Question: What was the first time when you thought about your work ‘this is not a photograph, but a “Anton Corbijn”. AC: ‘Er, I really don’t know if I took a specific photograph, I was merely messing around all the time. People have always seen that as a typical AC style and it’s what I did with a bit of success for a long time. It’s a technique where you to try to make something with little means: the minimal approach. In the period when I started of I disliked the work of people who were seen as THE photographers. That work had everything to do with virtuosity, but nothing with inspiration.’
Q: Do you like your work?
AC: I don’t know. Sometimes when I look back at things I think, hmmm, that’s was not so bad, after all. I feel that I’m being seen as too big in the Netherlands. U2 might be a big band, but I grew up with them. Everything is actually on a smaller scale than what people think.
About Depeche Mode: Depeche Mode is very successful, except in the Netherlands. They are playing the country after a 13 years absence.
AC: They skipped two tours in Holland, and that is amazing. Inside the band I’m blamed for it, because I work for them and I am from the Netherlands. So I really had to talk them over to play here this time. I feel more involved with DM than with U2, because I do all the design work: art direction, stage design, logos and videos.
Q: You’ve probably made the most beautiful videos with them. This is what Bono from U2 says about it.
Bono: ‘Sometimes it works - the absurd. You see in a Depeche Mode film where he has Dave Gahan dressed as a king and go around in robes and sit in a chair. If that was me I would have said: Anton, fuck off! But it’s a great video. Dave Gahan has obviously bigger balls than I have, or else he is thicker. But it is probably the former, because Anton shot one of his best videos, because they were prepared to take those risks.’
AC: the big difference between DM and U2 in that sense is, that DM dares to go along with my ideas, while U2 have more ideas to start with and that causes more time negotiating.
The next day Depeche Mode played a sold out Ahoy Rotterdam after they were introduced by Anton Corbijn, who made pictures during the show. It was a fantastic gig, with an enthusiastic audience. We were certainly happy, that they finally managed to play in the Netherlands whether Anton was responsible for it or not.
The introduction that Anton Corbijn did in Rotterdam:” Hoi Ahoy, ik ben trots….ik moet zeggen ik ben erg trots….ik moet eigenlijk zeggen ik ben heel erg trots, om na 13 jaar afwezigheid hier een band te mogen introduceren die wat mij betreft de beste live show van dit moment heeft. Ik hoop dat jullie depeche mode een warm welkom heten. Dank je”
”Hi Ahoy, I’m proud….i should say I’m very proud….i really should say I’m very very proud, to, after an absence of 13 years, introduce to you a band with if it's concerning me the best live-act at the moment. I hope that you’ll give Depeche Mode a warm welcome. Thank you.”(Translated from Dutch) |
