#songs that soundtracked the aids epidemic
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The early 1990s were a pivotal era in popular culture, significantly marked by the escalating AIDS epidemic. For Queen, one of the most celebrated rock bands of the 20th century, the impact of AIDS was deeply personal.
By the release of "Innuendo," Queen's fourteenth studio album, Queen had established itself as one of the world's most iconic and enduring rock. With a string of hits and groundbreaking albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the band had garnered a reputation for its eclectic musical style, theatrical performances, and Mercury's charismatic stage presence.
However, this was a period of transformation and challenge for the band. Mercury's declining health due to AIDS complications, though a closely guarded secret until near the end of his life, became a subject of speculation and media scrutiny, reflecting the stigma and fear surrounding the disease at the time.
Released in the US on September 5, 1991, on Mercury's 45th birthday, "These Are The Days of Our Lives" served as the 4th single from "Innuendo." Written by band member Randy Taylor, the song evokes a melancholic sense of nostalgia and longing for days gone.
The accompanying music video for "These Are the Days of Our Lives," released as his health deteriorated, featured a frail Mercury and accentuated the song's emotional impact. It was one of the last times Mercury appeared on camera, making the video a haunting yet graceful farewell from the beloved artist.
youtube
In the closing scene of the music video, Mercury delivers the line, "I still love you," with a direct gaze into the camera, and for many, it felt like a personal message from him.
Freddy Mercury's death on November 25, 1991, marked the end of an era for Queen and the music world. His loss also brought significant attention to the AIDS crisis and played a crucial role in raising awareness and fostering a more compassionate public discourse.
"These Are the Days of Our Lives" is a testament to Freddy Mercury's profound impact on music and his ability to connect with audiences through his artistry and humanity. The song remains beloved in Queen's discography, symbolic of their reach, impact, and legacy.
#granvarones#gay#queer#latinx#storytelling#afrolatinx#lgbtqia#aids#songs that soundtracked the aids epidemic#worldaidsday#Youtube
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LIST
YOU SUCKAS: THE 25 DOPEST KRS-ONE SONGS
By Kiani Shabazz
Published Sat, August 28, 2021 at 6:00 PM EDT
Lawrence “Kris” Parker, better known as KRS-One, is one of the most groundbreaking emcees in Hip-Hop history.
Known for his politically-charged raps, brash delivery, and ethos of promoting Afrocentrism and knowledge, KRS-One is one of the godfathers of political or conscious rap, but his influence doesn't stop there. KRS always incorporates patois and Jamaican toasting in his flow, connecting dancehall and Hip-Hop for anyone who may have forgotten how much the Caribbean helped forge this culture. And on Boogie Down Productions' classic debut Criminal Minded, his gritty street tales helped set the mold for what would later be called gangsta rap.
His name is an abbreviation for Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone, and "The Teacha" never falls short of delivering a thought-provoking message with his gift of lyrical storytelling. KRS has a long catalog of tracks from his days with Boogie Down Productions and his solo career. Here are KRS-One’s 25 Dopest Songs.
#26
“MAD IZM” - CHANNEL LIVE FEAT. KRS-ONE [BONUS SONG]
Our BONUS SONG pick is a celebrated classic guest spot! KRS links up with New Jersey duo Channel Live over a hypnotizing loop as the emcees spit lyrics about smoking the finest tree.
#25
“HIP-HOP VS. RAP”
On this track KRS maps out the differences between hip-hop and rap. “Rap is something you do, hip-hop is something you live,” the emcee explains. Kris shouts out a dozen or so other classic rap tracks on the song, which was a freestyle originally released as the B-side of 1994s "Sound Of Da Police."
#24
"AH YEAH"
One of the most incendiary tracks in a catalog that's about as unapologetic as it gets, KRS delivers this firebomb on his classic sophomore solo album, calling out white supremacy and racism on one of his most bombastic anthems.
#23
"A FRIEND"
KRS-One reflects on the qualities that people have to have in order for them to kick it with him. In true KRS fashion, the rapper has to drop some conscious bars about trustworthiness, hip-hop culture, and respect on the track about friendship and camaraderie.
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#22
"FREE MUMIA"
While the track is dedicated to Mumia Abu-Jamal, a political prisoner, little is mentioned about him. It can be said that KRS-One used Mumia as a comparison: Mumia was arrested and convicted for political reasons, just like Hip-Hop was under trail and used as a scapegoat for political gain.
#21
"DUCK DOWN" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS
One of KRS-One’s hardest tracks. Over a banging drum beat, KRS delivers another clear message to sucka emcees about who exactly holds the crown in Hip Hop. With a hard hitting breakbeat and horror movie type sample, this track is nothing short of a banger.
#20
"BLACK COP"
The version of “Black Cop” that appeared on "Return of the Boom Bap" was a remix produced by Kenny Parker and KRS-One. The original record, produced by Pal Joey, was scrapped. In fact, its first release on the "CB4" soundtrack lists Pal Joey as the producer and its rerelease on the "Return of the Boom Bap" lists KRS-One, clearly revealing that a mix up had occurred.
#19
“JIMMY” - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS
KRS-One gives us a safe-sex anthem with “Jimmy.” At the height of the AIDs epidemic, Teacha reminds all the “super hoes” to wrap it up before laying it down in the bedroom. The song is informative yet playful, the hook later being interpolated for Diddy and Pharell's 2001 collaboration “Diddy."
#18
"I CAN'T WAKE UP"
One of DJ Premier's most raucous beats is the backdrop for KRS to get off-the-wall; recounting a dream of being a blunt—that's getting passed among everybody in Hip-Hop, from Redman to Greg Nice to Yo-Yo.
#17
"POETRY" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS
The opening track to the classic Criminal Minded sets the tone for the rest of the album: hard, minimalistic beats and KRS’ intelligent lyricism. Revolutionary and hugely influential, Hip Hop in its purest form.
#16
"RAPPAZ R N DANJA"
This DJ Premier-produced banger is the perfect opener to KRS One’s underappreciated eponymous titled second solo album. KRS has a message for wack rappers – guess what: they are in danger.
#15
"CRIMINAL MINDED" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS
The title track to Boogie Down Production’s 1987 album is the perfect introduction to KRS-One’s conscious rap style. The rapper was unmatched in his era. KRS flows effortlessly on the hard hitting beat as Scott La- Rock chops and scratches throughout the track. The perfect introduction to one of the best emcee’s of all time.
#14
"YOU MUST LEARN" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS
KRS-One addresses the American public school system and its obsession with teaching black kids nothing but ‘white history’. In this song the rapper takes it upon himself to teach his listeners the importance of African American history, name-dropping black history icons like Benjamin Banneker, Garrett Morgan, and Harriet Tubman. He makes it clear that young blacks should educate themselves on their history. They must learn!
#13
"WHY IS THAT?" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS
Much like "Black Man In Effect" from "Edutainment," this song is signature KRS One. Thought-provoking, provocative, filled with knowledge and ultimately uplifting; this is one of the highlights of Boogie Down Productions’ "Ghetto Music: The Blueprint Of Hip-Hop."
#12
“STOP THE VIOLENCE” - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS
The song that kicked off the rapper’s Stop the Violence campaign, promoting peace and harmony in the hip-hop community. The campaign was kicked off after a fan was shot and killed outside of a Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy show. The track encourages listeners to change the narrative of hip-hop and street culture by putting an end to the violence, staying true to KRS-One’s ethos of positivity and black empowerment.
#11
“9MM GOES BANG” - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS
On this track, Blastmaster KRS tells us a story about his trusty 9mm pistol. Evidence of early KRS-One (before he fully adopted his "Teacha" persona), this Kris is not the one to fuck with. With some attempted robberies and beef over somebody’s girl KRS always keeps his gun on his side, always ready for the smoke. A prime example of how BDP helped lay the groundwork for gangsta rap, before the tragic murder of Scott La Rock set KRS on a more conscious path.
#10
"SELF DESTRUCTION" (STOP THE VIOLENCE MOVEMENT)
“Self-Destruction” was released as a charity single for the National Urban Legue, a New York City civil rights organization that is dedicated to fighting racial discrimination. The song was made after several shootings in New York City’s Hip-Hop scene, including the one that killed his friend and Boogie Down Productions founder, Scott La Rock.
#9
"OUTTA HERE"
KRS-One calls out all sucka MCs on the predecessor to his 1995 track, “Rappaz R N Danja”. The track warns one-hit wonder rappers and wack rappers to keep their eye on the clock because the time will come when they will be “Outta Here”.
#8
"LOVE’S GONNA GETCHA (MATERIAL LOVE)" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS
The 8th track off of "Edutainment" released in 1990, this single was produced by Pal Joey, and features a music Video. Here KRS-One teaches us the dangers of materialism and falling in love with items and flashy things and value these items more than life itself.
#7
"I’M STILL #1" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS
One of the stand-out tracks from the overall excellent By All Means Necessary album. As early as 1988 KRS proclaims with confidence he is still the GOAT and will still be always be. Thirty years later, not many have came to prove him wrong.
#6
"THE BRIDGE IS OVER" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS
This single is one of the most iconic diss records of all time. A continuation of their song “South Bronx”, going even harder on the Juice Crew’s MC Shan, Marley Marl, Mr. Magic and Roxanne Shante.
#5
"STEP INTO A WORLD (RAPTURE'S DELIGHT)"
This track is simply a banger! Taking a sample from Blondie’s, “Rapture”, on of the first songs that made hip-hop pop, was an anthem dedicated to the real emcees and hip-hop heads. KRS-One raps over one of the hardest beats in his career that is sure to get the club rockin.'
#4
"MC’S ACT LIKE THEY DON’T KNOW"
KRS- One and DJ Premier team up on the classic track “MC’s Act Like They Don’t Know” to once again let listeners and rappers know who is at the top of the game. Not only is KRS the best battle rapper with the sharpest pen, he also rocks the crowd better than every emcee too. There’s no question that KRS-One is one of the most energetic rappers to blaze the stage. He is engaging and ruthless on the mic.
#3
"SOUND OF DA POLICE"
Unfortunately, this track is just as relevant today as it was the day of the release decades ago. In this song KRS One addresses police brutality toward the black community, linking the days of slavery to the way police acts in these modern times. Comparing overseers to police officers, everyone should be scared of the sounds of the police.
#2
"SOUTH BRONX"
In response to MC Shan’s “The Bridge”, KRS-One comes answers back with “South Bronx”, proving that hip-hop’s birthplace was still not to be fucked with! The iconic diss track is a staple of hip-hop history, officially firing back to Queensbridge rap group, The Juice Crew, kicking off the infamous Bridge Wars.
#1
"MY PHILOSOPHY"
KRS-One addresses the commercialization of hip-hop. He notices that the genre he grew up loving has become a marketing ploy and is losing the raw and genuine essence of hip-hop music. The song was ahead of its time, almost 30 years later the song is more relevant than ever.
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#hip hop 50#today in hip hop history#todayinhiphophistory#hiphop#hip-hop#hip hop#hip hop music#hip hop history#hip hop culture#music#history#music history#television#rap#rapper#emcee#mc
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## Top 20 Broadway Shows of All Time (as of November 2023):
Choosing the absolute "top" is subjective, but here are 20 of the most impactful and beloved Broadway shows, with reasons for their enduring popularity:
**Classics and Revivals:**
1. **The Phantom of the Opera:** A timeless love story with stunning music, lavish sets, and iconic imagery. Its gothic romance and dramatic score continue to captivate audiences worldwide.
2. **Les Misérables:** An epic tale of love, loss, and revolution set against the backdrop of 19th-century France. Its powerful score and emotional depth resonate deeply with viewers.
3. **Chicago:** A satirical look at fame, justice, and the media in the jazz age. Its sharp wit, catchy music, and iconic choreography make it a perennial favorite.
4. **The Lion King:** A visually stunning adaptation of the Disney animated film, with innovative puppetry and a vibrant score that blends Western pop with African rhythms.
5. **Cats:** A whimsical and imaginative musical based on T.S. Eliot's poetry, featuring memorable music and impressive dance performances.
6. **West Side Story:** A modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in New York City, exploring themes of love, prejudice, and gang violence. Its innovative choreography and beautiful score remain influential.
7. **A Chorus Line:** A groundbreaking concept musical that delves into the lives and dreams of Broadway dancers. Its honest portrayal of the struggles and triumphs of performers resonates with audiences.
8. **Fiddler on the Roof:** A heartwarming and poignant story about tradition, family, and change in a Jewish community facing persecution. Its memorable music and relatable themes have made it a classic.
9. **Oklahoma!:** A landmark musical that revolutionized the genre with its integrated story, music, and dance. Its optimistic spirit and celebration of the American frontier continue to charm audiences.
10. **Hamilton:** A revolutionary hip-hop musical about the life of Alexander Hamilton, blending history with modern music and diverse casting. Its innovative approach and powerful storytelling have made it a cultural phenomenon.
**Modern Hits and Long-Running Shows:**
11. **Wicked:** A prequel to "The Wizard of Oz" that tells the story of the witches of Oz. Its catchy music, complex characters, and exploration of good and evil have made it a massive success.
12. **The Book of Mormon:** A satirical musical comedy from the creators of "South Park" that tackles religion, culture clash, and humanitarian work. Its irreverent humor and surprisingly heartwarming message have won over audiences.
13. **Dear Evan Hansen:** A contemporary musical that explores themes of social anxiety, suicide, and the impact of technology. Its emotional story and relatable characters resonate deeply with young audiences.
14. **Hadestown:** A folk opera retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, with a haunting score and thought-provoking themes of love, loss, and hope.
15. **Come From Away:** A heartwarming musical based on the true story of a small Canadian town that welcomed thousands of stranded passengers after 9/11. Its message of kindness and community has touched audiences worldwide.
16. **Moulin Rouge!:** A jukebox musical spectacle based on the Baz Luhrmann film, featuring dazzling costumes, impressive choreography, and a soundtrack of popular music.
17. **Jersey Boys:** A biographical musical about the rise and fall of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, featuring their iconic hits and a behind-the-scenes look at the music industry.
18. **Beautiful: The Carole King Musical:** A jukebox musical that tells the story of Carole King's life and career, featuring her beloved songs and celebrating her journey as a songwriter.
19. **Rent:** A rock musical loosely based on Puccini's opera "La Bohème," exploring themes of love, loss, and community in the face of the AIDS epidemic. Its powerful music and message continue to resonate with audiences.
20. **Aladdin:** A Disney musical adaptation of the animated film, featuring lavish sets, colorful costumes, and beloved songs. Its family-friendly story and magical atmosphere make it a popular choice for all ages.
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Max Szadek <[email protected]>
to me
Born in Pittsburgh in 1950, Phyllis Hyman was the eldest of seven children. She grew up in Philadelphia, listening to a wide range of music from James Brown and Nina Simone to Karen Carpenter and Minnie Ripperton.
Her big break came when she gained the attention of jazz drummer Norman Connors, who had a reputation for discovering female vocalists such as Jean Carne. Norman Connors produced Phyllis Hyman’s sultry rendition of The Stylistics’ “Betcha By Golly Wow,” which proved a favorite on R&B radio stations in the United States.
She signed to the New York-based Buddha Record label and cut several fine tracks, which became staple fare on an emerging radio format, the “Quiet Storm,” soul ballads played late into the night.
Later, she signed with Arista Records, reaching an international audience with her albums "Somewhere in My Lifetime," "Can’t We Fall in Love Again," and the album that bears the title of one of her biggest hit singles, "You Know How to Love Me."
In 1986, she returned to Philadelphia and signed with Kenny Gamble at Philadelphia International Records. Their hit album, "Living All Alone," included the now-classic single “Old Friend.” This song was a comfort for many of us during the AIDS epidemic. She visited New York City hospices and performed at countless benefits. Phyllis mentioned her own loss made it difficult to perform the song. It's still one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded, filled with sadness with a heartfelt plea to reunite with a lost love.
Phyllis was often plagued with self-criticism. In a 1991 interview with David Nathan, she said, “Up until 5 years ago, I didn’t listen that much to myself… When people would say they loved my voice, I’d wonder, ‘Why are they moved?’ Now, I’m beginning to understand how people can be turned on by my singing… I’ve been told that people can feel a lot more love and calm coming from me these days.”
When she should have been soaring like the songbird she was, Phyllis Hyman’s mental health issues took over her life. She was diagnosed as being “bipolar,” a medical term for someone who suffers from the disease of manic-depression.
As she got older, her disease became more and more challenging t for her to manage. She chose not to use pharmaceutical medication and instead self-medicate. Her self-medication distorted her disease more and more until she felt helpless about ever being able to recover from it. Her self-destructive behavior and problems became more evident to her family, friends, and music industry peers. She attempted suicide twice before she took her life a few days before her 45th birthday and only a few hours before she was due to appear at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem.
“As an artist, she sang her desperation. She has a song that is a soundtrack of her entire life, ‘You Just Don’t Know What I’ve Been Going Through,’ ” said Frank Sheffield, Hyman’s long-time friend who managed the jazz station at Hampton (Va.) University, where Hyman often appeared.
After Phyllis' passing, Roberta Flack said, “Phyllis’ voice, at once breathy and resonant, will sing in my heart and spirit forever."
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Nan Goldin
Nan Goldin, Drugs on the Rug, 2016
Gdy pierwszy raz zorganizowala projekcje swoich zdjec swoich przyjaciol i widzieli siebie na zdjeciach.
Plakat wystawy - projekcji zdjec. Robila je w roznych miejscach.
Suzanne and Philippe on the train, Long Island, NY, 1985
Brian on the Phone, 1981
Her photographs and moving-image works address essential themes of identity, love, sexuality, addiction, and mortality. Uniting art and activism, Goldin has confronted the HIV/AIDS epidemic since the 1980s and today brings international attention to the overdose crisis.
Brian with the Flintstones, NYC, 1981
The Ballad of Sexual Dependency
Comprising almost 700 snapshot-like portraits sequenced against an evocative music soundtrack, Nan Goldin’s The Ballad of Sexual Dependency is a deeply personal narrative, formed out of the artist’s own experiences around Boston, New York, Berlin, and elsewhere in the late 1970s, 1980s, and beyond. Titled after a song in Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s The Threepenny Opera, Goldin’s Ballad is itself a kind of downtown opera; its protagonists—including the artist herself—are captured in intimate moments of love and loss.
Dla niej samej fotografia miała działać jak balsamowanie czasu, szukała w niej ocalenia – usiłowała utrwalić tych, których kochała, a którzy byli skazani na szybką śmierć. Chwycić wszystko, co się zmienia i co może niedługo będzie już niemożliwe do wyobrażenia.
Kilka lat później ogarnia ją strach, iż upływ czasu powoduje, że blaknie w niej pamięć o siostrze. Nie może sobie przypomnieć rzeczy, które jej powiedziała. Przede wszystkim nie pamięta, jak wyglądały jej oczy.
A jednak oko Nan potrafiło znaleźć nawet w najgorszym śmietniku jakiś kolor, jakąś niespodziewaną bliskość, których nikt wcześniej tam nie widział”.
Early inspirations: Kandinsky, 'To kill a mockingbird', East Village Other, Scum Manifesto, aspiration to have a studio as Andy Warhol.
'All art is autobiographical'
'Photography is a medium to connect to people. It gave me permission to look at people'
'Process - constructing work and analyzing, that is not, to me, really about the making of art.'
Marvin Heiferman - accepted her portfolio. 1979 beginning of her carrier
From the movie All the Beauty and Bloodshed
Cookie Müller
Robila broszki, zeby zarobic na klisze.
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An Escape to Fantasy: Korean Television
Forward leap of Korean Series:
Top Korean Netflix movies are that are written in Korean. In any case, "Gangnam Style" by PSY spread like a tsunami through YouTube, and the Korean media outlet began to blare. Aside from that, the global expansion of K-dramatizations has been hastened by Oscar-winning Korean films like "Parasite." This is the very reason why viewers keep returning. K-shows are available in various genres, just like other TV series. These comprise love comedies, dramatizations of actual events that shape Korean culture, workplace portrayals, family dramatizations, school dramatizations, and even offensive comedy.
Korean Series: A Psychological Break during the Pandemic:
Because K-shows help viewers enter the "dream world" of emotion, fans become enamored with them. While K-dramatizations are hypothetical and unlikely, they are nevertheless something you may acknowledge has a chance of happening. Gatherings of K-fans of all ages might find solace here. Since more people carved out more opportunities and an inclination to examine items that aid them with escaping the anxiety of what's happening around them throughout the ongoing epidemic, K-dramatizations appear to have made their biggest strides ahead.
The widespread craze for K-dramatizations led to their availability via web-based features and captions in many dialects in every corner of the globe. The number of people watching Netflix Korean drama movies, based Korean programs that dominated the streaming scene has increased. The days of scrutinizing K-dramatizations for often-used drama/issue subjects or the sincere interactions between a common woman and an affluent guy are long gone. The company intends to raise the bar for the unusual by fusing traditional elements with Western independence and realism. The majority of contemporary Korean dramatizations convey an important lesson about how to deal with challenges specific to Korean society, such as bullying at school, psychological maladjustment, debasing, inequality, bigotry, and so forth.
Soundtrack and Cinematography:
The best thing about K-shows is their emphasis on beautiful graphics and elegance. The foundation's soundtrack also works as a strong argument. Learning the language when you're untouchable is challenging, but the song undoubtedly disturbs the community's tranquility. Even when a character remains silent in a scene, the atmosphere created by the backdrop, the music, and the supporting cast gives the impression that they are present.
The Impact of K-Dramatizations:
The K-show craze has also promoted Korean cuisine, culture, and language. Media sources no longer fully reflect the influence of Korean culture. The creation of Korean-based company brands like "Innisfree" was motivated by a change from Western-style cosmetics patterns to K-magnificence. Curiously, there has also been a rise in the number of energetic Korean language "hangout" students.
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I have finally watched Rent for the first time (yes, it was exclusively so I can watch Tick Tick Boom), and here are my thoughts.
(note: I watched the 2008 Broadway production; I've only ever seen out-of-context bits and pieces of the movie and had no concept of the plot or subject matter going in except a handful of tumblr comics/memes)
tbh I have to wonder if the movie would have made some of what's going on more clear; is it meant to be snapshots of relationships/where these people are in their lives following This One Night? Because I dig that vibe, but it felt disjointed af, and I'm really curious about how intentional that is
I didn't know "Today for You, Tomorrow for Me" was from Rent, and hearing it activated memories from when I was still in elementary school that I was not prepared to have access to again
"Will I Lose My Dignity" is so fucking raw, Christ
the way that Mark's almost entire friend group has AIDS ... most of what I know about the US AIDS epidemic during that period-ish comes from Pose and statistics I've read since, and it is just so fucking striking the exact demographic the government allowed to be wiped out
I didn't realize Angelica (Renée/Mimi) was so, um. Yeah. Wow. Good looks, good looks.
Angel and Tom are the only likeable characters, and I lowkey checked out after Angel's death because everyone else just kinda fucking annoyed me with their incredibly bad/dramatic choices
Also Angel's death wasn't a surprise, but the speeches at her funeral did get to me, damn
After having heard "525,600 Minutes" as many hundreds of times as I have from various theatre students with varying levels of enunciation, I really expected it to feel a bit more, um, like it belonged in the story At All (tbf I watched on youtube, so the video may have jumped strangely, but ...)
And last but not least: I was prepared to give these kids a chance, but as I watched/listened it really just reminded me of every single shitpost I'm ever seen about how unlikeable the characters of Rent are, and tbh I really have to agree. No one should have to pay rent for a place to live Except these guys (excluding Angel and Tom Collins for obvious reasons).
#when I say it felt disjointed I mean that it felt like listening to a musical soundtrack without knowing the plot beforehand#the songs felt sudden and had little explanation#which is an execution I really dug for La Vie Bohemia (sp) but again Cannot For The Life of Me figure out how 525.6k minutes figures in#like I like the ideas addressed (the AIDS epidemic the predatory nature of rental housing even art students using the poor for shock value)#and how problematic that is#idk it's honestly made me much more curious about what went into making it than striking amy interest in the musical itself#so I'm really glad Tick Tick Boom already exists to answer that question#and also might finally watch S2 of Pose#rent#not les mis#shitposting @ me
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Olly Alexander Is Done With Shame
Like the character he plays in “It’s a Sin,” the actor and singer struggled with being gay. Now, he tells the world everything.
By Anna Leszkiewicz
Feb. 19, 2021Updated 9:22 a.m. ET
LONDON — When Olly Alexander burst into tears shooting a scene of “It’s a Sin,” no one was very surprised.
Making the show, which came to HBO Max on Thursday and follows a group of friends embracing the gay culture of ’80s London under the shadow of AIDS, was emotional for many of the cast and crew — and Alexander is as comfortable showing his vulnerabilities as the character he plays, Ritchie, is at deflecting them.
“I was a complete mess after the first take,” Alexander, 30, said in a recent video interview. “I was sobbing.” Peter Hoar, the director of “It’s a Sin,” paused filming.
The scene in question, which comes after Ritchie and his friends are arrested protesting the British government’s inaction on AIDS, is one of many in the show that explore how the epidemic devastated gay men’s lives.
When we meet Ritchie, he is an impishly confident but naïve 18-year-old who has just moved to London, with dreams of becoming an actor. Alexander also moved to the capital from rural England at 18 and scored his first movie role, but today he is better known as the lead singer of the band Years & Years. “It’s a Sin” is his first acting gig in six years.
Years & Years’s music often explores the relationship between desire and shame, and is heavily influenced by ’80s bands like Pet Shop Boys. (“It’s a Sin” takes its title from that group’s song of the same name.) So when Alexander heard Russell T Davies, the show’s creator, was interested in him for the lead role, the opportunity “made poetic sense,” Alexander said.
In an interview, Davies said the show was “cast gay as gay, which is my policy.” For Ritchie, he added, he wanted an out actor who already had a big profile in Britain. “That almost narrows it down to a field of one,” he said. “It was the simplest audition of my life.”
Alexander’s arch performance as Ritchie suggests that the character’s ambition and bravado are reactions to fear and self-loathing. “I realized straight away, ‘Oh, I know who Ritchie is,’” Alexander said. “He’s trying to get onstage and shine and dazzle: I’ve done that.”
But whereas Ritchie masks his vulnerabilities, Alexander has spoken frankly in interviews and onstage with the band about his experiences of bulimia, anxiety, self-harm and depression.
“I’ve said just everything about myself,” he said. “My life is kind of out there now.”
Alexander grew up in Gloucestershire, in western England, where his mother founded a local music festival. His father, an aspiring musician, worked in amusement parks.
It was a creative household, Alexander said, but his father had mental health problems and substance abuse issues that led to a difficult atmosphere at home. When he was 14, his parents separated; he’d only seen his father a handful of times since, he said.
School was an even more fraught environment, and Alexander experienced homophobic bullying from age 9. “I had long blond hair, and I acted quite feminine,” he said. “That made me a target. And kids can be so cruel.”
As Alexander recalled his younger self, he started to cry. It took many years until he could look back at the child he was with compassion, he said. “But that’s the biggest thing I’ve tried to do,” he added. The impact of his childhood is something he’s still processing in weekly therapy, he said.
When Alexander’s high school classmates went to college, he moved to East London and became a jobbing actor while babysitting and waiting tables. A pale, skinny teenager with a nest of tight curls, he landed roles as the tuberculosis-ridden younger brother of Ben Whishaw’s Keats in the film “Bright Star,” and an anguished drug user in Gaspar Noé’s trippy art movie “Enter the Void.”
Alexander had been living in London for a couple of years when he met his Years & Years bandmates, Mikey Goldsworthy and Emre Türkmen. Though they started out making high-minded, Radiohead-inspired electronic music, Alexander pushed the band toward synth-pop, with big, melodramatic choruses full of longing.
In 2015, the band’s exhilarating but anguished song “King” — about the strange thrill of being treated badly in a relationship — reached No. 1 on the British singles chart, and its debut album, “Communion,” topped the album charts, too.
“His songs are his life,” said the producer Mark Ralph, who has worked with Years & Years from the band’s earliest days “If you want to know what’s gone on in Olly’s life, then you just read all his lyrics.”
“Love takes its toll on me,” Alexander sings in “Sanctify,” a song about a secret liaison with a straight man. “And I won’t, and I won’t, and I won’t be ashamed.”
When the band performed the song at the Glastonbury Festival in 2016, soon after the shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., a rainbow-clad Alexander told the crowd, “I’m here, I’m queer, and, yes, sometimes I’m afraid.” But, he added, “I am never ashamed, because I am proud of who I am.”
The speech caught the interest of TV producers, and, in 2017, he fronted a BBC documentary called “Olly Alexander: Growing Up Gay.” In it, he returns to his family home and leafs through teenage diaries full of references to bulimia and self-harm. On camera, he tells his mother about the bullying at school for the first time: Through tears, they discuss how it led him to mental health problems in his teenage years.
“It’s a lot to ask someone to bare their soul on national television,” said Vicki Cooper, the TV movie’s director. “But those difficult conversations created the best moments in the film.”
That documentary, and Alexander’s openness about his own mental health, mean he gets a lot of messages on social media from fans who are struggling themselves. He used to try to respond to them, he said, but the quantity has become impossible to keep up with.
Through those messages, though, Alexander had “seen a really emotionally vulnerable side to a lot of people,” he said. “That’s a precious thing, actually.”
Alexander had also been humbled by the positive response to “It’s a Sin” in Britain, he said. The show broke records for the streaming service All4, where it aired, with 6.5 million streams.
“It’s a Sin” first appeared on All4 during National H.I.V. Testing Week; on social media, the show’s cast encouraged viewers to get tested. The Terrence Higgins Trust, an H.I.V. nonprofit, said that the number of people taking tests through their service had almost quadrupled in the weeks afterward.
“People living with H.I.V. now can live normal, healthy lives: It’s so important to get that message out,” Alexander said, adding that treatments for the virus had transformed since the ’80s. “I’m really grateful that these conversations are happening, because, honestly, lots of people really didn’t know what was going on in this period of history. They’re shocked to learn about it now.”
That era is also having an influence on Alexander’s music. He is currently recording new material with Years & Years, inspired by the ’80s dance anthems of the “It’s a Sin” soundtrack and beyond: Donna Summer, New Order, Pet Shop Boys.
“During the pandemic, I wanted to listen to super upbeat club music that made me dance around,” he said. “I found myself wanting to create the fantasy and the energy that I haven’t necessarily been experiencing.”
As well as working on new music, Alexander said he had spent the lockdowns in England watching “Real Housewives” episodes, and playing Animal Crossing. “I used to be so, so driven,” he said, but now he was putting less pressure on himself.
He was happy, he added, to think back on what he’d already achieved, and how much has changed since he was a little boy who wished he wasn’t gay.
“I’ve kept a diary since I was 13 years old,” he said. “Sometimes I look at it and think I can tell this kid: ‘You’re going to do amazing things. You’re going to get to where you are now. It’s OK. You got this.’”
Hugo Yangüela contributed additional camera operating for photographs.
#olly alexander#years & years#years and years#yearsandyears#interviews#its a sin#boys#acting#tv#new york times#articles#new york#pandemic#uk#bbc#soundtrack#hair#fashion#photos#images#photo shoot#photo shoots
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Musicals with LGBTQ+ Black Characters:
Rent: Iconic musical with multiple LGBTQ+ black characters. Amazing rock style soundtrack, but sad (There are some songs in there I can’t listen to without bursting into tears) all set during the AIDS epidemic.
Songs dealing with these topics:
Kinky Boots: Cis white boy inherits boot factory. But befriends a drag queen Lola (played by Billy Porter in the OBC) to create boots for drag queens. Filled with music by Cyndi Lauper. Sad at times but still a lot of fun!
Songs dealing with these topics:
The Color Purple: Based on the book by Alice Walker, this musical has everything adorable lesbian couple, prominent black cast, and a strong female lead. But this musical is also a huge tear jerker, but who cares the songs are so beautiful
Songs dealing with these topics:
#musical theatre#musicals#pride#lgbtq+#broadway#broadway pride#blm#black lives matter#representation#rent#rent the musical#kinky boots#the color purple#the color purple the musical#Spotify
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Spooky babbles about RENT (the Broadway Musical (about assholes ))
We all have our guilty pleasures, or at least enjoy things that we acknowledge are bad. I’m sure that you and I can both name examples of these things specific to us.
It’s also likely that, like me, when someone makes a compelling video essay about something that you’ve never seen, that you agree with that person. Only to become exposed to more of it, and then you realize that “hey some of this is pretty good”, but then you become super conflicted bc you know that it’s bad, but you still enjoy aspects about it.....
I’m just making this about me, aren’t I? Welph, let’s do this proper and make another essay, bc I totally have time, and I totally won’t regret this later when I have a million things to do:)
.... oh quarantine, what have you done to me~?
... so, Lindsey Ellis. I consume her content regularly, and I would absolutely say that she’s probably one of the best YouTubers nowadays. You might remember her from her nostalgia chick days, but since distancing herself from that character, she makes video essays on several topics, a lot of them pertaining to popular shows and stories. If you write stories or enjoy creating characters and whatnot, I would make her channel a must to check out.
She also has a podcast on Spotify called “Musicalsplaining”, which I would also recommend you check out. It’s a podcast she does with her friend Kaveh, who dislikes musicals. They both watch a musical, and have a discussion over it, and it can get pretty funny due to their discussions being unscripted banter between two buds stuck in quarantine.
Lindsey has done both a video on a musical called RENT, and she and Kaveh covered it in their podcast. If you want a more funny coverage of it, I’d say listen to the podcast, as both Lindsey and Kaveh basically bond over their mutual rage, which is honestly beautiful. For a more in depth look at how RENT misrepresents the AIDs crisis, the lgbt+ community, and is just a bad story in general, check out her video essay on RENT on YouTube.
As you can probably guess, I’ve listened to both the video and the podcast. At least 8 times each (seriously, they’re really good). Now, I had never watched Rent before, nor had I listened to the soundtrack. The most I did was read the synopsis on Wikipedia. And I still haven’t watched the musical... but I currently have over half the soundtrack downloaded on Spotify.
So.... yeah. And after listening to the soundtrack, I have some thoughts. I don’t disagree with Lindsey’s take on Rent, honestly I still 100% agree with everything that she said, but now... something’s different. I see potential in Rent, and I see some gold hidden in what is basically a steaming pile of narcissism masked as “being artistic”. And that actually makes Rent that much more frustrating for me.
I’ll assume that despite my recommendations, you might not feel like listening to Lindsey’s coverage of Rent. While I still recommend you do so, since she explains the issues better than I ever could, I’ll do my best to give you as brief of an explanation as I can.
Rent is a rock musical loosely based on the opera La Boheme. It follows a group of “struggling artists” attempting to survive in New York during the AIDs/ HIV crisis. It’s one of the first popular Broadway musicals that featured LGBT+ characters, and it was rather successful when it was a new thing. Then years past, people forgot about it, then a terrible movie adaptation was made. Said movie caused a lot of people to realize that maybe Rent wasn’t actually that good.
The heroes of our story are as follows.
We have Roger, one of the more decent people here (which isn’t saying much), who’s a former drug user who’s trying to stay clean from drugs. He lost his last girlfriend to suicide, and he’s currently dying from AIDs. He’s trying to write one great song before he dies so he can leave some kind of legacy.
Mark is a wannabe filmmaker who exploits people’s misfortune for his own passion project (without their consent). He likes to film and romanticize the plight of the homeless while doing fuck all to help. He’s struggling financially, so he considers it fair to not pay for anything bc he’s an artist and being poor is admirable or something. Also, not only is he a privileged white kid with rich parents who could help him, but he refuses to contact them, he also quits a decent job bc he can’t express himself artistically. I wish I was kidding.
Mimi is a stripper with a drug addiction and AIDs. She’s also the love interest for Roger. While logically, it’d be a bad idea for Roger, someone who is trying to be clean of drugs, to not get involved with Mimi, the story wouldn’t have you believe that. She tries to get him to do drugs with her and “live”, and the story tries to do a thing by having her fake die by aids, only to be revived and cured by Roger singing. I wish I was kidding.
Maureen is a narcissist who gaslights her partners, has a weird job as a performance artist, and is bisexual so of course she has to be super slutty and flirtatious, and dance around the idea of cheating on her gf, Joanne, who’s this super smart, serious gal who leads protests for social justice.
Collins and Angel are the local maybe adora-gays, maybe adorable trans x cis person couple. (It depends on the adaptation and audience interpretation whether Angel is a drag queen or trans). Angel takes in an ailing Collins to live with her, and she also gets super rich by killing a dog. Collins is an anarchist currently fighting the aids epidemic. They’re a cute couple, but then Angel dies of aids bc we need a sad, and then Collins starts robbing atms in memory of his dead lover. I wish I was kidding.
Yes, I skipped over some stuff, but kids, this is a Tumblr post, and we’re already dealing with an essay here. And Wikipedia is right there. Basically, all you need to know is that Rent is a musical about assholes justifying their behaviour by being like “oh, but we’re artists!!!”. Oh yeah, and there’s also a guy called Benny who’s a former friend, and the only decent person here despite being portrayed as a bad dude, but I honestly don’t think I can remember anything beyond that for the life of me.
So, clearly Rent isn’t perfect. But, it’s hard to deny its impact. After all, it featured a main cast where half of the characters are POC and LGBT+ . Mind you, it was written by a straight man who “knew some gay people”. But, at the time, it was at least better than nothing.
And one aspect of Rent that people still appreciate to this day are the songs. And honestly? The majority of it is pretty great. A lot of people might recognize Take Me as I Am and Seasons of Love, two iconic songs brought to this world by Rent. And the rest of the soundtrack is great.... well, it’s better if you can make yourself forget the context of the songs, and look over some poorly aged lyrics. Light My Candle and I’ll Cover You are pretty cute songs, Goodbye Love has some great vocals, Another Day fucking slaps, and la Vie Boheme is a fun listen despite some weird lyrics.
While listening to the soundtrack, I realized something. A lot of these songs are great.... out of context. Another Day is great, until you remember that Roger is being portrayed as unwilling to live life bc he’s trying to stay clean of drugs. Yes, he likes Mimi, but there’s a pretty legitimate reason why he shouldn’t. And yet he’s in the wrong for... being concerned about his health? La Vie Boheme is soured when you remember that the cast is doing this entire performance after the restaurant owner begs them “no, not tonight, please!” Like, the guy’s doing his job and trying to run a business, but fuck him, let’s piss off people who don’t agree with us! And Take Me Or Leave Me is basically Maureen accusing Joanne of being too controlling and not accepting, when Joanne is taking issue with how Maureen is flirting with others constantly and is dancing around the line of being unfaithful. And Maureen’s logic is, I shit you not, “oh, but I just can’t resist temptation, and I’m attractive, and as long as I’m in your bed and not someone else’s, it’s ok!”
This... made me think. Maybe all Rent needs is a rewrite. An update. Something like Rent can probably work, but the misunderstanding of how poverty, aids, and societal unfairness works ultimately drags it down. Most of all, I think that Rent is an example of how a Broadway show can have great music, but that’s only part of it. If you fail in story and characters, the music won’t save you.
Let me know what you guys think about this.
I apologize for wasting your time,
- Spooky
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About Me
Hello! My name is Sal and welcome to my blog, Suspirium! Suspirium is a word that originates from one of my favorite movies, Luca Guadagnino’s 2019 remake of Dario Argento’s classic italian horror movie Suspiria. According to World of Dictionary, Suspirium is a Latin word meaning “Deep breath, sigh”. It’s also the title of one of my favorite songs from the soundtrack to the movie produced by Thom Yorke of Radiohead. I’m a huge horror movie buff so expect to see a lot of that sort of content on my blog if I can incorporate it into any of my work. I chose this as the title of my blog because of how well the word fits into the movie, and I just love the way it sounds. Anybody who’s watched the movie will understand, but I won’t go into detail as to not spoil it for anybody who hasn’t yet seen it.
Throughout my highschool years I technically went to two schools. My main and home school was Middletown High School, and my secondary school was Orange Ulster Boces in Florida New York. In high school I was always in media production and art classes. For example, photography, video editing, drawing & painting classes and my favorite was an Elements of Horror class I took my senior year. Horror being my favorite genre, I absolutely had to take a class that’s dove into the origins of classic horror novels, films and short stories. Leading to me finding my favorite classic horror story Dracula by Bram Stoker, and a multitude of stories by H.P. Lovecraft. Continuing on now to college i’m now majoring in Media Production while also still taking some classes in Marketing and Design! I really enjoy both a lot so it’s hard to kind of pick exactly which I want to do, but it’s nice knowing that no matter what path I finally choose I'll still have some experience in the other!
Aside from my education, I love to watch horror movies and read stories in my own free time. Movies in general are a huge hobby of mine and I watch at least 3-4 a week given I have the time. Some of my favaroties of all time concerning classics have got to be the Halloween series, The Evil Dead series and all four of the Scream movies. Other hobbies of mine that take up a huge part of my life and time are video games and music. I have a pretty big record collection that’s continuously growing with at least 80-90 albums and counting. I just recently purchased a few more to add being Sade’s Diamond Life, Whitney Houston’s Whitney and Whitney Houston albums, Lazaretto by Jack White, Texas Sun by Khruangbin & Leon Bridges and Petals for Armor by Hayley Williams. Hopefully my next additions will be What’s Your Pleasure? by Jessie Ware and The Baby by Samia. I’ve been collecting them for years, but especially now since even CD’s are starting to go out of style. I’m the kind of person who still likes to have physical copies of all my music and movies and games so having such big collection is super special to me.
In terms of video games, I try and play as wide of a variety that I can because I believe I can find something I like in any genre. Strategy, shooters, brawlers, online competitive games etc, but I think my favorite style of game is single-player, narrative driven experiences. Most recently I played The Last of Us Part II and was absolutely enthralled with it. I loved the first game so much so getting a sequel was something I was extremely grateful for. I don’t think video games get enough credit for what they do for storytelling. TLOU 1 and 2 are some of my favorite stories that I have experienced in any form of media. The heartbreak, pain, love, fear and excitement those games have succeeded in giving me while just sitting in front of my TV is something no other form of entertainment has brought me. Some of the most touching moments, but also the most excruciating. They also had a queer women front and center throughout the games which is something that isn’t very common in video games so seeing that was really nice to me. Other than The Last of Us, some other solid narrative driven games I’ve played are God of War, Uncharted 1-4, Marvel’s Spider-Man, The Tomb Raider Reboots, Ghost of Tsushima, the Batman Arkham series and Control.
Although story based games are my favorites that doesn’t mean I don’t have a place in my heart for some good old fashioned fun as well! I also really enjoy a lot of the Super Mario and Legend of Zelda games as well. My biggest pet peeve that I have with the gaming industry right now though is Fortnite. I think it’s literally the most annoying game ever created. People spend hundreds and thousands of dollars just to buy skins and weapon packs and I think it’s absolutely ridiculous. The fact that I work at a major video game retailer and constantly have kids running through my store screaming about the damn game at least once a day could also contribute to my hatred. Either way, I want no part and absolutely nothing to do with it.
Going back to queer representation though. I recently watched Pose over the summer. Not only was the show heavily based during the AIDS epidemic in New York City, almost the entirety of the main cast was comprised of Transgender Black women. On prime time television! This is the first show to ever achieve such a feat. Not only was the cast extremely talented, I thought the writing and production of the show as a whole was brilliant. It definitely has its flaws and I could point out a few of them, but I believe all of the good of the show far outweighs the bad. It’s not afraid to tackle extremely real and difficult subjects the Transgender and Black communities have faced in this country and all over the world. It’s so important to see content like this on television as well because EVERYBODY deserves representation. Not only was the cast Trans, but one of the lead writers of the series Janet Mock is also a Black Trans woman! Pose was filled with heartfelt moments that truly had me sobbing in my bed as I watched. I think I actually cried at pretty much every single episode for both seasons. The cast is brilliant, the realism and talent and star power they bring to the show is like nothing that I’ve ever seen before and I’m so glad to be able to see them up on my television. I so badly one day hope that I can be behind the scenes of producing a show of this caliber some day.
While I have yet to help in the production of a show like this, I have had my fair share of of making short films, music videos and even assisting on a friend of mine’s first full length movie that he submitted to festivals. Last year, I had the opportunity to shoot a short horror film with my classmates for our final project. The film was based around a young woman getting trapped at her school in the middle of a blizzard, and slowly beginning to realize that she may not be alone. In a fight for her life, she has to survive till morning while going up against a mysterious killer who lurks the halls of her small town college. Sadly, we didn’t have enough time to produce a full and finalized cut of the film but coming together and working with a few other classmates was still a really fun experience. Not only was I able to play the role of the killer, I aided in audio, music selection, location scouting, props department, shot planning and writing the movie and it was a great time. I also had the pleasure of helping out my friend Matt Vincini in shooting his short film The Cattle Farmer. A horror/thriller film about a boy who is adopted into a family, only to realize that his life might have been planned from the start. It featured a mysterious woodland family who may or may not have had cannibalistic tendencies that included their adopted children. It was a super cool experience to be on a set with a bunch of actors and seeing my friend in action in the role of director. Collaborating on projects like this with friends is always a fun time, even it does get stressful at some points. At one point in the film, one of the characters realizes that the dinner he is currently eating could quite possible be his last meal ever. Which kinda let me to thinking what my last meal would be. After some thinking, I think i’d definitely have to choose my families homemade pasta and meatballs. I know, pretty stereotypical for an Italian family but it’s just so good. We make our own sauce every september and it’s a huge family event. Everybody comes together and one of our houses and it’s literally a whole days worth of work. The best part? At the end of the night, we all have a huge feast and make pasta and meatballs with all of the sauce we just made. It’s one of my favorite things to do with my family and always one of my favorite meals. Not only is it delicious, but also sentimental.
This is all for now! Thanks for stopping by my blog and reading a little bit about me. I could probably keep rambling on for hours but I don’t think that’s the smartest idea. I can’t wait to fill this blog with more content this year and hope to hear from you guys as well! Until then, i’ll be watching more movies and DEFINITELY playing some more games. At this point i’ve been playing the new Marvel’s Avengers video game so, let me get back to kicking some AIM ass!
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2025 will mark the 40th anniversary of Dionne Warwick’s cultural milestone single, “That’s What Friends Are For.” The one-off single, featuring the equally iconic Gladys Knight, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder, “That’s What Friends Are For,” was released as a charity single in October 1985 to support AIDS research. The song achieved monumental success and cemented Warwick’s legacy as not just a music icon but a significant figure in the history of AIDS advocacy.
Dionne Warwick emerged as a groundbreaking performer in the 1960s, her voice becoming the medium for the poignant lyrics of the songwriting duo Burt Bacharach and Hal David. With hits like “Walk On By” and “Say a Little Prayer,” she became synonymous with a refined pop and R&B style. As musical styles changed in the 1970s and 1980s, Warwick adapted to the changing musical landscape, dominated by Disco and the advent of MTV-oriented superstars.
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The genesis of “That’s What Friends Are For” lies in its initial recording by Rod Stewart for the 1982 comedy movie “Night Shift.” Stewart’s version was in concert with the schmaltzy ballad sound that dominated pop radio at the time and went relatively unnoticed. Written by Burt Bacharach & Carole Bayer Sager, Warwick’s 1985 version was a rallying cry in the fight against AIDS and catapulted the song into music and AIDS history.
Featuring Gladys Knight, Elton John and Stevie Wonder and billed as Dionne & Friends, “That’s What Friends Are For” was released in October 1985, just a few weeks after the AIDS-related death of Rock Hudson, a beloved American Hollywood Legend. Hudson’s death marked a significant shift in America’s understanding of AIDS and song’s poignant message of friendship and unconditional love resonated with music listeners during a pivotal time.
The proceeds of the platinum-selling “That’s What Friends Are For” were donated to the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR). Co-founded by Elizabeth Taylor in September 1985, one of AmFar’s first donations was a gift of $250,000 from Rock Hudson shortly before his death a month later. This gift, along with the amplification and monetary support by “That’s What Friends Are For,” AmFar has contributed to numerous breakthroughs that have extended and saved lives worldwide.
Dionne Warwick’s AIDS advocacy was not limited to this song. She became a vocal and visible advocate for AIDS research, education, and compassion. In March 1990 “That’s What Friends Are For” was performed by Warwick and her cousin Whitney Houston as the finale at the AIDS benefit That’s What Friends Are For: Arista Records 15th Anniversary Concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The historic event, later televised on CBS, raised Over $2.5 million for various AIDS organizations.
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Dionne Warwick’s dedication to AIDS advocacy continued for years, making her a significant figure not only in music history but also in the history of social activism. Her efforts helped shift public perception of AIDS and brought greater awareness and resources to combat the crisis. Her career is a testament to the power of music not just to reflect the times but to shape them.
Dionne Warwick is an enduring icon in both music and social activism. Praise her!
#granvarones#worldaidsday#dionne warwick#songs that soundtracked the aids epidemic#latinx#gay#storytelling#Youtube
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liz torres was THAT bih! one of the first chicago house singers to garner national notoriety, especially in gay clubs, liz could’ve been a crossover star but but major labels didn’t know how to market dance artists in the early days of house music.
known as the original “queen of house music,” the chicago raised singer’s club hit streak began in 1985 when she provided vocals on the quest track “mind games.” the song was a hit in gay clubs in both chicago and new york. other clubs hits followed and by 1989 got the attention of jive records. and if you have been reading my previous posts then you know that signing to a major record label usually signals trouble for a dance artist.
liz has already gained a strong queer following and this informed her style both sonically and esthetically. and that style was unapologetically sexual and rooted in feminism - things that were only celebrated by the masses if madonna did them. and jive records struggled to market this fierce puerto rican club diva to pop radio. and not for the lack of trying.
for the lead single of her only full-length album, “the queen is in the house,” liz was paired with the then up and coming production team of clivilles and cole. “if you keep it up,” released in 1990, was a pop centric house track that featured a catchy hook and sleek production. it was a departure from her previous singles that were more fringe and sung-spoken. miss liz is one the pioneers of bilingual house. anywho, “if you keep it up” was a great track but house music was only beginning to make noise at radio. when the song success didn’t meet the cross-over expectations jive records, despite the song being a major club hit, the label released her album without much promotion.
liz torres is one the unsung and seminal pioneers of house music. she was one of the most popular performers in queer clubs and contributed largely to the soundtrack of queer nightlife during the height of the aids epidemic.
fun fact: this video features several house members voguing including the godfather vogue, the late-great willi ninja.
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Trolls: World Tour (2020) Review
They’re back. For better or for worse, they’re back.
Plot: Poppy and Branch discover that they are but one of six different Troll tribes scattered over six different lands devoted to six different kinds of music: Funk, Country, Techno, Classical, Pop and Rock. Their world is about to get a lot bigger and a whole lot louder. A member of hard-rock royalty, Queen Barb, aided by her father King Thrash, wants to destroy all other kinds of music to let rock reign supreme. With the fate of the world at stake, Poppy and Branch, along with their friends, set out to visit all the other lands to unify the Trolls in harmony against Barb, who's looking to upstage them all.
So Trolls: World Tour just became a much more important movie than it had any right to be. You see, this is the first major studio release since the virus outbreak came about that has skipped the theatrical run entirely and instead of getting postponed to a later cinema release date, Universal decided to release it straight to digital. At first glance this may seem like not that big of a deal, this is just a Trolls sequel after all. However in fact this film is a test to see how successfully a film can gain revenue without having a theatrical run beforehand. We live in a digital-heavy world, and though cinema is a popular outgoing piece of entertainment, there’s no shroud of a doubt that, minus big superhero films that make box office magic, it’s a medium that does not have a stable future. So with the epidemic currently upon us, this gives studios the perfect opportunity to test how successfully a film can perform by going straight online to be rented for a slightly higher price than a cinema ticket, but with the advantage of staying in the comfort of your home. So Universal is the company that has decided to take this experiment, yet I can guarantee you that all other studios are keeping a close eye to see how well Trolls: World Tour does in this format of release. We shall see how that bodes soon enough.
But let’s talk about the film itself. It’s okay. It’s similar to it’s 2016 predecessor in generally every way possible. It’s a cringe-filled load of happiness that pumps out a never-ending array of colourful glitter all over the screen that is sure to entertain the kids for it’s duration period. Is there much point to it all? Not really. The message of happiness and friendship is exactly the same as the first film, and it’s basically stepping on familiar ground as before. The plot in itself shares way too much in common with, of all things, Avengers: Infinity War, where in that movie a bad guy was after a bunch of stones that, when put together, allowed him to commit his dark bidding with a snap of a finger, whilst in Trolls: World Tour there’s a villain that is after six guitar strings (each of which represents a music genre) which, when united and are used to play the ultimate chord allow the proprietor of these strings to rule the world. In other words, same old same old. There are a lot of on-the-nose jokes and randomness galore, and some of it is amusing, some of it not so much. Children will definitely did this, everyone else will probably find this movie annoying, unless you are on some very strong hallucinogenic, you might just dig this rainbow ride.
The first film had a very pop heavy soundtrack, and as it usually goes with the pop genre, those songs were pretty catchy. This sequel’s soundtrack ranges more through genres of rock and techno and though I enjoy that kind of music usually in reasonable amount, the song picks here didn’t work for me. Whether it was the the way it was sung or how they were covered, I simply couldn’t get in the groove with them. Again, this simply emphasises that the first film was better and should have been kept to one film.
Overall Trolls: World Tour is your by-the-numbers multi-coloured screensaver movie and everything about it feels as if it has been designed and built by an AI programme. For a very hyperactive lively movie it doesn’t feel very lively. Still, it’ll allow parents to keep their kids distracted for an hour and a half, though instead of paying £15 to rent this I’d recommend getting the first film for much cheaper for exactly the same experience, if not slightly better.
Overall score: 5/10
#trolls world tour#trolls#dreamworks#justin timberlake#anna kendrick#trolls world tour review#animation#adventure#comedy#family#movie#film#film reviews#movie reviews#2020#2020 in film#2020 films#fantasy#musical#happiness#music#james corden#jamie dornan#sam rockwell#rachel bloom#ozzy osbourne#kelly clarkson#anderson paak#mary j blige#jukebox musical
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Biz Markie
Marcel Theo Hall (born April 8, 1964), better known by his stage name Biz Markie, is an American rapper, beatboxer, DJ, actor, comedian, television personality and spokesperson. He is best known for his 1989 single "Just a Friend", which became a Top 40 hit in several countries. In 2008, "Just a Friend" made #100 on VH1's list of the 100 greatest hip hop songs of all time.
Markie has been called the "Clown Prince of Hip Hop."
Early life
Markie's career began on Long Island and he graduated from Patchogue Medford High School in 1982."Biz Markie Shows, Concerts, & Tickets 2020". EventBrite.com. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
Career
1980s
Biz Markie was interviewed in the 1986 cult documentary Big Fun In The Big Town. Markie released his debut album, Goin' Off, in 1988, which attracted a fair amount of attention, largely due to the lead single, "Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz". The album also featured the underground hit singles "Nobody Beats The Biz", "Vapors", and "Pickin' Boogers".
On October 10, 1989, Biz Markie's second studio album, The Biz Never Sleeps, was released on Cold Chillin'/Warner Bros. Records, produced by Biz, his cousin Cool V and Paul C. The single "Just a Friend", in which he alternates between rap and singing, became Markie's most successful single, reaching #9 on the Billboard charts.
The song interpolates the 1968 song "You Got What I Need" by singer/songwriter Freddie Scott, whose basic chord and melody provided the base for the song's chorus. "Just A Friend" was ranked 81st on VH1's 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders in 2000, and later as number 100 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop in 2008.
The music video, directed by Lionel C. Martin, chronicles the rapper's woman problems.
1990s
Markie's third studio album I Need a Haircut was released on August 27, 1991, on Cold Chillin'/Warner Bros. Records and was produced by Biz Markie and his cousin Cool V. Sales of the album were already low when Markie was served a lawsuit by Gilbert O'Sullivan, who claimed that the album's "Alone Again" featured an unauthorized sample from his hit "Alone Again (Naturally)". O'Sullivan's claim was upheld in a landmark ruling, Grand Upright Music, Ltd. v. Warner Bros. Records Inc., that altered the landscape of hip-hop, finding that all samples must be cleared with the original artist before being used. In accordance with the ruling, Warner Bros., the parent company of Cold Chillin', had to pull I Need a Haircut from circulation, and all companies had to clear samples with the samples' creators before releasing the records. This development reflected the increasing popularity of hip-hop and the financial stakes over which releases were set. Biz responded in 1993 with the mischievously titled All Samples Cleared!, but his career had been hurt by the publicity emanating from the lawsuit, and the record suffered accordingly. Additional bad news came when the video for the track 'Toilet Stool Rap' was labeled Worst Video of the Year on the Fromage show from Canada's MuchMusic.
For the remainder of the decade, Markie occasionally made television appearances, including guest appearances on In Living Color (including as contestant Damian "Foosball" Franklin in the recurring game show sketch "The Dirty Dozens" and as Marlon Cain in "Ed Bacon: Guidance Counselor") and in a 1996 freestyle rap commercial on MTV2. He also made numerous guest appearances with the Beastie Boys on Check Your Head (1992), Ill Communication (1994), Hello Nasty (1998), and their anthology The Sounds of Science (1999). He also rapped on the song "Schizo Jam", on Don Byron's 1998 release, Nu Blaxploitation (Blue Note/Capitol) and worked with Canibus on the first track on the Office Space soundtrack (1999). He also rapped on the track "So Fresh" alongside Slick Rick on Will Smith's 1999 album Willennium.
In 1996, Markie appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation CD, America is Dying Slowly, alongside Wu-Tang Clan, Coolio, and Fat Joe, among others. The CD, meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic among African American men, was heralded as a masterpiece by The Source magazine.
In 1997, a sample of a Markie recording appeared in the Rolling Stones' song "Anybody Seen My Baby?" from their album Bridges to Babylon. His part was shortened on some radio versions. Biz also teamed up with Frankie Cutlass on his third single and music video titled "The Cypher Part 3" with some of Marley Marl's Juice Crew veterans.
In 1999, Markie appeared on Len's song "Beautiful Day" on their album You Can't Stop the Bum Rush, as well as on Alliance Ethnik's album Fat Comeback.
2000s
In 2002, Markie appeared in Men in Black II, with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, essentially playing an alien parody of himself, whose native language sounded exactly like beatboxing. Between 2002 and 2003 he appeared in episode 5 of the TV series Fastlane playing himself as a nightclub DJ. In 2003 he appeared in the international television series titled Kung Faux performing a series of voice over characters featured in a variety of episodes. In 2004, his song Vapors appeared on the soundtrack of Rockstar's popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas which featured an old school hip hop radio station, Playback FM. In 2005, Biz detoured from his recording duties to appear on the first season of the television show Celebrity Fit Club which challenged celebrities to lose weight by a combination of diet and exercise. Biz Markie lost more weight than anybody else in the competition. That year, he was also in an episode of The Andy Milonakis Show.
Biz Markie was a cast member on Nick Cannon's Wild 'n Out, seasons 1 and 3. Biz also does the beatboxing segment, Biz's Beat of the Day on the Nick Jr. show Yo Gabba Gabba!.
Biz Markie began 2008 opening for Chris Rock's "No Apologies" tour. Biz Markie's act includes spinning records ranging from old school hip hop to Lynyrd Skynyrd and then performing "Just a Friend". Biz Markie's playlist includes the following: "Children's Story" by Slick Rick, "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang, "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson, "Holiday" by Madonna, "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham!, "It Takes Two" by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock, "The Breaks" by Kurtis Blow and "Robot Rock" by Daft Punk.
In December 2009, Biz Markie appeared in a RadioShack commercial, repeating the line: "Oh Snap! Guess what I saw!" from his song "Just A Friend". That same year saw his debut with Andy Milonakis in television commercials for the commercial Internet service Tune Up.
2010s
In 2010, Biz Markie appeared on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, providing commentary throughout the series. Biz Markie himself was not included on the list. On November 9, 2010, Biz appeared on The Aquabats! new EP, Radio Down! in the title track. On November 11, 2010, Biz sat in with The Roots on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and performed "Just a Friend" with actor Jeff Goldblum.
In 2017, Markie appeared several times on the MTV2 game show Hip Hop Squares, a spin-off of the popular game show Hollywood Squares. That same year he made an appearance in the track "2012 (You Must Be Upgraded)" by The Flaming Lips, alongside Ke$ha.
In 2013 Markie toured with the Yo Gabba Gabba! live show. That year, his song, "Just a Friend" was featured in Saints Row IV, which included a Pop station 107.77 The Mix FM.
He appeared on the CN show Mad, as the Hip Hop Hobbit.
He voiced rapper Rhymez and his DJ, Tiny Timmy Scratch It, in the Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja episode "Hip Hopocalypse Now".
He guest starred in the SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Kenny the Cat", in the episode's title role. His voice acting work also includes the voice of Snorlock the Beatboxing Slug in an episode of Adventure Time.
In 2014, he appeared in the Syfy network movie Sharknado 2: The Second One. That same year, he threw a ceremonial first pitch for an Oakland Athletics baseball game.
In 2016, his song, "Just a Friend" was featured in the Netflix Series Love as an ending theme for episode 4. He also makes an appearance in a song titled "The Noisy Eater" off the album Wildflower by The Avalanches.
In 2016, he appeared on the Fox TV series Empire as himself, where he performed the song, "Just A Friend."
In 2017, he appeared in the season 3 finale of the ABC series Black-ish. He performed a personal version of the song, "Just a Friend", in which he added the names of the characters.
Discography
Studio albums
1988: Goin' Off
1989: The Biz Never Sleeps
1991: I Need a Haircut
1993: All Samples Cleared!
2003: Weekend Warrior
Compilations
1994: Biz's Baddest Beats
1996: Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks
1998: On the Turntable
2000: On the Turntable 2
2002: Greatest Hits
2006: Make the Music with Your Mouth, Biz
2009: Ultimate Diabolical
2009: "Yo Gabba Gabba"
2010: The Aquabats Radio Down!
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What musical you take them to see/watch together
JOEL: Rent
As avid theatre nerds you both regularly go see shows as often as you can
Anytime he has a few days off you try to see whatever show is being performed
He got you guys both season tickets for Christmas so even when he’s not there you can go see shows<3
Your all time fave to watch together is rent tho
Casual date nights where you guys stay in and watch movies?
Half the time you guys choose to watch rent
Misfits in New York during the aids epidemic?? Yes
When you guys are driving theres a 99% chance you both jam out to la vie boheme and out tonight
Duets to take me or leave me<33
“Babe I could be roger right”
“I hate to break it to you baby but you’re not the tormented rocker type”
“But you could be my mimi<3”
“…I’ll pass”
tears up everytime angel dies but then pretends he doesn’t
Bonus: face timing and watching bootlegs of new shows together since you’re both impatient
RICHARD: In The Heights
you totally forgot this show existed for awhile
when it randomly came on your broadway playlist you were like
“ohmygod YES”
we know he’s a music buff and loves all music he just never got the urge to listen to broadway songs
so you’re like “heh im gonna surprise him so hard”
its date night
and usually he’s the one who likes to plan them and surprise you since he doesnt get to see you that often but this time the tables have turned
he see’s you getting ready and is like why are u dressed so fancy???
ur just like shush go get changed into the outfit I laid out for you
And since he’s whipped for u he does it without question obviously
When u guys arrive at the theatre he’s a bit skeptical bc he’s not much of a broadway man
But when the first song he comes on and he hears:
“I emigrated from the single greatest little place in the Caribbean: Dominican Republic!”
His eyes get SO WIDE and baby gets so excited
he turns to u and is like !!!!
And you just smooch in response as to say
“yes I know baby thats why I took you here”
He LOVES the show
is laughing the entire show at all the cultural references and jokes
Afterwards he plants the biggest kiss on your lips
“Thank you for taking me here amor, I loved it”
You guys play the soundtrack on the way home
He’s literally obsessed
Plays the soundtrack when he’s cleaning the house
when he goes back on tour the boys send you snapchats of him shaking his booty to Carnaval de barrio
Joel: “I love this show but what have you DONE HE WONT LET US LISTEN TO ANYTHING ELSE”
ERICK: Lion King
probably not the biggest theatre fan??
but he knows that you’re a fan so baby boy tries to keep up with you whenever you go on rants about it
Gets you tickets to lion king for your birthday
Had to ask Joel what show to pick since he was an ex theatre kid
Joel was like … better pick one thats super well known
Surprisingly likes it more than he thought he would??
His favorite part is watching your face throughout the show though
Getting a smile whenever your eyes widened in excitement
Or you danced in your seat to the music
(You didn’t have the heart to tell him you’ve seen this four times but)
(its fine who gets tired of lion king?? No one)
kinda zones out but still appreciates all the vocals and theatricality of it!!
Honestly he’s there to make his princess happy and by your squealing afterwards he figures its a success
you end up showing him other shows and playing your broadway playlist for him
ends u liking the heather’s soundtrack out of all of them??
you’re like noted i’ll see if there are tickets
(he most def doesn’t realize its about teenage murder but hey the songs slap)
ZABDIEL: Hamilton
honestly the perfect show to take him to
Written and performed by a fellow Puerto Rican??? Yes
(We’re gonna pretend its original cast bc I love them ok)
Also we know he loves beatboxing and rapping and both those things are v prevalent in this show
He’d read lin’s little bio thing in the playbill and be like OMG BABE HE’S Puerto Rican TOO
You’d prob have to explain certain parts of it bc American history is so fucking confusing
Also why is Lafayette also Thomas Jefferson???
Why is Peggy also Maria Reynolds??
Guns and ships … so fast and baby finds it hard to keep up but is like entranced
LOVES THE SCHUYLER SISTERS
After the show you find him humming the song
(I mean we know he loves women in charge … throwback to that one video … if u know u know)
When he’s back on tour he sends you videos of him jamming to the soundtrack
Bonus: he sends you a vid of him Joel and erick reenacting Schuyler sisters
Also bonus: you show him the Hamilton mixtape afterwords and he’s literally OBSSESED
CHRISTOPHER: Wicked
You wanted to take your baby to a CLASSIC since he doesn’t keep up with broadway
Plus it was endearing having him try and keep up with you babbling about it
He kept whining that you couldn’t play broadway when he was there bc he wanted to sing along too but he didn’t know any of the words
So you were like fine I’m taking us to watch a show
You have to keep shushing him throughout the show bc he gets too excited
“Ohmygod”
“woOOW”
During elphaba’s last note in no good deed he literally GASPS SO LOUDLY
*smacking his arm*
*whisper yelling*
“Christopher shut UP”
He’s not a soft boy at all but even he tears up at for good
Literally nuts at the vocals
After the musical he’s like in shock at how good the vocals were
you find him practicing fiyero’s parts in the next few days
(This was ur master plan bc Christopher as fiyero?? Ur dream)
buying matching wicked merch!!!
#cnco#cncowners#cncowner#cnco imagines#cnco fanfic#cnco headcannon#joel pimentel#richard camacho#christopher velez#erick brian colon#zabdiel de jesus#broadway#musical theatre
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