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Idle Hands 26 DNA OUR STRAIGHT MATES With Matthew Myers What’s the campest thing in your house? The Whitlams front man Tim Freedman on ABBA, gay marriage Hmm… on my corkboard I have a polaroid and, of course, our former prime minister. of Peter Allen performing at Tweed Heads. The stage manager up there gave DNA: How did the concept for your new cover – that is hot. But I also love Shirley it to me when I commented that I’d seen solo album, Australian Idle come about? Bassey and Cleo Laine. These days I see Peter perform in the same room. Is that Tim: The musical aesthetic came from ’70’s Meow Meow whenever she plays Sydney. camp? I’m ashamed to say my place is pop, from Elton John to Gilbert O’Sullivan I love her, she’s like a cross between Liza like a university student’s etch pad. There to Cat Stevens. The title comes from Minnelli and Dame Edna Everage. are lovely little girly spaces, such as my my life as an Eastern suburbs housewife Were you a fan of Amy Winehouse? daughter’s bedroom, but my space hasn’t over the past few years, where it’s been I liked Back In Black, with Rehab and really developed. I’m afraid I don’t have a lunching with friends, a little charity work all, but I didn’t follow the soap opera great eye for interior design. and picking up the kid from school. And surrounding her. I find drug abuse a bit You once did a beautiful rendition of who doesn’t love a pun? of a bore. I don’t think she was really Tenterfield Saddler. Has Peter Allen been The front cover has a Rolling Stones, doing anything different to the soul divas an influence on your music? Made In The Shade feel to it. of 30 or 40 years ago. She was very I suppose he has a bit, but I mainly admire I didn’t have that actual album, it’s one talented, but to be honest I don’t think his attitude to showbiz and his tenacity. I gap in my Stones collection. But the she was doing anything new. I mean, if loved his life and his chutzpah. I’ve seen art direction for that came from The you’re brought up on Bassey and Eartha The Boy From Oz with Todd in Sydney Graduate, where young Dustin Hoffman Kitt then Amy Winehouse wouldn’t have and with Hugh in New York and even in escapes from conventional life into the that much of an effect. But I can imagine Chatswood last year. It’s an inspiring story, pool, which is what I try and do most 15-year-olds hearing her and being blown but it was always a bit sad when you saw days. I watched the movie a couple of away. It was a wonderful career and a sad the real thing, though. I think he was sort months ago and it’s dated really well. I ending. She just wasn’t phenomenal in my of rougher than Todd and Hugh. In a way, love that scene, but I love pools anyway. It eyes. he was a bit more black stump. I sang fitted the album title and it all looks so un- Kate Bush is a gay man’s diva outside of Tenterfield Saddler on centre court before indie, so it worked for me on a few levels. the square. Are you into her? an Australian Open tennis final. It was The song Old Man seems to have a Boz Kate Bush in the tank top around the before the whole Boy From Oz thing. I was Scaggs cum Fleetwood Mac flavour. Babooshka era – I had that poster on never pulled up on it, but I changed the Wow, that’s great. I loved the big Boz the back door of my loo in the ’80s. Tori words in the outro to, “Give her a traveller Scaggs record Silk Degrees, when I was Amos also made my heart flutter for a or you’ll never see the end of her.” In New a teenager and I was actually thinking of long time, but Kate Bush with red hair – it Orleans and Melbourne you could take doing a song from it in my show. I was doesn’t get any better for me. In one of a drink from pub to pub, but Sydney has never into Fleetwood Mac much, but I my bands I used to do a version of The never been that civilised. My favourite of suppose they are one band that can get Man With The Child In His Eyes. I was Peter’s songs is Don’t Cry Out Loud. into you through the radio. The song did surprised once when I walked into a party There is a lovely photo of your daughter meeting Gough Whitlam. That must have been an awesome moment for you… “ I know some bad straight parents and some Indeed. Every moment with The Leader is cherished. great gay parents. When you’ve had that When you first formed The Whitlams, what about the former prime minister experience with people, it’s a no-brainer.” resonated so much with you? Whitlam, kangaroos, meat pies and Holden remind me of My Best Friend by Queen and Paul Capsis was doing a lovely version cars! Remember the jingle? It was the as I was writing it, but I thought I’d of it, too. I’ve got about three or four of nostalgia, I think, mixed with the sheer continue even though it was obvious, so Kate’s albums, including Ariel, and I have class of he and Margaret. I used to go and I changed the guitar to piano. It’s a bit of a few of Tori’s, too. She’s in the same have lunch in his office a couple of times a Freddie Mercury! ballpark and very clever. year, but I haven’t been for about a year. I And the song Girlfriend Heaven has a On the new album there is a song Peter had afternoon tea with Margaret about six Paul McCartney flavour. Brown, The Whitlams’ astrologer, who is months ago. Margaret is wonderful. I took Oh, even better! I’m too close to it to gay. Can you shed light on his story? her to a few concerts a few years back. She notice that, but I’ve doodled with his Peter is an eccentric friend of mine and a needs young gentleman to step out with. songs on the piano for decades. I hope very brave misfit. In that song I took him Gay marriage. Are you for it? it reminds everyone else of him, too! I home to sleep in my spare room after Of course. I think there should not only might sell a few more. I met him on Gilligan’s Island, or as the be gay marriage, but gay breeding. But Is there any one band or singer that sits professional drinkers like to call it, Taylor seriously, it’s inevitable that it will happen as your favourite? Square Proper. When I woke up he had one day. Look, I know some really bad Randy Newman is the one that speaks to made a daisy chain and was skipping straight parents and I know some really me the strongest, and Daylight is second. up and down the lounge room to Billie great gay parents. When you’ve had that There’s no doubting that ABBA were the Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. experience with people, it’s a no-brainer. biggest pop sensation of the ’70s. Do you have many close gay mates? Are you into designer underwear, plain Were you into them? Yeah, half my mates are gay and, especially jocks or pure freeballing? Yes, I had Arrival. I have to say I preferred now that The Newtown has closed, there Ha! That depends on what time of the the brunette to the blonde. But I was also are some lovely fellows who drink at my washing cycle it is. When you think about wise enough in primary school to laugh local. They’re great and we bet on the it, undies are the opposite of wine, where when The Sun newspaper had a vote on horses together. the lower your cellar gets, the better the who were better – ABBA or The Beatles. How is your gaydar? wine you open. I’m determined to write Who is Tim Freedman’s diva? My record label a few years back had just a song about that one day, I just haven’t I grew up with my dad’s record collection two artists signed – iota and Paul Capsis. gotten around to it. and he had 15 Streisand albums. I liked Someone recently told me that they are Australian Idle is out now. For more on Tim Freedman visit the one where she is Supergirl on the both gay. Who would have thought? timfreedman.com DNA 27.

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