CELEBRITY GROUPIES (COVER STORY)
Festival season is here again and rock stars are making the headlines. But more often than not, it’s for their famous other halves rather than the music they’re playing. Lisa Wakeland lists the celebrity groupies
KATE + PETE
Kate Moss is the latest in a long line of celebrities hooked on bad-boy rockers. But the queen of the catwalk’s current beau, Babyshambles’ singer Pete Doherty, almost cost the supermodel her career when she was pictured snorting cocaine with him at a West London recording studio.
But, after a brief stint in rehab, the skinny model is back making more money than ever, having signed a £3m deal to design for fashion store giant Topshop. Pete, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to be changing his wild ways, making regular appearances in court for drug offences. Not that his behaviour has put off Kate, who’s been sporting a huge antique engagement ring. Close friends insist that the pair are meant to be together. “This is the happiest I’ve seen her,” Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie revealed recently. “She is really in love, so people should leave her alone to get on with things.”
GWEN + GAVIN
Although style icon Gwen Stefani last year gave birth to her first child, Kingston, he’s the second child for her rocker hubby Gavin Rossdale. In 2004, the former Bush frontman took DNA tests to see if he was the real father of his goddaughter Daisy Lowe – and to the shock of Gwen, the tests proved positive. Daisy was conceived when Gavin had a fling with singer Pearl Lowe, in the 1980s. Regardless, Daisy still considers Supergrass drummer Danny Goffey – Pearl’s long-term partner – her dad. This could have threatened Gwen and Gav’s relationship, but they’ve been looking as loved-up as ever.
GWYNETH + CHRIS
Yes, he’s a rock star, but Coldplay singer Chris Martin is a far cry from the archetypal out-of-control musician. Gwyneth Paltrow’s clean-living hubby spends more time promoting free trade than partying and would rather stay at home playing happy families than trash hotel rooms.
But yoga-loving Chris does have a dark side. In July 2003, the Fix You singer was charged with damaging the car of an Aussie photographer who snapped him surfing. But he gets more worked up when it comes to protecting his Oscar-winning wife. He admitted to assault allegations in September 2005, after he kicked Alessandro Copetti for taking a picture of him and Gwyneth leaving a London restaurant. “For a man whose wife is pregnant with her first child, Chris’ sole concern was to ensure Gwyneth got into the cab safely,” Martin’s PR representative said at the time. Other than assaulting the paparazzi, the only other wild thing Chris has done is calling his children Apple and Moses!
AVRIL + DERYCK
It stands to reason that punk princess Avril Lavigne would find her match with a fellow musician. The Canadian songstress recently wed Sum 41 singer Deryck Whibley in a traditional ceremony in California, but marriage hasn’t curbed the sk8ter couple’s bad behaviour. After celebrating her 22nd birthday, Avril spat on photographers who were waiting outside the trendy Hyde nightclub. She later publicly apologised for her actions, saying it was a reaction to the persistent attack from the paparazzi. Following his wife’s lead, just days later spiky-haired Whibley spat on a cameraman after leaving the grand opening of Hollywood’s Area nightclub. The couple has since decided to lay low, kicking back at home to help each other with new material.
LIV + ROYSTON
They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
But instead of becoming a rock star like her father – Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler – Hollywood actress Liv Tyler married one. The Lord Of The Rings star began dating Spacehog singer and bassist Royston Langdon in 1998 and the couple wed in 2003. “He was very romantic about it,” Liv says. “He called my dad and asked his permission.” In December 2004, the couple celebrated the birth of their first child, Milo. Langdon, who performed with Spacehog and The Lemonheads before launching a solo career, credits his wife as the muse for his records. Ahh…
NICOLE + LIAM
Blonde babe Nicole Appleton, one-quarter of recently reformed girl group All Saints, has been with foulmouthed Oasis singer Liam Gallagher since 2000 and has had a calming influence on the wild man. “People always judge him,” Nicole says, “but when you meet him, he’s so different.” Liam admits he has definitely changed his behaviour since dating the singer – but not too much. He reveals: “Obviously I don’t go out as much as I used to because I’m in with my kids and missus, and get a buzz off them, but when I do go out I still have a good time.” He continues: “We’ll still go boozing for a couple of days, drink anything.” Further proof that Nicole has tamed this former bad boy came when the Wonderwall singer went up to his former arch rival Damon Albarn from Blur to tell him that his son was a fan of his cartoon band Gorillaz. How civilised.
MADONNA + GUY
“I can understand that the whole world is interested in my wife, Madonna,” Guy Ritchie once pointed out. “That’s even why I married her.” It seems not even Madge’s own husband is immune to her immense star quality. Not that you can blame the Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ director for being in awe of his missus. When Madonna first hit the charts in the 1980s, Guy was still a teenager. Also, by the time the couple met in 1998, at a dinner party thrown by Sting and his wife Trudie Styler, they were leagues apart in terms of celebrity status. Still, the pair hit if off and married two years later at
Skibo Castle in Scotland. After an initial rocky patch, during which Madonna considered divorce because, as she put it in a 2005 MTV documentary, “my husband did not turn out to be everything I imagined him to be”, the pair grew ever closer, united in their love for kids Rocco, Lourdes and David Banda (the Malawian boy they adopted last year) and a devotion to Kabbalah, an aspect of Jewish mysticism. Despite tension in their marriage, the couple were recently seen out in London looking more smitten than ever. “We’re quite volatile as individuals, but that doesn’t work exponentially when we are together,” Guy explains. “Relationships are about eating humble pie.”
WHERE TO BE A ROCK GROUPIE THIS SUMMER!
BENICÀSSIM
19-22 July, near Valencia
This August, music lovers can take a four-day break at this beach resort an hour from Valencia. The 2007 line up is a British invasion, with Arctic Monkeys, Amy Winehouse and Muse joining the party. Tickets cost €170 (about £110). www.fiberfib.com
SZIGET
8-15 August, Budapest
The Killers, Juliette And The Licks and The Rakes are among the fifty bands descending on Budapest for the 15th Sziget Festival. Tickets cost €120 (about £85), or €150 (about £105) if you want to camp. www.sziget.hu
SUMMERCASE FESTIVAL
13-14 July, Barcelona
An impressive line up includes Kaiser Chiefs, Lily Allen, Air and Chemical Brothers. Tickets cost €105 (around £70), but are likely to increase. www.summercase.com
FIELD DAY
11 August, London
Featuring a Victorian Band Stand, Tea and Cake Stall, Welly Throwing and Morris Dancing, plus an array of gifted bands and DJs including Bat For Lashes, Metronomy, and Justice, all for £22.50 (around €33). www.fielddayfestivals.com
SUMMER JAM
6-8 July, Cologne
Considered the European Reggae festival, big names such as Beanie Man and Blumentopf are confirmed. UK tickets are sold through Ticketweb for €74 (around £50) and include admission and camping. www.summerjam.de
Would you like to leave a comment ?
You must be logged in to leave a message.