Shirley Manson was inspired by 'cool' Kylie Minogue
Shirley Manson was "captivated" by Kylie Minogue's transformation into a "cool alt" figure.
The Garbage frontwoman praised the 'I Should Be So Lucky' hitmaker for stepping away from her girl-next-door pop persona in the early 1990s in favour of a more "fantastic and dangerous" image when she began dating late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence.
Shirley said: "Well, it goes as far back as me watching Kylie become sort of cool alt-Kylie Minogue. She was this pop princess who dabbled in alternative culture and it changed the way we all viewed her.
"I’m talking specifically about when she became involved with Michael Hutchence. All of a sudden she was wearing leather and singing Better the Devil You Know, and looking absolutely fantastic and dangerous.
"I was really captivated by that transformation."
When it came to her own breakthrough into the music scene, the 56-year-old singer was determined to stand out from the crowd.
She recalled to The Face magazine: "When I was preparing to release the first Garbage record, I was aware that alt-girls were dressing sort of tough.
"They were all in plaid shirts, jeans and combat boots. I didn’t want to be like that – not because I didn’t think it was a cool look, but I just wanted to have my own identity and stick out from the crowd. I always thought that’s what fashion was all about.
"I took a small note from the club scene that I used to party in when I was younger. I was into neon colours, which was very non alt-rock.
"But when I emerged, it really caught the alt scene by surprise because nobody was dressing like that. I definitely was a rule unto my own back then by default, because I just didn’t want to look like everybody else."
