Sunday, March 28, 2021
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
My Top 12 LGBTQ Albums
If I had to pick a dozen albums that are the most important to me as a member of the LGBTQ community, what would they be? Glad you asked.
A few notes...
- My definition of LGBTQ music is very subjective. All of these albums spoke to me at some point in my own journey as a gay/queer man--so to me, they belong on the list.
- While most of these artists are known to be part of the LGBTQ community, some are not. (See above.)
- A lot of my favorite LGBTQ songs are missing from this post because I never bonded with the albums they came from. That's another list for another time--and frankly a much bigger and more difficult process.
- These are in chronological order based not on their release date but when they came into my life.
And now, here are my top twelve LGBTQ albums....
London 0 Hull 4, The Housemartins
When it comes to late 80s Brit pop with a political twist, you can have The Smiths and their dark, brooding music. I'll take The Housemartins any day. Who knew songs that call for revolution could be so boppy? Honestly, if I had to name one album that best represents me, this would be it.
Communards, The Communards
This was my first consciously gay purchase as an out man.
Whatever's For Us, Joan Armatrading
I think I should get extra credit for going to see Joan Armatrading in concert in Vermont. Let's just say there were a lot of Birkenstocks there.
Tracy Chapman, Tracy Chapman
Between Tracy Chapman and The Indigo Girls, eponymous albums by lesbian singer-songwriters pretty much dominated the stereos of all my friends the last couple of years of college.
The Flirtations, The Flirtations
As if this wasn't gay enough, I saw The Flirtations perform at the 1993 March On Washington.
Shadows On A Dime, Ferron
Some most excellent womyn's music.
Dusty In Memphis, Dusty Springfield
Can a perfect album be made better? This one was for me when I learned that Dusty Springfield was a lesbian--knowing that adds so much more meaning to all the songs. It's just achingly beautiful.
Rufus Wainwright, Rufus Wainwright
*sigh*
Plano, The Aluminum Grop
Gay brothers from the Midwest create music that is somehow both lush and sly. So good.
In An Aeroplane Over The Sea, Neutral Milk Hotel
A gorgeous indie album with complex lyrics that are very open to queer interpretation. See also: If You're Feeling Sinister, Belle & Sebastian; Illinois, Sufjan Stevens; and Puzzle, Tahiti 80.
Hedwig & The Angry Inch, original cast recording
Sorry, NPH, I want the O.G.
69 Love Songs, The Magnetic Fields
Dick's Bar is long gone, so if I want to relive my big gay life in the East Village, this is where I go.
Honorable Mentions: Pearl, Janis Joplin; Pelican West, Haircut 100; Strangeways, Here We Come, The Smiths (I know what I said earlier in this post, but I did listen to this a fair amount in college); The Immaculate Collection, Madonna (a must for gay boys of my generation); Discography, Pet Shop Boys (ditto); Scissor Sisters, Scissor Sisters; Divine Madness, Bette Midler; and channel ORANGE, Frank Ocean.
Thursday, September 14, 2017
My Civilians Hightlights
Here are a few of my favorite moments from shows by The Civilians.
Canard, Canard, Goose?
"The Civilians leave New York City to pursue a story about a Hollywood movie and a lost flock of carelessly imprinted geese resulting in an eclectic show about disorientation, misplaced empathy and coming home."
I love The Civilians' debut show from start to finish. This song sung by French geese who are professional actors (yes, really) shows The Civilians' joie de vivre.
Gone Missing
"The show is a collection of very personal accounts of things lost and found, creating a unique tapestry of the ways in which we deal with and relate to loss in our lives."
I've seen Gone Missing at least a dozen times with various casts and in various venues, and it always moves me. It's very hard to pick a highlight from the show. I recommend checking out the whole cast album. Here's a couple things to give a taste of the show. First, some of the "finders" of things that have gone missing speak.
Second, probably my favorite Civilians' song, "Hide & Seek". Get a tissue.
(I Am) Nobody's Lunch
"The Civilians [ask] the thorny question — how do we know what we know when everyone in power seems to be lying? Is it possible to know what's really going on in the world when information is manipulated to serve particular interests? Does anyone really care?"
Sadly, this show seems even more relevant than it was when it debut eleven years ago. I couldn't figure out how to embed anything from this show, so click here to hear the showstopper "Song Of Progressive Disenchantment".
You Better Sit Down: Tales From My Parents' Divorce
"Crafted from interviews the cast conducted with their own parents, TALES FROM MY PARENTS' DIVORCE is a heartbreaking and hilarious account of the parents' marriages and their subsequent divorces. These delicate parent-child conversations have yielded unique insights into falling in love, falling out of love, and rebuilding a life after the complex experience of dividing a family."
It was fascinating to see actors I know personally get so, well, personal on stage.
In The Footprint: The Battle Over Atlantic Yards
"...Tells the story of Brooklyn's largest development project in history. The play examines the conflicts that erupted in the case of Atlantic Yards through to their current resolution in an attempt to discover how the fate of the city is decided in present-day New York and what can be learned from this ongoing saga of politics, money, and the places we call home."
The Civilians have an amazing ability to find the heart--meaning both the core and the emotional center--of any topic.
The Great Immensity
"THE GREAT IMMENSITY is a highly theatrical look into one of the most vital questions of our time: how can we change ourselves and our society in time to solve the enormous environmental challenges that confront us?"
The Civilians courted political controversy when the took on climate change.
Pretty Filthy
"Inspired by a tradition of classic musicals about show business, PRETTY FILTHY is the untold showbiz musical, based on interviews with adult entertainers.".
Pretty Filthy was still in development when I moved from NYC and left The Civilians board, but I got a chance to see a few workshop productions, and it is great. It continues the great Civilians' tradition of showing the letting the humanity of the subjects shine by letting the speak and sing in their own words.
I'd like to end with shout outs to the shows I didn't include clips--mostly because of my lack of my own lack of technical capabilities.
--The Ladies, ostensibly about the wives of dictators, turns out to really be about The Civilians, and by extension ourselves, instead.
--In addition to being a great show, This Beautiful City is extra special to me because I got to travel out to Colorado Springs and visit The Civilians as they were workshopping it. I even got meet some of their interviewees.
--I've seen almost as many versions of Paris Commune as I have Gone Missing. I thought the first one was great, but it just kept getting better.
--In a funny way, Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play circles back to many of the themes and ideas of Canard, Canard, Goose? with The Civilians again playing themselves and exploring the power and limits of theater.
All of my memories of The Civilians are bittersweet since the tragic death of Michael Friedman. Michael wrote nearly all the songs for Civilians shows (including all those included here). That would have been more than enough, but he also conducted much of the research for the shows and was a passionate member of the board of directors. He will be sorely missed by the company and the whole theater world.
Canard, Canard, Goose?
"The Civilians leave New York City to pursue a story about a Hollywood movie and a lost flock of carelessly imprinted geese resulting in an eclectic show about disorientation, misplaced empathy and coming home."
I love The Civilians' debut show from start to finish. This song sung by French geese who are professional actors (yes, really) shows The Civilians' joie de vivre.
Gone Missing
"The show is a collection of very personal accounts of things lost and found, creating a unique tapestry of the ways in which we deal with and relate to loss in our lives."
I've seen Gone Missing at least a dozen times with various casts and in various venues, and it always moves me. It's very hard to pick a highlight from the show. I recommend checking out the whole cast album. Here's a couple things to give a taste of the show. First, some of the "finders" of things that have gone missing speak.
Second, probably my favorite Civilians' song, "Hide & Seek". Get a tissue.
(I Am) Nobody's Lunch
"The Civilians [ask] the thorny question — how do we know what we know when everyone in power seems to be lying? Is it possible to know what's really going on in the world when information is manipulated to serve particular interests? Does anyone really care?"
Sadly, this show seems even more relevant than it was when it debut eleven years ago. I couldn't figure out how to embed anything from this show, so click here to hear the showstopper "Song Of Progressive Disenchantment".
You Better Sit Down: Tales From My Parents' Divorce
"Crafted from interviews the cast conducted with their own parents, TALES FROM MY PARENTS' DIVORCE is a heartbreaking and hilarious account of the parents' marriages and their subsequent divorces. These delicate parent-child conversations have yielded unique insights into falling in love, falling out of love, and rebuilding a life after the complex experience of dividing a family."
It was fascinating to see actors I know personally get so, well, personal on stage.
In The Footprint: The Battle Over Atlantic Yards
"...Tells the story of Brooklyn's largest development project in history. The play examines the conflicts that erupted in the case of Atlantic Yards through to their current resolution in an attempt to discover how the fate of the city is decided in present-day New York and what can be learned from this ongoing saga of politics, money, and the places we call home."
The Civilians have an amazing ability to find the heart--meaning both the core and the emotional center--of any topic.
The Great Immensity
"THE GREAT IMMENSITY is a highly theatrical look into one of the most vital questions of our time: how can we change ourselves and our society in time to solve the enormous environmental challenges that confront us?"
The Civilians courted political controversy when the took on climate change.
Pretty Filthy
"Inspired by a tradition of classic musicals about show business, PRETTY FILTHY is the untold showbiz musical, based on interviews with adult entertainers.".
Pretty Filthy was still in development when I moved from NYC and left The Civilians board, but I got a chance to see a few workshop productions, and it is great. It continues the great Civilians' tradition of showing the letting the humanity of the subjects shine by letting the speak and sing in their own words.
I'd like to end with shout outs to the shows I didn't include clips--mostly because of my lack of my own lack of technical capabilities.
--The Ladies, ostensibly about the wives of dictators, turns out to really be about The Civilians, and by extension ourselves, instead.
--In addition to being a great show, This Beautiful City is extra special to me because I got to travel out to Colorado Springs and visit The Civilians as they were workshopping it. I even got meet some of their interviewees.
--I've seen almost as many versions of Paris Commune as I have Gone Missing. I thought the first one was great, but it just kept getting better.
--In a funny way, Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play circles back to many of the themes and ideas of Canard, Canard, Goose? with The Civilians again playing themselves and exploring the power and limits of theater.
All of my memories of The Civilians are bittersweet since the tragic death of Michael Friedman. Michael wrote nearly all the songs for Civilians shows (including all those included here). That would have been more than enough, but he also conducted much of the research for the shows and was a passionate member of the board of directors. He will be sorely missed by the company and the whole theater world.
Monday, October 3, 2016
The Twine Ball Comes Home
The Lake Washington Gillygoofangs won the Twine Ball League championship! Our season record wasn't the best, but we came on strong in the postseason--especially in the final match up.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Team Koko 2014
NB: This is not my All-Star Team. The selection process for that is very different since I'm not competing against other in a draft and so am free to pick (or not pick) at will. Also, I can be more idealistic and less pragmatic for the All-Star picks and, not take players from teams I hate (such as The Team That Shall Not Be Named) no matter how good they are.
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| Derek Jeter, Shortstop, NY Yankees Anyone who didn't think I would draft The Captain in his last season should just stop reading now. |
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| Mike Trout, Outfield, LA Angels I hear this kid is pretty good. |
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| Jonathan Lucroy, Catcher, Milwaukee Brewers The first of many beards on the team. I'm convinced that MLB has a stealth marketing campaign to the Bear Community. |
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| Adrian Gonzalez, 1st Base, L.A. Dodgers |
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| Jason Kipnis, 2nd Base, Cleveland Indians Fielding doesn't count in our league, but I love this picture. |
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| Pedro Alvarez, 3rd Base, Pittsburgh Pirates |
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| Shin-Soo Choo, Outfield, Texas Rangers Someone should write a dissertation on this picture and the, um, "problematic" racial issues in MLB it represents. |
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| Jayson Werth, Outfield, Washington Nationals Jayson seems to be under the mistaken impression that he plays for a Williamsburg, Brooklyn kickball team. |
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| Alfonso Soriano, Outfield, NY Yankees *sigh* |
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| Nelson Cruz, Outfield, Baltimore Orioles |
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| Billy Butler, DH/Utility, KC Royals I have a soft spot for Billy Butler, but he wasn't the most practical pick since he can only play "utility" in our league and not cover other positions. In other words, don't get too attached to him. |
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| José Reyes, Shortstop, Toronto Blue Jays The Amish-style beard is an interesting choice. |
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| Miguel Montero, Catcher, Arizona Diamondbacks It's always good to have two catchers on a fantasy team, and he was the best one still available late in the draft. I'm happy I chose him now that I've seen this pic. |
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| Adam Wainwright, Starting Pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals I wish I had more Cardinals on my team, but if I have to have only one, this is the one I want. |
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| Yovani Gallardo, Starting Pitcher, Milwaukee Brewers What a cool and adorable family. |
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| Mike Minor, Starting Pitcher, Atlanta Braves |
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| R.A. Dickey, Starting Pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays One word: KNUCKLEBALL. |
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| Dan Straily, Starting Pitcher, Oakland A's I love the diversity of MLB. Here's a GINGER beard. |
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| Zack Greinke, Starting Pitcher, LA Dodgers Hi, Zack K! |
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| Zach Wheeler, Starting Pitcher, NY Mets Hi, Zach H! (A little inside joke for Kids In The Hall fans.) |
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| Jason Grilli, Relief Pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates Werq that mullet! I think Jason secretly wishes he played hockey. |
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| Joe Nathan, Relief Pitcher, Detroit Tigers I have been accused of letting The Little Manager make my decisions (if you know what I mean), but Joe here is proof that is not the case. He's not a bad looking guy, but he is doing everything in his power to make himself look unattractive. Still, even with the awful chin scruff to the douchey shirt to the just plain stupid necklace, he's on Team Koko. |
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| Huston Street, Relief Pitcher, San Diego Padres Then again, sometimes The Little Manager makes some good picks. |
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| John Lackey, Starting Pitcher, The Evil Empire UGH. Sometimes baseball is a dirty game that forces us to lie down with dogs. |
Monday, November 18, 2013
Dave Younge Playlist
Grateful Dead – Scarlet Begonias
Steely Dan – Rikki Don't Lose That Number
Fela Kuti – Viva Nigeria
John Coltrane Quartet – It's Easy To Remember
Def Leppard – Pour Some Sugar On Me
XTC – Hold Me My Daddy
Los Angeles Burning – Sinatra
Malkit Singh – Jind Mahi
The Neville Brothers – Fire On The Bayou
The Clash – Rock the Casbah
Celia Cruz – La Negra Tiene Tumbao
Tukka Yoot – Tukka Yoot's Riddim
Grateful Dead – Ripple
Heart – Magic Man
Bonnie Raitt – Love Sneakin' Up On You
Crash Test Dummies – The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead
Pink Floyd – Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2
Erin McKeown – Slung Lo
Miles Davis – Milestones
Sting – Fields Of Gold
Timbuk 3 – Facts About Cats
Laurie Berkner – The Cat Came Back
Talking Heads – Once In A Lifetime
Stevie Wonder – Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing
The English Beat – Save It For Later
Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Pump It Up
Sun Ra – Distant Stars
Fleetwood Mac – You Make Loving Fun
Blondie – One Way Or Another
Vince Guaraldi Trio – Thanksgiving Theme
Dar Williams – Christians and Pagans
Herbie Hancock – Mega Mix (Rockit, Autodrive, Future Shock, TFS, Rough, & Chameleon)
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Satisfy My Soul - Beats Antique Remix
Steely Dan – Rikki Don't Lose That Number
Fela Kuti – Viva Nigeria
John Coltrane Quartet – It's Easy To Remember
Def Leppard – Pour Some Sugar On Me
XTC – Hold Me My Daddy
Los Angeles Burning – Sinatra
Malkit Singh – Jind Mahi
The Neville Brothers – Fire On The Bayou
The Clash – Rock the Casbah
Celia Cruz – La Negra Tiene Tumbao
Tukka Yoot – Tukka Yoot's Riddim
Grateful Dead – Ripple
Heart – Magic Man
Bonnie Raitt – Love Sneakin' Up On You
Crash Test Dummies – The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead
Pink Floyd – Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2
Erin McKeown – Slung Lo
Miles Davis – Milestones
Sting – Fields Of Gold
Timbuk 3 – Facts About Cats
Laurie Berkner – The Cat Came Back
Talking Heads – Once In A Lifetime
Stevie Wonder – Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing
The English Beat – Save It For Later
Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Pump It Up
Sun Ra – Distant Stars
Fleetwood Mac – You Make Loving Fun
Blondie – One Way Or Another
Vince Guaraldi Trio – Thanksgiving Theme
Dar Williams – Christians and Pagans
Herbie Hancock – Mega Mix (Rockit, Autodrive, Future Shock, TFS, Rough, & Chameleon)
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Satisfy My Soul - Beats Antique Remix
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Liberty & Independence
Delaware is set to become the 11th Marriage Equality state after its senate approved same-sex marriage today. I'm really happy for them, but I'm kind of surprised it took this long given they have had a gay Colonial wedding on their flag for 100 years.
I think the guy in the fabulous green and pink jacket (which I would totally wear) is pissed that his farmer husband-to-be dressed so casually for their big day.
That's about all I have to say about Delaware except it inspired this great song by Loudon Wainwright III (father of notable homosexual Rufus Wainwright):
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