BRIAN MOLKO: MY SEVEN DEADLY SINS
ROCK SOUND INTERVIEW (2003) 

Outspoken in the press, dolled-up on stage and once one of the most notorious party animals on the scene,
Brian Molko isn't shy of breaking a few rules. Who better then, to quiz about the Seven Deadly Sins?

Photo credit: David Willis

1. VANITY

“That's a good one. I'm the vainest of the band, definitely. Myself and Stefan spend a lot of time in front of the mirror playing with our hair and worrying about our clothes. I have a lot of “Does my bum look big in this?“ moments. I think it winds Steve [Hewitt] up a bit, but he's a vain guy too, only in a more masculine way. It's a very big part of what we do I suppose and a very big part of what pushes you to go on stage. I don't think there'd be as much dressing up on stage if there weren't a great deal of vanity involved. So I'm 100 percent guilty.“

2. ENVY
“Envy makes me think of that moment in Spinal Tap where the band meet some rock star who's bigger than them and they're all nice and friendly. Then when he walks away they call him a wanker. I'm guilty of that moment as well, though the bands it's with will remain nameless. But I'm envious of lots of things. I'm envious of people with better bodies than me, people who are taller than I am.“

3.GLUTTONY

“I think I'm coming out of my secret over-indulgent stage. That was basically most of my 20ies where I'd take anything that was going and too much of it at any opportunity. I think it was very much a case of trying to numb a lot of my insecurities and low self-esteem by putting myself in a haze and avoiding reality. I'm better now, thankfully.“

Photo credit: Carole Epinette

4. LUST
“Oh, my favourite! I'm a very lustful person, mainly towards other people. My lust means I have huge moral dilemmas on a daily basis. It's got me into far too much trouble. But unfortunately, no matter how much make-up I put on my face I can't alter the fact that I'm a man.“

5. WRATH
“I don't get angry that often, but when I do it's in a way that's quite particular to people who are small in stature – when they lose it they really fucking lose it. It's a bit like a pressure cooker, I have a tendency to let it build up inside of me then really blow and go apeshit. I start throwing stuff around and screaming. It's not very healthy and it's not a pretty sight. I get very upset when people treat us with disrespect in life in general. I have this feeling that people treat me like a kid a lot and look down their noses at me. That makes me very angry. But I think it's a kick back to things from my childhood that I haven't got over.“

6. GREED

“I'm not a particularly greedy person, I'm actually quite generous towards the people that I love and care about. I'd like to be filthy rich but then everybody would. I'm not obsessed with material possessions that much apart from records and clothes. I just don't see the point really. Being in a band doesn't make you greedier, it makes you more ambitious because every time you meet a challenge you have to set new ones and try and rise to those.“

Photo credit: Jesus Aparicio

7. SLOTH

“I go through stages but in general I'm a hard worker, I always have been. I find it difficult to take breakes because I'm so used to each day being full, I just get restless and I have to force myself to relax. But when I do get the chance I just do absolutely nothing. I'll sit around for days and try to shut my brain off, watch Neighbours twice a day. You feel a bit lost when you come off tour because there's no one to make your coffee for you or light your cigarettes!“

Source: Rock Sound (2003)
Edit: Silke Mitteregger