As long as I can remember I have been very keen on the image I present. Perhaps it was seeing Brian Ferry crooning away on Top of the Pops, caterpillar crawling across his upper lip, that set me on my way. Since then I've always admired the formal approach to menswear. People are often surprised to learn that I wear a tie at all times. Gardening being one of my passions, I like nothing more than to (monty) don my corduroy shirt and knitted tie and get stuck into the vegetable patch. Of, course it can get a bit chilly without the trousers, so these days I tend to include them too.
When I was younger I made some absolutely appalling fashion faux pas. I remember one particularly dreadful night at a Cradle of Filth gig when I wore my favourite tweed suit. Absolutely everyone was looking and pointing. It was only later that I realised I'd spent the whole night with one of my pocket flaps tucked in. The memory still makes me shudder... but I'm older and wiser now.
For the more formal occasions such as a night out hellraising with with my showbiz friends, I might 'loosen up' a little. In this case it's still the corduroys shirt and woollen tie, but I might undo the top button and match the whole combination with a pair of leather trousers. I always find that a pair of gumboots tops the ensemble off perfectly. I have to admit to stealing the latter idea from my good pal Lemmy, who's been complementing his 'rockers' uniform with a pair of white wellies for years.
Not many people know that Lemmy and I share a passion for musicals, so when we're not out hellraising we like nothing more than to catch the latest review in London's fashionable West End. After a night out with Lemmy you're ready for your bed, so it's into the old winceyettes, on with the woollen tie and off to the land of nod.