Women of Rock: Tina Turner

Your show was two and a half hours long, and it was all Tina. You've done this hundreds of times on this tour. How?
I've always been a tomboy kind of girl. I'm always doing something. So I don't get caught gaining weight. I've never worked out at all. I started to run when I went into the change of life because I was told that I needed to. But when I haven't run, it hasn't bothered me. I'm a country girl, and I lived a full country life, and it made me strong, I think.

Given the difficulties you had early on, have you been able to count on the support of female friends?
I never really had girlfriends early on. When I left Ike, there was Anna Marie Shorter — Wayne Shorter's wife. But she went down in a plane crash. That was the first time having a girlfriend — sitting, chatting, having a good time, learning to drink, laughing and talking about everything. It was nice. I think it would be nice now. But I just don't have a strong need for company. My mind is always kind of going, you know. Instinctively, it's what I've always done. It could come from when I was young and my family separated, and I was a loner as a child. Maybe I got to that place then.

For someone who's spent so many years on the road, what's the importance of having a place to call home?
When I travel, I am absolutely miserable. I talked to an astrologist about it, 'cause I was really suffering. And he said that, astrologically, I am a home person. I try to make the hotels homey. I immediately walk into a room and get security to change the room the way I want it. Some places it's impossible and you can do nothing but sit there. I miss being at home very much.

What about the rock & roll life?
I enjoy it once I'm right there onstage. But every night, for over 200 days, to think that you've got to go onstage and have a party ... well, since I'm not a party person, I see it as a party without drink for me. It's having a party with the people. And I don't crave it, no! I'm fine when I'm there, I'm on a mission — to give the people a good time, because that's what it's about. It's not about a message or anything. It's about laughter and a little bit of dancing. And all kinds of intrigue. That's basically it. But I don't miss it when I'm not onstage. At all. It's a job out there and people always think it's fun. It's fun to a point, yes. I remember when it was more fun to put on those dresses and do the makeup and all that stuff. But when you've had nearly 40 years of it, it ceases to be that kind of fun and magic. It's a job that you've got to go out there and do. And be successful at it. That's the mission.

So you can imagine not doing it?
Oh, I can, absolutely. I'm looking forward to it. I know I'm going somewhere else from the stage. I know that already.

And right now?
I have my acupuncturist here now. I think I'm just overanxious to get home. I haven't been sleeping very well, so he's got to put some needles in me. Listen, I want to go home!

One last question: What of that other stalwart road warrior, Mick Jagger?
Mick is, and always has been, a boy. A boy that I'd be. Now, if I was male and you said, "Who would you want to be like?" I guess I could say I'd want to dance better than Mick. But I like how he does it. He's naughty; he's got a great boy inside of that man's body — no matter how old he gets, no matter what is happening to him visually. We're not together often, but when we are, it's as if we have known each other all of our lives. We laugh, we play — it's almost like kids, you know?

[From Issue 773 — November 13, 1997]