What is love?
Well, I don't know if I could actually answer that question or not! I don't think that you can put love into words, as words do not convey the emotion of love. Love is a feeling, kind of like when you are eating a yummy Japanese curry (a feeling I seem to experience every day around lunch time.) You feel all warm and mushy inside. Nothing else seems to matter. It can make you do dangerous things, like walk head on into walls and doors and say the most ridiculously silly things. (From love, not the curry.) Like all the classic moves in comics, movies and novels. I guess, putting it that way, love is probably a very dangerous emotion to our mental and physical well being. Although I think that love is dangerous to us, it is necessity. I do not think, that with us being human, that we could live without it. Love is the reason why some people continue on with their lives, rather than ending it all. I guess you could say that love also offers hope. We like the idea of love, we are in love with the idea of being in love. I guess I haven't really answered the question, but, as I said before, it is not something that you can put into words.

Why did you start dans I'obscurité?
Oh dear! What a bad bad question to ask me! I will most likely get myself into trouble with people I don't even know! Ah well, what is the world without a bit of bitchiness. Here we go. The reason as to why this little mess of mine, which I fondly call "dans" came to be is that it was born from my frustration in not having anything to read produced by someone within the gothic subculture. I was constantly hearing through walls that people were complaining that no one was doing anything to contribute to the scene. Finally, after being violently sick of hearing the same old same old constantly, with no one producing any results, I thought to myself "Right, 'tis time to wreak my havoc unto the universe!" and with those words, "dans I'obscurité" was brought forwards into this cruel unforgiving world. It has brought to me, respite from the madness that hovers around, it calms me from the insanity that is lurking within the deep dark pit of my brain. It enables me to spew forth the smut that clutters up my mind. It is my baby, my creation, MY LIFE! Besides the madness that it has brought upon me, the main object of "dans" is for me to provide something that the people in the Brisbane scene can contribute to by way of artwork, short stories, poetry etc. Well, do you think that people have taken heed of that? No! Believe me, it is much easier to get blood out of a stone than to get contributions out of the Brisbane people! I am not one of those pretentious gits who continuously whines about no one doing anything to contribute to the scene, and yet they won't get off their butt and do something themselves. And, this is the funny part, when something does eventuate, it is those same people who then start to bitch and say that it should be done this way and that way. Well, if they think that, I am sure that they can do a much better job than me! Okay, bitch session over, for now at least!

I've noticed from watching people in the "Goth" scene that a lot of people seem to be embracing the Gothic "image", but have little to no interest in, or know about, the music.
If Gothic dress is somewhat of a uniform for the purpose of identifying one's comrades, what do you think about the enemy waring the good guy's uniform?
Hmmm, this is one topic that does get to me! I am continuously seeing people around town, whom appear to embrace the image overnight and then automatically qualify as "Goth Queen or King" as such. They appear, to me, to embrace this image, not because of what's in their hearts, but because it looks "cool" or they want to do it to shock. Nothing seems to irritate me more when I see it happening. The "Gothic" culture, as such, is wide and varied and it incorporates a lot of different ideas to create what it has become today. It is very different to what it originally was, which I feel is a shame. The early "Goths" were in it for very very different reasons than what we are now. It is much more than just the music (although, the music plays a major part in it), it is also what the person feels in the heart. I think that you will find, that most of the "Goths" have always been different in some way or another throughout their lives and their involvement in this did not happen over night, but developed over many months, years even. It is sad to know that there are people out there that exploit the "goth" image, as it is those people that give the rest of us a bad name.

Your zine goes a long way to profile local "Goth" personalities. How has the response been? Do you think the Brisbanites are appreciating your efforts to give the "scene" a higher profile?
Well, to be quite truthful, I have had some positive feed back from people in relation to this, but, the funny thing is, it is from people in other states and cities! I have not had much feed back from people here, besides friends & family etc. And most of the feed back I do get from Brisbane is often from people that are not a part of the scene! It is a real pity as I am doing this to promote the local talent, which quite possibly might have passed us by unknown! I also think, and I know a lot of interesting people that have wonderful stories to tell and quite interesting opinions and I like to think that other people are interested as well. Where we have the news and trashy gossip magazines to give us gossip on all the famous celebrities etc, no one wants to focus on local people and local talent. I firmly believe, aside from the odd one or two people, that our locals are much much more interesting and talented than movie actors or singers anyway.

Can you tell us about a few of your favourite Gothic publications, and or artists, (painters, musicians etc.), who you have come across?
One of my most favourite local goth publications is "Capathian Vampire Magistrates Society" I only ever got one copy of this and have never seen it again, but it, in a sense, influenced the direction that "dans" took. It was very visually pleasing and quirky, which is just how I like my zines. Then, also along the same lines, I love my Johnny, Squee, Lenore and Gloom Cookies comics, I have a little collection of them. My big time all favourite artist though, not goth, would have to be Brian Froud. He is amazing. If you haven't heard of him, you must go and get some of his books. You don't know what you are missing out on! In the Manga and anime world, my favourite artists are CLAMP, no one can draw eyes and boys the way they do! And Toshihiro Hirano & Narumi Kakinouchi who do New Vampire Miyu. Their work is sheer beauty. I am truly inspired once I read and see their work! Also, I must not forget to mention, my Manga-ka for "dans", Melanie de Chantriane, she is one very very talented girl, although she is still rather humble about it! Musically, I am inspired by Siouxsie Sioux, I really admire her, I find her to be quite a remarkable woman. Melanie is slowly getting me to listen to some Japanese goth bands, and they sound rather interesting so far! But, I love a lot of the classic Eighties so called "goth" music, and am slowly learning to like and appreciate the newer bands that are emerging from the shadows.

Do you think Marilyn Manson is (or was) "Gothic"?
No! I am sorry, but I can not stand the guy. Sure some of his styles are interesting, but he has created a lot of unwanted publicity towards people inclined to the darker side. He has used and abused the term of "goth" to create free publicity for himself. I admit, it annoys me when I go out and I see all those little school kids running around wearing MM shirts with hideous make-up, and I cannot help but think that all the kids are doing is running around like this for shock value, because it is the latest trend. It is not in their heart, which if they were serious about it, is where it should be. I think that it is sad, that all it takes is a couple of lewd words and gestures from him and everyone, who wares black and eyeliner gets clumped into the category of "Satanist" and we then find ourselves scapegoats of society (although we have been in the past, not to this extent).