Brian Molko's "Last Times"

THE LAST TIME I SAID “DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?”
"I can safely say that I have never said that. I have said, I'm so-and-so from Placebo, will you let me in, please? And that's worked. But when it hasn't worked, I've never uttered the dreaded phrase. I'd much rather walk away."

THE LAST TIME I WENT ON A BLIND DATE
"Maybe three years ago. I went on a blind date with a lady who worked for a madam who runs an exclusive escort service for extremely rich businessmen. It was an absolute disaster. One of the girls that her company hired had agreed to do a job and was now causing a fuss and saying she didn't want to do the job, so [my date's] cellphone was ringing every seven minutes, and she had to deal with that situation. We never really managed to have a conversation that lasted longer than seven minutes at a time. "

THE LAST TIME I DELETED MY BROWSING HISTORY
"Yesterday. For what reason? I'm not going to say. [Laughs]"

THE LAST TIME I COOKED FOR SOMEONE
"Probably about two weeks ago. I've been doing a juice cleanse recently, so my diet's been liquid for the past week. Otherwise I'd be in the kitchen more often."

THE LAST TIME I TRASHED A HOTEL ROOM
"Probably in the Nineties. The most spectacular was in 1998, I almost got arrested for that one. It was in Monte Carlo. I broke the TV, I broke a lamp. I was pissed off because they wouldn't let our crew in the bar of this hotel because they were too scruffily dressed. And I looked across the bar and saw Julian Lennon there drinking with his mates and he was dressed exactly the same way as the crew, so I made a bit of a stink about it. And I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned around and the boss of the bar was toking on a massive cigar, and he said, 'You want to spend the night in the bar, or do you want to spend the night in jail?' And that was like pouring petrol on fire [laughs]. So I went upstairs and trashed my room. And then the next day I talked myself out of going to jail!"

THE LAST BOOK I READ
“The Girls“. It's set in the late Sixties, and is very loosely based around the Charles Manson family murders. I don't know why but the whole Manson family story has always intrigued me."

THE LAST SONG I HEARD AND THOUGHT, I WISH I WROTE THAT
"There's a song by a band called Minor Victories, they're opening for us on our UK tour. It's Stuart from Mogwai and Rachel from Slowdive, and they have a song called 'For You Always', which is xylophone, drums and strings-driven. I think it's amazing."

THE LAST TIME I WAS WATCHING TV AND HEARD ONE OF MY SONGS
"I'm not too sure if that's ever happened. But what's irritating for me is when you go [to a club] and people see you and they automatically put your song on. As if a) you want to hear it, and b) it's not embarrassing. [Laughs] What are you supposed to do? Get up and take a bow? It makes me feel unnecessarily under the spotlight. It's like, do you guys really think I listen to my own music?"

THE LAST TIME I BROKE SOMEONE'S HEART
"Maybe two years ago, but she fucking broke mine too. It wasn't purposeful, we just were not right for each other at all. And both of us were far too stubborn."

THE LAST TIME I THOUGHT ABOUT DEATH
"Yesterday, probably. I think it passed through my mind. If one spends too much time thinking about this inevitability, though, it takes you very much out of the moment, and I'm very much one for trying to live in the day and live in the moment and be aware of the moment. So I'm aware of my finite time on this earth, but through mindfulness and the power of now I kind of try to stay within the day."

THE LAST TV SERIES I WATCHED
"I've been getting back into The Sopranos recently, watching the box set. My girlfriend said she'd tried to watch it a couple of years ago, but wasn't really following the way they talk. I've been watching it with her, and pausing to explain what's going on."

THE LAST TIME I EXERCISED
"Today, I guess. Stationary bike. I'd usually just ride my bike but it snowed today for the first time."
(Rolling Stone Australia, November 2016)

Photo credit unknown
Post by Silke

𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐁𝐎 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊: 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐬

𝑯𝒊 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔!
Besides a long list of movies, there are some short films where we can hear Placebo music. The story behind one of them really impressed me a lot.

𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟑: 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 (𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟕) - 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐈'𝐦 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 is a short horror mystery film directed by Tina Doyle, an actress and director from Scotland.

𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕
A young girl searches for her dog in a dilapidated estate.

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨 - 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐈'𝐦 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬, 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟑)
https://bit.ly/3fEFMa1


𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 (𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟒) - 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 is a British short thriller film directed by Max Bezant starring Max Bezant, Charlotte Cosgrove, Jim Lattimore.

𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕
When the world's population is destroyed by an evil corporation, only one college student can discover what happened, and if anyone else remains.

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨 - 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥 (𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨)
https://bit.ly/3fHgGHA

Photo credit: Mick Hutson

𝐌𝐘 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄 (𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗) – 𝐇𝐊 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥
My Sweet Prince is a short film written and directed by Jason Bradbury [a huge Placebo fan] starring Yoni Roodner, Jacob Avery, Rio Thake.
It was one of 11 films commissioned by BBC Arts and the BFI for the Born Digital Scheme to mark the 30𝒕𝒉 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒕. Young filmmakers were challenged to reflect on the experience of living in a digital environment.
Announced on @𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐈𝐆, My Sweet Prince was available in the UK only. Worldwide premiere, postponed due to the Covid pandemic, is still awaited.
𝐉𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐲: “As a teenager on the Isle of Wight figuring out my sexuality, Placebo were a huge inspiration to me. Seeing Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal’s unapologetic approach to sexuality was beyond inspiring, especially in time that positive LGBTQ+ role models were pretty much non existent. They form a big part of my short film My Sweet Prince and they kindly made it possible for me to use some of their music in the film. Teen dreams do come true, it would seem!”

𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕
Alcopops, VHS tapes, cigarettes, boys, MSN Messenger, Placebo - this is 2003. Set on the Isle of Wight, fragments of the director's own teenage video diaries collide with the fictional story of 15-year-old Tommy in this short film about a boy's search for connection in the advent of the internet age. Infatuated with his best friend's boyfriend and unable to truly reveal himself to anyone, Tommy feels an overwhelming sense of isolation on the small chalk island he calls home. Desperate to be seen, he logs on to family computer, clicks connect and opens MSN.

𝐌𝐲 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 – 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫
https://bit.ly/2ABW70I

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨 - 𝐇𝐊 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥
https://bit.ly/3gqsuOX

Photo credit: Joseph Llanes

𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐙𝐕𝐎𝐔𝐒 (𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗) - 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥
𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐳𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐬 is a short film directed by Seth Kozak and Damian Veilleux starring Katarina Morhacova, Chris Kerson, Mike Sutton.
Rendezvous is an American suspense-thriller, written, directed, and produced by Seth Kozak. The film follows the journey of Catalina Wright as she encounters fatal arrangements made by her politician husband.

𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕
A Congressman's daring scheme to have his younger wife murdered is nearly foiled after she makes sudden plans to visit her mother in Maine. When icy road conditions limit her travel, she takes refuge in an historic inn. Now, the instinct that pushed her toward safety may have betrayed her, as she suspects the inn's only other resident is a man hired to kill her.

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨 - 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥 (𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟔)
https://bit.ly/3inCLwh

What’s your impression of these short films, dear soulmates?
Have you already watched any of the movies you’ve got to know from my previous posts?

Photo credit pic 1: Olaf Heine; screenshots and poster of the films / edit by Olga

Post by Olga

Interview with Brian and Stefan for French magazine Têtu, 2013

Now I want to share an interview that Brian and Stefan did with Frech magazine Têtu in July 2013 while their band mate Steve Forrest was sleeping off a crazy Parisian night. ;-)

IF YOUR CAREES WAS A LONG STRIPTEASE, WITH THIS NEW ALBUM, PLACEBO WOULD FINISH WITH A HAND AT THE FRONT AND ONE AT THE BACK?

Brian: (laughing) Our previous album, “Battle for the sun“ was a stadium album. It followed Meds, which was a very claustrophobic one and say…very narcoleptic (smiles). We always react to the mood of the previous one.

When we started working on LLL, one theme came up very quickly, the oldest theme in music: love. Not very close to Placebo, isn’t it? We had two possibilities: either we went against the surge or we fully embraced it and didn’t hide our own vulnerability.

Stef: Even the title came up rapidly. When we were done with an album, we would say: ‘oh shit, what name are we going to give to that one?’ (laughters)

“LOUD LIKE LOVE“, THE OPENING TRACK, IS A VERY POSITIVE LOVING HYMN BUT THE ALBUM ENDS IN SOBS AND ALCOHOL WITH THE BEAUTIFUL SONG “BOSCO“. DOES IT REFLECT YOUR LIVES?

Brian: I think these two songs underline how much we reject what we did in the past….

NO MORE ROCK 'N' ROLL WAY OF LIFE?

Brian: You know, I’m a father now. My son is 7. It changes your views on life. It’s something that prevents you from behaving like a dickhead rock star. When you grow up in the public eye, you can very easily shut yourself up in a bubble and lose yourself. There was a time when I got lost, very often….

IN “TOO MANY FRIENDS“ YOU SING: “MY COMPUTER THINKS I'M GAY“. WHAT DO YOU HIDE ON YOUR COMPUTER TO SUGGEST SUCH A THING?

Brian: One day my computer sent me targeted ads as if I were gay. I wondered : ‘what have I done? What kind of porno have I watched so my computer thinks I’m gay (laughs)’. In the meantime, I had friends who decided not to take any more new friends on social networks because they already had ‘too many friends’. How can you have too many friends?

It made me consider our relationship to modernity. Aren’t we losing the ability to communicate in real life? For instance, we know many guys who use Grindr. It’s weird because they can’t focus on you longer than 5 mn without checking their app!

THAT SONG IS YOUR COMING OUT ABOUT BEING HETEROSEXUAL?

Brian: (smiles) I don’t know if I’m really straight. I’m not a much more different man than the one I used to be. I haven’t been in a relationship for a long time, either with a man or a woman. So if I had to come out, that’d be as an abstinent!

DO YOU MIND IF WE SAY THAT PLACEBO IS A QUEER BAND?

Brian: That’s fine with me! I’d rather that than be a macho band!

Stefan: If we have to be tagged, then yes. That’s a part of us. In the past, we’ve always been honest about our lifestyles and sexual orientations but we don’t get into a recording studio thinking ‘we’re a queer band so let’s play music for fags!

STEFAN, YOU'VE MADE YOUR COMING OUT AT THE VERY START OF YOUR CAREER. WAS IT DEEPLY NEEDED?

Stefan: I thought it was a good thing to do. Nowadays, more artists acknowledge their homosexuality but at that time there were few homosexuals in music. I soon reckoned that if I could reveal who I was, then I’d have played my part in setting more tolerance. I’ve received a lot of mails from young gays who wanted to thank me. However, despite being successful, I’ve also suffered from a fair amount of intolerance…

PLACEBO IS VERY POPULAR IN RUSSIA. DO YOU ALTER YOUR BEHAVIOUR WHEN YOU PLAY IN NOT SO TOLERANT COUNTRIES?

Brian: No way! Though playing in Russia can be troublesome… But we’ve never been told: ‘you’re not allowed to play such and such songs”

Stefan: It’s a bit more risky when we perform in Indonesia or Muslim countries. Sometimes we’re warned about using some words; we’re told to avoid provocative clothes and any sexual intercourse on stage!” (laughters)

IT TURNS OUT THAT PLACEBO HAS MANAGED TO AVOID THE NORMALLY TRAP?

Brian: I think so! I just could have shown better taste and more sense when I chose my dresses! (laughs). I feel at ease with all this and I think we were right. Even more so nowadays with all those assholes who are demonstrating against gay wedding.

Stefan: Exactly! The debate gets very close to the bone. It’s amazing to see that our society which pretends to be civilised and liberal, finally wallows in intolerance. It’s just blowing hot air!
(Têtu, July-August 2013)

Photo credits:  Franck Juery,  Radio XFM London, Tom Barnes
Post by Silke

𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙛𝙖𝙣'𝙨 𝙁𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙮𝙡𝙚

My last posts have been around 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒃𝒐 & 𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒐𝒏 - I hope I am not boring you with this topic - but I thought it was 𝑽𝑬𝑹𝒀 important to dedicate a post especially to the fashion style of our dearest 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒂𝒏 𝑶𝒍𝒔𝒅𝒂𝒍. Because, though he is shy and quiet, he has played a lot with his look and I think he has even been more daring with his wardrobe than his bandmate 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑴𝒐𝒍𝒌𝒐, and at the same time, preserving an elegant touch.

As a first example, there is the striped shirt in bright colors that 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒂𝒏 wore in a photoshoot that 𝑺𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝑷𝒂𝒈𝒆 made and the "𝑩𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆" video:

🎙️𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧: [...] I’m wearing a polyethylene suit. And Stefan’s wearing a shirt which Noel Gallagher also owned at the time.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐧: I look better in it though.
▪️𝙿𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚋𝚘, 𝙾𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝙼𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚆𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝙵𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐
(𝙳𝚅𝙳),2004.

📼 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 (𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨)
https://youtu.be/v6XhoHTDFSM

Like 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑴𝒐𝒍𝒌𝒐, 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒂𝒏 also wore dresses occasionally to go on stage. One of his iconic looks, no doubt, is the magnific red dress that he wore during some concerts of the "𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑰'𝒎 𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒓" and that now belongs to a fan from somewhere in the world, since this red dress was among the items of the "𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒃𝒐 𝑹𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝑨𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏" that the band made in 2017 as part of its 20𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒓𝒚 celebrations. Below you can watch one of those gigs in which 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒂𝒏 wore this dress. He looks gorgeous in it!! ❤️

📼 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨 - 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞́𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 1999
https://youtu.be/7RsSmGHgShA

🎙️"I think I take care of my aspect of clothing. I often look for beautiful clothes regardless of their origin. But it is important that you belong to a designer or a collection from Chez H&M. We have met many designers with whom we have become friends."
▪️𝚂𝚝𝚎𝚏𝚊𝚗 𝙾𝚕𝚜𝚍𝚊𝚕, 𝚅𝚒𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚗𝙼𝚎𝚐𝚊.𝚏𝚛, 2003.

For several years now, it has been common to see him very elegant wearing suits in classic colors such as black and white. In 2009, during the "𝑩𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒖𝒏 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒓", we were able to see him on stage in a glamorous purple-satin-pinstripe suit and other times in a metalic silver suit. If you want to remember how he looked, here are a couple of videos: 😉

📼 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 - 𝐑𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐖𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 2009
https://youtu.be/NhBecP9qVr4

📼 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧 - 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 2010
https://youtu.be/Jxk-ZOIZdOs

Photo credit: Pop Farm

Another spectacular outfit by 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒂𝒏 is the black butterfly print suit by 𝑨𝒍𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑴𝒄𝑸𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏, that he wore during "𝑨 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝑼𝒔 𝑻𝒐 𝑫𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒓". I remember seeing this suit in a magazine, then I saw 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒇 with it and I thought, "Yes, it's perfect for him !!". He looked really BEAUTIFUL❤️

📼 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐏𝐚'𝐥 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 2017
https://youtu.be/P1FY60z_Bw4

🎙️𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨’𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭?

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐧:Yeah its funny, the first time we’ve come to Singapore and they told us we should dress appropriately and although it wasn’t so strict. The funny thing is, Everyone expected Brian to wear the dress and I came in this androgynous priest outfit by Alexander McQueen.

We are in a line of work where we can wear whatever we want and there’s a clothing freedom. In the beginning, we were very excited about the fact that the women’s section in the clothes store just had so much more than the men’s but for me personally, it’s about comfort and each outfit has to be functional. It’s mostly high street stuff really, some designer jackets perhaps and the odd shirts and scarves or something. It’s about mixing and matching. It’s also about finding your own style and with me it tends to be more high street than high fashion.
▪️𝚂𝚝𝚎𝚏𝚊𝚗 𝙾𝚕𝚜𝚍𝚊𝚕, 𝙷𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛, 𝚂𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 2013.

Photo credit: Julian Broad

Up to here we finish with the topic of clothes because hair is important too and 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒂𝒏 has tried out many styles, always looking great. His usual haircut is very short or a mohawk. He also has been blonde. In 2009, he wore a long fringe that fell diagonally across his face. And, in recent years, he has wearing a "𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒂𝒅𝒆" haircut, styling the top with a little bun, a ponytail or he simply has left naturally his curly hair.

Contrary to what 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒂𝒏 stated in the "𝑺𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑮𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔 - 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑫𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒚" (2003), that he hated mustaches, only in 1999 he had used a very thin mustache and in 2006 he grew another. Since 2012 he has grown a thick beard that was only shaved off to participate in the 𝑴𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 campaign, where he grew a mustache throughout the month of November for the purpose of raising funds and raising awareness of men's health in 2014 and 2015. Currently he still keeping his beard.

And if you thought 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑴𝒐𝒍𝒌𝒐 was the only one wearing makeup, well, no! 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒂𝒏 also lines his eyes and has occasionally painted his nails, in gold or black color. I had never wanted before to paint my nails black until I saw 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒇 at "𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝑵𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑫𝒊𝒆"(DVD). 🖤

Finally let's talk about accessories, 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒇 has used all kinds. From the most discreet: a ring on his hand, the earrings of his right ear, some bracelets, aviator style glasses; to the most daring: a ring on his nose, oversized glasses, cowboy hat, or that belt of chains with locks and keys so cool that he used in the "𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑷𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆" video, and which was also included in the "𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒃𝒐 𝑹𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝑨𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏". A very special accessory was "𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒃𝒐𝒘 𝑮𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆", which 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒂𝒏 designed together with 𝑮𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒆 in 2018. Inspired by 𝑮𝒊𝒍𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒕 𝑩𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒓's rainbow flag and for celebrate the July’s 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒆 in London, these gloves represent 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚. They were put up for sale on March of that year and the proceeds went to the 𝑷𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑻𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 and the 𝑳𝑮𝑩𝑻 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏.

Photo credit unknown

🎙️𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮?

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐧: It has gradually become more black and functional with too many overpriced designer shirts thrown in. I am very tall and skinny so sometimes only the catwalk sizes fit me.
▪️𝚂𝚝𝚎𝚏𝚊𝚗 𝙾𝚕𝚜𝚍𝚊𝚕, 𝙱𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚜𝚝𝚢𝚕𝚎, 2015.

𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒂𝒏 has the bearing of a model, he is perfect. I don't know why we have never seen him on a catwalk, maybe they have asked him but he is just not interested. Anyway, the stage is his great catwalk and there, we can admire his beauty and his talent at the same time, which is even better.🌟

📸 Photo Credits Picture 1: 𝐵𝑎𝑟𝑠 - Scarlet Page, Snapshot-Photography/UllsteinBild, Rock Werchter, Maud Maillard, Pop Farm, rest of the pics unknown. 𝐶𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑠 - Javier Alonso & Marina Sanz, Brill/Ullstein Bild, Franck Juery, Placebo FB, Kevin Westenberg, Karen Mason Blair, Joseph Llanes, Jason Tanaka Blaney, Stefan Olsdal IG, Dave Tonge, Sergione Infuso/Corbis, Screenshots. Edit made by me.

𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐁𝐎 𝐈𝐍 𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐓 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄

After discussing a lot of movies featuring Placebo songs on the soundtrack, today we will talk about a film where Brian Molko and his bandmates also appear as actors. So, this part of ‘Placebo & films’ series is dedicated to iconic, ‘lipstick-kissed’ 𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞.

Photo credits: Official poster, screenshots of the film / edit by Olga

Acting was Brian’s first artistic passion which he consequently followed by studying at Goldsmith and getting a degree in drama.
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏'𝒕 𝒂 𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒌 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓?
📢"I think I would have probably tried my hand at acting, because it was my first love."
(𝐾𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑔 "𝑈𝑝 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑀𝑜𝑙𝑘𝑜", 𝑂𝑐𝑡'00)

𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 (1998) is a musical drama film written and directed by Todd Haynes, co-produced by Michael Stipe (REM), starring Ewan McGregor, Jonathn Rhys Meyers, Christian Bale. The film won the award for the Best Artistic Contribution at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. and a BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design.
You may read more about the costume design for the film in this article:
👉https://bit.ly/3fHkfOF

Scene from Velvet Goldmine

Set in Britain during the early 1970s, the movie is an exploration of the glam rock era. Taking its name from the 𝑫𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒅 𝑩𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒆’𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒈 of the same name, Velvet Goldmine tells the story of a fictional glam rock star Brian Slade, sexually fluid and androgynous person, who was patterned after David Bowie, Jobriath and, to a lesser extent, Marc Bolan [original writer of 20th Century Boy].
📢𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐲𝐧𝐞𝐬 explained he had ‘a very modest goal’ for his experimental film: “I want to turn every gay person straight, and every straight person gay.” (𝐷𝑎𝑧𝑒𝑑, 𝑂𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑏𝑒𝑟 2018)

David Bowie initially disapproved of the film and its many similarities with his life story, and threatened to sue. So, the script had to be rewritten to create more distance between the character and the real man. Obviously, Bowie vetoed the proposal that his songs appear in the film.

All three then members of Placebo got the roles in the film: 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐥𝐤𝐨 and 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐭 were playing members of the Flaming Creatures (Malcolm and Billy respectively) and 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐥𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐥 was playing Polly Small's bassist. Another member of the Flaming Creatures, Pearl, was played by 𝐗𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫 (Paul Wilkinson), former lead singer of the band DexDexTer and, later, in 2003-2005, a keyboard player for Placebo on tour.
For the soundtrack, Placebo created “one of the best and most glittery musical performances in the film – the fictional band The Flaming Creatures’ biting, almost gothic rendition of T. Rex’s 𝟐𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐲.” (𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑇𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑁𝑒𝑤𝑠, 𝐴𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑙 2007)
Brian also sang a small part of the song 𝐁𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭, performed by another fictional band, The Venus In Furs.
📍𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕
In 1984, British journalist Arthur Stuart is writing an article about the career, withdrawal from public life and death hoax of 1970s glam superstar Brian Slade by interviewing those who had a part in the entertainer's career. Recalling their thoughts, each person contributes to revealing a particular segment in Slade's personal and professional life.
Part of the story involves Stuart's family's reaction to his homosexuality, and how the gay and bisexual glam rock stars and music scene gave him the strength to come out. Rock shows, fashion, and rock journalism all play a role in showing the youth culture of 1970s Britain, as well as the gay culture of the time.

Scene from Velvet Goldmine

✨𝑮𝒐 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒎𝒂 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒎𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑻𝒐𝒅𝒅 𝑯𝒂𝒚𝒏𝒆𝒔' 𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒆𝒓-𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒎 𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒌 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝑽𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒕 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒆-𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒅-𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅-𝒃𝒊𝒕-𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒃𝒐 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒅 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒔𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒇 '𝒔𝒍𝒂𝒑'. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒄 𝑩𝒐𝒍𝒂𝒏'𝒔 20𝒕𝒉 𝑪𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒚 𝑩𝒐𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒑, 𝒂 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅, 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒂 𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒌. 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑴𝒐𝒍𝒌𝒐 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔, 𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒖𝒔 𝒈𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒚, 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒚 '70𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒚𝒍𝒆, ‘𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚 𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒌𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝒂𝒔 𝒐𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆.' 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑴𝒐𝒍𝒌𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒃𝒐 𝒅𝒓𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝑯𝒆𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔; '𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓,' 𝑴𝒐𝒍𝒌𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔, '𝒂 1920'𝒔 𝒈𝒂𝒚 𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒎.'
'𝑴𝒎𝒎,' 𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒃𝒐 𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒂𝒏 𝑶𝒍𝒔𝒅𝒂𝒍, 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒍𝒐𝒃𝒆. '𝑰𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔.'
(𝐺𝑢𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑟 𝑀𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑧𝑖𝑛𝑒 "𝑆𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑐 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑠", 𝑂𝑐𝑡'98)

🎥𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 – 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫
👉https://bit.ly/2COej7Y
🎬𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞
👉https://bit.ly/2OUNcep
🎶𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨 - 𝟐𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐲
👉https://bit.ly/3hkM8we
🎬𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟖
👉https://bit.ly/2CMUpKx

No doubt, it was an interesting experience for Placebo mixed, at the same time, with some contradictions. The fact that David Bowie disliked the script made the movie a bit complicated topic to discuss with him, but, noteworthy, it never really became a bigger problem for their friendship with Brian. And more, David performed 20th Century Boy together with Placebo at the Brit award ceremony in 1999.

We can also follow Brian’s opinion on this experience changing over time. First, he was excited about trying himself as an actor in a big project and getting a chance to work with one of his favorite directors. He really enjoyed acting and was quite ready for another proposal. Although, later, the idea started to look not so attractive as they didn’t want Placebo to become kind of a ‘band on a rent’ for movies.

I gathered some quotes and excerpts of the articles and interviews from different years, so you can make your own conclusions.

Making of Velvet Goldmine

📢"It's a subject we don't bring up with David because he's doing his own Ziggy Stardust movie, but he's not holding it against us," Molko explains. "We became the Flaming Creatures, a trashy group obviously inspired by The New York Dolls. We did a cover of T-Rex's `20th-Century Boy'; we wanted to drag it up to the Nineties. It's a real high point of the film, full of colour, it really grabs you. This could be the end of my movie career, but I would like to do more."
(𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑀𝑜𝑙𝑘𝑜, 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝐴𝑢𝑔𝑢𝑠𝑡 21, 1998)

𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒅𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝑽𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒕 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇-𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒍𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒃𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒔?
📢𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧: Because you obviously didn’t understand it. It’s a great love story, it’s a feast of colour and music.
📢𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐧: And it has the most beautiful scene of two men kissing, ever.
(𝑁𝑀𝐸 "𝑀𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝐴𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑐𝑘", 𝐷𝑒𝑐'98)

𝐍𝐘𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊: Brian, you played a part in the movie Velvet Goldmine and I heard that you have a drama background...
📢𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍: I like acting. I really do and I wish I could do it more often – at least I’m more qualified than Courtney – but still, I don’t think I will have all that much time for it, you know, but it’s something I’ll keep in mind. I need to do something creative, that was always my motivation. At the moment it’s music, and the band has become my life, but there is always a possibility that I might go back to acting. After all, I graduated from drama school, Goldsmiths College.
(𝑁𝑌 𝑅𝑜𝑐𝑘 "𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑏𝑜", 𝐽𝑎𝑛'99)

📢"It had its problems, including budget, but I think it's a beautiful film. It's a fantasy. People shouldn't expect it to be a docu-drama on glam rock because it's a love story. But it's the bane of our experience, we have to defend it in every interview. If I hear the 'Are you a glam band?' question one more time I'm going to explode."
(𝐻𝑖𝑡 𝑀𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑐, "𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑖𝑛𝑒", 𝐴𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑙 29, 1999)

Promo for Velvet Goldmine

📢"… Take for instance, a recent backstage incident at San Francisco's Warfield Theatre … As the discussion moved on to movies, Todd Hayne's Velvet Goldmine was mentioned, which instantly brought one young hotshot out of his aloof shell. "That picture sucked!" he boldly declared. "Every last frame of it ... I hated it so much, I walked out on it near the end!" Molko's eyes brightened, like a cat when it's just scented a mouse in the house. "Oh yeah?" he asked, moving to face his opponent. "Is that how you truly feel about it?"
The loudmouth didn't even see it coming. "Hell yes!" he shot back. "Velvet Goldmine was a complete waste of time for everyone involved." "Really?" grinned the Placeban with barely contained delight. "Well, guess what! I was in that film, you fucking idiot! The director is a friend of mine, I worked really hard on all my scenes, and we all love how the movie turned out. Soooo ·" and Molko raised his right hand, middle finger extended, until it was directly in front of the poor pretender's nose. "FUCK YOU!" A guillotine beheading couldn't have been more effective. The kid could only stammer, turn red and bleatingly admit that he hadnât really seen the flick - he was only parroting some reviews he'd read. Too late - Molko had already turned his back."
(𝑃𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒 "𝐺𝑒𝑡 𝑂𝑢𝑡 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝐶𝑙𝑎𝑤𝑠", 𝐴𝑝𝑟'00)

𝐃𝐍𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐱: You didn't keep it a secret that you worked on the movie The Velvet Goldmine. How do you feel about having worked on that movie?
📢𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧: I'm content with it. The rest of the band has another opinion about it though. I think the film really suffered from the budget being cut down with 50%. It was a bit too long and some of the rolls didn't have the right actors for it. But it's the only film I've been in and I'm proud of it.
𝐃𝐍𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐱: Any further movie ambitions?
📢𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧: To be honest, no. I've been offered some parts but as the years go by I become less interested in one. We have been offered the part of Judas Priest in the movie Rock Star with Jennifer Anniston and Mark Wahlberg. But I've learned that I don't want to end like some band in a movie. And other than some Vampire parts I haven't been offered anything I like. And the more I think about it the more I find that it's dangerous for someone that makes music to become and actor. It just has to be something good.
(𝐷𝑁𝐴𝑠𝑖𝑥 "𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑀𝑜𝑙𝑘𝑜", 𝑀𝑎𝑟'03)

𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒂, 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒎 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒖𝒆?
📢No, again, I don't have the same concerns as these hip-hop guys like Ludacris who need to have a parallel film career along with their music career. I don't have time, being in this band takes up all of my time and I'm ludicrously out of practice.
(𝑂𝐾! 𝑀𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑧𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝐴𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑎 "𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑀𝑜𝑙𝑘𝑜", 𝐽𝑢𝑛'09)

Scene from Velvet Goldmine

ANNIVERSARY: Teenage Angst

”That’s a song that refuses to die.”
(Brian, Vanyaland, October 18^th 2013)

Today we celebrate the ANNIVERSARY of Placebo's third single "Teenage Angst". It was released 24 years ago today on 16^th of September 1996 and reached number 30 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was recorded at Westland Studios in Dublin and produced by Brad Wood.

Listen to ♫ TEENAGE ANGST ♫

The official video was directed by Trevor Robison. It shows the band members locked in a red latex cube, all three of them are dressed in the same red colour. Several teenagers also enter this cube and show how anxious they are.

BRIAN ON THE VIDEO CLIP 
"This video was directed by Trevor Robinson. I think is the only video he made. Maybe because the experience of working with us must be so traumatic, he’s never made one again."
(DVD “Once more with feeling”, 2004) 
LIVE HISTORYThe song is part of the band's repertoire prior to the release of their debut album in 1996. It has been performed in notably different versions.
The original one was staged up until 2000. A piano-based version was played during the “Black market music“, “Meds“ and „Battle for the sun“ tours.
During the „Sleeping with ghosts“ tour “Teenage Angst“ was played with a hip-hop inspired drum beat. At the end of the “Battle for the sun“ tour in 2010, the song was played with a new arrangement. Another rework was performed during the “Loud like love“ tour.

BRIAN ON “TEENAGE ANGST”
“We kind of keep re-writing a lot of songs in order for them to become playable for us so that we can connect with them. Most recently, we’re on our fourth version of “Teenage Angst” from the first album. We have a brand new version of that, which is actually my favorite of the tour. It took 20 years since I wrote that song for us to settle on what I think is the definitive version, but that’s ok.“(Pure Volume, September 12^th 2013)

The lyric to 'Teenage Angst' springs to mind: 'Since I was born, I started to decay...' A grotesquely bleak image. 
"But it's true. As soon as you pop out of the womb, you start to die. It's the paradox that you begin life but you also begin death. The use of toy instruments enables us to communicate that on a sonic level."(Guitarist, August 1997)

"When I was a teenager, I felt things in more passionate ways, I've gone through rebellion phases. I was feeling depressed, I felt like the world was about to collapse. A sort of alienation towards parents, a rebellion against what they wanted me to become, against growing, going through this kind of changes. My emotions were going in many directions because physically, I was becoming an adult. I was longing for it, but I was still dealt with as a child. Art and creativity were minor things, unknowned in my familly. That's surely for that reason, I reacted so violently. I became the ugly duckling: my father wanted me to become a businessman, and my mother wanted me to be a saint. Finally, I satisfied none of them. At this age, music can represent many things, be the last emergency exit. Play guitar was a sort of outlet to my familly troubles, to authority. My parents didn't contribute at all to what I am today and that's marvellous. I am here today only by myself. I need to have success, very selfishly, to refute all people who thought I would not go far in life, to show it to the people who were better than me at school, my rivals in every way, my parents.”(LesInrocks.com, August 13th 1996)

Photo credit: Screenshot of the video, cover of the single, edit by me
Post by Silke

ANNIVERSARY: LOUD LIKE LOVE

Today is the ANNIVERSARY of Placebo's seventh studio album “Loud like love”, it was released seven years ago on September 13^th 2013.

According to Brian the record “Loud like love” is a concept album. It's a collection of ten short stories that are built around the theme love, and the songs approach the topic from ten different angles. You can see them as stand-alone songs, but you can also see it as only one love story told from the beginning to its end.

It starts so hopeful with the first song “Loud like love” (Can you imagine a love that is so proud? It never has to question why or how. Breathe, breathe. Believe, believe.) and ends with desperation and pain in “Bosco” (I ask you for another second chance but then I drink it all away […] I do you harm because I can. I've such duplicity at my command so I keep on lying to your face). The tracks inbetween show all nuances from falling in love to the point when all feelings have gone and everything is lost and in vain.

It's interesting to know that “Loud like love” and “Bosco”, the first and the last song of this cycle, were written at the same time. “They became sort of the bookends for the album and the story”, Stefan told a journalist in an interview with Hanger in September 2013. About the rest of the album I want to share another statement by him from that conversation: “I relate to certain songs because of my own relationships and problems that I’ve had but I also see certain songs and I go “Jesus! Brian, have you been to that place? That’s a f*ckng dark place.” And he’s like “yeah haven’t you?” No, not that dark.”

“Loud like love” was recorded at RAK Studios in London and produced by Adam Noble. It reached no. 13 in the UK Albums Chart.
Three singles were released from the album: “Too many friends”, “Loud like love” and “A million little pieces”.

The album consists of ten songs, about half of them were originally written for a solo project that Brian wanted to do at that time.
”The record is called 'Loud like love' but it doesn’t have ten love songs on it: this is Placebo World so of course we’re going to explore the more dark recesses of emotion – obsession, jealousy, alienation, heartbreak, abandon – and even the absence of love and the effect that has on a human being”, he explained the album in an interview with The Music in September 2013.
In another interview Brian said that he sees “Loud like love” as a collection of ten short stories with a unifying theme that approaches the subject from ten different angles (Hunger, August 2013). Brian and Stefan both stated several times that they were very proud of the album and that they think it is their most honest and vulnerable release to date.

♫ LISTEN TO "LOUD LIKE LOVE ♫

01. Loud like love

02. Scene of the crime

03. Too many friends

04. Hold on to me

05. Rob the bank

06. A million little pieces

07. Exit wounds

08. Purify

09. Begin the end

10. Bosco

The Chinese version of the album swaps out “Rob the bank” with Pity party (of one)”. Pity party (of one).
The “Loud like love” limited edition includes a DVD with eight live versions of the songs.

BRIAN AND STEFAN ON “LOUD LIKE LOVE”

“It explores how love can be violent, brutal and disorientating, and how the absence of it can lead people to behave in quite extreme ways. It also deals with jealousy, obsession, heartbreak and how addiction can tear relationships apart. So, it’s an album about people and the way that they interact with each other – or fail to.“
(Brian, Hunger, August 8^th 2013)
”I’m really, really proud of how bare this record in terms of what it’s expressing

emotionally. We really let the listener into who we are, what our soul looks like, through these songs. We’re not hiding behind anything anymore.”
(Brian, Vanyaland, October 18^th 2013)

”There are a lot of emotions and colour in this record. It’s both emotional and exciting at the same time.”
(Stefan, The Straits Times, August 20^th 2013)

”When you think of the first song “Loud like love” being perhaps the first initial euphoric rushes of infatuation, and innocent discovery and youthful abandon, to “Scene of the Crime” being the first moment of transgression, to all the way through to the second-to-last song, which is “Begin The End,” which is the point in a relationship when you realize that you’re still in it, but you’ve passed the tipping point, that you know it’s over even though it’s not physically over yet. And then to “Bosco” which is kind of an apology and a search for redemption. I find that really interesting too, that it could be 10 songs about ten different relationships — and also the whole album could be seen as one, at different stages.”
(Brian, Vanyaland, October 18^th 2013)

"'Loud like love' is very eclectic and textured and layered. I think it's more varied and more adventurous. We took a lot more risks with this record. In terms of the emotions in the lyrics I think it's our most honest and vulnerable album to date.'' (Brian, Bangkok Post, August 18^th 2013)

”Equally, the title track ‘Loud like love’, was written at the same time as ‘Bosco’, and they became sort of the bookends for the album. ‘Loud Like love’ talks about the origins of love. I think that’s a very interesting concept because it’s an emotion we can’t touch but it’s so real and different for everyone. I relate to certain songs because of my own relationships and problems that I’ve had but I also see certain songs and I go “Jesus! Brian, have you been to that place? That’s a f*ckng dark place.” And he’s like “yeah haven’t you? ”No, not that dark.”
(Stefan, Hanger, September 4^th 2013)

Photo credits: Covers of album and singles/edit by me, Joseph Llanes (3)
Post by Silke