One Word: Ikea. Yes, post-Velvet Goldmine glam, Placebo's bassist reveals the more subdued home furnishings favoured by a Swede abroad. And he loves Abba too...
"I'm sorry about the mess. I'm afarid that we had a bit of a party last night." It's the day after Placebo bassist Stefan Olsdal's birthday, he's got a splitting headache and his flat looks like the site of a bizarre zoological experiment on the effects of Buckfast on gorillas. So, he's not in the best of states to receive the Llod Grossman treatment. "Here, have some birthday cake while I clean up a bit," says the ever-courteous Stefan while Select is treated to the strange sight of Brian Molko doing the wash-up.
In keeping with the Swedish stereotype perpetuated by those annoying Ikea adverts, Stefan's homestead is usually a highly ordered affair, situated in one of the posher New Labour-favoured areas of west London. There's a strange karma-like cioncidence that led Stefan to pick this flat however- it used to belong to fellow Scandinavian rock star Pal Waaktaar, the keyboardist from 80s Norwegian legends A-Ha. So, now they've got glam out of their system with their involvment in Velvet Goldmine, maybe it's time for a rolled- up sleeves 80's revival from the 'Cebe.
Having finally put the Jif cleaner away, Stefan demonstrates that there's a homey side to Placebo that has nothing to do with breasts and all the rest...