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issue 1 june 2004

quite heterosexual. but there have always been male pop stars whose appeal rests in part on their mulish asexuality. the sex pistols; john lydon was one, as was the walkers scott engel, joy division’s ian curtis, and, of course, morrissey. his sexuality is something about which anderson has been deliberately oblique in interviews. in a famous quote he claimed: “i see myself as a bisexual man who’s never had a homosexual experience.” he has – like morrissey before him – tended to flaunt his asexuality, leading critics to assume that this is nothing but a pose, and that underneath it all anderson is just another boring hetero.

even the comedians newman and baddiel felt compelled to comment. their recent shows at wembley included a suede spoof, with baddiel (the short, plump one) cavorting about on stage in an obscenely funny parody of anderson. “rock stars are always trying so hard to be sexually ambiguous,” baddiel said by way of introduction. “but one of them is just trying too hard.” the song commences: “hello sailor, whoops, cheeky, isn’t that what they say?”