Rear View ANSWER MACHINE
Having just released his new album, Stardom Road, Marc Almond takes a few minutes to tell us about going blonde, his burnt offerings and why parrots are the way forward
What’s the most rock’n’roll thing you’ve done today? Hired a drummer and a bass player.
Which time in history would you love to have lived? And why? Victorian times. I love Dickens' books and the whole period fascmates me.
Your house is on fire; loved ones and pets are safe. You have a chance to go and retrieve one thing, what would it be?
My pet parrot Jacko.
What would be your ideal birthday present?
A ticket to see Charles Aznay'Our in Paris.
What’s the longest time you’ve slept soundly in one go over the last five years?
Six hours.
What was the last thing you stole? A tune.
If you could wake up tomorrow and have obtained one ability what would it be?
To play piano.
How many times a day do you look in the mirror? Too many to cOunt.
You could quit your job and start afresh tomorrow and have the skills to do something completely new. What would you choose to do?
I'd work with animals.
MARC ALMOND
Do you consider yourself organised? How often do you have to look for your keys?
I can't organise anything. I lose everything four or five times a day.
Tell us the punchline to your favourite joke? Terracotta.
What, if anything is too serious to joke about? Child abuse. or any kind of abuse.
What’s your favourite biscuit? Choco Leibniz.
What song would you hate to be played at your funeral?
‘Tainted Love' igive me a break in death).
What’s your lucky number? How has it proved to be so? I don't have one.
How big do you tip in restaurants?
I always give tips to match the serVice.
When did you last laugh out loud while reading a book?
Reading Paul Burston's book Lovers and Losers. lt's a fictional book about the 80s but has a few amusing mentions of me.
Have you ever exploited your position to get something? Did you get the results you hoped for?
I‘m an expert in manipulation.
Who would you like to play you in the film of your life? Who do you think would actually play you?
Michael Sheen would be great but it's likely to be an unknown wrth an 80s haircut.
When did you last dance? What was the occasion?
Around the house to my new album on release day ltragic | knowfi.
Do gentlemen prefer blondes? Well they didn't prefer me when l was blonde.
Can you cook? If so, what’s your signature dish?
Absolutely not. My signature dish is 'Les burnt and sloppy offerings de charcoal“.
When did you last cry? What was the reason?
Hearing the orchestra play on my cover of Dayid Bowre's ‘London Boys" from my new album Stardom Road. Why? Because it reminded me of my teens.
What makes you good at what you do? Determination and resilience.
What’s your biggest regret? Not changing my surname before I became famous.
Are you a cat or dog person? Neither. I'm a parrot person.
What’s your all-time favourite sitcom? Why?
Queen's Cast/e Wllll Diana Dors or Nearest and Dearest Wllll Hilda Baker. Reminds me of the 70s.
What’s the longest you’ve ever pursued a man/woman for? And was it successful or not?
I don't pursue people. It can so easily be misconstrued as stalking.
What do you like least about your life? My lack of time.
What do you like best about your life? The way I get to fill my time.
I Marc Almond p/avs ABC. G/asgow. Fri 22 Jun. Stardom Road Is Out on Segue/ Records.
AndFinally... \
Summer’s here (allegedly) which prompted us to delve in tongs first to find some fascinating barbecuing facts. There’s a lot more to it than burnt sausages and sun lotion
I The largest barbecue ever held was in New Orleans in 1997 — 18,000 hungry people turned up.
I The UK grills its way
104 THE LIST I" fin t': .J.l‘ INC/X
through nearly 40,000 tons of barbecue charcoal every year
I Coinciding handily with barbecue season, June is officially Britain's National Burger Month.
I Udder Delight Ice Cream House in Delaware serves a speciality barbecue flavored ice-cream. The recipe is a
secret but is said to include
an authentic North Carolina vinegar based sauce.
I It is estimated that barbecuing has caused £296m of damage to British homes over the years.
I To celebrate the 35th anniversary of their classic ‘Shell Toe' trainer, Adidas released a limited number of Gingham print 'Barbeshoes' (pictured). Complete with
cooking utensils incorporated in the famous three stripes and embossed ‘BBO' lettering printed on the heel, the trainers retail at around $120.
I On 19 July 2005, a barbecue ended in a forest fire. responsible for Spain's largest ever loss of firefighters. Eleven died but only the fire chef was prosecuted.
I The Australian-made BeefEater lvis Outdoor Kitchen Centre is officially the world's most expensive retail barbecue costing a scorching £20,000.