Jimmy Somerville Quotes

1. (when asked if he still drinks alcohol) Not for a couple of years now. Talk about having some clarity. I feel so much better in every respect. Alcohol is a very powerful chemical - some people can handle it and some can't. I couldn't.  






 

2. (on Donny Osmond) I had a poster from Jackie magazine on my bedroom wall. My poor parents must have thought I was completely bonkers. I'd have Donny on the wall then I'd be listening to Donna Summer, then David Bowie then Connie Francis. They must have been wondering: "What's going on this boy's head?" Which is a question I'm still asking myself.

3. Isn't it funny how redheads have gone from being abused to being exotic? It always struck me as strange that people had such disdain for red hair yet they still wanted to dye their hair red. I always think naturally red hair looks incredibly strong, particularly on women.

4. (when asked if he read Morrissey's autobiography) I haven't and I probably wouldn't because I'm not that interested.

5. I've always had such a big mouth. And I was very defensive.

6. We were doing a sound-check and I hit a particularly piercing note and it cracked some glass. It was amazing. Not everyone can say they've done that. 

7. The way that the media has really treated people who die from AIDS is either they're kind of like seen as junkies, or just like queers, or people who are actually outside. It's never actually seen as like people who are actually just like people, human beings. It's not just statistics and figures, it's actually people who are dying. People who have friends and relationships and they do the same everyday things that everyone else does.




8. When I go back to Scotland it's very weird for me. I'm Scottish and I was born there and but in my heart I'm a Londoner. When I first came to London, it was so special for me in terms of youth culture and gay culture, that's when I came alive. I'm an absolute Londoner, 100%.

9. (on "Smalltown Boy") I'm really pleased with it and glad that I can retain a bit of the emotion that was in the original. It's strange because I spent maybe 15 years being a bit embarrassed by that song because I thought it wasn't that good compared to other lyricists' words.

10. I was in a little private plane to do a gig in France and the pilot allowed me to take control of it. He said: "Just ease this forward," but I was a bit keen. He was completely panicking going: "It's not a fighter jet!"






11. I slowly became less famous and less successful. That was very difficult. It was waning I was suddenly like: "Where do I go from here?" It all got a bit messy really.

12. Apparently fame has the same effect on the brain as cocaine and there was a part of me that just couldn't live without it!

13. (on disco) It's highly underrated. People think it's easy and throwaway but it's got such a complex structure to it. Of course there is trashy disco but well-executed, emotional disco is very special.





14. I had my throat checked because I was concerned and my vocal cords are pristine, apparently. Have you ever seen vocal cords? They look quite sexual.

15. Now that I'm older, I understand that it's up to the individual to decide who they are or what they are. But I was fueled by the passions of sexual politics. This was a time when you'd be standing on the tube platform wondering which group of skinheads was going to throw you on the tracks that night.


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