AE: Several up and coming musical artists I know, who heard I was interviewing you, would love to ask you a few questions. Is ok?
AB: Yes, of course!
Openly gay, electro recording artist Matthew Duffy asks:
“Do you feel the responsibility to be a voice for the “outsider” ....for the “misunderstood”?
AB: It's not so much a responsibility, but it is something that is quite fun. Mostly when I meet gay people, they are already “out”, and they have already dealt with it themselves already. So they come up to you and pay you compliments. They say “thank you so much for your music, it's done so much, and helped”. And really, you can only take so many compliments, so you just kind of laugh about it. But it really does feel very inclusive, which is a good feeling.
AE: Ok – a crazy question: Regarding the many costumes involved in your stage shows, I read in your biography of the time you and Vince dressed up to impersonate the women of ABBA…
AB: Oh yeah!
AE: Has there ever been one costume you wore on stage that you regretted wearing? Or that made you say, “What was I thinking"?
AB: Well, yeah, those things are always best in hindsight. It's usually when things are too tight and I'm a bit fat. That's when things don't look good. I think it was on the tour before last – the Tiny Tour. We did a cover version of “Heart of Glass”. I had a long dress on, down to the ground – gold. And some clear high platform shoes on. I was doing a take on who I thought was Debby Harry (laughter). And when I saw the pictures with my big, beer belly sticking out – it didn't quite have the intended effect, somehow… (laughter)
AE: The current Bush/Cheney repressive political climate in the USA is not exactly gay friendly. You've probably sensed this –
AB: Yes.
AE: Do you notice a similarity or return to the Margaret Thatcher/Ronald Reagan era? Is there a similar reactionary atmosphere of intolerance or homophobia in England right now?
AB: Well, not in the U.K., not right now, because now we have civil partnerships, and you can get married. There really hasn't been that much fuss. There's been a distillation. Margaret Thatcher's anti-gay laws were all repealed when Labor came in. So it's pretty good for gay people over there. And over here, you know, there's only so much you can stand from a government. And here you are getting really sick of, and getting really pissed off with them. It's quite good to have someone to direct your anger towards, you know. But I think they (Bush and Cheney) are definitely on their way out.
AE: Many young, openly gay singer-songwriters, who speak their minds through their music, will be reading this interview. Is there anything you'd like to say to them especially?
AB: Yes there is. I would like to say – the funny thing is that you always have to watch your back, you know. In the music business, once you start getting somewhere, what you will find is that your record company will start trying to package you again – in a kind of a closeted way. And they won't like you talking about it so much in interviews and things like that. I just think you should just kind of like, follow your instincts, and just go the whole way. Don't try and curtail your personality for any of those people.
AE: Thank you very much, Andy – Now get out and enjoy the beautiful NYC spring day!
AB: Thank you very much!
Erasure's first-ever acoustic tour kicks off in Nashville, TN on May 6th at Ryman Auditorium - get more info at Erasure's website.
