Missing My Real Life 'Big Chill' Reunion

Last February, I learned of the passing of a friend and college classmate with whom I and a group of other Theatre friends had shared some rather ridiculous, outrageous and very fun adventures in the 1980's. Of course, as many college friends do, we drifted apart after graduation. Some of us stayed in touch through an annual Christmas card or the occasional meeting. Then along came Facebook and we started finding each other again. And then Chris passed and we vowed to get together in Florida over this holiday weekend. 

Then a whole bunch of other crappy stuff happened and my mother passed, causing a major shift in my personal paradigm. I didn't want to be home alone for the holidays, so I opted to spend Christmas in Florida with my sister, making a second trip so soon after financially infeasible, much to my disappointment. These 12 or so folks and I spent a whole lot of time together doing theatre, camping and traveling and just hanging out. There was a particular rental house nearby where we tended to gather and inevitably, we'd end up around the piano, belting out show tunes, out-of-season Christmas carols and always, this song:

Of course the other song I so closely associate with this particular Band of Brothers and Sisters wasn't in our repertoire at 'The House,' but was often the last song of the night at special events:

Cheery, eh? But we were a cheery group of misfits and artists trying to figure crap out and having a hell of a time doing it! I have several very close friends from the same era, whom I see regularly. These folks I don't get to see nearly enough. These are the people with whom I shared 'escapades.' I was lucky enough to visit with the weekend's hostess at her farm while down in December. We tried Skyping earlier tonight, but I can't seem to make it work, also much to my disappointment. I shall try again, tomorrow. Honestly, I'm lucky I figured how to post this blog...

So this post is dedicated to my (mostly, slightly younger) TSC 80's Theatre Friends! I miss you guys and wish I was there with you. And while it's really apropos of nothing other than the 80's, here's a silly video that made me laugh. I hope they see it and laugh, too.

Love you guys! Missing you all so very much!

More, anon.
Prospero

The Most 80's Gaga You'll See This Week

Gaga Gives Good ____?

I'm not ashamed to admit to being a fan of Lady Gaga, though I would never count myself among her "Little Monsters." I'll probably never see her live, but I certainly won't change the channel should one of her songs come on the radio (on the rare occasion I have it on). And I guess it doesn't hurt that she's a very vocal and passionate straight ally to the LGBT Community at large. And while I am peripherally aware of the latest 'feud' between Lady G and the even weirder blogger Perez Hilton (why is his head so BIG?!?!), I am far more interested in Gaga as a provocatrix.

My humor, my style, my tastes and my sensibilities have always tended toward the dark. Friends on Facebook are often confounded and disturbed by the pictures, articles and links I post there. And they aren't afraid to tell when they are confused and/or disturbed by something I've posted. My response to their discomfort continues to be this: "If you are moved and/or disturbed by something I have posted, then my point has been made. I am and always have been a provocateur. It is my intention to disturb and/or move you." Neither of those are bad things. We all need to be shocked out of complacency now and then. And Uncle P is more than happy to do that for you. 

Gaga wants to do the same and the new video for her latest single, "Applause" does just that. Combining 80's techno beats from the likes of Devo and Gary Numan with modern club sounds; her trademark surrealist images and a song that speaks to everyone who has ever performed for an audience, the video is nothing short of fascinating to watch, especially on Full Screen (for the best effect):

Go ahead and hate me. I don't care. I'm a Gaga fan. What are you gonna do about? That's right. Nothing! Punk! Get the hell off my lawn, you damn kids! Uh... I uh... I mean, er... Yeah? You and what army? So there!

See? I can be tough and butch and so gay I fart rainbows, all at the same time. What?!?!

More, anon.
Prospero

The Gayest New Music You'll Hear This Week

Pet Shop Boys

As obsessed with film scores as I am, I am very surprised by my recent rash of new music posts. 

Uncle P came of musical age in the 80's when I discovered so many musicians; bands; performance artists and singers from every era and genre. For the most part, the music with I most connect the beginning of my musical awakening is the often bizarre dance music to which my college friends and I spent many a Thursdays (with Jon Stewart tending bar) dancing at 90 Cent Dance Night Thursday at the notorious City Gardens in Trenton, NJ.  90 Cents to get in and 90 Cents for a watered down well drink. We'd get a pitcher of Kamikazes to start the night and then move on to the cheap stuff, dancing so much that we never really got all that drunk. One of the era's few surviving groups, Pet Shop Boys have a new single out called "Vocal." The song and the video (via) are everything I have always loved about the eccentric gay (not a couple) duo. Enjoy:

Then there's the heavily 80's influenced George Alley and his latest single, "Smoke." Alley channels The Smiths, The Cure and Pet Shop Boys, while infusing his own sense of weirdness (via). Alley is entertaining, but an acquired taste:

Next, Autoheart takes a stab at Russian homophobia with their single, "Moscow" (also via):

And finally, a dance track from self-described "small town Wisconsin boy" Garek, coming out (in every sense) with his debut single "Save the Queen"(also via):

While none of the videos posted tonight are NSFW, the "(via)" links to their source sites may be very NSFW.

There seems to be a wonderful musical explosion among openly gay singer/songwriters and LGBT-Friendly bands. I'm so excited to live in a time when no one needs to hide anymore.

More, anon.
Prospero

New Music Quickie: Father Tiger

Greg Delson and John Russell are Father Tiger

MUST get to bed early (or at least earlier), so I hadn't planned on posting at all tonight.

That was of course, until I came across the video I am about to share. I'd only encountered Father Tiger one other time* before coming across this clip on Towleroad tonight. And I was very pleasantly surprised.

'First Love' is an instantly infectious song with a decidedly danceable 80's vibe and an absolutely charming video featuring the adorable Father Tiger frontmen: Greg Delson and John Russell. Please don't ask me which is which - I don't know but I'm sure everyone will know soon. Especially if they keep putting out stuff this fun and timely:

*The first time I saw/heard them was in their homoerotic competition video for their Rockabilly single "Head Hung Low" (embedded below) and thought "Hmmm." Of course, after hearing/seeing 'First Love,' I revisited the former and am now officially declaring myself a fan:

I think I may have been too distracted to appreciate the music, the first time I saw that... Watch it again, but listen to the song, this time.

But it was their cover of Adele's 'Set Fire to the Rain' that sealed the deal for Uncle P:

Reminiscent of Pet Shop Boys; Yaz; The Psychedelic Furs and any other number of 80's groups and singers, Father Tiger is the essence of pop music, with some decidedly timely messages thrown in for measure. I adore these guys and wish (and predict) only good things for them!

Love, love, LOVE these boys! I am adding Father Tiger to my Amazon Wishlist as soon as I finish this post. Which is now.

More, anon.
Prospero

Bizzaro Forgetten Gems: "Liquid Sky"

While visiting my usual haunts, I came across a video teaser (via) for a group (or song - not sure which) called Sparkles and Wine. I have no idea exactly why, but watching it sent me right me right back to the weirdness that was the 1980's and Russian director Slava Tsukerman's 1982 film Liquid Sky. Performance artist and model Margaret (Anne Carlisle) is addicted to heroin and sex. She has so much sex that aliens, who live on the endorphins produced by heroin and orgasms, land on the roof of the building across from her apartment in order to consume her many partners' (including male model Jimmy - also played by Carlisle) endorphins. Much mayhem ensues.

I saw this movie with my friend Deb (the mother of my godson) at the Ritz* in Philadelphia. We were both very into the music, fashion and "F*ck You" attitudes of the anti-mainstream, just like every other 20-something of the time. Loaded with time-lapse images, outre dialog and loads of folks on the fringe, Liquid Sky was (and is) very much a product of it's time.

Carlisle and Tsukerman went on to a few more projects, though neither has been heard from in the U.S. since the 90's and few (if any) of the rest of the cast has gone on to do anything significant. It may not exactly be brilliant, but Liquid Sky is certainly indicative of the anti-establishment movements of the 50's, 60's and 70's, simply replacing Beatniks and Hippies with Punks and New Wavers.

"Delicious, delicious. Oh, how boring."

More, anon.
Prospero

*Also where I saw Hedwig and the Angry Inch for the first time.