Lingerie and Hairy Chests: Kevin Rowland's "My Beauty"

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Classic or dud? I vote classic and I like it.

― Mike Hanley, Sunday, 22 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I appreciate it in theory -- the more so because I've never heard it. Is it really true it sold only something like 200 copies, if that? And did anyone actually see any of the shows he did in support of it?

― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 22 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

loved the two songs i heard from it - haate because it costs 45 bucks to buy it.

― Geoff, Monday, 23 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I saw him at Reading. It was one of the most frightening things I have ever seen in my entire life. A man in drag singing bad cabaret while licking the arse of a stripper, all displayed on mile high screens. My skin crawled yet I could not look away. I had no preconceptions about Dexys or what they or their concept of "soul" was supposed to mean to anyone. It was worse than a joke. It was absurd. It would have been strangely fitting if it had been the last record Creation ever released, but it wasn't even that.

― Kate the Saint, Monday, 23 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

From what I've actually heard, I'm veering towards a Classic verdict.

I found the single (Concrete and Clay) in a bargain bin for 20p, and really liked it. Also got the Hollies cover (I Can't Tell the Bottom from the Top) on a CD free with a magazine, and it was even better.

All things considered, I wish I'd bought the album when I saw it - which was only once.

Not sure about the women's underwear though. Poor old Kevin...

― Andrew Tapscott, Monday, 23 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Stone cold classic, and I'll punch any man who says it's not (see domino website for further clarification). I ABSOLUTELY hate the cover, though. The one about the children being our future gets me every time (no, I'm not being ironic). Kevin is beautiful because he doesn't even know how to spell the word irony. INo fucking postmodern humour for him!

― Jerry, Monday, 23 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I've heard from a couple of people that it's wonderful, but I've never heard it or come across it. It's not something I'd be willing to shell out loads of $$$ unheard.

The cover art: dud. I admire Kevin Rowland for being himself and dressing whatever way he wants to, but there are some people I'd really rather not see in drag.

― Nicole, Monday, 23 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Re: cover image. Very nicely put, Nicole

― Jerry, Monday, 23 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

it doesnt cost 45$ if you get it from Audio galaxy as I did

― Mike Hanley, Monday, 23 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"It was worse than a joke. It was absurd."

Ridicule is nothing to be scared of. But then you don't like Adam Ant, Kate.

As the deathstroke against cool (or rather the moment at which the bubble of cool finally expands to swallow everything and so becomes meaningless) it had its uses. I've not been able to find any uses yet for my copy of the record, but I intend to keep trying.

― Tom, Friday, 27 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one month passes...

it's a classic, really, and i hear it quite often. (i bought it immediately on the day it came out in london, whre i was by pure accident, because i saw one (only one) poster on a closed cinema in notting hill. ) the discussion about the cover is a bit off the point, i think: it's a statement, like the whole record. the liner notes and the texts of the songs he covered: together they read as enigmatic pieces of a desperate autobiography.

― martin lindner, Tuesday, 18 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yep, masterpiece in the non-ironic, beautifully sung, sense. Inspired choices and re-imaginings; passion and sincerity; the bravery of the fool.

― Andrew L, Tuesday, 18 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

six years pass...

would like to hear this record. maybe i'll download it.

― jabba hands, Thursday, 1 November 2007 00:58 (eighteen years ago)

surely you can find it for 1c on amazon?

― electricsound, Thursday, 1 November 2007 01:01 (eighteen years ago)

i have never felt the inclination to hear this. however it would not surprise me if in ten or twenty years' time it is a much sought after cult classic, based on the comments of others

― electricsound, Thursday, 1 November 2007 01:02 (eighteen years ago)

it's going for 90 bucks on amazon!

― jabba hands, Thursday, 1 November 2007 01:09 (eighteen years ago)

fuuuuuuuuuuck

― electricsound, Thursday, 1 November 2007 01:15 (eighteen years ago)

that happened quicker than i expected

― electricsound, Thursday, 1 November 2007 01:15 (eighteen years ago)

"The Greatest Love Of All" is easily one of Kev's finest moments ever. The rest of the record...not so much.

― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, 1 November 2007 01:29 (eighteen years ago)

three years pass...

Yet here I am many years later wantingto hear this again.

― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 11 January 2011 03:50 (fifteen years ago)

Ha, I saw it yesterday in my loft:

This, famously, only sold 200 when it ws first issued.

I wonder how many were minidisc editions? (I have one)

I did have the promo CD with the bruce song, but sold it on, and being not a Bruce fan didn't bother taking a copy of it.

― Mark G, Tuesday, 11 January 2011 09:23 (fifteen years ago)

Love this very much - Greatest Love of All and Rag Doll are extraordinary; Thunder Road, too - shame it wasn't on the proper release. It is patchy, but there's nothing else quite like the high points.

My main reservation is really that it's an uncomfortable listen: Rowland arguing with himself, singing to himself, trying to persuade himself he's ok, loveable, beautiful, that he might be alright - feels voyeuristic, awkward, like you're in the middle of a therapy session. But that where its power comes from too (& KR's fights with himself are everywhere in Dexy's obvs).

― portrait of velleity (woof), Tuesday, 11 January 2011 09:54 (fifteen years ago)

nine years pass...

'I wasn't cracking up. I just wanted to wear a dress.' Nice interview with Kevin Rowland setting the record straight about My Beauty ahead of its 21st-birthday reissue in September.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jul/21/kevin-rowland-interview-dexys-midnight-runners-covid-19-my-beauty-dress-stockings

― Portsmouth Bubblejet, Thursday, 23 July 2020 12:06 (five years ago)

Really good interview

― xyzzzz__, Thursday, 23 July 2020 12:26 (five years ago)

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