Speakeasy Toronto - August 2001

Jana: You know when most of us leave our jobs it doesn't consitute international news, but when Geri Halliwell decided to leave the Spice Girls it was. After selling 38 million records, touring worldwide, and making a movie Geri jumped and launched a solo career. Her first album charted up 3 number one singles and her latest release Scream If You Wanna Go Faster is emple evidence Geri Halliwell is here to stay.

Geri: That was........wow. It reminds me where I have come from. I was like "yeah" and I did, didn't I?

Jana: When did you knew 100% you wanted a solo career?

Geri: The thing is before I was in the Spice Girls, you know I have always been into writing and music. And as a little girl I was always writing poetry.....very good at rhyming and I used to sit outside, see we had an outside toilet, and when I was waiting for my go I would write little poems. Just before I joined the Spice Girls I had 6 jobs a week. I was a cleaner and I had all these different jobs trying to make some money to go into the studio to be a solo artist, cause it costs a lot to get a demo made. I will always have that in me and I thought it was a really good idea being in a girl band because there wasn't any around, so I think its always been there to answer your question.

Jana: Schizophonic you recorded quite quickly, which isn't the case with Scream If You Wanna Go Faster. What would you say is the most outstanding, distinuishing difference between your first album solo and your second?

Geri: I think it's a million times better......the second album. Um, the body of work is just way above the last one. I think for me monitering my song writing and my singing and the standard of the producing. I mean I wrote over 28 songs I think that were on there and I narrowed and I really lived with it. Took a bit of George Michaels advice and had patientence and took my time, because I am always in a rush and just wanna get there. There is no fillers on that album. you know sometimes you go out and buy an album and there is like two songs on there and they all have there own little merit, all very personal, very honest. I think woman will really identify with them.

Jana: You've always had a very big interest in how you're perceived by women, haven't you? It matters to you.

Geri: Looking back, my dad didn't work from the day I was born, right. He was 50 when I was born. God rest his soul, he's not alive anymore -- so my mother, she's a workaholic, she completely provided for me. She was my, like, role model, example that I had, and through her and other women around me, have given me support in my life, you know, through music, through literature, through television. I've just kind of held onto that. I feel like I can trust women, do you know what I mean? I found them more dependable for me. I hope when I write my songs --- that it gives something back, you know. It just makes me feel good when some lady or female, whatever age, whether it's five, 15 or 25 or 35 or 55, comes up to me and says, "you know, I really got something out of that."

Jana: Do you think that when we look at Geri Halliwell we're seeing more of who you really are now?

Geri: It's really interesting, what you've just said because I believe that people see what they want to see because you picked out exactly what I was trying to say, you know, look beyond the mask, and maybe that's because you're more spiritual or that's the way you feel. But if somebody else might have seen that, it's completely an egotistical thing. Like I was going, "look at me, you know, everybody -- aren't i wonderful?!" We choose what we want to see, basically, but where I'm at now, I've learned that through this experience- being in the public eye - I've been guilty of the same. We all take first impressions of what you look like but I've been every single weight, I've struggled with my weight, you know, I've been 10 pounds lighter, 10 pounds heavier, and the pain is just the same or the happiness is just the same. I mean, it's so about being comfortable in your own skin, it really is.

Jana: Have your reasons for being in this business changed?

Geri: Oh absolutely, absolutely. Um, theres always a double edged sword with me and one was from coming from a poor background. I though fame meant instant happy, instant glamour, there was no such thing as jetleg and endless interviews.

Jana: On a real truthful level is there any residue that needs to be dispenced with the Spice Girls or it is all cool between you guys?

Geri: Um, you know I can't make anyone understand how it feels you know, its sort of a very rare situation. The only way I can translate it is in a metaphor of being married then divorced. You still love your ex husband no matter what and you shared some times or if you went to Vietnam because your always going to have that common bond as soldiers or if you were at high school so I will always have that comradory feeling like "yeah go girls" you know, but I have moved on and they have too. I have outgrown them to be quite honest in different ways and I came from a very different background as well and I have to say people will always look for the sinism or if there any bad flavour, and if there is thats for me to work and and let go. I also try to be overwhelmed with gratitude, you know. Be grateful for what we experienced together who know where I would be today. I have a lot to thank those girls for and I think we had like grade schooling, so when I see them I am like "yeah you go girl". Do you know what I mean? Thats it.

Jana: And now we are talking about the early days which I know you have talked about before, but I was thinking. I had read you were in Turkey working as a game show hostess when you heard about the Spice Girl audition?

Geri: Its True. I was a game show hostess......love that fridge....hahaha. I was studying english literature during the week as well I think I was cleaning and teaching aerobics and then in the weekends I would go out to Istanbul and that was my first taste of fame.

Jana: When was your worst time?

Geri: Last month. This was in one week. On the sunday the newspapers exposed me as a teenage thief and I was like "Oh My God" and then on the monday I went to Prince Charles, on the wednesday I was done for speeding and I got my licence taken away for six weeks, then I went to see Rob in concert, and then I got back and my house was robbed and that was one week. And I was like this is absolutely bizzare. Life can throw some serious stuff at you........never too much than you can handle though.

Jana: Robbie Williams and George Michael. Is there a connection since they both have had the same pop history?

Geri: Well I suppose they both have been in bands and had solo careers and survived, but I suppose I am creating this one happy pop family. George and I don't see each other that much anymore, you'll be happy to know he's recording a new album. I go to him more if I am in trouble or something. He has been a very much a strength for me. Sometimes he gives me advice, sometimes I take it, sometimes I am like a defiant little sister like "you don't know what your talking about". Rob's just like my borther or my playmate, you know we are like the same 8 year old, you know just silly. You know he took me on a musical journey. Introduced me to the Beatles, who I just love now. And there more guitar in my album because of Rob. He said "Why don't you rock things up a bit?" Feels like Sex, I don't know if you have heard that song. So yeah hes responisble for that.

Jana: You talked about Bulimia in your past, you've talked about Anorexia. Have you healed your food disorders?

Geri: You know I don't know what the answers are. I don't have any secret formula. The only thing that has helped me is honesty and dealing with it on a day to day thing. For me its like any addiction, its exacly the same. Just be kinder to yourself and don't abuse yourself. It just depends if your life is unmanagable or not and my life was becoming ridiculous and obviously being in this type of career does not help.

Jana: You have a perspective of not being seduced by your own celebrity and you must have people that helped you with that. Was it your family?

Geri: I think you get signs and lessons from not one particular person, no one particular thing. I just try to keep my eyes open and be aware and listen. Sometimes we all talk too much. When I get interviewed sometimes I think god Geri the sound of your own voice. I think it is far greater for us to listen.

Jana: How have you found the idea for the video of "It's Raining Men"?

Geri: I have this club called S.S.S(Serenity Sunday Sisterhood) and it's when you have the sunday nigh blues because we have to go back to work. And you invite your girlfriends or boyfriends over and you do occupational therapy where you do beading or weeding and get some great food in and put in a trashy video you have seen many times so you don't have to watch it. With the whole Its Raining Men saga was that it was a happy accident that happened. There I was all focused on what I was gonna do.....Feels Like Sex, which was having trouble on the radio because they don't like the word sex. Then suddenly I was asked to do the Bridget Jones's soundtrack and then they wanted it to be a single and I was like oh that throwing the cards up in the air. I was with the S.S.S club and Flashdance was on then we put in Fame and I was like this had so not been done.

Jana: You had mentioned you have a self of steam doll...

Geri: Someone gave it to me and it reminds me that sometimes you can be absolutely wicked to yourself and be kinder. If it was 50 years ago a man would define himself or self of steam by his job no matter if he was the postman or the president he was going to be the provider and today that doesn't nessisarily happen anymore. And that is a fantastic lesson to us all. Don't define yourself by your career and get the nature of who you are, so maybe we all need self of steam dolls