Waiting For Rod 2005

• Idea Concept and Text:  Phil Hayes
• Artisitic Advisor:  Simone Aughterlony
• Performance:  Phil Hayes, Olifr Maurmann, Nora Vonder Mühll
• Music:  Olifr Maurmann
• Lighting:  Ursula Degen
• Video:  Susanne Hofer/flimmern
• Photographs:  Niklaus Spoerri

Dear Phil

I remember, 1979/80, working for a computer company driving North from Perth towards Arbroath and Aberdeen, Scotland in the boss' Cortina, It was snowing, I was on my way to install a computer system, my life was falling apart and Rod was on the radio singing 'the First Cut is the deepest'. I revved the engine, the bonnet came up like a speedboat and I screeched away into the night... 

best wishes
Steve

Phil: What people probably notice about me. If they are paying attention. Is I don’t change with the times I’m one step ahead. Desire: it’s frightening stuff and you have to handle it with care. But that doesn’t mean bury it in the cold ground. It’s a question of harnessing it and using it as a creative force. But be careful because desire, lust call it what you will it doesn’t follow our rules, it doesn’t use our money. Sometimes it’s a burden for me. Passion. It’s something I have to carry around and make sure the top doesn’t come off. You might find this difficult to imagine. But I did once have a normal job before all this........... The show always goes well but just imagine it didn’t. I wouldn’t blame it on the audience. Not really. I don’t need time to prepare. It’s like I’ve got a big invisible switch on my back. I just have to turn it on. 
Of course if I’ve arrived late I just let them wait because I need a moment to fix my hair.

Olifr : AT THE BEGINING OF HIS CAREER AS A SINGER SOLO FIRST TIME I MET HIM, PHYSICAL NOT MY TYPE I LIKE MAN WITH DARK EUROPEAN HAIR AND KIND OF TAN, ALSO DRESS STYLE EUROPEAN NOT LEOPARDS DRESSES AT ALL. BUT SOME HOW THERE WAS SOMETHING ON HIM THAT ATTRACT ME MAGNANIMUS HIS VOICE AND AFTER READING ABOUT HIM WE ARE THE SAME ZODIAC SIGN AND MORE BUT I DON’T DRINK BUT OCCASIONAL OR DO DRUGS EVER. I STOP RIGHT HERE THIS MAN FATHJER TO BE IS GETTING MARRIED SOON AND I SHOULD NOT THINK ABOUT THIS FEELING ANY LONGER, JUST BE HAPPY AND GO ON WITH MY LIFE.

Phil: People ask me how do you keep going. How I can still do it night after night, year after year. But for me it’s more a question of having to do it. It’s not a choice. For we as successful artists it’s a impulse the same way other people um I don’t know much about other people. Of course I like to look at myself…look after myself, be careful what I eat have plenty of rest. I mean this doesn’t come from just sitting around. When I’m on stage I feel no different from how I felt twenty years ago. You may think I’m fooling myself but you would be wrong. Just try and picture yourselves doing what I do. You couldn’t do it could you? Then same way I couldn’t do whatever it is you people do. I just know with me it works. Otherwise we wouldn’t be here tonight.