Simon Gilbert Interview - Boyz Magazine 1996
Simon features on the cover of a UK gay lifestyle magazine, with a short but interesting interview!
This is a very rare material of Simon which I found its existence on a fan form in 1996. (Read the description way back then) I dig it out via the help of Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives. Thanks to Stefan!
little DRUMMER BOY, Boyz Magazine
22 June 1996
Interview & Photography: MARK C.O’FLAHERTY
According to who you listen to, Suede, whose 'Animal Nitrate' remains a gay anthem for our time, either missed out on, or narrowly escaped the Britpop phenomenon by mere months. Whatever, they're still just about the best British guitar band of the 90s. Brett Anderson's infamous quote about being 'a bisexual who's never had a homosexual experience' still ranks up there with Boy George's 'nice cup of tea', but their drummer is absolutely, certifiably as gay as Christmas. He's got a boyfriend and his pet Labrador has just piddled all over his kitchen floor…
Is Dog Man Star really one of the Best 100 Albums of All Time?
Yes. Dog Man Star more so than Suede (the first album). It's more theatrical. The first one was quite naive, even though everyone raves about it. It was our first album. The production isn't that brilliant on it.
Suede was quite a 'down' record and Dog Man Star was even darker. What flavour is the new one?
This is a very happy, very positive record, it's celebrating life rather than the downside of things.
Why the constant drug references in the songs?
We do too many of them.
A lot of gay culture has very strong links to drug culture. Can there be such a thing as too hedonistic?
No. It's a good thing.
But what about the casualties. You're in a hugely successful band and it's more or less expected but there are some people who are so mashed up they can't cope with working behind the till of a sweet shop on a Monday morning.
Yeah. But then they tend to enjoy that sort of thing more than I would. It is up to the individual to map out his own life.
Do you consider yourself a typical gay man?
No. I don't consider myself a gay man. I'm just a bloke who happens to be gay. I don't want to put a label on myself. Yes, I sleep with other men and I don't sleep with women at all.
It can get so infuriating when pop stars shy away from the G-word. Martin Rossiter of Gene says more or less the same thing as you about labels and to some extent that's understandable, but then there are people like Michael Stipe…
… No, no! I WOULD call myself gay. It's just that no one asks a straight person if they would call themselves a 'typical straight person'. They are just accepted as a person.
But then we live in a time when being gay is still seen as bad by a majority. Yeah, and it will always be that way. Definitely. But what about the leans that have been made? Stonewall was only 27 years ago.
Things have progressed further than I thought they ever would, but you will always have that negativity, unless you look at things in terms of about another 1000 years time. It won't be in our lifetime.
Do any parts of the gay scene appeal to you?
That's hard to say. I go to gay clubs but I find them too cliquey. You go with women and aren't allowed in. It puts me off a bit.
But the scene has moved on.
Oh yeah, I mean Popstarz is the exception except it should have stayed in North London. Gay clubs DO appeal, the drug culture part of it certainly does.
Did being queer bashed last year change any of your attitudes?
I was living in a bubble of security. It's easy to feel protected, especially in a band. It happened purely because they thought we were gay. We came out of the local pub, the only gay pub in Stratford and they followed us. It wasn't because of who I am. They're not the sort of people who would recognise me as someone from Suede. I would have been more shocked if it had happened in London. I expect aggression in small towns, Stratford was my home for 28 years.
Secrets and Lies or Beautiful Thing? Which describes your life?
Well I didn't come out until I was 25 and the gay side was hell really, but my life WAS nice. I didn't have any gay culture until I moved down to London. If I had been brought up in London I may have come out earlier but then I wouldn't have HAD to go somewhere to be myself. Since I came out 2 years ago in the press I have had so many letters. I can't believe the amount of fans that write to me in their teens saying they’ve come out and thanking me. There's an easier environment now. It's on children's TV and, yes, I do feel I contribute in some way. It's in EastEnders again!
Yeah. Nothing for years and then two come along. We were hoping it would be Joe.
No. I didn't think it was ever going to be Joe. He's too good looking…
The new single Trash' is out on 29 July. The album, as yet untitled ‘but coming up, that's a hint’ according to Simon is scheduled for release 3 September.
This is my first original post here, hope my format is right :)