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Could you, could you...
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Downloaded from
YTS.BZ
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Have we started recording?
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- Yeah?
- Have you recorded yet?
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Do you want me to do
the clapper board? I haven't done that.
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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.BZ
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I could do that. Look, I'll get involved.
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Hold on.
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Memories of a Free Festival, part one.
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The Blitz Club was loads of fun.
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God, it was fun.
We had the best time.
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It was just this sort of feeling
of joy when you went in there,
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that you were part
of this sort of funny family.
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It felt as though you were
in a helter-skelter
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with a bunch of paper dolls,
who changed outfits at the drop of a hat.
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You won't see it
on our faces, but it was just a joy.
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We were so free.
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We didn't have mobile phones,
nobody knew where you were.
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Everything was fun.
Throw in Marilyn.
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Always upset.
Throw in Boy George, Steve Strange.
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Aw. It was like, um, a farce, you know?
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You never knew who was going
to come in on the wind next.
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I know that it was a club in the 80s
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that influenced a huge number of people,
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even though it was only
around for 18 months.
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There was also a number
that was waiting to tick over,
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and we were very aware of that.
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That number was 1980.
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♪ It's Tuesday night ♪
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♪ And I'm ready for some fun ♪
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♪ Oh yeah, oh yeah ♪
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And I think, you know,
so much had happened in the 70s.
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Who was going to take responsibility
of the next decade?
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And we thought, "We are. That's it.
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{\an8}We are going to make
the next decade about us
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{\an8}and it's going to be different.
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{\an8}You know, it's going to be in colour."
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And I think that was
a really guiding thought
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in our plans as we speeded on blues
and drank lots of beer.
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London in the mid to late-70s, bleak.
Quite bleak.
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It was still full of bomb sites.
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Literally we called them debris,
as if the World War II was still going on.
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It was a really dreary place.
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It was also very divided
and very political.
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I can still remember,
you know, the winter of discontent.
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Blackouts, the rubbish in the streets.
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The constant strikes.
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You know, we grew up at a time
when National Front
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was openly marching
in the streets of Britain.
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Left and Right
were battling it out on the streets.
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And I do mean battling it out.
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The police say
over 50 arrests were made,
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as the march made its way through an area
with a large immigrant population.
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A lot of racism. It was homophobic.
It was sexist.
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And I suppose if you were a little
bit of a freak,
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or you knew you was a little bit
of a freak,
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you kind of had to keep your head down,
or know how to run fast.
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Britain was like an old pair
of mountain socks
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left out in the rain for like
two weeks and hardened in an oven.
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It was a foul.
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Smelly, dirty, racist,
right wing, awful place.
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When I used to walk along Oxford Street
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dressed up
as the first incarnation of Marilyn
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and in a cocktail dress,
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and I was literally stopped Oxford Street
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and people are like leaning out
of cars screaming out.
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I was a teenager in the 70s
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and, you know, sort of piles of rubbish
and burning cars.
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It was exciting.
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I can still remember the feeling
of that there was going to be no future.
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There was no positive future
coming for Britain.
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In 1972,
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I'm sitting in my mum's council house
in North London,
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{\an8}and I've got two older brothers
who'd been Mods and Skinheads
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{\an8}and I'm very aware of this kind
of lineage of youth culture.
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My uncles had been Teddy boys
in Ladbroke Grove.
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I kind of knew that when you grew up
something exciting was meant to happen,
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that would involve clothes and music,
but I wasn't sure what it was yet.
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And I'm sitting there
on a Thursday afternoon
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and my mum's doing the ironing
or whatever's happening.
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And Thursday's an important day,
because it's Top of the Pops.
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Yes, it's number one.
It's Top of the Pops!
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And I'm used to watching
kind of a bit of glam rock
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and a bit of American soul music.
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But no-one knew
what was gonna happen next.
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Because suddenly, out of the blue,
this guy called David Bowie appears.
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♪ Oh, no, no ♪
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♪ Didn't know what time it was
And the lights were low ♪
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♪ I leaned back on my radio ♪
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♪ Some cat was layin' down
Some get-it-on rock 'n' roll ♪
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♪ He said... ♪
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And he's got this haircut,
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and it's a kind of a feather cut,
but it's slightly high on top
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when it's dyed bright red,
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and he's wearing
this incredibly androgynous,
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very tight outfit.
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And I can't work out whether he's sexy,
or he's strange, or he's both.
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And he comes on and the world changes.
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♪ There's a starman waiting in the sky ♪
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♪ Who would like and come to meet us ♪
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♪ But he thinks he'll bow our minds ♪
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♪ And there's a star... ♪
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That was my awakening.
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I mean, I was only 12
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{\an8}but that was my sort
of blossoming as a teenager.
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{\an8}And it had such a huge impact on me.
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♪ Let the children use it ♪
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It was seen by something
like a quarter of the population,
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which, at that time, would have been
about 12 or 15 million people.
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After seeing it,
some went to buy his records.
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Some wanted to read lots about him,
some wanted to dress like him,
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and I wanted his hair.
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There's a moment Bowie points his finger
down the barrel of the lens and said,
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"I had to phone someone,
so I picked on you."
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♪ I had to phone someone
So I picked on you ♪
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And that was me.
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I remember going home at night thinking,
"This is it. This is the man."
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This was the beginning of something new.
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This was something that I could claim.
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I didn't really know that much
about Bowie.
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My mum's going to hate me for saying this
but she doesn't like Bowie.
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Doesn't like Bowie's music. She likes him.
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She thinks he's brilliant.
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But, like, we weren't a Bowie family.
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{\an8}It was like Chuck Berry.
It was like Stevie Wonder.
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{\an8}There was a lot more Black music
in my house.
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{\an8}My first foray into Bowie
was the "Let's Dance" record,
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just because it's the poppiest,
most known record.
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And I guess I must have got into that
when I was getting into all the 80s stuff.
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It wasn't like I sat in front
of my mirror and was like,
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"Let me make my hair like that guy."
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I was thinking about Flock of Seagulls.
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♪ If I had a photograph of you ♪
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♪ It's something to remind me ♪
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I didn't really know
that much about Bowie.
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Like he was almost too classy.
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♪ She's a queen such a queen ♪
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♪ Such a laughter
Is sucked in their brains ♪
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♪ Now she's leading him on
And she lay right down ♪
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♪ Well it could have been me
Yes it could have been me ♪
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The first concert I ever saw
was David Bowie at Wembley Arena in '76.
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And so a lot of the proto-punks
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and the people that would end up
at the Blitz
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were in that audience and you realised,
"Oh my God, this is my tribe."
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Because you saw
a lot of the freaky people.
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I remember seeing girls in black plastic,
bin liner dresses then, in '76.
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You know, even before the punk thing
really started.
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And there was a bit of a rumour
and people were saying,
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"Oh, there's going to be this Bowie club."
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We kind of knew that these people
were going to group together .
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The world suddenly goes
from the black and white
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of post-war bomb-site London
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into this incredible, multicolor,
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strange, gender-fluid future.
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And honestly, the world just becomes
a different place after "Starman".
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To start with,
punk was all about the clothes
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{\an8}and all about... kind of, yeah, it
was a sort of a finger to civilised,
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{\an8}you know, society.
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{\an8}But, you know,
it was a fashion thing, absolutely.
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No question about that.
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We were just having fun and dressing up,
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and meeting girls,
and drinking and dancing.
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You know, and then that carried on.
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{\an8}We wanted the set of clothes
and then the punk rock.
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{\an8}That's why it wasn't about politics.
It was a fashion.
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I was 17 in the year of 1976.
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It was the longest, hottest summer
anyone has ever known.
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And it's when my life
took one of those turns
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because of youth culture.
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Because I go from being a soul boy,
and I'm dancing to jazz funk
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with all of my mates.
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And then suddenly a boy called
Steven Marshall,
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who was also a soul boy like me,
or at least he was,
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until one Friday evening
when I see him walking along
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with his legs tied together
and his nose pierced,
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and he says to me,
"There's this new band, Robert.
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They're called the Sex Pistols.
They're terrible. You're gonna love them."
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♪ I am an antichrist ♪
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♪ I am an anarchist ♪
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♪ Don't know what I want
But I know how to get it ♪
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♪ I want to destroy the passer-by ♪
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In August 1976, we went to this concert.
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The Buzzcocks came on, and then The Clash,
followed by the Pistols.
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It was sarcastic. It was ironic.
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I've quit my band the day after,
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{\an8}and Steve Norman and I went
back into school in September
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{\an8}and formed what became Spandau Ballet.
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The Sex Pistols third-ever gig
or something
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was at Wickham Students Union.
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Unfortunately, I worked
with the Students Union at that point,
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and when they went off
after three numbers,
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everybody wanted their money back.
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I came from The Wirral,
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but I went to boarding school in Liverpool
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and was there really
until I came down to London.
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I think that's really where
I sort of found my identity.
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Everything around me just seemed fake.
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It certainly wasn't a dream.
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I didn't think it was particularly
a nightmare, either, but it wasn't the,
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certainly it wasn't the reality
I wanted to have.
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Punk came along and they were
showing something different.
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I grew up in the countryside,
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in like a small village
just outside Oxford,
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and I always remember being very aware
that I didn't think I was very pretty.
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{\an8}So I always tried to make things
that didn't make me look like anyone else.
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{\an8}So you know, I always,
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I think that's why
I really got into punk earlier on.
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It was like a way
that you could express yourself.
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♪ Oh shut your mouth ♪
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♪ Oh, oh, oh! ♪
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♪ The money you've got! ♪
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And what punk was, was a firework display.
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It lit up the sky.
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00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:05,039
It was brief, it was violent,
it was explosive,
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00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:08,639
it was fantastic, it was exciting,
thrilling, scary.
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Didn't last very long,
as fireworks displays don't.
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00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:20,279
But it showed us something,
because punk had a message which is,
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"You can do it."
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You don't have
to be an incredible musician,
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you don't have to be a famous writer,
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you don't have to be
a well-known fashion designer.
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You can do it.
Three chords and you're a musician.
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And that was the message
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00:13:34,560 --> 00:13:37,800
which sustained British youth culture
from that point on.
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By the middle of 1977,
I'd kind of stopped going to punk gigs.
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The bands weren't very good.
The music wasn't very good.
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So I personally felt very
disappointed and let down,
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because I used to go everywhere
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00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:02,119
looking for that exciting moment
in pop culture
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00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:03,600
that I could take part in.
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00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:15,040
Where I grew up, when I was a child,
it was the 60s and a very exciting time.
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00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:19,359
My family were from Soho.
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00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:21,320
The West End was like a playground.
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00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:26,599
My parents weren't in any way
involved with pop culture,
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00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,560
but you couldn't miss it.
It was going on all around.
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00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:33,839
And I just thought,
237
00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:38,039
"Well at some point,
I will be part of that."
238
00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:41,280
And it was what I kind of aspired to.
239
00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:43,799
And so as a teenager,
240
00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:46,879
I used to go everywhere and to everything
241
00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:52,519
to try and find that exciting,
swinging London thing.
242
00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:54,640
It was somewhere. It must be.
243
00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:56,480
I didn't want to give up.
244
00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:05,999
I suppose we were quite poor.
245
00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,999
I was brought up in Islington
with my brother, Martin,
246
00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:14,319
and Mum and Dad living
in a small rented floor
247
00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:16,559
of a slightly larger house.
248
00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:19,519
We shared one outside loo
249
00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:24,039
with two other families, and no bathroom.
250
00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:26,279
I remember my mum crying,
251
00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,879
because she couldn't afford
to buy me a new pair of shoes
252
00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:32,800
when I'd outgrown
the ones that I already had.
253
00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,679
My parents bought me a guitar
when I was 11 for Christmas,
254
00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:38,959
and, which I hated.
255
00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:41,679
Uh, but within a few months
I'd written my own songs.
256
00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:43,440
Never interested in playing anyone else's.
257
00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:46,679
I became obsessed with the guitar
258
00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:50,959
as a way of stopping myself
feeling lonely, if you like,
259
00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:54,320
'cause I don't think
I was great with friends as a kid.
260
00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:58,559
I was born in Paddington, actually.
261
00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:00,279
I wasn't brought up in a black area.
262
00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:04,159
I was one of the only raisins
in the flour, basically.
263
00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:06,959
Like living in an area
surrounded by a lot of white people.
264
00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:10,559
So I had a lot of drama,
as far as that was concerned.
265
00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:12,239
My parents got divorced
266
00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:13,919
and I ended up
going into children's homes.
267
00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:17,000
So I spent a lot of time in Essex, Kent
268
00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:21,519
and ending up basically in Essex
and East London,
269
00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:24,719
by the time all this kind of scene
was actually just starting around,
270
00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:26,720
Punk was about starting around that time.
271
00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:41,879
Let me take you for a walk down
the Kings Road in Chelsea, in 1976.
272
00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:43,160
It's a Saturday,
273
00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:46,679
and you've gone probably
with a couple of mates from your estate.
274
00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:50,679
You're all dressed up
in your kind of teen finery.
275
00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:54,400
And there's this incredible parade
going on.
276
00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:57,519
There's a load of boys
who've come up from Wales.
277
00:16:57,520 --> 00:16:58,919
One of them's this guy called Steve.
278
00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:01,159
Another one's called Chris,
Chris Sullivan,
279
00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:03,559
and they're really pushing the boat out.
280
00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:05,639
One of em's got a chain
from his ear to his nose.
281
00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:08,599
Another one of them's dyed his hair
pillbox red.
282
00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:13,078
It'd turned into
this sort of football pitch,
283
00:17:13,079 --> 00:17:14,399
because on Saturday afternoons
284
00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:17,999
you had generic punks
and you had teddy boys,
285
00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:19,440
and it was a kind of a war zone.
286
00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:24,118
I used to get the bus
up to London with my friends,
287
00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:26,999
and I still can't work out how my mum
and dad allowed me to do this.
288
00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:28,679
But anyway, I did.
289
00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,760
I mean, there were teddy boys
running around, chasing us around.
290
00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:36,239
I remember we ended up
in the Crypt in Paddington
291
00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:37,679
and barricaded ourselves in
292
00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:39,799
because they were trying to get us
from outside.
293
00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:41,319
It was sort of quite terrifying,
294
00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:43,640
but there was just something
so exciting about it.
295
00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:48,319
And the focus of it was a shop,
296
00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,079
the scariest shop
I've ever known in the world.
297
00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:52,080
It was called Sex.
298
00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,679
And in there are the people
who would become the Sex Pistols.
299
00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:00,239
In there was Adam Ant.
300
00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:01,959
In there hanging out was Boy George.
301
00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:03,959
In there was this whole cast
302
00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:08,239
{\an8}of a kind of British pop soap opera
that is about to unfold,
303
00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:11,239
{\an8}and it's all taking place
every Saturday afternoon,
304
00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:15,279
going up and down the Kings Road,
until the teddy boys arrive and chase you.
305
00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:17,279
And believe me,
being chased by a teddy boy
306
00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:19,959
when you're wearing bondage trousers
with your legs tied together
307
00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:21,560
is quite scary.
308
00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:31,519
I remember around that time,
309
00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:36,199
I was actually living in
the Kings Road, above Antiquarius.
310
00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:39,720
I shared a flat with Steve Strange
and Rusty Egan.
311
00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:43,319
So I met everyone, and Steve Strange
312
00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:46,999
was just one of those people
that I met along the way.
313
00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:52,879
And, um, I believe I met him
in the Kings Road, as you do,
314
00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:54,199
on a Saturday.
315
00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:57,479
"Hello John Moss.
Hello Boy George, hello everybody."
316
00:18:57,480 --> 00:18:59,359
Walking down the Kings Road.
317
00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:03,560
And, um... he invited me to a gig.
318
00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:12,840
And then, "Can I stay on your floor?"
319
00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:17,239
Staying on my floor became five years
of being my flatmate.
320
00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:20,599
And never really
paying the rent, you know.
321
00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:25,760
I never can, unless you really,
"They're going to evict us!"
322
00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:30,879
Steve Strange, he had a difficult
upbringing, don't you forget.
323
00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,639
I mean, he was,
His parents were quite well off, in a way.
324
00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:36,439
They owned lots of cafes and stuff,
325
00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:39,439
like greasy spoons,
and his dad committed suicide,
326
00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:41,079
and they were plunged back into Newbridge.
327
00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:44,760
The council estate where he comes,
it's a rough estate where he comes from.
328
00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:47,079
And I think he had a few run-ins.
329
00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:49,600
I think he was nicked at one point
for stealing hair dye, if I believe.
330
00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:55,719
Our crowd as well,
he was gay, I was straight.
331
00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:56,960
It didn't really matter.
332
00:19:58,360 --> 00:20:00,080
We were applauded for being ourselves.
333
00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:02,960
Nobody was conforming, ever.
334
00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:08,520
{\an8}I was very pretty.
335
00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:12,399
{\an8}Everyone used to say,
"What's your daughter's name?"
336
00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:15,719
That was it. I was always called a girl.
337
00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:17,879
Everywhere I went,
other kids called me a girl.
338
00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:21,559
From about six or seven,
I had kind of long hair.
339
00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:23,479
You know, I was a bit like sort of
David Cassidy.
340
00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:25,880
You know that kind of flicked
sort of hair.
341
00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:30,599
I was drawn to bright things,
342
00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:34,839
so if Mum wanted to buy me
like a brown jumper,
343
00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:37,559
I wanted the one that was orange,
with a palm tree, you know.
344
00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:39,960
I used to get into a lot of arguments.
345
00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:44,239
And I was like pretty sensitive, outspoken.
346
00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:48,119
I was you know, always called names,
from as long as I can remember,
347
00:20:48,120 --> 00:20:50,120
long before I really even knew
what they meant.
348
00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:55,159
You know,
if there was a gay person on telly,
349
00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:57,519
I'd get called that person the next day.
350
00:20:57,520 --> 00:20:59,840
Larry Grayson, whatever it was.
351
00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:02,720
Well, I'm cock-a-hoop.
352
00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:04,959
I mean, I'm not a screamer,
353
00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:08,840
but I knew I wasn't like other boys,
from a very early age.
354
00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:18,760
My upbringing in Glasgow
was incredibly basic.
355
00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:22,800
I was born in a tenement slum.
356
00:21:24,360 --> 00:21:28,559
My father was a van driver
and mother did a few odd jobs,
357
00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:29,640
but mainly housewife.
358
00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:35,720
Outside toilet,
gas mantles in the hallways.
359
00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:38,559
Uh, cavity bed, you know,
360
00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:40,840
a hole in the wall
that my parents slept in.
361
00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:42,640
Very basic.
362
00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:50,399
{\an8}So my outlet, my fantasy,
my escape, was radio.
363
00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:51,599
{\an8}I was useless at sport.
364
00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:54,160
{\an8}Most kids played football
and kicked that around.
365
00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:59,640
{\an8}And I just fantasised
about being able to make music.
366
00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:04,199
At the age of 24,
I packed my guitar, my amp,
367
00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,039
some clothes
into my 200 pound Vauxhall Wyvern
368
00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:09,399
and headed south to join the Rich Kids.
369
00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:11,240
♪ ...that I could for ♪
370
00:22:12,360 --> 00:22:14,120
♪ Oh, but even so ♪
371
00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:17,599
♪ The guys around me they astound me ♪
372
00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:19,880
♪ They make things very clear ♪
373
00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:23,720
♪ So why don't you stand in line ♪
374
00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,600
♪ I have no fear ♪
375
00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:30,279
♪ I'm talking about rich kids ♪
376
00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:31,999
When I met the guys from the Rich Kids,
377
00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,679
I mean, obviously I'd seen Glenn
on television,
378
00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:37,600
and I'd read interviews with Glenn
because of the Pistols.
379
00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:42,279
I'd never met Steve,
who was 17 at the time.
380
00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:45,720
Straight out of school, wild guitarist.
381
00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:53,280
And Rusty, who was just a powerhouse.
382
00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:57,759
Rusty spoke at a million miles an hour,
he drummed at a million miles an hour.
383
00:22:57,760 --> 00:22:59,639
He was a really good drummer.
384
00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:02,839
Um, you know, he'd been brought up
in jazz bands and all sorts of stuff.
385
00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:04,920
He could play loads of different styles.
386
00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:09,160
My earliest memory of music
in my household,
387
00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:11,600
my parents are musicians.
388
00:23:13,120 --> 00:23:14,439
Irish.
389
00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:16,999
My dad played sax
and all wind instruments.
390
00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,959
My mum played the organ, the accordion.
391
00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:23,119
So my upbringing was Irish music.
392
00:23:23,120 --> 00:23:25,839
I called it
be-diddly-diddly-diddly-diddly.
393
00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:30,319
Anyway, but my dad had jazz records,
394
00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:31,959
and jazz drummers
395
00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:37,159
really got me interested
when I was about 13, 14.
396
00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:41,240
So I got into music through my dad's jazz.
397
00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:46,479
Rusty talked louder than he could play.
398
00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:47,999
And he was great,
399
00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:51,839
and he instantly kind of latched
onto me, like a long-lost brother.
400
00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:55,319
You know, he was tall and gangly
and skinny, and he was,
401
00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:57,559
"Yeah, all right, mate.
We're gonna, yeah." You know.
402
00:23:57,560 --> 00:23:59,759
He was just this powerhouse
of a character.
403
00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,319
He was absolutely enthused
404
00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:06,919
and one of the kind of driving
forces of the Rich Kids.
405
00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:09,519
He was non-stop.
He was the Duracell bunny,
406
00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:11,280
but you couldn't turn them off.
407
00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:21,999
Steve got himself
a little job in a shop called PX
408
00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:27,720
in the, at that time,
derelict area of Covent Garden.
409
00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:30,639
Then Steve said to me,
410
00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:35,279
"Oh, do you fancy working in PX
a couple of days a week, you know?"
411
00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:37,919
And I thought, "Yeah, sure."
'Cause I wasn't really doing anything.
412
00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:42,560
And we sat in there, done up to the nines.
413
00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:48,159
1978, I'm now a student at the LSE.
And I'm political,
414
00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:52,279
and I'm still wearing kind of
a leather biker's jacket
415
00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:55,199
adorned with "rock against racism" badges
and all of that sort of stuff.
416
00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:58,319
And I heard that this new shop
had opened in Covent Garden.
417
00:24:58,320 --> 00:24:59,239
And you have to understand,
418
00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,399
Covent Garden tube station
in the late '70s closed at the weekends
419
00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:04,720
'cause Covent Garden was so dead.
420
00:25:05,360 --> 00:25:08,639
But someone said, "No, there's this
new shop open called PX."
421
00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:09,999
And I went in there
422
00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,719
and they were selling
the oddest array of clothing
423
00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,560
that I'd seen since
Malcolm McLaren at Sex.
424
00:25:16,360 --> 00:25:20,919
Steve Strange and I, um,
we had a very enlightening time.
425
00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:27,159
Um, we were always discussing style,
our next look.
426
00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,039
We were always sort of planning
and plotting things.
427
00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:35,680
Steve had an air of ambition about him.
428
00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:40,359
And he was very excited about you know,
429
00:25:40,360 --> 00:25:43,360
what was going on
and he wanted to make things happen.
430
00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:46,199
And I bought a top.
431
00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:50,359
And this one was what Steve
described as a space Cossack top.
432
00:25:50,360 --> 00:25:52,999
I don't know what space Cossacks
actually do for a living,
433
00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:55,199
but they clearly have
big padded shoulders,
434
00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:59,479
and they have a diagonal kind of
diamante sash across the front.
435
00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:01,479
Very tight and fitting.
436
00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:06,000
And I put this top on and Steve went,
"You look fabulous, darling."
437
00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:14,640
At the time, Steve Strange and Rusty Egan
438
00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:20,439
decided to do a one night
a week type club,
439
00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:23,759
um, for all the people
that were coming into the shop,
440
00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:25,399
the new people we were meeting,
441
00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:29,719
but also other people
that were gravitating
442
00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:33,839
towards different kind of music
being played in clubs,
443
00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:36,000
and it was something that was our scene.
444
00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:45,199
{\an8}So me and Steve went round
St. Martin's Art College going,
445
00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:47,959
{\an8}"We're having a party in the mews."
446
00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:49,400
{\an8}And we gave them the address.
447
00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:52,879
And then we went to Smile,
the hairdresser.
448
00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:56,879
Then we went to Fiorucci,
and then we Winter to Acme Attractions
449
00:26:56,880 --> 00:26:58,959
and down the Kings Road to all...
450
00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:02,320
and basically, about 200 people
showed up at my house.
451
00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:05,600
Party went on
till about 4:00 in the morning.
452
00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:10,399
Couple of girls lying in my bed.
I like this! You know?
453
00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:11,360
Um...
454
00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:15,759
The Rich Kids were on the edge
of splitting up.
455
00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:17,959
Might have to go and sign on.
456
00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:22,080
So I said, "Steve,
you know that party we had?"
457
00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:26,839
"Yeah." "Why don't we get all them people
into one of these clubs,
458
00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:29,839
and I'll play the bloody music!
They want Bowie."
459
00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:32,600
♪ She's so swishy in her satin and tat ♪
460
00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:36,239
♪ In her frock, coat
And bipperty-bopperty hat... ♪
461
00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:37,800
They want the Banshees.
462
00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:44,600
They want Roxy Music.
463
00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:48,600
They want Kraftwerk.
464
00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:54,640
And he went, "Well, let's go
and find the club."
465
00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:02,040
So we went round all the clubs,
and a lot of them
466
00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:06,159
looked at a 19, 20-year-old Steve Strange
467
00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:11,560
and a 21-year-old Rusty
and said, "Piss off."
468
00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:24,039
So one bloke, really,
the guy is a scumbag out of Meat Street.
469
00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:26,799
He's got the Fedora hat,
he's got the collar,
470
00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:29,439
he's got the two henchmen, right?
471
00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:31,320
And he's like, "What do you wanna do?"
472
00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:37,119
"We'll bring 200 kids in here.
They're all broke. They're all broke.
473
00:28:37,120 --> 00:28:41,839
You've gotta have happy hour all night,
on a Tuesday,
474
00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:47,279
in November, in 1979, in a depression."
475
00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:49,519
"You can bring 200 kids in here?"
476
00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:54,680
We went, "Well yeah, but we're going
to charge 'em 50p to get in,
477
00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:57,000
and we get the 50p."
478
00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:00,760
And he goes, "Sounds like a deal."
479
00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:07,399
And I'm just about to leave
the shop and Steve went,
480
00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:09,719
"Oh and by the way,
Rusty and I are doing a club
481
00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:13,639
at this place called Billy's in Soho.
It's a Bowie night. You've gotta come."
482
00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:16,440
And I went away thinking,
"Do you know what? "I might go to that."
483
00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:27,479
I think I was really nervous
that first night I went to Billy's
484
00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:30,000
and I was quite intimidated
by Steve Strange.
485
00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:35,920
You know, I think he was the first
openly gay boy I'd ever met.
486
00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:40,320
And I think we got in 'cause he fancied
my brother, probably, Martin.
487
00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:45,679
Billy's was a very small,
quite tatty, sort of gay soul club.
488
00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:47,799
But as soon as I walked into that room,
489
00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:52,520
I knew instantly that this is
the next thing that's gonna happen.
490
00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:04,519
{\an8}We started going to Billy's
as soon as it opened.
491
00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:07,559
{\an8}Rusty was playing that music
and even though we loved disco,
492
00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:11,239
{\an8}this was the first time you'd really hear
David Bowie or Roxy Music
493
00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:13,120
{\an8}or any of those sort of bands.
494
00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:15,399
♪ Make me a deal ♪
495
00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:17,479
♪ And make it straight ♪
496
00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:19,519
♪ All signed and sealed... ♪
497
00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:25,759
I looked at my DJ set
as a message to the people
498
00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:28,879
who were wearing the clothes,
listening to the music.
499
00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:35,279
I felt that there was
an artistic message in music,
500
00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:37,640
and musicians, and our heroes.
501
00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:41,559
♪ And now I wanna be your dog ♪
502
00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:43,959
♪ Five years ♪
503
00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:45,799
♪ What a surprise... ♪
504
00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:48,519
Every song had a message about a person
505
00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:50,879
that was Andy Warhol,
that was David Bowie,
506
00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:54,680
that was to do with what we listened to.
507
00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:04,039
It was beneath a brothel in Soho.
508
00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:05,719
The brothel was called
the Golden Girl Club
509
00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:08,000
and believe me, the girls weren't golden.
510
00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:11,839
And Steve was standing there on the door,
511
00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:14,479
and Steve had on, I can remember
exactly what he was wearing.
512
00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:19,319
{\an8}He was wearing a pillbox cap
and a very high fitting kind of jacket,
513
00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:20,959
{\an8}short little jacket like that.
514
00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:23,999
{\an8}Looked like somewhere between
a bellboy and a spaceman.
515
00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:26,119
And he said, "Oh, I'm so glad
you came over. Come in.
516
00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:27,560
"You'll know some people."
517
00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:30,760
There was one mirror ball,
518
00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:35,199
and as I walked in there were
probably 20 people there, maybe.
519
00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:36,720
It was the first night of this club.
520
00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:40,839
{\an8}And instantly, I knew this was it.
521
00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:42,400
{\an8}That I'd found my scene.
522
00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:48,519
I remember going down the stairs
and hearing a kind of music
523
00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:49,759
that I hadn't heard in a club before.
524
00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:51,199
{\an8}It wasn't rock, it wasn't disco.
525
00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:55,760
{\an8}It was a slow, pulsating, Germanic sound.
526
00:31:56,640 --> 00:32:00,919
And then seeing same-sex couples
dancing together
527
00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:02,719
in a kind of slow-motion jive,
528
00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:06,519
and I think there was this idea
that it was some sort of
529
00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:09,559
reproduction of Weimar Germany, you know.
530
00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:12,120
That it was very decadent.
531
00:32:12,920 --> 00:32:15,039
And I thought, "This is a bit scary.
532
00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:17,640
My parents would really
disapprove of this."
533
00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:22,200
But it was the most exciting place
I'd ever walked into.
534
00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:29,199
Everyone was doing everyone
else. It was like a Petri dish.
535
00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:31,519
{\an8}It was horrific.
536
00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:33,960
{\an8}Except me.
I didn't do any of those people.
537
00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:38,240
{\an8}I didn't want to catch anything.
538
00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:45,279
Everybody was playing games
with their sexuality,
539
00:32:45,280 --> 00:32:48,160
with their clothing, with their identity.
540
00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:51,000
The Sex Pistols had sung, "No Future"
541
00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:53,679
and at that time,
that felt like a promise.
542
00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:55,279
"We don't want any more of this."
543
00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:57,719
But suddenly there was a future,
544
00:32:57,720 --> 00:32:59,759
and it was going to be very different
545
00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:02,000
and it was likely to happen
in a place like that.
546
00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,440
My first night at the Billy's club,
547
00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:13,319
I remember Steve Dagger saying,
"This is it".
548
00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:16,400
This is what we've been waiting for.
This is our thing."
549
00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:20,239
I said, "Listen, this is
the next wave of culture.
550
00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:22,759
There is no band. This is really early.
551
00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:27,439
You must be the band.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
552
00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:30,319
of becoming part of something
that will mean something to people.
553
00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:31,640
It's a wave to be caught."
554
00:33:33,480 --> 00:33:35,960
And I think the very next day,
I went out and bought a synthesiser.
555
00:33:42,680 --> 00:33:43,840
The bottom line is,
556
00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:48,519
that club got really popular really quick,
557
00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:52,720
and we got taken into the office
of the bigger boss.
558
00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:57,880
"We're going to double the price
of the drinks."
559
00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:00,880
I said, "I'm out of here."
560
00:34:01,840 --> 00:34:05,240
{\an8}And Steve said,
"So am I. let's find another club."
561
00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:11,678
So I was sitting in this all-night cafe
and the two bears walked in
562
00:34:11,679 --> 00:34:14,760
and sat either side of me, you know,
like out of a movie.
563
00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:19,360
And they lent over, and they said,
"The man wants to see you."
564
00:34:20,199 --> 00:34:22,159
And I went, "You mean now?"
565
00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:26,718
And they went, "Nah, buy us a burger
and we'll tell you about it."
566
00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:28,119
So I bought these blokes a burger,
567
00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:30,238
which was a lot of money for me
and they went,
568
00:34:30,239 --> 00:34:31,399
"Well he's really upset,
569
00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:33,759
but I reckon if you disappear
for a few weeks,
570
00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:35,320
it'll all blow over."
571
00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:38,999
So Steve went off looking for the club,
572
00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:40,120
The Blitz,
573
00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:43,440
and I was in Dusseldorf.
574
00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:51,400
So now here I am, in Dusseldorf,
in the Konigsallee,
575
00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:56,599
in the club where "she's a model
and she's looking good"
576
00:34:56,600 --> 00:34:58,960
and I'm there for one reason only.
577
00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:01,079
"Does anyone know Kraftwerk?"
578
00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:04,360
"Yeah, it's a power station
and it's up the road."
579
00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:07,640
"No, it's a band."
580
00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:09,560
"They're over there."
581
00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:13,759
Ralph and Florian are in the club.
582
00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:14,839
Grabbed the girl.
583
00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:16,999
"We gotta go talk to Ralph and Florian."
584
00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:18,799
And I sort of sidle over and say,
585
00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:21,040
"Hey, guys, I'm Rusty Egan.
I'm from London."
586
00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:26,399
And, um, they were like, "Yeah?"
587
00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:29,679
"I've come looking for you.
I can't believe you're in the club."
588
00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:34,599
And they're like, "You came to find us?"
589
00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:39,960
I said, "Yeah.
Your music in London is amazing."
590
00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:46,519
"Everyone's dancing to it,
like showroom dummies, right?
591
00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:48,720
They're all dancing like robots."
592
00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:52,719
And they're going, "No!"
and I'm going, "Yeah!"
593
00:35:52,720 --> 00:35:54,200
I said, "I love it."
594
00:35:54,960 --> 00:35:55,920
And they went,
595
00:35:56,440 --> 00:36:02,320
"Well, we never thought
we'd make dance music.
596
00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:05,960
"We don't make dance music."
I said, "What about the Model?"
597
00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:12,519
And they said, "Well that's because
we like to watch the daughters
598
00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:15,320
of the industrialists dance."
599
00:36:34,720 --> 00:36:37,560
If you went to Covent Garden in '78, '79,
600
00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:40,799
the market had already gone.
601
00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:43,239
There weren't any streetlights,
602
00:36:43,240 --> 00:36:47,199
and if, during the winter of discontent
there was rubbish everywhere, it was grey.
603
00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:48,840
It literally was grey.
604
00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:51,600
And London was a pretty ugly place.
605
00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:00,759
So going to The Blitz was like,
606
00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:03,599
it was like going into a sort of
decadent club
607
00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:05,920
in the 30s might have been, in Berlin.
608
00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:12,679
Well The Blitz was, it was a curious one
609
00:37:12,680 --> 00:37:15,439
{\an8}because basically it was done up
to look like
610
00:37:15,440 --> 00:37:20,520
{\an8}it was celebrating probably the most
arduous time in Britain ever.
611
00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:26,320
You know, when Britain was being bombed.
612
00:37:27,240 --> 00:37:30,639
But it was completely at odds
with the type of people who went there,
613
00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:31,799
because it was all these people
614
00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:33,960
in these futuristic kind of
outfits at the time.
615
00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:37,719
It was all like Bovril signs
and sort of, you know,
616
00:37:37,720 --> 00:37:42,119
tin hats and cuttings from the Blitz
and a very morbid thing to celebrate,
617
00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:43,880
you know, all these bombed-out buildings.
618
00:37:45,240 --> 00:37:47,799
We thought it was quite amusing.
619
00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:51,439
And I think Steve Strange
actually really liked the idea.
620
00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:55,599
So it was sort of like a bistro
with like chairs and tables
621
00:37:55,600 --> 00:38:00,279
with red and white gingham tablecloths
and candles melting down,
622
00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:03,839
and sort of like wartime posters going on.
623
00:38:03,840 --> 00:38:05,160
Sort of quite camp.
624
00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:20,039
Everybody really dressed up.
625
00:38:20,040 --> 00:38:22,240
Everybody looking fabulous.
626
00:38:24,320 --> 00:38:27,879
{\an8}It's what the club's about.
It's about fashion, it's about looks.
627
00:38:27,880 --> 00:38:31,279
{\an8}Um, I mean, the men dress outrageous,
the women dress outrageous.
628
00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:33,599
As I say, the men dress Edwardian,
Dickensian,
629
00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:34,799
or whatever their look is.
630
00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:36,239
They've gotta have a look
to get through the door,
631
00:38:36,240 --> 00:38:37,440
the same with the women.
632
00:38:38,280 --> 00:38:41,279
{\an8}It was extremely competitive.
633
00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:43,639
{\an8}I don't think there were
cliques of people,
634
00:38:43,640 --> 00:38:45,239
but there were certain groups of people.
635
00:38:45,240 --> 00:38:49,479
Like there was the Welsh contingent,
Chris and Steve,
636
00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:54,199
and then there was the Bromley block,
so Siouxsie was there maybe,
637
00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:56,520
and then there was the Art School lot.
638
00:38:57,600 --> 00:39:01,119
And the one thing about being
a St. Martins fashion student,
639
00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:04,440
we were really ghastly and pretentious.
640
00:39:05,880 --> 00:39:06,999
And we never smiled.
641
00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:10,840
If you look at those photographs of us,
it looks like we had really bad teeth.
642
00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:17,360
{\an8}We sort of kept to ourselves
because we felt terribly superior.
643
00:39:18,080 --> 00:39:19,840
Oh, god.
644
00:39:22,920 --> 00:39:24,679
The door policy at The Blitz,
645
00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:27,759
I mean, it started at Billy's,
but then at The Blitz,
646
00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:30,879
Steve would sit there
in all his peacock finery
647
00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:36,999
and looking extraordinary,
and people would queue outside.
648
00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:39,319
But we never queued,
do you know what I mean?
649
00:39:39,320 --> 00:39:41,919
{\an8}I knew I was going to swan in,
do you know what I mean?
650
00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:43,640
{\an8}There was no fear of that.
651
00:39:45,320 --> 00:39:46,879
The kids that take the effort to dress up,
652
00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:49,519
I mean, they don't take half an hour
to get dressed up,
653
00:39:49,520 --> 00:39:52,399
they take more or less three
or four hours to get dressed up,
654
00:39:52,400 --> 00:39:55,079
and they like to feel,
when they're inside that door,
655
00:39:55,080 --> 00:39:56,119
they can feel safe.
656
00:39:56,120 --> 00:39:58,080
And if they're not safe,
it's not their club.
657
00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:01,639
This is why people say it was elitist.
658
00:40:01,640 --> 00:40:04,479
It wasn't elitist. It was protective.
659
00:40:04,480 --> 00:40:06,439
People forget, you know.
They think, "Oh, it was elite."
660
00:40:06,440 --> 00:40:08,759
No, it wasn't. What Steve tried
to do and what I tried to do later
661
00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:11,239
was protect those who wanted
to be themselves,
662
00:40:11,240 --> 00:40:14,719
who wanted to dress up,
which is ever our right.
663
00:40:14,720 --> 00:40:16,679
You don't get loads of football hooligans
664
00:40:16,680 --> 00:40:19,519
waiting outside fancy-dress parties,
do you, you know?
665
00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:22,120
But it wasn't a fancy dress party
because we were like that all the time.
666
00:40:25,560 --> 00:40:27,679
{\an8}I'd started to design clothes,
667
00:40:27,680 --> 00:40:29,559
{\an8}and there was one other girl
at the college,
668
00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:31,919
London College of Fashion
called Clare Thom,
669
00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:33,439
and she was in the year above me,
670
00:40:33,440 --> 00:40:35,480
and it was really funny because
she looked extraordinary.
671
00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:39,319
{\an8}One night, Clare Thom said,
672
00:40:39,320 --> 00:40:41,679
{\an8}"Do you want to come to this club?
I think you'll really like it,"
673
00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:43,079
{\an8}which was The Blitz.
674
00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:44,399
I remember exactly what I wore.
675
00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:47,599
I remember wearing,
because I was really stressing, going,
676
00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:49,359
"It's going to be really cool,
'cause she's really cool.
677
00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:50,999
I don't know how
I'm gonna fit in with this."
678
00:40:51,000 --> 00:40:52,719
And she said, "It's a really
strict door policy"
679
00:40:52,720 --> 00:40:54,439
and I went, "But maybe I won't get in."
680
00:40:54,440 --> 00:40:56,719
And I just remember going up there
with her and being quite nervous,
681
00:40:56,720 --> 00:40:57,999
and she knew Steve Strange.
682
00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:00,879
So she had already sort of met
all these people.
683
00:41:00,880 --> 00:41:02,759
And she took me in,
and I remember going in.
684
00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:04,359
I was like, "Ohh!
685
00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:08,599
"This is where I want to be.
This is suddenly..."
686
00:41:08,600 --> 00:41:10,919
{\an8}And it sounds so silly
but suddenly there were all these people
687
00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:14,480
{\an8}who look like the people
that I will want as friends.
688
00:41:18,160 --> 00:41:19,599
You know, first of all, let's just talk
689
00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:23,840
about how sometimes
difficult it was to get in,
690
00:41:24,440 --> 00:41:26,399
especially if you were a rival,
691
00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:28,959
and I was a rival of Steve's
at that point.
692
00:41:28,960 --> 00:41:31,319
We weren't really always
on the best terms,
693
00:41:31,320 --> 00:41:34,479
so there would be periods
where I'd be his best friend,
694
00:41:34,480 --> 00:41:36,680
then he'd kind of get rid of me
and replace me with someone else.
695
00:41:37,320 --> 00:41:39,080
So I was always at war with Steve.
696
00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:41,799
There was this kind of terrible fear
that I'd get there,
697
00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:42,759
and I wouldn't get in.
698
00:41:42,760 --> 00:41:44,759
And I think there were one or two times
699
00:41:44,760 --> 00:41:46,519
when he tried not to let me in,
700
00:41:46,520 --> 00:41:49,439
but unfortunately I knew so many people
701
00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:53,240
that just got on his fucking case
that he just had to let me in.
702
00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:06,279
I couldn't walk into a shop
and buy expensive clothes.
703
00:42:06,280 --> 00:42:09,160
But I did look good,
and I had my hair cut good.
704
00:42:10,120 --> 00:42:14,359
The fashion thing was thrift stores.
705
00:42:14,360 --> 00:42:18,759
So I would go out and wear
1940s suits and ties
706
00:42:18,760 --> 00:42:23,399
and cravats and blazers and yeah,
707
00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:25,319
so I was a bit more film noir.
708
00:42:25,320 --> 00:42:26,360
Back up.
709
00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:30,359
He was going to beat me up
once in a tube station.
710
00:42:30,360 --> 00:42:35,040
That was hilarious,
where he was dressed as sort of like...
711
00:42:35,720 --> 00:42:37,279
He was wearing this sort of
Captain Biggles look.
712
00:42:37,280 --> 00:42:39,639
You know, it was kind of cool.
He used to have some great looks, Rusty,
713
00:42:39,640 --> 00:42:42,399
and he was, Rusty was quite hot
when he was younger as well.
714
00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:43,599
And he was kind of gorgeous.
715
00:42:43,600 --> 00:42:45,199
He had the slicked hair and everything.
716
00:42:45,200 --> 00:42:47,239
And we kept calling him Captain Biggles,
717
00:42:47,240 --> 00:42:49,479
and we were just torturing him
and torturing him.
718
00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:52,439
And in the end,
he went for me on the Tube.
719
00:42:52,440 --> 00:42:53,759
He denies it to this day.
720
00:42:53,760 --> 00:42:56,320
He's like, "I never did that, mate."
Oh, yeah. But we did push him.
721
00:42:57,160 --> 00:42:59,239
Me and Marilyn just literally
kept pecking away
722
00:42:59,240 --> 00:43:01,080
like a couple of nasty crows.
723
00:43:02,360 --> 00:43:07,559
I mean, Marilyn, who is
absolutely gorgeous, threw us all.
724
00:43:07,560 --> 00:43:10,199
And if you asked Marilyn
725
00:43:10,200 --> 00:43:14,240
what his real name was,
he'd say Norma Jean.
726
00:43:17,280 --> 00:43:18,799
{\an8}And Marilyn was really young then.
727
00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:22,319
{\an8}I think he was like, 16, 17,
even when we were living in the squat.
728
00:43:22,320 --> 00:43:25,799
So for him to be dressing up
fulltime as Marilyn then,
729
00:43:25,800 --> 00:43:28,319
well you just didn't see people like that
walking in the streets.
730
00:43:28,320 --> 00:43:31,479
I mean, gender, you know,
the gender bender
731
00:43:31,480 --> 00:43:33,199
or whatever they called it,
but gender fluid,
732
00:43:33,200 --> 00:43:36,080
you just didn't see people like that,
and especially people that young.
733
00:43:39,080 --> 00:43:40,439
The genesis of it,
734
00:43:40,440 --> 00:43:42,599
because I was really bullied in school.
735
00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:44,679
I mean, like the whole school.
736
00:43:44,680 --> 00:43:47,240
I used to be frightened to go out
into the playground and stuff.
737
00:43:48,000 --> 00:43:52,319
So I had to kind of like,
it was build up this internal like...
738
00:43:52,320 --> 00:43:53,999
And I grew my hair really
long on one side,
739
00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:56,319
so I was hiding behind the hair,
740
00:43:56,320 --> 00:43:59,199
and walking along the corridors
of the school.
741
00:43:59,200 --> 00:44:01,359
And I used to wear drainpipes.
742
00:44:01,360 --> 00:44:03,719
This is when everyone wore flares.
743
00:44:03,720 --> 00:44:05,559
And I put all safety pins down my...
744
00:44:05,560 --> 00:44:09,119
And the more they did it,
it made me go, "You're calling me a name?
745
00:44:09,120 --> 00:44:10,160
"Look at you."
746
00:44:11,240 --> 00:44:13,640
I used to go in to do art classes,
747
00:44:14,440 --> 00:44:16,759
and the teacher would say,
like still life,
748
00:44:16,760 --> 00:44:18,400
like a vase and an apple.
749
00:44:19,120 --> 00:44:20,279
I'd draw Marilyn Monroe.
750
00:44:20,280 --> 00:44:21,479
And they'd say,
751
00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:25,559
"Draw the Tower Bridge"
and I'd draw Marilyn Monroe.
752
00:44:25,560 --> 00:44:27,840
Whatever they asked me,
I would always draw Marilyn Monroe.
753
00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:31,759
So I was coming out of art class one day
754
00:44:31,760 --> 00:44:33,759
and then I heard,
"Oh Marilyn, it's Marilyn!"
755
00:44:33,760 --> 00:44:36,839
And I'm thinking, "Oh, god, here we go."
756
00:44:36,840 --> 00:44:39,119
And I thought, "You know what?
I'm gonna keep that name
757
00:44:39,120 --> 00:44:44,719
and any, you know, in the future,
you'll be reading that name
758
00:44:44,720 --> 00:44:47,320
and you'll still be in this school,
probably cleaning it."
759
00:44:49,200 --> 00:44:50,759
And I love Marilyn Monroe.
760
00:44:50,760 --> 00:44:52,960
I am Marilyn. I'm still Marilyn.
761
00:44:54,120 --> 00:44:57,079
Very quickly you realised
that to be a Blitz kid,
762
00:44:57,080 --> 00:45:01,559
to be part of that crowd,
had to be a fulltime profession.
763
00:45:01,560 --> 00:45:05,359
So it kind of was like you knew
this was a fork in your life.
764
00:45:05,360 --> 00:45:06,679
"Am I committed to this?
765
00:45:06,680 --> 00:45:08,959
Am I prepared to take the stick
that you're gonna get
766
00:45:08,960 --> 00:45:10,839
back on the council estate where you live?
767
00:45:10,840 --> 00:45:13,479
Am I prepared to take the ribbing
from my brothers?
768
00:45:13,480 --> 00:45:15,839
Am I prepared to worry my mother sick?
769
00:45:15,840 --> 00:45:19,199
Am I prepared to almost say,
'This is my future'
770
00:45:19,200 --> 00:45:20,479
'cause I'm committed to this."
771
00:45:20,480 --> 00:45:22,920
And I was. I loved it, instantly.
772
00:45:23,680 --> 00:45:24,839
The first time in a long time,
773
00:45:24,840 --> 00:45:28,519
{\an8}young people are managing,
I think very successfully,
774
00:45:28,520 --> 00:45:33,439
{\an8}to combine enjoying themselves
with being creative and intelligent.
775
00:45:33,440 --> 00:45:36,599
I mean, the people may dress
what you'd call 'up'
776
00:45:36,600 --> 00:45:39,359
but for me, it's a statement
of their own creativity.
777
00:45:39,360 --> 00:45:41,800
It's a statement of their own art.
778
00:45:42,800 --> 00:45:43,679
From that moment on,
779
00:45:43,680 --> 00:45:46,319
knew that this was going to shape
whatever I did,
780
00:45:46,320 --> 00:45:48,639
'cause I saw that this was kind of
a way out,
781
00:45:48,640 --> 00:45:50,720
or the way in, or a way somewhere.
782
00:45:51,280 --> 00:45:53,519
But it did become a full-time job
783
00:45:53,520 --> 00:45:56,399
and you got to a point then,
when people started living together.
784
00:45:56,400 --> 00:45:58,320
They moved into squats together.
785
00:46:02,280 --> 00:46:07,759
We lived in really terrible flats,
with no central heating,
786
00:46:07,760 --> 00:46:10,719
{\an8}do you know what I mean, or squats.
787
00:46:10,720 --> 00:46:13,999
{\an8}And I went out every night,
788
00:46:14,000 --> 00:46:16,519
{\an8}because it was, one, fun to go out
789
00:46:16,520 --> 00:46:18,599
and two, you'd be warm,
do you know what I mean?
790
00:46:18,600 --> 00:46:21,239
It was like... I don't think people...
791
00:46:21,240 --> 00:46:24,799
I think we've all chosen
to forget how grim it was.
792
00:46:24,800 --> 00:46:27,959
I think Warren Street has been glamorised,
793
00:46:27,960 --> 00:46:33,599
but you know, it was a squat,
with a lot of teenagers living in it.
794
00:46:33,600 --> 00:46:36,040
Imagine.
795
00:46:42,720 --> 00:46:48,479
But looking fabulous all the time
with no money is being creative.
796
00:46:48,480 --> 00:46:51,839
So you... I grabbed some...
797
00:46:51,840 --> 00:46:58,159
{\an8}My grandmother had these
beautiful black Rogaine swing coats,
798
00:46:58,160 --> 00:47:00,759
{\an8}and you'd wear em back to front.
799
00:47:00,760 --> 00:47:04,040
We would turn something
into something else.
800
00:47:05,760 --> 00:47:07,639
Well, I make all my own clothes, so...
801
00:47:07,640 --> 00:47:09,599
- Do you? What about you?
- Yeah.
802
00:47:09,600 --> 00:47:11,960
- She makes em.
- I make all his as well.
803
00:47:14,000 --> 00:47:15,759
The dressing up of it,
804
00:47:15,760 --> 00:47:18,999
everyone wanted to see what everyone
was going to do that week.
805
00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:21,279
{\an8}It was just...
And you always made the effort.
806
00:47:21,280 --> 00:47:23,519
{\an8}You didn't ever go,
"Oh, I can't be bothered today."
807
00:47:23,520 --> 00:47:25,519
{\an8}You just dressed,
808
00:47:25,520 --> 00:47:27,359
{\an8}and you were excited about
showing them what you'd just done
809
00:47:27,360 --> 00:47:29,240
{\an8}and what you were going to wear.
810
00:47:29,920 --> 00:47:31,959
{\an8}And you'd be seeing
what other people were wearing.
811
00:47:31,960 --> 00:47:33,999
{\an8}We'd be really bitchy.
812
00:47:34,000 --> 00:47:37,719
There was a lot of,
at Warren Street, the motto was
813
00:47:37,720 --> 00:47:41,159
"What's mine is mine,
and what's yours is mine also."
814
00:47:41,160 --> 00:47:43,039
{\an8}I mean, when I look back
at some of the photographs,
815
00:47:43,040 --> 00:47:46,439
{\an8}I think, "Oh, my god.
People really did go to town."
816
00:47:46,440 --> 00:47:49,199
{\an8}And I think it was because
you had certain people,
817
00:47:49,200 --> 00:47:51,319
George was one of them,
Marilyn will be another,
818
00:47:51,320 --> 00:47:53,159
Kim Bowen would be another.
819
00:47:53,160 --> 00:47:54,599
Michele Clapton.
820
00:47:54,600 --> 00:47:56,759
They were stunning. It was a lifestyle.
821
00:47:56,760 --> 00:47:58,919
They'd been dressing that way
for quite a few years.
822
00:47:58,920 --> 00:48:02,399
It wasn't like, "Oh, let's just dress up
because, you know, the media's here,
823
00:48:02,400 --> 00:48:03,479
or the paparazzi."
824
00:48:03,480 --> 00:48:05,519
They always dressed exquisitely.
825
00:48:05,520 --> 00:48:08,839
They're a mixture of students,
fashion designers, musicians
826
00:48:08,840 --> 00:48:10,999
and those with routine jobs
that they escape at night
827
00:48:11,000 --> 00:48:13,480
by dressing up in extravagant costumes.
828
00:48:14,680 --> 00:48:17,439
Nobody should knock fantasy,
829
00:48:17,440 --> 00:48:18,639
I mean, a lot of the people
830
00:48:18,640 --> 00:48:22,879
that come to these clubs
were working from 9:00 to 5:00.
831
00:48:22,880 --> 00:48:25,559
But they were fed up with doing
the 9:00 to 5:00 job,
832
00:48:25,560 --> 00:48:27,559
and it's not a political message.
833
00:48:27,560 --> 00:48:31,079
But what they were doing
by coming out at 9:00 or 11:00 at night,
834
00:48:31,080 --> 00:48:33,599
and dressing like a Hollywood film star,
835
00:48:33,600 --> 00:48:34,839
which people shouldn't be knocked for,
836
00:48:34,840 --> 00:48:38,439
'cause they're getting away from it
and they're having a good time.
837
00:48:38,440 --> 00:48:39,879
It's called Blitz
838
00:48:39,880 --> 00:48:42,319
and it's becoming
the officer workers' equivalent
839
00:48:42,320 --> 00:48:45,560
of the exclusive Studio 54 club
in New York.
840
00:48:48,880 --> 00:48:50,399
You have to remember it's like
when something starts
841
00:48:50,400 --> 00:48:51,959
getting publicity and stuff,
842
00:48:51,960 --> 00:48:54,919
you start getting the people
from the suburbs that come in,
843
00:48:54,920 --> 00:48:56,679
and they put on their mum's clothing
844
00:48:56,680 --> 00:49:00,439
or like Grandma's eyeliner
and they come out and are like,
845
00:49:00,440 --> 00:49:02,599
"Ooh, aren't I weird? Ooh!"
846
00:49:02,600 --> 00:49:06,279
I thought they were a bunch of posers,
do you know what I mean?
847
00:49:06,280 --> 00:49:11,039
Some of them, like the people
that I knew were like great.
848
00:49:11,040 --> 00:49:13,999
All the people in Warren Street
and we lived it.
849
00:49:14,000 --> 00:49:16,799
I mean, like me and a few certain
other individuals,
850
00:49:16,800 --> 00:49:18,639
I used to get totally done up
851
00:49:18,640 --> 00:49:21,399
to walk to the end of the street
to buy milk, you know what I mean?
852
00:49:21,400 --> 00:49:22,839
Authentic. You know what I mean?
853
00:49:22,840 --> 00:49:25,919
Like I didn't put it on,
on a Thursday night
854
00:49:25,920 --> 00:49:29,079
to go to Blitz so Steve would let me in,
do you know what I mean?
855
00:49:29,080 --> 00:49:32,559
We lived it. It wasn't an assumed...
856
00:49:32,560 --> 00:49:34,039
It wasn't fancy dress.
857
00:49:34,040 --> 00:49:36,480
It felt like people there were
in fancy dress.
858
00:49:47,960 --> 00:49:50,679
George was the coat check girl, right?
859
00:49:50,680 --> 00:49:53,679
And I'm not gonna, you know,
tell too many tales about George,
860
00:49:53,680 --> 00:49:55,720
but you didn't leave
too much in your pockets.
861
00:49:57,800 --> 00:49:58,999
George was funny.
862
00:49:59,000 --> 00:50:01,319
I mean, I think that's why we...
863
00:50:01,320 --> 00:50:02,839
I think that's why I liked him so much,
864
00:50:02,840 --> 00:50:05,719
because he had a really
wicked sense of humour.
865
00:50:05,720 --> 00:50:07,519
He was bold.
866
00:50:07,520 --> 00:50:09,879
He was unapologetic. He didn't care.
867
00:50:09,880 --> 00:50:13,240
Like I said, George walked around
like he owned everything.
868
00:50:14,280 --> 00:50:15,999
George was always,
he's a really fast talker,
869
00:50:16,000 --> 00:50:19,599
really smart, very funny,
very quick-witted.
870
00:50:19,600 --> 00:50:20,959
I remember once we did...
871
00:50:20,960 --> 00:50:22,599
He and I were doing, um,
872
00:50:22,600 --> 00:50:26,359
we modelled the St. Martins Fashion Show
for Steven Linard.
873
00:50:26,360 --> 00:50:27,479
And afterwards,
874
00:50:27,480 --> 00:50:29,359
George and I stole
all the dressing up clothes
875
00:50:29,360 --> 00:50:30,879
out of the dressing up box.
876
00:50:30,880 --> 00:50:33,519
We ran back to his squat
and we were going through them,
877
00:50:33,520 --> 00:50:35,319
and he'd got a pile
and I'd got a pile and I went,
878
00:50:35,320 --> 00:50:37,679
"Oh, that matches the skirt
I've got here."
879
00:50:37,680 --> 00:50:38,920
He went, "It'll cost you."
880
00:50:39,840 --> 00:50:42,079
He was trying to charge me money
for something that we had just stolen.
881
00:50:42,080 --> 00:50:43,800
That was quite funny.
882
00:50:46,000 --> 00:50:49,520
George was always getting caught nicking,
so I was always bailing her out.
883
00:50:52,200 --> 00:50:53,679
She was a kleptomaniac,
884
00:50:53,680 --> 00:50:58,079
so I had to keep an eye out for folks
that'd come around and kick the door in.
885
00:50:58,080 --> 00:51:00,679
These are people, other people
in the squats, like friends.
886
00:51:00,680 --> 00:51:01,719
Like they wanted to come...
887
00:51:01,720 --> 00:51:03,919
You know, like villagers with pitchforks.
888
00:51:03,920 --> 00:51:06,319
They would come round like periodically
889
00:51:06,320 --> 00:51:09,520
to come get all their stuff back
that George nicked.
890
00:51:10,600 --> 00:51:12,919
Well, there was a lot of stealing.
I was a big thief.
891
00:51:12,920 --> 00:51:15,519
So I used to steal money from everyone,
892
00:51:15,520 --> 00:51:17,239
and when I worked in the Blitz,
I got fired,
893
00:51:17,240 --> 00:51:20,799
because I went through
people's handbags and pockets
894
00:51:20,800 --> 00:51:22,079
and helped myself.
895
00:51:22,080 --> 00:51:23,919
Topped up my wages,
896
00:51:23,920 --> 00:51:26,439
because they weren't very,
it wasn't very much.
897
00:51:26,440 --> 00:51:31,119
So yeah, I was, yeah and then finally
I got my job back at another club
898
00:51:31,120 --> 00:51:32,919
and then I got fired again.
899
00:51:32,920 --> 00:51:35,479
So this particular night,
I don't know why they let me back in,
900
00:51:35,480 --> 00:51:37,719
but they did, 'cause I was happening,
901
00:51:37,720 --> 00:51:39,279
I got back in this club
902
00:51:39,280 --> 00:51:41,479
and because someone else
had taken my coat room job,
903
00:51:41,480 --> 00:51:42,999
I nicked the money.
904
00:51:43,000 --> 00:51:46,799
I got under the counter and I nicked it,
and I ran back to my squat.
905
00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:50,359
And I'd folded it up in a bag
and I put it into the toilet cistern.
906
00:51:50,360 --> 00:51:52,519
And then Steve Strange
and all these people, Rusty,
907
00:51:52,520 --> 00:51:55,359
all of them turned up at my squat
and they were like,
908
00:51:55,360 --> 00:51:56,599
"We know you stole the money"
909
00:51:56,600 --> 00:51:58,639
and I was like,
"As if I would ever do that."
910
00:51:58,640 --> 00:52:00,239
I totally fronted it.
911
00:52:00,240 --> 00:52:03,239
I was like, "You can't accuse me
of doing that."
912
00:52:03,240 --> 00:52:04,999
I totally fronted it. I lied.
913
00:52:05,000 --> 00:52:08,599
And then I kind of,
I think I owned up about it eventually.
914
00:52:08,600 --> 00:52:09,879
But, yeah, I was terrible.
915
00:52:09,880 --> 00:52:13,319
I was like Oliver Twist.
916
00:52:13,320 --> 00:52:15,280
I was always stealing things.
You had to steal.
917
00:52:21,240 --> 00:52:25,559
All these kids who had absolutely nothing.
918
00:52:25,560 --> 00:52:27,479
No money, no jobs.
919
00:52:27,480 --> 00:52:30,319
You know, it was a three-day working week,
it was Thatcher's Britain,
920
00:52:30,320 --> 00:52:32,840
it was rough, it was a tough time,
921
00:52:33,960 --> 00:52:37,159
{\an8}um, were raiding their Granny's wardrobes
and going to this little club,
922
00:52:37,160 --> 00:52:39,120
playing Roxy Music,
923
00:52:39,800 --> 00:52:42,159
and you know,
a little bit of Germanic, you know,
924
00:52:42,160 --> 00:52:44,399
electronics that Rusty was slipping in.
925
00:52:44,400 --> 00:52:47,000
Bits of Bowie, bits of Kraftwerk.
926
00:52:47,880 --> 00:52:52,000
This mishmash of stuff
that they could all get up and dance to.
927
00:52:57,680 --> 00:53:02,359
I bought all the records,
and the thing about these records were,
928
00:53:02,360 --> 00:53:05,199
I mean I could literally
put one on now and I'd go,
929
00:53:05,200 --> 00:53:07,160
"Well, that's called motoric drumming."
930
00:53:10,120 --> 00:53:12,880
I had this idea to have this...
931
00:53:21,080 --> 00:53:23,639
It's this sort of pulsating
932
00:53:23,640 --> 00:53:27,599
four-to-the-floor electronica
933
00:53:27,600 --> 00:53:29,639
that I adore and actually,
934
00:53:29,640 --> 00:53:36,000
it's so classic and is translated
in so many ways.
935
00:53:37,160 --> 00:53:39,520
It could be a really commercial pop hit.
936
00:53:43,680 --> 00:53:48,519
Or it could be something very
sort of undergroundy, basic, even.
937
00:53:48,520 --> 00:53:54,879
But it still has that ability
to create some sort of energy.
938
00:53:54,880 --> 00:53:56,120
Get you dancing.
939
00:54:00,080 --> 00:54:01,959
Oh, the music was so pivotal.
940
00:54:01,960 --> 00:54:03,959
The music was kind
of more important than anything,
941
00:54:03,960 --> 00:54:05,559
as far as I was concerned.
942
00:54:05,560 --> 00:54:08,479
It was the place you went to
to hear new things.
943
00:54:08,480 --> 00:54:11,599
So like, you know, if you were in a club
and you heard a record
944
00:54:11,600 --> 00:54:13,239
that you'd never heard before,
945
00:54:13,240 --> 00:54:14,879
and you were like,
"This is amazing. What's this?"
946
00:54:14,880 --> 00:54:16,519
And you'd have to sidle up to Rusty
947
00:54:16,520 --> 00:54:19,359
and hope that he was in
a good enough mood to let you know,
948
00:54:19,360 --> 00:54:23,479
because everyone was protective
of where they got things.
949
00:54:23,480 --> 00:54:24,759
And Rusty played everything
950
00:54:24,760 --> 00:54:29,119
from punk stuff to you know,
things from Cabaret.
951
00:54:29,120 --> 00:54:30,679
You know, and that influenced what I did.
952
00:54:30,680 --> 00:54:32,839
I became a DJ around the same time,
953
00:54:32,840 --> 00:54:34,879
and I used to play a lot
of the things that Rusty played,
954
00:54:34,880 --> 00:54:37,719
and I'd be more bonkers sometimes
and play things like
955
00:54:37,720 --> 00:54:40,319
"The Lonely Goatherd"
from "The Sound of Music"
956
00:54:40,320 --> 00:54:41,599
to try to get rid of people.
957
00:54:41,600 --> 00:54:43,320
But they'd always stay.
958
00:54:44,800 --> 00:54:46,599
{\an8}I'm not trying
to insult anybody,
959
00:54:46,600 --> 00:54:49,400
{\an8}but the fact is, I hated the music.
960
00:54:50,560 --> 00:54:53,199
Sorry, Rust. I don't want to insult Rusty,
and then talk about music.
961
00:54:53,200 --> 00:54:57,279
Oh, my god. I've lost it.
962
00:54:57,280 --> 00:54:58,639
But I don't mean it like that.
963
00:54:58,640 --> 00:55:00,959
Like he loved it and he's passionate
about all of that
964
00:55:00,960 --> 00:55:03,279
and it's, you know, it's got its audience.
965
00:55:03,280 --> 00:55:04,999
I'm just not one of that...
966
00:55:05,000 --> 00:55:06,399
It's not my flavour, you know.
967
00:55:06,400 --> 00:55:10,439
I like soul and gospel
and the Blitz wasn't that.
968
00:55:10,440 --> 00:55:12,879
It was like all that electronic crap.
969
00:55:12,880 --> 00:55:14,359
Like German electronic.
970
00:55:14,360 --> 00:55:17,480
♪ She's a model and she's looking... ♪
971
00:55:22,680 --> 00:55:25,879
Like, "Go away. I don't know you."
972
00:55:25,880 --> 00:55:27,319
Really?
973
00:55:27,320 --> 00:55:29,679
Like is it that bad?
974
00:55:29,680 --> 00:55:31,800
You know, it's like I thought
they were tragic.
975
00:55:43,560 --> 00:55:46,119
No one in this club
wanted to watch a band,
976
00:55:46,120 --> 00:55:47,960
because they were too interested
in watching themselves.
977
00:55:48,880 --> 00:55:51,199
{\an8}And this was more like disco.
978
00:55:51,200 --> 00:55:53,199
{\an8}So this is ordinary kids
979
00:55:53,200 --> 00:55:56,120
wanting to just be the most
important people in the room.
980
00:55:57,560 --> 00:56:00,279
But we knew there was always a band,
981
00:56:00,280 --> 00:56:01,759
the most important band
982
00:56:01,760 --> 00:56:04,879
that represented any given moment
in youth culture,
983
00:56:04,880 --> 00:56:06,719
pop culture history.
984
00:56:06,720 --> 00:56:11,959
And we cynically, if you like, said
985
00:56:11,960 --> 00:56:13,959
"This is our chance to do this."
986
00:56:13,960 --> 00:56:16,599
We just came up with this idea
987
00:56:16,600 --> 00:56:20,400
of asking people
to come and listen to the music,
988
00:56:21,080 --> 00:56:23,759
um, on a Saturday morning.
989
00:56:23,760 --> 00:56:27,359
And not really in a performance situation,
just in a rehearsal room.
990
00:56:27,360 --> 00:56:30,360
So he invites us all
to this terrible rehearsal studio,
991
00:56:31,040 --> 00:56:33,319
and we all turn up, amazingly.
992
00:56:33,320 --> 00:56:34,399
Everyone gets out of bed.
993
00:56:34,400 --> 00:56:36,679
Steve is there, Chris Sullivan's there,
I'm there,
994
00:56:36,680 --> 00:56:38,480
Graham Smith's there with his camera.
995
00:56:41,200 --> 00:56:44,479
{\an8}It was high risk, because this was
our kind of final throw of the dice.
996
00:56:44,480 --> 00:56:46,119
{\an8}If they didn't accept us,
997
00:56:46,120 --> 00:56:50,120
{\an8}we didn't have any other wave
to join or go back onto.
998
00:56:53,120 --> 00:56:57,039
We'd developed this whole new material
that was Blitz orientated, if you like.
999
00:56:57,040 --> 00:57:00,719
They step up on stage and they go
"Do-do-do-do-do-do.'
1000
00:57:00,720 --> 00:57:02,919
"Fuck, this sounds rather good."
1001
00:57:02,920 --> 00:57:05,279
♪ Out is the winter pale ♪
1002
00:57:05,280 --> 00:57:08,719
♪ Gold rising June in the blue of my eye ♪
1003
00:57:08,720 --> 00:57:10,839
And then Tony Hadley,
who'd been kind of standing
1004
00:57:10,840 --> 00:57:13,359
in a black leather coat at the Blitz
at the back,
1005
00:57:13,360 --> 00:57:15,959
opens his foghorn mouth
and outcomes this stuff,
1006
00:57:15,960 --> 00:57:17,999
and I think, "Blimey, he can sing!"
1007
00:57:18,000 --> 00:57:20,199
♪ ...soon realise ♪
1008
00:57:20,200 --> 00:57:23,040
♪ I've still sleep in my eyes ♪
1009
00:57:23,880 --> 00:57:26,799
♪ I've still sleep in my eyes ♪
1010
00:57:26,800 --> 00:57:29,480
♪ Glow like a lover ♪
1011
00:57:31,760 --> 00:57:34,079
We gradually realised,
"This was a good show."
1012
00:57:34,080 --> 00:57:37,399
Yeah, you know, we were going
to be embraced by these people
1013
00:57:37,400 --> 00:57:39,160
that we were looking up to at that time.
1014
00:57:40,400 --> 00:57:42,759
So you know, we knew
that in this crowd of people
1015
00:57:42,760 --> 00:57:44,119
there was someone
who would take our picture,
1016
00:57:44,120 --> 00:57:45,239
there was someone who would film us,
1017
00:57:45,240 --> 00:57:47,679
there was someone who would create
the stage show,
1018
00:57:47,680 --> 00:57:50,679
there was someone who would be our PR.
1019
00:57:50,680 --> 00:57:51,999
And that person was Robert Elms.
1020
00:57:52,000 --> 00:57:53,799
And of course the first thing
he said to us was,
1021
00:57:53,800 --> 00:57:56,120
"Your name's terrible.
You've gotta get rid of your name."
1022
00:57:57,040 --> 00:57:58,079
{\an8}We go in the pub afterwards
1023
00:57:58,080 --> 00:57:59,839
{\an8}and we tell them they gotta
change their name.
1024
00:57:59,840 --> 00:58:01,519
{\an8}"The Gentry is an awful name.
1025
00:58:01,520 --> 00:58:03,480
{\an8}You should call yourselves
Spandau Ballet."
1026
00:58:04,600 --> 00:58:06,239
I had no idea what Spandau was.
1027
00:58:06,240 --> 00:58:07,640
It sounded Germanic.
1028
00:58:08,520 --> 00:58:10,439
This had an art feel to it, which I liked.
1029
00:58:10,440 --> 00:58:14,360
Um, he didn't tell me where
he'd found it, of course.
1030
00:58:15,080 --> 00:58:19,680
I later found out he'd seen it
scrawled on a wall in a club in Germany.
1031
00:58:20,880 --> 00:58:22,680
So they become Spandau Ballet.
1032
00:58:37,360 --> 00:58:39,279
You had Studio 54 in New York,
1033
00:58:39,280 --> 00:58:41,519
that had happened, you know, before
1034
00:58:41,520 --> 00:58:43,799
and I think that what
Rusty and Steve were trying to do
1035
00:58:43,800 --> 00:58:46,599
was create something similar in London
1036
00:58:46,600 --> 00:58:49,120
for people that they felt were likeminded.
1037
00:58:50,760 --> 00:58:52,880
♪ Oh we could be heroes ♪
1038
00:58:54,440 --> 00:58:56,400
♪ Just for one day ♪
1039
00:58:59,400 --> 00:59:01,039
♪ Ohh... ♪
1040
00:59:01,040 --> 00:59:02,399
You know, we were all Bowie kids.
1041
00:59:02,400 --> 00:59:03,879
That was the thing we all had in common.
1042
00:59:03,880 --> 00:59:05,200
We all were Bowie fans.
1043
00:59:07,680 --> 00:59:09,520
♪ Standing... ♪
1044
00:59:11,440 --> 00:59:15,759
The night Bowie came to the Blitz,
everybody lost their cool.
1045
00:59:15,760 --> 00:59:19,279
Like the coolest people
were the uncoolest people.
1046
00:59:19,280 --> 00:59:22,239
I was the only one that was able
to keep my nerve.
1047
00:59:22,240 --> 00:59:23,599
George flew!
1048
00:59:23,600 --> 00:59:25,399
Literally, I mean, the man had wings
1049
00:59:25,400 --> 00:59:28,279
to get to the front door,
right, to see Bowie.
1050
00:59:28,280 --> 00:59:31,159
Because Bowie was the basis
of all of this.
1051
00:59:31,160 --> 00:59:34,559
We'd seen Bowie, age 13,
on Top of the Pops.
1052
00:59:34,560 --> 00:59:36,399
We'd been there
when Bowie had played live.
1053
00:59:36,400 --> 00:59:40,239
The original Billy's night
was a Bowie night, and now Bowie arrives.
1054
00:59:40,240 --> 00:59:42,400
And that was like being anointed.
1055
00:59:43,320 --> 00:59:45,999
So did Steve Strange let Bowie in?
1056
00:59:46,000 --> 00:59:47,199
Not half.
1057
00:59:47,200 --> 00:59:48,959
They walked arm in arm
1058
00:59:48,960 --> 00:59:51,439
through the middle of The Blitz,
up to the bar.
1059
00:59:51,440 --> 00:59:53,159
Everyone went bananas, basically.
1060
00:59:53,160 --> 00:59:55,519
Everyone, all of a sudden,
all the cool people were like,
1061
00:59:55,520 --> 00:59:56,599
"Oh, my god."
1062
00:59:56,600 --> 00:59:59,759
And they were kind of trying to,
trying to rush up the stairs
1063
00:59:59,760 --> 01:00:02,160
where he was being ushered very quickly.
1064
01:00:02,720 --> 01:00:04,359
Steve Strange bought
the only drink he ever bought
1065
01:00:04,360 --> 01:00:07,679
in his entire life for David Bowie,
as far as I could remember.
1066
01:00:07,680 --> 01:00:10,200
Because Bowie wasn't just royalty,
he was deity.
1067
01:00:12,520 --> 01:00:13,479
Yeah.
1068
01:00:13,480 --> 01:00:16,999
I had made an outfit
which I particularly wanted to show off,
1069
01:00:17,000 --> 01:00:19,799
{\an8}and I managed to get a friend of mine
to come to The Blitz,
1070
01:00:19,800 --> 01:00:23,399
{\an8}who also had her outfit on
that she'd made.
1071
01:00:23,400 --> 01:00:24,880
And while we were there...
1072
01:00:25,840 --> 01:00:28,399
there was a kind
of great furore at the door,
1073
01:00:28,400 --> 01:00:30,879
because The Blitz was quite a small club.
1074
01:00:30,880 --> 01:00:34,719
And when I looked over,
I could see David Bowie,
1075
01:00:34,720 --> 01:00:37,519
who was you know, our icon.
1076
01:00:37,520 --> 01:00:40,519
And then I could see that
David Bowie was looking at me,
1077
01:00:40,520 --> 01:00:43,319
and I was thinking,
"Why is David Bowie looking at me?"
1078
01:00:43,320 --> 01:00:46,399
Then Bowie says that he's going
to do this video for this song,
1079
01:00:46,400 --> 01:00:49,119
and he wants people from the club
to be in it.
1080
01:00:49,120 --> 01:00:50,959
My god.
1081
01:00:50,960 --> 01:00:53,159
And then I could see him
coming towards me,
1082
01:00:53,160 --> 01:00:54,919
which made me even more nervous.
1083
01:00:54,920 --> 01:00:57,079
And he was with Steve Strange.
1084
01:00:57,080 --> 01:01:01,239
And he said, "I'd really like you
to be in my next video."
1085
01:01:01,240 --> 01:01:03,120
I just thought, "This can't be real."
1086
01:01:08,560 --> 01:01:11,559
I was so pissed off I wasn't there
the night that David Bowie came,
1087
01:01:11,560 --> 01:01:14,359
{\an8}because I mean, they chose people,
1088
01:01:14,360 --> 01:01:16,359
{\an8}"God, if I'd been there,
they'd have chosen me."
1089
01:01:16,360 --> 01:01:18,439
{\an8}And I've actually got the painting,
1090
01:01:18,440 --> 01:01:22,439
{\an8}a friend of mine did a painting
of that video on my kitchen wall.
1091
01:01:22,440 --> 01:01:24,759
It's like, "I should have
been there that night."
1092
01:01:24,760 --> 01:01:26,439
I was so cross.
1093
01:01:26,440 --> 01:01:28,680
I think that so many of us
were really put out.
1094
01:01:29,680 --> 01:01:32,559
The most annoyed person was Boy George,
1095
01:01:32,560 --> 01:01:35,519
who came out from behind the little desk
1096
01:01:35,520 --> 01:01:38,279
where he was collecting
all of the tips for the coats,
1097
01:01:38,280 --> 01:01:40,119
and gave everybody you know,
1098
01:01:40,120 --> 01:01:45,079
an extreme dressing down and saying,
"I can't believe it's you, not me."
1099
01:01:45,080 --> 01:01:47,999
A lot of people now say
they were there when they weren't.
1100
01:01:48,000 --> 01:01:49,599
Just letting you know that.
1101
01:01:49,600 --> 01:01:51,880
♪ They got a message from the Action Man ♪
1102
01:01:52,600 --> 01:01:57,679
♪ I'm happy hope you're happy too... ♪
1103
01:01:57,680 --> 01:01:59,999
Apparently what David Bowie said
1104
01:02:00,000 --> 01:02:02,720
was that he wanted a clown
on a beach with a bonfire.
1105
01:02:04,640 --> 01:02:06,479
He said, "I want you to pat the ground,"
1106
01:02:06,480 --> 01:02:08,079
and I sort of said, "Ooh, like this?"
1107
01:02:08,080 --> 01:02:10,000
And he said, "Perfect, like that."
1108
01:02:11,040 --> 01:02:13,679
So I think Steve had a lot more trouble.
1109
01:02:13,680 --> 01:02:16,160
I mean, bear in mind we were on a beach...
1110
01:02:17,120 --> 01:02:21,560
probably ankle-deep in something
quite wet and soft.
1111
01:02:22,160 --> 01:02:25,239
So trying to walk elegantly
and pat the ground
1112
01:02:25,240 --> 01:02:27,079
was quite a difficult thing.
1113
01:02:27,080 --> 01:02:30,039
So I think Steve had more trouble
with it than I did.
1114
01:02:30,040 --> 01:02:32,439
But we had to do a lot of takes,
1115
01:02:32,440 --> 01:02:35,639
and the worst bit was the bit
with the bulldozer behind us.
1116
01:02:35,640 --> 01:02:38,839
We did that a lot of times
to get that right.
1117
01:02:38,840 --> 01:02:42,159
♪ We know Major Tom's a junkie ♪
1118
01:02:42,160 --> 01:02:45,359
♪ Strung out in heaven's high ♪
1119
01:02:45,360 --> 01:02:49,279
♪ Hitting an all-time low... ♪
1120
01:02:49,280 --> 01:02:50,919
The following week at The Blitz,
1121
01:02:50,920 --> 01:02:53,359
everyone was trying to find out
what had happened,
1122
01:02:53,360 --> 01:02:54,999
where we'd been, what we'd been doing,
1123
01:02:55,000 --> 01:02:57,960
what we were wearing,
what David Bowie was wearing.
1124
01:02:58,760 --> 01:03:01,759
{\an8}And we'd been asked
to be quite tight-lipped.
1125
01:03:01,760 --> 01:03:04,080
{\an8}And of course,
we were giving nothing away.
1126
01:03:05,280 --> 01:03:09,159
{\an8}I think the reaction to us
was a mixture of people being really glad
1127
01:03:09,160 --> 01:03:15,359
that someone from our community
had been chosen, and some envy.
1128
01:03:15,360 --> 01:03:19,519
♪ My mother said to get things done ♪
1129
01:03:19,520 --> 01:03:22,960
♪ You'd better not mess with Major Tom ♪
1130
01:03:23,760 --> 01:03:27,439
♪ My mother said to get things done ♪
1131
01:03:27,440 --> 01:03:30,800
♪ You'd better not mess with Major Tom ♪
1132
01:03:31,840 --> 01:03:35,999
The pop music scene and the fashion scene
have been influenced by a new youth cult,
1133
01:03:36,000 --> 01:03:39,000
the New Romantics or The Blitz kids.
1134
01:03:42,640 --> 01:03:43,719
I think one of the important things
1135
01:03:43,720 --> 01:03:46,879
to understand about
the whole Billy's Blitz scene,
1136
01:03:46,880 --> 01:03:50,639
because this was not driven
by older moneyed people.
1137
01:03:50,640 --> 01:03:54,559
It was young, skint students.
1138
01:03:54,560 --> 01:03:56,839
People who worked in clothes shops.
1139
01:03:56,840 --> 01:04:01,199
{\an8}I don't think there was anybody
over the age of 22, 23.
1140
01:04:01,200 --> 01:04:03,200
{\an8}Most of us teenagers.
1141
01:04:03,960 --> 01:04:06,839
{\an8}I've probably travelled out
with my mate Chris Sullivan,
1142
01:04:06,840 --> 01:04:09,679
who's living at my mum's
council house with me.
1143
01:04:09,680 --> 01:04:11,919
He's a student at St Martins,
studying art.
1144
01:04:11,920 --> 01:04:15,159
And one week, Chris might be dressed
as Frank Sinatra.
1145
01:04:15,160 --> 01:04:17,999
The next week he might be dressed
as a Gaucho.
1146
01:04:18,000 --> 01:04:20,999
The week after, one week,
he dressed as Mahatma Gandhi.
1147
01:04:21,000 --> 01:04:22,279
And I remember Chris saying to me,
1148
01:04:22,280 --> 01:04:25,399
"You must never,
ever wear the same outfit twice."
1149
01:04:25,400 --> 01:04:28,919
That was really important to Chris,
that each week you dressed differently,
1150
01:04:28,920 --> 01:04:30,200
and you dressed special.
1151
01:04:33,480 --> 01:04:36,639
I used to dress as a Gaucho,
you know, because I loved the film
1152
01:04:36,640 --> 01:04:38,279
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
1153
01:04:38,280 --> 01:04:41,079
{\an8}That was the other thing,
We were all very influence by movies,
1154
01:04:41,080 --> 01:04:44,039
because you used to go to the
Academy Cinema on Oxford Street,
1155
01:04:44,040 --> 01:04:46,040
which was free to get in
if you were a student.
1156
01:04:46,760 --> 01:04:48,599
So we'd go and see films like Alfie,
1157
01:04:48,600 --> 01:04:50,479
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,
and it was funny,
1158
01:04:50,480 --> 01:04:52,759
we'd all go see it
and next week you'd see everybody
1159
01:04:52,760 --> 01:04:54,760
dressed like the film
we'd just been to see.
1160
01:04:55,520 --> 01:04:57,520
We wore our influences on our sleeve.
1161
01:05:03,360 --> 01:05:07,719
There was always
like competition for the way you looked.
1162
01:05:07,720 --> 01:05:10,759
You know, sometimes Steve
would turn up at my squat,
1163
01:05:10,760 --> 01:05:13,679
{\an8}you know, uninvited,
literally just to show me
1164
01:05:13,680 --> 01:05:14,999
{\an8}what he was wearing.
1165
01:05:15,000 --> 01:05:17,719
{\an8}I remember this one time,
I hadn't spoken to him for months,
1166
01:05:17,720 --> 01:05:19,239
{\an8}and then he turns up at my squat.
1167
01:05:19,240 --> 01:05:20,959
And he had these black contact lenses in.
1168
01:05:20,960 --> 01:05:22,799
They were the whole of his eyes,
it was just amazing.
1169
01:05:22,800 --> 01:05:25,199
I was so jealous, I was so jealous.
1170
01:05:25,200 --> 01:05:27,319
And he only came to piss me off.
1171
01:05:27,320 --> 01:05:30,039
He came in a cab,
got out of the cab and was like,
1172
01:05:30,040 --> 01:05:31,079
"Do you want to go for a drink?"
1173
01:05:31,080 --> 01:05:32,959
And I was like,
"You son-of-a-bitch, look at you."
1174
01:05:32,960 --> 01:05:36,679
He was done, like amazing,
with a cane and these black eyes.
1175
01:05:36,680 --> 01:05:38,559
You know, and then you know,
you'd have to kind of plan
1176
01:05:38,560 --> 01:05:40,159
the next thing you were going to do
to piss him off.
1177
01:05:40,160 --> 01:05:43,320
You know, it was absolute
constant competition.
1178
01:05:44,080 --> 01:05:47,439
When you class something
as a movement, it becomes a fashion.
1179
01:05:47,440 --> 01:05:50,519
And although people are into fashion,
1180
01:05:50,520 --> 01:05:52,879
with clothes and music,
1181
01:05:52,880 --> 01:05:57,279
people can't term it as a fashion
because people are always moving on.
1182
01:05:57,280 --> 01:06:02,559
It never becomes stale,
as when I was involved say in Punk,
1183
01:06:02,560 --> 01:06:05,199
Punk become like a uniform,
1184
01:06:05,200 --> 01:06:08,439
and it become very stale and very boring.
1185
01:06:08,440 --> 01:06:13,119
Whereas where we are,
the whole idea is complete change,
1186
01:06:13,120 --> 01:06:18,400
all the time, moving on with the music,
with the clothes, with the styles.
1187
01:06:20,200 --> 01:06:22,559
It was like walking on the gangplank.
1188
01:06:22,560 --> 01:06:24,160
And you were judged.
1189
01:06:25,640 --> 01:06:27,799
And this was by your friends.
1190
01:06:27,800 --> 01:06:30,599
And you know, if you
weren't looking up to the mark,
1191
01:06:30,600 --> 01:06:32,719
you could tell it through their faces.
1192
01:06:32,720 --> 01:06:35,960
So, my god, it kept you on your toes.
1193
01:06:42,880 --> 01:06:45,120
No one was competition for me, darling.
1194
01:06:45,800 --> 01:06:48,079
Like let's have it, you know,
let's have it straight.
1195
01:06:48,080 --> 01:06:50,560
Who the fuck's going to compete with me?
They're all ugly.
1196
01:07:05,000 --> 01:07:08,159
And then one week, Mick Jagger arrives,
1197
01:07:08,160 --> 01:07:10,359
and of course, Mick Jagger's Mick Jagger.
1198
01:07:10,360 --> 01:07:13,159
This is probably the most famous
rock star in the world.
1199
01:07:13,160 --> 01:07:17,679
And he arrives, and word went out,
"Jagger's outside, Mick Jagger's outside."
1200
01:07:17,680 --> 01:07:20,679
And Steve was magnificent.
1201
01:07:20,680 --> 01:07:23,639
Mick Jagger, you know, obviously
walks to the head of the queue
1202
01:07:23,640 --> 01:07:26,999
and there's a queue of people drooling,
both because Mick Jagger's there
1203
01:07:27,000 --> 01:07:28,919
and 'cause they think
they might get in, and they didn't.
1204
01:07:28,920 --> 01:07:30,439
And nor did he.
1205
01:07:30,440 --> 01:07:32,599
It was the greatest move Steve ever made.
1206
01:07:32,600 --> 01:07:33,919
Mick Jagger walks up.
1207
01:07:33,920 --> 01:07:36,839
Steve Strange who's what, 20, 21,
1208
01:07:36,840 --> 01:07:41,799
kind of boy from Wales,
dressed in a dress.
1209
01:07:41,800 --> 01:07:45,999
Looks at Mick Jagger and goes,
"Nah, you're not well-dressed enough."
1210
01:07:46,000 --> 01:07:47,039
Literally.
1211
01:07:47,040 --> 01:07:49,719
Mick Jagger,
you don't turn away Mick Jagger.
1212
01:07:49,720 --> 01:07:52,519
I remember thinking,
"Like, Steve, like, really?
1213
01:07:52,520 --> 01:07:54,399
"You can't turn away Mick Jagger
from The Blitz."
1214
01:07:54,400 --> 01:07:57,079
But it was so great publicity.
1215
01:07:57,080 --> 01:07:58,119
He was great at that.
1216
01:07:58,120 --> 01:08:01,639
He was really good at sort of just,
like, doing stuff that was,
1217
01:08:01,640 --> 01:08:03,799
it was quite punk rock doing that.
1218
01:08:03,800 --> 01:08:06,159
Somebody said to me,
"Oh, Mick Jagger's just got turned away,"
1219
01:08:06,160 --> 01:08:07,880
and I just said,
"Yeah, quite right and all."
1220
01:08:08,600 --> 01:08:11,239
As I said to somebody afterwards,
1221
01:08:11,240 --> 01:08:13,680
when Mick Jagger's standing in your club,
you know you're on the way out.
1222
01:08:20,120 --> 01:08:23,799
Spandau Ballet
then do their first gig at the Blitz
1223
01:08:23,800 --> 01:08:27,240
and I introduced them on stage,
reciting ridiculous poetry.
1224
01:08:28,399 --> 01:08:33,040
Listen to the portrait
Of the dance of perfection,
1225
01:08:33,800 --> 01:08:35,640
The Spandau Ballet.
1226
01:08:39,520 --> 01:08:42,519
And I was standing watching
at the mixing desk,
1227
01:08:42,520 --> 01:08:44,438
and a guy came up to me.
1228
01:08:44,439 --> 01:08:45,520
And he said...
1229
01:08:46,840 --> 01:08:47,919
"Who is this band?"
1230
01:08:47,920 --> 01:08:49,520
And I said, "It's Spandau Ballet."
1231
01:08:50,200 --> 01:08:52,199
And he said that...
1232
01:08:52,200 --> 01:08:55,879
he said, "Great, so what
record label do they record for?"
1233
01:08:55,880 --> 01:08:58,278
And I said,
"They don't have a record label."
1234
01:08:58,279 --> 01:09:02,080
And he said, 'Who is their manager?"
And I said, "I am."
1235
01:09:02,640 --> 01:09:04,759
And he said, "Well, I'm Chris Blackwell.
1236
01:09:04,760 --> 01:09:07,399
"I own Island Records,
and I'd like to sign them."
1237
01:09:08,319 --> 01:09:10,719
So it was, it was immediate.
1238
01:09:10,720 --> 01:09:14,438
We had immediately
had a record deal on the table,
1239
01:09:14,439 --> 01:09:16,919
because we were playing at an event.
1240
01:09:16,920 --> 01:09:18,879
We weren't standing in line, begging.
1241
01:09:18,880 --> 01:09:24,600
And we were behaving like stars,
because nobody else had played The Blitz.
1242
01:09:25,319 --> 01:09:28,679
And then Steve says to me,
"Right, you've got to review us now."
1243
01:09:28,680 --> 01:09:30,239
They've only played one gig.
1244
01:09:30,240 --> 01:09:31,679
He says, he says,
"You've got to review us now.
1245
01:09:31,680 --> 01:09:32,879
"Take it to the NME."
1246
01:09:32,880 --> 01:09:35,599
Which was the most important
music journal at the time.
1247
01:09:35,600 --> 01:09:37,199
"And they'll print it, and as I said,
1248
01:09:37,200 --> 01:09:39,318
we'll become famous
and you'll become a writer."
1249
01:09:39,319 --> 01:09:43,559
So he walks me around to his
mum's council flat in Holborn.
1250
01:09:43,560 --> 01:09:47,478
We go around there and handwritten,
on school lined note paper,
1251
01:09:47,479 --> 01:09:49,479
I write a Spandau Ballet review.
1252
01:09:50,319 --> 01:09:52,839
And we then walk, 'cause we haven't got
the money to get the bus,
1253
01:09:52,840 --> 01:09:54,679
we walk from there to Carnaby Street,
1254
01:09:54,680 --> 01:09:57,359
which is where the offices
of the NME were,
1255
01:09:57,360 --> 01:10:00,319
and I walk in and I say,
"Who's the live editor, please?"
1256
01:10:00,320 --> 01:10:01,359
And he said, "Oh, he's over there."
1257
01:10:01,360 --> 01:10:03,439
And I'm still thinking, "They're going
to throw me out any minute here
1258
01:10:03,440 --> 01:10:05,079
'cause I'm clearly a fraud."
1259
01:10:05,080 --> 01:10:08,679
So I say to him, I do this whole spiel.
I say, "Your paper is rubbish.
1260
01:10:08,680 --> 01:10:10,079
You don't know what's going on,
1261
01:10:10,080 --> 01:10:11,839
there's this whole scene happening
at the Blitz
1262
01:10:11,840 --> 01:10:13,119
that you don't know anything about
1263
01:10:13,120 --> 01:10:14,639
and there's this band
called Spandau Ballet
1264
01:10:14,640 --> 01:10:16,959
and they're going to be the next
big thing, and here's a review."
1265
01:10:16,960 --> 01:10:19,240
And I slam this bit of paper
down on his desk.
1266
01:10:19,840 --> 01:10:21,359
And he reads it, and he says,
1267
01:10:21,360 --> 01:10:23,439
"If you can get the pictures,
we'll run it next week."
1268
01:10:23,440 --> 01:10:24,679
And they did.
1269
01:10:24,680 --> 01:10:28,519
And within what, six months,
Spandau are on Top of the Pops
1270
01:10:28,520 --> 01:10:30,080
and I'm working for The Face.
1271
01:10:31,280 --> 01:10:32,719
There are five young guys from Islington
1272
01:10:32,720 --> 01:10:34,719
who are causing a real buzz
in the music industry.
1273
01:10:34,720 --> 01:10:36,079
And we've got them
on Top of the Pops tonight.
1274
01:10:36,080 --> 01:10:39,360
Their names collectively
are Spandau Ballet.
1275
01:10:45,240 --> 01:10:48,839
♪ The soldier is turning ♪
1276
01:10:48,840 --> 01:10:52,159
♪ See him through white night ♪
1277
01:10:52,160 --> 01:10:55,599
♪ Running from strangers ♪
1278
01:10:55,600 --> 01:10:59,159
♪ See you in the valley ♪
1279
01:10:59,160 --> 01:11:02,359
♪ War upon war ♪
1280
01:11:02,360 --> 01:11:05,559
♪ Heat upon heat ♪
1281
01:11:05,560 --> 01:11:11,119
♪ To cut a long story short
I lost my mind... ♪
1282
01:11:11,120 --> 01:11:14,160
And suddenly, we're representing
the Blitz club on Top of the Pops.
1283
01:11:15,920 --> 01:11:18,439
We wanted to be credible and artistic,
1284
01:11:18,440 --> 01:11:20,359
but at the same time, commercial.
1285
01:11:20,360 --> 01:11:23,559
It's a very difficult balance to make.
1286
01:11:23,560 --> 01:11:27,999
♪ To cut a long story short
I lost my mind ♪
1287
01:11:28,000 --> 01:11:31,240
But we had the support of a lot
of those kids at the Blitz
1288
01:11:32,040 --> 01:11:34,559
that were working for us
at this point, now,
1289
01:11:34,560 --> 01:11:37,719
designing our record sleeves,
taking our photographs,
1290
01:11:37,720 --> 01:11:40,760
um, helping with the clothes
we were wearing.
1291
01:11:42,720 --> 01:11:46,399
Everything that you needed
was there in the club.
1292
01:11:46,400 --> 01:11:49,679
You know, Graham was a great
graphic designer, so he could...
1293
01:11:49,680 --> 01:11:53,439
If they needed a poster could just
walk along the bar and talk to him.
1294
01:11:53,440 --> 01:11:55,599
If they needed, you know, everything.
1295
01:11:55,600 --> 01:12:02,079
You could do all of your kind
of creative business in the Blitz
1296
01:12:02,080 --> 01:12:03,440
on a Tuesday night.
1297
01:12:04,200 --> 01:12:06,759
Someone would say,
"I'm going to start a band."
1298
01:12:06,760 --> 01:12:08,200
That might be Gary Kemp.
1299
01:12:08,800 --> 01:12:11,720
And then Graham Smith would say,
"I'll take the photos."
1300
01:12:12,920 --> 01:12:15,119
And someone else would say,
"I'll make you a shirt."
1301
01:12:15,120 --> 01:12:16,999
And that might be John Galliano.
1302
01:12:17,000 --> 01:12:18,999
And I'd say,
"Well, I'll write the sleeve notes
1303
01:12:19,000 --> 01:12:22,000
and introduce you on stage,"
and I become me.
1304
01:12:22,520 --> 01:12:24,359
And that's how it happened.
1305
01:12:24,360 --> 01:12:26,800
We were kind of climbing
on each other's padded shoulders.
1306
01:12:28,840 --> 01:12:31,719
So you never went up to somebody
and said, "Hi, what do you do?"
1307
01:12:31,720 --> 01:12:34,039
"I work at Tesco." Nobody said that.
1308
01:12:34,040 --> 01:12:36,399
"I'm at St Martins Art College,
I'm doing a degree.
1309
01:12:36,400 --> 01:12:40,559
I'm working on a fashion show,
I'm working in a magazine.
1310
01:12:40,560 --> 01:12:45,359
We're working on starting a magazine.
We're starting something."
1311
01:12:45,360 --> 01:12:47,479
Everyone was like...
1312
01:12:47,480 --> 01:12:50,399
Every time you want to talk
to somebody about something,
1313
01:12:50,400 --> 01:12:52,319
you were there for half an hour.
1314
01:12:52,320 --> 01:12:55,199
That was my night out a week,
you know, going there,
1315
01:12:55,200 --> 01:12:58,119
'cause mostly 99 percent of the rest
of my time,
1316
01:12:58,120 --> 01:13:00,639
we'd have been in the studio,
1317
01:13:00,640 --> 01:13:03,479
recording the music that was going
to get played in the Blitz
1318
01:13:03,480 --> 01:13:05,239
and Blitz-type clubs.
1319
01:13:05,240 --> 01:13:08,239
The sound would have been
the sonic element
1320
01:13:08,240 --> 01:13:12,200
of those electronics battering
through big disco speakers.
1321
01:13:13,800 --> 01:13:17,919
And of course, merge that with the imagery
that was starting to happen at the time.
1322
01:13:17,920 --> 01:13:20,679
You know, it was the birth
of the pop video.
1323
01:13:20,680 --> 01:13:25,160
It was the birth of, you know,
the three-minute music clip.
1324
01:13:25,920 --> 01:13:28,719
♪ The feeling is gone only you and I ♪
1325
01:13:28,720 --> 01:13:32,480
♪ It means nothing to me ♪
1326
01:13:34,320 --> 01:13:39,399
♪ This means nothing to me ♪
1327
01:13:39,400 --> 01:13:40,839
♪ Oh... ♪
1328
01:13:40,840 --> 01:13:43,759
This austere sound, these austere images,
1329
01:13:43,760 --> 01:13:45,600
this film noir-esque stuff.
1330
01:13:46,720 --> 01:13:49,559
Not being able to place
what time this was set in.
1331
01:13:49,560 --> 01:13:51,439
You know, was it the future,
was it the past?
1332
01:13:51,440 --> 01:13:53,120
Was it Vienna?
1333
01:13:56,560 --> 01:13:59,520
You know, it was just this mishmash
of stuff that came out.
1334
01:14:03,240 --> 01:14:06,599
But The Blitz was a great vehicle
to latch onto,
1335
01:14:06,600 --> 01:14:09,200
because there was something new
and fresh and vibrant about it.
1336
01:14:12,360 --> 01:14:16,199
I don't know if there was any deep
political kind of undercurrent,
1337
01:14:16,200 --> 01:14:18,760
except the sort of resistance of the norm...
1338
01:14:19,520 --> 01:14:21,479
which I think in a way is political.
1339
01:14:21,480 --> 01:14:23,799
You know, sometimes being yourself
1340
01:14:23,800 --> 01:14:26,639
is the most political act
you can ever commit.
1341
01:14:26,640 --> 01:14:29,119
It's like saying, "No, this is what I am.
1342
01:14:29,120 --> 01:14:34,399
Unapologetically, I'm queer
and I'm not depressed about it."
1343
01:14:34,400 --> 01:14:38,359
You know, I think we were the first people
of our generation
1344
01:14:38,360 --> 01:14:41,119
to actually not wish we were straight.
1345
01:14:41,120 --> 01:14:44,359
It didn't matter
what sexuality somebody had,
1346
01:14:44,360 --> 01:14:47,639
it didn't matter what colour they were,
it didn't matter where they came from.
1347
01:14:47,640 --> 01:14:50,879
In there, we were all dressed up,
we were all equal,
1348
01:14:50,880 --> 01:14:54,319
and I really believed we were all equal.
1349
01:14:54,320 --> 01:14:55,799
It wasn't a gay club,
it wasn't a straight club,
1350
01:14:55,800 --> 01:14:58,879
whereas your sexuality didn't matter.
1351
01:14:58,880 --> 01:14:59,919
That's what it was.
1352
01:14:59,920 --> 01:15:02,039
Your race, colour, creed,
sexuality didn't matter.
1353
01:15:02,040 --> 01:15:06,039
We were all drawn together
by one thing, which was music,
1354
01:15:06,040 --> 01:15:08,919
and we wanted to dress up
and enjoy ourselves and that's...
1355
01:15:08,920 --> 01:15:11,679
and we were all outcasts, and that was it.
1356
01:15:11,680 --> 01:15:14,559
I mean, I felt equally as outcast
being a straight bloke from Wales
1357
01:15:14,560 --> 01:15:16,319
dressed like Bertie Wooster
1358
01:15:16,320 --> 01:15:19,359
as did Steve Strange
being a gay bloke from Wales
1359
01:15:19,360 --> 01:15:20,799
dressed like Robin Hood.
1360
01:15:20,800 --> 01:15:22,480
We just wanted to be ourselves.
1361
01:15:23,520 --> 01:15:25,399
You know, you gotta
remember where we came from.
1362
01:15:25,400 --> 01:15:27,839
It was, everything you do is a reaction
1363
01:15:27,840 --> 01:15:30,999
to the sort of cultural experience
that you grow up with, you know,
1364
01:15:31,000 --> 01:15:32,999
to the masks that you're forced to wear.
1365
01:15:33,000 --> 01:15:34,759
You know, when you're a kid,
1366
01:15:34,760 --> 01:15:38,199
you know, especially if you're a kid
like me or Steve or anyone,
1367
01:15:38,200 --> 01:15:41,439
where you know from very early
on that you're different, right?
1368
01:15:41,440 --> 01:15:43,799
You know everyone else
knows it before you do.
1369
01:15:43,800 --> 01:15:46,439
They're like,
"You're not like us, you're weird.
1370
01:15:46,440 --> 01:15:48,199
You don't like football,
what's wrong with ya?"
1371
01:15:48,200 --> 01:15:52,759
And you know, you're developing
in this weird vacuum, you know.
1372
01:15:52,760 --> 01:15:55,680
And nobody wants to talk about
what it is you are.
1373
01:15:56,760 --> 01:15:59,639
And then suddenly, you know,
you walk into the Blitz
1374
01:15:59,640 --> 01:16:05,199
and you go, "Oh, my god, you know,
who knew there were so many others."
1375
01:16:05,200 --> 01:16:07,039
In just a tick or two it's the news
1376
01:16:07,040 --> 01:16:08,999
and then right after that,
live in the studio,
1377
01:16:09,000 --> 01:16:10,560
it's Spandau Ballet.
1378
01:16:16,160 --> 01:16:18,399
♪ Standing in the dark ♪
1379
01:16:18,400 --> 01:16:22,119
♪ Oh I was waiting for man to come... ♪
1380
01:16:22,120 --> 01:16:24,839
When we did our first video,
we were keen to really get across
1381
01:16:24,840 --> 01:16:27,359
a lot of what the Blitz looked like.
1382
01:16:27,360 --> 01:16:30,679
And so you know, Chris Sullivan
and Christos are in there, you know.
1383
01:16:30,680 --> 01:16:33,120
We had these two girls
doing that slow jive.
1384
01:16:35,480 --> 01:16:36,919
And obviously the way we looked,
1385
01:16:36,920 --> 01:16:39,759
and there was a slight sense of the Gothic
1386
01:16:39,760 --> 01:16:43,159
about that setting in the London dungeons.
1387
01:16:43,160 --> 01:16:45,359
So I think we, you know,
we spent a lot of time
1388
01:16:45,360 --> 01:16:49,360
trying to get that image across
and selling it to the wider public.
1389
01:16:50,800 --> 01:16:55,039
What happens is The Blitz ends up
invading Smash Hits.
1390
01:16:55,040 --> 01:16:59,480
That was then The Blitz
became utterly commercial.
1391
01:17:03,760 --> 01:17:05,799
During the course of 1980,
1392
01:17:05,800 --> 01:17:10,599
the band momentum grew
and clothes that they were wearing
1393
01:17:10,600 --> 01:17:15,160
were very rapidly copied by Top Shop.
1394
01:17:15,880 --> 01:17:18,559
It, you know, never mind anything else,
1395
01:17:18,560 --> 01:17:22,640
it was the fashion industry
locked into it, big time.
1396
01:17:23,480 --> 01:17:25,719
And so what been an underground scene,
1397
01:17:25,720 --> 01:17:28,920
it was becoming
increasingly less underground.
1398
01:17:29,920 --> 01:17:31,919
Had the band not existed
it still would have happened.
1399
01:17:31,920 --> 01:17:34,279
But I think the fact that
there was a pop group
1400
01:17:34,280 --> 01:17:39,280
that was moving very quickly
made it happen quicker.
1401
01:17:40,280 --> 01:17:42,279
The clothes were everywhere at that point.
1402
01:17:42,280 --> 01:17:48,080
You know, Lady Diana is now wearing
a pie crust flouncy blouse...
1403
01:17:49,080 --> 01:17:50,919
and knickerbockers.
1404
01:17:50,920 --> 01:17:55,599
You know, I mean, what I saw
being worn in Billy's in 1978
1405
01:17:55,600 --> 01:17:57,719
by weird, outrageous kids
1406
01:17:57,720 --> 01:18:00,519
who were just pulling stuff out
of dressing up boxes,
1407
01:18:00,520 --> 01:18:02,360
was now being worn by the Royal Family.
1408
01:18:05,720 --> 01:18:08,799
But I think, you know,
there's a sense of success in that.
1409
01:18:08,800 --> 01:18:11,279
There's a sense of disappointment
and failure at the same time,
1410
01:18:11,280 --> 01:18:13,239
because it's no longer special.
1411
01:18:13,240 --> 01:18:14,679
There's no longer a mystique.
1412
01:18:14,680 --> 01:18:17,760
But that was part of what
we were trying to achieve.
1413
01:18:22,720 --> 01:18:25,319
It felt like as The Blitz went on
1414
01:18:25,320 --> 01:18:29,079
and more people started coming
it diluted the whole essence of it.
1415
01:18:29,080 --> 01:18:31,519
You know, people coming along
and looking the same.
1416
01:18:31,520 --> 01:18:33,279
You felt like people were copying you.
1417
01:18:33,280 --> 01:18:36,759
You felt like you were
in any other club, frankly.
1418
01:18:36,760 --> 01:18:40,799
The whole intimacy and that lovely period,
1419
01:18:40,800 --> 01:18:42,439
where you were just with your friends
1420
01:18:42,440 --> 01:18:45,120
and there was just this huge
creativity in the room...
1421
01:18:46,120 --> 01:18:47,320
it had dissipated.
1422
01:19:00,520 --> 01:19:03,760
Well, The Blitz club came to an end...
1423
01:19:05,360 --> 01:19:07,400
but Visage had taken off.
1424
01:19:08,400 --> 01:19:09,720
Steve was a star.
1425
01:19:10,440 --> 01:19:14,599
♪ One man on a lonely platform ♪
1426
01:19:14,600 --> 01:19:18,559
♪ One case sitting by his side... ♪
1427
01:19:18,560 --> 01:19:21,599
So I've got a number one record
all over Europe now,
1428
01:19:21,600 --> 01:19:22,880
called "Fade To Grey"...
1429
01:19:25,680 --> 01:19:26,719
♪ We fade to grey... ♪
1430
01:19:26,720 --> 01:19:28,479
...which is 112 bpm,
1431
01:19:28,480 --> 01:19:30,399
extended 12 inch mix,
1432
01:19:30,400 --> 01:19:33,679
with my beautiful Luxembourgish
girlfriend talking in French,
1433
01:19:33,680 --> 01:19:35,480
and it's number one in France.
1434
01:19:41,040 --> 01:19:45,279
And Steve and I
found a club on Baker Street,
1435
01:19:45,280 --> 01:19:47,160
and we called it "Club For Heroes".
1436
01:19:49,320 --> 01:19:51,999
Steve and Rusty
moved on to Club For Heroes,
1437
01:19:52,000 --> 01:19:55,199
which was a bigger club,
so they had more people in it.
1438
01:19:55,200 --> 01:19:57,160
And then they went to the Camden Palace.
1439
01:19:58,080 --> 01:20:00,639
And now he's standing
with this huge sound system
1440
01:20:00,640 --> 01:20:02,800
and there's thousands of people here.
1441
01:20:03,640 --> 01:20:04,960
I thought, "This is incredible."
1442
01:20:10,360 --> 01:20:14,079
The musical ideas
and the stylistic ideas and the ethos
1443
01:20:14,080 --> 01:20:16,560
has kind of become part of the mainstream.
1444
01:20:17,600 --> 01:20:19,559
How would you design the secret then
1445
01:20:19,560 --> 01:20:21,319
of a successful nightclub host?
1446
01:20:21,320 --> 01:20:22,480
You're looking at me.
1447
01:20:28,000 --> 01:20:31,319
Don't forget, people remember
the ones who went on to fame.
1448
01:20:31,320 --> 01:20:33,439
For every one that you see
become a household name,
1449
01:20:33,440 --> 01:20:37,159
there's one, a lot of people went
out on a lot of limbs, you know...
1450
01:20:37,160 --> 01:20:39,240
and a lot of people didn't come back.
1451
01:20:41,280 --> 01:20:44,639
The key drug at the Blitz
was sulphate, blues, amphetamines.
1452
01:20:44,640 --> 01:20:47,599
I mean, that's, that was really the fuel
1453
01:20:47,600 --> 01:20:52,000
that kept people completely talking
all night about themselves.
1454
01:20:52,720 --> 01:20:56,040
I think the smack
certainly came in a bit later.
1455
01:20:57,120 --> 01:20:59,759
Unfortunately,
there was a lot of heroin addiction
1456
01:20:59,760 --> 01:21:01,480
later on in the 80s.
1457
01:21:02,920 --> 01:21:04,679
Sometimes you get a bunch of people
1458
01:21:04,680 --> 01:21:07,359
who push themselves to the
limits creatively and otherwise,
1459
01:21:07,360 --> 01:21:09,959
I mean, sometimes they snap,
or they fall prey
1460
01:21:09,960 --> 01:21:13,359
to whatever this substance
or that substance.
1461
01:21:13,360 --> 01:21:17,039
It's all part of, you know,
experimentation, is it not?
1462
01:21:17,040 --> 01:21:18,879
You can't just draw a line and go,
1463
01:21:18,880 --> 01:21:20,999
"Oh, I don't do that
'cause that might be dangerous,"
1464
01:21:21,000 --> 01:21:23,040
you just go for everything or nothing.
1465
01:21:23,720 --> 01:21:25,679
Drugs did come into it in quite a big way,
1466
01:21:25,680 --> 01:21:28,359
and something that I obviously
didn't get involved in.
1467
01:21:28,360 --> 01:21:31,679
But I remember going to a party
with Graham Smith,
1468
01:21:31,680 --> 01:21:33,039
and we only later found out
1469
01:21:33,040 --> 01:21:35,039
everyone else was taking heroin
and we weren't.
1470
01:21:35,040 --> 01:21:37,879
But we still have no idea
why they didn't offer it,
1471
01:21:37,880 --> 01:21:38,879
and we're very grateful they didn't.
1472
01:21:38,880 --> 01:21:40,839
But his friends
and my friends were taking it,
1473
01:21:40,840 --> 01:21:42,319
but we didn't take it.
1474
01:21:42,320 --> 01:21:46,239
And there's some people that I think
could have gone so far and didn't.
1475
01:21:46,240 --> 01:21:48,519
You know, they just missed
their way at some stage.
1476
01:21:48,520 --> 01:21:51,360
But actually were probably more talented
than all of us put together.
1477
01:22:05,040 --> 01:22:07,439
I think you can squint and
look at that period and think,
1478
01:22:07,440 --> 01:22:12,199
"Oh, it's frilly shirts,
it's tinny electro music,
1479
01:22:12,200 --> 01:22:16,599
it's shrill, it's shallow, it's designer.
1480
01:22:16,600 --> 01:22:18,359
{\an8}It doesn't last, it doesn't have bottom,
1481
01:22:18,360 --> 01:22:20,959
{\an8}it doesn't have empathy,
it doesn't have emotion,"
1482
01:22:20,960 --> 01:22:22,240
{\an8}none of which is true.
1483
01:22:23,680 --> 01:22:28,399
It resulted in so many different
tentacles in culture.
1484
01:22:28,400 --> 01:22:30,919
Peter Doig, for instance,
Gareth Gwynn Evans,
1485
01:22:30,920 --> 01:22:34,639
two of our most important
contemporary artists.
1486
01:22:34,640 --> 01:22:38,240
Michele Clapton, a great costume designer.
1487
01:22:40,960 --> 01:22:45,519
And it was a fantastically vibrant
period for pop music.
1488
01:22:45,520 --> 01:22:47,199
Many of them came from The Blitz.
1489
01:22:47,200 --> 01:22:48,879
♪ Relax ♪
1490
01:22:48,880 --> 01:22:51,879
♪ When he reads the note he finds... ♪
1491
01:22:51,880 --> 01:22:53,319
♪ I'm calling Donnie ♪
1492
01:22:53,320 --> 01:22:56,199
- ♪ When I'm calling Donnie ♪
- ♪ I'm calling Donnie ♪
1493
01:22:56,200 --> 01:22:58,039
♪ When I'm calling Donnie ♪
1494
01:22:58,040 --> 01:22:59,359
♪ I'm calling Donnie... ♪
1495
01:22:59,360 --> 01:23:04,039
I can't think of any other club
where so many artists,
1496
01:23:04,040 --> 01:23:06,279
and people who went onto mega,
mega-stardom.
1497
01:23:06,280 --> 01:23:08,639
I mean, Sade was going to the Blitz
1498
01:23:08,640 --> 01:23:10,599
and you know, she went on to mega stardom.
1499
01:23:10,600 --> 01:23:13,879
♪ Your love is king ♪
1500
01:23:13,880 --> 01:23:15,959
♪ Crown you in my heart ♪
1501
01:23:15,960 --> 01:23:17,799
♪ Your love is king... ♪
1502
01:23:17,800 --> 01:23:21,279
That cross-pollination
of you know, straight and gay...
1503
01:23:21,280 --> 01:23:24,359
♪ I don't need your love
Don't want your love... ♪
1504
01:23:24,360 --> 01:23:26,199
...because I think the gay thing
is really important
1505
01:23:26,200 --> 01:23:28,119
as far as creativity is concerned,
1506
01:23:28,120 --> 01:23:30,999
because it was that
cross-pollination of both things.
1507
01:23:31,000 --> 01:23:33,359
We were influencing each other.
1508
01:23:33,360 --> 01:23:38,519
♪ Do you really want to hurt me? ♪
1509
01:23:38,520 --> 01:23:41,839
♪ Do you really want to make me cry? ♪
1510
01:23:41,840 --> 01:23:43,439
We knew that we didn't fit in.
1511
01:23:43,440 --> 01:23:45,279
We knew that we were different.
1512
01:23:45,280 --> 01:23:48,000
We knew that we wanted different things.
We didn't want nine to five jobs.
1513
01:23:50,200 --> 01:23:53,040
Stephen Jones, you know,
making hats for the Queen.
1514
01:23:57,160 --> 01:24:00,279
We knew that nobody
was going to do anything for us,
1515
01:24:00,280 --> 01:24:03,280
that anything that we had
would be something that we created.
1516
01:24:09,680 --> 01:24:13,719
Literally that group of people,
on a Tuesday night,
1517
01:24:13,720 --> 01:24:16,799
no one over the age of 21 at that point,
1518
01:24:16,800 --> 01:24:19,440
go on to shape the next decade.
1519
01:24:25,000 --> 01:24:28,079
I feel so much gratitude
to Steve Strange and Rusty Egan
1520
01:24:28,080 --> 01:24:34,679
for creating that night at Billy's,
doing that Bowie night
1521
01:24:34,680 --> 01:24:40,119
and allowing the space
for very disparate, exotic people
1522
01:24:40,120 --> 01:24:44,600
to become themselves
and to feel empowered by that.
1523
01:24:45,800 --> 01:24:48,319
You know, Rusty is the straightest
guy you'll ever meet
1524
01:24:48,320 --> 01:24:50,999
and Steve Strange was the gayest man
I ever met,
1525
01:24:51,000 --> 01:24:56,479
and they allowed these ordinary kids
to be themselves in that space
1526
01:24:56,480 --> 01:25:00,920
and to feel important
and powerful and brave.
1527
01:25:02,960 --> 01:25:05,079
I think that the way the '80s
gets looked back on
1528
01:25:05,080 --> 01:25:06,839
is completely inaccurate.
1529
01:25:06,840 --> 01:25:09,079
It does get looked back on
as this period of like,
1530
01:25:09,080 --> 01:25:12,519
{\an8}my mum spoke about it like,
"Oh, it's just basically a forgotten era.
1531
01:25:12,520 --> 01:25:16,319
{\an8}Just forget it, it was just disgusting.
Oh, horrible hair, horrible clothes,
1532
01:25:16,320 --> 01:25:18,559
yuppies, Thatcher, ugh, blegh.'
1533
01:25:18,560 --> 01:25:21,559
You know, but actually, incredible.
1534
01:25:21,560 --> 01:25:23,000
It was incredible.
1535
01:25:25,120 --> 01:25:29,239
When you look at what happened
culturally in that ten years,
1536
01:25:29,240 --> 01:25:30,840
it's undeniable.
1537
01:25:32,560 --> 01:25:33,839
Stuff that happened for gay people
1538
01:25:33,840 --> 01:25:36,119
was the stuff that happened culturally
1539
01:25:36,120 --> 01:25:39,519
that fed into the AIDS movement,
all sorts of things.
1540
01:25:39,520 --> 01:25:42,799
Yeah, it wasn't just people
going out and partying
1541
01:25:42,800 --> 01:25:44,879
and taking drugs
and having sex with each other.
1542
01:25:44,880 --> 01:25:46,479
It was a lot more than that.
1543
01:25:46,480 --> 01:25:48,799
It was a much more
emotional scene than that,
1544
01:25:48,800 --> 01:25:50,840
and I connected to that very quickly.
1545
01:25:55,080 --> 01:25:56,799
We changed many things.
1546
01:25:56,800 --> 01:26:00,520
We changed attitudes
towards sexuality enormously.
1547
01:26:01,400 --> 01:26:03,359
You know, we were working class kids
1548
01:26:03,360 --> 01:26:05,399
who now thought it was absolutely normal
1549
01:26:05,400 --> 01:26:09,440
to have a kind
of a transgender person on your arm.
1550
01:26:10,200 --> 01:26:11,800
That hadn't happened before that.
1551
01:26:12,920 --> 01:26:15,999
That whole thing about
kind of gender fluidity,
1552
01:26:16,000 --> 01:26:20,479
being able to be who you want to be,
we did that.
1553
01:26:20,480 --> 01:26:23,160
We made sure that,
that became fashionable.
1554
01:26:26,280 --> 01:26:30,119
We were the forerunners
of a man's right to be pretty.
1555
01:26:30,120 --> 01:26:31,839
You know, look at guys now.
1556
01:26:31,840 --> 01:26:34,439
Go on Instagram.
Everyone's in their underpants.
1557
01:26:34,440 --> 01:26:36,999
Like just basically like loving themselves
1558
01:26:37,000 --> 01:26:39,880
in a way that was not permittable
when I was a teenager.
1559
01:26:42,320 --> 01:26:45,839
Youth movements,
fashion, music, appearance
1560
01:26:45,840 --> 01:26:47,480
have always gone together.
1561
01:26:48,440 --> 01:26:49,839
But this is the weird thing.
1562
01:26:49,840 --> 01:26:51,799
In Britain they go together.
1563
01:26:51,800 --> 01:26:54,320
They don't necessarily
anywhere else in the world.
1564
01:26:55,040 --> 01:26:56,360
Have you seen French Punks?
1565
01:27:01,000 --> 01:27:02,520
How Italians dance?
1566
01:27:06,160 --> 01:27:09,519
I think in the '80s,
there was a point where the stars aligned.
1567
01:27:09,520 --> 01:27:12,519
And of course that can always
happen again.
1568
01:27:12,520 --> 01:27:14,199
I think for very different reasons,
1569
01:27:14,200 --> 01:27:18,359
we are now also at a moment of change,
1570
01:27:18,360 --> 01:27:21,519
where we have the opportunity
to completely reshape
1571
01:27:21,520 --> 01:27:23,359
and change the future.
1572
01:27:23,360 --> 01:27:25,719
So those moments will always happen,
1573
01:27:25,720 --> 01:27:29,679
and it's about understanding that
and almost preparing for them,
1574
01:27:29,680 --> 01:27:32,080
always being vigilant for those moments.
1575
01:27:40,240 --> 01:27:44,519
I can hear a lot of music where
I can see the direct connection.
1576
01:27:44,520 --> 01:27:49,359
So whether young people today
sitting with synthesisers are saying,
1577
01:27:49,360 --> 01:27:52,679
"That's directly because I heard
'Fade To Grey' on the radio,"
1578
01:27:52,680 --> 01:27:55,399
or "I heard 'Cut A Long Story Short',"
1579
01:27:55,400 --> 01:27:57,999
or whatever is irrelevant.
1580
01:27:58,000 --> 01:28:01,200
It's the fact that it's inspiring them
to do something else.
1581
01:28:07,960 --> 01:28:11,120
We're all a product of our heroes.
1582
01:29:07,200 --> 01:29:08,680
♪ Tuesday night ♪
1583
01:29:10,640 --> 01:29:14,120
♪ And I'm ready for some fun ♪
1584
01:29:15,120 --> 01:29:16,480
♪ Oh, yeah ♪
1585
01:29:17,040 --> 01:29:18,200
♪ Uh-huh ♪
1586
01:29:19,480 --> 01:29:20,560
♪ Oh, yeah ♪
1587
01:29:21,360 --> 01:29:22,600
♪ Uh-huh ♪