In addition to the “Read Out,” we’ll have a “Jam Out,” music by queer musicians of various stripes. My own tastes in music lean toward the raucous & noisy or the ornate & melodramatic. A short list:
- L7
- Nirvana (remember when Kurt Cobain said he was “gay in spirit”?)
- Pansy Division
- Queen
- R.E.M.
- Smiths and/or Morrissey
- Sleater Kinney
- Sugar (and/or Husker Du and/or Bob Mould)
- Rufus Wainwright
Help me out. Who else?
(Oh, and I have no idea if anyone in Tilly and the Wall is gay, but they sure are gay.)
Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, k.d. lang, David Bowie, Eurythmics, George Michael. Admittedly, not all of those listed are actually gay, but those who aren’t are either gay icons or play with gender norms in interesting ways.
And I don’t know how much this jam needs to–well–jam, but there’s always Cole Porter.
Scissor Sisters
Elton John
Erasure
Soft Cell
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Culture Club
Pet Shop Boys
Bronski Beat/Communards/Jimmy Somerville
Wham/George Michael
(this is all getting so 80s…)
Cole Porter! Excellent suggestion, Flavia.
And, Sharon, those are all good choices, too, ’80s or not.
How about….
Antony and the Johnsons
Klaus Nomi (although he never had a real boyfriend)
Trans Am
To head in the kind of folk direction: Melissa Etheridge, Indigo Girls (yes, these choices date me…).
Gay/bisexual musicians that I like:
Billie Holiday, Freddie Mercury, Judas Priest, Elton John, Indigo Girls, Bessie Smith, Janis Joplin, Billy Strayhorn (Ellington), Andy Bey, Cecil Taylor, Cole Porter, David Bowie, L7, XTC (some).
Miles Davis was also rumored bisexual throughout his life, and he is my all-time FAVORITE. However, this may or may not be true, so this may not be in the spirit of your event and he would probably be an omission.
Billie Holiday, Billy Strayhorn, and Freddie Mercury are my favs………
Excellent. Thanks, Matt, and New Kid, and Brian!
Thank you to everyone for suggestions. Here’s the playlist:
“Freedom,” by George Michael
“I Get a Kick out of You,” by Dinah Washington
“Heroes,” by Bowie, David
“I’m Coming Out,” by Diana Ross
“Bohemian Rhapsody,” by Queen
“Freedom,” by Wham!
“Changes,” by Sugar
“Let My Love Open The Door,” by Pete Townshend
“Entertain,” by Sleater-Kinney
“Roam,” by The B-52’s
“Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting,” by Elton John
“I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’,” by Scissor Sisters
“Crush With Eyeliner,” by R.E.M.
“Kid Fears,” by Indigo Girls
“Take Your Mama,” by Scissor Sisters
“Miss Me Blind,” by Culture Club
“Oh What A World,” by Rufus Wainwright
“Let’s Hear It for the Boy,” by Deniece Williams
“Hypnotized,” by Ani Difranco
“The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite,” by R.E.M.
“Closer to Fine,” by Indigo Girls
“Under Pressure,” by Queen & David Bowie
“Missionary Man,” by Eurythmics
“Shiny Happy People,” by R.E.M.
“Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” by Eurythmics
“Laura,” by Scissor Sisters
“Changes,” by Bowie, David
“United,” by Judas Priest
“A Little Respect,” by Erasure
“One Man Guy,” by Rufus Wainwright
“Church of the Poison Mind,” by Culture Club
“Crimson and Clover,” by Joan Jett
“Helpless,” by Sugar
“Osamu’s Theme: Kyoko’s House,” by the Philip Glass Ensemble & Kronos Quartet
“Bad Reputation,” by Joan Jett
“On the Verge,” Le Tigre