Devendra Banhart: ‘A tattoo of bull’s horns almost piercing my nipples felt very inspiring’

Your forthcoming album, Flying Wig, was produced by Cate Le Bon. What was it like to collaborate with her and what influence did she have on the album’s sound? VerulamiumParkRanger
We’ve been friends for years, which began with an impromptu haircut. There weren’t any scissors so I asked Cate to cut my hair with a fork. I was kidding, but she agreed. It hurt, but a bond was born. When it came to this record she was the only person I wanted to ask. It was supposed to be co-produced but five minutes into the first day and seeing how she approached it I knew I could trust this person. So I said: “Cate’s producing.” Brian Eno’s Another Green World is one of my favourite albums of all time, but I attribute any Eno-ness [on Flying Wig] to Cate. There were so many times making the record when she’d go: “Why are you crying?” And I’d just say: “Because it’s so close to what’s in my head.” Just don’t ever ask her for a haircut.

You’re often associated with the genre “freak folk”. What do you think of the term? Peasywease
I didn’t make it up and none of my friends ever used it. I’d rather be called nu metal! I hated the tag and wanted to avoid it at all costs. Twenty years later, my licence plate says: “King … Queen of freak folk.” I go to the airport and go, “Freak folk coming through.” It’s the tackiest, stupidest thing so I decided to embrace it.

Do you like your name? AssameseGuy87
Very much. It’s a synonym for Indra, king amid the many [Hindu] gods, who correlates to Thor or rain and thunder. Growing up in Caracas, Venezuela, it gave me an otherness that was a bit isolating but made me feel quite special. Then on my first visit to India I realised everyone was called Devendra [laughs]. So if I lived in Bari [in Rajasthan], I’d be Dave.

Do you often get mistaken for Rupert Everett? DoctorRobert69
All the time. I like Rupert Everett a lot, so it’s better than being mistaken for a chihuahua or Kenny Loggins. Not long ago in the supermarket this guy looked me up and down, said: “Devendra, much?” and walked away. He thought I was a guy that looked like me.

Is there a hint of Marc Bolan in your work? Your version of [Tyrannosaurus Rex’s] Scenescof Dynasty [on the 2020 tribute album Angelheaded Hipster] is beautiful. fmurdoch
If it’s beautiful it’s because of Hal Willner, who died of Covid. He was my dear friend and produced that record because he loved Marc so much. When I came across Tyrannosaurus Rex and T Rex in college I thought it was the most beautiful music I’d ever heard. It’s the sound of freedom, liberation, poetry, fantasy and metaphor. “Oh Debora / Always look like a zebra” was like magic to me. Marc was in touch with his feminine side. I’m glad I heard him after I’d found my own voice because otherwise I would have been accused of copying.

Why were some of your first albums removed from streaming platforms? Such as Niño Rojo and Rejoicing in the Hands? ivanvega
The British government decided they wanted to put a curb on art and cultural artefacts that are a detriment to British society. They said I would corrupt souls and bodies. No. I’m making this up. I didn’t even know they’d been removed.

What is the most memorable show you’ve ever played? Matthewandrewdrake
Just before playing a festival in Brazil we heard that [composer-singer-activist] Caetano Veloso was in the audience. We all just shit our pants immediately and thought: “No way”. Of course, being South America, everything was delayed. We finally went on at 3.30am and played a horrible ramshackle set, believing that Caetano must have been long gone by then. Then he walked backstage and said, “Guys, that was awful and I loved it.”

What’s with the giant bull head tattoo? BixPonte
I’ve got this book 30,000 Years of Art and I couldn’t stop looking at a picture of a Cretan bull’s head vessel. There was a [cartoon bull] Ferdinand feeling in the bull’s gentleness. Something about the imagery of having the tattoo bull’s horns about to pierce my nipples felt very inspiring. Under one nipple I have a tattoo of drop of milk or a teardrop. I’ve kinda ruined my body but there you go. When I was a kid I would draw on my hands constantly.

I found your [2005] song Little Boys playful and deliberately outrageous, but my then boyfriend was disturbed by it. Has it ever caused you any problems? bowloforanges
I was probably 22 when I wrote that song. It was pure satire; being disturbing to make some sort of social commentary. I still have some of that adolescent, dumb, piss-and-shit humour – I paint a bunch of dicks all the time – but I’d never write such a song today because it would hurt and disturb people who’d been, y’know, hurt or molested. It’s in my bottomless pit of regret.

In 2010 you had to cancel the remainder of your US tour after breaking your leg skateboarding. Are you still a keen skater? VerulamiumParkRanger
My friend [and singer] Rodrigo Amarante has a diamond hard forehead and when we were skating his head went into my knee and my leg buckled backwards like an alien in Stargate. The pain was so acute I had a visualisation of blue light. I still have a skateboard in the car at all times, but skate at a safe distance from Rodrigo.

The artwork for [side project] Megapuss’s Surfing album contained photographs of bandmate Greg Rogove and yourself naked and messing about with a dagger. Do you regularly get about without your gear on? McScootikins
We were having Sunday brunch and it turned out a friend had a camera, which we hadn’t known. We’re going to resurrect that project as a band called Food City: country music praising food instead of Jesus. But yeah, we still get together naked and wield daggers at each other.

After I saw you supporting Michael Gira in London in 2003, I bought Oh Me Oh My and you seemed taken aback to be asked to sign it. Has recognition and success been hard to adjust to? Therealdocmartin
That may have been one of the first times I was asked for an autograph. I’m still taken aback and try to take my time to draw something extra as well. I don’t take success for granted and I am forever grateful to Michael Gira for being the first person to put out my music. I sent cassettes to 200 labels with little notes and drawings. Michael was the only person who took a chance on me.

If you could host a dinner party with three people from history, who would you invite? octopusluke
Ram Dass and Grace Jones. No one else. I wouldn’t want to share them.