Rock veteran Paul Weller is bemused by his popularity among the gay community - as the closest he came to homosexuality was stroking another man's earlobes.

Weller admits he became a gay icon when he softened his aggressive The Jam punk persona in 1980s pop act The Style Council.

He says, "I went through my 'confused sexuality' time in The Style Council.

"But it never went further than me and (keyboardist) MICK TALBOT stroking each other's earlobes in a video.

"The truth is, I don't really fancy blokes."