Interview - Boy George at HMV Forum, Dec 8
Published: 24 November, 2011
by ROISIN GADELRAB
BOY George may have lived in Hampstead for nearly 30 years but when he first visited, he nearly never came back.
As a teenager living in South East London, George travelled to Hampstead for a dishwashing job at a restaurant called The Milk Churn.
“It was when I was a punk rocker,” he said. “I was in the kitchen, no-one was actually going to see me and I was quite freaky.”
He was met with a stony reception: “Everybody looked really unfriendly, like they didn’t like the look of me. So I said where’s the loo? and then I left.
I was home in about half an hour.
My mum was like, what happened?
And I was like oh my god they are horrible people and I couldn’t work there.
It was ironic.
I remember leaving thinking what a horrible place this is and then I ended up moving there.”
These days the DJ and singer of Culture Club fame is much more at home in his Hampstead surroundings, enjoying Heath walks and double espressos from The Cabin and Starbucks on the high street.
George, whose single Turn 2 Dust is out next week (Dec 5) is due to play a solo show at HMV Forum, Kentish Town, on December 8, supported by his “punk royalty” goddaughter reggae artist Hollie Cook, daughter of Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook, and band Nocturne the Blonde.
He’s also writing a new album with reformed Culture Club, playing New Year in Australia, while planning to record in Italian for charity.
Now 50, George is well versed on all subjects.
In the time we talk, George covered his frustration at the apathy of the British people “we kind of roll over don’t we, we don’t really protest, we’re not like the French for example”, anger at the lack of access to the Olympics “the Olympics is a big example of how we allow ourselves to be abused, we’re paying for it and we can’t go”, hesitation at returning to Pentonville Prison for the first time since his release “when you say you’re going to visit someone in prison... you have to do it, it’s really upsetting when people let you down.
So I went full of trepidation and people were really nice to me... it was quite cathartic to go back”, mourned the loss of the British club scene “In the last few years I find, like many DJs, I’m travelling all over the world but very rarely play in the UK.
When you do, usually the clubs aren’t that great,” and revealed he was training with an opera coach to work on his baritone.
He even had a moment to consider the merits of X-Factor: “There are some really good singers on there...The mentoring is wrong.
That little girl Janet has a lovely voice but it’s a particular type and if you’re clever you give her songs that suit her. Probably out of all of them she’s one of the most original but they’re making her sing songs even I wouldn’t dare.”
He added: “X-Factor is a show. Most people who go through it will be tossed to the corner when it’s over. I’m not a big fan of this whole, overly dramatic “it’s my last chance”, you’re 20 years old honey you can start again, look at me how many renaissances I’ve had. If I took that attitude I’d never leave the house, all this crying “it’s the world to me, it’s my life” get over yourself you’re 10, 14, 20...”
Gentle but sharp, generous with his time, open and sounding at ease with himself, George, when asked if he’d mellowed over the years replied: “I don’t suppose I ever really changed. I’ve been more mad than I have been in the past but as a person I don’t think I’ve changed that much and most people that really know me would agree with that. When I’m sane I’m great and currently I can verify that I’m very sane.”
Does he plan to stay that way?
“Absolutely”.