Gay for Play

Damian and I just got our 2024 music recaps. Try to guess who was born in 1967 and who was born in 1977 ... and if we're both avowed homosexuals!

Charter Rigger Ranks the 10 Best Singles of 2016

And I've actually heard of several of the artists, if not the songs! Read HERE.

Casey Spooner's Sex Makeover

FourTwoNine has a fun interview with Casey Spooner, who discusses the intersection of technology and gay sexuality, why it's a horrible time to be a musician, his decision to change his image and all about the making his new album "about homosexuality" with Michael Stipe, who was the Fischerspooner frontman's first boyfriend back in 1988. 

On what technology has done to the erotic in this day and age:

First of all, sexuality is so closely tied to photography now. It’s like, you’re only going to get as much action depending on how good your pictures are and what your pictures communicate and what the location is and what the expression is. Photography and sexuality have shifted intensely.

I think, also, there’s been a big shift because there’s so many people now taking pictures of themselves naked and having to be on camera in order to have sex that everyone is completely obsessed with working out. Now that’s why we have all these different fitness trends, like SoulCycle and Flywheel and boot camps and CrossFit and juice bars—it’s because everyone is so self-conscious, so aware of their bodies now. So we’re living through this intense fantasy.

I remember when I would have sex with people, I would meet some that I wouldn’t know who was going to do what or what was going to happen or what was in their pants. It’s like, you didn’t know; you just had to go with the vibe.

But there are also very positive aspects to it as well. I’m connecting with people that I would have never connected with who are not part of my scene. They’re not part of my socioeconomic world. They’re not a part of my neighborhood. I’m all of a sudden interacting and having sex with people that I would have never run into. And out of that, developing friendships. And out of that, working with them. I’ve had a lot of social growth out of technology and sex.

Read more HERE.

Napster Redux

Wow! You wanna know how bad music piracy is? My brother Terence found a site where you can supposedly download -- aka "steal" -- the 1983 song "(She Was) Kidnapped at the Bowling Alley" by my high school New Wave band, A La Plage!

Download HERE. Apparently our underrated follow-up, "Neck Brace," is also available!

My Busy Valentine

I will likely be at both of these BlueBonnets shows. If you're a Kathy Valentine, Go-Go's or KIT212 fan, please come out and say hi -- and be ready to rock! More info about the band HERE.

This Town

With the Doors, Go-Go's, Runaways and Best Coast, L.A. Weekly's "20 Most L.A. Albums Ever: The Complete List" is worth a look -- and has me wanting to try my hand at a New York City list. Read HERE.

UPDATE: My somewhat-related Throwback Thursday post on Facebook seems to be getting a lot of attention, so I thought I would add it here!

#TBT Standing by the Go-Go's tour bus at Pine Knob (Detroit), circa 1984. INXS opened for the band's "Talk Show" tour, but my outfit was the real headliner.

Music That You Can Prance To

I'm not a fan of the page-view-happy format, but Billboard's 25 great gay moments in music is worth a click or two HERE.

Extended Abbreviated Play

Fleetwood Mac, Paul Weller, Blondie and many other established artists are now releasing digital EPs instead of albums. On one hand, it makes sense. It's far more cost-efficient, it allows artists to give fans something new more often -- and God knows people's attention spans aren't exactly expanding. On the other hand, the album has always been the measure of an artist. And if big names aren't even going to produce them any more, new artists probably won't either -- which means there'll never be another "Beauty and the Beat," "Pretenders" or "Murmur." I don't like where this is going. Thoughts?

Was Cher a Gypsy, Tramp or Thief?

Find out in the clip below. Mom's "lost" album is available now!

The Best Albums of 1981

Completely fascinated by Slicing Up Eyeballs' readers poll of the 100 best albums of 1981. While I don't necessarily agree with it, it's weird to see the "masses" voting for things that seemed so personal to me, like Debbie Harry's "Koo Koo," Altered Images' "Happy Birthday," Romeo Void's "It's a Condition," Bow Wow Wow's "See Jungle! See Jungle! Go Join Your Gang, Yeah. City All Over! Go Ape Crazy," and the Tom Tom Club debut. Read HERE.

I'm thinking something more like:

"Beauty and the Beat' by Go-Go's
"Pretenders II" by Pretenders
"It's a Condition" by Romeo Void
'Slow Children" by Slow Children
"See Jungle! See Jungle! Go Join Your Gang, Yeah. City All Over! Go Ape Crazy" by Bow Wow Wow
"Speak and Spell" by Depeche Mode
"The Right to Be Italian" by Holly and the Italians
"Talk Talk Talk" by Psychedelic Furs
"Tom Tom Club" by Tom Tom Club
"Wild Gift" by X
"Torch" by Carly Simon
"Kim Wilde" by Kim Wilde
"Dare" by Human League
"Seven Year Ache" by Rosanne Cash
"Happy Birthday" by Altered Images
"Heaven Up Here" by Echo and the Bunnymen
"Architecture and Morality" by OMD
"Penthouse and Pavement" by Heaven 17
"Koo Koo" by Debbie Harry
"Tin Drum" by Japan
"Movement" by New Order
"East Side Story" by Squeeze
"Almost Blue" by Elvis Costello and the Attractions

"Precious Time" by Pat Benatar

"I Love Rock 'n' Roll" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

"Duran Duran" by Duran Duran

"Walk Under Ladders" by Joan Armatrading
"Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret" by Soft Cell
"Trust" by Elvis Costello
"Mistaken Identity" by Kim Carnes

As for 1980, any poll that doesn't have the Pretenders' debut at No. 1 is dead to me. Read HERE.

Nobody Puts Baby in a Spam Folder

I don't want to even talk about where this press release landed in my e-mail:

25th ANNIVERSARY CD PACKAGE PRESENTS ORIGINAL 12-SONG ALBUM, SOARING ON THE WINGS OF ORIGINAL CHART HITS “HUNGRY EYES,” “SHE’S LIKE THE WIND,” “(I’VE HAD) THE TIME OF MY LIFE” AND MORE! 

 BONUS FEATURES OF THIS SPECIAL FAN EDITION:

• Six ready-to-frame art cards with iconic movie images, plus a bumper sticker;
• New hardcover package with liner notes by executive producer Jimmy Ienner, producers Michael Lloyd and Leon Medica, and producer-performers Eric Carmen and Zappacosta

 Responding to the feedback from loyal fans around the world, Legacy Recordings presents DIRTY DANCING: THE DELUXE ANNIVERSARY EDITION, which presents the original 12-song album of 1987, along with new bonus features. This special commemorative project reflects Legacy’s direct survey of a portion of the millions of Dirty Dancing fans on Facebook who responded and wished to maintain the experience of the original release by showcasing the original running order of the album as it was first released, without bonus tracks. This special fan edition CD package will be available everywhere September 25th through RCA/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.

DIRTY DANCING: THE DELUXE ANNIVERSARY EDITION will contain a number of exciting additions specifically requested by the fans, starting with the package’s dedication to the movie’s star, the late Patrick Swayze (1952-2009). The image-driven CD booklet contains six ready-to-frame art cards showing iconic images from the movie, plus a newly-designed bumper sticker. Fans also voted on the CD cover image from four images proposed by Legacy, and overwhelmingly chose to retain the original "Lift" image.

Read the full news release HERE. Pre-order the CD HERE.

'Hit' Men

With thanks to my BFF Mark, who pointed me to this riveting documentary about Stock Aitken and Waterman, the legendary '80s music producers whose Hit Factory was responsible for some of the most memorable songs of the era, and turning a bit player Aussie soap star named Kylie Minogue into an international superstar. (Their Hi-NRG production was as recognizable as Phil Spector's Wall of Sound.) While I was familiar with their biggest successes -- Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up,," Dead or Alive;s "You Spin Me," Bananarama's "Venus" and Donna Summer's "This Time I Know It's for Real" -- it was still fascinating to learn about the sequence of events that led to their scoring more than 100 Top 40 hits and 13 No. 1 singles  in the UK. For instance, did you know their dance hit "You Think You're a Man" by Divine was their first success or that Mel of Mel and Kim (of "Respectable" fame) died of cancer at the height of their fame? I'll always be grateful to SAW for their better-than-the-LP remixes of Bananarama's "More Than Physical" and Debbie Harry's "In Love With Love," which put my girls on dance charts at No. 5 and No. 1 respectively. Have a look, you'll even get to see a very young (and much fitter) Simon Cowell!

 

Sour Apples

A musical shit storm was started over the weekend when an intern at NPR's All Songs Considered blogged that she has 11,000 songs in her iTunes, yet has only bought 15 CDs in her life. (“As monumental a role as musicians and albums have played in my life,” she wrote, “I’ve never invested money in them aside from concert tickets and T-shirts.") Putting the apples and oranges comparison aside -- she's 20, so wouldn't it have made more sense, and been more galling, for her to have said she's only downloaded (bought) 15 songs from iTunes? -- how do people feel about getting music for free these days, whether it be through borrowing friends' CDs; copying friends’ song files; or being given 15 gigabytes of music by a prom date (as she says she was), especially when (as the New York Times notes) it's not done through so-called "illegal" downloads? I''m pretty agnostic about it, truthfully. I certainly didn't think it was criminal in 1982 when I borrowed my friend Greg's copy of "10 Cents a Dance" by the Flirts and taped it on my Price Club stereo. I always thought I was being kosher by buying the things I truly wanted, and "borrowing" the things I was just curious about -- I still sort of operate by that standard -- but many recording artists are not so forgiving.


The NPR intern says she will pay for convenience, but she will not pay for albums. Isn't that the real issue nowadays, that the Apple product is considered the work of art, not the music?


Instead of being mad at today's generation, I've never understood why musicians haven't targeted more of their outrage at Steve Jobs and Apple, whom Pete Townshend once called "digital vampires." They can't fault Jobs for making a gadget that is so beloved -- or for the convenience he's given consumers, not just how we listen to music, but how we buy it and how we store it, as well. But they can fault him for raping artists by taking such an exorbitant cut for the middle man, so that even when people do pay for music, artists feel robbed. Microsoft has been repeatedly sued for antitrust violations, but isn't Apple the ultimate monopoly? If anyone balks -- like a Pete Townshend -- Apple just says, "Fine, don't sell you music here" and artists are cut off from a majority of the music-buying public. Seconds later, they are left begging for another chance.

Not Music to Everyone's Ears

Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time is making the rounds on Facebook, and the complaint department is working overtime. My brother Bill cannot believe REM's "Murmur" ranked a paltry 197 -- "out of 500!" -- but commends them for including (my fave) Frank Sinatra's "Songs for Swinging Lovers" (306).

Being an obsessive list maker, this is the kind of thing that could keep me awake at night. So I've tried to be more of the mind that it doesn't matter so much WHERE on the list an album fell, what matters is that they are ON the list. I don't always practice what I preach, however.

Here are some things that jumped out at me:

Cyndi Lauper's "She's So Unusual" is still rightfully hanging on -- but at 494, for how much longer?

Loretta Lynn's "All-Time Greatest Hits" (485): Good that they included this, although I don't think "best of" collections should be permitted. List seemed light on C&W.

Even after all of these years of the mag telling me to like them, I still don't know who Richard and Linda Thompson are.

I probably don't know enough about Bruce Springsteen to be saying that it's his best, but I do know that "Tunnel of Love" is one of the greatest albums I've ever heard. Nice to see it on the list (475).

Happy that groups from the 1980s -- Echo and the Bunnymen, Husker Du, Gang of Four, Los Lobos, the Smiths, Devo, the Cure -- are still being remembered in the hip-hop/rap-dominated era.

Madonna's "Music" is one of three of her albums on the list, but isn't even in her Top 10 albums, let alone deserving of No. 452. (The single kicks ass, however.)

"Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes" (427): The ultimate one-album wonder!

Mamas and the Papas Greatest Hits (423): Sublime, although (again) not sure "greatest hits" albums should count.

The Go-Go's "Beauty and the Beat" (413): Snubbed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but not here.

Madonna's "Ray of Light" (363) : Arguably her best LP.

X's "Wild Gift" (334): Glad to see the critics have not forgotten.

Liz Phair's "Exit in Guyville" (328): Her career is all over the map, but this album isn't.

X's "Los Angeles" (286): Glad to see this. "Under the Big Black Sun" would have worked, too.

Madonna's "Immaculate Collection" (278): OK, I know I said rankings don't matter, but if you're going to include "best of" albums, this is way too low for the ultimate singles act of our generation.

Paul Simon's "There Goes Rhymin' Simon" (267): Not even his highest-rated album, but should be.

Whitney Houston's debut (254).

REM's "Automatic for the People" (247)

Madonna's "Like a Prayer" (237): Unless I missed something, they are saying this is her best album. Totally do not agree. "Ray of Light" AND the debut are better -- and "Ray" was 363 and the debut didn't even make the list. #HighwayRobbery

Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska" (224): This was one of those albums I kept seeing on these lists and then finally bought. They were right.

"The Neil Diamond Collection" (222): Genius songwriter.

The Carpenters' "Close to You" (173): Karen was the voice of a lifetime.

Pretenders' debut (155): In my Top 2 of all time, No. 1 on some days.

B-52's debut (152): Should be UNDER the Pretenders! I actually prefer "Wild Planet" and "Mesopotamia," which I know is wrong of me.

Blondie's "Parallel Lines" (140): Obviously I think this should be higher on the list. Come on.

"Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack (131): Genius.

Television's "Marquee Moon" (128): Critics remember.

James Taylor's "Sweet Baby James" (103): Gorgeous. I owe my love of this to my brother Terence.

Dusty Springfield's "Dusty in Memphis" (89): Impossible to deny.

Aretha Franklin's "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You" (83): Her best.

Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall" (68): Seems low even for the critics.

Phil Spector's "Back to Mono" box set (64): The best singles of the 1960s.

Carole King's "Tapestry" (36): In my Top 10.

Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors" (23): Seems low to me.

"The Velvet Underground & Nico" (13): The influence is undeniable.

Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" (2): I'd put this over the Beatles, but OK.

Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band": I'm a fan, all right.

Get in a fight with your loved ones -- and yourself -- HERE.

Ripley Rocks the Metropolitan Room

My friend Ken (the pilot) and I went to see Ripley (the band) earlier this week at the Metropolitan Room, my second time seeing the Tony-award-winning Alice Ripley live in concert. Last time around, the guitar-wielding actress/songstress was accompanied by just keyboardist and friend of the (212) Christopher Schelling, but on Monday the stage was at near-capacity, with Christopher, bassist Steve Millhouse, drummer Shannon Ford, plus (adorable) special guest percussionist Nick Cearley. (Only special guest cellist Lauren Molina was missing from the party -- her bail revoked, perhaps?)

After promising Ken, a true child of the '70s, a potpourri of covers by his favorite artists of the decade -- Alice is a sucker for Carole King, Cat Stevens, Jackson Browne, the Eagles and did songs by all of them when I saw her in January at the Laurie Beechman Theater -- Alice threw me curve both physically (what a bod!) and musically, playing mostly songs from her extensive theater repertoire -- "The Who's Tommy," "Side Show" and "The Rocky Horror Show" (but not, unless I'm mistaken, "Next to Normal") -- and originals recorded as a solo artist, and with Ripley (the band).

Opening with "Science Fiction/Double Feature" from "Rocky Horror" -- a show that I, for some reason, find intolerable -- was a pleasant surprise, as it allowed me to fully appreciate the music away from the spectacle. "Who Will Love Me as I Am?" (from "Side Show") was next, which I later learned was a last-minute addition to the set list, after Alice discovered its lyricist, Bill Russell, was in attendance. (No one was complaining.) A nice cover of Elvis Costello's "Beyond Belief" (the opening track on "Imperial Bedroom") was her one nod to the world of classic pop music, which was followed by the evening's strongest moment, their "Tommy" medley. (Her "Pinball Wizard" is two for two in giving me goose bumps.)

My favorite originals of the night are both from the band's "Outtasite" album: "Miss America" and "When I'm Olde," an ode to a former flame with whimsical lyrics that reminds me a bit of Maria McKee. (Alice says she threw the "e" in for fun, but warns that anything with an extra one added to the end is just a ruse to jack up the price!) Despite the abundance of actual showtunes being performed, the stage got even more dramatic during the band's new single, "Beautiful Eyes" (info HERE), which Liza Minnelli would be foolish not to cover herself.

Afterward, Christopher invited us to come "backstage" to meet the evening's star, who was exhausted from giving a great performance, yet couldn't have been more lovely. We thanked her for a wonderful show -- Ken absolutely adored every second of it -- then were joined by Bill Russell and Christopher's boyfriend, Augusten Burroughs, who was also in the house. Alice returns to the Metropolitan Room on Sunday, May 27 at 7 p.m. For ticket information, click HERE.

Ripley set list

(Metropolitan Room, April 16, 2012)

Science Fiction/Double Feature Who Will Love Me As I Am Beyond Belief Tommy Medley Sky Romeo Beautiful Eyes When I'm Olde She Keeps Her Love Away Miss America For Your Art Violet Tree Humiliating Circumstances Outtasite

One Night in 'Paradise'

If you're thinking an Eddie Money concert in Times Square that was promoted with a Groupon would be a 50-something bridge-and-tunnel extravaganza, then step to the front of the line. 

Appearing onstage at B.B. King's at 8 o'clock sharp -- people have bedtimes, after all -- Eddie launched right into his best song, "Baby Hold On," then proceeded to deliver a tight show, including all of his other hits ("Walk On Water," "Two Tickets to Paradise," "Think I'm in Love," "I Wanna Go Back"), leading up to his biggest, "Take Me Home Tonight" (daughter Jesse filled in for Ronnie Spector, and also filled in for Dad while he took a break mid-set, sounding far better than her eliminated-first-from-MTV's-"Rock the Cradle" status might indicate).

The set was filled out with key album tracks, Smokey Robinson's "You Really Got a Hold on Me," "Wanna Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" and "No Control." But when it came time for the encore, that's when things got rowdy, with me leading the chants for "Shakin'" -- the song I gladly paid full price for on the assumption that it would be performed. Eddie didn't disappoint -- the crowd went wild as the famous drum intro began -- then he quietly came out afterward to sign autographs and pose for photos.

After our initial photo-op failed -- I'd left the camera on movie mode and Michael didn't know how to fix it before Eddie, like an unchaperoned Alzheimer's patient, began wandering out onto 42nd Street -- my friend Yogita tried to sidle up to him for a do-over.

It was at this point when Miss Congeniality Long Island 1974 (above left, all but posing for Michael) tried to shoo her away, screaming rather patronizingly at her: "You don't even know who he is." Not about to let my friend's Eddie Money cred to be besmirched by someone who speaks with a cigarette dangling out of her mouth, I stepped in to inform her that she was mistaken -- that it was in fact Yogi's idea to go to the show. "Well it was MY idea to come to this show, too!" the former debate captain responded, to which I said, "Well, good. But you're still wrong." "I'm not wrong about anything," she insisted, "she's my dawwwwwter's age." "Well, that may well be, but you're still wrong." After playing "I know you are but what am I?" for another round or two, Pamela Des Barres' evil stepsister stopped, looked me in the eye and said: "You know what you are? You're a loser." And then without missing a beat, she attempted to board Eddie's tour bus on what was shaping up to be the greatest night of her life -- she was refused admittance -- and that was, oddly, one of the greatest of mine, too.

That man was Shakin' (and it may have been Parkinson's)

Talk About the Passion!

The Wall Street Journal has an interesting cover story(!) about the fate of an abandoned railroad trestle in Athene, Georgia, that was featured on the back of R.E.M.'s groundbreaking debut album, "Murmur." The band and even the photographer don't care if the unsafe wooden edifice is destroyed -- as the county wants to do -- but crazed fans aren't willing to let go. Read all about it HERE. (FYI: Just noticed USA Today wrote the same story in 2010!)

One Bad Apple (Doesn't Spoil the Whole Bunch)

You mean to tell me there's not one gay employee at iTunes who didn't notice the chronological error in this Madonna discography? No matter, pre-order Madge's latest, "MDNA," HERE.

Music Box: Madonna & Goldfrapp

In honor of Madonna's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (I know, it should be Rock 'n' Roll -- they're idiots), I just pre-ordered "Hard Candy" on Amazon (only $9.99!). Now I give you my all-time favorite Madonna song from her all-time best movie, "Into the Groove" from the equally groovy "Desperately Seeking Susan." If you knew how often my friend Greg and I recite lines from this in our everyday conversations you wouldn't like it! ("How do you use the birds?")

And in new music news, Greg turned me onto Goldfrapp recently. I'm just learning them (coincidentally a promo copy of their new album, "Seventh Tree," showed up at my house the day after he mentioned them to me) but so far I'm really loving it. Check out the video for "A&E" below:

Earful

chart tunes

Brand New Lyrics Lyfe	Scars Lyrics Natalie Imbruglia
Discipline Lyrics Janet Jackson	Run The Show Lyrics Kat Deluna
Dance Floor Anthem Lyrics Seal	Shake It Off Lyrics Mariah Carey
Walking Away Lyrics Rouge	Everything's Not What It Seems Lyrics Selena
Adidas Lyrics Huey	2 Of You Lyrics Danity Kane

Get your own here.