|
Huw: What do you make of all the ‘80s Revival thing that seems to be happening at the moment? Were the ‘80s really all that great? Marilyn: I really couldn't give a fuck about the '80s' or the whole revival thing. There were some great bits, and a lot of old bollocks - the same as any decade. Huw: But surely, for a young man back then, the whole experience of stardom must have been a tremendous buzz! Marilyn: I've always been a star... So the '80s weren't anything special to me! I think too many people tend to over look that fact too often! Huw: I was reading over an old interview I did with you recently. It was all about ‘A Week In The Life Of Marilyn’. From what you told me, in those days you seemed to spend most of your time being photographed, going to TV studios and, on your days off, buying clothes or having something called ‘a facial’ done to you. So what is your average week like these days? Give me an idea of the things you’ve done over the last few days... Marilyn: A couple of days ago I went to see my analyst and had a mini nervous breakdown and had to use all my powers of Bette Davis acting to prevent myself from being carted off to the fucking loony bin, so things are different shall we say!!.... But man, I tell you, I would have a spontaneous ejaculation if I had an appointment with my facialist. Those facials were the dog’s bollocks... Oh how I miss them....
Huw: I remember the first time I ever saw you. I was working at Number One magazine and we received a press photograph. It was a very slick, beautifully lit black and white shot, of you glancing over your sunglasses. As far as I can remember, you didn’t even have a record deal at the time but everyone in the office decided that the picture was so good that they’d publish it anyway. To what extent were your good looks a help in your career? And were they ever a hindrance? Marilyn: I know which photograph you are referring to. Thank you for your compliment even if it is in retrospect! As for my so-called 'looks' the answer is yes without a shadow of a doubt... they've helped me many many times and also hindered me countless times. As for how much each percentage of the coin is attributed, I think as they say 'the jury's still out! Let me put it this way. I ain't got a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of so your correlate your own deductions from that quick snippet of info! Huw: There was a TV documentary on a while back (about so-called ‘gender benders’) in which Boy George said that you suffered a backlash after appearing on Top of The Pops and you just looked too feminine for people’s comfort. Is that true? If you’d had that time to live over again, what would you have done differently? Marilyn: Well, for as far back as I can remember I have always had a multitude of 'straight guys' getting massive hard ons for me and I’ve also sporadically come across the odd girl with whom I’ve had the whole "that cunt is gorgeous... and my boyfriend’s been looking at him a little too much for my liking!" syndrome - all of which takes up so much time. I've managed to walk the tightrope through that field of landmines. But I tell you it don't half take some fucking hard work - six times out of ten I really hadn't had the energy or inclination to be bothered with making sure everyone is placated... which maybe I should have spent more time doing... but, what the fuck, it’s all water under the bridge now and everyone loves me.... don't they!!?... ha, ha ha (yeah, right!) Huw: As far as I can remember, none of the pop stars in the early ‘80s admitted publicly (in the press, I mean) to being gay: not Boy George, not Pete Burns, not George Michael and, as far as I can recall, not you (though I do remember when I interviewed you that you did admit a soft spot for Tom Bailey of The Thompson Twins!). Was everybody scared that being ‘out’ would ruin their careers? Or did the record companies warn you all to be ‘discreet’? Marilyn: Well firstly I’m not a homosexual, or a bisexual or even a tri/sexual. I am just sexual! Although I shouldn't be saying this, but I’m doing it in such an oblique way it's probably ok... I hope (at least!) I have a daughter. And last time I checked only women could give birth. My whole 'axe' to grind with all that stuff is generally speaking ... when people focus on the individual there always seems to an overwhelming compulsion to try and dissect whatever it is the folks are looking at and compartmentalize them and label each little box that they think each little part of that person fits into. The reason they do that I think is that it is so much easier to label and file sections of somebody and put a big label over some of the total parts. They do that because it’s easier than just taking the person as they find them without labelling bits of them - i.e. their sexuality. It’s so much harder to accept the individual as a whole without dissecting them and labelling them which, in effect, is another form of judging them. I don't like or admire people who only deal with labelled boxes. I much prefer the total looser kinda vibe ... just live and let live (enjoy and love!). I do pride myself on constantly learning and being open and not being mired in - just one way of looking at things. n’est-ce pas? Huw: When I did an interview with Limahl last year, he told me that you once called on his hotel room in Sydney back in 1984 “...at 7.30am and woke me up to threaten me - the silly sod. A journalist had quoted me in an Australian tabloid as slagging him off but it was bollocks. Actually I found Marilyn rather interesting but I should have known summat was amiss when he walked straight past me at the ‘Top Of The Pops’ studio with his head in the air – completely full of himself.” OK, so now’s your chance to put the record straight. Why did you and Limahl fall out? And did you really snub him at Top Of the Pops? Marilyn: Oh god give me a break...! This ain’t the kinda rubbish I got any time for!. The only thing I will say is that I watched him on a live chat show in Australia, on whatever channel it was and I heard what I heard and yes I did call him... I have no idea what time it was. And when he answered the phone I think I said something along the lines of (and you must remember I didn't know him and he didn't know me)..."I just heard you slating me. If you ain't got anything good, nice or positive to say about me, I will kick your mother fucking balls up through your throat... You don't know the first fucking thing about me, so I feel you are totally incapable of rendering any form of critique concerning someone you don’t know from Adam... Goodbye!!" and the phone slammed into the cradle. I hold zero ill will towards Limahl ... and in fact I’ve bumped into him at various functions and ‘do’s over the years and almost began to speak to him but then that whole load of nonsense and crap about what went down in Australia pops into my head and I suddenly become very inhibited and stop myself from chatting to him. That is solely because I caught him on that show slagging me off when we've never even met each other... But, like I said, it was all a very long time ago and I hold no ill will towards the man. In fact I find it a little sad that I actually saw the interview because no good came from it. The last thing I want to say is God bless him ... and I really mean that! Huw: I read on your blog on MySpace that you are writing your autobiography. How’s that coming along, when is it out and what will be in it? Marilyn: Yes I’m in the process of getting that all together .... I have no idea when it will be finished or released. As for its content, if I wasn't prepared to be scrupulously honest I wouldn't bother wasting my time or anyone else’s! Everything and the kitchen sink is gonna make an appearance in my tome.... god help us all! Huw: If you could plan out your perfect career for the next ten years, what would it involve? Marilyn: Oh, honey, wait to read the book. If I give everything away here all that will be left of my autobiography is a couple of sentences, a couple of photos ... and a lot of fuckin' blank pages!... And we can't have that dear. can we? Huw: I also read on your blog about your black labradors. How may have you got and why are you so keen on them? Marilyn: I like labradors because of their personalities. I've had three in my life. The first a black Labrador Honey who I had whilst still at school. The second my beloved Juno who's recent passing still manages to reduce me to a sobbing mass of compulsive tears. Most recently I brought another one who I named Isis. Huw: Finally, what about some more Marilyn recordings? Any chances..? Marilyn: Oh.... I really am doing my best to get into the studio because I really do have some amazing tracks I wanna put down and I know whatever audience checks it will think its the dog’s bollocks!!. I so desperately hope and pray the story of Marilyn (career-wise) is only at its mid section rather than the whole story being just a few lame examples of a talent whose surface has yet to be scratched. Please hold a good thought for me!!
|
|
