Seattle Gay News
Issue 25, Volume 38, June 18, 2010
Music, Theatre, and Arts
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Beyoncé Knowles Columbia Records
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Madonna
Dolly Parton
Elton John
Barbra Streisand
by Albert Rodriguez, Shaun Knittel, Jessica Price, and Christopher Byrne SGN A&E Writers It’s impossible, really, to come up with a list of music’s biggest (living) divas without omitting someone we really like. We were given the assignment of determining which ladies had the strongest catalogs of work, the highest peaks of artistic and commercial success, the most captivating stage presences, or the largest trophy cases of industry awards, as well as being the greatest innovators, re-inventors, or possessing the most powerful chops in the business – and let’s not forget the tabloid
regulars and repeat troublemakers. Here is our list, collectively selected by four writers – each with his or her own individual, eclectic palate – of the 50 Biggest Divas in Music (in order). 1) MADONNA Every mother of a Gay son can probably recount a story of catching her beloved child lipsyncing to a Madonna song or standing in line at a record store with a vinyl copy of Like a Virgin and $10 to pay for it. This pop icon is worshipped by non-heteros from Seattle to Tel Aviv. Interestingly, the Material Girl’s tour debut was right here in the Emerald City, and footage of it is available on YouTube.
It’s difficult to choose a favorite Madge song, but most would agree that “Like a Prayer,” “Papa Don’t Preach,” “Crazy for You,” “Borderline,” “Ray of Light,” and “You Must Love Me” are the artistic highlights of her long résumé, which dates back to 1982. She’s an innovator, not a follower, of pop culture, and a controversial figure, which stems from her bold stances on religion, sex, female empowerment, and certainly not least, Gay issues. Her GLBT support makes her the most revered diva of all; she was the first major entertainer to attach her name to see divas page 22
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Seattle Gay News
June 18, 2010
Pride Edition 2010
Seattle’s Pride Idol! all photos by james whitely
Week 4 Winner Sabrina Burton
Week 1 Winner Ryan Crawford
Week 5 Winner Josh Porterfield Judge Andrew Miller
Judge Sister Domine Trix
DJ SeXXXual Chocolate Week 6 Winner Yee-Shin Huang
Judge Shaun Knittel Wildcard Winner Carolina
Pride Idol Host Eduardo Khawam
Wildcard Runner-up Chase Silva
Preliminary Winner Kellye Rowland
The final competition is Sunday, June 20 at R Place at 8 p.m. Week 3 Winner Elisha Anderson
Preliminary Winner Mike Bowers
james whitely
Scott Aitken: A Pride tribute the ‘90s, he left the major airline company to pursue a career in the real estate business, where he spent 10 years. In real estate, he found great success, and Growing up, Scott Aitken was a typical with that came financial freedom, which alphoto nerd – typical for the ‘70s, anyway. lowed him to begin traveling recreationally After high school, he left home to go into – a luxury he hadn’t enjoyed since his Navy the Navy, going to ports all over the world. days. He worked at Boeing afterwards, and after It was during this time that he realized he was done he wanted with that, he to actively decided to pursue bego into the coming a real estate better phobusiness. tographer. Through He had all of it, taken snapthough, shots all his photogralife, but it phy was a was during constant in a 1996 trip the Seattle to India, on artist’s life. which he Aitken brought a has worked single Inmany jobs stamatic and been camera, that many plache knew he es, but for could do the past six more than years, he’s that. been workAitken ing as a phoand I shared tographer a laugh as full-time. he detailed He’s been a to me how Djinni member of he would the GSBA look at the for 20 years and has served on their board. photos in National Geographic and wonder You’ve probably seen Aitken around at why his didn’t look that way. community events, as he donates his serBy nature, Aitken is a fairly shy person, vices to local LGBT organizations like the and as the largely self-taught photographer GSBA and Three Dollar Bill Cinema regu- was developing his skill, one of his biggest larly. obstacles was taking pictures of people. This is intended to be a Pride tribute to a However, one of the few photo classes he talented artdid take – foist and an cused on phoactive memtographing ber of Sepeople while attle’s Gay traveling – community. got him over After high his fear in school, Aitjust a weekken joined end. the United He laughs States Navy about this and served nowadays, eight years thinking as a meabout all chanic. Gothose whom ing to night he photoschool while graphs now, in garrison, and how he earned they never his bachewould have lors’ degree guessed he just as he was once apwas nearing prehensive the end of about such a his second thing. enlistment. After all “This was the photogback in the raphy he did early ‘80s,” while travelthe Seattle ing, he was artist reready to give The Queen called dura photo busiing an interview in his Capitol Hill studio. ness a go. He quit real estate and got him“Back then, they were actively carrying out self a studio and started his business, Scott witch-hunts.” Aitken Photography. About a year into it, Back then, in the days before “Don’t Ask, he found his creative niche in his signature Don’t Tell,” being found out meant an in- style that has made him known nationally – stant dishonorable discharge. It meant jail a technique he calls “painting with light.” time. It was, in Aitken’s words, essentially “It’s commonly done with still subjects – “like a felony” – something that would fol- almost never with models,” said the photoglow you long afterwards. rapher. He remembered when he first saw With that on his mind, along with a new the technique and how he’d never seen anydegree and a new romance that would thing like it before. evolve into a now-nearing 25-year relation“There was no one around that I had ever ship with his loving partner Paul, Aitken seen do it because there’s no way to meter chose to get out of the service. it, there’s no way to tell what it’s going to He went to work for Boeing with the look like until you take it,” Aitken said. “It skills he had picked up in the Navy, but later can be grossly overexposed or grossly undecided to move on. Toward the middle of derexposed.” by James Whitely SGN Staff Writer
Scott Aitken
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Here’s how it works: Mounting the camera on a tripod and using a long exposure time (usually 30 seconds), the photographer takes a photo in darkness with no ambient light or flash. Then, as the shutter is open, the photographer uses a flashlight to draw on his subject with light. These parts of the photo will be lit up, leaving anything not drawn on still dark. Take a look at Djinni. It’s a perfect example of this technique. There are no special effects, no Photoshop or anything like that – Aitken simply didn’t put any light on the model’s legs, which makes them invisible. This process can be painstaking, especially if the model can’t stay still. An average shoot for Scott is about four hours. He usually has time to take about 10 shots per hour, and usually only gets one useable shot per hour – this is just the way it is with this method; it takes patience and lots and lots
of practice. Now that he’s gotten the technique down, he’s begun experimenting with motion – something even more rarely done while “painting with light.” Aitken has worn many hats during his lifetime, and he says that one day he may move away from photography and into something else yet again. Taking pictures will always be part of his life, however. Many photographers specialize in one area, just like many people specialize in a single lifetime career, but not Aitken. “I don’t specialize – maybe to my own detriment,” he says. For Aitken, every aspect of photography is special to him, and there are things to learn and pieces to take from all different kinds of photography, from nature to nudes. Our community is lucky to have Aitken, an artist with an open mind, an open heart, and talent to be reckoned with.
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Seattle Gay News
June 18, 2010
Pride Edition 2010
Pride Edition 2010
June 18, 2010
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The best music of (half of) 2010 by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer
Winehouse. I Learned the Hard Way goes well with fur coats and shiny Cadillacs.
At the midway point of 2010, these singles and albums represent just some of the best music to come out in the past six months.
“In One Ear” Cage the Elephant (single) This edgy tune from Bowling Green, Kentucky’s newest and finest is all kinds of crazy good – playful, lightly rebellious and kegger-friendly. Think of it as a cross between Arctic Monkeys and G Love.
I Learned the Hard Way Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings (album) Retro soul queen Sharon Jones sticks with her butterfly-collar grooves on the followup to 100 Days, 100 Nights. No longer underground, this Georgia native and her crew have found a fan base with indie hipsters, looking for something lower-key than Amy
Leave Your Sleep Natalie Merchant (album) On her first album in seven years, singersongwriter Natalie Merchant explores a kitchen sink of material from Cajun to jazz
to folk, and everything sounds golden – not a single track is forgettable. Leave Your Sleep feels like a complete departure for Merchant, who usually gives us more reserved, mellow pop songs – this time around, she’s kicking off her shoes and having a ball. “One Life Stand” – Hot Chip (single) Hot Chip always envisions the club floor when coming up with new hits, like this dance sizzler that follows in the footsteps of late night classics, “Ready for the Floor” and “Over and Over.” “Rude Boy” Rihanna (single) The Caribbean diva makes a huge splash with this second single from Rated R, a strong Grammy contender in December, including a shoo-in for Record of the Year. “Stylo” Gorillaz featuring Bobby Womack and Mos Def (single) What’s not to love about a slick, sophisticated techo-soul track by virtual band Gorillaz, featuring R&B legend Bobby Womack and rapper Mos Def? Get me a convertible Corvette with loud speakers, pronto. The Winter of Mixed Drinks Frightened Rabbit (album) Scottish folk-rock quintet Frightened Rabbit set the bar almost too high for themselves on 2008’s debut The Midnight Organ Fight, so much that their sophomore effort – while amazing in its own little way – still trails in second. Still, it’s good enough to be amongst the year’s best. This is Happening LCD Soundsystem (album) Trashy, punk-electronic fusion proves to be the winning formula, again, for LCD Soundsystem (aka James Murphy). Look beyond the leadoff single, “Drunk Girls,” to better cuts, like “Pow Pow” and “One Touch,” and you’ll discover a vibrant record begging to be played with a table stacked with liquor bottles and a roomful of friends. “Tik Tok” – Ke$ha “California Gurls” – Katy Perry (singles) Two similar party tunes from two separate party girls, one a hot blonde and the other a sexy brunette. Neither song is original, but on a sunny afternoon with a six-pack of PBR, they’re unbeatably fun. Treats – Sleigh Bells (album) Brooklyn duo Sleigh Bells (Derek Miller, Alexis Krauss) surprise greatly on their fulllength debut, compressing drum machines, distorted air horns, garage funk beats, nearannoying keyboards and seductive vocals. It’s a busy record – there’s a lot going on at one time – but rather than being kitschy, it becomes intriguing the more you listen. 6
Seattle Gay News
June 18, 2010
Pride Edition 2010
Purr gets a Pride facelift by Shaun Knittel SGN Staff Writer
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It’s not uncommon to see an overflow crowd gathered outside of Purr. The popular cocktail lounge has long been “the place to see and be seen” before heading out to the Gayborhood dance clubs. However, the gaggle of Gays waiting to get into Purr on June 4 was for an entirely different reason: Purr’s owner, Barbie, was throwing a surprise birthday party for all of us. The surprise? Purr got a makeover. That’s right, fellow music videophiles – Purr has become the official Gay video bar on the Hill. “My concept was to freshen up our look,” Barbie told SGN. “It’s been almost five years since we opened. I wanted to create an open and airy look, but still keep our Purr image of a comfortable, safe, and relaxing atmosphere.”
of entertainment,” she told SGN. “There’s always something on the screen to keep people visually stimulated. It’s nonstop entertainment. You see a lot of people moving to the music and singing along. It creates an upbeat atmosphere.” Barbie and the Purr staff say they take the video bar’s role in the community very seriously. “I want Purr to mean what we always have: a safe, comfortable, non-threatening place where everyone is welcome,” she explained. “We listen to our customers and their needs. That’s the whole reason I opened my bar to begin with. Customers were asking for a lounge to meet up with friends. We have been, and always will be, here for our community. We respect everyone who walks through our door. Our main
You may have noticed the gradual changes during the past few months, like the new paint job. “Taking down the strings of lights accentuated the beautiful high ceilings and made the brick wall really pop,” said Barbie. “Adding tall tables to replace the mini half-walls really opened the flow of traffic up more. It created a lot more seating so groups can hang together.” The biggest change however, were the 13 new TVs with music videos, which were, as Barbie puts it, “just what we needed to finish off the project.” “Our customers have been asking for a video bar for years. Seattle is the only major city without one in our Gay community. I never wanted to compete with Manray or its concept while they were here, but now that they’re gone, it was an easy transition,” she said. “People are very excited that we brought back the video bar concept to Capitol Hill.” Barbie says that with so many places for clientele to choose from, it was time for Purr to reinvent itself. “It was important for us to stay true to who we are,” she said. “Doing our major renovations overnight was a fun way to launch it all. I wanted it to be a surprise. What better way than to host ‘Barbie’s Big Surprise Party’? It was fun teasing the customers that the ‘surprise’ was really for them.” “The video bar adds a whole new form
Pride Edition 2010
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goal is to make sure everyone is having a good time.” For Seattle Gay Pride 2010, Barbie says she wants everyone to “Celebrate life, celebrate today, and celebrate tomorrow. Love and respect each other, no matter how different we all are. Behind a straight woman and business owner, I am proud and grateful to be a part of such a wonderful community. I thank you all for sharing your lives with me.” Purr Video Bar has an awesome Pride week planned with performances by Kim Kuzma, DJ Joe King, The Effen Drag Queens (GLAMAZONIA, Gaysha Starr, and Regina King), the Saturday Block Party with the Perry Twins, and Pride Sunday. Luckily for us, Purr is here to stay. Good luck, Barbie, and thank you for all that you do for the community. wner,
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Pride Edition 2010
Seattle Art Museum summer preview by James Whitely SGN Staff Writer This summer, Seattle Art Museum (SAM) has an impressive lineup of events. As the weather warms up and the clouds clear, SAM will be utilizing the Olympic Sculpture Park for most of their bigger events, but they still have a calendar full of happenings at the downtown location and the Asian Art Museum. OLYMPIC SCULPTURE PARK The Olympic Sculpture Park (2901 Western Ave.) is still relatively new, having opened in early 2007. This summer, however, its true potential as a community space will be realized by Seattleites. SAM has an entire summer of community-based green visual art events planned that will make the park come alive like never before. It is the first time ever that SAM is putting on a full season of events at the park – and it’s not to be missed. First off, the museum has installed five ephemeral new works by west coast artists: Andrew Dadson, Seattle’s Jenny Heishman, Portland’s Jessica Jackson Huthchins, Seattle’s Whiting Tennis, and Mungo Thomson. Thomson, known for his witty artistic substitution-type pieces, is the one to look out for. Best known for The Collected Live Recordings of Bob Dylan 1963–1995 (1999), where Thomson released a recording encompassing, in chronological order, all the live albums made by the iconic folk singer for Columbia Records over the course of 32 years – without Dylan himself. Thomson edited out every song, leaving just the wax and wane of crowd noises and the knocks and little sounds coming from the stage. Thomson has installed his 2008 audio piece b/w, which are two separate soundtracks installed in the amphitheatre and parking garage. b/w is comprised of whale songs sped up 16 times so that they sound like bird songs, and bird songs slowed down 16 times so they sound like whale songs. The effect is perfect in the park, as the sounds of the whales mix with the birds near the amphitheatre and the sound of the birds give the parking garage an eerie, subterranean atmosphere. But there’s way more at the Park than just these new pieces. The Olympic Sculpture Park Farmers Market will be held every Thursday from 3:30-7:30 p.m. from July 15 to September 9. In addition to being surrounded by the visual art, the market will offer a taste of culinary arts with local chef demonstra-
tions and wine tasting by SAM’s TASTE Restaurant. This is the first time a farmers market will be held at Olympic Sculpture Park – it is sure to become a Seattle tradition. A variety of festivals and performances are also scheduled, including jazz, rock, and dancing on Thursdays and outdoor yoga and all-day drawing in the park on Saturdays. The “Party in the Park” is set for June 25, the Friday of Pride weekend. It is a 21+ event at the Olympic Sculpture Park that features bands, DJs, art, food, and booze. In celebration of the Kurt exhibit at SAM’s downtown local, Mudhoney, an internationally renowned Seattlebased Grunge band that formed in the late ‘80s, will be performing a full set.
quented the factory. The exhibit is a veritable wonderland for any fan of Warhol, and an excellent look into Warhol’s fascination and aptitude towards portraiture that touches on fame, desire, and identity construction and experimentation. In addition, SAM’s permanent collection of
THE DOWNTOWN LOCATION Currently running at SAM’s main downtown location is “Kurt” and “love fear pleasure Paul as lust pain glamour death – Andy a harle quin, 1 924, oil Warhol Media Works.” The on can vas, Pa exhibit, commonly referred to simblo Pic asso ply as “Kurt and Warhol,” opened May 13 o v e r and runs until the end of the summer (Sep- 23,000 individual objects tember 6). always has something for everyone. “Kurt” spans a wide range of mediums and interpretations of Kurt Cobain, the legREMIX endary front man of Seattle grunge band A very special SAM Remix is scheduled Nirvana. The exhibit strives to explore the for August 27 this summer at Olympic feelings of freedom, longing, loss, desire, Sculpture Park. and confusion that come with youthful reRemix is, hands down, the biggest party in bellion. Anyone, regardless of age or music Seattle. It is a quarterly event that regularly interest, can find truth in this exhibit – its brings out 1,500-1,800 people. This will be power is real, lasting and astounding. the second Remix at OSP, the first of which With works that range from the 1960s was last August and brought out 1,800 fans. to the 1980s, “love fear pleasure lust pain This remix will feature a sneak peak openglamour death” is absolutely exhilarating, ing celebration for artists Trenton Doyle and the exhibit pairs well with “Kurt.” Hancock’s new site-specific installation at “love fear pleasure lust pain glamour death” feels like an intimate look into the life and mind of one of the most celebrated American artists of all time. The screen tests of Edie, Lou Reed, and Gino Piserchio left me breathless with excitement – no doubt you’ll have your own favorites, too. The exhibit includes some of the more famous photo booth portraits of Warhol himself, Edie Sedgwick, Holly Solomon, Richard Rheem, and various other factory superstars; two rooms of Warhol’s famous 16mm three-minute screen tests; and a treasure chest of Warhol’s personal photos ranging from the artist in drag to Truman Capote to the various unnamed drag queens that fre-
OSP, in addition to participatory art, performances, talks, tours, dancing, and more. You don’t have to be a member of SAM to get into Remix, but membership has its privileges at the party. Members get priority access at Remix and access to a bar with a Pernod Absinthe fountain, as well as opportunities to kick it with local artists and performers. Remix has undergone a quick evolution in recent years into one of Seattle’s premier places to be, period. This party always reaches capacity. Get your tickets as soon as possible. Remix is an 18+ event. PICASSO As the summer come to a close and the cold weather begins to set in again, SAM will trump it all with “Picasso.” “Picasso – Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris” runs October 8 through January 17, 2011. This landmark exhibition will truly be a once in a lifetime opportunity to see masterpieces from virtually every phase of Pablo Picasso’s career. “Drawn from the collection of the Musée National Picasso in Paris – the largest and most important repository of the artist’s work in the world – the exhibition will feature more than 150 extraordinary paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints and photographs. This unprecedented opportunity is possible at this time because the Musée Picasso has recently closed for renovations, allowing a global tour of this full-scale survey to travel for the first and, very likely, the only time,” said Chiyo Ishikawa (the Susan Brotman Deputy Director for Art and Curator of European Painting & Sculpture) and Michael Darling (the Jon & Mary Shirley Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art). This is the first exhibit of its kind and scale to ever be seen in the Pacific Northwest. Members of SAM can buy their tickets to see “Picasso” anytime, but general public tickets aren’t available until August. Basic individual membership to SAM is $50. Visit www.seattleartmuseum.org to sign up.
Dance-pop diva Kristine W celebrates Pride uiz
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by Shaun Knittel SGN Staff Writer Kristine W June 26 Neighbours Nightclub Kristine W, an American dance-pop diva, will bring her latest Billboard No. 1 hit “The Power of Music” to Neighbours Seattle on June 26. To date, Kristine W has achieved 15 number-one hits on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart, ranking her third – just under Madonna at number one and Beyoncé at number two. Kristine W is a veteran Gay club performer and always has hot dancers in tow. For her June 26 Neighbours show, Kristine W told Seattle Gay News she is going to perform several of her Billboard No. 1 hits and give a show that LGBT Seattle won’t soon forget. “I love Seattle,” she told SGN. “I lived there for a few months and did two semesters at Green River Community College and at Bellevue Community Collage. Each day, I was going back and fourth to Auburn and Bellevue so I know that freeway very well. I am from the Tri-Cities, so it was a big deal to drive to Seattle. When I was a little girl, I can remember always telling my mom that Seattle looks like Gotham City at night. I have great memories of fun shows and really nice people. To me, Seattle is a very special place that has a unique energy to it.” Throughout her illustrious career as a dancehall diva, Kristine W has played a number of Gay Prides and nightclubs across the country. “I love my LGBT fan base and I am hon-
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ored they embraced my music,” she said. “I have been so inspired by the Gay community in so many ways.” I love the energy of dance music and that you can tell stories that are painful or happy, and the fast beat makes even a sad song uplifting, she said. “Dance music is now starting to get the respect it deserves, and it’s long overdue,” Kristine W told SGN. “It is a very challenging form of music because it changes and evolves with technology, but you still have to be a good musician to make great dance music that lasts.” Although Kristine W was here last Gay Pride, “I have had quite a few more hits since the last time I was there, so I am looking forward to performing the new No. 1’s,” she said. “‘The Power of Music’ is a song about how music fuels our souls,” Kristine W explained. “Big Daddy Kane is featured on the song, and it was an honor to work with him. ‘The Power of Music’ single is my 15th number-one Billboard dance hit and solidified my standing as one of the top three Billboard dance artists of the last decade – so, yes, it will always stand out in my mind as being a pivotal song.” Kristine W says she has a Gay Pride message for LGBT Seattle: “Be proud of who you are, but remember the ones that have gone before you that dedicated their lives to teaching tolerance when it was really rough. Stay involved in Gay organizations – you have a stronger voice when you are unified.” “I love you guys and I really appreciate the love you’ve shown for me and my music,” Kristine W said. “I love to create and nothing brings me more joy than to see people singing along to my songs. Now that’s the power of music! Hugs!”
Pride Edition 2010
Legendary Chi Chi Larue returns to Cuff for PRIDE by Shaun Knittel SGN Staff Writer
June 18, 2010
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for my friend Jackie Beat … and I ended up doing it for three years. I wasn’t very good at it in the beginning, but as the years went by I learned to create my own style.” “I like all music, but you could say that I’m a 13-year-old girl trapped in a 50-yearold drag queen body,” Chi Chi Larue told SGN. “I love pop and dance music! I also am very fond of oldies like ‘80s and early ‘90s music.” Chi Chi Larue says that she looks at Gay Pride festivals as a time when everyone can get together to remind each other “it’s OK to be yourself.” “I’m very happy to be coming to Seattle a couple days early to drink in a little more of the city,” she told SGN. “It’s such a great place. I love Hotel Max. I adore hanging out with the Sisters. I have met some great friends there and I’m excited to get to hang out with them this time a little bit in real life instead of just in a club atmosphere. Happy Pride, Seattle!”
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Chi Chi Larue June 25 The Cuff Chi Chi Larue, the legendary Hall of Fame director and owner of Channel 1 Releasing, told Seattle Gay News she is returning to the Cuff Complex on June 25 for Pride weekend. Although she is best known for her amazing costuming and the hot boys in her hundreds of porn videos, Chi Chi has also made a name for herself as a world-class DJ. SGN caught up with Chi Chi Larue to talk about Gay Pride, the Cuff, and her friends, The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Abbey of St. Joan. “The Cuff is one of those kinds of places that is very unpretentious, and the minute you walk in, you not Chi Ch i Larue only feel the hometown neighborhood bar feel, but it’s also a fantastic dance club,” Chi Chi told SGN. “Puppy and everyone at the Cuff are
great!” Chi Chi Larue’s June 25 DJ set marks her second appearance at the Capitol Hill hotspot. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence first introduced her to the Emerald City Gay scene last year for their Grant Party. “The Sisters are absolutely fantastic,” she said. “After meeting Sister Stella Standing and the rest of the gals, it really was one of the most memorable, exciting, and fun gigs I’ve done. With the surprise of being ‘Sainted,’ it was actually very overwhelming and a little emotional.” So how did one of Gay porn’s most recognizable icons become a DJ? Simple, says Chi Chi. “I was tired of listening to the horrible music people were playing in clubs to the point I would actually leave the club because the music was so bad,” she recalled. “One day, I asked if I could give it a try at a place called Fubar in West Hollywood. I stepped in and DJ’d
The SGN guide to summer concerts by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer
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All our Gay favorites are headed to Seattle this summer, so get working on that tan because you never know who you’ll meet at the show, or in the parking lot. Here are 10 upcoming concerts to put on your calendar.
in a religious household – have taken the fast track to music stardom. They were just getting started in 2000, and are now threetime Grammy winners, earning a huge prize in January for
tank and find the camping gear because Kings of Leon will descend upon The Gorge this summer, not here in the city. But hearing Caleb Followill wail on “Charmer” in a pair of tight jeans is worth the drive, seriously. Expect to also hear “Sex on Fire” and “Knocked Up.” ADAM LAMBERT The Showbox SoDo, The Puyallup Fair July 20, September 21 What ever happened to Kris Allen, the guy who actually won American Idol in 2009? Possibly crooning on a cruise ship, the opposite of runner-up Adam Glam-bert, who gained the most from competing on the popular karaoke-style TV series. The openly Gay singer wears enough hair product to glue a broken sidewalk back together, and usually a good amount of dark eyeliner to go with it, and it’s this out-there image that’s earned him fans on both sides of the sexual fence. Lambert has already sold out The Showbox SoDo, and unless you have tickets for that gig you’ll have to roadtrip to The Puyallup Fair to see him perform “For Your Entertainment” and “Whataya Want from Me,” and what an interesting day that’ll be – deep-fried Twinkies, suburban tweens, thrill rides, and Adam Lambert.
RIHANNA w/ KE$HA White River Amphitheatre July 2 Obviously, Rihanna is way past the drama – no need to rehash the details, but it was a frightening situation, let me tell you. The Barbadian hottie is enjoying the success from one of 2010’s best singles, “Rude Boy,” the followup to “Russian Roulette,” both off last year’s stellar Rated R (SGN’s Top Ten Albums, CDs of 2009). The Grammy winner, included on our list of the “Music’s 50 Biggest Divas,” opens her entire slate of North American dates right here in the Puget Sound – it’s at White River Amphitheatre where she’ll begin a 26-city tour and play music from each of her albums, including “SOS,” “Don’t Stop the Music,” and “Pon de Replay.” Pop mess Ke$ha opens the show, along with another no-name artist, and you’d better believe “Tik Tok” will have everybody bouncin’. KINGS OF LEON The Gorge Amphitheatre July 17 Among the rock bands I’d love to be made into popsicles, Kings of Leon is high on my wish list. Southern, sexy and successful (a triple threat), the Followill boys – real-life brothers and cousins brought up
Record of the Year (“Use Somebody”). With fame comes larger concert venues, which explains why you’ll have to fill the
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BLONDIE / THE B-52s Chateau St. Michelle August 12 Can’t shake the ‘80s? You don’t have to, and the month of August delivers two artists from this era on the same stage, same night. Blondie, led by the groundbreaking Debbie Harry (the first female I ever heard rap), posted several giant hits that crossed over from disco to pop and pop to rock, such as “Heart of Glass,” “The Tide is High,” and “Call Me” – I always picture a full-frontal Richard Gere when I hear the latter of these tracks. The B-52s became the coolest party band in the late ‘80s with “Rock Lobster,” even though it was featured on their 1979 debut – still, it put them on the map. The Athens, Georgia quartet later resurfaced with 1989’s Cosmic Thing, which produced three hit singles – “Love Shack,” “Roam,” and “Channel Z,” all usually on their set list. I’m still holding out for “Song for a Future Generation,” so here’s hoping it gets played at the Woodinville Winery. LADY GAGA Tacoma Dome August 21 Two years ago, Lady GaGa interviewed with me right after she performed to an international audience at the Miss Universe pageant in Vietnam. “Just Dance” was barely catching on and some were already dismissing her as a one-hit wonder (idiots!), yet it proved to be a stepping stone to a superstar career that includes MTV VMA statues, a guest spot on Oprah, a performance for the Queen of England, a cover story for Rolling Stone, a Glee episode devoted partially to her, and sold-out concerts in every continent. If you saw Lady GaGa at Neighbours or the Last Supper Club, consider yourself lucky because she’s now playing in sports arenas, like the Tacoma Dome in August. Get ready to hear “Poker Face,” “Bad Romance,” “Paparazzi,” and “Dance in the Dark” amidst a sea of glittery, fellow GaGa faithful – disco ball probably included.
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MGMT Capitol Hill Block Party, Broadway & Pike July 23 Not quite Gay, but certainly quite cute, are the men behind MGMT. The Brooklyn duo of Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden have come up with a dazzling potpourri of pop, electronica, MELISSA ETHERIDGE and psychedelic rock that has quickly made Paramount Theatre them a favorite of outdoor music August 22 festivals, includWhile her latest album, ing Seattle’s Fearless, is backyard event, the Capitol Hill Block Party. MGMT’s hippyish image and groovy singles “Time to Pretend” and “Kids” are a retro fit for any summer bash, and played live they only need the accompaniment of a T-shirt sprayed w i t h beer, which Lady G is exaGa actly what you have to look forward to from the Block Party crowds. a weak disappointment, Melissa Etheridge MIRANDA LAMBERT is a survivor, and with that comes power. Snoqualmie Casino It takes courage to perform with a shaved August 7 Gun-toting country chick Miranda Lam- head in front of a nationally televised audibert racked up wins for Female Artist and ence, and it takes absolute strength to keep Album of the Year two months ago at the on rocking in a music genre which remains ACM Awards – a pair of well-deserved a straight man’s world. It’s that fighting honors for her latest release, 2009’s Revolu- spirit that gives the Grammy and Oscartion. The native Texan has put out consistent winning artist an edge over most of her work in a five-year timeframe, including competitors, and in concert she’s a soulful “Kerosene,” “Gunpowder & Lead,” “Crazy performer who can raise the roof on a stirEx-Girlfriend,” “White Liar,” and “Dead ring rendition of “Like the Way I Do” or a Flowers.” Her tough-girl anthems have gar- passionate run-through of “I Need to Wake nered her critical praise and peer support, Up.” Etheridge’s résumé of the past decade multiple Grammy nominations, and coun- doesn’t match that of the ‘80s and ‘90s, try industry hardware – not to mention an when she belted on “Bring Me Some Waincrease in fans. Worth the 30-minute com- ter” and “I’m the Only One,” but that’s no mute to Snoqualmie Casino, Lambert is go- reason to ignore her summer appearance at the Paramount. ing to kick some A!
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Seattle Gay News
Pride Edition 2010
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT Paramount Theatre August 25 Theatrical pop artist Rufus Wainwright has interviewed with me twice, and both times he’s convinced me that the superpowers of converting a straight guy are within his grasp - I think he speaks from experience. But the accomplished singer-songwriter is a devoted man these days, attached to boyfriend Jorn Weisbrodt, so I doubt he’s still making the rounds. Musically, Wainwright is a genius; “The Art Teacher,” “Going to a Town,” “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk,” “The One You Love,” and “Agnus Dei” are brilliant stories wrapped in gorgeous arrangements. His lyrics tend to be
Pride Edition 2010
a fine balance of poetic storytelling and quirky circumstances, like his ode to the Golden State from the Poses album, aptly titled “California.” Undoubtedly, Seattle has been good to him – he brings every tour here, even those with very select dates – and his set list for the Paramount show could vary from his Want material to Judy Garland numbers to pieces from his opera (yes, opera!) called All Days are Nights: Songs for Lulu. I try not to miss a Rufus Wainwright performance, and you shouldn’t either.
I still remember 1992 and turning up the volume to “Real Love,” the debut single by Mary J. Blige on her What’s the 411? album. It was R&B, but a bouncier version of anything else in the genre at the time. Since then, the NYC native has put hit after hit on the board – from “Family Drama” to “Be Without You” – she’s shared the stage with U2, won an armful of Grammy Awards, and most importantly, stayed true to contempo-
rary soul music. Several years ago, Seattle fans were disappointed when Blige canceled an appearance at the Paramount Theatre at the last minute (she stayed in her hotel room), and it’s taken this long to get her back, so Memorial Stadium will be packed to see this woman – an easy pick on our “50 Biggest Divas in Music” list – perform live. Look for Bumbershoot’s daily schedule to be posted soon with Blige’s exact timeslot.
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Seattle Gay News 13
MARY J. BLIGE Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle Center Labor Day weekend
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Pride Edition 2010
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2010
Pride Edition 2010
June 18, 2010
Seattle Gay News 15
SGN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Julie Goldman: “I will always be in love with my Gay life”
by Shaun Knittel SGN Staff Writer
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like you’re in front of a very big Gay mirror humor,” she said. “I want us all to be able to make fun of ourselves and not take anything in your bedroom.” Julie says she enjoys being an out Lesbian so seriously – and that includes within the 2010 Seattle Pride just got a sense of hucomedian and takes the responsibil- community. When I’m out there, whether as mor – Julie Goldman is coming! The out ity of portray- a stand-up comedian or an actor, and am beLesbian comedian, actress, and musician ing myself. I will always be open and in is booked to perform on the main stage at love with my Gay this year’s PrideFest. Julie, who is currently a cast member of LOGO’s Big Gay Sketch Show, has earned massive attention around the country. Seattle Gay News caught up with Julie to discuss Gay Pride, touring, and what it means to be an out Lesbian in the mostly male-dominated world of stand-up comedy. “I’ve been pursuing comedy since I was 15 years old,” Julie told SGN. “I’m a button-pusher. I like to talk about controversial topics, taboos, but also generalizations, too – things we can all relate to. But I’m from the school of Lenny Bruce, Joan Rivers, Sarah Silverman, Kathy Griffin, and Katt Williams. So I’m an opinionated, questioning, loud feelings-mover-arounder. [Laughs.] Does that make sense?” Julie says she is familiar with Seattle, having performed at the Theatre Off Jackson, but said this will be the first Seattle Gay Pride event she’s participated in. “Performing comedy outdoors in the middle of the afternoon is a bit intimidating,” she told SGN. “Gay Julie Gold man Pride events can be tough because there’s so many people so spread out and no one’s re- ing the LGBT commually paying attention. All you can do is do nity in a positive manner very seriously. “I you and know a few people are hearing you think it’s important for me as a masculine life.” – and even if they’re not, fuck it; just enjoy lady gentlemen to represent us with confiJulie is a cast member of the hugely popthe sunshine and the Gayness and pretend dence and respect, but also with a sense of ular Big Gay Sketch Show comedy series on
the LOGO channel. Working with the LGBT cable channel is important to her because of the visibility the entertainment outlet provides for the Gay community. “In the way BET [the Black Entertainment Television network] is important for the black community and Oxygen or Lifetime [networks] is important for women, we need a place like LOGO that’s supportive and encouraging and shows us from our perspective – all the areas – the good, the bad, the ugly, the controversial, and the fun,” Julie told SGN. “My hope is that LOGO keeps expanding and including all the Ls, Gs, Qs, and Ts of this community. We need representations of all of us on T.V.” “I wish that when I was a kid there was a show with a girl like me in it so that I would’ve known that I was ‘normal’ and that there were women who could be like this and be awesome,” she said. “Honestly, I’m still dying to see a romantic comedy that’s funny with Lesbians that just focuses on the romance and the comedy like they do in some of my favorite movies. There are so many voids to be filled. I love LOGO and it fills me with hope, but we still have a long-ass way to go.” Julie has a Gay Pride message for LGBT Seattle: “Just be you and enjoy and be grateful that we have the ability to gather and express ourselves, and even though we have a long way to go, we’ve come a huge way,” she said. “Let’s celebrate that and feel good about it and then send each other out with love and support for more fighting for our rights.” Julie is currently working on getting a Lesbian romantic comedy filmed with her writing partner, Brandy Howard. The movie, Nicest Thing, is something Julie says she is very passionate about and would like people to visit the movie’s website at www. nicestthingthemovie.com. Additionally, Julie and Brandy have a web show called In Your Box Office, which can be viewed at www.inyourboxoffice.com.
Pride Edition 2010
SGN Exclusive Interview
Kimberley Locke can’t wait for PrideFest
who now lives there. We had a great time.” For the past six years, Kimberley has worked closely with Camp Heartland, a national nonprofit organization committed Kimberley Locke to improving the lives of children and their June 27 PrideFest at Seattle Center families impacted by HIV/AIDS. She has Pop and R&B superstar Kimberley Locke also worked with several other will headline this year’s PrideFest on June HIV/AIDS-relat27 at Seattle Center. Kimberley, who garnered eight Top 20 adult contemporary by Shaun Knittel SGN Staff Writer
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hits, three numberone dance hits, and eight numberones across various Billboard charts, told Seattle Gay News she is ready to party with LGBT Seattle at Pride. “Expect to have a great time,” Kimberley promised. “Seattle will be the official first live performance of my latest single, ‘Strobelight.’ I am so excited! I want to hear Seattle singing with me and I want to see everyone dancing.” Kimberley gained fame when she participated in the 2003 American Idol television series, where she finished as second runnerup to Ruben Studdard. Kimberley has had success singing all types of music, but says she has an affinity for dance and R&B. “I grew up singing Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, and Diana Ross,” she told SGN. “I just love to sing.” Kimberley is no stranger to Seattle; she tours the Emerald City regularly. “My first time in Seattle was back in 2003 on the American Idol Tour for a day and a half,” she told SGN. “Since then I have visited Seattle a couple of times, most recently performing at the Red Dress Party, where I partied with the Perry Twins and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and I had a blast! I got to walk around the city with my high school friend
Pride Edition 2010
ed charities. For Gay Pride, Kimberley says she would like people to think about the NOH8 campaign because she says it is “one of my favorite messages.” “I am so grateful for my Gay fans,” Kimberley told SGN. “I believe in treating people the way you want to be treated – regardless of any differences you may have. I have my own personal community of Gay friends who love me to no end, and I love them right back!” “Thank you for your support, Seattle, and thank you for having me at your PrideFest,” she said. “I love you all and can’t wait to see you!”
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Seattle Gay News 17
Dennis Coleman:
The man behind the music by Eric Andrews-Katz SGN Contributing Writer
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are becoming younger and younger. I’ve very proud that the audiences know that younger Gay kids have a place to go and be a part of something positive. It’s exciting to be a kind of entry for them to our community. The auditions are private; we don’t want them to be intimidating so there are just those auditioning and an assistant conductor. People don’t have to prepare and we give them simple ear training tests with matching tones and see if they can read music at all. We make an assessment of their intentions and try to figure out how they will fit into the chorus as well. Our standards are high, but we
Hall, Au stralia, programs. March 2003 Among them there may be serious pieces, pop concerts, and ones that are lined with particular groups and communi- try out best to put ties within. We present all different kinds of anyone with talent and time and a mediums. A sort of balanced diet of what we need … into the chorus. think the audience wants to hear. We can’t Andrews-Katz: Who were your personal just plan a concert of music that just I find favorite guests of the Chorus? enjoyable, we want it geared towards the Coleman: Maya Angelou was wonderful average person on the street and to reach to work with; we did several concerts togeth1,000s of people. er. Leslie Jordan was willing to do anything, Andrews-Katz: What kind of milestones and I loved working with Armisted Maupin has The Choruses hit and when did they because he was a natural fit. We laughed on happen? stage more with him than with any other Coleman: In 1981 (near our beginning), concert. I loved working with Frederica Von there was a new wave of Gay liberation. In Stade, the reigning opera diva in the U.S. ’83, when AIDS seeped into our conscious- and most beloved soprano in America. I also ness, we were singing for one another and enjoyed working with Leslie Gore; she is in support of one another to fight AIDS and such a strong Gay woman. But my personal the prejudice surrounding it. It changed favorite was Rosemary Clooney. what we were singing about and attitudes Andrews-Katz: Were there any specific
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Eric Andrews-Katz: How did you come to join the chorus? Dennis Coleman: Originally, I was a minister of music at a local Southern Baptist Church. When I came out, I was eventually let go of that job. In 1980, I attended the Men’s Chorus and saw an ad for them wanting a music arranger. I answered the ad not knowing a single Gay person. They invited me to do an arrangement and then to come down and run through it with them. I WAS TERRIFIED! Then in 1981, their present conductor was flaking out and I filled in for him. Since I was adept at what I did (because of my previous work), I was hired – within two days of my leaving the church. Andrews-Katz: Did working with the church prepare you for what was to come with the SMC and SWC? Coleman: Everything I learned in the church prepared me for work with a bunch of divas! I really see and believe that what I do is “a ministry” because the Chorus provides a home for people who want to meet others in a non-bar situation or for those just coming out. I look at it as a “calling” because the men in the chorus get something from being with 200-plus like-minded men. We also gather on a weekly basis and share a common ideology around the different ideas of who we are. Andrews-Katz: Is there a kind of mission statement? Coleman: Our mission is to use choral music as a means to tell people about our lives and just bring some wholeness to the discussion. And also to help repair the lives that are torn apart [by coming out] – that’s still happening today. Andrews-Katz: How do you decide what music goes into a concert? Coleman: The difference between us and other Seattle choral groups is that they service their repertoire and direct it to their audience; that’s a small group in comparison. For us, the repertoire serves our purpose.
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challenges with any particular guest of the Chorus? Coleman: The biggest diva wasn’t a woman; it was Michael Feinstein. Diane Schuur was a bit of a mess backstage – she’s a very emotional singer. A number of people (no names) drank like fishes backstage. Nell Carter was a real case. She told us she was a Lesbian and she loved going out into the audience, finding some man or woman, and pulling them into her more than ample bosom. We opened for Natalie Cole’s national tour and she chose not to come down and warm up with the guys in the chorus. I was backstage with the manager and she was a complete nervous wreck. Andrews-Katz: For the upcoming Glitter and be Gay concert, both SMC and SWC are combining forces for the first time. What kind of impact do you think this will have? Coleman: It’s going to be gorgeous. It’ll be a big, 375-plus voice chorus, kind of like those grand old Messiahs. It’s all familiar music of Bernstein and Sondheim. We have not combined the Choruses before because we prefer to market both separately to keep their individuality. They will be singing four or five songs each and then some songs together. I picked a listing that no one else is doing. We we’re doing music from Wonderful Town, West Side Story, and Sweeney Todd, up through A Little Night Music and Sunday in the Park with George. Andrews-Katz: How has the Chorus affected your personal life? Coleman: It’s BEEN my personal life. It’s so much my identity that I can’t think of myself apart from it. I find it my “calling.” I have a personality that can work with big groups and pull them around a particular mission. I don’t have an interest in pursuing studies of obscure choral music, and really want to use music to make a difference in the community. This allows me to do that. Andrews-Katz: What can you say about the 2010-2011 season? Coleman: The SWC is doing two concerts [in October and February]. We moved them to a new schedule to avoid competing with the SMC. It was too much for audiences with both groups doing concerts close together. They are doing We are Family using film and music dealing with Gay marriage, children of Gay families, and like issues. It’ll be going on tour. The February concert sub line is “Swing into laughter,” showing once and for all that Lesbians can be funny. The SMC holiday concert we are basing on [the T.V. show] Glee. There will be tributes to the show. In April, Life Is a Cabaret, which is a three-part look at German music ranging from Weill and Marlene Dietrich to an original piece giving a look at Gay men caught in the Nazi Holocaust. Then it’ll go into music of hope that grew out of it. The SMC June concert will be a tribute to boy bands ranging from the Mills Brothers to the Four Seasons and up through the Jonas Brothers and N-Sync. Andrews-Katz: How do you feel about winning the Mayor’s Arts Award? Coleman: I’m honored. But it really is for the work and shines on the choruses as much as anything. It’s their award every bit as much as mine. flying house produc tions
Dennis Coleman sat down and immediately demonstrated just how relaxing it is to talk with him. With a disposition like a corporeal Santa, his smile comes easily as his eyes begin to twinkle, signaling that his mind is working with an agile grace. As artistic director of the Seattle Men’s and Seattle Women’s Choruses, Dennis has ingratiated himself into Seattle society not only as the leader of more than 300 singers, but also as a pillar of the community recently recognized by the 2010 Mayor’s Arts Award. With the Seattle Women’s Chorus (SWC) approaching seven years and the Seattle Men’s Chorus (SMC) hitting the milestone of 30 years, the Seattle Gay News sat down and discussed not only what it takes to direct a major choir, but about how it feels to celebrate 30 years of the SMC and the upcoming seasons for both choruses.
When I look for music, I look for lyrics … that serve our theme and serve our purpose both politically and socially. Andrews-Katz: What are the various steps that go into planning a concert? Coleman: We plan about two years in advance in terms of budgeting and getting music halls booked. The most important thing when planning a program is that we look at things over a four to five year period of balancing the musical
people had at the time. We set up our own network to make sure we could educate the audiences about the problem. We sort of hit another [milestone] in the late ‘90s when we moved from Meany Hall to Benaroya. That gave us more “legitimacy” and our audience expanded, doubling in the course of a few years. Our professionalism increased and became more evident with our costumes and lighting, with the help of other theater professionals in the city. We’ve made a conscious effort to package choral music in a theatrical setting so when audiences come to our concerts, our concerts flow more smoothly – like a Broadway show. Andrews-Katz: How does the Chorus’ audition process work? Coleman: We audition a couple of times a year between both choruses. Those that audition
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Dennis Coleman joined the Seattle Men’s Chorus in 1981 and was very active in the forming of the Seattle Women’s Chorus in 2003. Since then, he has led both groups to many achievements and national recognition. He was a member of the national Board of Directors for Chorus America for over six years and was a founding father for the Board of Directors of GALA Choruses.
Pride Edition 2010
SGN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
cians look the same. There’s only two types, really: the bald electronic musician and the electronic musician with hair. We’re all kind of nerdy. Rodriguez: Maybe that’s why Deadmau5 wears a mouse head. Moby: [Laughs.] He’s actually pretty cute when he takes off the mouse head. He’s a relatively good-looking guy. Rodriguez: Do men hit on you, even when not sure about your sexual preference? Moby: Yeah, I love being hit on by Gay men. The best pickup line I ever heard was in Milwaukee. This man was hitting on me and I had to get on my tour bus, so I said “Look, I’m really flattered, but I’ve gotta go” and to seal the deal, or try and seal the deal, he then said that he used to date Jeffrey Dahmer. [Laughs.] That was supposed to turn me away from getting on the bus and go have sex with him in the bathroom. Rodriguez: Are you satisfied with the current pop scene, like Lady GaGa? Moby: I love Lady GaGa! She used to be a burlesque performer at this club around the corner from my house called The Slipper Room. She seems more above the cut than everybody else; she’s more of a performance artist. I love that in her interviews she talks about Jeff Koons and Andy Warhol. Most everything else in the pop scene I find sort of trite and disposable, but I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Lady GaGa just because I remember her doing burlesque on Tuesday nights at The Slipper Room to an audience of about four people. [Laughs.] It’s hard not to be happy for the success she’s had because she didn’t pay her dues for a long, long time, but doing burlesque in an empty club on a Tuesday night – those are some pretty good dues.
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Moby voices his support for Gay culture, Lady GaGa, Seattle, and veganism by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer The truth about Moby is that he’s a cool guy after all. Though the national media has dissed him for what appears to be his unfiltered opinions and unwillingness to kiss critic ass, he’s managed to keep afloat and remain a marquee name on the hot DJ circuit. The electronic icon, responsible for one of the genre’s most important all-time records, Play, is definitely more intriguing and involved than you might expect him to be – when not tinkering with digital creations, he’s donating time to the Democratic Party, banging his head to a sidekick heavy metal band, offering free music to student filmmakers, and staying away from meat or any other animal product. Moby, who’s never revealed his own sexual preference but has often been linked to tall model-like women, has been an outspoken warrior for the GLBT community for years, and it’s this aspect of his life that gives me new, great respect for him. You name it – Pride parades, sketchy Gay bars, inebriated drag queens, bad disco reinventions – this Grammynominated artist has seen it all and heard it all. From the rooftop of his New York City apartment, basking in 80-degree weather, Moby lent himself to this special Pride edition of “The Music Lounge.” Albert Rodriguez: Pride season is upon us. It must be a crazy scene in New York during Pride. Moby: It’s funny because places like West Hollywood and New York, when they have
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music scene could have survived without Gay fans and Gay culture? Moby: Electronic music owes a huge debt to Gay culture. Basically, it’s almost safe to say that electronic music wouldn’t exist without Gay culture, that’s what I was always inspired by when I was growing up, whether it was Donna Summer or Larry Levan. All early house music and early techno, it was almost all exclusively Gay, and most of the clubs I played at growing up were Gay black/Latino clubs – it’d always be very strange, but I felt more comfortable in Gay Pride week or Gay Pride parades, it’s a Gay black/Latino club than I did being in a straight white club. hard to notice because it feels like Rodriguez: In the next every day is Gay Pride Day. At least generation in my neighborhood, there really isn’t much of a difference between Pride week and non-Pride week. I’ve been going to Gay clubs in New York since I was 15. Strangely enough, the first club I went to in New York was The Saint – the very, very legendary Saint over on 2nd Avenue – and I remember at 15 I walked in and was just terrified. It was pretty hardcore – this was like 1980-‘81. Rodriguez: Do you keep track of what’s happening politically around the country, in regards to environmental issues, Gay rights, and immigration rights? Moby: I try to stay as informed as I can, yeah. I think my interest in politics is borderline obsessive. I worked with MoMoby veOn (MoveOn.org) for a long time, and the DSCC and the DNC. I would vote for a Republican if there was of eleca Republican who was pro-choice, pro-Gay tronic artists, who has the marriage, pro-environment, and pro-educa- potential to be amazing? Moby: It’s hard to say at this point, betion, but I just don’t know any Republicans like that. Over the years, I’ve been friends cause there’s so much anonymity in the with and worked with [Senator] Maria world of electronic music. A lot of electronic Cantwell pretty closely. The last time I saw musicians these days are making really good her was in D.C.; she put on a pair of jeans records, but they’re using the same equipment, so all their records sound very similar. and came down to the show. Rodriguez: Do you think the electronic Also, you’ve got to admit, electronic musi-
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continued from page 19 Rodriguez: We’ve compiled a list of the 50 biggest divas for this current issue. Who is your favorite living diva of all time? Moby: If I had to pick a favorite living diva – and I don’t know anything about her politics and I don’t even know her music that well, but I saw her perform a few years ago and she was just phenomenal – is Mary J. Blige. In fact, she did a cover of a Janis Joplin song, “Piece of My Heart” – it’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever heard in my entire life. It almost had a James Brown ending, where the band finished the song but she wasn’t done, so she kept singing until the band started playing it again. Jimmy Sommerville is a great diva. I just heard “Small Town Boy” in a bar the other day and was reminded of how amazing it was. One of my favorite divas is Donna Summer, but unfortunately I take great issue with her politics.
It’s really hard because from ‘75 to ‘79 she made some of the greatest records ever, but it’s hard to reconcile that with her being a right-wing Christian who’s a homophobe. Rodriguez: Will you tour in 2010? Moby: Um, probably just doing, like, random, sporadic DJ dates. I was on tour for about 14 months pretty steadily and now I’m really enjoying not being on tour, which I feel like an ingrate for saying because every musician’s dream is to go on tour. But I’ve been touring on and off for 18 years and at the risk of sounding like an ingrate, I just don’t love it as much as I used to. Rodriguez: Is touring hard work? Moby: It isn’t because I’ve had some really shitty jobs in my life. I was a dishwasher at a restaurant in a really depressing mall in Connecticut, and I used to stuff envelopes in a basement of an insurance company, so compared to those jobs touring is certainly not hard work. But it’s weird spending months and months away from home, living in anonymous hotel rooms and always being
in strange, anonymous environments like hotels, airports and backstage at venues. Rodriguez: What’s the first thing you do after getting home from a 14-month tour? Moby: Back in the old days, the first thing I’d do is go out and get drunk. But unfortunately, as I’ve gotten older my capacity for going out and getting drunk has been greatly diminished because when I was young a hangover would last for a minute, and now if I got drunk the hangover would last for two days. So, the first thing now is I go to a 24-hour deli around the corner at 2 in the morning and buy groceries. Rodriguez: Are there any cities you really like – cities you always include on your tour or go back to? Moby: There are cities, and I won’t name them because I don’t need more enemies, that I really dislike going to. But if I had to pick the top five favorite cities, and I don’t mean to be nepotistic, but Seattle would definitely be in there. I really love Seattle. It’s one of those places [where] every time I’m
David Holt, ARNP Family Practice
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there I try to figure out if I could actually live there, but I don’t know too many people there and it’s kind of a bit cold and gray during the winter for my liking. But I’d say Seattle and Sydney, Australia, Auckland, New Zealand, Hong Kong, L.A., and Edinburgh, Scotland would probably be my top five. Rodriguez: We can get you set up here in Seattle, if you need friends. Moby: Even though I was described in the press as being universally loathed, I think I’m a relatively likeable person. It’s hard for the ego when you read something that’s written about you and the journalist describes you as “universally loathed.” But that says less about me and more about the times in which we live. Rodriguez: Where did this stem from? You’ve been critically acclaimed throughout your career, your fans still go to your shows, but the media suddenly turned against you. Moby: Yeah, I still don’t understand it. The nice thing is it only happened here in the States, and in the rest of the world things are relatively OK for me. But it does seem that, for some reason, about five or six years ago I just became persona non grata, as far as the media in the States is concerned. Maybe it’s a combination of being opinionated. Musicians that people love either tend to be potheads that go to porn conventions or people who figured out how to be retiring and esoteric. Maybe I’m just too annoying and opinionated, and maybe I should have learned how to stay out of the public eye for a while. Rodriguez: For anyone who decides they want to be a DJ, what’s the starting point? Moby: I grew up playing classical music and studying music theory, and then playing in punk rock bands, so I came into DJing a bit late. But I guess my advice would be very self-evident: get the biggest music collection you can and play for people and respond to what they like. No one wants to be a wedding DJ, where you just take requests. In the meantime, in DJing there has to be a degree of populism in it and you have to actually respond to what an audience wants to hear. There are a few things more depressing than a DJ playing records in a bar that no one actually wants to listen to. It’s that balance of maintaining idiosyncrasy and integrity, and actually being a populist at the same time. Rodriguez: Even now, do you ever spin something that gets a negative reaction? Moby: Oh yeah, every now and then I’ll play a record and it’ll just completely fall flat and you try quickly and gracefully to move away from it and never play it again. Rodriguez: Aside from the random DJ dates, what else is happening or coming up? Moby: Well, I started this website about a year ago called www.mobygratis.com, and it gives free music to film students and independent filmmakers, and the way I structured it is I can never make any money from it, so hopefully that keeps me honest. Apart from that, I also started a heavy metal band with some friends – we’re called Diamond Snake, so if you’re bored, the website is www.diamondsnakerocks.com and it’s straight-up New Jersey parking lot heavy metal circa 1995. Rodriguez: Is it leather pants-heavy metal? Moby: As a vegan, I would probably not wear leather pants. Also, they tend to get sweaty. But I think everyone else in the band will be wearing leather pants, and I was going to wear a wig but I found out that wigs get really hot after about two minutes. Rodriguez: Will you always stay in New York? Moby: Uh, no. I was born here and I’ve lived here most of my life, but I find that as time passes, the values of New York are no longer my values. I don’t want to be too judgmental or critical. I love a lot of things about New York, but I don’t really want to spend my life living in a city where people are obsessed with money, fame and media. Rodriguez: Ten years from now, do you see yourself settling down and having a family? Moby: I don’t think I’ll ever have a family. I’m already 44, so I’d probably have to adopt at this point, unless I want to have weird, inbred, autistic kids running around. Rodriguez: Tell that to Larry King. Moby: [Laughs.] He still has a good head of hair, so maybe his genes are better.
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Pride Edition 2010
June 18, 2010
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divas
continued from cover the GLBT community when she recognized those who suffered from AIDS, having lost close friends to the disease herself, and as recently as 2008 reaffirmed her support to Gay men and women with her opposition of Prop 8. Musically, this five-time Grammy winner has inspired an ongoing list of female artists, such as M.I.A., Brittany Spears, Katy Perry, and Kelly Clarkson, to name a few. What she’ll do next is always a discussion topic amongst her diehard fans, who gladly pay whatever price to see her perform live, even if it means coming up short on rent the following month. Not immune to drama (her fallout with brother Christopher), downfalls (American Life, yuck!), worse downfalls (Swept from the Sea, inexcusable), or her taste for Latin arm-candy (oh, Jesus!), Madonna is a survivor and one who’s adjusted to the always-changing music climate over the past 28 years. How can Madonna not be #1? (A. Rodriguez)
All Time. She has been hailed as the artist who paved the way for African-Americans in popular music, especially for females. Women like Janet Jackson, Anita Baker, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Leona Lewis, and Beyoncé Knowles, who have been compared to Houston, have named her as their biggest influence. There is a reason for all of this. There is a reason that Whitney Houston has made such an impact on pop music. There is a reason that she has influenced so many amazing women and artists. There is a reason that she is regarded as the best. The reason: she is the fucking best. (C. Byrne)
2) WHITNEY HOUSTON When I was a kid, housecleaning days were the bane of my existence, obviously. However, the soundtrack was always good, thanks to my dad. When Whitney Houston released I’m Your Baby Tonight in 1990, it became my favorite album to listen to while cleaning house, making it almost enjoyable – and making my mother a happy woman. Whitney Houston has been named one of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone, which also currently lists her debut as one of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 1994, she won three Grammy Awards: Album of the Year (The Bodyguard), Record of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (both for “I Will Always Love You”). She’s received countless awards and nominations by the American Music Awards, the People’s Choice Awards, the NAACP Image Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, BET, and Soul Train Awards – even a Guinness World Record for Most Awarded/Popular Female Artist of
3) DOLLY PARTON Dolly Parton is the queen of country music. She boasts twenty-five number-one singles, 41 topten country albums, innumerable awards and nominations for music, film, television, and philanthropy. Parton is a living legend, according to the Library of Congress (2004), and co-star of the film Sylvester Stallone has said he wished he’d never done, Rhinestone. Holy shit, this woman’s got it all. She’s even got a theme park! No one’s got that, unless you count the Neverland Ranch, which was not open to the loving public. I suppose maybe you could pay large sums to get into Neverland, but I think it was less of a “transaction of money” kind of thing, and more of an “emotionally scarring” kind of thing. Anyway, RIP Michael, long live Dolly! In 2005, Dolly Parton took a huge step for the GLBTQ community by earning herself an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for the very uplifting “Travelin’ Thru.” This song was written for the independent film Transamerica, a movie about a Transsexual woman (played brilliantly by Felicity Huffman) reuniting with her son-turned-street-hustler-turnedGay-porn-star (played by the young Kevin Zegers; what a hunk!), after his mother committed suicide. Quite a project to take on
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for Dolly, who is so deeply involved in the country music scene – a scene that is definitively Christian, conservative, and seriously homophobic. The award was cruelly taken away from Dolly (after an incredible performance at the award ceremony) and given to the Three 6 Mafia for their exceedingly annoying song “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” (is it, though?). Damn the Academy! If anyone wants to listen to me recite Rhinestone from start to finish, or if anyone wants to go to Dollywood this summer, e-mail me at christopher@sgn.org. (C. Byrne) 4) TINA TURNER With a songbook as recognizable as the Statue of Liberty and a career that has spanned some 50 years, we simply could not do a divas list without paying homage to the one and only Tina Turner. We Gay boys love us some Tina Turner, don’t we? While it may be true that Turner has been bestowed every industry accolade imaginable, that isn’t why I’m a fan of this diva. I love Turner for her passion. When I listen to her songbook – be it the later, more adult contemporary Tina, or the Ike and Tina days when she was “rolling on the river,” and especially during her heyday in the 1980s when she ruled the charts (and the 1984 Grammys, for that matter) – Turner has the innate, God-given ability to make me feel every single word of every single song. Like a devout Gay listening to a diva sermon, Turner takes me to church every time I hear her sing “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” She’s conquered the world as a singer, dancer, and international icon. Tina Turner - simply the best, indeed. (S. Knittel)
The man had Gianni Versace design one of his album covers, for God’s sake.
5) ELTON JOHN It should come as no surprise that Captain Fantastic, Sir Elton John, is the only man to make the top 10 of our divas list. Elton knows a thing or two about hits – he’s got a
whopping 56 Billboard Top 40 singles under his tiara – but he also knows a whole hell of a lot about diva tantrums (classic knockdown, drag-out meltdowns backstage and during video shoots), extravagant costuming (the man had Gianni Versace design one of his album covers, for God’s sake), and spending that could only be matched by the Queen of England herself. This openly Gay Diva is still standing, and we love him for it. Elton plays the songs his fans want to hear and tours incessantly. He’s headlined shows in Las Vegas, sold out New York’s Madison Square Garden more times than it’s worth counting, and 30 recorded albums and 250 million records sold (wow!) later, it appears there’s no end in sight for the career of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s biggest and bitchiest superstars. What’s more? Elton is a diva with a heart as big as his ego – to date, Sir Elton John has helped raise hundreds of millions of dollars for AIDS charities around the world. Never one to do anything quietly, Elton throws an annual glamorous White Tie & Tiara Ball (proving that fundraising efforts don’t have to be an insufferable bore) to fund programs for HIV/AIDS prevention and provide services to people living with HIV/AIDS. You go, girl! (S. Knittel) 6) JANET JACKSON “What have you done for me lately?” became a catch phrase in the late ‘80s, thanks to Janet Jackson – younger sister of global music icon Michael – who was well on the way to superstar billing herself. What captivated most fans were the slick dance moves on videos like “Rhythm Nation” and “Nasty,” where she clearly raised the level of choreography for videos that would soon follow. Though Jackson’s late career contributions have taken an artistic stumble, and the Super Bowl “nipplegate” disaster didn’t help, either, her earlier hit singles have solidified her as one of pop and R&B’s most treasured performers. Similar to almost every diva on this top 10 list, the five-time Grammy winner has ventured into movies, turning in applause-worthy performances in Poetic Justice, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, and Why Did I Get Married, Too.
Pride Edition 2010
I’ve had the privilege of seeing her on a live stage twice, and both experiences were insane – should she tour again, and there are rumors she will, I’m definitely looking forward to hearing “If” amidst the howling of fellow fans. Miss Jackson (if you’re nasty), we can’t wait for your big comeback! (A. Rodriguez) 7) STEVIE NICKS I wanted to be Stevie Nicks when I was little. I used a bathrobe for a shawl and a pillow for a treadmill to re-make her “Stand Back” music video in my very own bedroom. But my love affair with Nicks began many years before that, in a station wagon when my family road-tripped to the mountains and listened to an 8-track of Rumours along the way. I went from diehard Fleetwood Mac fan to Nicks fanatic, perching her Bella Donna album on top of my dresser and wishing I was her every night before going to bed. When the rock diva came to Key Arena for her Trouble in Shangri-La tour, I found myself amongst fellow strong devotees; we brought flower bouquets, diaries, shawls, album scrapbooks, and other forms of adoration to present to her at the foot of the stage, and for one night we were all white winged doves. In New York City, many Gay faithful congregate annually for “Night of a Thousand Stevies,” a drag-theatrical production that sells out months in advance. For the rest of us, frequent channeling of the mystic singer-songwriter is something that goes beyond CD collecting or poster hanging – we worship this woman to the core. (A. Rodriguez)
entertainer has expanded her career to film, where her credits stretch from comedy (The Pink Panther) to musicals (Dreamgirls) to thrillers (Obsessed). A multiple Grammy winner, who’s performed alongside music’s fellow elite - Tina Turner, Prince, Lady GaGa - Beyonce is rapidly clicking on the heels of her precedessors, such as Barbra Streisand, who she’ll play (sort of) when she appears in the upcoming remake of A Star is Born. Her songs inspire military men half a planet away to re-enact the “Telephone” music video, while the cast of TV’s most popular glee club turned “Single Ladies...” into a showstopping number. As talented as she is beautiful, Beyonce is most certainly a diva. (A. Rodriguez) 9) BETTE MIDLER When I was a little Gay boy growing up in Las Vegas in the 1980s, I knew a thing or two about glittery gowns and big hair. From the very first time I saw her, I knew that The Divine Miss M was the biggest and glitteriest of them all. Like many a Gay boy, I was drawn to Midler, who – let’s face it – embodies the very essence of what a diva is; she’s got an amazing voice, performs overthe-top dance and song routines, and has a wardrobe that would make Cher jealous. And the Gays, well, we just love her. They don’t call her Bathhouse Bette for just any reason! I dare you to not fall to pieces during her amazing performance in the 1988 tearjerker Beaches. While it may be true that Midler is an accomplished actress, comedienne, and recording artist, it is also true that we loved her for who she truly is: a diva of the highest caliber. All of the baby divas out there (That’s right, Britney and Lindsey, I’m talking to you!), it is possible to booze it up, be foul-mouthed on stage, and do whatever the hell you want, just as long as you do it like The Divine Miss M: with class. (S. Knittel)
range from recording artist to Broadway performer to Oscar-winning actress to Directors Guild of America recipient to Kennedy Centers Honoree. It’s not what Barbra Streisand’s done; it’s what she hasn’t done. Singularly, her music portfolio is the envy of any fellow diva or rising starlet – “Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star is Born),” “The Way We Were,” and “Woman in Love” are pop classics – and all this is aside from 1985’s impeccable The Broadway Album. Her duets with Neil Diamond, Donna Summer, Barry Gibb, and longtime collaborations with Stephen Sondheim, not to mention a nostalgic TV moment with Judy Garland, distinguish her further as both a vocal powerhouse and versatile entertainer. As a live performer, Streisand is one of a handful of non-rock artists who can sell out an entire sports arena in minutes, and wherever she goes on tour, whether in Germany or Ireland, her every move is documented by the local media and, of course, her legions of fans. Since her earliest days in the business, Barbra Streisand has been adored by Gay men, not only for her skill and diva presence, but also for her reciprocal, tireless support to our community. (A. Rodriguez) THE BIGGEST DIVAS 11-50 11) Cher 12) Lady GaGa 13) Boy George 14) Aretha Franklin 15) Prince
16) Mary J. Blige 17) Bjork 18) Liza Minnelli 19) Christina Aguilera 20) Mariah Carey 21) Amy Winehouse 22) Britney Spears 23) RuPaul 24) George Michael 25) Ricky Martin 26) Dusty Springfield 27) M.I.A. 28) Pink 29) Beth Ditto (Gossip) 30) Cyndi Lauper 31) Dixie Chicks 32) Annie Lennox 33) Erykah Badu 34) Kylie Minogue 35) Gwen Stefani 36) Debbie Harry 37) Queen Latifah 38) Patti Smith 39) Rihanna 40) Melissa Etheridge 41) Yoko Ono 42) Morrissey 43) Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders) 44) Sade 45) Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) 46) Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power) 47) Alicia Keys 48) Alison Goldfrapp (Goldfrapp) 49) Neko Case 50) Lucinda Williams
8) BEYONCÉ Nearing her 30th birthday, Beyonce Knowles has already proven a force to be reckoned with. Known around the world on a first name-only basis, the former lead singer of successful R&B trio Destiny’s Child exceeded her potential as a solo artist with international hit singles, including “Single 10) Barbra Streisand Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”, “Crazy in Love”, Few performers, male or female, have “Naughty Girl”, “Irreplaceable”, “Diva” an accomplished résumé that spans five and “Sweet Dreams”. The Houston-born decades, and even fewer have careers that
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