LIZA

with a Zee

Liza Minnelli is 80. I’m so glad she’s still here. She’s one of the greats.

Why yes, I did meet her…

I was the NME’s official Pet Shop Boys fan and so I was keen to interview Liza when she made Results, her collaboration with Neil and Chris. Results is a wonderful album, with Liza’s dramatic rendition of the Pets’ Rent, a great Studio 54 disco version of Sondheim’s Losing My Mind, and this - the definitive Twist In My Sobriety, with rap by Donald Johnson of A Certain Ratio (Factory/Cabaret crossover or what?)

“Liza’s staying at the Savoy so you can do the interview there,” said her PR. This was a nice change for me: most of the interviews I did took place in pubs or record company offices. Also I was living in a one room bedsit at the time so any sign of posh was welcome.

I arrived at the Savoy and was led down a corridor lined with Picasso sketches to Liza’s suite. The door flew open and there was Liza.

“Welcome!” she said, as delightful as a waterfall made of champagne. “This was my mother’s suite!”

I’m in Judy Garland’s favourite room in London. Straighter men than I would be weeping now. I’m just happy. I love Liza and I haven’t even spoken to her yet.

She welcomes me in and I sit down on a big sofa. Just then the phone rings.

Liza picks it up.

“Neil!” she shouts. “Neil, I’m here with David!”

To this day I am not sure if she was just being Liza or she assumed Neil Tennant and I were bosom buddies. Either way, my day is made.

****

I don’t remember anything about the actual interview other than the warm glow I experienced doing it. The NME put it, and Liza and the Pet Shop Boys, on the front cover (with the tagline POWER, CORRUPTION AND LIZA) which was great.

And that was it.

Except a few days later I was in my tiny bedsit when I heard my neighbour call my name.

“There’s some flowers for you downstairs.”

I went and got them. It was the largest bouquet of red roses I have ever seen. And there was a note:

TO DAVID, LOVE LIZA MINNELLI.

The queen of my heart, for ever.