Brian Jones' Proust Questionnaire has been deemed unprintable in the sixties, and only an analysis has been published.

Does anyone have his list of answers?

here ya go...
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
I think you can strive to attain it, but be realistic about the outcome. In the meantime, I find I might be experiencing it through flashes or brief moments in love and art, and at times just being alive.

When and where were you happiest?
When my friends and I were making Between The Buttons, 1967.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Laziness, wasting time. I’d like to be able to make films faster.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Actually, I dislike dealing with schedules and logistics—mine and others’.

What is your greatest extravagance?
Old Technicolor films—watching, collecting, or helping to restore them.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Prudence.

On What occasion do you lie?
To avoid, if at all possible, a plane flight.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
When I was acting in Tavernier’s film ‘Round Midnight, I played a nightclub owner. One shot, all I had to do was walk across the room. When he said “Action” I started to walk, and I became very aware of walking. I find I’m usually walking too fast, and I don’t like the way it looks. As far as the rest of me, I’ve learned to live with it.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
First of all, I’d like to stop complaining—I’m beginning to annoy myself. I would like to learn to read faster, however. Again, the rest I’ve learned to live with.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
I use the word “wonderful” too much. I picked this up from cinematographer Michael Chapman. During Taxi Driver, checking a shot, I asked him, “Do you think that’s O.K., with such and such?” He answered, “Oh, that’s wonderful, don’t touch it.” And I thought the word “wonderful” was an odd way to describe a shot of the squalor of a city street. I found I enjoyed the expression “wonderful”—it’s actually a wonderful word. But I’ve used it too much since 1975 and I’m trying to cut back.

What is your favorite journey?
Italy through to North Africa.

What is your greatest regret?
Not reading more when I was younger. Also, I admire the process of cooking, and I regret never really having had a chance to learn how to cook.

Which talent would you most like to have?
To write and play music.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Putting eardrops in my dog Zoë’s ears. Zoë is a bichon frisé, very pretty but a little temperamental, and it usually takes two people to put in the medication. But at times I was actually able to do it alone. This was a revelation because all my life I’ve had asthma and allergies and could never even as much as go near animals. Then Zoë arrived and my life changed. Most of the allergies subsided—less asthma too. Above all, I learned some patience and caring in the process. To be able to deal with animals like this is something I never thought would happen in my life. However, I’m still allergic to cats.


OOPS! That is for Martin Sorcese! with apologies.

Until someone can track that down [I never knew such a document existed], perhaps we can settle for the Life Of Brian [i.e., Monty Python] version from 2012.



Monty Python Answers to the Proust Questionnaire:

On what occasion do you lie?
Terry Jones: When I’ve had a terrible meal.
Michael Palin: When everything else has failed.
Eric Idle: All the time! That was one of them. No, I rarely lie. I’m not terribly good at it.

What do you consider to be the most overrated virtue?
John Cleese: Loyalty.
Michael Palin: Chastity.
Terry Gilliam: Virtue. And Chastity.
Eric Idle: Modesty.
Terry Jones: Patience.

What trait do you most deplore in yourself?
Terry Jones: Impatience.
John Cleese: I’m too quick to make up my mind whether I like people.
Eric Idle: I tend to go along with things. It’s always better to put your foot down.
Terry Gilliam: My need for triple-ply toilet paper.
Michael Palin: Uh… Uh… Uh… Indecisiveness. I think. Possibly. I’m not sure.

What trait do you most deplore in others?
Michael Palin: Certainty.
Eric Idle: I don’t much like hypocrisy and smugness. Everything George Bush had. All of his character traits I deplore.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Michael Palin: I’m going to think carefully about this. I think probably airport security gets pretty close to it.
John Cleese: Having to worry about your kids.
Eric Idle: Let’s hope to God we don’t get there. There’s a lot of miserable people on the planet. Let’s hope we can feed them and look after them.
Terry Jones: Not getting a pint of beer when you want it.

What is your most treasured possession?
Michael Pain: My body.
John Cleese: My daughters.
Eric Idle: My wife.

Which living person do you most admire?
Terry Jones: I think Barack Obama’s pretty amazing, actually. We’re so lucky that he’s in power. I don’t know how he did it.
Terry Gilliam: Obama.
Michael Palin: Sir David Attenborough.
John Cleese: [New York Times columnists] David Brooks and Frank Rich.

How would you like to die?
John Cleese: Slowly and happily.
Terry Gilliam: Asleep, like my uncle in the front seat. Not like the kids laughing in the back.
Michael Palin: Laughing.
Eric Idle: Of laughter. (When I tell him that was also Palin's answer, he says, “Hopefully at the same joke.”)

I'm pretty certain there exist lots of answers of other people. I'd be particularly interested in Brian Jones' answers.

Cf. Rave Magazine:

«The Rolling Stones - each Stone has filled in the famous Marcel Proust questionnaire, aimed at revealing one's true character. Here are the results, in the Stones' own hand except for....Brian Jones! Brian's replies were deemed unprintable, but his analysis is here, along with all the others. Brian's fans will find his analysis most revealing.»

See also the part reprinted in David Dalton's book.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-03-04 09:52 by kuenzer.

Yes, I remember reading from Dalton's book 30 years ago about Brian having answered a survey but that his answers could not be printed, I seem to remember it as being a series of questions for fans, but did not realize it was the Proust questionnaire. Is it in this book, perhaps? Keith Richards is in this book.

I've looked up the table of contents on Amazon: no, Brian Jones' answers are not contained in that book.

Well, this will take some searching then. I've located an image of Charlie's and Mick's answers, though--so Mick would like to have been a Beatle?:





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-03-04 10:18 by stonehearted.

And I recall Keith's answer: "What natural gift would you like to have? Oil"

Here are Bill's and Keith's answers. But if Brian's answers were not published, then it's unlikely that they can be located.

Here's the one Keith did for Vanity Fair in 2002 (printed in January 2003):

Not the Proust Questionnaire, but the next best thing from the June 1966 issue of Dig, with humorous answers to biographic info. Note that all the birth dates are incorrect. You know that they're joking when Keith's answer to Biggest Break in Career is "Meeting Bill Wyman":

I detect a sad reference to Tara in Keith's response to the family question in his Proust questionnaire.

Graham Chapman has a real Brian Jones look in the "Summarize Proust" competition from Monty Python:



You got the Sun, You got the Moon,
and you've got
The Rolling Stones

Looks like the Pringles guy:

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stonehearted

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uhbuhgullayew
Looks like the Pringles guy:

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stonehearted

By george, you're right!

Love the sour cream and onion ones...

cool

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kuenzer
Brian Jones' Proust Questionnaire has been deemed unprintable in the sixties, and only an analysis has been published.

Does anyone have his list of answers?

Any update on this?

Thanks to hungrygeorge-ru from Mr. Shampoo, who in turn asked for the answers to the first five questions.

Paragraph 4 and 5 of the analysis are somewhat enlightening.

To think people actually took theese Q&As seriously.

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Aquamarine
Paragraph 4 and 5 of the analysis are somewhat enlightening.

English, please?

Well, in addition to referring to him as a "sado-anal" with an aggressive streak revealed through the obscenities, it describes him as being charming, strangely magnetic, a bit disturbing, and with a "diabolic" side, and says that he creates and enjoys this "exceptional climate of over-excitement" more than others, and finds it reinvigorating.

It also says further up that his need to shock is the reaction of an unhappy small boy getting back at the "good people."

The third paragraph says that he's anxious, vulnerable, and must be afraid of life. Hence his need to live so intensely, because the speed etc. of his life prevents him from thinking too much, especially about what's up ahead.

Take all this as you will, of course.

Sounds spot on.

That this harmlessly jejune piss-take was considered unprintable in its day just shows how conservative the 60s really were. Sure, we are handed down the Swinging London and free love image and all that, but at the time society at large was still being dominated by those from the 1920s, 30s, and 40s.

The folks with the "petty morals."


I thought I had read this at the time, but could well be imagining that. When my stuff eventually arrives from the UK, possibly all will be revealed. Or not.

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kuenzer


Thanks to hungrygeorge-ru from Mr. Shampoo, who in turn asked for the answers to the first five questions.

can someone translate the conclusion into English, please?

I did, a few posts back. Well, a summary of it, anyway. (It also refers to him as being like a fallen angel, and very creative.)

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Aquamarine
I did, a few posts back. Well, a summary of it, anyway. (It also refers to him as being like a fallen angel, and very creative.)

I saw. Was looking for a blow-by-blow. Certainly we've enough fluent French speakers here. ><

I read/write French, I was just summarizing, not having the time to write out the whole thing. Sorry not to be more helpful.

(It also compares him to Francois Villon with the same excitable or "on edge" sensibility, and it suggests he can work himself into that state at will, though he would never admit it.)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-01-13 10:54 by Aquamarine.

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Aquamarine

(It also compares him to Francois Villon with the same excitable or "on edge" sensibility, and it suggests he can work himself into that state at will, though he would never admit it.)

Maybe a point there!


The Debate Between Villon And His Heart

Who's that I hear?—It's me—Who?—Your heart
Hanging on by the thinnest thread
I lose all my strength, substance, and fluid
When I see you withdrawn this way all alone
Like a whipped cur sulking in the corner
Is it due to your mad hedonism?—
What's it to you?—I have to suffer for it—
Leave me alone—Why?—I'll think about it—
When will you do that?—When I've grown up—
I've nothing more to tell you—I'll survive without it—

What's your idea?—To be a good man—
You're thirty, for a mule that's a lifetime
You call that childhood?—No—Madness
Must have hold of you—By what, the halter?—
You don't know a thing—Yes I do—What?—Flies in milk
One's white, one's black, they're opposites—
That's all?—How can I say it better?
If that doesn't suit you I'll start over—
You're lost—Well I'll go down fighting—
I've nothing more to tell you—I'll survive without it—

I get the heartache, you the injury and pain
If you were just some poor crazy idiot
I'd be able to make excuses for you
You don't even care, all's one to you, foul or fair
Either your head's harder than a rock
Or you actually prefer misery to honor
Now what do you say to that?—
Once I'm dead I'll rise above it—
God, what comfort—What wise eloquence—
I've nothing more to tell you—I'll survive without it—

Why are you miserable?—Because of my miseries
When Saturn packed my satchel I think
He put in these troubles—That's mad
You're his lord and you talk like his slave
Look what Solomon wrote in his book
"A wise man" he says "has authority
Over the planets and their influence"—
I don't believe it, as they made me I'll be—
What are you saying?—Yes that's what I think—
I've nothing more to tell you—I'll survive without it—

Want to live?—God give me the strength—
It's necessary...—What is?—To feel remorse
Lots of reading—What kind?—Read for knowledge
Leave fools alone—I'll take your advice—
Or will you forget?—I've got it fixed in mind—
Now act before things go from bad to worse
I've nothing more to tell you—I'll survive without it.


Trans. Galway Kinnell


Ballade: Du Concours De Blois

I’m dying of thirst beside the fountain,
Hot as fire, and with chattering teeth:
In my own land, I’m in a far domain:
Near the flame, I shiver beyond belief:
Bare as a worm, dressed in a furry sheathe,
I smile in tears, wait without expectation:
Taking my comfort in sad desperation:
I rejoice, without pleasures, never a one:
Strong I am, without power or persuasion,
Welcomed gladly, and spurned by everyone.

Nothing is sure for me but what’s uncertain:
Obscure, whatever is plainly clear to see:
I’ve no doubt, except of everything certain:
Science is what happens accidentally:
I win it all, yet a loser I’m bound to be:
Saying: ‘God give you good even!’ at dawn,
I greatly fear I’m falling, when lying down:
I’ve plenty, yet I’ve not one possession,
I wait to inherit, yet I’m no heir I own,
Welcomed gladly, and spurned by everyone.

I never take care, yet I’ve taken great pain
To acquire some goods, but have none by me:
Who’s nice to me is one I hate: it’s plain,
And who speaks truth deals with me most falsely:
He’s my friend who can make me believe
A white swan is the blackest crow I’ve known:
Who thinks he’s power to help me, does me harm:
Lies, truth, to me are all one under the sun:
I remember all, have the wisdom of a stone,
Welcomed gladly, and spurned by everyone.

Merciful Prince, may it please you that I’ve shown
There’s much I know, yet without sense or reason:
I’m partial, yet I hold with all men, in common.
What more can I do? Redeem what I’ve in pawn,
Welcomed gladly, and spurned by everyone.


trans. A. S. Kline


Cool stuff from the 15th Century!


- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-01-13 13:09 by Doxa.