Warning... this is an adult site. If reading or viewing things about what gay men do sexually with one another bothers you - you should not read this blog. This blog is a reflection of my adventures and thoughts. Some are fun, some not so pretty. I won't name names, or kiss and tell... but I will live to tell. And baby, trust me - I am gonna spill it all over your pretty little party dress. Enjoy!
Down The Rabbit Hole merely places a spotlight on something slightly unusual that's caught my interest. With the help of Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites, I gather information and learn something new about something classic.
Today, we take a look at the musical legacy and sexual politics of the highly influential, Romeo Void.
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From Wikipedia:
Romeo Void was an American new wave and post-punk band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. The band primarily consisted of saxophonist Benjamin Bossi, vocalist Debora Iyall, guitarist Peter Woods, and bassist Frank Zincavage. During the course of their history, they went through four drummers, starting with Jay Derrah and ending with Aaron Smith. The band released three albums and one EP, and are best known for the songs Never Say Never and A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing); the latter became a top 40 pop single, peaking at #35 in the US.
The band was started at the San Francisco Art Institute by Iyall and Zincavage. They released a single on the recently formed 415 Records before recording their debut album, which has been deemed a "masterpiece of American post-punk". The success of their second release, a four-song EP titled Never Say Never resulted in a distribution deal with Columbia Records. Iyall has garnered acclaim as a skilled lyricist who explores themes like sexuality and alienation from a female perspective with "searing imagery". The band continued to release music and tour until they broke up in 1985. The members have reunited briefly over the years.
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White Sweater - Romeo Void
Never Say Never - Romeo Void
Chinatown - Romeo Void
A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing) - Romeo Void
In my big gay church there is a wing dedicated to The Divas Who Represent. They're not all flashy or cocks of the walk - in fact, some never officially came out of the closet during their lifetime - but they are all extraordinarily gifted, sharing their songs, music, and insights, allowing the world at large to learn, in the most subtle of ways, what it's like 'being green'. Thanks to their gifts and their bravery, they help make the world a little more gay every time their voices are heard. And that's been their true super power all along... their voice; they were heard. They mattered. And, whether they liked it or not, they represented!
One such self-described solemn poet?
Michael Stipe.
In his way, he's the blueprint for the modern artist - always exploring new means of expressing himself.
For the longest time, his art was brought to the world via the band, R.E.M. But since, like a cocoon, that sheltering wrap was shed and he's gone on to redefine himself as an artist.
His lyrics have always offered glimpses into the private development of this musical icon.
And just as his definition of himself as an artist has always been fluid, so has his definition of his sexuality - a subject which has always intrigued the media and public alike.
He's a queer artist. That's how he describes himself. And his affection is based on attraction, be it intellectual, emotional or physical.
The lovely thing about him - there's a secret part of him no one else has access to, a part he's kept for himself which the world will never be privy to. And that's what keeps us fascinated. That's what keeps us engaged in his development.
He's gone from brash young thing to maturing artist in the span of an honorable, successful career few have achieved. To have the world, but lose your soul? Not an option for him. That was never part of his playbook.
He's always played for keeps, protecting what is salient, because he recognized early on what was going to be important. At the age of twenty-seven, he took a good hard look at himself and ceased being careless with people. Since that time, he's grown leaps and bounds as both an artist and a person.
With his focus now more than ever on the visual, via conceptional art and photography, he remains as vital and fascinating as ever.
The world awaits. Another transformation. Another great reveal.
The gospel according to him?
Well, here's three from the hip, dropping from his lips.
The topics? Sexuality, The Band, and Music Lovers
"There are people that very strongly identify themselves as gay and then lesbian, and then I think there are a lot of people who are kind of some percentage or some version of that."
"I've always felt that sexuality is a really slippery thing. In this day and age, it tends to get categorized and labeled, and I think labels are for food. Canned food."
"My feeling is that labels are for canned food... I am what I am - and I know what I am."
"I'm not homosexual, I'm not heterosexual, I'm just sexual."
"When I get really hammered I take my clothes off. That's a sure sign. It's been a long time since the last time I did that. Probably a year."
"When we first started, we were a band from Athens and that was so off the map."
"I think there were early critics who wanted us to change the world because the Sex Pistols failed."
"We toured that record for a year, which turned out to be the culmination of ten years of being constantly on the road. We were sick to death of touring."
"There was a point in the '80s when I looked out at my audience and I saw people that - were I not on the stage - they'd sooner slug me as they walked by me on the sidewalk. And I realized that I was way beyond the choir."
"We're absolutely American and distinctly so, I think. That's part of what people respond to outside of this country, part of the reason that we're such a huge band outside of the U.S., where we're not so popular now as we were 10 or 12 years ago."
"So, we went from being an Athens band to being a Georgia band to being a Southern band to being an American band from the East Coast to being an American band and now we're kind of an international phenomenon."
"But we're very much an American band and that's that. I think that's part of the appeal outside of this country and it might be part of the reason people turned away from us within this country, because familiarity breeds contempt."
"But I think the one thing that I can say about us is that we're very consistent about certain things and part of that is our desire to do the very best work that we can and not rest on our laurels, or not allow formula to come into what we do."
"So, when you divide the world into music lovers, music fans and then those people who are just very casual about their music, it's wallpaper to them, it's elevator music, it's just the thing that's playing in the background that helps them through their day."
"Because the casual music listeners are the ones who turn on the radio and they don't really care what's playing, they just know that they kinda like it or it's easy to drive to or it's easy to sing along to or whatever."
"Super casual music listeners. That's most of the people in the world. And you have to understand, that's why Top 40 radio exists. It's not there for people who seek out music and who love music."
"There was never a golden era of American radio as far as I can tell."
"If you disagree with me, fine! Because that's the great thing about America, we can disagree!"
Stand - R.E.M.
Losing My Religion - R.E.M.
Your Capricious Soul - Michael Stipe
And one last parting shot...
"I went through a period where I was really tired of seeing and reading about myself."
"I'm tired of being this solemn poet of the masses, the enigma shrouded in a mystery."
"If I'm tired of me, I'm sure the public is as well."
"I'm just not that fascinating a person to have had all those lives that I've written about."
In my own personal big gay church there are many wings. In one such wing reside those who have forged careers by marching to a beat only they can hear. They are unique - unlike any other, defying industry standards and norms. And it is that distinction which serves them well, both musically and stylistically as they forge their lengthy career. Yes, they create it. They own it.
One such soul?
Elle King
She burst onto the scene after years of toiling away, playing tiny bars to empty seats.
Having always had talent and the spirit to bring it to life, it was just a matter of time before she appeared on the world's musical horizon.
Retro? Maybe. Alternative? Definitely. She's got a voice that comes from deep within and, yeah... she can be a bit of a hellraiser!
But it's the music that matters most to this American Sweetheart. She writes... and continues to grow as both a human being and an artist. Along the way this diva shares joy and insights unlike any other, doing it all in a style honed from working hard... and playing hard.
The gospel according to her?
Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from their lips.
The topic? Covid-19 Isolation
"A crazy thing happened to our planet. Whether you look at it as an individual or as part of the global community, the same thing happened to all of us. I took this as an opportunity - I want to choose my words carefully - even in my own life, everything fucked-up thing has happened for a reason. For the past 15 years, I never spent so much consecutive time at home, in one place. I mean, I love my dogs and have had them for 10 years, but, I’ve never spent this much time with them. I’m used to long-distance relationships, but this time, my boyfriend came into quarantine with me. When I went to see my dad on Father’s Day, even he recognized that this was the most time I spent with one person - and I was once married!"
"I’m getting along with my family. Things are great between my father and I. I’m happily in love. I’m moving; hauling ass and getting the fuck out of Los Angeles for Santa Fe. I’m in forward motion. I had a birthday a week ago. And it was a sober birthday; getting high on my own life. I’m doing a sober summer, and looking at everything I put into my body, whether it’s food or sugar. I’m trying everything I can, because, what I was doing wasn’t working."
"If I’m being transparent, I was frightened by isolation. I thought it was taking its toll on me. But I had to be my own superhero, and ask: 'How do I want to be when I come out of this? What are we going to shed, better ourselves, further myself as a musician, lover, daughter, aunt?' So, I just wrote. I took guitar lessons. I pushed myself. I want to change. I crave change.
"...why not sing about releasing all things that are poisonous? That are put on me throughout my life, from society, growing up? So many times, I thought that I had to put things in my body to open my mind and stretch my antennae further. I didn’t realize that all that was doing was putting a fucking sheath over it. I’m proud... I’m releasing things that have kept me stuck."
"I’m honest, always was, and proud of it. Besides, anyone has the capacity for change. 'Sorry' only means something if you truly make a change. If I think about partying really really hard, I didn’t realize I was hurting. I respect people more when they’re open and honest. I had a duty and a platform to share and be open. The more you talk about things, the less you carry with you. Now, should I have not shared every fucking detail? 100%. However, that’s who I am. How beautiful is it be honest. That I went through shit, pulled myself out, and that you can, too. Everyone’s stages of how they get out look different. My chapter of getting fucked-up was a pretty long one."
"How do you live up to this personae of being a wild party girl? I’m still that girl. My definition of partying has changed. I didn’t need to put 30 things in my body to stay up. I’m still a total insomniac.
"The only thing that’s changed is that I have a baby grand piano in my living room."
Ex's and Oh's - Elle King
Shame - Elle King
Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home) - Elle King
& Miranda Lambert
And one last parting shot...
"The beauty of love is being vulnerable and putting yourself out there. Love doesn’t always go as planned, but everything’s a lesson. Looking back on so many of my relationships, I’m, like, 'Thank God, I’m not with that person,' and 'Thank you, asshole, for teaching me about what I didn’t want.' ... I had time to work on myself and be alone before this, build on the idea of self-love. RuPaul says it best, 'if you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?'"
"I’m in my 30's now. I had to work on self-reflection so that I could bring a whole person - happy, healthy, respectful - to relationships. You should always take any opportunity to look at yourself and see why people are in your life: are they bringing out the best qualities in you? I’m finally in that. I’m OK to be alone, and didn’t have to go on social media to meet someone to fill that hole. We have to fill our own hole. That speaks to the progress I have made as a human being."
‘Show
Me’ is another example of the modern pop I have developed an ear for in the
past few years.
Team
Me demonstrates the same pop smarts that made Passion Pit and Phoenix so
popular. Their sound is a tad shrill,
just like the groups I previously mentioned, but contains enough melodic
structure and tone to snag the listener’s ear.
It
shimmers with a positive, driven vibe.
Indie-pop
band, Team Me hit it big in 2011 in their homeland of Norway with their debut
album, ‘To The Treetops!’. It won Norway’s
equivalent of a Grammy and was proclaimed by many media outlets in the country
as the best debut album by any pop band. By coincidence, they are also former touring buds with the group I featured in yesterday's 'Of Note': The Wombats. The
group released their follow-up, 'Blind As Night’ in 2014.
In
recent years, since the mainstream acceptance of such alt-pop acts as Passion
Pit and Phoenix, I have developed an ear for oddly quirky, jangly,
electronic-driven music. It’s the kind of music that seems, upon first listen,
alien, intellectual, and strange.
However, as stated, I have more than warmed to this sound; I now embrace
it.
And
such is the case with today’s ‘Of Note’ selection: the dense, but crisp,
‘Emoticon’ by The Wombats. It is forlorn
and danceable at the same time. The
chorus soars despite its seeming bitterness and sense of defeat.
Founded
in Liverpool back in 2003, The Wombats have remained a consist delivery system
for innovative, fresh, idiosyncratic pop.
This is a as smart as it comes, folks.
Their April 2015 release, ‘Glitterbug’ contains no less than four
stellar singles: among them, the dazzling ‘Emoticon’.
The
group broke big in 2008 and continue to sell well in the UK, yet have never
broken through to the mainstream, here, in the US.
