During the wide-ranging interview, the “Boys Will Be Boys” singer revealed a mortifying encounter with rock royalty. While sound-checking for a support slot with The Who, Preston made the mistake of treating the stage with a bit too much “rock ‘n’ roll” attitude.
“I spat on the stage when we were sound-checking. I got in so much trouble,” he told Graham. “Their tour manager came out and was screaming at me in front of everyone. I was so embarrassed, but I was like, ‘Well, it’s The Who. They’re meant to be like, you know, proto-punk icons.'” The reprimand didn’t end there, as Preston recalled being “put on blast” over the stadium loudspeakers: “Everyone was pointing at me… it was just, like, really not a nice moment.”
The conversation also delved into the “nightmare world” of mid-2000s celebrity culture following his 2006 stint on Celebrity Big Brother. Preston described the jarring transition from indie musician to tabloid fixture, specifically citing a photoshoot that served as a breaking point.
“When I came out I had an interview with The Mirror, and they, like, made me basically get into my underwear, which I really didn’t wanna do,” he shared. “I was instantly in this very weird world where I was like, ‘I’m really not comfortable doing that.'” The image continues to haunt him in the most domestic of settings: “My mum has it in her bathroom. There’s The Mirror front cover with me, with no top on, with these little pants, just looking like, ‘I hate this.'”
Ultimately, the pressures of fame led Preston to quit the UK overnight in 2008. “Mainly I hated being famous… I just packed a suitcase and I just went to Philadelphia for years. I think I left my car, like, in the street and I just… I don’t know. I was just like, ‘I’m out.'”
Now back in London and managed by Alan McGee, Preston is embracing his legacy. “When they write my obituary, it’ll say Preston from the Ordinary Boys,” he noted. “I am that guy and I wrote those records and I feel really proud of them.”
The Leona Graham Podcast is available to stream now free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
