Marilyn couldn’t even get a job at a supermarket when he was in the pop wilderness.
The androgynous 53-year-old British singer – whose real name is Peter Robinson – shot to fame in the 1980s alongside his Culture Club frontman friend Boy George with his debut single ‘Calling Your Name’ becoming a hit around the world.
However, by the end of the decade he was without a record label and addicted to drugs and after quitting London he spent around 15 years as a recluse living with his mother back in Norfolk, East England, and during that period he couldn’t even get work stacking shelves in a Tesco store.
Speaking in a joint Q&A with Boy George, he said: "I’ve had problems in my life, I’ve had to work through stuff. I lived in the middle of nowhere, I had to move back to London. I tried to fit in normal in Norfolk, I applied for a job in Tesco, they wouldn’t even give me a job stacking shelves!"
Marilyn is now back making music and has just released his new single ‘Love and Money’ – which features Boy George and was written and produced by the ‘Karma Chameleon’ hitmaker.
Even when he turned his back on the fame game, Marilyn still sought comfort in music and has always been able to process his feelings through songs.
He said: "Music has always been a massive part of my life. When I was knee high I had a record player and if you had a single, you’d play it all day. My first record was Sonny & Cher’s ‘I Got You Babe’ and I wore the grooves out. I’ve always used music to wear the arse out of what emotion I was feeling, it’s always been a part of me."
Marilyn’s song ‘Love or Money’ is out now.
Marilyn struggled to get supermarket job
