Interview | Erasure’s Andy Bell talks new solo album and stage show ‘Torsten The Beautiful Libertine’
By Will Stroude
Erasure’s Andy Bell is back with a brand new solo record Torsten The Beautiful Libertine, following up 2014’s concept album Torsten The Bareback Saint with another collection of nostalgia-filled tracks inspired by the age-defying, polysexual character’s life and an accompanying stage show at the Above the Stage Theatre in London next month.
After successfully translating The Bareback Saint into a one-man stage show in Edinburgh, Andy’s has taken things up a notch for the record’s theatrical incarnation this time around, with Peter Straker and Lana Pillay starring alongside the 51-year-old in a fully-realised play written by Barney Ashton and featuring music from the last two records.
With lead single ‘My Precious One’ – which we unveiled exclusively on attitude.co.uk yesterday (Feb 17) – now out and rehearsals about to get underway, we caught up with Andy to find out what’s in store for audiences, not to mention Torsten himself, this time around, and in the process discuss everything to nights out at Heaven with Boy George and Marilyn, today’s changing gay landscape, and how whether the stigma surrounding HIV has made any headway since his own public disclosure in 1998.
Was it always the plan to make this an ongoing series of concept albums? Because the first one could have easily stood alone.
Yeah it was. It’s suposed to be a trilogy, so this is only part two. I think the first album was a bit more disjointed, and there wasn’t so much of a story. but the second gives you much more of the background into Torsten and the things he’s done, the places he’s been, and in that way it’s slightly more nostalgic. Part one was really just checking out the Edinburgh festival and seeing how that went. That was just singing though, there was no dialogue in that one.
As you say, the show that accompanied the last record was much simpler, it was a one-man show. What can we expect this time round now it’s on a bigger scale?
Well it’s a black comedy but it’s also an insight into these peoples’ live, of what’s happened to them. It’s kind of one of those kitchen sink dramas, really. It’s gutter humour, and the songs are quite tricky. It’s quite optimistic in the end but I think the songs are quite disdainful; they’re quite bitter really. But I think the material’s great and I’m loving it.
Was it difficult to translate the songs from the album to show, and relinquish some of your control over them in a sense?
I wouldn’t say difficult because we all wanted the best for the show, and you have to have trust with those people. I just think it’s turning out really well, and obviously there’s going to be first night nerves, but starting a whole show from scratch has been a really great learning curve, and it’s something I’d love to keep doing in the future. Erasure’s one thing on its own, and I suppose when you’re in a band like that it becomes a bit like riding a bicycle. Creating a character, the words and songs, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, it’s just been having the right vehicle. The hardest thing in this was learning the lines! When it comes to the singing, it’s almost like a break from the spoken word, I’m much more relaxed with the songs! We’ve got a few songs from the first album and some from the second album, so there’s quite a mix of material.
How would you describe Torsten’s place in the LGBT world – and the musical world – for people who aren’t aware. What would you say are the album’s central themes?
It’s a tricky one one, that one. I think it’s more to do with being a survivalist, and being part of a gay scene for so long – and my experience isn’t that different to anybody else’s – going through so much; whether it’s losing a partner, finding love again, living through the AIDS crisis. When we were very young and naive and first coming out on the scene, it was so easy to get swallowed up by the whole thing, and I think that as you get older you outgrow it a bit. I think it’s about really finding your own way, and not taking negativity from other people.
Looking back, was there a particular moment when you personally felt like you become separate from the community?
Well right in the very beginning, before I was even in the band, when I moved to London in about 1983, I was going out to Heaven every week and just being a really shy person and sitting in the corner – I probably went for a year before I’d talk to anybody! But I’d see all these people around like Boy George and Marilyn, and Kenny Everett, and just thinking ‘wow’. And as I went on and the pop career took off, I was travelling around the world and in that way I was kind of included in gay culture and my confidence built up slowly. But obviously then when I came out as HIV-positive in 1998, I tended to shy away from the world. I didn’t feel like going out and being a part of it. And even though my confidence has built up slowly again, now it seems like the gay scene has changed so much, that I just enjoy going to the pub for a drink, gay bar or not. I think it’s something that comes with age – when you’re not hunting around on the scene anymore!
The whole Torsten series is filled with nostalgia for that kind of gay scene from 30 years ago. What would you say the main difference is between gay culture now and the time you’re kind of addressing in this music
Well in the early days when I was coming out, and people like Frankie Goes to Hollywood were out, there was this sense of euphoria that was going on. Of course something like that can’t last forever, but there was this huge gay wave at the time, and I felt very honoured to be in the company of people like Jimmy Somerville, going on marches and things. But all these old places we used to go to, before you know it they’ve disappeared. I think you only really get that sense of community at somewhere like the Royal Vauxhall Tavern now. But I don’t know, maybe I’m just not part of it!
As you said, you publicly disclosed your own HIV status back in 1998, and obviously there was a huge media furore over Charlie Sheen’s announcement last year. How far do you think we’ve really come in the two decades between your announcement and his?
Well I think the gutter press are always going to have a pop, any chance they get. It’s almost like they keep their heads under the parapet and as soon as they get a chance where they think they can take shots they pop up again all of a sudden. It’s like they keep quiet for a while just because they know they can’t stir the shit like they used to, but as soon as they see a chance they’re going to go for the jugular. They always see how much they can push. I’m glad I don’t have a huge profile, because I’d hate to have to walk down the street everyday and have to face the fact that everybody knows. I know people aren’t as concerned about it anymore but it’s a very personal thing, especially when you’re reminded of it.
Did seeing all that press cast your mind back to that time in your life?
I don’t know, it was kind of a strange thing. I don’t think I was whoring around, but even saying that is sort of an admission of guilt, isn’t it? It’s implying you have to be a whore to get HIV, and that’s not the truth. There’s still that stigma that’s attached to it. Really, it’s only having sex, and that can happen to anyone. When you first find out, it’s not that you feel dirty, but because it doesn’t have a cure you do feel like you’ve been tainted by something. I know it’s not the worst disease you can have, but it’s something that’s always at the back of your mind. You try and push it away but it’s always there, niggling away.
As a final note, you say that the Torsten series is going to be a trilogy: has your mind turned to the next instalment yet?
Well Barney just mentioned an idea to me today, which sounded really interesting, about reality television and the way stars are created – but I suppose I can’t tell you anything about it yet!
‘Torsten The Beautiful Libertine’ is at the Above The Stag Theatre in London from March 2-27. For more details visit abovethestag.com. The album is out March 4 and can be pre-ordered from cherryred.co.uk.
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