She loves mayonnaise, John Goodman and men without pants. Meet Shirley Manson, Garbage's supervixen.

You're from Scotland. Tell me, have you ever shagged a men in a kilt?

Yes! I love kilts - they're really sexy. Unfortunately, they're so expensive they're fast becoming extinct among the common man. But now and again you go to a party and there's a bonny lad in a kilt with no knickers on - and honey, there's nothing better than sticking your hand up a kilt and feeling a naked bottom.

And how long have you been feeling them?

I had sexual liaisons from the age of thirteen, but the penis didn't go up the fanny - and incidentally, in Europe the fanny is the front bum - until I was fifteen, with an older musician. We did it in his friend's flat while the guy was sleeping downstairs, and I thought it was going to change my life. But it was seedy and horrible. We got to it so quickly that I didn't get time to take off my socks, and there's nothing very erotic about getting your virginity taken when you've got your socks on and so has he.

Screwing a musician, eh?

Music has always been close to my heart. You can use it as an upper, a downer, a leveller, any way you want - and it doesn't mess with your health.

Speaking of which, what's your guiltiest pleasure?

Mayonnaise. I have it on everything.

And your favourite combo?

Carrots, peanut butter and mayonnaise. You must try it.

Thanks, but it sounds a bit like garbage. Speaking of which, on Garbage you're a pissed-off supervixen until the finale, when you get all needy. Which is the real you?

Both. I am a bitch - I'm not good at biting back what I want to say - but to be truly strong you have to be able to admit that you have moments of weakness and vulnerability. People who deny that they're weak are really screwed up, and I certainly didn't want the record to be like I'm this superhuman bitch from Mars. Like for instance, I love everything about Frank Sinatra, and I think he is so amazing because he's a screwed-up pig.

And that's a good way to be?

I think when you're fucking up is when you feel things the most intensely - your senses are out pulling in all the signals. When you're happy, you're too busy being happy to deal with anything else. You don't learn anything.

How often are you a happy camper?

I can't say I ever feel ecstatic throughout a whole day. I think you spend your life in melancholy and then you get moments of feeling happy. (laughs). Scottish history is steeped in blood, tragedy and lust, so that's just the way we are.

Let's do the lust part. What's hot in a guy?

To me, John Goodman from Roseanne is a total sex symbol. Now, I know some people would look at him and go, "He's disgusting." But he's so at ease with himself that he just exudes sexuality.

Would you do him?

Oh yeah, totally! I like to squeeze my fingers in and feel it all oozing through the cracks. I like it all hot and soft.

Meaty guys, huh? Are you a size queen too?

What's that?

One who exclusively craves large penises.

Oh. (pauses). Yes I am, and any girl who tells you otherwise is a goddamn liar! "Size queen" - I like that. I should call a song "Size Queen."

Is Manson your real name?

I read that I'd made it up as a mixture of Shirley Temple and Charles Manson - and I wish I had - but, yes, it is my name. My nickname is Charlie, though.

Okay, Charlie, what's your worst crime?

When I was nine years old, I was leaning over a banister at school in Edinburgh, waiting to get into home-economics class, and I was blowing saliva bubbles when some spit dropped out of my mouth and hit Miss Moyes, the headmistress, on the head. I was quick enough to stand back immediately and not take the blame. But this pure little girl who nobody liked because she was a weirdo was suspected. Everybody started to bully her, including me: "Own up to it, own up to it! You did it!" Every day the headmaster would ask, "Has anyone decided to own up to spitting on Miss Moyes?" And finally one day this pure little girl admitted to my crime. I sat there and watched her cry and I've never truly forgiven myself. I hope she's happy and that I haven't fucked up her life forever.

Honey, you were born to be a rock star. Are you in it for life?

Definitely not.

What else can you do?

Nothing.

By Brantley Bardin