True Colors TourTIME asks, "What makes a gay song?"
TIME is running an interesting article and podcast from the True Colors Tour, asking people to define what a "gay song" is. One of the people they ask is radio DJ J.D. Doyle, who hosts a show called "Queer Voices", and takes umbrage with a popular perception: "I could be describing my radio show to someone who hasn't heard of it, and I'd say its purpose is to share and preserve the history of gay music," Doyle said on a show a few years ago. "They'd say, 'Oh, disco music.' No, no. And I'd climb up on my soapbox and ask why they would think disco music is gay music, since most of it is by straight artists, mostly women, and only a tiny percent is lyrically gay. Very little of it is actually about our lives. By this time their eyes are quickly glazing over, and I realize once again I've taken the purist approach. But I certainly can't deny that to most people disco or dance music is the genre most associated with gay culture." So what is a gay song, exactly? Is it any song by a gay artist? Is it a song by a gay artist that's explicitly gay? Can it be a song by a straight artist that has a gay sensibility to it? Or is there no such thing anymore as a "gay" or "straight" song? One of the people interviewed in the podcast is a teenage girl, who says that her generation doesn't really think like that. To them, a good song is a good song, and as long as it speaks to them, it doesn't matter who the artist is, or what the intention of the song is. Do you agree with that sentiment, or do you have a list of favorite gay songs? Feel free to use the comments section to name your favorites, or explain why you don't think in those terms. Do you think that "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilara is a gay song? What about "Secret Love" by Doris Day, or "Father Figure" by George Michael? And what about "Sugar Walls" by Sheena Easton, is that a gay song? It certainly was when I performed it at karaoke. Discuss! Submitted by on Mon, 2008-06-23 12:52. Cyndi Lauper helps Luke and Noah celebrate Gay Pride with a special visit to "As the World Turns"
Yesterday I was dispatched on a top-secret mission in New York City ... to find Luke and Noah! Actually, given what's currently going on in the boys' storyline on As the World Turns, it was rather timely to be invited to the NYC studios yesterday to meet actors Van Hansis and Jake Silbermann and watch the taping of an appearance of a very special guest to Oakdale ... Cyndi Lauper! Yes, we're thrilled to be delivering the scoop that the pop legend will be making an appearance on the soap in connection with Luke and Noah. While I'm sworn to secrecy on the details, I can say that Lauper will be performing a few songs at Yo's, the Oakdale dive bar that for this particular occasion has been gussied up for a little celebration known as "Gay Pride". Go ahead and re-read that if you like. Gay Pride. In Oakdale. Heck, on any soap! It was a complete trip to see the set festooned with rainbow flags and True Colors Tour posters and to watch Oakdale's Gay Finest (yes, there are more gays in the village!) whoop it up with Cyndi and the fellas. Luke interviews Cyndi for Oakdale U's paper and the boys enjoy a few performances. I also got the chance to chat with Cyndi, Van, and Jake about the show and what's up with our beloved Alpha Gay Couple, but that will have to wait until closer to airdate (I also got to sit at Emma's kitchen table and pretend I was a houseguest at the Snyder Home for Wayward Gay Teens!). But I can say that it was amazing to see Cyndi play a part in this groundbreaking storyline, especially given how dedicated she has been to gay causes in recent years. Just last week I watched her perform at the NewNowNext Awards, and her second annual True Colors Tour starts this week in Boston, and there's no sign that she's slowing down anytime soon. For now, be sure to check out Cyndi's new dance album Bring Ya to the Brink (it hit stores yesterday and is streaming on AOL as we speak), and be sure your rainbow flags are dusted off for the July 3rd episode of ATWT. Submitted by on Wed, 2008-05-28 13:22. AfterElton Briefs: A True Colors Tour contest, "Swingtown", and more!
Christian De La Fuente and friend (Brad Barket/Getty) In a continued effort to bring you all that is important in the world of gay entertainment and ensure that you are being spoon-fed images of gorgeous, commoditized manflesh, we present the newly-minted AfterElton Briefs. Following the usual assortment of carefully-selected news items, interested readers can find a refreshing pic of a hot man in underwear after the jump. Yes, we're serious.
Miriam Shor at the Swingtown premiere (Neilson Barnard/Getty) ![]()
And today's Briefs are brought to you by... Submitted by on Wed, 2008-05-21 17:15. 2nd Annual True Colors Tour: B-52's, Carson Kressley, Regina Spektor and more
The dates and lineup for True Colors '08 have been announced. For the full list of dates, visit the official website, but here's the jist of it from the press release... "The True Colors Tour will hit the road again this summer with an exciting new line-up of legendary and up and coming artists including headliners Cyndi Lauper, The B-52s, Rosie O’Donnell with host Carson Kressley and many more. After receiving rave reviews and a successful debut in 2007, the True Colors Tour is expanding to meet demand in many more cities. The tour will kick off Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month on May 31st at Boston’s Bank of America Pavilion. Produced by True Colors Concerts in partnership once again with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the 24 city North American tour is presented by Logo in support of the newly created True Colors Fund of Stonewall Community Foundation. The concerts feature nearly five hours of nonstop music with exciting special guests appearing on select dates throughout the tour including Wanda Sykes, Tegan and Sara, Regina Spektor, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Joan Armatrading, Indigo Girls, Nona Hendryx, Deborah Cox and The Cliks."
Needless to say, exciting lineup for an exciting event, and great news that the tour is being expanded to reach more cities. We'll be all over this one (and not just because Logo is AfterElton.com's parent company, we swear!).
Submitted by on Thu, 2008-03-06 10:31. A rising tide for gay media
According to an article by Billboard's Michael Paoletta, gay-oriented media is on the rise. The article notes that growth of ad sales for LGBT publications outpaced the rest of the industry, and that Logo has seen its reach expand with its ad sales also increasing. The article also points out that gay musical artists are having an easier time finding their audience, and notes the success of the True Colors tour.
Out musician Darren Hayes (formerly of Savage Garden) says, "A consumer revolution is taking place. They are saying, 'This is the music we want.' Years ago, artists had to fit into certain molds created by the labels. But no longer. Napster really changed the landscape - in more ways than anyone could have predicted." (Along those lines, I'm surprised that the article barely mentions Here!TV, which has done a great job using the internet to reach its audience.) Meanwhile, Paoletta finds the True Colors tour noteworthy for being the first national tour to openly target the LGBT market and succeed. Others have attempted a LGBT-aimed tours in the past but True Colors is the largest one to succeed. Submitted by on Wed, 2007-07-11 08:05. To Make a Long Story Short ... gay filmmakers, Brit's True Colors, and more
Submitted by on Thu, 2007-06-28 16:56. Queerview television guide for the weekend of June 22
Friday National Bingo Night (ABC) 9:00 PM EDT Confessions of a Matchmaker (A&E) 11:30 PM EDT Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC) 1:35 AM EDT
CBS News on Logo: Profile on Pride (Logo) 3:30 PM EDT Shining Through: Behind the Scenes at the True Colors Tour (Logo) 4:00 PM EDT Sunday The Next Food Network Star (Food Network) 9:00 PM EDT Submitted by on Fri, 2007-06-22 09:17. Cyndi Lauper's True Colors launches in Las VegasCyndi Lauper's "True Colors Tour" launched Saturday night in Las Vegas. Since we know most of you couldn't attend, here are a some pictures. So dye your hair, put on you favorite Lauper album (I'm partial to her first one!), check out these pictures and you'll feel like you were practically there yourself!
Cyndi, understated as always! Girls just want to wear crazy hats Submitted by on Mon, 2007-06-11 11:19. To Make a Long Story Short ... Oprah does Middlesex, gay ad spend, and more!
Submitted by on Tue, 2007-06-05 16:28. |
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