssssssssss.