the Think Tank: Belinda Carlisle

"I wasn't, it was not me, but I was there. It was Charlotte (Caffey, guitarist) who was kicked out. It was in Rio De Jeneiro and she'd had too much of everything and she got thrown out for being obnoxious [laughs]. More obnoxious than Ozzy Osborne."

• You got press criticism for the heinous crime of putting on a bit weight...

"In the Go-Go's people would always describe me as the 'cute, chubby one' and that really fucked up my head. I'd never really had a problem with myself or my weight but other people made it an issue. I've been through the whole eating disorder thing, but I think with getting older and having more responsibilities, a child and so on, just makes it less of a thing."

• How did last year's brutally-cropped haircut go down with the fickle pop audience?

"A lot of people didn't like it..."

• Isn't there a psychological thing where you chop off your hair when you're going through trauma?

"I absolutely was going through a lot of trauma at that point in my life. I split from my record company, I decided to move from LA to France and I cut my hair. It's weird, I can't really explain it, but there was more to it than just cutting the hair, absolutely."

• Didn't you have some stalkers in Britain?

"I've always had stalkers. In the states too, there are certain people I have to watch out for. In LA I felt very threatened by some of the letters. I had to have a bodyguard for a while, which is really weird for me because I'm not that famous. It's a drag, but it comes with the territory. There's always one nutter."

• What's the single most unpleasant thing you've ever done to another human being?

"I'm not going to go into details, but I did steal drugs from somebody once. Hard drugs. It was just desperate, druggy behaviour. It was disgusting actually. Even though it was 15 years ago I'm still very ashamed of it. I was desperate, I ran out of drugs, what can I say? [laughs] I used to shoplift. My attitude was it was OK to steal from stores and big companies but it was never cool to steal from people as individuals."

• What's your favourite soft drink?

"Coca-Cola. Or Yoo-Hoo, a weird hillbilly chocolate soda drink from the south. It's disgusting, absolute sugar rush for a few hours, than you crash."

• And your favourite period in history?

"Hollywood and Vegas in the late '50s. The Rat Pack and Sinatra, Peter Lawford, Sammy Davis Jnr and Joey Bishop. The Go-Go's played in Vegas last year and it was awful. Frank Sinatra didn't show but a lot of paople in cowboy hats and big belt buckles came expecting a go-go revue. They'd demand their money back saying 'I wasn't expecting a heavy metal band, I was expecting go-go dancing and stripping.'"

• How do you feel about Orbital sampling 'Heaven Is A Place On Earth' in their live set?

"I heard about that! No, I haven't heard it, but I'd love to. Oh, cool."

• Where do you live?

"I live in the South of France, near Nice. I'm back and forth to London a lot. I moved here cos I didn't want to live in LA anymore. I didn't want to raise my son there; it's too dangerous. I was born and raised there and it's not the same city that it was."

• Is it true that french people don't wash or use deodorant?

"Some don't, believe me. I smell some atrocious odours when I'm doing my grocery shopping. I get along fine with French people but I can see why other people don't really like them. They're just different."

• There's rumuor in the Select office that you fund left-wing rebel activity in Central America...

"What? It sounds interesting, but no. I love that, though... how intriquing."

• So you're not payrolling anti-Contra regiments in the jungles?

"No, but I actually know someone who was doing that, who I can't mention, but I have nothing to do with it. How funny..."

• Have you encountered the Oasis phenomenon yet?

"Absolutely. I don't have an album actually, but I hear it everywhere so I don't need to buy it. Pulp are great, too. I was there and I saw him jump onstage with Micheal Jackson and I loved every minute of it. I was bored out of my mind and then there's this guy dancing on stage who's not supposed to be there. All of a sudden I woke up and it was like 'Oh, this is fucking great!' I can say I was there and it was wonderful."

• How do you feel about being a formative lust-object for our younger readers?

"Sometimes I feel so old. On Top Of The Pops the other day I just looked at everyone and thought, 'I could be your mother.' I actually forget that I'm 37, going on 38..."

• Only a bit older than Jarvis, then?

"Yes, and that's a good thing, cos people over 30 do have something to offer. Over 25, even."

• Have you seen The Sex Pistols on their recent 'comeback'?

No. But I saw them in San Francisco in 1978. It was their last ever gig and I was right in the front. We know we were seeing history on stage, absolutely."

• Er, ever been to Carlisle?

I was in Carlisle on the Madness tour in 1980, and the only thing I remember is the bar in the hotel."

• Do you know where to get 'something for the weekend'?