Boy George Opens Up About Culture Club's Early Struggles

Boy George and Jon Moss open up about the skepticism and cruelty they faced during the early days of Culture Club in a new clip from Alison Ellwood's documentary. The legendary English pop band formed in London in 1981 and secured a deal with Virgin Records after inviting a bunch of executives to one of their shows.

However, even this major success came with its own concerns and confusions. Boy George recalls thinking, 'Have I done the right thing?' and 'What does it mean? What have I signed away?' He didn't know anything, and the record deal came with its own set of challenges.

Culture Club had to deal with boorish audiences and record labels who were wary of their aesthetic. 'Record companies, they would come and say, 'He's too much' – they couldn't see it,' Boy George says. 'Anyone with makeup and a hairdo was getting signed, and we couldn't get signed.'

But the band's perseverance paid off as they eventually rose to fame, getting mobbed by thousands of screaming fans blocking motorways in major cities. The new documentary explores the band's rise and the broader English New Romantic Scene, as well as the relationship at the heart of the band, between Boy George and Moss.