I was the cosmic kid in full costume dress*…
Radio 1‘s very own Gilbert and George, the inimitable Mark and Lard, are the subject of a rather groovy six-page feature in the current edition of Later magazine (February 2001). The controversial duo, considered loose cannons in some quarters, offer up their own version of recent pop history best summed up in this opening paragraph:
“Within ten minutes of meeting Mark Radcliffe and Marc ‘Lard’ Riley, they claim to have invented Merseybeat, house music and UK garage. They also insist Eminem owes most of his success to them, and that the lead singer of Limp Bizkit was once their coalman. It’s a meandering tirade of untruths, delivered with an earnest conviction. For quite some time, they cling doggedly to their fantasy world, refusing to be dragged into reality by journalistic probings.”
Despite the claims above that Mark and Lard aren’t 100% honest, the duo have the fastest-growing audience on Radio 1, and I’m sure their listening figures are done no harm by their refreshing frankness, summed up by the fact that they often describe play-listed records as “crap”. Their recently published Records Of The Week-2000 (which contains no less than three Grandaddy singles!) is further testament to their individuality.
Go here for a description of how David Bowie played a part in Lard’s early development, but parents please be warned that the description of Lard’s…erm…undercarriage, is frighteningly graphic. If you preferred the censored sleeves of Diamond Dogs and Tin Machine II, then I suggest you don’t click-through.
* I know it’s a Bruce Springsteen lyric, but Bowie did cover it, and that counts in my book, so there! };-)
Total Blam Blam (European Correspondent)