Velvet Goldmine Page #3

And I was out of a bleeding job.

And that, as they say, was that.

I would not hear another word from Brian -

...or any of them for that matter

- Ever again.

Have you got any idea what ultimately

happened to him? I mean, where is he today?

Last I heard hed returned

to Birmingham, but...

...this was three years ago? Four?

No, I'm sorry, I'm afraid

I can't help you there.

- Looks as though it may be unavoidable.

- What's that.

The ex, I'm afraid.

But then ever story needs

a contrary opinion...

...and with Mandy you're

guaranteed excesses of both.

- Miss Slade?

- Yeah?

Im Arthur Stuart, from the

Herald. We spoke on the phone.

Anyway, I've just got a few questions I

wanted to ask. It shouldn't take too long.

Do you mind if I sit down?

It's a free country. Sort of.

So, what are you having?

Scotch. Rocks.

Yeah, make that two.

Gee. You must be after

some damn exclusive copy.

Well, it's a piece on Brian Slade.

- What, sort of a memory jog kind of thing?

- Yeah.

Well it's been, ten years since

the whole... Fake shooting incident.

Oh, and what a fake it was. Tricking us all

in the end with such an authentic demise.

His career, you mean?

I mean, have you got any idea what

happened to him or where he is today?

Can't you just, run him through

the files? Punch in the name?

No, not exactly.

Because, honestly darling...

I haven't spoken with Mr Slade in...

...seven years. At least.

- Seven years? Wow.

- Wow. Yeah. At least. Smoke?

- No thanks.

No, right after everything

crashed, we... we split.

And Brian, he just...

...became someone else.

But again, he always was.

That's 10 bob to you, mate.

It was New Year's Eve 1969,

the start of a new decade...

...and everywhere you went there

was this sense of the future...

...the feeling in the air

that anything was possible.

See, Jack Fairy had also come to

London in the swinging sixties.

And in crowded clubs or hotel bars,

this shipwreck of the streets...

...rehearsed his future glory.

A cigarette tracing a ladder to the stars.

"Maricon, picne, sexe douteux"

(F*ggot, androgyne, sexless)

"Le Vice Anglais" (The English Vice)

I needn't mention how

essential dreaming is...

...to the character of the rock star.

Jack, darling!

Jack was truly the first of his kind. A

true original. Everybody stole from Jack.

But from the moment Brian Slade stepped into

our lives, nothing would ever be the same.

It was his nature.

Do you jive?

So... I married him.

Times, places, people...

They're all speeding up.

So to cope with this evolutionary paranoia...

...strange people are chosen...

...who, through their art, can

move progress more quickly.

It was the most stimulating and

reflective period of our marriage.

"Thank you and welcome, pop

pickers, to 'Pick of the Pops'."

"I'm Davy Rocket and we have a

very special show for you today... "

"dedicated to one of pop's

blazing new talents... "

"and one who's been holding a

virtual reign over the British...

...charts for a startling record

breaking 18-month span. "

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you

the incomparable Brian Slade. "

"Or should I say... Maxwell Demon. "

The bloke at the front.

Brian, why the make-up?

Why? Because rock and roll's a prostitute!

It should be tarted up! Performed!

The music is the mask, while I, in my

chiffon and taff, well, varda the message.

Brian, Brian!

Bloke in the suit there.

What about your fans? Aren't they

likely to get the... wrong impression?

- And which wrong impression is that?

- Well, that you're a blinking fruit!

Well thank you, sir, and no, it

doesn't concern me in the least.

I should think that if people were

to get that impression of me...

...the one to which you so eloquently refer...

...it would not be a wrong

impression in the slightest.

That is me, that's me dad, that's me!

I mean, everybody knows

most people are bisexual.

Any more questions?

Yeah, woman with the beret.

I was under the impression that you

were married and living North London...

I am married. Quite happily, in fact.

I just happen to like boys

as much as I like girls.

And seeing as my wife feels pretty

much the same about such things...

I should think we've been able to

make a fairly decent go of it so far.

Alright, any more questions?

Okay, thank you very much.

For the first time in Brian's life,

he was simply telling it like it was.

Did he realize what he'd actually done?

How could he have? I mean today,

there'd be fighting in the streets.

But in 1972... it was more like dancing.

A Star is Born

- And He Twinkles...

Gay stunt at Slade show...

All that glitters

- is gay!

That man, sitting over

there in the white suit...

...is the biggest thing to come out of

this country since sliced Beatles.

Outside this country, no

one knows who the hell he is.

You people, you're gonna change all that.

You guys, you're the

actors. It's up to you...

...to change Brian Slade, pop singer, into

Maxwell Demon, space-age f***ing superstar!

Nothing fantastic about it. Why?

Because the secret of becoming a star...

...is knowing how to behave like one.

- Hey kids, let's put on a show!

- Precisely.

Action!

Cut! Cut! Cut! Cut! Sort him out!

I know it's unprecedented, I

know it's unorthodox, but sir...

...if you want Brian Slade, those are the terms.

You may take them or leave them.

Yes?

- I'm Shannon Hazelbourne.

- Who?

- I rang up about the position.

- The what?

- Assistant Clerical Aid?

- Oh, the position. Fine. Brilliant. Follow me!

- Hurray! Zounds!

- Now, Shannon, I realize of course...

...your talents lie within the clerical art...

...but I was wondering, by chance if

you had any experience with wardrobe?

No, never.

- Fantastic. I think that's everything.

- No, I said I didn't.

Everybody! I'd like to introduce...

...you to our lovely new Wardrobe Mistress.

- Shannon.

- Shannon. Welcome Shannon!

Excellent! Yes, Mr Weinberg!

Thank you very much indeed, sir. Cheers!

- Extraordinary!

- What Jerry? What?

So tell me, Master Demon... Who

would you most fancy meeting...

...in America?

- Ah, bravo! Jerry! Garbo, Brian,

please! - Brando for me. -Einstein.

- Very sorry chickee. He's dead.

- Jerry said anyone.

Brian? Who?

Curt Wild. I want to meet Curt Wild.

And meet Curt Wild we did.

- Mr Wild? -Yeah? - I'm Rodney from

Electra. I have Brian Slade here...

...from England who just wanted

to pop over, say hello.

I just wanted to say...

I think your music is tops.

Really, smashing. Best of the lot.

Smashing... Top of... Jolly... Sh*t.

Sorry, darling.

Now at that time, Curt Wild was

between management and Brian knew this...

...of course, and urged Devine

to pursue the situation.

And so if, in that probability,

an interest arose...

...in which Brian would serve on some

projects, possibly, though not exclusively...

...as... we're taking our

lead from you here, Curt...

...possibly as producer on that project.

How might that scenario,

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