Why did you start drawing?

Its all a catharsis for me. I've never been part of any fetish 'scene' or had any fetish

based relationship. I work in 'splendid isolation' of any exterior influence apart

from the obvious influences derived from other artist's work, films, books etc.

What do you believe in?

I believe in 'fairness'. I believe in my country. I am not a nationalist but tend rather

to see my country as my 'live-in' family and the rest of the world are my relatives

who occasionally visit or are visited. Of course my country like most others has had

its low points in history but on the whole I am proud to be British and wherever I

go in the world I always get a friendly response from the locals once they hear the

accent.

Which artists' work do you like or dislike?

I'm not going to put down any other artist's work. There is no point in doing that

however, I don't like drawings which are just 'bad'. A drawing can be

expressionistic or realistic, but a poorly executed drawing is just bad. I used to use

a 'golden section' proportional system once used by the great artists of the

renaissance. I then dallied with the Japanese 'ken' proportion, based on tatami

mats ( why, I dont know!?) then went back to a proportion based on the golden

section. The golden section was a proportional system devised for paintings and

architecture and was said to create a proportion that was instinctively and naturally

pleasing to the eye.

Look at a Benson drawing and there should be horizontal lines running at the top

and bottom in roughly equal distance from the outside edge of the drawings.

There is also usually a 'square' space in at least one corner of the drawing. On top

of this proportional system, the tone of the drawing has to have the correct

'weight'. Drawing in black and white is incredibly difficult. Too much ink or too

much space can leave a drawing looking 'thin' and spidery or 'heavy' and dark. The

artist I learned tonal balance from was Aubrey Beardsley - beautiful drawings and

great expressions on his characters faces.

What caused the now infamous split with House of Gord? To this day I know

basically what the argument was about but still remain mystified at how it lead to a

total rift. It was an odd time but I never took it personally as I never felt that our

breakup had anything to do directly with me. I think I was taking both barrels of

anger and frustration reserved for someone else.

Who was that? No idea. To this day Jeff remains an enigma.

Do you ever feel bad about the bizarre scenes you draw?

Sure I do. Over the years I have had exhaustive arguments and debates within my

own mind about the moral implications of my work. Especially after my son was

born - I put myself thru a moral mincer for years trying to reconcile my warped

ideas with being a responsible and caring person that parenthood forces you to be.

After all this time I have gotten to a point where I can justify my work to myself

and shoulder any pangs of guilt.

But how would you feel if you found out one of your drawings had been reenacted

during a rape?

I've heard this one before! Of course I would be horrified. But just as horrified if I

built a beautiful bridge and someone jumped off it. I wouldn't feel guilty as I

cannot and should not have to be responsible for other adults' actions. The

majority of my work is so fantastic that I hope it puts it well out of the reach of

reenactment. I do think that that is part of the attraction of my work - that I draw

what is out of the reach of reality although House of Gord and Chelsea Charms are

making it harder every day.

What do you hate most?

I loathe hypocrisy in myself so it utterly disgusts me when I see it in others. People

who take the moral high ground usually fall into this category. For instance, the 'is

it art or pornography' debate is usually discussed by those who don't have a

creative bone in their body. I have no idea but I'm sure if we had sent 15 minutes

of hardcore footage to Andy Warhol it would have magically become 'art' when it

came out of his gallery projector.

What do you like?

I like my fans. They give me hope. They come from all walks of life, professions,

countries but they are all unified by being what society would call 'normal' and

respectable. When I get too down on myself I remind myself that there are so many

others out there involved in my work who manage to be great fathers, good

husbands, kind neighbours, good people despite their dubious appetite for my

work.

Are you an artist or pornographer?

I call myself a pornographer, not in any self-derogatory way but purely as an

appropriate description of my work but, I too am suspicious of other

pornographers who label their work as art or artistic. It works both ways though.

Look at any of Balthus' art and all I see is gratuitous eroticising of underage girls. I

guess the highbrow art establishment would say that was in my mind but I just see

it on the canvas.

What are your influences?

Influences? Sardax, Beardsley, Bishop and Namio. A very early illustrated edition of

"Fox's Book of Martyrs". Barbarella, the face of Catherine Deneuve, HR Giger. Films

- 'Stepford Wives', anything by Russ Meyer, 'Prime Cut' with Lee Marvin and Gene

Hackman and of course the Fem Bots out of Austin Powers.

How does your own life influence your work?

I grew up in a one parent family and my relationship with my mother was pretty

dysfunctional. To this day my mother and I remain estranged. There is no

animosity on either part - just cold indifference. Bondage to me, therefore is a

quite literal need to bind my partner to me in fear that she will leave. I think most

guys will admit that their 'better half' is part mother, part lover and part friend all

in unequal proportions, so for me, to lose a lover is to lose part of a mother once

more.

What is it that you like about bondage?

Bondage is a two edged sword. To tie someone you love up is a way of preventing

them leaving you - a reassurance for the bondager and in many ways a feeling of

being owned and cherished for the bondaged. Bondage is a very physical

reaffirmation of a union of two people - your partner obliges, consents to belong

to you. When you think about it, traditional wedding ceremonies are nothing more

than two people entering into a contract of mutual ownership of each other so this

is nothing radical.

Do you worry about what others think about you?

Nietzsche says that morality is the 'herd-instinct in the individual'. Stepping out of

the herd is always seen as threatening. I've never been one for being part of a herd

- the smell of bull-sh*t is nauseating.

Are you happy?

No. I think I was sent to this earth to try myself. But seriously, we often describe

people as being a 'well rounded individual', meaning that a person has achieved

balance. I think I have but I wouldn't necessarily call that 'happiness'..as far as my

illustrative career is concerned, it is a dark and lonely path that I can share with

no-one.

What worries you?

Nothing worries me directly but I do worry about the children of the world. I

wouldn't class myself as old but the gulf between the experiences of my childhood

and todays childrens' world is immense. Children today are forced to grow up so

fast and are fed such rubbish - both literally and symbolically. TV programmes

that advocate overt competitiveness, reinforcing the stigma and fear of failure,

pop-bands whose adult sexuality is marketed and aimed toward pre-pubescent

girls, thirty second attention spans, the disintegrating value of personal

achievement and the edifying of inane and transient pleasure..I could go on and on

and on....

Finally, what one thing would you like to put right that's been said about you?

That I am a misogynist. This is incorrect. I love and respect all women. They have

higher pain thresholds than men are much more pragmatic and generally cause

less wars than we do. They also have soft, warm 'jubblies'...mmm!