As if the NME cover and the major label deal hadn’t provided us with enough Gossip gossip, it turns out that the Portland-based (but for how long!!?!?!) garage-soul outfit and, more specifically, frontwoman Beth Ditto, are popping up all over the place. This is most apparent in Britain’s gossip magazines, where they treat Ditto as a total rock goddess (see headlined links below) and hang on her every Kate Moss-bashing word. But it’s not just the trash-talking Brits enjoy: At last check, the Gossip’s Standing in the Way of Control was at #31 on the BBC album charts, and “Standing in the Way of Control” was #13 on the singles charts.

Ditto was also seen un-stuffing her bra at a “star-studded” (some actual stars, many female impersonators) birthday bash for Perez Hilton, who is a male celebrity blogger famous for outing celebrities as gay—not, as I had previously assumed, Paris Hilton’s sister.

What’s more awesome than the Gossip being a household name in Britain? The band is set to spend June on the True Colors tour alongside Erasure (sing it with me: “Always/ I want to be with you/ and make believe with you / and live in harmony harmony always!”), Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry, Rufus Wainwright, and the emcee for the shows, Margaret Cho. The tour isn’t headed to Portland, but it may well be worth taking a trip to San Francisco (or Vegas) to see.

Now let’s get link Crazy:
Now Magazine, UK: “Beth Ditto: I thought I’d go to hell for being gay”

Sunday Mirror, UK: “SECRETS OF ‘THE WORLD’S COOLEST’ BETH DITTO”

Gay dot com, UK: “Beth Ditto: ‘I’m A Fat Ugly Bitch’”

Fametastic, UK: “Beth Ditto: I love Britney Spears shaved head”

Metro, UK: “Beth hits out at Posh”

Seriously, this could go on forever. Just go to Google News and type “Beth Ditto” if you want an example of how out-of-control this has gotten. Whether the attention slingshots the Gossip to fame in America has yet to be seen. Go figure, British people get down with a plus-sized pottymouthed lesbian rock singer before we do!

True Colors Tour
The Gossip’s Website

Bonus: Here’s Beth wearing what looks like a professional wrestling outfit and shit-talking NME:

Photo: From the archives. Thanks to Byron Beck for keeping me in the loop.