The Proust Questionnaire – hackedepicciotto
hackedepicciotto are Alexander Hacke and Danielle de Picciotto. Both are legends of their own making: Danielle de Picciotto moved from New York to Berlin in 1987, to become the lead singer of the band „Space Cowboys“, co-initiator of the Love Parade, a collaborator of the Ocean Club with Gudrun Gut, and Alexander’s partner in crime. Alexander Hacke is an original member and the bass player of Einstürzende Neubauten. The artist couple, romantically married in 2006, has creatively interacted with countless international projects for almost two decades now besides regularly releasing their own compositions.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Danielle: Being able to be creative with people I love.
Alexander: With my girl in a tropical climate, vegan food, outsider art and music
What is your greatest fear?
Danielle: Pain
Alexander: Fear
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Danielle: Impatience
Alexander: Sloth
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Danielle: Dishonesty
Alexander: Entitlement
Which living person do you most admire?
Danielle: Alexander Hacke
Alexander: Right back at you, Darling.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Danielle: Impatience
Alexander: Sloth
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Danielle: Dishonesty
Alexander: Entitlement
What is your greatest extravagance?
Danielle: Investing everything into my art
Alexander: Technology
What is your favorite journey?
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Danielle: Ambition
Alexander: Tolerance
On what occasion do you lie?
Danielle: I try not to lie
Alexander: Right now, but that’s a lie.
What do you dislike most about your appearance?
Danielle: My wide hips
Alexander: My posture
Which living person do you most despise?
Danielle: Donald Trump
Alexander: Donald Trump
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Danielle: Somehow
Alexander: You know.
What is your greatest regret?
Danielle: wasting time on dis-functional relationships
Alexander: Dropping out of school
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Danielle: Alexander Hacke
Alexander: My wife Danielle
When and where were you happiest?
Danielle: Joshua Tree, 2015
Alexander: The Yucatan, 2010
Which talent would you most like to have?
Danielle: Power singer
Alexander: The talent to acquire wealth effortlessly.
What is your current state of mind?
Danielle: Puzzled
Alexander: Awake
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Danielle: Be less insecure
Alexander: Be less easily distracted
If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Danielle: Overcoming my insecurities
Alexander: Straightening up my life
What is your most treasured possession?
Danielle: my eyesight
Alexander: My wedding band
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Danielle: Losing those that you love
Alexander: Inability to change
Where would you like to live?
Danielle: In a villa with a garden and residency space for other artists
Alexander: In a mansion on a hill overlooking the ocean
What is your favorite occupation?
Danielle: Working on music, together with others
Alexander: Being creative
What is your most marked characteristic?
Danielle: Courage
Alexander: Authenticity
What is the quality you most like in a man?
Danielle: Integrity
Alexander: Integrity
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Danielle: Integrity
Alexander: Integrity
What do you most value in your friends?
Danielle: Loyalty
Alexander: Reciprocal Love
Who are your favorite writers?
Danielle: Georges I. Gurdjieff, Simone de Beauvoir, Carson McCullers, Olga Tokarczuk
Alexander: Flannery O’Connor, Haruki Murakami, Cormac McCarthy
Who is your hero of fiction?
Danielle: Captain Nemo
Alexander: Count Dracula
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Danielle: Frida Kahlo
Alexander: Paul Foster Case
Who are your heroes in real life?
Danielle: Enviromental activists, nurses & doctors, people that fight against injustice
Alexander: Altruists of all kinds
What are your favorite names?
Danielle: Polly
Alexander: Dolores, Lloyd, Siobhan and Enoch
What is it that you most dislike?
Danielle: Wasting time
Alexander: Ignorance
If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
Danielle: a wise woman
Alexander: There is more potential in coming back as a person
How would you like to die?
Danielle: In my sleep
Alexander: Happy
What is your motto?
Danielle: Never give up
Alexander: Know Thyself
-April 2020