I cannot count how many projects at school I've dedicated to Marianne Faithfull - and how could I not? I'm not one for teenage-pop-princesses (see my "homage" to Kirsty MacColl) and I love and admire Marianne for her transformation from angel-voiced pop ('As Tears Go By') to nicotine-stained growling (her cover of 'Working Class Hero').
Her autobiography (Faithfull) is amazing; she doesn't take herself too seriously and writes honestly about her years of drug addiction and relationship with Mick Jagger and she wins you over with her insane anecdotes and self-deprecating humour. While I normally don't like generalising statements such as "every woman should own a pair of red pumps" and "every woman over the age of 25 should have a cucumber in her fridge" (thanks for the latter, Joanna-Cassidy-in-Don't-Tell-Mom-The-Babaysisster's-Dead), I would advise every woman (and man!) to read her second book, Dreams, Memories & Reflections. Not distracted by having to keep everything in chronological order, Marianne cuts loose and shares anecdotes and lessons learned.

When I grow up, I'd like to be as cool as Marianne Faithfull.