Pete Burns – Obitchuary

On Monday 23rd October, queer pop icon Pete Burns died suddenly of a cardiac arrest, aged 57.

chrissie darling, Pete Burns

He was outrageous, unapologetic and vulgar. Back in the early 80s, when being gay or queer was turbulent for many reasons, he was a wild-haired, sparkly-taloned beacon of hope for young LGBT people. He was at the fore of the British punk movement with critically acclaimed band Dead Or Alive.

Hitting number one with “You Spin Me Right Round”, they screamed profanities in the face of conformity, and paved the way for the pop culture landscape we live in today.

He went on to become a symbol of anarchic genderfuck defiance. He had a renaissance in the mid noughties, with a notoriously catty stint on Celebrity Big Brother.

Pete was often questioned on his sexuality, and his response was always the same. “People always want to know – am I gay, bi, trans or what? I say, forget all that. There’s got to be a completely different terminology and I’m not aware if it’s been invented yet. I’m just Pete.”

Here, some of our favourite scene faces remember encounters and special moments with him.

 

Lanah P, artist

lanah p and peter burns

Pete Burns drove us all insane at times. But I’d known him for at least thirty years, and had full admiration for his non-conformity and unapologetic outlook towards this mental matrix called life. Pete was the soundtrack to millions of lives, WHIRLING, SWIRLING, HILARIOUS! RINGING, SPINNING! A gender-fluid queen, one of the most amazing light shows this conservative world has EVER seen. And with tears streaming down my face I shall never ever forget him. So I say REST IN PEACE PETE! The show was ALWAYS about you.

 

Harie Britain, make-up artist

harie britain and pete burns

Goodbye to the man who helped shape me in every aspect of my life. Never have I looked up to any soul more than I did him. RIP, Pete. There will never be another soul like you and I am forever in your debt.

Mzz Kimberley, singer

mzz kimberley

As a kid growing up in Detroit, learning that I was different was a difficult and depressing challenge. 80’s English pop stars played an important part in my life as a kid, and I will always be grateful. Finally seeing people that were like me living their life with no apologies made my life worth living.

Later I moved to London and met Pete at Kinky Gerlinky, I was blown away but scared of him. When I worked at Heaven, I would look into the audience and see him, which scared me even more. In the past few years I started to get to know him, and learned about his kind heart.

I’m very much saddened about his passing, as I really felt there was more from Pete to give. A highly intelligent, witty, caring and creative human being.

Glamrou, drag performer

glamrou

I remember being a scared queer teenager, flicking on Celebrity Big Brother one night when my parents were asleep upstairs, and feeling a glimmer of hope and joy watching Pete Burns be fabulous, brave, honest, strong, and free on my television. RIP Pete, you glorious angel.

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