Fran's Violent Silence: It's Time for HIV To Be Back In the Media
Author: Jonty Skrufff
Monday, November 29, 2004
Timely in general terms (recent data just published shows record rates of new infections in both the UK and the world), the record's release marks a turning point for Fran himself.
"I couldn't have done it before, because my life was too chaotic and I was taking far too many drugs," he admits.
I don't think I would have had the strength and the motivation to do it before now to be honest. I had a couple of years where I was really ill, I became depressed, I had a lot of things going wrong from my medication, my HIV diagnosis (he tails off).
"I had a lot of problems and spent a lot of time staying at home being completely isolated and I didn't see my story mirrored anywhere, not on the TV nor in the papers. I just think it is a far too important story to have disappeared from the media."
What turned it around for Fran was falling in love and finding a purpose through his music which he pursued as he could, playing in experimental rock bands Frozen Ghost and Kerran tipped club band Zelig. However, his latest project as himself fits firmly into club culture musically (and has also been remixed by Pharoah Roche. And his long term friend Marc Almond, before the Soft Cell star's tragic accident).
Skrufff (Jonty Skrufff): How did you first find out you were infected with HIV-
Fran: "I was actually diagnosed with hepatitis C initially after feeling unwell for a while because at the time I didn't really want to know whether I was HIV positive, because at that time HIV was a bit like a death sentence; there were no medications and nothing to treat it with. Or rather there were some medications but they weren't very successful yet. So I found out I had hepatitis and then my doctor managed to convince me to have a test because she thought it was quite likely that I would have been infected with HIV as well as hepatitis."
Skrufff: Were you doing heroin before then-
Fran: "I had used heroin before, yes, but I never really got addicted, I'd dabbled with drugs and been taking drugs socially. What I mean by that is that I knew about heroin but I never was addicted. After my HIV diagnosis I went into a downward spiral and I didn't really feel there was much hope; even the person who told me at the time, suggested to me that I shouldn't make long term plans. At the time I wanted to start training in psychology but the person said I shouldn't think long term to avoid being even more disappointed. Which was bad. I don't necessarily agree with the way they dealt with my diagnosis at the time. "
Skrufff: Did you get infected from needle use-
Fran: "I'm not sure how I got infected, to be honest, I never shared needles, but I did share spoons when I was taking heroin. I suppose I could have caught hepatitis C from that, because the virus doesn't die very easily. I think with the HIV I was probably infected through sex. "
Skrufff: What was your immediate reaction when you were diagnosed HIV positive-
Fran: "I felt I had been turned upside down completely because also I had a partner at the time and he was diagnosed a week later and we split up because there were issues of blame and they were really unnecessary. So we went our separate ways and I found myself all by myself in London; living in a flat that was almost a squat. I don't have any family over here so I didn't tell my relatives then either. I felt pretty much isolated and by myself with it; and also had to cope with the fear of the actual reality of having it I think my heroin use after being diagnosed was a way of self-medicating for a< Tags