Boy George: The musician is celebrating his 60th birthday

Weird hair, flashy make-up, colorful outfits: this is Boy George (60). The singer has always broken rules, stereotypes and also records. In the 1980s he was revered as a youth icon. A few decades have now passed and Boy George is no longer regularly on stage. On June 14 he celebrates his 60th birthday. A look back shows the highs and lows of his life as well as his best moments.

Born in Kent, England, George Alan O'Dowd broke ranks at an early age. He was regarded as a proponent of the New Romantic movement and was particularly notable for his androgynous style of clothing. One of his greatest role models, both musically and fashionably, was David Bowie (1947-2016). "I don't think you can separate an artist from what they wear or what they sing - it's a total package. It's something very natural and individual," Boy George told The Clash in a 2013 interview. Magazine.

The Birth of Culture Club

Boy George was originally supposed to make his debut with the band Bow Wow Wow. Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren (1946-2010) became aware of him at the time, but dropped him again after a short time. Shortly thereafter, Boy George formed his own group, the Sex Gang Children, with bassist Mikey Craig (61), drummer Jon Moss (63) and guitarist Ron Hay (59). They later renamed themselves Culture Club.

And with Culture Club, Boy George would have his big break. In 1982 her debut album "Kissing to Be Clever" was released with the hit single "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?", which reached number one in the charts worldwide. The following year, Culture Club managed to conquer the USA with their second album "Colour By Numbers". The single "Karma Chameleon" topped the US Billboard charts and stayed at number one for three weeks. In Great Britain, the hit became the most successful song of the year. Boy George and his bandmates became a force in the music business.

The dark side of success

What Boy George's fans didn't know for a long time: The musician was addicted to drugs, especially addicted to heroin. His drug addiction, but also a broken relationship with Jon Moss ensured that Culture Club separated in 1986 for the time being. In an interview with Piers Morgan (56) on the show "Life Stories", George even confirmed that he once spent $400 a day on heroin. The singer also got into trouble with the law: in 2005 he was sentenced to cleaning the streets in New York because he made a false emergency call.

Another shock followed in 2008: in a psychotic phase, George chained a sex worker to the wall and hit him. As a result, he was given a 15-month prison sentence - but was released after four months behind bars. Shortly thereafter, the former pop icon swore off drugs and alcohol. In 2018, according to an interview with Radio Nova, he celebrated his ten-year absence.

The new beginning

In 2016, Boy George became a coach on the fifth season of The Voice UK. Shortly thereafter, however, the hit singer was drawn to Australia, where he mentored the contestants on "The Voice Australia" from seasons six through ninth. In 2019 he won the show with Diana Rouvas (37). For the tenth season he was replaced by country singer Keith Urban (53).

In Spring 2018, George released two new singles to be found on his forthcoming album Geminis Don't Read The Manual. The record would have actually celebrated its release last year, but was postponed due to the corona pandemic. A new release date has not yet been announced.

Although he has spent a lot of time in Australia in recent years, George now lives in London. "London is my home, I feel my healthiest when I'm here," he told the Guardian in 2018. According to his own statements, he owes his sobriety to Japanese Nichiren Buddhism, which he has been practicing for years. "I'm happy a lot. I mean, really, what should I complain about?" the musician told the Evening Standard in 2016.