Findo Gask

One of my favorite music finds from my recent UK trip is the Scottish band Findo Gask. Amazing 80s-style pop with totally modern approach... It's like APB meets Cut Copy...

L

Cardiff

The Sundance Proposition

There has been some talk of a Sundance boycott in January since the festival takes place in Utah. However, I don't see this as productive. Let me explain.

First, Park City, where most of us stay and most of the festival takes place, is pretty secular and open-minded. And Salt Lake City, despite being home of the LDS headquarters and its many buildings and attractions, boasts a major LGBT population and alternative scene. As I understand it only a little over 40 percent of SLC's populace is Mormon.

The LDS leaders would no doubt LOVE to have us not come to Utah for the festival - after all, so many gays and liberal heathens attend the festival.

So let's all go to Sundance this January with bells on. It makes far more sense for even more of us, more than ever, to attend Sundance and either on one specific day, or even on rotating shifts, go to Salt Lake City and protest outside the headquarters. Let's support the gay businesses out there, and avoid the ones that were behind Yes on 8.

The world press will be at Sundance. This would get coverage far and wide. And it would DRIVE THE LDS INSANE.

Let's bring the party to their doorstep.

Anyone want to propose a specific date for "Sundance Against 8"?

L

I Heart Wanda!

Wanda Sykes has come out thanks to this Proposition 8 movement. I LOVE her. LOVE!

The Advocate article with the actual event on YouTube linked: http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid66219.asp

Well, Larry David did say he was a friend of the lesbians...

L

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence

Simply, one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever. The version with lyrics, "Forbidden Colours," is pretty amazing too.

L
ps - so is the movie this was written for.

Musical Break - The Mary Onettes

Now that the election is finally over - HELL YES, OBAMA! - and this Proposition 8 thing is going to get ugly, time for a musical break with a band that does that 80s New Wave thing sooooo well. This is "The Void" by The Mary Onettes, and it's totally in the vein of (underrated) Sad Lovers & Giants, Echo & The Bunnymen, and The Cure. Lovin' it!

L

My Prop 8 Letter

Last night I e-mailed a letter to two of my relatives in California regarding Proposition 8. Below is the text, and I hope if you - reading this - also live in California and are undecided about the issue, that you'll take my words into consideration.

L

Well, I flew over California recently, when I was on the way home from
Taipei (where I saw Ricky, who says hi). I hope everything is going
well out there!

Since I returned home I've been very much following the election and
also California's Proposition 8 campaign. Of course, I fall on the "No
on 8" side: in 2 weeks, my partner Matt and I will celebrate 7 years
together. In the future, we both want to have the same legal
protections as any heterosexual married couple. If I get hit by a car,
I want Matt to be able to enter the emergency room without hassle.
Ditto for being covered by his medical insurance should he get a job
that offers spousal health benefits (since I am a fulltime freelancer,
health insurance is something I pay a lot for). In any case, those
1000+ rights that come with legal marriage, we want.

I am writing in hopes both of you and your families and friends will
vote No on Proposition 8 on Tuesday. I'm proud to be part of a society
and family that seems to embrace inclusion and progression. I get very
very frustrated when I hear people approaching this issue of State as
if it was an issue of Church. I believe in and want a separation of
church and state, and people seem to be getting very confused indeed
about these two things.

I might be preaching to the choir, so to speak, but California's
current legal same-sex marriages force no church, temple, or religious
institution to perform or officiate these marriages. Nor would it.
Proposition 8 is not a religious issue, and I am saddened to see it
treated as if it was. Also, the irony of Yes on 8 supporters going on
about how legal same sex marriage will result in it being taught in
schools to their kids... well, kids are asking about Proposition 8
because of the high visibility of Yes on 8 support. So they are
actually the ones forcing the issue to be discussed by their own
children.

I can go on and on about this - and the disturbing parallels between
Yes on 8 and the past efforts and arguments to stop mixed race
marriages, etc., and complete disregard for the marriage timeline
which has included plenty of change since its inception - but
ultimately I hope you'll think of me and my committed partner when you
enter the voting booth, as well as California's constitution
representing freedom, on Tuesday.

My best to your families and friends, and thanks for reading my ramblings here.

Love,
Larry

Obama This Tuesday

I can't even articulate how bad I want this man to be our next President. Watch it. And if you're a USA citizen, please vote for Obama!

L

Mylene Fix

Sometimes you need a little Kylie. Sometimes a little Madge. Sometimes a little Faye Wong. And sometimes you need a little Mylene Farmer!

L

Hot!

I first saw this music video on a NIGHT FLIGHT episode - Elvira was mocking it. Still brings a smile to my face. Yeah, that music career business was a bad bad bad idea for both of the 80's Miami Vice stars. But boy is this a howler. How about that choreography? Those seductive sirens? The amazing planetary effects? Wow!

L

VOTE!

Brilliant!

L

Taiwan Pop #1 - Sodagreen

Sodagreen is one of Taiwan's best indie pop/rock outfits - and yes, they have a pretty big indie scene out there at present.

The lead singer - heck, the whole band - is rumored to be gay. I'm thinking that ain't a big pill to swallow.

This song is a little big Sigur Ros/Radiohead-ish.

And that lead singer reminds me a bit of Chet Lam, Hong Kong's openly gay urban-folk star.

You likes? If so, more Taiwan pop to come!

L

Reni Jusis Time!

Time for a little escapism with a music video by Poland's own Kylie Minogue, Reni Jusis.

Love her!

I should go to Poland and direct one of her videos.

L

Steven Weber Hates Prop 8

I love actor Steven Weber, and my Advocate.com interview about his new film Choose Connor touches upon his Huffington Post blog posts. Love him!

L

Me Am As!

Charming, affirming clip. Well... at least she can't vote on Prop. 8.

L

Gay Days in Anaheim

Although one could argue Disneyland is always chock full o’ gays, the weekend of October 3-5th saw red-shirted LGBT guests overtake the parks for the 11th Annual Gay Days Anaheim. And despite the fact Orange County is pretty “Yes on 8” (sadly, 5 minutes off the plane at Long Beach Airport and I spotted a “Yes on 8” bumper sticker on a car – along with a McCain/Palin sticker) as a generalization, gay couples merrily paraded hand-in-hand.

The party Wonderland kicked things off on Friday – Alec Mapa was in the house, along with a bunch of folks dressed like the Alice in Wonderland characters. Come Saturday it was all about going for a ride, and a sassy Cruella DeVille met visitors at the gate. “Ain’t you gonna clap for Tinkerbell? The fairies are dying,” she told a bunch of kids during a photo op. “But we’re feeling just fine!” a queen responded. “Not you, you’re the good fairies,” she winked back, before literally shooing the kids away with a “now get outta here, go.”

The bears were out in full force – notably during the Hungry Bear Lunch in Critter Country, while The Trevor Project hosted a Youth Lunch behind Thunder Mountain. At the California Adventure park, a group of acrobatic queens – lubricated with cocktails from the crowded bar – started an impromptu Cirque du So Gay, doing flips and splits and other America’s Got Talent-ready displays (who didn’t love that baton twirler this season?).

Meanwhile, Chad Allen and Brad Rowe screened their here! productions, Ice Blues and Shelter, respectively, at Gay Days headquarters, Disney’s Grand Californian. An overall grand, fun, and not too messy – barring a drunk, shirtless queen prodded to put his shirt back on by a Downtown Disney security guard after the Wonderland shindig – Gay Days. Oh Mickey, forever shall we hold our banner high, high, high!

Lawrence Ferber

Religion Meets Synth Pop Meets...

I don't even know where to start. This is INSANE. An electro-dance number from religious/cult zealots The Way International. Credit to Savage Love's blog and Kid Icarus.

Says Icarus/Savage: This is the single most amazingly choreographed video of a Christan synth-pop boogie down bunch on YouTube I’ve ever seen,” says Slog tipper Kid Icarus. “Try not to lose it around the 1:54 mark.”

I made it to 2:00 before all but doing a spit take.

Doesn't the guy look a bit like John Travolta's PULP FICTION character? But, you know, doing this?

L

Revenge on Spammers

I'm beginning to phase out my AOL e-mail because I get like 200 bait SPAMs a day - the "I am Mr. Zombu Mubiwa from Zimbabwe and have $3million to share with you" type - and it's just getting tiring to go through the e-mail and spam filters with scrutiny every time I check them.

Anyway, there is a BRILLIANT website devoted to revenge on the a**holes who are responsible for sending those evil SPAM notes, The 419 Eater. It's sort of like Perverted Justice, except the focus is on wasting these SPAMmers' time and exacting revenge rather than getting them arrested (which is tough due to international laws, etc) in clever, downright absurd ways.

It's sooooo gratifying.

L

McCain Doesn't Know Where Spain Is

Anyone who doubted McCain is Dubya #2, here's your evidence.

Another piece on this doozy.

Congrats!!!

L

Lies, Mary Pt. 2

Yeah, yeah, I know, if it's not FOX it's the "liberal media," but this CNN report is full of FACTS and shoves McCain/Palin's lies in their faces.

Yep, it catches Barack in a bit of an exaggeration, too. It's not biased.

Watch it.

L