Jimmy Somerville • Small Town Boy 2014

Sometimes, I hear certain things and take a second to absorb it. This is most certainly the case when I saw this was the 30th anniversary "Small Town Boy", the brilliant song by the Bronski Beat off their seminal album, 'Age of Consent'. Only, in the original release, it was known as "Smalltown Boy". It reminded me I have been a fan of lead singer Jimmy Somerville, whose career I have followed from Bronski Beat to The Communards to his solo work, always making me thrilled to buy the album, and eager to buy the next. His latest is no exception to that rule.

To mark the 30th anniversary of "Small Town Boy", Jimmy has recorded a new version, proving the song to be just as amazing in 2014 as it was in 1984. In the anniversary version, it is just Jimmy and a piano, and it adds a stunning new texture to the song. The song was written by the band, meaning Jimmy, Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek, taking a look at the life of young gays in 1980s Britain. Whether they realized it or not, the song touch gays across the globe, all who felt the sting of bullying, rejection, and persecution at some point in their lives. This is Jimmy Somerville with "Small Town Boy 2014".

Not only is Jimmy looking great, he still sounds remarkable. I still look and listen with awe as he effortlessly hits notes many couldn't dream of singing. He sounds every bit as bold as strong 30 years later, and I would love to hear him perform this live. You can purchase "Small Town Boy 2014" from iTunes and Amazon. To learn more about Jimmy, visit his official website. You can also 'like' him on Facebook.

Bronski Beat • The Age of Consent

Jimmy Somerville, Larry Steinbachek, and Steve Bronski.

I could not possibly finish out my birthday week without focusing on a group that positively rocked my world when I first found them. In the fall of 1984, Bill and I moved to the borough of Brooklyn, after finding a big apartment on 7th Street in Park Slope. One day, while channel surfing, I come across this station playing music from I don't know where. I decided to leave it on, and go about my business. At one point, I hear this amazing voice singing a familiar song. I look up, and it is the most incredible sound coming out of the time man on my screen. It was the Bronski Beat, with lead singer Jimmy Somerville, singing "It Ain't Necessarily So", the great song written in 19?? by George and Ira Gershwin for the 1935 musical 'Porgy and Bess'. It was then I realized I needed to pay attention, and figure out who this band was. I learned it was Bronski Beat, a British synth-Pop group, made up by Somerville, Steve Bronski, and Larry Steinbachek.

The first chance I got, I was in the import record store in the West Village, on Cornelia Street just off of West 4th. After all, I was working close by, at the Circle Repertory Theatre on Sheridan Square. It was at this store I purchased 'The Age of Consent', the first album in my collection from an unabashedly out and proud group. It was amazing on just so many different levels, and still holds a warm spot in my heart. Not only where they out and proud, they were also pissed about being treated like second class citizens. You can really hear that on "Smalltown Boy", the riotous first single off the album. It was written by Jimmy, Steve, and Larry. This is the emotional music video for the Bronski Beat's "Smalltown Boy".

With the sound of smashing glass and the clarion call of Somerville's voice, "Why?" starts off the album letting us know this is not your typical dance album. Thirty years before talk of marriage equality was commonplace, and before a simple kiss between two men on ESPN could become a topic of conversation for days, if not weeks, the Bronski Beat had the courage to stand tall in the face of oppression and ask a simple question as to how a man should be treated by others. This is the official music video for "Why?".

When this post first started, I mentioned how I discovered this group. They were playing a song this theater geek knew as a song from 'Porgy and Bess', by the great Gershwin brothers. When I was growing up, I had heard people sing a line or two from the song, when making a point that something was not going to happen. The group put their own spin on it, and giving new meaning to it with their gayness. This is the Bronski Beat with the music video for "It Ain't Necessarily So".

Finally, I could not talk about Bronski Beat or 'The Age of Consent' without bringing you the mind-blowing event that was "I Feel Love/Johnny Remember Me", a mash-up of the song written by Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, and Pete Bellotte for Summer's 1977 album, with a song written by Geoff Goddard that became a 1961 hit for John Leyton. Summer's "I Feel Love" caused quite the scandal, with talk of orgasms in the recording studio, making women blush worldwide. Goddard's "Johnny Remember Me" was an innocent, yet dark song, but it was given new meaning when paired with the other, and sung by two of the most outspoken gay artists of the time. Here is the heaping teaspoon of amazing that is the Bronski Beat featuring Marc Almond singing "I Feel Love/Johnny Remember Me".

Back in the mid-1980s, a gay couple might have been able to walk hand in hand in The Village, but not without a bit of fear creeping in. I worked around the corner from the Stonewall Inn, where the infamous riots were marked with a plaque on the wall. Fifteen years later, LGBT people still did not feel safe, and there were police reports to prove why. But three men put out an album that captured our hurt, our pain, and our rage, and continued the spirit of the Stonewall riot, by standing up and letting everyone know being pushed around was not acceptable. You can purchase 'The Age of Consent' from iTunes and Amazon. To this day, I still follow everything Jimmy Somerville does, as he has remained an inspiration to me.

Cranking It Up with Jimmy Somerville

I was in the mood to kick off this weekend with some music by one of my all-time favorite artists, Jimmy Somerville. This post represents a period of 28 years, from my first album I purchased featuring his vocals, to the latest release, and a couple in between. They include his time in a couple of bands, as well as a strong solo career. To the best of my knowledge, I think I have a complete collection of his music, and it is all cherished.

I remember living in New York, going through the stations on the television when I came across a telecast from Europe, featuring a band playing a new take on "It Ain't Necessarily So", the song written by George and Ira Gershwin for 'Porgy and Bess', the 1935 Broadway hit. The sound was fresh and sexy, and the vocal took my breath away. The first chance I got, I went to the import store just off West 4th Street, and purchased my first album by the Bronski Beat. On so many levels, the album was a revelation. The band was made up by gay men, singing about being gay men. They were bold, smart and strong, everything I wished I could be. The lead singer, Jimmy Somerville, became a hero to me. And, best of all, the music was brilliant, and I still listen to it today. This is the Bronski Beat recording of "Junk", off the 1984 album 'Age of Consent'.

After Jimmy left Bronski Beat, he found his way into a partnership with classically trained musician Richard Coles. Together they formed the Communards in 1985, and I was quick to buy their debut album. The sound was very different from the Bronski Beat, with more polish, and a great range of influences. I was insane for the self-titled debut, and for first singles. From the Hi-N-R-G "Don't Leave Me This Way" to the Middle-Eastern flavor of "So Cold The Night" to the Jazz of "Lover Man", I devoured it like a King Henry VIII at the dinner table after a long battle. the fourth track on the album is a wonderful dance track with the energy and vitality needed at the clubs in the mid 1980s. I hope you enjoy the Communards song "Disenchanted", off the 1986 album 'Communards'.

After a second album in 1988, the Communards broke up and Jimmy decided to head out on his own. The following year, his first album hit the streets, and once again, it was even better than I expected. Bold and brash, Jimmy managed to put more Pop in the music, but not without a little snarl. He continued to make music that was gay, in your face, and brave, and made me very happy. "My Heart Is In Your Hands" shocked me at first, opening with Jimmy singing not in falsetto, but in his chest voice. It was a whole new side of Jimmy I was loving! This is Jimmy Somerville's recording of "My Heart Is In Your Hands" off the 1989 album 'Read My Lips'.

Fast forward 23 years, and it was time for the latest release from Somerville, the EP 'Solent'. The five-song collection was different, which could easily be said about each and every release from the Scottish singer. Well, there are five new songs, and three remixes, so there are eight tracks to be heard. But 'Solent' had a maturity, with less fight and more love. The EP opens with "Some Wonder", a track with a joy I find irresistible. To help kick off your weekend, I thought I would end with an alternative mix of the song, so here is Jimmy Somerville singing "Some Wonder (Felix Gauder Remix Full Length)".

I don't care if I first started being a fan about 30 years ago, the music still sounds bright and fresh to me. And I continue to marvel how great he has sounded over the years. If I whet your appetite for Jimmy's musics, I can tell you all this music is available for purchase, and should be a part of your music collection.You can find it at:

Bronski Beat's 'Age of Consent' on iTunes and Amazon
Communards' 'Communards' on iTunes and Amazon.
Jimmy Somerville's 'A Read My Lips' is not available on iTunes but the CD is available on Amazon
Jimmy Somerville's 'Solent' also on iTunes and Amazon.

I continue to be excited at news of any new music, and still hope I get to see him one more time singing live. I saw him with the Communards when they were there, and loved every stinking minute of it. Just remembering it brings a big smile to my lips. So I have my fingers crossed that might happen. For more about Jimmy Somerville, visit his official website or 'like' him on Facebook.

Communards • For A Friend

To mark World AIDS Day, I thought I would bring back a favorite of mine from twenty-five years ago. In 1987, The Communards released their second and final studio album, 'Red'. Their music was beautiful and a bit exotic, using world influences in distinct yet subtle ways. The sound was in part made recognizable by the voice of Jimmy Somerville, the voice of the Bronski Beat before. He was joined by the very talented Richard Coles, a fantastic musician. The duo wrote a some amazing stuff together, including a song that is dedicated to those battling AIDS, as well as those who had lost that fight. AIDS was the big issue of the 1980s, yet for the first 8 years, American President Ronald Reagan never mentioned the word AIDS nor the health issue taking countless lives in the country, instead fighting a 'War on Drugs' what showed little evidence of working outside of the rhetoric of those pushing it. The President and his administration remained silent, nearly 21,000 people died of AIDS-related illnesses. Finally, just months from the end of his two terms in office, he spoke at the Third International Conference on AIDS in Washington. That was far later than a President would have spoken had the disease affected a group of people other than gay men and drug users.

The song appeared on the album 'Red', which also included the Dance hits "Never Can Say Goodbye" and "Tommorrow". Both those songs made it to #2 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs. But this song was very different, a soulful and dark ballad looking to remember those whose lives were touched by AIDS. It has the quality of a elegy, a classic Greek word meaning a lament. There is a mournful quality, yet the song still has a beauty and simplicity that is hard to match. And Jimmy's vocal is just perfection.

You can purchase 'Red' on iTunes and Amazon. You can purchase 'The Very Best of Jimmy Somerville, Bronski Beat, and the Communards' on iTunes and Amazon. After this album, the Communards broke up, and Jimmy went on to a solo career, while Richard pursued a career in the clergy. For more about Jimmy Somerville, visit his official website or 'like' him on Facebook. To catch up with Richard Coles, you can 'follow' him on Twitter.

80s Friday Nite Party!

Clockwise: Album covers from The Nylons, Culture Club; B-52s; and Communards.

I've been a bit distracted this week, "dog-sitting" Wally for my sister. He is an adorable three-year-old Australian Terrier, and is an energetic guy. So he kept me busy. But back to the music, which is what this blog features, I decided to go with a party featuring some wonderful music released in the 1980s by some groups who had out and proud members long before it was hip or cool. I will start with the group The Nylons, who got together in the 1970s, making albums featuring their acappella realness, often making Do-Whop cool again. The Nylons were not officially a gay, but certainly had no problem accepting talented gay men into the fold. In 1982, The Nylons released a great album, 'One Size Fits All', on which they sing "Up The Ladder To The Roof", a song first made a hit in 1970 by a little group called The Supremes.

The following year, Boy George and Culture Club released one of my favorite songs from their early work. While most were going crazy for "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me", the song that made them famous in the United States, I was digging another song off the 'Kissing To Be Clever' album. Like the rest of the songs off the album, "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" was written by the band, and had a sweet easy feel. It is impossible to not dance to the song, even if it is in your chair at your desk. I hope you enjoy the official music video for "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" as much as I do!

I've been a fan of Jimmy Somerville far longer than I care to admit. I fell in love with the Bronski Beat, mesmerized by Jimmy's bold vocals, and the in-your-face song lyrics. I was crushed when Jimmy left the band, but followed him to The Communards, an exciting project with Richard Coles, and the occasional guest vocal from the brilliant Sarah Jane Morris. They had a great hit with a remake of "Don't Leave Me This Way", but I just was crazy about the amazing vocals Jimmy had on the 1986 single, "So Cold The Night". The song, written by Somerville and Coles, featured an exotic Middle-Eastern sound that flowed well into the Hi N-R-G groove that defined their singles. Jimmy's vocals gave new definition to the term 'soaring'. This is "So Cold The Night".

The final song of the night comes from Athens, Georgia, the home of The B-52s. The first time I heard the music of The B-52s, I was in a gay bar in Reading, Pennsylvania, and quickly learned the joys of the band, and dancing to "Rock Lobster". They made music that was smart, edgy, fun, and just wonderful. This made them insanely popular in the gay community at the time. Well, that, and of the original five members, Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson, Keith Strickland, and the late Ricky Wilson, only Cindy came out as straight. When news broke in 1985 that Ricky Wilson had passed away due to complications related to AIDS, we all knew how that felt. That did cause a bit of a shake up in the band, as they were all close. But it was not that long before they were making music again, and by the time 1989 rolled around, the B52s released a new album and the first single "(Shake That) Cosmic Thing". I love the raucous feel of the song, reminding us they were at their core a rock band. The song that made everyone crazy was the third single, "Love Shack". But I will always have a spot in my heart for "(Shake That) Cosmic Thing".

Have a great weekend!

Happy Birthday, Cole Porter!

Clockwise: John Barrowman, kd lang, Jimmy Somerville, and Anita O'Day.

One hundred and twenty-two years ago, a boy was born in Peru, Indiana. Cole Albert Porter was born to a wealthy family, a family that did not love the idea that the young man decided to embark on a career in music. I guess they didn't really understand he was going to be one of the top songwriters of the first half of the Twentieth Century, with shows on Broadway as well as movie musicals making his songs quite popular. To celebrate his birthday, I thought I would pick some of my favorite singers taking on his fantastic music. And I will being with the ever-so-handsome and talented John Barrowman. In 2004, John put out an exceptional album 'John Barrowman Swings Cole Porter', and it still love it. Barrowman first came to the attention of many in a revival of 'Anything Goes', with music and lyrics of Porter. But I decided to pick one of my favorites from the album.So here is John Barrowman singing "Ca, C'est L'Amour".

Well, it is tough to think of doing this post and not including the brilliant kd lang. She has recorded several of his songs, and each and every one has been a gem in it's own right. I mean, come on, her "Miss Chatelaine" is amazing, and her "So In Love" is haunting. But I discovered her version of "Love For Sale" while doing this post, and I have to say, I love it! Apparently, she recorded it for the 2006 movie 'The Black Dahlia', playing in a scene in a gay bar. My God, her voice is just amazing. Enjoy as kd lang sings "Love For Sale".

I have always had a bit of a thing for the very talented and ofter overlooked Anita O'Day. I just love her style, and the quality of her voice. And forty-five years before Barrowman released his album, Anita released an album titled 'Anita O'Day Swings Cole Porter', a wonderful collection of wonderful songs all given amazing treatment by this wonderful talent. With 24 songs from which to choose, I really couldn't decide. But then I remembered her version of "What Is This Thing Called Love", and I knew it had to be included.

Finally, I thought I would end the post with a song off the 1990 tribute album, 'Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute To Cole Porter'. Many of the biggest and brightest names in music joined in to be a part of the CD, and the money went to AIDS charities. It was the first time the music industry took a stand about the AIDS crisis, and it was incredibly successful, selling over a million copies. One of my favorite tracks was by the always amazing Jimmy Somerville, who sing "From This Moment On". Enjoy!

Happy birthday, Cole Porter!

Bronski Beat • Hard Rain

Okay, I'll admit I had a scheduling issue this morning, and my Sunday night post - featuring the Nicholas Brothers - went up this morning. So I have another ode to Frankenstorm for you here. This is the Bronski Beat singing "Hard Rain" The song was off the 1985 album 'Hundreds & Thousands', a remix effort featuring songs off the debut 'The Age Of Consent', as well as a couple of new songs. It was put together after singer Jimmy Somerville has left the band to join Richard Coles and Sarah Jane Morris in The Communards.

Friday Birthday Party for Jimmy Somerville!

As I wish a very happy birthday to one of my early idols, I notice he is just a year younger than me, and I begin to think our journeys have been somewhat similar. Still, in many ways, I feel I owe a lot to Jimmy Somerville. In fact, I am not sure if this blog would exist without him. You see, a very long time ago when I was a mere youngster, living in Brooklyn with the then love-of-my-life Bill, I saw a performance on television that immediately bewitched me. It was the Bronski Beat singing "It Ain't Necessarily So", the great Gershwin song from Porgy And Bess. Only, they made it current (for the early 1980s), so full of new meaning. I checked them out, and soon purchased Age Of Consent, my very first purchase of music made by out and proud gay musicians. I think that was 1984 or maybe 1985, and I have been addicted to Jimmy's music since, following him to The Communards, and on to his solo career.



One of the greatest memories of live music I have was the time in New York City I saw The Communards live at The Ritz, if I remember correctly. It was a while ago, like in 1986 or 1987. Jimmy's vocals are every bit as astonishing live as they are recorded, and it was a great night, with Jimmy, Sarah Jane Morris, and Richard Coles. Heaven! Since his birthday birthday fell on a Friday this year, I thought it was a perfect time to post some of his music I haven't posted before on the blog. Now, I will admit I have posted a lot of it, for I am a huge fan. I will start with a track off The Singles Collection 1984-1990. "Run From Love" was originally recorded as a Bronski Beat song, part of the "Age of Consent" era, but Jimmy revisited it for the collection.



Next up is a great track off the 1995 album, Dare To Love. "Heartbeat" was written by Richard Stannard, Matt Rowe, and Jimmy Somerville for his second solo effort, which was kinda amazing. It sure kept me going back to him, finding so much love, so much joy, and so much of me in his music. This is the video for "Heartbeat", which made it to #1 on the US Billboard Dance/Club Play chart.



In 1999, Jimmy released a cool collection of Pop/Electronica/Dance music on Manage The Damage. While I featured the first single, "Dark Sky", in a previous post, I love the entire album so I had no problem picking "Here I Am" for this post.



In 2004, Jimmy released the album Home Again, an amazing collection of music that is an amazing part of my collection. The album included an amazing cover of the great song, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". Sadly, no video was made for it, but there was a great video for the third single off the album, "Come On".



Jimmy has brought such great music to my ears, both his, and started me on the quest for more LGBT artists. And going to live shows, or supporting those artists in any way I could. That includes buying their albums, not poaching them off the internet. But it saddens me to say that The Singles Collection 1984-1990, Dare To Love and Home Again are not available on iTunes or Amazon at this time. I guess I bought import copies for me. But you can purchase Manage The Damage on iTunes and Amazon Also, Jimmy has just released a new EP, Solent. It is available on both iTunes and Amazon. It would make an amazing gift to yourself, a way to celebrate Jimmy's birthday! I do hope I get to see him performing live again, or fulfill a dream of being able to interview him at some point. Until then, I have some great music to keep me happy!

Dancin' Ain't A Drag

Clockwise: Divine; Sylvester; Jimmy Somerville; and RuPaul.

Friday nights are a time to be finished with work and ready to go out on the town. First you gotta get your hair did, pick out just the right outfit, and be ready to make an entrance into the club, and be noticed by that cutie you have had your eye on. No one knows that better than a drag queen, how works that wig, and pounds the pancake into a near frenzy to have just the right look. Once they are out on the town, those girls know how to have fun, and just what it takes to make a girl hit the dance floor. Tonight, we will let our drag mothers be our guide, starting off with the magnificent Divine, Baltimore's greatest gift to the world, as she sings You Think You're A Man.



At a time when the only drag queens out there were the female impersonators in night clubs doing Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, and Judy Garland, Sista Sylvester James was singing in the San Fransisco clubs before heading into the studio to cut some amazing songs. Sylvester would perform in drag, and was unapologetic just being big, black and beautiful. Here is Sylvester asking the immortal question, Do You Wanna Funk?



In many ways, it seems like RuPaul has be the Queen of Drag for many years now, on television, in movies, and in the studio. RuPaul has her own talk show for a while, and now has been a franchise for LOGO, with RuPaul's Drag Race, as well as RuPaul's Drag U. But nothing could compare to the great music she made, and one of her best was Supermodel (Of The World).



Now, to the best of my knowledge and memory, Jimmy Somerville has not gone out of his way to perform in drag, but he did cover a song by the great Sylvester, and just wanted to include it tonight. When he went solo, after successful stints in The Bronski Beat and The Communards, he remade the great song You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real). If there was anyone who could honor a Sylvester song with a great cover, it would be Jimmy. This is a clip of him singing it live last year, still sounding as incredible as ever.



Dance the night away, my friends!

It's Friday, We Should Be Dancing!

Clockwise: The Young Professionals; Christopher Dallman; Adam Joseph & DJ Alex Kassel; and Jimmy Somerville.

Tonight's party songs are inspired by the first one, the first live performance of the TYP Band, aka The Young Professionals. The band is made up of Israeli musicians Ivri Lider and Yonathan Goldshtein, and they only recently put out the album of their first collaboration. Ivri Lider is a perennial favorite of mine, and his music has often appeared on this blog. And I have been known to speak of my undying love/lust for Ivri, too. Well, this performance is a mash-up of three songs off the debut, P.O.P, With Me, and Wake Up. This is The Young Professionals and We Should Be Dancing.



You can find this on their Online Store and on Amazon.

Christopher Dallman is another favorite of mine and of the blog. A while ago, he released a song supporting the Marriage Equality movement around the world. Of course, Dallman has a vested interest in the movement, for he not only supports civil rights and equality, he also has a loving marriage with Josh. So hear him sing from the heart on his Anthem, with a Radio Edit by RadBoy.



You can find the original song on iTunes and on Amazon.

I know nothing about the band Blue Ray, save they hail Scandinavian in origin, and have a great edit on the track You & Me. Of course, I don't know how you could go wrong with the vocals of Jimmy Somerville, singing his amazing song, sampling the chorus form the great Bronski Beat song Why?. Here is Blue Ray feat. Jimmy Somerville and You & Me.



You can find the latest EP from Jimmy Somerville, Bright Things, on iTunes and on Amazon.

Last summer, another of my favorite artists took advantage of working with a DJ to make some great music. I have loved the music of Adam Joseph since the first hearing of Flow With My Soul, and I keep coming back since. Last summer, he announced a collaboration with DJ Alex Kassel, and the fruits of their labors, three songs. This is the first of them, so give a listen to Alex Kassel featuring Adam Joseph on Chasing The Dream.



You can find this on iTunes and on Amazon.

Last Friday Night of 2011

Clockwise: Elephant, Jimmy Somerville, The Young Professionals, and Sir Ari Gold.

As it is the last Friday night of 2011, I thought I would end it with a review of some great party/dance music from the year to date. And some very hot gay men, too. Well, that is just a very nice bonus point, at least for me. And, as you will be able to hear for yourself, some of my favorite dance music comes in all kinds, from Punky Hip-Hop to Neo-Disco to Euro-beats.

I will start off with one of my favorite tracks from the homo-twins, Coleman and Jackson Vrana, with their biting social commentary set to their own brand of Hop-Hop that sounds more Punk than Pop. Using the group name Elephant, the twins assault the listeners with strong language, hard beats, and bold ideas on the four songs off their debut. Take, for example, their video for the song Notorious H.I.V. off the Queer Nation EP. Being a Friday night post, I just think I will mention this is not safe for work, but great for everywhere else.



You can purchase the Queer Nation EP on iTunes and Amazon.

I have made no attempt to hide my complete infatuation with Ivri Lider and his music. I tell you, if I were to ever meet him, I fear I would embarrass myself, and ask him to marry me or something along those lines. Well, that aside, I was eagerly awaiting his first English-language album, which still has yet to hit the stores. However, we were treated to a release by The Young Professionals, an electronic duo featuring Ivri and Yonathan Goldshtein. Their first album, 9:00 to 17:00, 17:00 to Whenever, is a pure electronic pleasure, one irresistible song after another. Check out their video for the single D.I.S.C.O., and just try to not dance while you listen.



You can purchase 9:00 to 17:00, 17:00 to Whenever on iTunes and Amazon.

Not only is Sir Ari Gold unmistakably hot, he is also incredibly talented. And if you pair him with a legendary voice like Miss Sarah Dash, and you have a single that is impossible to resist. And that would give you the song Sparkle, the second single off Between The Spirit & The Flesh. That is a great album, starting with the sexy first single, Make My Body Rock. But here is the video for Sparkle.



You can purchase Between The Spirit & The Flesh on iTunes and Amazon.

And finally, a night of dancing isn't complete without a some Jimmy Somerville to shake my groove-thang to. And this year, Jimmy released the Bright Things EP, and I just had to buy it. I mean, I've been buying Jimmy's music since he was with the Bronski Beat 27 years ago, and I've been addicted to that voice since. Jimmy might have turned 50 this year, but he hasn't lost a step with that voice, and just makes me hungry for more from him. Check out Overload, off Bright Things.



You can purchase Bright Things on iTunes and Amazon.

World AIDS Day • Read My Lips

I remember reading the New York Native when I first moved to New York City, and they were discussing the "gay plague" that was hitting the community in America. Soon it would have a name, of sorts. AIDS. And it would start taking friends of mine. Derry. Terry. Roseanne. Kevin. Such beautiful, vivacious, and joyous souls. All taken from me, from the world, far too soon. The 1980s passed by us, and soon we were angry. President Ronald Reagan had gone through two terms in office and never addressed or even mentioned the term AIDS. So many more died. Groups like ACT UP started meeting, bringing discussions about AIDS to the forefront with in-your-face tactics, demonstrations and graphics. Keith Haring, and brilliant artist who was HIV+, created an iconic work.



By 1989, we were singing with Jimmy Somerville that indeed, we had had enough of inaction. The health and welfare of myself, my friends, and loved one's was being ignored for long enough. The year after President George H. W. Bush said it about taxes, Somerville reclaimed the phrase when explaining the LGBT community was mad as hell, and not gonna take it anymore. Read My Lips.



Hard to believe that was over 20 years ago. And that today we still are fighting this pandemic in the world. But I did know I would be missing those friends and so many others.

Sunday Morning with Jimmy Somerville

I can't tell you how many times in the past 20-some odd years I done this - put on some Jimmy after waking up Sunday morning. There is something in his voice I find soothing and affirming. So I reached into Jimmy's catalog, and this is what I came up with. First, there is Safe, off 1995's Dare To Love.



Next there is the vastly under-rated Dark Sky from the Manage The Damage CD in 1999. Such a beautiful song, really.



And, finally, there is Lay Down, also from Mange The Damage. Really, if you don't have this album, you should. You can find it on Amazon.Com here, or on iTunes here.

Happy Valentine's Day - The Communards

Richard Coles and Jimmy Somerville started to make music in 1984, when Jimmy left his very successful gig with The Bronski Beat. Coles, a classically trained pianist, offered a new and different sound to Somerville's former band. On their eponymous debut, they offered a version of a classic made famous by Billie Holiday, Lover Man in the 1940s. It offered up an interesting mix of Coles' trained musicianship, Somerville's inherent vocal gifts, and the vocal gifts of Sarah Jane Morris, who plumbed the bottom of her range to offer quite the sweet duet.



They also offered there own take on a pop love song on the second album, Red, when they released There's More To Love (Than Boy Meets Girl) in 1988. Unfortunately, this was as the band was coming to an end, and Jimmy and Richard went their separate ways. Before that, however, they did have this video.



Someville went on to have a successful solo career, which if I followed closely. In fact, I just purchased his latest EP, Bright Thing. Coles went on to work in the media, as both a journalist and narrator, including the voice work for the Style Council's film, JerUSalem. By the early 90s, he returned to school, earned a degree in Theology, and eventually became an ordained priest in the Church of England in 2005. But for a couple of years in the 80s, they ruled the charts and the dance floors with songs like Don't Leave Me This Way and Never Can Say Goodbye.

Over 300,000 Served!

Sometime over the weekend when I was being distracted by something shiny or whatever, the blog went over 300,000 hits. While I am not one to be overly celebratory, I think this is something I'd really like to acknowledge. So to all my readers, thank you so very much. When I started this blog on June 9, 2009, I had no idea what I was doing, or what, exactly, I was going to blog about, except I wanted to talk about some of my favorite musicians. I was pretty clueless. But evolution did happen, and soon I was posting about the music of my youth, some TV shows I was watching, movies I have seen, and some new artists I found along the way. What came as a big shock to me? People were reading what I had to say, to hear what I was listening to.

My own musical taste is a bit on the eclectic side, and the same could be said for the music on the blog. While I do have a penchant for the acoustic folk music, as can be seen looking through the posts, my music is certainly not limited to any one genre. That has often been the case, as can be seen with my posts about the artists from my youth, which is just as varied, from Barbra Streisand to Led Zeppelin. One of the things I love about the blog is that I feel it has brought together a group of people that also have their own taste, but have all been more than happy to discuss music that interests them, and do it out of love for the music. This positive support for the blog and the music has made it a wonderful experience.

I've also been lucky enough to have been contacted by many of the artists who have appeared on the blog, all very positive. All I can say is that their music has made my life better, and without it, there would be no blog, would there? It has been my pleasure to include as many independent and/or LGBT acts and performers as I could, for they are often left to fend for themselves, and it is really great music that should be heard. They have enriched my life, and I am very grateful they continue to make music or movies that speak to my experience, my life. To all you brave people putting yourselves out there, Thank you.

So, I will celebrate this milestone the only way I know how on the blog, with a music video that sums up my feelings at the moment. For the 300,000 hits on Soundtrack to my Day, I offer you Jimmy Somerville, with a nod to the glorious Sylvester, singing You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real), a perfect statement from my heart right now.

Saturday Night Live at S2MD

Clockwise from Top Left: SIRPAUL, Ari Gold, Andy Bell, and Jimmy Somerville.

It is Saturday night, and I thought I would bring out some of my favorite out performers singing great dance songs live, and showing talent that is hard to deny. The first up is a performance I was there for, that I experienced live and in person myself, and I have to say, I loved every minute of it. This is the glorious and beautiful SIRPAUL singing Music & Me/Physical Attraction at his CD Release party earlier this year.



The music of Ari Gold has been blowing me away for a couple of years. I have not managed to get to a live performance yet, but there is still hope. After all, a chance to see the stunning performer in all his live glory is something that I can't get out of my mind. Here Ari sings Love Will Take Over at a show in the Hamptons. There is both a sweetness and a sexy quality to the performance.



One of my favorite all-time performers is the gifted and brilliant Jimmy Somerville. Whether he was with the Bronski Beat, the Communards, or singing solo, I have loved his music. I last saw Jimmy performing in New York when he was apart of The Communards, but if I got a chance to see him again, I would be there without thinking twice. His voice is every bit as mind-blowing live as it is on record, if you can believe that. This is Jimmy singing You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real).



Andy Bell is the singer for Erasure, where he is paired with Vince Clarke, a man who is no stranger to talented cohorts. Clarke was an original member of Depeche Mode, and left to work with the outrageously talented Alison Moyet. But he has spent most of his career working with Andy, so that must mean something. Bell has a fantastic voice, as can be seen here in a live performance of A Little Respect.



Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did putting it together. I was dancing in front of my computer!