During a wide ranging interview on The Louis Theroux Podcast, music icon Lulu reflected on her remarkable journey through the industry and her encounters with some of the biggest names in music history. Speaking about everything from her connection with David Bowie to her thoughts on British music before The Beatles changed the landscape, the Shout singer shared personal stories from rock’s most influential era.
Her Meeting With David Bowie
One of the most striking stories she shared was about the first time she met David Bowie. Remembering an evening filled with long conversations and what she described as some “inebriation,” Lulu told Theroux: “He said to me that night, ‘I’m going to make a fing hit record with you.’”* She explained that Bowie believed the music business did not fully understand how to position her as an artist. “He said… ‘The record companies don’t know what to do with you. They don’t know what to do. They don’t get you, they don’t get your voice either,’” she said, adding that she felt "absolutely blown away" by the interest shown by the Hunky Dory star.
The Jimi Hendrix TV Controversy
Lulu also revisited the well known 1969 television incident when Jimi Hendrix unexpectedly changed the performance during her show, which resulted in him being blacklisted by the BBC. Rather than holding a grudge, she described Hendrix as a “southern gentleman” who later apologized for what happened. She also said the broadcaster’s decision may have had the opposite effect. “They wouldn’t play him on the radio then they wouldn’t put him on any television shows, but I think it made him more popular than ever,” she asserted.
Her Thoughts On The Beatles And Bee Gees
Even with her own success, Lulu admitted she once felt “slightly terrified” around The Beatles because of how much she respected their music. She also shared her honest opinion about the UK music scene before their rise. “Before The Beatles, I really only liked American music. I found British music to be a bit beige. A bit flat. A bit too sterile,” she confessed.
Lulu also spoke about one career decision she still thinks about involving her former relatives by marriage, the Bee Gees. Despite their songwriting success, she said they never ended up making a record together. “I never really had the confidence to ask them to do that with me,” she admitted on The Louis Theroux Podcast, describing it as a major “missed opportunity.”
