Friday, November 22, 2002

While I'm in an 80s pop mood and still reminiscing about my first weeks in London, let me tell you two quick Jimmy Somerville stories.

One afternoon in 1995, I popped into 79CXR. I bought a drink and put two quid in the jukebox. I spotted the Jimmy Somerville Singles Collection, and it had been ages since I'd heard him, so among my seven songs were three of his singles: "Comment Te Dire Adieu", "Smalltown Boy" and "Don't Leave Me This Way". Picking up my beer, I walked around the corner and straight into... Jimmy Somerville. He was holding court, chatting to friends, and I took up position just behind him, dreading what was coming next. At the opening notes of "Comment Te Dire Adieu" he looked up, thinking, "Ooh, I know this!" and then scowling when he realised what it was. He looked a bit embarrassed, muttering, "Oh god, not this." When the next song was one his as well, he looked around, thinking someone was taking the piss. I gulped down my beer and left before the third one.

A couple of years ago, I was standing at the urinal in Barcode. Jimmy Somerville came out of the cubicle and said to me, "I cannae reach the urinal - look." And he couldn't - well, he is only wee.

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