Christopher Gary Smith, PhD August 6, 1973 to November 24, 2025 Wri:en by JoRiAl
POZPLANET charter member and supporter Christopher Smith unexpectedly passed away on November 24th, leaving extensive networks of friends, family, academic colleagues and community acIvists in shock. Regarding his experience living with HIV, Christopher shared these thoughts in POZLANET's Facebook group on July 30, 2019: 6 years ago I found out I had seroconverted while a miscreant seminoma called upon chemo as its cure In remission and grateful Cause 6 years ago I was "Pray Tell" Kivexa picked a fight with Bleomycin *I don't care if spelled that right But you took that fight in my body. 6 years ago I spent my bday week and birthday In a hospital bed Because I'm a fighEn bitch I danced a week later
Pray Tell speaks a living history And my tears when I watch POSE Remind me that our tears Through vexaEon and joy and remembrance Are a history of living Mi nah leave this earth!! The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies released a statement on November 26 along with a portrait by photographer Elliot Tilleczek:
Christopher Smith: our co-worker, colleague, and beloved friend. He helped nurture the Queer and Trans Research Lab into existence with care, insight, and commitment. He was a mentor to our students, a serious scholar of Black queer studies, and a skilled community builder. He was also hilarious, a beauIful singer, a poet, a dancer, fiercely commi:ed to social transformaIon and movement work, and he loved a glass of chardonnay. Words cannot adequately express our loss, nor our love. Rest in Power, friend; or, as another friend says, “return if possible.”
Elliot also posted I sIll can't believe you're gone, Christopher. I will always cherish the Ime we spent together, your sweet and silly sense of humour, how you always took the Ime to mentor me in the ways of wriIng and dissertaIng, how aaer business calls we'd lose track of Ime just chacng and catching up, our walks through campus together. You were a true friend to me and so, so many. May your memory live in on in your fierce advocacy work and your intense dedicaIon to your communiIes. In the way you radically opened your heart. The last Ime we spoke in person we were reminiscing on this day we spent taking portraits together, how special it was and what it meant to you. I love your smile in this black and white picture, I remember how we cracked up right aaer.
OmiSoore Dryden, professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Black Health Studies at Dalhousie University wrote Dear Christopher, you are so deeply loved. Have been trying to make sense of this and it is such a struggle. I know death is a part of life, but I just cannot make sense of your transiIon. Have been thinking a lot about our connecIons that began long ago (community, clubbing, school, academia...) but want to speak of two here… Fem(me) Assemblages, and that first gathering in 2010 (edit: it was 2009) – a space for Black, Indigenous, and femmes of colour – lesbian, bisexual, trans, gay, queer and quesIoning femmes. Your understanding of femme was a beauIful mirror and lesson. Your unabashed ways in which you flirted with butches and bois (like the Wusband – and the fact that you always called her Wusband). Being in femme community with you is/was an absolute blessing. And this moment from my defence celebraIon party at Harlem (was it harlem?). The Wusband put together a playlist and Lady Saw’s If Him Lef came on and you popped-up from your seat and started dancing and singing, exclaiming how much you love the song… It’s been on repeat since Monday. And I include it here in honour of you (Please note, this is by Lady Saw, not Minister Marion Hall – iykyk) This post seems so inadequate to the fullness of who you are… pls accept it as a small offering of my love for you. Our love for you. #WalkGood #ChristopherSmith… see you on the other side (I hope) Stay fierce, Stay fabulous, Stay Brilliant and Debaucherous (in all of the amazing ways). May we rise to the bar you set. h:ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZynUMcRCeLc
LongIme friend Junior Harrison wrote
As I’m coming to terms with this heartbreaking loss of a brilliant mind and selfless person, I’m sharing this video he craaed of our trip to Paris. RIP Christopher Smith - you will always be loved and never forgo:en h:ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U5TMBW5jBI
Another dear friend and academic colleague of Christopher's wrote Dearest Christopher, I will always cherish the memories we made laughing and dancing from house party to house party, morning aaer party long debriefs, jumping up in Caribana and locking arms traipsing through the Village together. Although our physical paths had not crossed in some Ime, I so valued our conInued connecIon on here. Your posts made me smile, think deeply and your replies to my posts reminded me always that the strength of our connecIon transcended geography. I will miss you, Christopher. Already I am missing you. May the ancestors gather to welcome you. Rest well dear one and rise in power. May the memory of Christopher Smith be an eternal blessing and a source of comfort and strength for all who are mourning his transiIon to the spiritual realm
Jade Elektra wrote I am sIll trying to wrap my head around the loss of my friend Christopher Smith. When I felt like I wasn't accepted here in Toronto, he would give me a pep talk to inspire me to conInue with my work for the community. We worked together for the Queer & Trans Research Lab at the University of
Toronto. We planned events together. My condolences to his mother. Rest in peace, Mr. Smith.
A memorial visitaIon was held on December 13 at Heritage Funeral Centre in East York. Douglas Stewart, yet another dear friend of Christopher's, captured some of the memorial tributes Christopher Smith VisitaIon Tributes 1 h:ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1PI39F1fNg Christopher Smith VisitaIon Tributes 2 h:ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcIw7ecscYY Not everyone was able to a:end the memorial for Christopher in December, however his friends and family are invited to share in some of the music he loved and to share their memories of him at the event REMEMBERING Christopher Smith (A Celebra9on of his LIFE) at The Well Bar Queen Street West, hosted by OmiSoore Dryden with music videos by DJ Relentless. Saturday January 24 482 Queen St West, Toronto. FREE. Doors open at 9 PM and throughout the night friends are encouraged to te the mic and share their memories of our friend, Chrissy. Futher informaIon: h:ps://www.facebook.com/events/25627680940177173
EDITOR’S NOTE: It was brought to my attention that a good way to fight stigma and show sex positivity is to share and remember some of the adult actors/sex workers as well as celebrities we lost to AIDS. Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/theaidsmemorial
“Troy Meyers, known to gay film audiences as Jeremy Scott (1961 - 1994) (pictured on the next page with Jim Waldrop aka Jon King who died of AIDS in 1986) during his heyday in the Adult Movie Industry in the 1980’s. Born in San Diego, California, Troy was my close friend during the early 1980’s, looking out for me when I was very young and naı̈ve’. In late 1982, he invited me to the DOK Bar in Westminster California to celebrate his new movie release “Giants.” He had become a star through the movie “Pacific Coast Highway.” At the bar, Troy introduced me to everyone as the next Kip Noll. I had no idea who this Kip Noll guy was but Troy also said to me privately to not take all of this seriously as we were there for a night of fun. He was my confidant, and we became good friends. People crowded around me as if I was a star. I made many close friends that night. Later, I wished I hadn’t become close to many of them because so many died over the next few years. Troy introduced me to William Higgins who wanted to cast me in his movie “Sailor in the Wild.” I was not impressed with Mr. Higgins and declined. I was carving out a career in the Music Industry and had no interest in getting into Adult Films.
By 1983, it was clear that my friends were dying of something that was sexually transmittable. I was dumbfounded by the lack of media reporting on a disease that had already killed 30 of my friends.
Troy was a kind, happy person. An eternal optimist, always wearing a smile on his face, even when he was diagnosed with AIDS. He began getting ill in 1991 and he passed away in 1994. You loved me Troy and I loved you. Thank you for sharing your life with me. You were my family when I had none; my friend when I had few; and my confidant when I trusted nobody. I’ll do my best to never let the world forget you.” by the late Shawn Mayotte #whatisrememberedlives
At the 2025 POZ-TO Awards we honored ten Canadians for their work or activism in HIV/AIDS. It was so great to share a space with these local heroes and to say thank you for all that they do or have done to help the HIV+ Community. One of those honorees was George Stewart...a choreographer, musician and songwriter. I'd like to introduce you to this unique man who I call my friend...George. JE: Hello George. Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to sit down with me today. How are you today? GS: I’m excited about this interview and honoured to be asked. Thank you! JE: Would you mind giving our readers a little background about yourself? Where are you from? Have you always lived in Toronto? GS: Not always. I’m the 13th of 14 children and grew up in Cochrane, Ontario which is as far north as you can go on highway 11. My parents, 8 sisters and 5 brothers have always been fantastic to me. I came to Toronto at 19 and studied Linguistics at York. Without any practical experience, but with complete confidence of being gay, I jumped into my first relationship. It was an abusive 2-year relationship that ended with me running out of “our” apartment with just jeans, no shoes and a bloodied white T-shirt. At 22 I learned what a toxic relationship was and carefully avoided more of those. So, in a heartbeat that was my life until 22. JE: If you don't mind me asking...how long have you been HIV+? And what was it like when you found out? GS: Pretty much since I began my second much healthier relationship at 22. I’m 59 now, so I’ve been HIV positive all my adult life. My second partner and I got tested at the Hassle Free Clinic in 1988. I was brought to a room and waited alone for somebody to come. A form with my name on it was open on the desk and stamped “REACTIVE”. While I was trying to convince myself how “REACTIVE” might be what a healthy body should do, someone came in and told me what “REACTIVE” really meant. I left in shock with a handful of pamphlets and walked out with my partner unable to say anything to him. However, I was able to nod when he asked if the test was positive. My partner was told he was negative, and before that day ended, he made it clear to me that he still wanted us to be together. He was amazing and completely supportive. We were together for 13 years. Because of my diagnosis, I decided to be an adult ESL Instructor instead of a speech pathologist. I figured why do 3 more years in university to be a speech pathologist only to die with
a huge debt. I grew to become an excellent instructor, and I’ve used music a lot. I even have a YouTube for my song experiments. A few years after being diagnosed I still didn’t have any friends who were also HIV+, so I joined a group at ACT called Act it Out. It was drama therapy lead by a talented actor named James. That helped me both connect more to others who were HIV+ and also deal with some internal issues. We ended up making several short films based on how HIV affected us. I have a link to the short film we made back then. JE: I love that you use your art to express your life as a person living with HIV. Could you tell us about your training in dance?
GS: It was my second X that got me into Ballroom Dancing. At 33, I joined Rainbow Ballroom Dance Club of Toronto with no previous dance skills, and I slowly started to feel more confident. I’m now a board member of the club. We always have a salsa lesson and we rotate the ballroom dances in our classes. Dances like rumba, cha cha, tango, waltz, hustle and swing. We are thankful to The 519 for giving us space there Friday evenings. We have performed at most Prides in the last 20 years with themes like “SuperQueeros” and “Cirque de
So Gay”. I’ve choreographed a number of performances. So, my training as a dancer and choreographer has been completely within the community. If you don’t mind, I’d like to share how a group like Rainbow Ballroom approaches partnered dancing in what I’d consider a very natural way. There are stereotypes in ballroom dancing that assumes gender defines your role as leader or follower. I don’t know why straight people put up with that. In our classes you can choose to follow or lead. It’s fun to learn both! There is an article in the Toronto Star about Rainbow Ballroom this year that really captured the spirit of our club. I’ll give you that link too. JE: And you're a musician as well as a songwriter. Last year you won my TOP STAR LIVE competition? How do you find out about it and what made you enter? GS: My new friend Jeff Schmitd encouraged me. A mutual friend referred me to him as possible entertainment for Prime Timers Toronto’s 30th anniversary. He has since introduced me to so many lovely, fascinating, talented people. After winning my week at TOP STAR LIVE with my funny version of Danny Boy, I added a very personal song that I wrote decades apart from each other; 1990 post infection, 2000 post HAART and 2025. There was a lot of talent at 2025 TOP STAR LIVE, but I think sharing the details of my HIV journey made the difference. JE: I believe you won because you embodied what the competition was all about...expressing one's full self through performance. At the awards as part of your acceptance speech you played a song you wrote. What was the name of it and have you ever shared or posted any of your songs? GS: Thank you very much. I played a new arrangement of the song at the POZTO awards that I sang at TOP STAR LIVE. “Plan to Be Alive”. I can share a link for that, but I would love to just share the words here if I may? Part 1 - 1990 Soap bubbles in the water, going down the drain. I have a premonition that things will never be the same. I make a promise to myself, to keep my mind and body well. I’ve got a light. I’ve got a right. I’ve got to fight to stay alive. I take my morning AZT with a cup of herbal tea. Is this drug helping me? One step forward, two steps back – oral hairy leucoplast. Would telling her, make my mother sad? I’ve got a light. I’ve got a right. I’ve got to fight to stay alive. Would I be better as an angel? Or could I try to be an angel now?
Please someone show me how. Part 2 - 2000 The medical wisdom in 1988 didn’t promise many birthday cakes. I only planned to live 10 years. Then in 98 I got out of bed, “Holy fuck I’m still not dead?” There must be a good reason I’m still here. I’ve got a light. I’ve got a right. Now I’ve got to plan to be alive. Part 3 - 2025 Now in 2025 you can do more than just survive. Now you have to plan to be alive. You’ve got a light. You’ve got a right. You’ve got to plan to be alive You don’t have to wait to be an angel. You can decide to be an angel now. I can show you how. You just have to plan to be alive.
JE: Well, I hope we can collaborate on a song one day. I am one half of a record label out of New York City. You teach dance. I saw one of your pieces inspired by the movie "Brokeback Mountain". How long have you been teaching? GS: That was a simple Waltz I choreographed for Pride 2006. I’ve taught ballroom for the TDSB to seniors for a couple years, and also, I taught Salsa a bit for UofT Salsa which isn’t around anymore. Now, I just substitute for our amazing instructor Janine at Rainbow Ballroom. JE: Before I let you go...I have a question for you. If you could talk to your younger self being diagnosed, what would you say? GS: I’d say, “Don’t opt out of the pension at work. You’re going to need it!” JE: Well, congratulations again on your POZ-TO award. I am so glad that you are sharing your talents to help disclose living with HIV. I believe the more people who are out about their status is how we are going to fight stigma. So, thank you for the work you do. I look forward to see what you will create in 2026. GS: Thanks Jade. I hope it’s something we make together!
For January 2026 our theme is “Life Is A Drag” and you can vote on which one we will be watching on January 20th by joining our Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/195374003920591 Our movie night is growing and we even have discussions about the films afterwards as well as pick what theme will be for the next month. It’s a cheap date night and we even throw in the popcorn! Everyone is welcome (although this is not an event for children since we often watch films with mature subject matters). So, come join this intergenerational evening. Concession stand avaible.
We are sexual beings and should not be ashamed of that. Harness your pride, your sexuality and take control of your sexual health to help build a generation free of HIV and stigma. Get tested. Know your status. Get PrEP or the meds you need to be healthy. More info here: https://mybodymyhealth.org/sex-positivity
Listen to the mix here: https://www.mixcloud.com/djrelentlessny/ear-candy-january-2026 Download your free video of this mix here: https://mega.nz/file/oidRVSCD#OY2yFS8dllB2cplFkIqcVyumIVCQ7XjvSGUBZXZjzPM
Subscribe to DJ Relentless’ Mixcloud page: https://www.mixcloud.com/djrelentlessny Follow DJ Relentless’ HearThis page: https://hearthis.at/djrelentlesstoronto It’s a New Year and a promise of a new day. I have chosen to focus on the things I want and not the things I don’t. I want the inauguration of New York City’s incoming mayor to be a celebration and a message that we can turn things around. I want us to carry that hope and energy into the mid-term elections. I want this White House administration, Marjorie Taylor Green, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj and The Kardashians to just go away! So, I have twenty tracks to talk about and a lot of Pop Culture to mention. Let’s dive right into it, shall we? I lived in in New York City for seventeen years before finding a home in Toronto. So, I guess…once a New Yawker, always a New Yawker. And after keeping up with the news of Zohran Mamdani winning the mayoral election, I felt a sense of hope that I haven’t felt in a while. I mean…it hasn’t even been a year yet and I’m sure most Americans feel like they have been through two years of hell. The idea that Mamdani won with all of the hate and misinformation being spread by the internet and FOX News really spoke to the idea that if we stick together, we can get through this nightmare. So, to start off our mix I chose the Dimar Funky Remix of Frank Sinatra’s classic “New York, New York”. I’ve heard a lot of remixes of this song, but this version really
sounds celebratory. A friend of mine told me of his plans to be at the inauguration at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve in the Wall Street area. I so wish I could have been there for that. But I have said many times that I have no plans to return to the states until the Orange Menace has left office. Our second selection is from someone that I have grown to despise. I am talking about Amanda Lear. I didn’t know very much about her before watching HBO’s documentary “Enigma” that looks into the history of her life and Trans activist April Ashley plus how their lives intersect. The contrast between what they both contributed to the world is night and day in comparison. You learn that Amanda has been living the lie that she is not a trans-woman even though there are records and photos of her before she transitioned.
I spoke with a trans friend, and their comment was that we should not force someone to disclose. But as a person living with HIV, I know the importance of disclosure and how there is a power in numbers. Kinda like what my hope for the mid-terms in the U.S. So, to watch her deny who and what she is in this film just really angered me. The same way it angers me when I know a celebrity is HIV+ but won’t come out even though it would be a powerful part of the movement to end stigma. Anyway…her latest single is just as arrogant as she was in this documentary. It’s called “When I Was Your Favourite Singer”. Bitch…you can’t sing! You were T-Boz before there was one…moaning through lyrics. You aren’t singing. But I will tell ya who is one of my favourite performers…Madonna. Not a great singer
but she has been one of the Top female entertainers for decades. She’s no Cher but she is famous enough to go by just one name. And she enters our third spot with the 2026 Betamax Disco Mix of “Vogue”. Just in time for a new A.I. music video that sorta takes us deeper into the Marie Antonette performance of this classic from the 1990 MVAs. I don’t think A.I. has learned exactly what vogue-ing is. That would be the reason that the dancers are not vogue-ing at all. But it is a very nice memory of how beautiful her dancers were back then. A very fitting tribute to a wonderful performance. And since we’re being nostalgic for the 90s, here’s a cover of The Fog’s “Been A Long Time” by Daddy’s Groove. I haven’t heard any other mixes other than the David Puentez Remix. But of course, nothing compares to the Heller & Farley Remix of the original. This cover is cute but does not have the soulful vocals of the original.
And speaking of 90s classics, “Music Is The Answer” by Tenaglia + Celeda is one of my favourite House anthems. I love this for two reasons. One it’s a banga…and two because Celeda was a drag recording artist from the 90s that wasn’t RuPaul. And speaking of Ru…my longtime friend Lady Bunny wrote back in December a major takedown of the buffoonery of Mr. Charles’ online posts about reading books. The way Bunny broke it down about Ru’s real role in Drag Culture was brilliant. I’m not a fan and I won’t even go into my thoughts about Drag Race. But I digressed. The Vandam & Josh Ramz Remix of “Music Is The Answer” is a great reboot of this jam! Our sixth track is “House Is Getting’ Raw” by PAULY1. No music video…just a visualizer. But this is a great banga of House. It has that classic 90s production but a current vibe. I hope that one day there is a music video so I can play it in my sets.
Last month I introduced you to AYYBO with a hot track called “RIZZ” from 2023. His latest track is called “Demon Time”. He doesn’t have a Wikipedia page yet but I have a feeling there’s one coming soon. What I do know is that he’s out of Chicago’s House scene and he is killin’ it! A few years back I wondered why Afro Beats & Afro House wasn’t catching on as much in North America. These days almost everything has an Afro House mix. But I’m lovin’ that actually Afro House tracks are being circulated in the record and video pools for us DJ/VJs. Our eighth selection is the DJ IBO Dalli Afro Club Remix of “Ratata” by Genezio & Gims. I don’t understand most of the lyrics but the rhythm is infectious and makes this ol’ guy wanna dance! And ain’t that’s what supposed to be happening? And speaking of Afro House remixes…the Adrian Forsen Afro Tech Remix of “Summertime Sadness” by Lana Del Rey is a great reintroduction to this track! As we here in the north are experiencing the harshness of the cold, it is the hot temperatures that are kissing the southern half of the planet. This song could be for the nostalgia of winter or the loneliness during the summer. That’s the brilliance of the lyrics. Have you seen the movie “One Battle After Another”? I saw it back in November and was pleasantly surprised. With a big name like Leonardo DiCaprio attached I assumed this was an action film for him. Not really his movie at all. I say that Teyana Taylor is the star of this one. After her role in Tyler Perry’s “Straw” I really began my fandom. I can’t wait for her featured role in the Dionne Warwick biopic. And to think she was planning on leaving the entertainment business.
For a little while Teyana was featured in a Meta commercial that featured her track “Long Time”. After seeing it in daily rotation for a couple of weeks, I decided to remix the song into something that I would play. So, I gave it a “Relentlessly Touched Vocal”. Let me know what you think. Our eleventh track is the JD Live House Edit of “Folded” by Kehlani. Keeping in the theme of Teyana’s song, I chose this one as a passive aggressive way of telling him to leave. I like this remix because it has that old skool House vibe to it. I guess I had not been keeping up with Rihanna news because I didn’t realize that she has three children. I also didn’t know about a speculated riff between her and Beyonce. And the most recent concern is Rihanna ignoring advice to protect her 1.4 billion fortune from her husband, A$AP Rocky. And for that reason, I chose the Adam B Edit of the mashup between “Bitch Better Have My Money” & “Think About Us” by Sonny Fodera, D.O.D. & Poppy Baskcomb. I wonder if she will ever record another album. She seems to be making more money poppin’ out babies and fashion wear. I know that he’s goofy as hell, but Yung Gravy is so hot to me. I am really attracted to white guys who own their whiteness. To me, that’s what Eminem’s success was built on. Matthew Raymond Hauri is his real name. And he’s really tall and has a hairy chest. He’s 29 and Swiss. His swagger and confidence exude through all his lyrics. He’s got my vote. I’m sorry…but he could get it!
Gravy’s latest single is “Debbie”. The hook and music are from “Brick House” by The Commodores. The idea that he’s really cocky and spittin’ a smooth flow just doe sit for me. I know he’s straight…but his duet with bbno$ where they recreate the embrace from “Brokeback Mountain” in the music video for “No Way Jose” gave me hope that maybe one day I could be in his arms (don’t tell my husband). Our fourteenth track is the return of Ice Spice with Tokischa for a Latin Hip Hop romp called “Thootie”. I really hadn’t paid any attention to Miss Spice since the Danny Diggz Bootleg of “Deli”. If I saw one more video of her twerking huh ass into the camera I was gonna hurl! Reinvent yourself! This Latino angle might be her ticket. I like this duet. Now if we can get her on a Bad Bunny track. “Alive” by 41, Kyle Richh, Jenn Carter, TaTa & French Montana is one of those collaborative Hip Hop tracks that works. I only know French. The rest of these rappers are new to me. Will this make them legends? Probably not. This track will be forgotten by next week. The sixteenth selection is a new song but has an 80s throwback feel complete with that 808 vibe. It’s “Lotion” by TraConnie featuring Flo Milli. Not really my cup of tea. And speaking of not being my cup of tea…no truer words can be said of Nicki Minaj. A decade ago, she was Queen of Pop Hip Hop. She was a feature on everyone’s track. And “The Barbs” were born. Her mean girl flow resonated with a lot of gays. But to
be honest, a red flag for me was when she started disrespecting Lil Kim. That was Eminem dissing Vanilla Ice. These people set the stage for the next one in the spotlight. And as soon as Azealia Banks & Cardi B came along she felt threatened. Suddenly she started dropping diss tracks and getting mouthy online. Cardi probably struck the hardest with her arrival. But now that there’s a slew of new girls at the mic like Megan Thee Stallion and Doechii, Nicki is just beside herself. They have taken her blueprint and improved it. But picking fights with Gavin Newsom or anyone who has something to say anything about her pedophile brother or sex offender husband has been her downfall ever since Remy Ma dragged her with a diss track called “ShETHER” back in 2017. Seemed like a bad move for her career. She never recovered. And now that marriage has made her a punchline. So, why are we surprised that she’s cuddling up to Donald Plump and this administration? It’s my theory that she thinks that if she says she supports The Orange Menace that he will give her brother and husband full pardons. Good luck with that. Meanwhile…no one I know is buying what she’s selling. And her “Uncle Tom” act has just made her one of the most hated rappers on earth. Will I stop playing her music? Nope. I’ll treat her like I do all the problematic artists. Respect their work not their deeds.
But let’s get back to our playlist for this month’s mix. The seventeenth track is “Sweat” by Melanie C. I am lovin’ this track because it samples the backing vocals from Diana Ross’ “Work That Body” from the 80s. For years now I have always believed that Mel
was a lesbian but recently found out that she isn’t. She just doesn’t mind if people think she is. Now…that’s an ally! I have to be honest. I actually chose this track because of the music video. I’m not one for the Circuit Party scene but this collection of A.I. gay men partying around a large pool in warm temperatures really struck a chord with me since it looks like we are in for a rough winter here in the north. The track is “Stay A Little Longer” by Joel Corry, Galantis & Izzy Bizu. Nice track. Probably would’ve missed it if it weren’t for the video.
Our nineteenth track is the PeteDown Remix of “Sally When The Wine Runs Out” by ROLE MODEL. Is it just me or are folks running out of artist names? But when I found out his real name “Tucker Pillsbury”, I understood why he chose a different one. Just not marketable. Apparently, he began as a rapper under various names before adopting the moniker ROLE MODEL. Listening to the original version of his latest track left me a little bored. Acoustic and Pop Folk in sound. That’s a big leap from Hip Hop. But with most Caucasian artists in the U.S. unafraid to lean into their college guitar these days, this will probably be a big hit until the internet finds a reason to pick him apart. He better start praising The Almighty Plump to protect himself. But if I have to play this song at least I have a version that I can work with. And to close out our January EAR CANDY mix is the G Funk Remix of “Mr. Jones” by Counting Crows. This a functional mix if you need to revisit the 90s without the pesky original speed of this Pop hit by the guy who used to date Jennifer Aniston. Be sure to get your FREE DOWNLOAD of this video mix in the links at the top of the article. Hope your year starts out great and gets better. GO VOTE in the mid-terms!