Sir Ari Gold for the Ali Forney Center

Last week I celebrated Ari Gold's birthday. This week, I have found a video of a recent performance where Gold featured his latest single, Make My Body Rock, and was raising money for the Ali Forney Center in New York City, a foundation which offers housing to LGBT Youth. And as Ari is not one to scrimp on the production values when he performs, he did pull out all the stops, and offered up this extravaganza at the club Hiro in New York City. Get ready to crank up the volume and go full screen, cause HEEEEEEEERRRRREEEE's Ari!



About The Ali Forney Center
As the visibility of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people grows in our society, more and more LGBT teens are finding the courage to come out of the closet.

Tragically, as many as 25% of these teens are rejected by their families, and many end up homeless on the streets. Homeless LGBT teens are more likely than straight homeless teens to be subjected to violence on the streets, and in the homeless shelter system. They suffer from inordinate rates of mental illness, trauma, HIV infection and substance abuse.

The Ali Forney Center (AFC) was started in June of 2002 in response to the lack of safe shelter for LGBT youth in New York City. We are committed to providing these young people with safe, dignified, nurturing environments where their needs can be met, and where they can begin to put their lives back together.

You can go to their website HERE, and donate money to support this amazing organization. You can check out what great work they do, and see some great videos. You can also join their mailing list and receive regular updates on the activities at the Center.

For more information about Ari Gold, you can check out the post here, can provide information, as well as links.

Friday Night Party Mix with Sir Ari Gold

As the birthday boy, I thought it might be fun to feature the dance music of Sir Ari Gold, and maybe some of his friend, Adam Joseph, who will be joining Gold at a show tonight in NYC, which, sadly, I cannot attend. But I can make a show of my own! Never one to shy away from the cutting edge, Ari's video for Where The Music Takes You was completely animated, including a rendition of Ari himself.





Adam Joseph is just adorable, and incredibly gifted. Once I heard Flow With The Soul, I was hooked. I went out and purchased the album, How I Seem To Be, and everything else since. That includes the song and video for the next post, for his brilliant Faggoty Attention.



The fantasy of Ari's version of Human, originally recorded by the Human League, of which I do have a copy in my collection. Gold's take on the song is perfectly displayed in the music video, with a beautiful and mystical, almost other-worldly feel.



Adam Joseph did a remake last year of the great song Finally, originally recorded by Ce Ce Peniston. Adam put his own twist on it, dedicating his version to the battle for Marriage Equality, and it works well.



I also loved Love Will Take Over from the first time I heard it. I love the beat, and think it is great that Ari's vocals move from soft to urgent so nicely.



Hope everyone has enjoyed the birthday show, my own little celebration for Sir Ari Gold's birthday!

Happy Birthday, Sir Ari Gold!

Today is the birthday of the beautiful and talented Ari Gold. Ari was born on this day in the Bronx in 1977, and was discovered singing at his brother's Bar Mitzvah. Ari landed his first job as a professional singer/actor performing the lead role on the CBS Children's recording Pot Belly Bear: Song and Stories. He has sung countless jingles, including Jem & the Holograms and the Cabbage Patch Kids. He has been openly gay since he launched his solo career, being out and proud no matter what. He has a couple of solo albums, and has excelled with music videos. Each of his videos have made it on to the Logo charts, including the latest, Make My Body Rock.



Previously, he held the top spot on LOGO with I Can Forgive You, a gorgeous and soulful ballad with a gorgeous and lush video my Christopher Ciccone.



Wave of You was the first exposure I had of Ari, and I instantly fell in love. The song is great, and the video is fantastic as well. I saw the video, and needed to buy the music first chance, which I most certainly did.



So, Happy Birthday, Ari Gold, and thank you for being a hero, being an out and proud gay man, allowing your talent to shine for the world. To learn more about Ari, visit his official website here. When I first found him, I used to go to his website just to listen to the music, before I bought it for myself. I now own all his albums.

Visit Ari Gold for the Holidays

Born in the Bronx, Pop singer/songwriter Ari Gold was 'discovered' when he sang at his brother's Bar Mitzvah when he was just a child, and has not stopped making music since. Gold has been been open about being both gay and Jewish, and how his homosexuality effects his religion. His music has spoke to both since his first album, the eponymous record released in 2000. One of my favorite of his songs is from that release, Wave Of You. The video is a beautiful homage to Herb Ritts, utilizing Ari's natural good looks and sexiness perfectly. It continued on with his 2004 release, Space Under Sun, which included the sultry dance hit, Love Will Take Over and the soulful ballad Bashert ((Meant To Be). In 2007, he released Transport Systems, which featured the epic dance hit Where The Music Takes You, the hypnotic cover of the Human League's Human, and aching ballad I Can Forgive Youwhich stayed atop the LOGO video charts earlier this year for several weeks. I was directed by Christopher Ciccone, brother of Pop icon Madonna.



Most recently, Gold took part in the charity single for The Friend's Project, to raise money for the Ali Forney Center, a NYC shelter for homeless GLBT youth. He sang with singer/songwriter David Raleigh, Tony Award Winner Alan Cumming, Broadway actor/producer/singer, Billy Porter on the song written by Carole Bayer Sager & Burt Bacharach, and originally performed by Dione Warwick and friends, That's What Friends Are For. Dione's friends included Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John.



So it is time to get to business here, to the task at hand. I asked the attractive Jewish man what holiday music is his favorite? "Mariah Carey's Merry Christmas," he answered without hesitation. "This Jew knew very little about Christmas songs until this album and I still can't think of a better version of O Holy Night."



OF course, that lead me to the next questions, does Ari have a favorite holiday song to perform? "Christmas Time is Here from Charlie Brown Christmas," he replied. While I would kill to have a video of him performing it, I can't find it, so I will have to settle for a clip from the television special, and in my mind picture Ari singing.



When I asked what were Ari's hopes for the New Year, he took a moment before offering an answer. He hopes "that I find balance between the spirit and the flesh," a weighty thought, indeed. After all, isn't that what life is all about?

Since I am fascinated by what artists listen to when they are not in the studio, I asked Ari what is his favorite song from 2010? He answered quickly and decisively, "Only Girl (In the World) by Rihanna." The song is a recent single from the Barbadian singer's album Loud. With this year spoken for, what is Gold looking forward to musically in 2011? "My 4th album," he answered proudly. "Between the Spirit and the Flesh" is coming out!!" I know I'll be looking forward to that release! Before I go on, I thought I would bring in a few memories for Ari, and sort out another Mariah Carey holiday classic, All I Want For Christmas Is You.



If Make My Body Rock is any indication of what is going to be on Between the Spirit and the Flesh, it will be one hot album! To check out the song, you can either visit my post about it here, or check out Ari's official website here, where the video is on the home page. And you can be sure I will have to discuss the new album and any videos once they are available!

That's What Friends Are For 2010

L to R: Alan Cumming, David Raleigh, Billy Porter & Ari Gold.

On the 25th anniversary of the Dionne Warwick (and friends) hit song, "That's What Friends Are For", David Raleigh, Alan Cumming, Billy Porter and blog favorite Ari Gold came together to remake it to raise money for the Ali Forney Center, a New York City shelter for homeless GLBT youth. David is a New York City-based singer/songwriter and piano player, and Cumming is an Emmy nominated and Tony Award winning actor and producer, Porter is a very successful Broadway performer and singer, and Gold is and independent Pop sensation. The song was written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, who have written so many great songs. Together, the group of men make magic here, and once I heard it, I just wanted have it on my iPod. Now I do! Here is the video for the song, produced by Nathan Leigh Jones and directed by Michael Akers.



The proceeds from each download go to Ali Forney Center, so go iTunes to purchase it. To find out more about the Center, check out their official website.

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!

Make My Body Rock on iTunes

Ari Gold's great new song is available now on iTunes. Make My Body Rock can be purchased as a set, both the song and the video for just $2.48. The sexy and sultry video is now on my iPod, you can be sure. You can buy it here.



Ari Gold as storyteller, LGBT diva meets the Brothers Grimm meets True Blood meets Thriller. Check it out here. Go with the volume up and the full-screen viewing, it will be worth it!



For more about the gifted and sexy Ari Gold, check out his official website here.

Ari Gold Makes My Body Rock

Perfect for Halloween. Gorgeous. Sexy. Sultry. Dark. Bloody. Brooding. Steamy. Driving beat. Unnerving. Scary. Undead. Breathing. These are but some of the words I would use to describe Ari Gold's latest video for his new song, Make My Body Rock. The song is fantastic, the electronic beat heavy with the pounding perfect for the dance floor. The in-your-face sexuality of the song, with the discussion of little blue pills, ecstasy, and spending the night keeps the attention, as does the vocals from the talented Gold.






The video is a perfect seasonal tale, Ari Gold as storyteller, LGBT diva meets the Brothers Grimm meets True Blood meets Thriller. It opens with a classic family portrait of Ari, his wife and son. We move to sexy Daddy Ari coming home from the office, his black suit crisp and him brandishing his briefcase like a weapon. He seems intent on joining the wife and her lover for a romp while the son tucked in his bed. Writhing becomes nibbling, which turns to biting and sucking as they have a vampiric threesome. Check it out here. Go with the volume up and the full-screen viewing, it will be worth it!



I am a big fan of Air Gold, and can't wait to buy the new single November 2nd. Hope the video will be available for purchase, too! For more about the gifted and sexy Ari Gold, check out his official website here.

Friday Night Party Mix

Dancing to Ari Gold, Dangerous Muse, Jimmy Somerville & Paul Lekakis.

It is Friday night, and back in the old days, I might be heading out to the Monster in the West Village for some fun. These days, I am settling down in front of the TV to watch a movie or something. To remember those good old days, I thought I would offer up a selection of songs I danced to back in the day, and some I wouldn't mind dancing to now. Take, for example, the hot and spicy Ari Gold and his sexy Love Will Take Over. Oh, to be dancing with Ari. I could break into a sweat just thinking about it.



And if you wanna talk about hot, I couldn't think about picking anyone but Dangerous Muse and the sweaty I Want It All. Good Lord, those boys are hot, and make me wanna break out my dancing shoes!



Way back when, I would put on my Paul Lekais album and dance around the apartment, and if I was out, head out to the dance floor. Especially if I heard the opening beats to one of my favorite songs, Boom Boom. Yes, that song was played more often than I could count back in the 80s. And Paul was easy on the eyes, and still is. This video was made like 20 years later!



I can't say enough about Jimmy Somerville singing, in a group or solo. When he was with the Communards, he laid down a cover of Never Can Say Goodbye that I just loved. They breathed new life into the song, making 80s power-pop magic.



When Jimmy went solo, he never shied away from anything, including making the statement that Dance music can make a political statement. He broke out the synthesizer, those amazing hips of his, and that stunning voice. He also broke out his ACT-UP tee-shirts and use the famous line from President George H. W. Bush, to make a Gay disco anthem for the ages. So here is Read My Lips, and I hope you enjoy as much as I do.



Hope you enjoy, and even danced a bit in front of your monitor.

It Gets Better - Ari Gold

"Just Hang On. We're strong, and we can get through this." In his personal message to LGBT youth, award-winning recording artist Ari Gold offers his own take n the challenge put forth by writer Dan Savage. He challenged people to post videos of their own personal stories, and to let them know life does get better. This is not a project filled with slick logos and amazing special effects, just personal stories reaching out to kids who might be struggling, letting them know someone cares. And to not give up. I've been a fan of Ari since I saw first saw a video, and went out to purchase his music.





For more about Ari Gold, you can check out his official website here. If you are someone, or know someone who might be feeling the effects of prejudice and bullying, here is the website for The Trevor Project. They have set up a hotline that can be reached at (866)488-7386. Share the number with those how you think might benefit, because the teenage years are hard enough without the additional issues discovering you are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, and the pain inflicted on those youth by people with small minds.

Friday Night Party

Clockwise: Adam Joseph, Ari Gold, Colton Ford & Guy B.

Been a little crazy around the farm, so I thought I would just toss together a couple of videos from a variety of artist and try to have a good time. And I am going to start off with Adam Joseph. I've run some of his videos before, but not this one. Until now. This is You're Mine, and if this doesn't get you in the mood, I don't know what will. By the way, you can buy his great album, How I Seem To Be, on iTunes here.



Next up is Ari Gold, the beautiful man with an amazing voice. This is a song from his eponymous first album, but I have them all, and love each and every one. To buy his latest album, Transport Systems, check it out on iTunes here.



Next on my little trip is Guy B, a stunning man to look at, and a gifted singer/songwriter. I have both his albums, Within Me and Coexist. I enjoy his music more than I can express, and more than I thought possible. You can check out Coexist on iTunes here. This is So What.



And, finally, here is Colton Ford, singing an unusual dance tune. If it wasn't enough that Colton is handsome as all get out, here here is singing R.E.M's Losing My Religion. you can get the EP with this song on iTunes here.

Ari Gold - Wave of You

I can remember the first time I saw an Ari Gold video, for it was quite the experience. I had read about an out and proud Jewish man who refused to compromise with his music or his life, so I went online to search out his videos. I found Wave of You, and was instantly entranced. The song itself would have been enough, but coupled with the images of gorgeous men and beautiful transsexuals, I knew I had to seek out more.



I did, and I loved what I saw. So I quickly added Ari's albums to my collection, and love to hear it when he plays on my iPod. His latest album, Transport Systems, is so strong, including the song I Can Forgive You. Here is the video, directed by Christopher Ciccone.



For more about Ari Gold, check out his official website here.

And this concludes my series of some of my favorite artists. That is 28 arts in the past 37 hours, all in a celebration of the support the readers of Soundtrack to my Day have given over the past year. Thanks, and you enjoyed it.

Happy Birthday Ari Gold

Today is the birthday of the beautiful and talented Ari Gold. Ari was born in the Bronx in 1977, and was discovered singing at the Bar Mitzvah of his brother. Air landed his first job as a professional singer and actor by performing the lead role on the CBS Children's recording Pot Belly Bear: Song and Stories. He has sung countless jingles, including Jem & the holograms and the Cabbage Patch Kids. He has been openly gay since he launched his solo career, being out and proud no matter what. He has a couple of solo albums, and has excelled with music videos. Each of his videos have made it on to the Logo charts, including the latest, I Can Forgive You.



Wave of You was the first exposure I had of Ari, and I instantly fell in love. The song is great, and the video is fantastic as well.



Never one to shy away from the cutting edge, Ari's video for Where The Music Takes You was completely animated, including a rendition of Ari himself.



The fantasy of Ari's version of Human is perfectly displayed in the music video, with a beautiful and mystical, almost other-worldly feel.



I also loved Love Will Take Over from the first time I heard it. I love the beat, and think it is great that Ari's vocals move from soft to urgent so nicely.



So, Happy Birthday, Ari Gold, and thank you for being a hero, being an out and proud gay man, allowing your talent to shine for the world. To learn more about Ari, visit his official website here, or follow him on Twitter here. When I first found him, I used to go to his website just to listen to the music, before I bought it for myself. I now own all his albums, and most of his EPs.

Friday Night Party - Ari Gold

Can't help it, I am a fan of Ari Gold's music, and will use any excuse for another listen. And a party is a perfect time! From his album Transport Systems, the irresistible dance song Where The Music Takes You, with the animated video of hot and sexy soldiers is a fantastic way to keep the party going. Ari, with a great assist from singer Sasha Allen, serves up great times. And it gives me more excuses to run pictures of the gorgeous man.



For more about Ari, stop by his website here.

News - Ari Gold October 2009

Ari Gold is on the cover of 411 Magazine, a Florida LGBT magazine. He is heavily featured because he is not only headlining Orlando Pride, but he is also gorgeous. He is not only on the cover, there is an accompanying feature story. To see 411 website, click here.


Photo by Don Thomson

Also, on Tuesday the mixes of Mr. Mistress and I Can Forgive You were released on iTunes. To find it, click here. The video for I Can Forgive You is also on iTunes, and you can see it here.

New Video - Ari Gold - I Can Forgive You

Ari Gold just released a new music video, I Can Forgive You, a gorgeous R & B ballad from his Transport Systems CD. The new video is directed by Christopher Ciccone, who seems to be stepping out of the shadow of his sister, 'Madge' Ciccone [AKA Madonna], with this job, having reviously directed videos for Tony Bennett and Dolly Parton, directing sections of Madonna's concert tours, assisting a few seasons ago on Top Chef with the design of the restaurant challenge, and writing a book, Life With My Sister Madonna. OK, maybe not so much getting away, as still clinging desperately, but thankfully, this is about Ari anyway.



So, the ever-gorgeous Ari Gold has had four consecutive videos reach number 1 on the LOGO countdown, and I certainly believe this will be the fifth. The song is fnatastic, written and sung from the soul by Ari. The video has interesting visual textures and layers, yet also simply supports the song well.



For more at Ari Gold, visit his official homepage by clicking here.