Velvet Goldmine: Placebo....

(despite not liking Velvet Goldmine, Melody Maker all the same interviewed people about it. Some of those people being out heroes, Placebo....- website nancy gal)

How did you get involved with 'Velvet Goldmine'?

Brian: It's almost two years ago that we did it. Not long after 'Nancy Boy' came out and our faces were all over the music press at the time they were casting and I just got a phone call. I was a big Todd Haynes fan anyways, so, I was really keen. I wanted the part of Jack Ferry, which I didn't get because they'd already cast it. It was made for me, basically, he was me, he had no words and was the precusor to them all. So, anyway, I auditioned and was finally cast as Malcolm, the singer ffom the Flaming Creatures. The were doing '20th Century Boy' in the film, so we suggested we record it for them. Then we suggested Steve and Stefan play in the Flaming Creatures as well and what happened was Steve played in the Creatures and Stefan ended up in Donna [Elastica]'s band Polly Smalls.

What was it like being in a film?

Steve: It was good fun but one of the weirdest times was just hanging around Brixton Academy when we were filming. All dolled up, not the coolest place to be walking around looking like that. Brian: It was like making a really long video. There were certain days when you would get there at 10am all glammed up and you would have done nothing by 8pm. It was a lot of sitting around, pretty boring really. We did about nine days shooting altogether. Steve broke one of my ribs on the first day of filming. Well, I ran into his elbow, I have fragile ribs. We were running down the street in our platforms and I ran into him and it just went crack.

What was the funniest moment?

Brian: One night we were outside the Brixton Academy trying to find the way in. We were all in full costume walking around with Michael Stupe. And this number 94 bus drives by and Mochael says, "I dare you to go and get on that bus now." I said, "No way! You go and get on the fucking bus, Stipey!"

Has the experiance made you want to be movie stars?

Steve: No. It was the beginning and the end of my silver screen career. I'm just not made for it. It's not my idea of fun.
Brian: I have a degree in drama from Goldsmith's College, so yea, I'd love to do more. I'd love to do French films, that would be great. I'll wait for the offers.
Stefan: I'd like to. My part was quite small. I felt quite comfortable even though I looked like a very tall Nigel Tufnell [from Spinal Tap]. I really went for it, I've done a few school plays. In fact, the first time I met Brian was when we did 'The Boyfriend', at school.

How do you think it will affect you as a band?

Steve: It'll be interesting to see what happens. The films not even out in America yet, but we know we're running the risk of getting known for someone else's song. It's sad how quickly people assume you're a glam band.

Wearing make-up anyway probably doesn't help.

Brian: Yea, but there's a difference between glamorous and glam. To me, glam is lager lads in make-up. We enjoy being glamorous, we enjoy dressing up and wearing make-up but we're not any way in that glam tradition, on a musical or philisophical level, really.

At what point did it hit you that you were in a major movie?

Brian: When we were on stage performing '20th Century Boy' and Michael Stipe and Ewan Mcgregor were sytanding in the audience.

What was the hardest part?

Brian: Finding myself standing on stage without a guitar for the first time in my life and not knowing what the fuck to do. I thought, "Hmmm, I haven't researched this, have I?" Steve had to be my Seventies dancing coach. He showed me some moves, lots of leg kicks and ass wiggles.

Do you have any lines?

Brian: Me and Steve got two lines each. I learned them on the day. I also spent a whole day practising how to sing this Roxy song, 'Bittersweet', in perfect lip synch. Then Todd Haynes said they wanted to do it live. But that was Ok.

What did you look like in your stage clothes?

Brian: Steve looked like one of the Jacksons.
Steve: Yea, Latoya Jackson. I had Jimmy Page's pants on with all these flames down the side of the flared legs and big red platforms. And I had all these mad long hair extensions in. I looked like a big sexy lion.
Brian: We all looked pretty stupid, basically.

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