I found the character
of Simon Lovell to have much in common
with the date I interviewed him - July
4th. Although Simon is a Brit, he shares
similarities with the Fourth of July
festivities, most notably as a firecracker.
Like a cherry bomb Simon can be loud,
abrasive, shocking, demanding of your
attention and he always goes out with
a bang.
We met at the Farmington
Marriot about 20 minutes away from Hartford,
Ct. The setting was classic for Simon,
a dark, ominous and cool place with
a cave-like atmosphere. Not more than
15 feet away was a bar along with a
barkeep that made the rounds for us.
Simon ordered a draw
of beer, and a pack of Marlboro Lights
100's as I unraveled my legal pad, and
searched for an adequate writing utensil.
I began to feel those minor "discomforts"
that accompany interviewing someone
you're meeting for the first time.
The interview consisted
of two meetings on two consecutive days.
At the very least you will find Simon
Lovell a man of convictions. Simon Lovell
is a man of little compromise and strong
convictions. Simon Lovell will polarize
you into one of two extreme's -- you
will either like him a lot or not at
all. Simon wouldn't have it any other
way.
MS: Well, I tried to
think of a different way to ask this
question, but ultimately decided to
take the unoriginal and shortest route
- How did you become involved in the
art of magic?
SL: Once I went into
Ken's shop (Ken Brooke), and all of
a sudden to our surprise he took ill
and fainted. I dialed emergency services
and shortly thereafter he came to. As
the paramedics wheeled him out, he looked
at me and John Fredko and told us to
take over the shop ...
It didn't quite hit
us at first, our thoughts being focused
on Ken's well-being, but after we found
out he was OK, we realized we were "it."
There we were in charge of one of the
greatest magic stores ever -- even if
it was only for a few hours. That had
a profound, positive effect on my furthered
interest in magic ....
MS: Yes that would
be an amazing experience. Is there any
one person who got you interested in
magic in the begining?
SL: Actually, the person
who really was responsible for my interest
in magic was my Grandfather - and the
funny thing was - he wasn't a magician
at all?
MS: What? Then how
does a non-magician get someone interested
in magic? Isn't that impossible?
SL: Not at all -- he
was a master gambler. He taught me double-lifts
and many other card-sleights and even
though it is not considered magic it's
in the same genre, or it is a sibling
of the art of magic.
MS: Do you have a preference
for a particular style or category of
magic?
SL: I prefer comedy
and close-up - In fact I have worked
the comedy circuit for years - that
is a real challenge, try integrating
magic and comedy for 1 hour... not easy...
MS: How does comedy
and magic differ compared to England?
SL: The first thing
that comes to mind is the "TIMING" is
completely different. I remember one
of my first "gigs" in the US was a comedy
show, and I said to myself "no problem,"
I'll do my act. Very quickly I realized
the lines that usually produced hysteria
and laughter were doing nothing. The
timing was way off.
Another difference
is the venue where magicians go to practice,
perform and polish their skills. They
had clubs in England, in the US they
don't have as many.
MS: Any other differences
you can share?
SL: Magic in England
tends to be more conservative, not so
much flashes, 20 dancers, lights, fog
and theatrical effects -- just pure
and natural.
But, magic is better
responded to here in America...
MS: What advice do
you have for magicians working to improve
their art?
SL: Put everything
you do into it. Every effect, every
routine, every detail has to be 100
percent effort. If you do less your
cheating both yourself and the audience.
I notice a lot of magicians'
style and mannerisms to be too technical,
method-oriented instead of creative
and risky magic is an "art" damn it!
Not a routine! True "magic" happens
in your head, or the spectators' head.
Magic doesn't happen in your hands,
or in their sleeve -- it happens in
the head.
"Magic isn't a Fred
Kaps wallet, it's "Holy shit, how did
the card get into his wallet?
MS: What is the most
common mistake magicians make?
SL: Magicians worry
about "How do I do it?" Instead of "Why"
do I do it? There in lies one of the
biggest problems -- there has to be
a reason. Magic intrinsically is an
illogical thing, but you can do it at
least in a logical way.
MS: What's more important
to you -- an audience remembering you
or the tricks you perform?
SL: I would rather
them remember me than the tricks I perform.
It's essential to create uniqueness
about yourself - separate yourself from
the masses.
MS: Let's continue
on with being unique, how do you separate
yourself from other working magicians,
in say -- your fee?
SL: Recently I saw
a discussion on a magic network about
"pricing & charging." One man suggested
calling all the other performers in
your area and "asking" them what they
charge and then discount your cost $5
- $10 lower.
No, No, No! Magic is
an "art form" not a "green light special!"
It is not a guy selling ice cream.
MS: Many would agree
with you but what if, hypothetically,
a man calls you and says he can book
a magician in the area for $40 - $60
less than your charge. What would you
say to that man?
SL: I would say - Go
ahead book that discount magician and
take the money you saved and buy some
extra booze, cause your going to need
it to cover up your pain when you find
out how bad the guy is ...
Again, I say it over
and over - "Keep the professionalism
in magic."
MS: What if any drawbacks
do you see with the modern magic scene
compared to when you were starting in
the art?
SL: Magic clubs and
to some extent technology has hurt magic
by making it's precious knowledge and
sought-after magicians too easily available.
MS: I'm sorry, what
do you mean?
SL: In the old days
you would hear about a great magician
over and over and this allowed you to
build up respect and desire for that
performer. Then it took another two
years to track down a magician who was
respected and another six months to
prove to him you were good enough to
have him show you a few effects.
Today, a kid can purchase
a book/video for $30 and it's all there
-- too easy! No sweat, no blood. This
is one way the "I want it now" era has
hurt magic.
MS: You have brought
up a very interesting point ... and
a good argument. Maybe we can pit you
against another columnist and have you
debate the benefits and detriments of
technology and magic. For now, next
question.
MS: We have several
aspiring magicians and hobbyist who
come into our store and ask only for
effects that are "self-working." What
are your thoughts on this?
SL: There should be
no such word in magic. There is no such
thing as a self-working effect. The
mechanisms may be self-working but the
effect isn't.
MS: Well these hobbyists
purchase the effect, read it and perform
it exactly how it is written and claim
to be masters of "misdirection."
SL: OUCH! Another "BAD"
word! Misdirection is a bad word, in
that twilight zone episode it would
of been sent out into the corn field
- Your a "BAD" word.
The word should be
"Direction!" Not misdirection..
MS: Please help me
out here -- what do you mean?
SL: You don't want
them to look away by misdirection, you
want them to look into the "right" place
by "direction." Good magicians "direct"
their audience to where they want them
or their "eyes" to be.
MS: Who are some magicians
you respect who exercise this ("direction")
practice in Magic?
SL: Eugene Burger is
great at it, Tom Mullica, and Bruce
Cervon as well.
SL: Allow me to tell
you another story about the "casualty"
of using misdirection.
MS: Please do I find
it refreshingly interesting.
SL: In fact this is
the first experience I had regarding
the incorrect method of "misdirection."
When I was a young boy my father and
I happened upon a street magician performing
for the people. He did several effects
and when his show finished we all clapped,
as we walked away I ask my dad, "What
was your favorite effect Dad?" He replied,
I like the one where the guy pulled
the doves from his coat!"
I learned about direction
from my father. He was a gruff detective
who was mentally trained to look at
things differently. But it didn't take
a trained eye to spot the fact the guy
was pulling the doves from his coat
instead of out of "thin-air" as he was
hoping you'd believe.
MS: What else can you
share with magicians on the rise.
SL: Goal-Setting. Goal-Setting
is very important. Practice - Take time,
find the time to practice Performance
- realize the importance of it and give
100 percent
MS: I have heard that
you have another love in writing?
SL: Very much, I enjoy
writing and in fact a large reason I
came to the US was for new challenges.
I had set goals in England and accomplished
them so the US was the next challenge
for me.
MS: Are you accomplishing
all the goals you wanted to do here?
SL: Some, and others
are still "works in progress." (mutual
laughs)
MS: Getting back to
advice: You have often said feeling
the magic is more important than seeing
the magic. Explain ...
SL: You reminded me
of "Deter" right there, that skit from
older Saturday Night Live re-runs with
the German character - " I am Deter."
"Now is the time we Dance on Sprockets."
(mutual laughs) .
Okay, basically I can
cry for both bad magic and good magic
-- but I much prefer crying for good
magic instead. What I mean is it pains
me to cry for bad magic. Some people
are just technicians, there is no creativity.
Don't get me wrong, being technically
proficient is a major advantage and
accomplishment but it's not the whole
it's still (as powerful and hard as
it is to accomplish), just a part.
For instance, some
of the best magic technicians are Fred
Robinson, and Jon Racherbaumer, but
they also have mastery over the creative
side, knowing "where" the magic is happening
and implying "direction" not misdirection
to the effect. Still, in a purely aesthetic
aspect they are master technicians.
MS: Well, that can't
be a bad thing can it?
SL: Absolutely not,
if you incorporate something else called
"style." Believe it or not some technicians
don't incorporate style. Possibly because
they are not in tune to its significance.
Sadly this will always handicap and
prevent them from being able to go onward
...
MS: You mentioned Jon
Racherbaumer, he is also a major contributor
to GeMiNi, tell us how you met.
SL: Whoa! Are you sure
you want to know?
MS: Well I'm in it
now, don't want to lose face and back
out.
SL: When I was waiting
to meet Rachrbaumer I remember thinking
to myself, "great this is going to be
an hour or two wasted." Several people
had mentioned we should meet and partly
out of a desire to be done with it combined
with a sincere respect for him, I agreed.
But as I was waiting I was having my
doubts, not about meeting Jon, but having
to meet anyone as opposed to having
free time I could enjoy at the bar instead.
MS: So what happened?
SL: Well after waiting
a while at a booth, I noticed a stout
man approaching me with massive facial
hair carrying a brown paper bag. "Oh
my God" I thought, here it is, I have
insulted one person to many, a religious
fanatic possibly going to drop a damn
bomb on my lap and kill himself in the
process as I had that feeling that he
was coming for me.
This large figure approached
my table cast his shadow onto me and
just as I feared he did indeed drop
the contents and the brown bag right
on my booth table. Half-frightened and
half-puzzled I opened the top of the
bag to see the contents contained a
cool six-pack of beer immediately followed
by an extended hand and the following
statement, "My name is Jon Racherbaumer
and a lot of people say we should meet!"
"How 'bout we go to the bar downstairs?"
Well, many hours and
several watering holes later, we walked
away realizing we had a lot of common
interest in and out of magic and our
friendship remains to this day.
MS: I would like to
hear more about this encounter as well
as other questions, but will save that
for tomorrow and part two of this interview.
I hear you enjoy darts? Would you like
to accept a friendly challenge.
SL: I'll accept but
I don't know if I'll be friendly or
not ...
