peterson@vaxwrk.DEC (Bob Peterson) (07/20/85)
Here is a summary of all the mail I have received regarding "Songs for Men".
Thanks to the many people who answered my question, including Brad who posted a
summary which I have shameless merged in here. Apologies if artists are listed
in the wrong category, I tried my best and made them vague a-purpose.
\bob
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Format--> artist/group: _album_title_if_any_ with "song titles" quoted.
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Recent Groups/New Wave:
Joe Jackson: _Night_and_Day_
"Real Men" is the most specific but is a social statement song. Lyrics of
other songs are 100% ambiguous (in "Steppin' Out": 'you can dress in pink and
blue just like a child'. How inclusive can you get?!?) Steppin' Out was a
chart hit I believe.
Rank and File: country and western/new wave [hmmm...]
Depeche Mode: _Speak_and_Spell_
Early DM. You might be hearing "People are people" on AOR stations now. "S&S"
is a little more light-hearted than TR & Sec.27. songs "boys say go" "no disco"
"pretty boy" more
Elton Motello: _Jet_Boy,_Jet_Girl_
A little too :-) :-), but really fun. The original is in French by Plastic
Bertrand, called "Ca plane pour moi".
Bronski Beat: _The_Age_of_Consent_
As we all know, quite definitely gay. Jimmy Somerville has left the band, but
it will be going on without him.
The Committee: Jimmy Somerville's new band. No albums yet, but stay tuned...
Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Not all of their songs are like "Krisco Kisses."
There's one very nice ballad called "The Power of Love."
Tom Robinson and Sector 27: Most of their albums are available in the NEW WAVE
section of the local record store, but it's hard to call it that. One of their
songs you might know is "Glad to be Gay". Most of his stuff is political.
I've heard a love ballad or two. I've not listened closely to the lyrics. I
think they might be ambiguous-like (i.e., not really specifying the sex of the
other in the song). He is gay. [A number of contributions mentioned Tom]
Peter Alsop - Openly gay. Covers several genres.
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At the clubs:
Paul Parker: Has a few albums out [label is London?]. "Don't Play With Fire"
Sylvester: Gay black male disco funk. Good stuff.
Patrick Cowley: "Menergy" in 1981 (and died a year later) Hot Tracks (a
SF-based DJ subscription service) just released Patrick's remix of the "Hills
Of Katamadu" (that's probably spelled wrong). [See below, instrumentals]
Zino: [unnamed songs] Zino's vocals are as high energy as Evelyn Thomas.
Ken Lazslo: "Hey Hey Guy" and "Who's Your Boyfriend".
Brian Hamiltion: "Right From The Start". Very pleasant.
Barry Manilow: "You're Looking Hot Tonight" single [Barry!]
Divine: "You Think You're A Man (But You're Only A Boy)"? It's a fun song, the
remix, which starts like FGTH's "Two Tribes". Bag Divine's singing *abilities*
though.
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Timeless Instrumental:
Patrick Cowley: Any instrumental, especially "X Factor" and the remix of
"Invasion".
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Folk style:
Tom Wilson - Fun, folky, openly gay. Two songs [known] are "Hopelessly
Heterosexual" and "The Gay Name Game."
Charlie Murphy: folky/mellow type explicit love songs. [highly recommended,
they say] He has at least one album out: "Catch the Fire". The album was put
out by:
Good Fairy Productions
P.O.Box 12188 Broadway Station
Seattle, Washington 98102
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Radio programs:
The University of Lowell [Massachusetts] radio station - 91.5 FM, WJUL - has a
gay and lesbian music show on Saturday mornings from 10:00 to 12:00. It's
called Gaiwaves. Most of the music there is, in fact, the folky lesbian stuff.
This is because the host, Kirsten, is a folky lesbian. She does make an
effort, though, to find gay male music as well. [NOTE: 91.5's range is
*extremely* limited]
In the [San Francisco] Bay Area ... KPFA (94.1 FM) They have a gay show called
Fruit Punch every Wednesday night at 10:00 that plays a lot of music.
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Miscellania:
Jeffrey Langley: Holly Near's pianist and co-composer (or at least he used to
be) did at least one song on his own, called "Latent Homosexual", I think, so
he's probably done an album. You might write to Near's label, Redwood Records
in Ukiah, and ask.
The Gay Community News, a weekly newspaper from Boston [but is a national
paper], frequently reviews concerts and recordings by gay artists. Last year
they published at least one article on the very question you raise: who are the
gay song writers and where are they? Right now I don't have the address for
GCN, but it was posted to the net sometime last month. (They're having a
subscription drive.)
The Smiths - Singer Joe Morrissey is gay, but celibate. A very depressed guy,
and his music is depressing. I don't think there's anything gay on the latest
album ("Meat is Murder"), but you might want to check out their first album
("Hatful of Hollow").
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And General Kudos:
[unknown group/artist]: "Lesbian Concentrate"
A great song "Gay and Proud" (doesn't deal specifically with Gay men)
Happy Hunting,
\bob usenet: decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-vaxwrk!peterson
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