Boy George fell in 'love at first sight' with Jon Moss

Perth Now

06-06-2025

Boy George fell in "love at first sight" with Jon Moss.
The 63-year-old singer had formed a band in 1981 with bassist Mikey Craig and a guitarist named John Suede, when he invited the drummer along to join them and he was instantly smitten with the musician.
Speaking in new documentary Boy George + Culture Club, people magazine reports George said: "I was like, 'You know, I'm starting this band, and we got a rehearsal on Sunday at Elephant and Castle. Do you want to come?
"He turns up — I didn't think he was going to come. He turns up in this, like, you know, very expensive Golf Convertible with this stinking and beautiful perfume, with his earrings in, and yeah, it was, it was love at first sight, basically."
And Jon, 67, was equally "smitten" with the flamboyant frontman.
He said: "He was a beautiful, exotic creature. Really attracted to him, like a crush, you know, although I'd never had a relationship with a man before, and I was absolutely smitten."
The pair admitted their relationship was flirtatious from the start.
In separate interviews, George said: "When I met John, John was so kind of, almost a bit flirtatious and provocative. He wasn't some, like, uptight straight guy that was, like, lured into some evil world by me. I mean, he was as much a part of it as I was. You know, there was an instant flirtation between us."
Jon added: "So we had this sort of rehearsal, and I think I put my hand on his knee, and he put his hand on my knee, and it was like, ooh, exciting. It's very exciting.
"If you're lucky enough in your life to have a moment, it must be like having fate. There was a moment in my life when I thought, 'I don't know what's happening here, but something's happening.' I just remember it was like... I knew my life was gonna change."
Mikey noticed "an interaction" between the pair during the first rehearsal and quickly urged George and Jon not to get romantically involved or it would "ruin" the band.
He recalled: "By about the third rehearsal, we're packing up the gear ready to go home, and Jon says, 'I kind of like George.'
"And I said, 'No, no, you can't. You can't do this.' I said, 'It's not gonna work. You're gonna ruin the band. It's gonna, it's gonna end before we begin.' And John turned to me and says, 'It's too late. I've already slept with him.' "
John Suede left the band and was replaced with Roy Hay, and Culture Club enjoyed years of success, only to split in 1986 due to the end of George and Jon's turbulent relationship, the singer's addictions, and friction in the band.
They reformed in 1998 for four years and reunited again in 2011 and while they are still performing, Jon left in 2018, suing the band for tour income he claimed he was owed, though the case was settled out of court in 2023 for a reported £1.75 million.
Despite their issues over the years, the Do You Really Want To Hurt Me? singer admitted he still has "love" for the drummer.
George said: "I've actually never been onstage with him and felt like I didn't want to be there.
"So somewhere in there, there's love.
"A peculiar type of love. But there is definitely love in there."