This Month's Db Pic In Q

I heard telephones, opera house, favourite melodies. I saw boys, toys, irons and T.V.’s*

This month’s David Bowie picture in Q magazine is the cover of Ziggy Stardust. The album is used to illustrate a regular feature, “Celebrity Buyer’s Guide”. This month Boy George chooses his top five gay albums. His choices were ‘Transformer’ – Lou Reed, ‘I Remember Yesterday’ – Donna Summer, ‘Court And Spark’ – Joni Mitchell, ‘The Best Of…’ – Buju Banton, and Ziggy Stardust. Here’s what George had to say about Ziggy:

“Just listen to the lyrics of Five Years: ‘A soldier with a broken arm, fixed his stare to the wheels of a Cadillac / A cop knelt and kissed the feet of a priest / And a queer threw up at the sight of that.’ He was the first person to use that word “queer” – I’d been called that all my life at school – and suddenly this pop star said it. So it was, ‘Fuckin’ hell, he’s talking to me directly!'”

George also says of the back sleeve of ‘Transformer’: “And the photo on the back – no one was ever sure if it was Lou Reed in both pictures – one of a drag queen and one of Lou Reed looking really sexy.”

Hate to destroy your 30-year-old illusion George, but neither of them are Lou Reed…and while I’m in the mood I’ll destroy the biggest of the illusions about that rear cover…it’s a banana! Ask Mick Rock if you don’t believe me.

*Yes, I know I’ve left out the word electric, but those of you that understand Cockney rhyming slang will understand why! };-)

Reveal my secrets, More than enough for me to share…

Elsewhere in Q, Bryan Ferry is this month’s subject of ‘Cash For Questions’. BowieNetter Wendy Smedley managed to get a Bowie-related question published…and here it is, along with Bryan’s answer:

You’ve always been a bit sniffy about David Bowie, haven’t you? Even though he was one of the most vociferous early champions of Roxy Music. He asked you to appear in his Blue Jean video and later to re-record If There Is Something with Tin Machine and you turned him down flat. Why?

“When did he ask me to appear in the Blue Jean video? Liar! And he did do If There Is Something with Tin Machine. Oh…did he want me to sing on it? No, I wouldn’t want to do that particularly. But you’re right, he has always been incredibly complimentary. And I never say much about other artists because it can so often get misconstrued. So I tend to try and say nothing and maybe that comes over as being a bit stuck-up. He’s done some great things that I think are very, very good indeed.”