Musician

I've always relied on a big producer and big studios. I had budgets that were ridiculous.

For someone who doesn't live there, when I go back to Scotland it's very weird for me.

Actually, it doesn't matter to the papers why you left Glasgow. They never look at the roots of the problems you had, and you simply end up being painted as un-nationalistic.

I discovered later in life that there's not that many men with a counter-tenor vocal ability.

Actually, have you ever heard Sylvester's live version of 'Mighty Real' that was recorded in San Francisco? If I listen to that, I never fail to get goose bumps all over. I go crazy. That song just makes me so emotional.

I think there's a lot of honesty in that track. 'Smalltown Boy' was about leaving Glasgow but it was also about the people I had come to meet on my journey, especially when I was squatting in London.

I was painfully self-obsessed and self-aware. I wanted people to love me but at the same time I was terrified of them.

I believe now that love is letting people in. Love is bigger than all of us.

When disco came around the first time, there was this real core of progressive thinking and a positive lyrical content - about freedom, the possibilities of love, change and expression.

I discovered later in life that there's not that many men with a counter-tenor vocal ability.

I've always been making music, but I sort of went under the radar. I kind of disappeared... I was never really that comfortable with the music industry. I loved the idea of being able to express myself creatively - but the rest of it never really sat well with me.

I think there's a lot of honesty in that track. 'Smalltown Boy' was about leaving Glasgow but it was also about the people I had come to meet on my journey, especially when I was squatting in London.

So many people have to struggle for years, very few bands get success with their first record, but I was instantly successful and famous on a very large scale, which was scary.

I went to squat with a bunch of friends - creative, intelligent, political people. We got involved in a community project funded by the Arts Council and we made this video. I sang a poem and somebody, I think it was Richard Coles, who was later my partner in the Communards, said I had a very strange sound and I should use it.

I've never liked bosses telling me what to do.

I definitely didn't have a happy childhood.

I've always relied on a big producer and big studios. I had budgets that were ridiculous.

People like Duran Duran were a big production but it was a nothingness. That's just my personal opinion.

I was painfully self-obsessed and self-aware. I wanted people to love me but at the same time I was terrified of them.

Now that I'm older, I understand that it's up to the individual to decide who they are or what they are.