Placebo say the world isn’t less prejudiced than it was 30 years ago: ‘We can never become complacent’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Placebo have said they do not believe the world is any less prejudiced than it was 30 years ago, despite greater visibility for LGBTQ+ people.

Speaking exclusively to Attitude at the 2026 PEUGEOT Attitude PRIDE Awards Europe, supported by British Airways, where the band were honoured with an Attitude Pride Award, frontman Brian Molko reflected on how attitudes have changed since Placebo emerged in the mid-1990s.

“I don’t know if it’s gotten any better,” Molko said.

Placebo’s Brian Molko on 30 years of change

“I think kind of history moves in cycles and circles. I think for the LGBT community, what’s really positive is that we are a lot more visible today than we were 30 years ago, but I don’t think that the world is a less prejudiced place by any means.”

His bandmate Stefan Olsdal said the world appeared to be becoming increasingly divided.

“I think what happens is that humanity’s incapable of learning from the past,” he said.

“The further we move away from big world catastrophes and wars, the more we forget what it actually is we want to avoid.

“I think we’re in a time now where it looks like we’re repeating mistakes and we’re also polarising the world a lot more, so it’s clinging on to hope at the moment.”

Placebo warn the world is becoming more divided

Molko added: “Growing up in the 80s, we always felt like the world was always taking small steps towards more unity. And it seems like today that we are more divided than ever.

“I think social media’s got a lot to do with that as well.”

Asked whether recent political developments could result in a return to attitudes reminiscent of Section 28, the pair agreed the LGBTQ+ community could not afford to become complacent.

“It’s definitely possible,” he said.

“We really need to stay on our toes for this one. We can never become complacent.”

Olsdal added, “I think complacency, that’s the real enemy. You look at countries where the acceptance and tolerance is going in the right direction, but now it’s kind of regressing. It just shows us that we just have to keep on our toes all the time.”

The inspiration behind ‘Nancy Boy’

Elsewhere, Molko reflected on the inspiration behind Placebo’s 1997 single ‘Nancy Boy’, revealing it was written in response to the homophobic abuse he experienced in the band’s early years.

“In the 1990s, whenever we used to go out, we inevitably used to get a lot of homophobic insults hurled at us by complete strangers,” he said.

“So I decided that I was going to reclaim all of the homophobic insults that were being hurled at me, take the power away, and then write a song about how much more fun a person like me could have on a Saturday night in SoHo than the person who is insulting me could have.”

Olsdal concluded, “I think it celebrates freedom, basically. Don’t put yourself in a box, don’t put anyone else in a box and just have fun with it.”