FOR THE LAST THREE HOURS I'VE BEEN
WATCHING Louise, ex-Eternal babe and now full-time pop
siren, give good face for FHM's photographer, and quite
frankly I'm not sure my trousers will ever un-crease. This
milk-chocolate skin vision pads around the photographer's
East London studio in a series of increasingly revealing
outfits, attracting appreciative glances and comments.
And she may be small, but she's certainly perfectly
formed. "This is the sexiest shoot I've ever done", she
says as she sits five feet away from me, wearing next to
nothing. As they're about to complete the final shot, the
photographer's dog bounds in, makes a beeline for Louise,
rolls onto his back and implores her with his eyes to give
his stomach a tickle. I know how he feels.
As part of Eternal, Louise Nurding posessed a totally
innocent image. Eternal were the female Take That:
a set of all-singing all-dancing cute buns with
radio-friendly tunes who enjoyed a string of huge hit
singles, award-winning albums, sold-out tours and
high-profile chums like Robbie Williams. Then, nine months
ago, she was out on her ear. An announcement was made to
the effect that she would no longer be working with Eternal.
Vituperative rumours were quick to circulate: the others
were jealous because she got all the attention, she was on
a star-trip with an ego the size of Bulgaria, they'd never
liked each other anyway... and so on. The truth is harder
to ascertain, however, since she still shares management
and a record company with the others. "Being solo just suits
me more as a human being" is her oblique -and only- reply
to enquiries.
Louise is 21 now, though the four years spent cloistered
in Eternal seem to have left her cryogenically frozen at
sweet 16. Barely a year ago she was miss Teen Dream - cuter
than a basket of labrador puppies, all cheesy grins and
baggy beige suits. And while she has yet to transform into
a pulsating uber-vixen in real life, she can certainly
turn it on for the camera: pouting, purring, coyly spilling
out of her lacey underthings in a manner that brings to mind
the young Kylie.
If things go to plan, with a single in the charts right now
and an album on the way, Louise could be Britain's answer
to Andrew Ridgeley. Hey, but that's pop. So, before we go
any further, let's get to the bottom of this new-found
sex kitten status...
What do you think about when you need to look sexy?
I don't think about anything, I just don't smile. The
photographer said to me today, "You look 12 when you smile".
If I don't grin, I can smoulder more.
Still, you seem to have raunched up a bit since your
Eternal days
Raunched up? We've all grown up a bit -myself and the rest
of Eternal- and so have the people who buy our records. I
don't think I'm raunchier, I just think I have to explore
other avenues and appeal to all kinds of people. The more
people find you appealing, the more interested they are in
the music... hopefully.
Sure, but it won't damage sales to have scantily-clad
photographs of you all over album sleeves, will it?
(Coyly) I don't really know. I think of the sexy
stuff just as fun. I'm not setting out to be some sex
kitten. I think if you're sexy it should come out
whatever you're wearing - you shouldn't have to put on a
bra and the smallest pair of knickers you can find.
Are you single right now?
(Coyly again) Well, not completely. No, I'm
single really. I don't have anything major going on in my
love-life right now. I'm too busy to have an intimate
relationship. I do go out with guys, but it's difficult
to get majorly involved. I have been in the past, but it
can be over pretty sharpish when you haven't seen them for
a few months.
The newspapers have been getting into a pickle over
your alleged affair with Jamie Redknapp. What's the
truth?
Well, me and Jamie have been friends for a long, long
time...
Oh, you would say that...
It's true! I like male company and I've got loads of male
friends. The Sun said that we've been seen out and
about together and made it sound like there was a
definite relationship there. We're mates, really good
mates. You know, I'm young, I go out with different guys,
and Jamie is just one of those huys. He's a good boy and
one of my closest male friends.
All woment hate something about their bodies, right?
What's your hang-up?
Oh God, yeah. I hate my knees. I hate my legs. I think I
should go to the gym more. I have footballer's knees.
Maybe that's why I hang around with footballers - it makes
me feel better. But I have great hands. I've been told I've
got piano fingers - I'm proud of that.
Now that you feel you've achieved professional pop babe
status, how do you feel about it?
(Laughs) Well, I do enjoy it when men say, "I've got
you on my wall". But I take it with a pinch of salt. I
might be gone tomorrow.
When you do a show, what's it like looking out at a load
of male faces, knowing that a number of them have
fantasised about you dusting their living room in a French
maid's outfit?
When I'm up on stage, I don't think about anything except
the song I'm singing. Anyway, the majority of my
audience is female, and I can't think that many of them
would want to see me in a French maid outfit somehow!
Talking of which, have any boyfriends ever asked you
to dress up in any outfits?
No, they haven't. All the boyfriends I've had have been
into what I wear anyway - sporty, white, plain underwear,
which is quite handy really, because it's the most
comfortable.
And if a guy wanted to dress up in something 'special'
for you, what would you suggest?
Definitely not Superman, or anything like that - if a bloke
walked into the room in a Superman outfit, I'd run. I'd
prefer all in white, like in An Officer and a
Gentleman
Ever been turned off by a bloke when he's taken his
trousers off because of his keks?
No so much their trousers, but when they've taken their
socks off! Eurgh! Men's feet are horrible.
Sorry. We don't think about our feet much
Yeah, but I don't really look at a man's feet. Actually, I
try not to look because I know it'll put me off.
But to be honest, if I find someone really attractive, it's
generally due to his personality as much as the way he
looks, so if he took his trousers off and he had a big
bum or a flabby bit around the stomach, I wouldn't be
bothered. If I've chosen to get into a situation where he's
going to be taking his trousers off, then it's not that
important.
So you've never been shocked to discover that a bloke
you've fancied likes to wear leopard-skin tangas?
No. But I wouldn't be the kind of girl who'd go "That's
disgusting!" I'd just have a laugh with him. I'd be like,
"Whoa! Dig your pants!" I've got embarassing underwear too,
that my mum bought for me a couple of years ago, with
flowers on or whatever.
Yeah, and have you noticed that you always pull on the
day when you haven't got your lucky pants on...
Well, yeah... not that I usually get my trousers off on
the first date, of course.
Yes, of course. And what would a man need to do to
impress you in bed?
Variations. And it's nice when a guy takes time out to
make sure that you're comfortable and you're having a
good time. But then again, it's also nice to be
spontaneous. And it shouldn't be the guy doing everything -
in bed it should be 50-50. It shouldn't all be down
to you boys.
You were born in 1974, which seems horribly recently
to us. Here are a few general knowledge questions... Who
were Mary, Mungo and Midge?
Haven't got a clue.
Another one. What is a Spacehopper?
Oh no, I don't know any of these!
And if I were to say the word 'Chopper' to you, what
would you think?
It's a helicopter, isn't it? No? Oh, you mean the bike. The
ones with the big, long, black seats. I used to have a
Chopper! A purple one! (Proudly) I had a purple
Chopper!
Ahem!
See, I'm not that young - I had a purple Chopper and it was
always too big for me. I had to get a leg-up to get on it.
And I'd always have to ring the bell and hope someone was
home to help me stop.
Know any good jokes?
Sorry, but I don't know any clean ones.
When was the last time you were chatted up?
Weeks ago. I need to get out more!
Do you ever chat up guys?
No way! Quite a few of my girlfriends will say, "I like him.
I'm going to talk to him". But if I like a guy, I'll stay on
the other side of the room. I'm really shy. Most of the time
my friends go over and start talking to him and bring him
over.
So they sort you out?
Yeah, they're good like that, but actually it really
embarrasses me. And I've never been out on a date with a man
I didn't know before.
So who do you fancy?
At the moment? Ooh yes, that Portuguese guy who plays for West Ham.
That'll be Dani.
Yeah, I think he's really cute. That's the first time in ages I've
seen a guy and gone "Wow, he's gorgeous".
What is it with you and footballers?
Nothing! It's not always football players, I like football.
Why is it that young starlets -you, Dani Behr, er, Patsy Kensit-
are always linked with soccer players though?
I really don't know. Like I say, I don't always date
footballers, I can go out with other guys. I do think that
footballers are getting a lot more glamorous these days, though.
They're like pop stars now. When I go out with my football mates,
there are always loads of girls hanging around.
Which team do you support?
Chelsea and Liverpool. My friend's brother plays for Chelsea -Scott
Minto- so I grew up knowing him. And then I know a few Liverpool
guys - Jamie Redknapp, Phil Babb, Jason McAteer. We go out
clubbing and stuff. I become a bit of a lad with them.
Do you like being famous?
Well, I'm not at that horrible famous stage - I'm not
Michael Jackson! I like where I'm at in my career because I get
all the perks but I can still do everything I want to, like go to
the supermarket.
What do people say when they meet you?
"You're much smaller in real life". But then I'm not that tiny -
I'm five-foot four.
Any advantages to being small?
Well, you know what they say - good things come in small packages.
I'll say.
FHM Magazine, May 1996
(05 April 1996)
(c) EMAP Metro, ISSN No. 004-485
