IN CONVERSATION WITH ALAN JONES

It is hard to imagine genre film writing without the invaluable and sheer volume of reviews, interviews and features from Alan Jones, co-founder of FrightFest. For Starburst magazine alone Jones would give his brazenly honest opinions on pretty much every genre film from 1978 to 2008. Recently compiled into one massive volume, STARBURST, THE COMPLETE ALAN JONES FILM REVIEWS is so much more than a reminder of his unimpeachable genre credentials, reflecting the ever changing state of genre cinema from just after the release of STAR WARS right up to Marvel Studios fledgling debut with IRON MAN. 

What fans of Alan’s film writing may not know is that film is far from his only passion. Now with the release of his long promised autobiography, DISCOMANIA, a glorious melding of Alan’s life with a celebratory guide to disco music and cinema.  Readers can discover for themselves Alan’s unbridled enthusiasm and all encompassing knowledge for disco music more than matches his commitment to cinema. All the more surprising considering Alan’s deep rooted involvement in the Punk movement. 

Gore In The Store caught up with Alan during his nationwide promotional tour of Disco Mania.

Discomania has been a long time in the planning. How does it feel now to have it out there in the world?

Very good indeed.  While everyone said I should write an autobiography, I didn't think anyone who didn't know my history with Vivienne Westwood, Malcolm McLaren and the Sex Pistols would care. I accepted my horror audience would be interested about my life in the genre so I knew it would have to have an extra element of interest, hence the reviews of Disco movies that had never been done before. And, of course through them, I reveal my love of the music, which like Punk was called crap, artless noise. I pulled all the strands together to write something unique -  a pinball machine autobiography that ricochets around music idioms, my life and my obsessions.

You wrote a lot of Discomania during the pandemic. That must have been quite the contrast in writing something that embraces social hedonism in all of its forms while the streets outside were empty and everything was closed down. Did this help you recollect events that otherwise until then may have remained hazy or cause any surprising thoughts or introspection within yourself?

Not really, it gave me the opportunity to plan it properly, that's all. Remember that when I wrote those vast 'Making Of' features for Cinefantastique magazine I would literally shut myself away for weeks until they were completed. The pandemic merely enforced the 'work from home' ethic I have always adhered to. My recollection of everything from that era is crystal clear. I mean, would you forget going to Studio 54 with Angie Bowie after a party at Grace Jones' penthouse apartment in Manhattan?

Even though I’m a fan of the film, I love your 2 out of 10 review for Blue Velvet, included in the Starburst book, which I found very surprising. Were there any reviews in there that you find yourself surprised by today, or any films that your opinion may have softened for, or the opposite, over the years?

Everyone points out the Blue Velvet review as being asymptomatic of what I was doing. There are plenty of other films I went against contemporary grain too. Like John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness for example. My watchword then, and now, is - did I like the movie, if not why not? I was never influenced by anyone else's opinion. I have never altered my opinions either. And you must remember that back in the day critics normally saw movies at least 3 months in advance so outside influence was a rarity. Not like now when you are lucky to see anything more than a day ahead of release and  can adopt other reviewers stances. And also unlike today I was never scared of giving a bad review to anything, as I say in the books, genre fans will go and see everything anyway despite what anyone like me thinks. Too  many people now give movies easy passes so as not to upset the PRs they regularly deal with. I have lasted in this profession because when I say I like something, people know it's the truth. You have no idea how important that is in FrightFest terms.

The two books compliment each other nicely. You could consider the Starburst volume a kind of work diary, albeit a very entertaining one, whilst Discomania is very much about a never ending party. When compiling the Starburst book, were you inspired or challenged by your older writing and if so, did this have an effect on the writing of Discomania?

I suppose they do compliment each other in a way. As I explained in the introduction to the Starburst book, I didn't want to retro edit anything, what you read is what I wrote - only the typos and mistakes were changed. It has been mentioned that my Punk attitude informed much of my Starburst writing, the reason why some find it so inflammatory.  I'm actually proud of that and Discomania flowed more easily as a result. I've always found writing easy, especially when it comes to the subject I know most about - myself!

Even though Discomania has just been published has there been any pushback from people mentioned, or even alluded to, in the book?

None so far. Why would anyone be upset? I paint everyone in the brightest of Disco colours. All that's missing really is the people I've slept with who aren't dead yet! 

In all your years in the discotheques across the world who were you most surprised by on the dance floor, for better or worse? (The more famous the better)

This is one for all Dario Argento/Michele Soavi fans. Going clubbing with THE CHURCH star Tomas Arana proved a bit of a nightmare.... Let's just say that the shapes he threw were unlike anything I've ever witnessed before. Otherwise, I did have a bit of a boogie with Eurodisco icon Amanda Lear when she appeared at the Camden Palace (formerly The Music Machine). Can't say I noticed anyone else as I was always Lost in Music...caught in a trap!

Genre fans who know next to nothing about disco or dance music may be surprised by the sheer amount of genre films and figures such as Argento, Norman Warren and Tarantino, to name a few, that are included and written about in Discomania. Why do you think it is that disco and genre filmmaking complement each other so well?

You go clubbing at night, where most horror films take place, especially the vampire ones. But they know that PROM NIGHT, DON'T GO IN THE HOUSE, THE MARTIAN and EYES OF LAURA MARS are disco reliant surely? All the names mentioned come up in some context either because of parallel circumstance  - I saw THE WIZ in the same month I filmed my cameo in Norman J Warren's TERROR - or they play a part in the history - Goblin's Claudio Simonetti's reluctance to admit to his Disco past.

Were any parts of Discomania more difficult to write than others, personally or otherwise?

I do find it hard writing about Sid Vicious now as we were close friends and neighbours and I hung out with him more than the other boys, apart from Glen Matlock, also a next door neighbour, still.  I think that's more informed by our lack of action when he was going through the worst time in the aftermath of Nancy's death. To this day I do not understand why Malcolm literally forbade us to go to New York to support him.  I don't have many regrets in my life but that's one.

Has there been anything recently, in music, film or literature, that you feel captures the spirit and energy of disco, or comes close, and inspires you as a fan and writer?

I thought Gaspar Noe's Climax was absolutely brilliant. I originally wanted Discomania to end on that apt title, but of course, Sod's Law meant further releases were to come. Obviously not the darker elements but that superlative film captured everything about the energy and spirit of Disco and featured three of the best tracks ever from Cerrone, Giorgio Moroder and Patrick Hernandez. I wish I had written the review "Fame as directed by the Marquis de Sade".

Can we expect a Country and Western volume in the future to complete the trilogy?

Absolutely not. Although I did love Dolly Parton's 1978 Disco hit Baby I'm Burnin'!

Iain MacLeod

DISCOMANIA and STARBURST THE COMPLETE ALAN JONES FILM REVIEWS 1978 - 2008 are both available now and published by FAB Press