Shirley Manson

No, I’m not Shirley the girl, I’m the woman on MTV with the big boots.

I like the feeling that I’m giving young women self-confidence. It sounds so cliched, but it can be very moving.

Mozart was a punk, which people seem to forget. He was a naughty, naughty boy.

I am not a sexy woman, I’m not beautiful, I’m not a sex kitten, I don’t flirt with people, yet I’ve been tagged more of sex symbol than women who truly are and I that’s solely because I don’t reveal too much: people are curious.

You have to watch all sides of your advancement, you have to make sure people’s bodies and minds are healthy and their morale is cool before you can really go out and play great music.

Possibly because I grew up not feeling very confident about my own physical appearance, I developed internal devices so that I could integrate into society.

I’m fairly in control and I don’t like to flirt particularly. I mean, obviously if I meet someone who I think is hot, of course I’ll want to flirt with him, But in general I don’t use it in day-to-day life.

I mean, I tend to do my own thing, and that usually crosses purposes with everyone around me.

A lot of celebrities just want money, fame, power, fancy cars, houses all over the world and have people bow down to them. To me, that’s frightful behaviour.

I am laughably aggressive, and the rest of the band is very laid back, so we mix well.

If you have any opinions at all or if you’re even remotely verbal then they’re going to call you fiery.

I would say I’m pretty well at ease with my sexuality, but I’m an individual before I am a female.

I’ve got a lot of stamina and I enjoy people, so having lots of people around doesn’t freak me out.

I have a lot of very close girlfriends and sisters – I’m from an all female family. My father often quips that even the cat was neutered!

I think it’s a great thing to have failed in life and then pulled yourself up by the boot straps and actually done something, because then you appreciate it more.

And then there’s all these other creeps that surround your band and suck off you like leeches and try to manipulate you and your business. You have to watch like a hawk. I’m always ready to fight. I see it very much as a battle.

I have a temper on me that could hold back tides.

I couldn’t feel good about myself hanging out in Armani clothes when my girlfriend can’t even pay her heating bill. I’d feel foul and I’d be embarrassed.

At the end of the day, though, the band members have to be strong. It’s down to the individuals in the unit. Listen to me, I’m talking like I’m in the army and this is my squadron.

No, I like being a role model because I know how much comfort my musical idols brought me.

Starbucks is my main fix and it’s usually you people working in there – sometimes they’re actually shaking. It just makes me feel horrendous because I’ve been in that situation.

I am a contradictory mess but I see it as my prerogative to change my mood like the weather.

It’s definitely an intrinsic part of my makeup that makes me want to see black when everyone else is seeing white.

That’s a difficult question, because to consider yourself a rebel is sort of ridiculous.