Pat Geary speaks to Pete Burns on September 17th, 2000. Recorded in the UK. A RIGHT STUFF exclusive!!

Pete: They are Samurai, and that has deep meaning, Samurai. And the next day Hiro turned up at 7:30 at night and it was kind of like meeting...it was definitely the most strange moment that had ever happened to me. We spent the whole evening in a restaurant in the Hilton. And he had learned English, but only enough for one night.

When it came time to say goodbye, because I was leaving in the morning, the guy, driving a Harley Davidson, broke down in the most emotional tears in the street. And then I went...and we couldn't say anything.

It was just wonderful to know...that he knew... and I knew. And what we knew, I don't know!

Pat: Yes, but you can feel that especially with people who don't speak your language, somehow you can establish that connection because the language doesn't get in the way. It's more of an almost instinctual thing.

Pete: Yeah, but also I felt it with you as well. You'll always be counted as not just a friend and family, I'm not saying that just to be patronising..

Pat: No, no, I feel the same.

Pete: It's kind of odd. I reached for you through my work, and you reached me, and you weren't the kind of person I expected.

Pat: (laughs)

Pete:: No, because a lot of people who reach me, you know, I'm thoroughly grateful for the career support, but I don't really want them reaching me. And my door is shut. You know, I'm not being a snob, but I don't like fans showing up at the door.

Pat: Of course.

Pete:I never will like that. I'm sorry, when I'm going out and around on the street, with my hair tied back, pair of shades and in gym kit, I'm not Pete Burns, I'm just me. And I'm not a train to be spotted and get an autograph.

I'll do it when I'm working, but I certainly have to establish boundary lines. Because overstimulation for me is potentially destructive. And I don't cope very well with it.

I can't understand why people tremble when they meet me. I don't feel like something special. I feel like I was given a gift. But you know, the people who unlike me, who maybe serve breakfast in a hotel, they have a gift, because I certainly couldn't do that job. I wouldn't be organised enough to remember the floor, put the tray in order, serve, be polite to some asshole..

We've all got gifts. I've got a gift, and I'm grateful. I appreciate my gift. But as far as appreciate me as a person, they don't know me. And no amount of interviews and stuff like that will ever clearly define me. Because life is a continual journey of discovery. You're always learning something about yourself. You know, nothing's concrete. I'm changing everyday.

Pat: I think when they meet you, Pete, my take on it is that they have listened to the music and they have put a lot of themselves into their reaction to the music. So when they're confronted with you, it's like you were saying, it's not even like you as a person, you're this receptacle for all these feelings that they've attached to the music.

And that's what makes all this emotion come out. It makes them treat you not like a person but as some kind of symbol to them.

Pete: But sometimes people try to overcompensate and treat me like less than a person. And I find that more offensive. Like, "I used to like you 10 years ago before you got old and fat and made shit records."

Pat: (laughs)

Pete: I know what you're trying to say, but being a performer you're kind of like a bridge. There's an audience that's kind of the Red Sea, which is the pit. There is the band on the stage, which is the musical destination. And you're the bridge which crosses the audience into those things.

So sometimes they do treat you a bit like the Brooklyn Bridge. And I'm not complaining. It's just that when I see their nerves fall to pieces, I kind of feel sad. It makes my nerves fall to pieces. I just want out of there.

I don't want people to be overfamiliar with me, because I would never do that to other people. Like today when I met Cher, I said, "Excuse me, my name is Peter Burns from Dead or Alive. I'm not a stalker."

Pat: (laughs)

Pete: I respected her space. But I did want to talk to her, because we do have songs I'd like her to do. But anyway, I had the respect not to start trembling and shaking. But of course I got a flutter. It was kind of an unusual Sunday. You remember when we met that freak [*}

Pat: Yes!

Pete: That was incredibly stimulating.

Pat: Yes, you almost got a dog out of that.

Pete: Yeah, but [*] turned out to be a very shrewd businessperson, but nonetheless...

Pat: That's another story. Pete: It's another story. [*] is interesting, but they're always going to be alone in the world.

Pat: But I think people also get nervous when they meet you because you are different than most people they've met. I think they just get nervous because they're not used to being around someone who is as honest as you are.

Pete: What I don't like is people who go [in camp voice], "Hi, Girl! OOh-OOh!".

Pat: Yeah.

Pete: Because I'm not a girl.

Pat: That's a very American thing, I think.

Pete: Well, it started over here. [in exaggerated London accent]: "Oh, we know what SHE'S like!" And they haven't got a fucking clue what I'm like. You know, that's too presumptuous.

I don't like it, and I don't like a lot of the gay slang that goes on, because it's just so fucking stupid. It's antagonistic: "Notice me; I am different. I'm going to get up your nose, and you can't say anything because I'm gay".

Pat: Well, we're getting into an age more and more where, hopefully, people can not simplify things like that. Their eyes are being opened. Like this "Big Brother" TV show. One of the contestants that almost won it was a lesbian ex-nun. Five years ago, would people have embraced her?

Pete: Look at Lily Savage. She's as talented as Divine. It's the only comedian or actress that convinces you that that IS Lily Savage in the same way that Divine convinced you that WAS Divine. And that's breaking through.

Oh, things are changing. And it's wonderful that they're changing. It really is wonderful that they are changing. And gay culture will eventually be able to move out of its ghettoised areas and be accepted. And it's been a long time coming. But you know sometimes the best things are worth waiting for. I find hard core animal porn...hilarious.

Pat: (Laughs)

Pete: I find hardcore gay porn offensive. I find hardcore straight porn offensive. And when the gay porn goes even further with the fisting and stuff, it's like running around a bull ring in a red dress. You're trying to upset somebody, it's almost like punk rock. And we've grown out of that.

I don't want to upset the gay community because they can do what they like and people should be able to tolerate it. But the fact of the matter is, they're not ready for that ram down the throat...it's got to drift naturally into their consciousness.

Pat: Yes, yes.

Pete: You don't have any success with terrorism if you hurl a hand grenade through a fucking window. Because somebody picks it up and throws it right back out.

The way to do it is to get right in there, work there for awhile, plant it, and leave.

TO BE CONTINUED

Copyright (c) 2001 by Pat Geary. Not to be reprinted or reproduced in whole or in part without written permission.