Comments on: ‘Der Visionär des Phantastischen’: An Interview with J.G. Ballard http://www.ballardian.com/der-visionar-des-phantastischen-an-interview-with-jg-ballard Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:46:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Rick McGrath http://www.ballardian.com/der-visionar-des-phantastischen-an-interview-with-jg-ballard/comment-page-1#comment-1713 Rick McGrath Tue, 06 May 2008 15:20:31 +0000 http://www.ballardian.com/der-visionar-des-phantastischen-an-interview-with-jg-ballard#comment-1713 I agree. It seems to be one of JG's own little psychopathologies that he keeps a lot of distance from any kind of hint of external "influences". Note his similar response to any suggestion he may be in the same sweaty boat as Conrad. I think with JG it's very important that he is recognized as a singular voice with a unique imagination. In many ways it's this obsession of his that has made it difficult for critics to pin him down. I agree. It seems to be one of JG’s own little psychopathologies that he keeps a lot of distance from any kind of hint of external “influences”. Note his similar response to any suggestion he may be in the same sweaty boat as Conrad. I think with JG it’s very important that he is recognized as a singular voice with a unique imagination. In many ways it’s this obsession of his that has made it difficult for critics to pin him down.

]]> By: Simon Sellars http://www.ballardian.com/der-visionar-des-phantastischen-an-interview-with-jg-ballard/comment-page-1#comment-1714 Simon Sellars Mon, 05 May 2008 12:37:08 +0000 http://www.ballardian.com/der-visionar-des-phantastischen-an-interview-with-jg-ballard#comment-1714 I have been reading a few of the Ballard interviews Rick has posted in recent times, the ones from the 70s in particular, and in these JGB goes to great pains to disassociate himself from any suggestion that Burroughs had influenced his writing, without actually disavowing the obvious shadow WSB's work cast on the New Worlds crew. Similar to how he repeatedly says that the Surrealists "corroborated" his world view rather than inspired it. I have been reading a few of the Ballard interviews Rick has posted in recent times, the ones from the 70s in particular, and in these JGB goes to great pains to disassociate himself from any suggestion that Burroughs had influenced his writing, without actually disavowing the obvious shadow WSB’s work cast on the New Worlds crew. Similar to how he repeatedly says that the Surrealists “corroborated” his world view rather than inspired it.

]]> By: Mike H http://www.ballardian.com/der-visionar-des-phantastischen-an-interview-with-jg-ballard/comment-page-1#comment-1712 Mike H Mon, 05 May 2008 11:01:25 +0000 http://www.ballardian.com/der-visionar-des-phantastischen-an-interview-with-jg-ballard#comment-1712 Thanks, Dan - another interesting interview! Ballard's comments on Burroughs have some similarity to Mike Moorcock's in the interview I did with him for Ballardian: "Jimmy and I were both great fans of William Burroughs. We weren’t so much influenced by him as inspired by him. We were also interested in condensing narrative, of finding forms which would enable us to carry as many narratives as possible in as short a space. ... Burroughs pointed the way, as we saw it." Thanks, Dan – another interesting interview!

Ballard’s comments on Burroughs have some similarity to Mike Moorcock’s in the interview I did with him for Ballardian: “Jimmy and I were both great fans of William Burroughs. We weren’t so much influenced by him as inspired by him. We were also interested in condensing narrative, of finding forms which would enable us to carry as many narratives as possible in as short a space. … Burroughs pointed the way, as we saw it.”

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