My muse and I – a quick introduction
I ’ ve been a fan all my life . From junior school on , music has been my biggest obsession . And my greatest inspiration . Interests came and went – for a while I liked Bros , then got into House Music and Euro Dance I the ‘ 90s - , but some bands and singers have been with me from the start . They provided the soundtrack to my life . Because of them , I met a lot of my dearest friends , saw some amazing concerts and travelled to some interesting places . The honour of having been so important to me goes to British band Pet Shop Boys and to Marc Almond , who some of you may know best as front man of Soft Cell . Tainted Love ? That ’ s your man ! To me , they are more than music . They are a way of life , part of who I am and who I aspire to be . As artists , they are amazing and have developed a keen sense of identity . They have become their own brand . Instantly recognizable . Unique . They exist in their own bubble , their own universe and yet each time you meet them in the form of a new song or album or the latest concert , there is something fresh , exciting and new . They always push the boundaries of what they are and do and of what pop can be . They taught me to keep an open mind , to find inspiration everywhere – in books , in songs , in everyday conversations , in nature , you name it . They also taught me that being an outsider is okay , that it gives you a unique perspective on life . In addition to that , they introduced me to different aspects of lgbt culture and knowing that they are part of the gay community had made coming out easier for me . I guess every fan has a picture of what their idols are like in their head . An image , which does not necessarily have much to do with the real person behind the pop star . With me , my idea of Marc Almond , of all the mystery and magic , despair , bleakness and joy of his songs , morphed into this character I now call Raoul Sinclair . He even talks his name from Marc ! Raoul because in the early ‘ 80s , Marc had formed a band called Marc & The Mambas . A bootleg recording of one of their concerts was released under the name Raoul & The Ruined . Sinclair because Marc ’ s real name is Mark Peter Sinclair Almond . There you have it . Music really is the muse ! Raoul just had to be a pop star . He wanted to be flamboyant and outrageous and camp as can be . He is fun to write because he became a complex character with many flaws . He had a dark side but he is passionate and loyal and fun . I love him dearly and I hope that any future readers will love him as well . Pet Shop Boys have inspired other characters , like Francis O ’ Neal and Jean Christopher , who of course are in a synth pop band called Synthetic Symphonies . I have yet to explore their mindset and their past but I ’ m looking forward to that . They already have a sense of who they are and of where their story will lead . My favourite music has influenced my writing a great deal and I know many artists who are as inspired by music as I am .
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