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Camilla Pia meets Topshop rebel and new friend of Kate Moss, Beth Ditto of The Gossip, and finds the woman of the moment at ease with her contradictions
t’s hard to know what to make of The (iossip
phenomenon. One minute the Arkansas trio‘s
feisty frontwormin Beth Ditto claims she’s a punk. and the next her band is signing with a major record label . . . then news spreads that they have refused to play in Topshop because of the store's small clothing si/e policy. and this is followed by photos of Ditto and new best mate/symbol of skinny Kate Moss splashed all over the press. Over the years I‘ve bumped into Ms Ditto on numerous occasions: at gigs. festivals and get-togethers organised by mutual friends. but
sudden fame can change even the sweetest of
people. and I can‘t help but worry that we‘ll be confronted with a media-savvy. spin merchant when we are granted an hour with modern pop‘s most interesting role model and controversial cover star in a swanky London hotel.
As we enter the reception area Ditto isn’t difficult to spot. looking every bit the glamour—
20 THE LIST 21 Jun» 1') Jul 200/
puss in one of her trademark outlandish outfits and surrounded by a gaggle of squealing teenage girls snapping away at her with their mobile phones. We also spy two Sugabahes moodily strutting around but rather amusineg no one seems the slightest bit interested in them.
Ten minutes later and The (iossip‘s vocalist is immaculately made—up but dressed down in black T—shirt and jeans and giving us friendly hugs as we enter a beautifully decorated hotel room. littered with maga/ines. clothes and equipment. Bassist/guitarist Brace Paine is also skulking around inside. throwing in the odd quip and trying on different pairs of sunglasses but drummer llannah Blilie is nowhere to be seen: we are informed that she is still not back from a heavy session the night before. It‘s 6pm.
‘We‘re just about to order room service. y'all want something." asks l)itto. Warm. chatty and quick-witted with a captivating southern drawl.
it‘s hard not to be charmed by The (iossip‘s most tabloid-worthy member. ‘We‘re having fun at the moment but I‘m misunderstood a lot.’ she says. ‘Things I say are taken out of context and occasionally it all gets really overwhelming. I mean we’re playing venues that hold more people than my hometown. I'm just trying to find my place in it all.‘
So what of the old school devotees now doubting the band‘s ethics since third studio album Standing in l , . . ‘ I the lluy of Control. and in particular its title track. went supernova‘.’ ‘l A understand that you feel betrayed when a band you like gets bigger but I can't worry about that. If the people who liked us before don‘t like us now then it’s just OF ME, time to move on. To be honest I expect more from the underground than I do from the mainstream] she adds. ‘The mainstream has a lot more to learn and if by hearing about our band from the TV programme Skins some kids get into the underground and the band Bikini Kill then that’s a good thing and people should realise that.‘ liame has evidently not gone to her head and she stresses. ‘My friends are the same ones I‘ve had since I was 14. I am really good at keeping a sensible head and accepting that things are moving in a different direction and then dealing with the consequences of that. I‘ve been doing this for eight years and I‘m ready for a change. Punk can be so self-hating. To me the epitome of selling out is not about being paid or being on the cover of a magazine. it‘s about changing yourself to please someone else. doing things you don’t want to do and not being true to yourself and I will never do that.‘
And you can‘t help but believe her. Her behaviour appears inconsistent at times but then that could be said of most twenty-somethings. If the contradictions provoke discussion about her ‘fat feminist queer punk‘ agenda and challenge public and media perceptions of ‘acceptable appearance then her job is done. And for every ignorant derogatory comment about her size. there is someone inspired by Ditto's strong messages about positive body image.‘l feel honoured that some people consider me as a role model.’ she pun‘s. ‘l‘ve had people accuse me of hating thin but ljust want to give the impression of loving your body whatever size you are. At our first London show I ripped the Nil/i to shreds for being mean about Manda from Bis‘ weight and that has changed now which is really good.‘
With a whole host of achievements under her belt. you might assume that l)itto would be close to running out of goals . . . but you‘d be wrong. ‘I don‘t feel ready to make a new record yet but we really want to work with 'l‘imbaland on the next one.‘ she explains. 'And for The (iossip in general I want longevity. I want to be like Sonic Youth and to be what Nirvana could have been. As for me personally ljust want to buy my mum a house and have men doing drag of me. ls that too much to ask'.”
The Gossip play the Radio 1/NME Stage on Sunday 8 Jul