Micah Barnes • New York Story

I was introduced to Micah Barnes by JD Doyle of Queer Music Heritage. You see, JD and I share music we like with one another all the time, and she sent me a link to the music video for "New York Story", and I just fell in love. And I learned I did know Micah previously, as he was a part of the Toronto-based a cappella group The Nylons in the 1990s. In fact, I had just featured their music yesterday morning, and it reminded e I had been thinking about posting this for a while now. As you can see from the pictures above and below, Micah is a handsome man. Micah is also an out and proud performer, one I plan on supporting whenever I can. As I plan to be heading to New York City to see the amazing David Raleigh perform, I wanted to include "New York Story" in my preparations.

While he was a part of The Nylons, Micah used that wonderful instrument to take on Doo-Wop and stylized Pop with ease. Now on his own, he seems to have moved more to the Jazz side, as you can hear in this single. I love "New York Story", which manages to be both light and smokey at the same time. It is with that same deft hand the song manages to sound like it comes from another era, yet also sounds fresh. His voice has a lovely tone, with a yummy husky edge. This is "New York Story" by Micah Barnes.

Soon Micah will be releasing a full album, 'New York Story'. From the advance copy I heard on Soundcloud, it is an eclectic eleven-song collection, new material save the title track, which was released as a single earlier this year. I must admit I haven't given the full release a couple of listens yet, but I do look forward to doing just that. The taste I have gotten so far is only leaving me wanting more. Take, for example, "After The Romance, The Rent", a wonderful song about love, life, written with just the right amount of humor. Please enjoy "After The Romance, The Rent" as much as I do.

You can purchase the single "New York Story" from iTunes and Amazon. To learn more about Micah Barnes, visit his official website. You can also 'like' him on Facebook, and 'follow' him on Twitter. As soon as the album is released, I will be sure to let you know. Until then, enjoy the single, "New York Story".

The Nylons • Poison Ivy

Late in the summer, I had been doing lots of work around the farm, and while it felt good to get out in the summer sun, I also discovered that I seem to have an ever-growing allergy to a few plants that can be found there. In particular, poison ivy. Of course, even being scarred, I found inspiration in the itchy. So here I bring you the song "Poison Ivy", as sung by the Canadian a cappella group, The Nylons.

The Nylons: Marc Connor, Claude Morrison, Arnold Robinson, and Paul Cooper

Their version first appeared on the soundtrack to the 1988 film, 'Stealing Home', and then on their 1989 album, 'Rockapella'. The song was written by the great team, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally released by The Coasterss in 1959, and became a Top 10 hit for the group, and #1 on the Billboard R&B chart.

One of the founding members of The Nylons was Marc Connor, and out and proud member of the LGBT community. Unfortunately, Connor passed away in 1991, from AIDS-related complications. In 1990, Micah Barnes joined the group, replacing Paul Cooper as baritone. Micah is also an out and proud performer, and since leaving the group in 1994, Barnes has released some good music of his own. You can purchase The Nylons album 'Rockapella' from iTunes.

In 1986, The Nylons released 'Seamless', a wonderful collection of Doo-Wop classics, many hits from the 1950s. Among the songs on the album was "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", a true classic written and performed in 1939 by Solomon Linda, in Zulu. The song, which also had writing credits to Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, George David Weiss and Albert Stanton, remained popular, and was a huge hit in 1961 for The Tokens, when it topped the Billboard Hot 100.

You can purchase 'Seamless' from iTunes. You can also find both songs on 'The Best of The Nylons', available on iTunes. The Nylons continue to make great harmonies, still making great music. For more about them, you can find them on Facebook.

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!