When Aung San Suu Kyi was freed from her house arrest, she said that her ordeal had been made more bearable by Dave Lee Travis's World Service programme A Jolly Good Show. "It made my world much more complete," she said. She will meet the pop cavalier known as The Hairy Cornflake during her first visit to Europe in 24 years. The Independent was able to get an exclusive* transcript of their chat:
Aung San Suu Kyi So lovely to meet you at last, Davelee.
Dave Lee Travis Always great to meet fans in person. And you've travelled a long way, haven't you? I've been boning up on your career. How are things in Borneo?
ASSK Burma. Your words and music were an inspiration during a time of much sadness.
DLT Sadness, yeah. What would you say was your most unhappy moment?
ASSK Probably hearing about Take That splitting up.
DLT Really? I thought it would be something more, you know, political.
ASSK No, that was a real low point. I had a monster crush on Jason Orange.
DLT Did you feel the global outpouring of support for you? A lot of positive, what d'you call it, karma?
ASSK (sings): Karmakarma-karmakarmakarmakarma chameleon... I love Culture Club too. You were always playing that one. Whatever happened to Boy George? Did he marry and settle down?
DLT When you were under house arrest in Ranjipur...
ASSK Rangoon.
DLT... was there one song you really identified with?
ASSK What was that British band called? Pretty boy on bass; makes cheese...
DLT You mean Blur?
ASSK I use to like the song "Country House". I identified with the lines: "I'm paying the price for living life at the limit, Caught up in the century's anxiety..."
DLT Shall we do the chorus?
Together "Ohhhh, she lived in a house, a very small house, in the country..."
DLT If you're not doing anything on Sunday you could come on my show. D'you ever listen to Magic Radio?
ASSK (tearfully): Oh Davelee. That was practically all I did for 20 years...
* so exclusive that they haven't met yet
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