That Gaby Roslin Podcast: Reasons To Be Joyful - Sharleen Spiteri

Episode Date: June 20, 2023

Gaby's back with a brand new series and to kick it off, she welcomes singer, songwriter and all-round legend Sharleen Spiteri to the studio They talk about Sharleen's incredible career, her obsession with socks, singing with Judi Dench after a few sherberts and why friends are so so important. Sharleen also harks back to the famous 'Paris Texas" incident, where the papers reported she had had a spat with Paris Hilton. It turns out if wasn't the papers she was worried about, but her Mum's reaction! As well as socks, Sharleen also loves outfits, and has kept loads of amazing clothes from the 80s and 90s. We touch on this, as well as being a parent, being a friend and being a rockstar all at the same time. Listen and subscribe from wherever you get your podcasts - and follow Gaby on instagram for photos, videos and more joy! @gabyroslin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to the brand new series of That Gabby Roslin podcast, Reasons to Be Joyful. If you're new to the podcast, a very warm welcome and thank you for listening. And if you've been listening since day one, well, it's great to have you back with us. We have some amazing guests lined up for you this season, including Rosie Jones, David Harewood, Mini Driver, Lenny Rush, Diane Morgan, Harriet Walter, Alfie Bow, Jake Shears, Victoria Smurfitt, Tom Chaplin, It's a party I really want to go to. I'd like to be there with all of them. I really hope you enjoy the series. Reasons to be joyful.

And somebody who brings me joy every single time I see her is the wonderful Charlene Spiteri. Yes, she's an international rock goddess. And she's brilliant. And she's funny. She's naughty. She says it as it is. And in this episode,

you'll be hearing some stories that you will have never heard. anywhere before she's very honest she's very open about being bullied as a child about certain things that happened as an adult yes that Paris Texas incident and listen out for a lovely story about Dame Judy Dench to Charlene Spatery yeah yeah when we sat down you said there's a story about at your grandma's house oh yeah because we were talking about people being famous like you know we're talking Michael Ballon you says you were at college

I was with Co- yeah I was and you said he did Sweeney Todd and you all went and everybody just went oh my God he's going to be famous as it's really funny how you can see that but I think that's probably why I'm still fighting with myself because when we were when we were growing up my grand used to have parties at the house

every second week and everybody had to used to have to go up and do a turn and everything and my cousin Carlin a couple of years older than me she used to go up and sing this song everybody would do the thing. She all used to sing this song

that was an old traditional song called I once a dear old mother and it's about this mother that dies and she watches over her daughter for heaven and everything and everything and everybody would be going oh my God like cry oh it's beautiful my cousin would be like absolutely milking it

and I'd be standing in the door and we'd be standing in the door we're going oh come on this is absolute rubbish this is the worst song I've ever heard oh my god like literally and just literally just itching to go on and then I'd literally go on and I'd go into like 10 guitars or Banks the Oh

Hi-ho or you know I'd literally sing one of these songs and I'd be like I had a bend and literally clear the room no yeah yeah literally the aunties would go get another wee drink and a wee cup of tea and they just literally clear the room and I think literally that's what happened to me so I think I've been scarred for life but all these years later surely they don't clear the room anymore most of them are dead but uh not through any wish of mine. Really? Like, I've never, I've never held a grudge in my life.

How old were you when this happened? I'd have been about seven or eight. Okay, you haven't forgotten it. Never forgot. We played the, um, the hydro in, uh, in Glasgow. This was, um, years ago, like, probably about, I don't know, 10, 10 years ago, whatever. And we were playing the hydro and we went on for the second encore. And it was, it was like the place.

The atmosphere was electric. And I don't know what came over me and I went on. I went, to all the aunties who went and got a drink and left me standing there and listening this on, you all wanted the guest list. I hope you're all enjoying yourselves now watching this. I mean, talk about, yeah, talk about bitter and twisted. But isn't it funny though, those things,

some of those things, never leave us? They never leave you. Plus, they're part of the things that, I guess, drive you. You know, I guess there is a drive that, like, I always say to my daughter I say to my daughter I says like there's going to be things that are going to happen in your life there's going to be really big disappoints

and there's going to be people that will speak to you in a way that you're thinking oh my God that is probably one of the most hurtful, horrible things I've ever heard I said but you know what I went you're either one of the people that like sinks with it or you're going to swim with it you're just either going to go do you know what fine that's what you think

that's not what I think and soldier on your swimmer is Misty Kida swimmer she's yeah I think she is I mean she holds it which is funny because I I always held it as well as a kid you know even as an adult as I think I'll be like oh my God I'll be like

God that was like a stab to the heart so you can hurt me but you'll not see it but I will be heart I'll really be hurt and I'll be like right okay let's let's do it even when we were signing our record company we had one of the heads of the

the Mercury Records at that point back in it was like 86 or something, 87 when we signed. And I remember he called me a dodgy boiler and I never forgot it. He called you a dodgy boiler? He called me a dodgy boiler and I never, ever forgot it.

I'm not surprised. I literally, I literally was like, he thought I didn't hear him but I heard him loud and clear. Did you say anything to him? I said to him years later. I waited for my moment when we'd sold a lot of records

and he'd still a dodgy boiler eh and he had no idea what I was talking about and I told him. and I could see that, oh, God. Yeah, and I thought, I'm just going to totally shame you. So you do hold onto things. It's funny. I really do hold on to stuff.

What's so interesting about you, and I've known you for a very long time, is that this podcast has reasons to be joyful, and you do spread joy, and you have, when you're on stage, I've seen you live, I've seen you at people's houses, I've seen you in, restaurant, whatever it is. And you do have this wonderful way of uplifting people, and your songs and people get completely immersed in your songs

but it's interesting that maybe you don't feel that joy but I do feel joy and I love to feel joy that's the whole thing is I think how you know what do you want to be do you want to be really saddened down or do you want to be

and you know and I know people go well that's easy to say in your position yeah it is easy it's a lot easier to say in my position but you've been through stuff yeah but everything you know everything like Life never started hearing me. I wasn't born as an international pop star, do you know what I mean? But I think that it's really important to kind of, okay, well, what can I get out of it?

What's the happy thing that I can get out of? How can I look at it to not feel the pain? Because I know I don't like feeling the pain. So that's what I don't like. I don't like that feeling. I don't like that feeling of down or sad or, you know, anxiety or, you know, I just don't like it. I was so badly bullied as a kid. And it was just a horrible...

By other kids as well. In school. And it was just like it was just a horrible time in my life. You know, the people go on them at school and I am like the worst person they talk to school because I'm like, those were the worst years of my life. I absolutely hate it. And you don't...

That's another thing that you don't get over. You're talking about the aunties safe doing those. I just, I think it's hurtful and horrible. But it's what kids can do to other kids. And it does stay with everybody I've spoken to. And interestingly, the amount of people that I speak to who are in the industry who were bullied

or were supremely shy and they come out on top. That's not saying that the bullies don't hurt. Bullies should stop. It's horrible. But it makes you what you are as well. It does, you know, it does to a certain degree because I know that if I see

someone, if I'm in a situation in a work situation or in a, you know, in a meeting or whatever, and I see someone getting bullied, I'll actually, I'm like, I'll actually I'll go back to being that 12, 14 year old. I literally bristle. And I cannot help getting involved.

Good. I'm a bit like... You're saving them from that hurt? No, it's not that. You know, I just think there was, there's always that thing where you know what it's like for someone to stand up for you. Or be on your side.

Did people stand up for you? No. Eventually, I mean, eventually it was... Eventually it kind of exploded into something that became, which was horrible. became like a physical fight. I mean, it was physical before that when they would like push me and grab

my hair and spit all me and everything and all that kind of thing. But it turned that just one day I just snapped. I just snapped and I literally, I snapped. I actually snapped out of fear. I was so scared that I was like, oh my God, oh my God. And I don't even remember

like, I mean, there's bits of it that you remember but I remember like two teachers pulling me off this girl and there's a whole gang of girls and and you know and then it became, then you become that because my sister's three years younger when my sister went to secondary school and she went oh yeah, psychospeteri, that's your sister then suddenly I get a name of being a cycle because you know I lost all control

and I actually ended up getting suspended with the girl from school and the teacher that you had to fight with Yeah, and the teachers were like, oh my God, you know, Charlene's so quiet. I mean, believe it not, I was very quiet at school. But, yeah, it was that whole thing, and my mom went to the school, and then it was all fine, and I was just left alone. And then I just could not wait to get out at school. You know, I literally was gone from school at 15.

Did you tell anybody that that was happening to you? Did you tell your mom? Did you tell the teachers? No, I just didn't. I didn't tell anybody. You don't, you just, you know, I think anybody that there'll be people that will hear this and maybe go, oh my God, I know exactly what you're talking about. You just don't, because there's that little bit of you think that it'll stop,

it'll go away, it'll eventually, you know, it'll eventually get bored or something. And eventually did stop, but it went on for about a year, just over a year. It's so cruel, and everybody always says, you know, it's not about, that wasn't about you, that was about them. Yeah, and at the time when you were a child, you don't get that. And that is, you know, that's what I was speaking to a friend yesterday. Like, I mean, a grown-up, one of my friends. and you know we were sitting having lunch and she was telling me somebody had said something

unbelievably like he'd got a bit drunk and just literally just started in this terrible rhetoric of just nastiness of this is your life's going to be like this forever because you're this kind of person and everything like so and she said she was absolutely blown away she was like oh my god oh my god and she realized that she she didn't you know she had to like clear out certain people in her life because they just weren't proper friends. And, you know, you don't, yeah, you just, you just quite get rid of toxic and horribleness in your life. You know, we all want to have a nice life.

Yeah, I'm happy digging holes in my garden. I'm like, that's my, that's my favourite thing. I'm just like, yeah, great. I'm performing, and writing. I do, yeah, I love all of that. You know, but for me, that's like, that's, is that work? That's not work. That comes with life.

I can't, I can't write. or do what I do it if I didn't actually have life. I couldn't literally be on the road, you know, every single day of my life. Or do I need to go and do the shopping or I need to go and, you know. Go to the gym. Go to the gym. Me going to a gym? You were coming out of a gym.

So this is years ago. Oh no, I must have been coming at a gym because I was probably buying something. Maybe you were swimming. Had you been swimming? Oh, I'd been swimming. I like swimming. And you had a hoodie on and you came out and you were coming to. down the escalators and I was going up yet this is years ago I was going up and exactly where we

were yeah and in the center yeah in a certain center on the big road and um and uh and you're going hi I went oh hi and we were both I was going into the gym you were coming out of the gym and you went how are you I'm at fine we were on the escalators I remember I remember getting to the top and every time I see you just make me smile you really do I completely adore you and I go to the top and this man behind me this is true This man behind me went, excuse me. And I went, yeah, he went, was that Charlene's Batari? You said hello to.

And I said, yes, he went, where had she been? And I went, she said she'd been for a swim. He went, oh, she swims. And he walked away. Oh, my God. No, but it was properly like, you, suddenly you were real to him. You weren't rock star, Charlene. You were a normal person who'd gone to the gym and had a swim and left with your hoodie on.

It's the most important thing in my life. I couldn't be a songwriter without normal. Normal, you're so right, it's so important. You're very on showbiz, though, aren't you? You're totally on showbiz. I mean, I'm really lucky. I get to do a lot of showbiz things. I meet a lot of showbiz people.

But it really doesn't matter to me. I mean, I think because it doesn't matter to me, that probably that's the reason that I'm still here. You know, I think it's the same as you. You're not really showbiz either. It's just a bit like, it's like, yeah, it's part of, a whole circle of people

that you get to know over many, many years and you're in rooms with them or you share a laugh with them or you're at dinner or something like that and then you get to know loads and loads of people and then there's that appreciation of what everybody does it's like we're all kind of in the same boat kind of doing a job

I mean I say a job very loosely but it's because it was never that was never what it was going to be when I still sometimes kind of go God, I can't really quite believe what I do. Oh, exactly. I completely get that. I was in Mussel Shoals last year making a record.

And we were with Spooner Oldham. Spooner Oldham is the keyboard player that was literally one of the original Swampers band from Fame Studios. Played on the first four of Reitha Franklin Records. I mean, if you watch the Ruth of Franklin story movie, like Spooner's in the movie. It's like this young little guy. because she thought she was coming in to play with all this. She'd heard this music getting made at Fame Studios. She thought it was a bunch of black guys.

Turns out there are a bunch of little skinny white guys. And she was like, what is going to? Who are these people? And that is part of the whole story because then, you know, she had a very controlling husband at that point who was like, you can't record with them. And she stood up and went, no, I'm going to bring them in New York and we're going to make this record because, you know, they're great players.

And it's a really interesting story. the interesting story is like there's the strength as a black woman you know one being a woman at that moment time two being a black woman at that time I mean Jesus I mean it's hard enough right now could you imagine back then of her no

this is my vision this is what I want and I'm going to stand up for what I believe in and I'm going to do it and you know in the abuse that she was taking on that point within a relationship it's an amazing I mean the story of Aretha Franklin is phenomenal so we went to make a record with

with Spooner and every day at one o'clock we had to stop and there was a show around the studio because it's all original. This studio is just phenomenal. Oh how incredible. It's all original gear, everything and you go into this place and the records that have been made in the studio are like insane and people

come in and it's tiny and they we all be sitting in the control of what is and we were literally like we were like being in the zoo we were all sitting there's and they were like there's real musicians and it just really re sort of lit that whole thing like God yeah we are real musicians

so we are so we are that's what we do yeah we make records for 11 that's what we... So the little you that was bullied thinking about and performing in front of the aunties who walked away that child must look at what's happened and you sitting there thinking... Because I'm still a child just going literally going like this

oh my God I cannot believe my luck this is what I gave up So is it luck? Does that really how you think of it? There's luck and there's a lot of hard work. Hard work. You know, it's like everything, as you know, it's like to, it's easy enough to make the first record

because you don't know anything and you're just kind of like, you just make it. Then after that, that's when the really hard work starts. You know, because then you're like, you know, it's like, well, why should you be relevant? Why should you still be allowed to make records? Why would people still want to listen to them? You know, have they not heard enough of you yet?

So there's a certain, there's got to be a really strong work ethic. A really strong work ethic. And you've got that with your downtime of doing the garden, as you've said. Yeah. Digging the holes. You know, I know I need to go to work. I need to go to work, need to pay the bills, need to do the, you know, look after the farm. Do you still love what you do though?

Absolutely adore it. I think I probably love it even more now because I get it. I like, you know, you just... You've just spoken my language. That's exactly that's what I said to somebody last night. Yeah, I get it. Exactly word for word. Yeah.

I literally get it. And I go, oh. Oh my God, yes. You know, it's funny. I say to people all the time, it's like, it was weird. You start out at the beginning, then you're like, I'm really punk, I'm a rebel, I'm this, and that. And you're not until you become old, and then you get older,

and then you go, yeah, I really know I'm a punk because I don't give a flying hoot of who. It's okay if you like me, I don't care if you don't like me. I'm like, fine, I'm all good. And that's when you really... What a great way to be? You know, then... That does come with age. It does come with age.

I mean, people will have been... going like yeah whatever because the thing is is the little bit of you when you're young you're going like that yeah I don't care if you don't like me but you go like me like me like me please like me but then you're going that I don't care there's just that thing that you have that contradiction that you have when you're young and the contradiction is really important as well when you're starting out

because contradiction is part of what is you're doing but then you start writing songs as you go older and then suddenly you just like spewing everything onto a page you're literally going yep take me this is this happened and yeah it wasn't good but or oh my God I am so happy and I'm happy to say I'm happy you know it's like there's just a million things

that you can say as you're older you can really show your emotions and show your feelings and show your gratitude in very different ways from how you do when you're young it's very interesting years ago when I was doing kids telly we'd ask you or anyone who was in a band you know the kids would call up and they say can you tell us your favourite song can you say it's your favourite colour

what do you like to eat and what's the song and every producer always used to say can you ask Charlene can you ask Gary can you ask Dusty Springfield whoever it was

what's the song about and actually which is the most hated question isn't it the worst question ever all songwriters just got and as a person we fight against that go please don't make me ask that we just hate it because

you know the whole thing is as a fan of music I want to dream in the song I want the song to be about me. I want the song to be about my life. I want the song to be about the people around about me. And that's what makes people connect with a song. Is they can see something in the song that's them, that's the situation that they've been in and a place they've been in.

You always say that if you were standing on stage, looking at an audience and you put little clouds above their heads and did a little picture of what they were, like, thought that was about at that moment. Every picture would be different. Why don't you do that? One of your gigs. Tell everyone to bring, actually, hand out.

do an intimate gig and hand out big clouds and give people big pens and see what they'd say. Yeah, that would actually be a really good video as well. But also they'd use their memories and you'd suddenly learn so much about them. Yeah, it's amazing because people come up to you and you go, oh my God, when I was didda-da-da.

You know, the thing as well is there's different ages that people hear the songs at. There's different points in their life. You have so many ages loving you, don't you? It's kind of insane. I mean, we're playing Glastonbury. and yeah we're playing glass marion and literally I know that we're going to walk out an audience

it's not our audience, it's young and most of them will be like oh yeah I think I know who they are but my youngest one who's 16 knows exactly who you are yeah but they'll hear songs and they'll go oh my god I never knew that was them oh that's them as well so I think because they were the four

five year old in the car on the school run when we were literally at a height there's no way they're going to not know it so then you go oh you know that's quite That is, you just don't slightly blown my mind by saying that. That people know you for your music but do that moment. Oh, that's who it is.

That must be mind-blowing for you as well. It's an amazing feeling because it's that point of, that's the really exciting thing because then you kind of go, yes, we just got. You know, that's the really exciting moment when you go, oh, great, maybe that person's going to go and, you know, check it a Texas record. You're hoping.

I mean, you are rock, female in rock, whatever you want to call it, but that's how a lot of people would perceive you. Yeah, I just go, I'm in a band. Okay, all right, but for a woman, a woman fronting it and being as strong as you do and the songs that, like you said, everybody knows, playing in the car, playing in a kitchen, wherever it was,

have there been struggles because you are a woman, do you think? Is it different? I mean, literally there was, I get asked and go, people say, oh, you know, things have changed so much. And I'm like, no, they haven't. They haven't then? No, they haven't changed. They're just better hidden.

You know, everybody's tick. Everyone's ticking the boxes. You know, I think we're living right now in a time where, you know, everybody's talking about this cancelled culture. You know, I have a 20-year-old daughter. And they talk about cancel culture and everything like that. But, you know, a lot of us a lie. A lot of it is, is, is.

just, you know, saying the right things and acting in a certain way. But they still have those bad thoughts, whether it's sexist, racist. There's so many prejudices. There's so many prejudices out there. There's a lot of prejudices out there and we're kidding on. They don't exist. And I'm like, well, why are we kidding on at this moment in time that there is? I mean, the great thing is there's a generation coming through that don't see any of this.

Yeah, they don't see. Hopefully the racism, the homophobia. Absolutely, they don't see it. And you just go, thank you. God. You go, thank God they just, you know, they're like, you say to them. Like, what are you talking about? I mean, they're oblivious to it. And you just go, yes. You're hoping that's going to be those generations now that we live in a world that, you know, there'll be cross cultures, you know, cross, you know, relationships, everything. It's like, you know, we live in a world where it should

be about, you know, it should be about supporting each other, loving each other and being kind to each other. And I know you think, oh, that's heppy-deppy shit. Not at all. But you just think, you know, how hard is it? You know, I will tell you right now for an absolute definite that a big reason as well why Texas are still, after 35 years still here in this, you know, yeah, we worked hard, yeah, we try and write great songs.

Sometimes we don't get it right. We try, that is the most important thing to us. But also the fact that, you know, when we have been, like right on the top that and down the bottom, you know, we've just always been the same. There's never been any different to us. You know, there's never been a different band. There's never been big shot.

There's never been arrogant. There's never been, I mean, yeah, you have a certain amount of arrogance to do what you do, but there's never been mean to people. And I've seen a lot of people talk, a lot of people talking to people in a way that is just not acceptable. And you just think, no.

I mean, everything good, thing that's like happened to us has been because there's been a relationship and a rapport built with someone and then suddenly you might be having a bit of depth and they go yeah but I like them so we're going to play their record or we're going to support them or we're going to get them on the show or whatever you know Chris was the perfect example of that

you know because when Chris was at Great Manchester Radio Chris Evans was yeah sorry so I'm just looking Chris well he is just Chris Ross yes just Chris does exactly you know he was he was just starting out at Great Manchester when our first record was out in 89 and I made him a cup of tea because I was standing up and I went

I'll make you a cup of tea and he was literally like what and you know I didn't know that he was going to go on it but you just think and it's not that you're doing it for those reasons it's just that be a human being yeah yeah be just be a nice human being be generous and kind to people

spread joy that's what they're not really it's not really it's not my mom said to me honestly God if my mom was still here if my mom caught me being rude to someone I would have got battered, you know. I know you're not even allowed to say that nowadays, but it's like, oh, my mum hated me. She honestly used to hate me ever. When I say somebody said this or something, she'd say, no, no, just you be polite.

You be polite. If they're like that to you, just be polite. Always be polite. It's really bad. I remember when I had that whole thing with Paris Hilton that was in the paper, the Paris, Texas thing, when I had a bit of a... It's every, I mean, it's ridiculous if you... It was funny.

I had to phone up my mum straight away. Did you? Yeah, I phoned my mum, because it was at... like my publicist phoned me up and says oh didda did it and and then he phoned me because I said no there was nothing and then he went I just just kept to say you can't find me or something like that and because he was like did you have a fight with a part of it last night I said none that was a bit of an argument which it was a bit of an argument because she stood my mate's quotes and I told her to get a grip and she had all these big bodyguards and I was

literally like listen love don't mess about here because seriously I'll take you down do you know what of those moments and it was and I cringe saying it as a mother I literally go oh my god that's so outrageous and and then my pub's funny he says the papers are running it and I like in the papers

come out and I was literally like oh my god my mum's going to kill me that was my first thought but I like that but then it was so funny because every taxi driver in London was like I need go show I was like oh my god you know that thing when you just take a toll beam where you're like thank you

I'm so sorry did your mum say? What did she say? My mum went, well, I mean, it's not very lady-like. It was her first thing. It's not very lady-like. I mean, come on, seriously, me? Me! I'm like, mum, do you know your own daughter? It's not very lady-like. If you heard my point

made, she's like, I know, but still I like to think of these lady. I'm like, okay. So yeah, you know, my mum was just like that. It's funny. I mean, your mum died more recently than mine, but they're still there in the back of my head on our shoulders. Are there your conscience? Yeah. You know, they just don't, they don't move.

It's like, you know. How did she feel about you and your success? And, you know, you are a worldwide. Oh, I could see the pride. Really? Yeah. You know, she was always like, it was just like a nod. You know what it's like when you look at your mom.

It's like they go, you know, it's just that moment of just literally. Yeah, I think there was, because my mom was a great singer. And, you know, she was just like, my mom had all these amazing dreams. and ideas. She was so creative and unbelievable and you know she was coming up at a moment in you know in life where you know you couldn't do the things that we can do now. You know I remember like I remember saying to my dad and I absolutely adored my dad and adored my dad. My dad just passed away a couple of them just two Christmases ago and um you know but my dad was literally like hardcore. It's like you won't do that. You can't

cut your hair. I was like, what century are you living in, man? But my mum made my sister and I the woman that we are because, you know, my dad would go away to sea and he was three months away, one one off. And I remember mum would always be like, make sure you've got your own money,

make sure you've got your own house, make sure you've got this, make sure. I mean, she was literally setting us up for complete survival. Good for her. It's women. And, you know, it was just always be independent.

You know, be with someone because you want to be. with them. Don't be with someone because you need to be with them. Are you like that with Misty? Totally. You know, it's like be with someone because you love them. It's like, do not go into a relationship

because it's like that's what you need. You know, I just like, that's a recipe for disaster. You know, and everybody go, yeah, but love will not put food in the table. But, yeah, but you can find a way around things to a certain degree when you do have that. Because when you're loved and you do love, it's like

it's probably the best thing you can have in your life, I would say. You and Bryn? He's a good man. You know, I'm very lucky that I've got someone that gets it. He understands the dream. He understands the desire to do what I do because he has the desire to do what he does. You know, I'll look at the pride and the skill

and the love that he puts in to everything he does and that. And it's weird because I find that really sexy. you know when someone loves what they do you go that's sexy you know it's like because I get that you know it was funny because a friend of mine and I've told this story before because it was quite it was over lockdown this happened

and it's when we just were allowed to start seeing each other and I went to my friends' house and two of my girlfriends were doing they do meditation I always have a bit of giggle at them like bloody meditating whatever you know and they were doing an online medication

with some guy in California and I was like in meditation I would look at me in slight phobia there that says it all this is what I really think so they were doing meditation and I was like they came back up and they were like oh my God I just feel so like cool and light and

and I went I could never do it and then what do you mean and I went I just don't have the capacity of sitting still for that I'm not a jumber I mean I'll sit and I'll sit and I'll sit and I love just sit and reading a book and being still and love being on my own as well. I really my own time. And

I just went, no, I just don't have the patience. And somebody's speaking. I'd be like, shut up. And my friend, which was really interesting to me, but you do meditate. And I went, I don't meditate. She went, you do, I've seen you on stage. And I went, what do you mean?

I went amongst thousands of people. And she went yeah, yeah, but when you, I've seen you sing and when you're in that moment, you're meditating. And I was like, then she said because the only thing that exists in that moment in time is you in the song and I was like

That's so true And I went wow What a different way of looking at it Exactly and I went Oh my God I understand meditation I was like that's what it is So if you are If you were like sowing something

Or you were doing pottery Or you were literally Being in the moment It's been in the moment It's literally been If you're setting a cup of tea going This is the best cup of tea I've ever drank

literally and it's just you and the cup of tea. That's it. That's what you're enjoying that complete moment. That's meditation. And you feel like that about when you're on stage? Well, I never, I didn't realize that that's what I did feel when I was on stage. I just was like, this is just the best thing in the world.

You know, because you're just in the song and you're just singing those words and you're like, there's all these pictures going through your head of what you're singing about and what that song is to you in that moment. you know I love singing also as well because I'm doing a physical thing because literally as I sing you know there's moments where I'm singing very very quiet and it's very intimate it's very like small

and then there's the moments where it just opens up and it's just like all this air and all this emotion and feelings just comes flooding out it's like but even when the voice is small there's so much emotion there at that moment in time because you're controlling the emotion as well there's times when I'm singing sometimes and I can feel like a big lump in my throat and it's not because I'm thinking about what I'm singing even though I am

but there's a moment where the audience and you are all in one moment because that is what a gig is a gig is not about us a gig is about everybody in that one space sharing this massive energy I literally sound like hippie today

no you don't you don't I sound like some no no no but I think think anybody who goes to your gigs will know that and will hope that and actually I want that from everybody, whatever I go and see, whether I'm going to live music or if I'm going to

musical theatre which is a passion. Even comedy, you're just like, comedy. Anything you just, it's just that moment where suddenly, you know that film when you go to comedy or something and suddenly you just like, everybody just loses it and just laughs together. But you're in that moment together. You're in that moment together and the energy is created

in the room. I mean, it's like you bat it out. Whoever's doing what it is they're doing. You bat it out and literally the audience decides which way they take it. I'm going to take you back a few years. I remember we were on a rooftop at a party in Kensington on a rooftop

and I had my producer from a TV show and we always tease Rob about this, a lovely guy and still very dear friend of ours and we were standing there and there were all these models and people and I remember standing there with Romney and then you were there suddenly, oh! Oh! Oh! Oh, thank you.

Thank God I know somebody. Oh, oh, hello. We were talking and Rob said, oh, what do you do? And you said, oh, I'm in music. And he said, oh, really? You know, have you made a success of it? And you went, yeah, no, we're sort of doing okay. And he said, oh, would I, you know, would I have know you?

And you went, um, yeah, uh, yeah. And then he looked at me and went, am I saying the wrong things? I'm like, no, it's completely fine. And he went, well, I've just done it over there to, Robert. De Niro's over there. And I just said, what do you do? He said, and you went, oh, I'm number one at the moment. And he went, oh, and I went, yeah, this is Charlene from Texas.

And he went, oh, and I remember him walking away. And he just came back and he was going to. But you think, Robert De Niro and Charlene's for Terry in one night. I just think, at least he's got a good story for dinner. But he does. He tells everybody. You know, it was in a movie, wasn't it? He did prefer you.

No, but he preferred you to Robert De Niro. I met Robert De Niro the night as well and I was well chuffed. Did you know, you knew who he was? Yeah, of course I knew who Robert De Niro was. There's not many people, I mean, I must admit, there's not many people that I've been so lucky to meet so many people through my life and through what I do. But literally it's like, you know, you just, I mean, a lot of people I mean,

I'm like, oh yeah, I really like. Robert De Niro, I'm like, I love De Niro. I mean, I just think, did you tell him. Did you have a conversation? No, I didn't. No, the only person I've ever literally like started going, was Kate Bush I literally lost it

Kate Bush was like I was like oh my God I love you so much I mean I literally turned the proper fan girl And I went What did she say? She didn't it I thank you so much

And that little Kate Bush voice That she has and she kind of went I just said you've been such an influence on me He's a songwriter and as a woman in music And she would have loved that I was literally like And it was really funny Because it was I mean

It was a that it was Elton John that introduced me to her. And then I was like, Shar, you know Kate, don't you? And I was like, and I thought it was another Kate. And I went, oh, ha. And I went, it was one of those moments. But yeah, I mean, it's literally like, that is, that is, that's the one person that I literally, literally went with.

I love that. But also you do, I mean, it's, you know, your best friends with the people, we're not going to name them because it's just, they're your friends. It's just they're in the industry. But there's a lovely clip I remember I was doing a radio show around Christmas on Radio 2 and we played out you with Judy Dench singing around the piano. That went completely viral, went completely mad. Judy Dench, I mean, she's just, she's woldy.

Judy Dench is one of the naughtiest people I've ever met. She's so naughty and just mischievous. I mean, if there was, you know, a picture to go alongside mischievous, I would put Dame Judy's face right next to it. She's one of the coolest people I've ever met. But we were a little bit tipsy. And we had no idea. You know, we were at this dinner.

And we came out and there was one of those automated pianos playing Waterloo by Ava. And she jumped on it. So I just jumped on it. I mean, I am literally singing. I'm like, you're like singing down here. I'm like, whoa, I was so drunk. And literally we were giggling away. And we had no idea that, you know, I mean, it was felt.

We didn't know that sometimes. was filled. Well, we did. We saw some people with phones, but we didn't really think anything of it because we were drunk. And then the next day we were at this lunch and I had my phone in my pocket and all that, the whole lunch was my phone and I thought, oh my God, it's my daughter, something's wrong.

So I looked at my phone under the table and there's just like messages. My friend was in Mexico City. She went, I'm in Mexico City watching you on the television. What's going on? And literally it had gone and I must admit there was that little bit of me went, oh, no you know oh my god people will be like going people everything's going on in the world and people will be thinking oh look at them

singing the heart and i was just i thought oh god this is horrible and then it was i think because it was people could tell it wasn't rehearsed but i went over to judy and i said to judy i went judy look let's make sure she went and she went good god if only we know would have rehearsed in that total dame judy voice it was literally it was the coolest thing ever but she is just I mean, she's a force of nature, that woman. She really is. She's very cool.

But so with you. So are you, you know, just accept it. I know you don't like a compliment. I think every time I try and compliment you, you blush and you put your head down. That's how I always think of you, Joe. Oh, my God. I mean, seriously, me put my head down. You do, you're like, no, no, no, don't, no.

What makes you properly laugh? My daughter's dancing. Oh, she's going to be really pleased that you said that is. She is, Misty? No, because, honestly to God, right. So we watched that movie. the other night. Literally, like,

we put on, we says, well, let's watch something scary. Missy Ben, right, everybody's talking about AI. We'll watch that Megan movie. And it's like this AI doll. Is it terrifying? No, it's not terrifying. But it's like freaky.

It's proper freaky, right? And literally, we put it on her, and she does this before she kills people. She does this mental dance. She does this mental dance. Like, you look this. And my daughter can do the dance to a tea. And every time she gets up

and she literally starts doing this. the dance, she keeps going like this. I lose it, I literally lose it because she does she's like Betty Spaghetti doing the dance and I just can't stop laughing. And she also does she also does a whole thing to the news. She does a dance to the do to the

news. Yeah she does a dance to the news to the do do do do do do she does stupid dancing which amuses me no end. See I love, the amount of people that say that they're kids are the people or the person that brings them joy

it makes them laugh. And that is, isn't that the best thing? I'll be honest, there's times when I really want to kill her. I mean, there's your daughter. I mean, there's points where I literally go, like yesterday, I could have killed her. What did she do? Are we allowed to ask?

Yeah, no, I literally opened a cupboard. This is the God's honest truth. I opened a cupboard. I am so OCD, right? I mean, proper, like, I have clothes from, like, in the 80s that are perfect, literally kind of fit in the men, but they're perfect.

bang on all the stuff all the text of stuff neat in colors neat in rows hung perfectly looked after

you know there's like pieces that are like really important pieces within fashion that I have like you know all the collections

and stuff like bang bang the stuff that was given over the years there's everything right and I literally opened the cupboard and my good

some of my good clothes were literally lying in the ball on the floor in the cupboard and I lost it. I wouldn't want to be missing at that moment.

I literally went, what? Who are you? I mean, I literally... You turned into a mother? You turned into a mum? I mean, I literally... Yeah, because I always say it my daughter. I don't worry but your friend.

I'm your mum. Yeah, I will literally... That's what my mum is precisely. Yeah, I'm... No, but my... No, don't butt mum me. I literally, I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you now.

Had she warned them? We've just tried them on. She was trying them on. She was trying them on. She was trying to figure out. She was, but I was in a hurry. I went, I don't give her. Who, what you were trying to do? You don't live in this house.

No messing with Shirley. And I did, I said to her, I said, if you can't respect my staff, then it means you don't respect me. You're reading off the mum's scripts? I'm on the mum's script. And it's funny because when my daughter, between 14 and 16,

I hated my daughter. I literally hated her for two years. I couldn't stand her. Teenage girls. And I was like, I don't, I've done something really wrong here. I mean, she was horrible. She knows I say it.

And literally, I phone. I thought my mum and I went seriously I mean I was never like that my mum went really like are you joking I said mum seriously I'm thinking I put a pillow over her face in the night my mum went I thought I doing that with you quite a few times and I was like really

did you really think and I would literally look at mum I'm going you really consider putting a pillow over my face and I had literally just said about my daughter and thought nothing of it I was literally I'm going to put a pillow on her face and kill her in the night she's horrible she's just disgusting

Ostingly horrible. Now she's 20, she's back again. Literally 16. She hit 16 and suddenly it was like a switch. She went, bing, and I went, where have you been? Where have you been for two years? Where have you been?

But she's really messy. Really doesn't mind nothing. She's so messy. I went, you know if you're like this, you'll not be organised in life. You can't hit, you just do, I literally go like, because I can't deal with. I'm just going to really.

Mind Misty that you are reading off the mum script, you're keeping completely, exactly, going from 8 to Z. I'm the woman that has packing cubes, seriously? What's a packing cube? You don't know what pang cubes are? The little nylon bags that go inside your suitcase, so like you have all your under ear, wearing one. You don't just chuck it all in? Not a chance. Oh, we can't be going on holiday together then.

I don't chuck it in. I fold. I don't roll. You know I have as well. I have like packing tubes that are permanently like. kept packed that I know. Yeah, like, so basically that's my tour socks, that's my tour this, that's my this.

Toil socks. You have special socks for your tall? Yeah, for more on stage socks, more on stage socks. What's the difference between a normal, a day... I love socks. I got to tell you. What's you actually wearing now? At the moment, I'm wearing just nice, long blue ones. But things like that is like, I can't have a short sock because I know that since I sit there, my trousers are going to rise up,

so my sock has to come up my knee. See, no, I'm training, I go train a sock. I don't want socks showing. I can't have a sock showing. Oh no, and I'll have stripy socks. I've got hundreds of stripy socks. But then my daughter started stealing my socks. She's taking your socks as well. This was another one.

She started seeing one. And I said, I'd leave her quick. I said, you and your big claw feet. I was like, I've had that. I said to her, I've had those socks for 30 years. I'm from hell. Yeah. I've had those socks for 30 years and you've just put a hole through the toe.

And she went, you have not had those socks for 30 years. I have had those socks for 30 years. I mean, it's great for the environment. I'm delighted that you do that. You've had socks for 30 years without going through the big toe. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I don't have big claw toes. Don't have long toe nails.

I can't do that. Paris Hilton? I'm like, no, no, no. Put holes through my socks. And they were one of my favourite ones. They were a striped sock, which I was really, and they had an anchor on the top. I was gutted shit.

And I bought them in France. I knew exactly where I bought them. I was so upset. Oh my God. God, you are just, like I said, you're complete and not a joy. So you've got the very best of album out as well. Yeah, yeah. Does that mean the next, because your last best of was 20 years ago?

Yeah, I mean, this is 89 to 20, 23. Okay, so the next one, right? Oh, no, I'll be dead for the next one. No, you will not. Oh my God, I will. Come on. The ultimate best of ever, ever. Yeah. It's got two new songs on it as well.

So there's two new songs that were, that are on this album. But I just thought it'd been a minute since we'd put out the greatest hits. and then they were in there's over 20 years and I went, really? So yeah, I was a bit shocked at that for one. But again, this is the whole thing we're playing to like this new audience with like glass me and everything.

You're like, well, do we make a new wreck? You know, I must admit, I hate when people do festivals or do like a big event on television like the Olympics or something and then they're going and they play their new songs and you're a bit like, no, I have to say yet, but you want one or two new ones. You want the old stuff.

You want one new one and then, like it depends if they get three songs. If you get three songs, do you want a new one? No. Especially festivals. I mean, if it's a big hit at that point, yeah, then do it. But not if we don't know it. Yeah.

And it's coming out. Like, don't do it. Like, stop. Like, calm your ego down. Don't do the new song. Shut up. Get your socks on. Get your socks on.

Charlotties Bitteri, you are joyful. Thank you, my lovely. Thank you for having me. Thank you for listening to Reasons to Be Joyful. We would love it if you'd leave a comment. I mean, please make it nice because we really like those ones best. And subscribe and follow two reasons to be joyful. Coming up on the next episode, the most wonderful Rosie Jones.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.