It is now 20 years since the first Pete Burns record release with Nightmares In Wax in February, 1979. For many of us, his music has been one of the key soundtracks to our lives, and continues to be so. It seems this might be an appropriate occasion to examine what it is about Pete that sets him apart from other performers and elicits such an intense reaction is his fans all over the world.

I have no doubt that each person's reaction to Pete and his music is unique and personal to that individual. Music that really moves you results in a feeling that you have a personal relationship with the artist, even though you have never met him, but only know him through his art. But I think there are some qualities in Pete that are a key element in the impact he has on so many people.

The most important is that he is fiercely individualistic and follows his own path, no matter what the consequences. He has never been one to conform or to buckle under to industry pressure. Although this certainly hasn't helped DOA commercially, Pete wouldn't be Pete without his unique vision of himself and the strength of spirit that many misinterpret as contrariness. You don't have to agree with everything Pete says or does to admire the guts and outright audacity he has shown throughout his career. And you know that it is never put on or done just for effect...this guy says exactly what he thinks, no matter what the discomfort factor that ensues. There are very few people in this world with the courage to live their lives that way and who are prepared to live with the consequences.

Another thing about Pete is that he is full of contradictions, which makes him extremely human and makes his fans feel close to him. He always has a striking appearance which commands the attention of everyone when he walks in a room, yet at the same time he is quite shy and a very private individual. It would be much easier on him to "dress down" and avoid unwanted attention, but Pete demands the right to be himself and is prepared to then fight off unwanted attention, dificult though that sometimes is.

Pete's music reveals the contradictory nature of his personality, alternatively a cocky, extremely confident social predator (as in "Come Home With Me Baby"), then a sensitive and love-bruised victim (check out the heartbreaking lyric to "Blue Christmas" on Fan the Flame). Pete has never been afraid to spell out exactly what he's talking about ("Take your chains and take your leather!") even when this has caused faint-hearted media people to shy away from promoting DOA properly (God bless the Japanese for taking it all in the spirit in which it was intended and just having fun with it.)

I think Pete inspires his fans by the way he refuses to conform to anyone's expectations but his own. He does things and presents himself in a way that many of us wouldn't necessarily choose for ourselves, yet we get a profound satisfaction in seeing someone ballsy enough to do exactly what he wants, the way he wants it. He is a unique individual, and I don't think we will ever see anyone else remotely like him again.

We can only hope that he inspires other creative and talented people to follow their own instincts, without regard to the outrage or criticism that may result.

Happy Anniversary, Pete. You're still the best...Pat Geary