Member interview: Debbie Harry
She may be busy on her current tour promoting her new CD "Necessary Evil," but rocker Debbie Harry always makes time for her gay fans.
Two weeks ago, we asked Gay.com members to let us know which questions they'd ask Debbie Harry if they had a chance. We took some of the most interesting questions from you, the members, and posed them to Debbie in an interview with her last week. The interview questions below are all from you, the fans.
But it doesn't stop there. To commemorate World AIDS Day (December 1), fans can download a new remix of her single, "Two Times Blue," and proceeds will go the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.
Two years ago, you did an interview with Gay.com and they asked who you would like to see cast as you in a movie about your life. You said, "Well, I don't know; I think Kirsten Dunst could be pretty good." Now, the news that Kirsten Dunst will, in fact, be playing you is all over the news. Do you still think she's a good choice? What about Pink or Scarlett Johannsen?
There's nothing written or happening so far that would make it a done deal. There's nothing concrete at all about the movie so at this point, it's really all hypothetical. As far as Kirsten goes -- well, I've met her a couple of times and she's ... very sweet. But you see, I think it's really too soon to tell. It's very premature, and frankly, I really wish it hadn't gotten so much attention in the press. It's ... hot air really, because there's no script. As far as Pink or Scarlett, that would be wonderful, too. I think both of them are terrific. I didn't know Pink was acting, actually.
Looking back, it's safe to say that you were known as the sex symbol of the punk movement. You always looked so fabulous and had such style! Did you ever feel pressure to look great all the time? Did you envy Patti Smith and wish you could wake up and not shave your armpits? And who was your stylist in those days? What other punk band do you think had the best style?
[Laughs.] I'm very flattered that you thought I looked beautiful all the time, but it wasn't something that I was trying for, and to be honest, I was never really ... well manicured. I was sort of funky actually -- I really don't think I was glamorous. And you know what? We didn't have stylists in those days. Tim Sprouse -- he used to do clothes for me, but all the rest was really up to me. I had to do it all myself.
As far as the other punk bands, there was really a great variety of style in the punk bands. I really liked the guys from the Ramones a lot, and I thought Richard Hell had a terrific style. And I also thought Johnny Thunders was really cute; he looked amazing.
What was your most decadent rock and roll moment? Do you have one that sticks out in your head?
[Laughs.] Geez! Well, I hope there was more than one! You know, the most decadent moment I have ever had was probably back in the early 70's when we were taken to see The Who backstage at the Garden. We went and hung out with them, and it was ... pretty decadent, even by my standards. But uh ... yeah -- I don't want to say anything else about that...
You just completed the "True Colors" tour. Will there be another one, and what was the gayest thing that happened on that tour?
[Laughs.] The gayest moment? Probably the encore and finale, where everybody came out and performed those two songs altogether. I think that was a pretty remarkable -- and gay -- moment. The audience loved it, and it's always nice when the audience gets off. I would definitely be interested in doing "True Colors" again. It's really Cyndi's brainchild and I know she's very interested in carrying it on and making it a regular tour. But I don't know for sure.
What's your opinion on what's going on with Britney Spears? Do you identify with her at all?
Well, I don't know Britney Spears, but I think she's very good at playing the game. She likes a lot of attention. I can't imagine being in her situation -- growing up in showbiz like she has. I don't think she probably had very much of a childhood. I think everyone's entitled to have some wild times in their life, but it's a complicated issue with her. She's damned if she does and damned if she doesn't.
I feel like she's under the microscope and stuff, but I do feel like her lack of responsibility toward her children is going to come back to her in a bad way, which is very difficult. But I do agree that we all had our wild times and we had fun doing them, and nobody gave a damn. But for her, its just sort of "business" and I don't know -- it doesn't seem to be bothering her all that much.
Belinda Carlisle did an interview with Gay.com and they asked her if she ever had a crush on a female rock star -- and she said you. She went on and on about how hot she thought you were when she was seventeen. Have you ever had a non-sexual crush on a female rock star?
Oh, my God! Well I guess Belinda and I will just have to get together! [Laughs.] I've certainly been fascinated by a lot of people. Pink, for that matter, is really hot in my opinion. She's hot. I think I also found Grace Slick to be pretty wild.
You're doing something big for World AIDS Day, and have always been involved in the fight against AIDS. How did you get involved with the AIDS fight?
A number of years ago, the surgeon general made a major statement about the AIDS virus and what the potential was for destruction. And that made really strong impression on me -- I couldn't forget it.
I think it's terrific that so many people are standing up for their rights and their ideas and that they're fighting for such a good cause. And making waves in not only community, but also in the world. I mean, this is something that we really all have to get behind, regardless of our sexual persuasion or identification. We really have to combat these issues and I wish that our government was doing the right thing and I think that a lot of our problems could be solved a lot easier were money being spent in the right direction rather than for sending armies to other countries. There are other issues we should be taking care of for the people. In the long run, this will solve our problems around the world.
You were rumored to have been cast as Jenny in the recent Broadway revival of Brecht & Weill's "The Three Penny Opera." I was just wondering how this fell through and if you have any other plans to make a Broadway debut or try your hand at some musical theater?
They did approach me about the part, and I didn't really think it was right for me, so I didn't really pursue it. It was also pretty conflicting for me time-wise, because of something I was doing, but I also never really felt connected to the part. I would love to do Broadway if it was the right thing for me.
What was your oddest and/or sexiest experience at Studio 54?
The oddest thing was Andy Warhol threw me a party there when I did the cover of Interview magazine, and it was really fascinating for me to hang out with all the Studio 54 cronies like Truman Capote, and Liza and Diana and all of these people. It was odd because I was completely surrounded by all these megastars. Jagger's wife was there -- it was pretty major. I went there pretty regularly.
You've recorded and played rap songs, pop songs, rock songs, jazzy songs, ballad songs, funky and hip hop songs, disco songs, dance songs, bossa nova, ska ... lots of different styles and in different languages. Do you have the nerve to record a tango or a flamenco song in Spanish?
I wouldn't hesitate to do that if it was the right song. I like Spanish music very much. I don't know if there's a need for me to do that. I sort of feel like testing the waters or trying out new things is fun for me because it's experimental and I get to learn something. But I think there are so many great artists who specialize in Spanish music that it's almost like a bit of an infringement. In some ways I would say the best way for me to do that would be to incorporate a small kind of taste of that into something I was doing. I don't think I would ever go wholeheartedly into a classic flamenco, I think that would be kind of strange.
When was the last time you laughed yourself silly and nearly piddled yourself?
[Laughs.] Oh my God, do you want a time and date? [Laughs hard.] I actually have no idea when it was. I have really funny friends. Chris Stein is incredibly funny; he makes me laugh always. And Justin Bond, oh, me makes me laugh all the time. He's incredibly funny.
After recording the single "Feel The Spin" with Jellybean Benitez in 1985, did you plan on doing your second solo album with him? And why did you decide to use Seth Justman to produce it considering his non track record outside of his own band (J Geils)?
What happened was Jelly Bean was working with Tony C the DJ, who was one of Jellybean's proteges, in a way. I ended up working with Tony C on "Sweet and Low" and maybe one other song. So in a way, it's maybe a sort of spinoff of working with Jellybean.
Working with Seth was sort of a thing where he was somebody I was introduced to through the label, and they thought Seth was a terrific musician and somebody I should work with. So that was sort of a record company hookup.
We met in 1975 at One Fifth restaurant in New York. We flirted. It was just before you became very big. We met again briefly on Halloween at a disco you were performing at in Chicago. A third time I saw you walking down the street in Milwaukee. I said "Hi -- we met at One Fifth years ago, welcome to town." You were not friendly. You were rude, rolled your eyes and walked on. Why???
[Laughs hard.] I have no idea! I rolled my eyes? God knows, I probably had something in my eyes.
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