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“
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“

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Texas first hit the UK charts with jangly rock
anthem I Don’t Want A Lover. Now, almost 20
years later, and with a trail of subsequent hits in the
band’s wake, lead singer Sharleen Spiteri has
decided to go solo. “I’d been asked to do solo stuff
several times before by my record company,” she
says, “but in the end I decided to do it off my own
back, when the time was absolutely right for me.”
‘Beam me up Scotty’
– Sharleen transports
With her outspoken ways and sometimes
her lesbian fans to
androgynous style, it’s no surprise that the
music heaven.
woman who provided the theme tune to
Ellen has a large lesbian fanbase. In common
with other (more or less) heterosexual Despite her devoted lesbian following, Spiteri
lesbian icons such as Madonna, Pink, and doesn’t seem to have dabbled herself. Asked if she’d
Elastica’s Justine Frischmann, Spiteri seems ever feel compelled to indulge in one of those pap-
to have bypassed any need for real gay girl baiting girl-on-girl kisses so popular in celeb-land,
credentials, appealing to lesbian audiences she coyly replies: “Well, you wouldn’t get me all
on the basis of power, talent, idiosyncrasy over gossip mags snogging anyone, male or female,
and sex appeal alone. if I could help it! The only time I’ve ever been caught
kissing a woman is when I was kissing myself
Her outfits span the spectrum from [dressed as Elvis] in the Inner Smile video!” Frankly,
super-femme to real boyish chic. “I’ve kinda who could blame her for such flagrant narcissism?
played with my look really,” Spiteri says,
“you know, one minute you’ll see me in a dress and So, what does the future hold for her? Spiteri seems
18
high heels – and then you’ll see me in a pair of army The singer’s bold attitude is undoubtedly another excited to discover what kind of reception Melody
trousers.” The cover of Texas’s hit album White on factor in her earning the gay vote. She’s a strong role will receive. “People are really surprised about how
Blonde, in which Spiteri’s face is covered and only a model who, in turn, cites a lot of other strong different the album sounds to Texas stuff”, she says.
hand and her eyes are visible, is apparently inspired women as being her own inspiration. “I love women “There are influences I’ve been able to explore on
by a photograph of James Dean. It doesn’t stop like Katherine Hepburn, Anne Bancroft, Anne this album which never really fitted into Texas. Texas
there though. Spiteri seems to have something of a Margaret, Nancy Sinatra…” she says. “I mean, were a guitar-based band, kinda in-your-face,
penchant for playing the drag king. She has also Nancy Sinatra is a real gay icon. Songs like These whereas this is more about the intimacy of the
been seen sporting a sailor suit, dressing up in Boots Are Made For Walking are really popular with vocals. It’s perhaps a more feminine sound… and
Richard Gere’s role from An Officer and a Gentleman, the gay community. I think gay people go for really because I produced the album myself, it was made
and also, – the one which sticks in everyone’s memory strong, upfront records because a lot of them have very differently to how a Texas album was made.”
– in the role of Elvis for the video to Inner Smile. had to live their life in that way.”
“I’m hoping that people who weren’t even really
Spiteri is keen to express her appreciation of the As well as playing at London Pride in 1997, Spiteri Texas fans will listen to Melody, and that I’ll cultivate
women who buy her music: “To me the biggest has also been on stage at G.A.Y a number of times. a whole new fanbase.” It seems Spiteri’s vision of
compliment that you can be paid is one paid to you “My gay audience allows me a lot of freedom” she the future is a rosy one – and rightly so.
by another woman. It doesn’t matter if you’re says, “I always feel a bit braver about expressing
lesbian or not. To be respected by another woman is myself in front of them. Sometimes I don’t get to Sharleen’s latest single All the Times I’ve Cried will
a big deal to me, because I think they really can see show that side, but with my gay audiences, the be on sale on 7 July. Her album Melody (Mercury
the wood for the trees”. more outrageous the better”. Records) is realeased on 14 July.
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