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Gay funk/soul/etc artists

MondeyanoMondeyano Reykjavik 863 Posts
in Strut Central
Hey gang,

I'm looking for gay musicians to feature in a thing I'm planning for gay pride next year in my neck of the woods and am looking for your help for suggestions.

Thinking of doing a float at the parade representing contributions to music that challenges peoples perception of what "gay" means culturally.

The thought came to me when I thought that this:


is an amazing example of how gay people have contributed to incredible music where you wouldn't think they'd be involved.

The music that people perceive as "gay" (YMCA, Soft Cell, Elton John, Lady Gaga etc) doesn't at all reflect the depth of the contributions that have come before and it's time people know.

Please post your fav gay-written music below, much appreciated.
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  Comments

  • MondeyanoMondeyano Reykjavik 863 Posts

    I'll add this for good measure.

  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,905 Posts


    billbradley
  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,960 Posts
    Depends where you draw the line. 

    Does the artist have to be LBGT?
    Does their output have to have a large LBGT following?  
    Does it have to be both?

    I mean RuPaul, Divine, Village People is kind of low-hanging-fruit, no?  Not to belittle their work but are you looking for the content to be, I dunno, a little more nuanced?  For example work that was written by closeted artists or writers that was, on the face of it, a standard love song, but was actually about what was at the time, some forbidden ish.

    One "Out-of-the-box" idea that comes to mind is that if you play Dolly Parton's "Jolene" 45 @ 33 rpm it sounds like Roy Orbison talmbout Jolene taking his man.  Flipping the script.


    Gibbo
  • MondeyanoMondeyano Reykjavik 863 Posts
    Thanks, Jimster, I'll clarify.

    I'm thinking LGBT artists only, not artists with LGBT following.
    Won't out any closeted performers during this but would add posthumously considered LGBT such as Luther Vandross.

    And the whole point is to showcase a wide variety of music, not just classically considered gay music like RuPaul and Divine.
    So the music doesn't have to be considered to have some amount of "gayness", whatever that is, it just needs to be created by an LGBT person and preferably be good music.
    Which is why I put Labi Siffre up there. So the more nuanced, the better!


  • MondeyanoMondeyano Reykjavik 863 Posts
    Like stuff off lesbian-feminist Olivia Records (only know this record so would appreciate any tips for other stuff from their catalog).



  • ketanketan Warmly booming riffs 3,179 Posts
    This is a great topic.  I'll come back with some ideas but for now, I just want to clarify if you're thinking only about older music that by artists that might have been over-looked, or also at newer stuff?  
  • billbradleybillbradley You want BBQ sauce? Get the fuck out of my house. 2,914 Posts
    DOR said:

    Sylvester was the artist to come to mind for me also.



  • MondeyanoMondeyano Reykjavik 863 Posts
    ketan said:
    This is a great topic.  I'll come back with some ideas but for now, I just want to clarify if you're thinking only about older music that by artists that might have been over-looked, or also at newer stuff?  

    Old and new, all most welcome!

    Speaking of newer stuff:



  • ElectrodeElectrode Los Angeles 3,133 Posts



    Mondeyano
  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,960 Posts
    Me'Shell Ndegeocello - anything really, but this is a good one:


    Mondeyano
  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,960 Posts



    Mondeyano
  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,960 Posts

    (Not Soul/Funk-R but she has a fantastic voice)
    Mondeyano
  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,960 Posts


    Or for Soul/Funk George...


    I think they kill it on this cover.  People told Mary J NOT to do it in case it alienated her crowd.  She knew better.

    Man had some bangers.   
    Mondeyano
  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,960 Posts
    Daptone icon Charles Bradley was gay, IIRC.
    Johnny Mathis too.
    Mondeyano
  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,905 Posts
    DOR said:

    Sylvester was the artist to come to mind for me also.




    So great. I remember Unsung did a great piece on him awhile back that I enjoyed. I can't imagine how tough it must of been for him back then just being himself.


    Not his biggest hit, but I will forever love this record. When he drops in at 7:17... Amazing!



  • Fred_GarvinFred_Garvin The land of wind and ghosts 337 Posts
    Nona Hendryx - Transformation
    Harry Casey (KC) - I Get Lifted
    Billy Preston - Nothin' From Nothin'

    Mondeyano
  • ketanketan Warmly booming riffs 3,179 Posts
    Mondeyano said:
    ketan said:
    This is a great topic.  I'll come back with some ideas but for now, I just want to clarify if you're thinking only about older music that by artists that might have been over-looked, or also at newer stuff?  

    Old and new, all most welcome!

    Speaking of newer stuff:



    I was asking because of that album! 



    Was also thinking about Andy


    It won't change any perceptions of what gay music is but you gotta drop this if it's a Pride event - the remaster is kinda of revelatory here







    Mondeyano
  • ketanketan Warmly booming riffs 3,179 Posts
    etc (i.e., not remotely funk/soul)




    Mondeyano
  • kicks79kicks79 1,343 Posts
    Ms Tony from Baltimore



    Mondeyano
  • MondeyanoMondeyano Reykjavik 863 Posts
    Keep the suggestions coming, these are some that have come back to me the past 24 hours:

    Arthur Russell
    ANOHNI
    Mykki Blanco
    iLoveMakonnen
    Zebra Katz
    Yo Majesty
    klezmer electro-thug beats
  • foefoe turo de la peira 197 Posts
    DOR said:
    DOR said:

    Sylvester was the artist to come to mind for me also.




    So great. I remember Unsung did a great piece on him awhile back that I enjoyed. I can't imagine how tough it must of been for him back then just being himself.


    Not his biggest hit, but I will forever love this record. When he drops in at 7:17... Amazing!



    what record is that, it's not available in my country :(


    I came into this thread thinking about this Sylvester song, what bass:


  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,905 Posts
    foe said:
    DOR said:
    DOR said:

    Sylvester was the artist to come to mind for me also.




    So great. I remember Unsung did a great piece on him awhile back that I enjoyed. I can't imagine how tough it must of been for him back then just being himself.


    Not his biggest hit, but I will forever love this record. When he drops in at 7:17... Amazing!



    what record is that, it's not available in my country :(


    I came into this thread thinking about this Sylvester song, what bass:



    Over and Over.

    Does this one work?




    Mondeyanoketanfoe
  • MondeyanoMondeyano Reykjavik 863 Posts
    DOR said:

    Over and Over.

    Does this one work?




    OH MY GOODNESS. So incredible.

  • foefoe turo de la peira 197 Posts
    it definitely works. 


    DOR
  • RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
    Wow.  A viable music thread!

    I always wondered about these guys, but Laurin Rinder confirms he's straight.


    Mondeyano
  • RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
    For real, though.

    Keith Barrow:



    This is my joint.


    Mondeyano
  • RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
    Olivia Records (mary watkins, baba yaga, bebe k'roche, teresa trull)

    Linda Tillery:



    Also this album has a great cover of "Back in Love Again" :

    http://www.soulstrut.com/audio/lillith.mp3



    The Berkeley Women' Music Collective album on Olivia has a passable retitled ripoff of Donnie Hathaway's "The Ghetto" as I recall.
    Mondeyano
  • ketanketan Warmly booming riffs 3,179 Posts
    this always kills on a dancefloor



    Mondeyano
  • djtopcatdjtopcat Seattle WA The 206 312 Posts

  • Danno3000Danno3000 2,851 Posts
    There's more solid stuff in the Olivia catalogue.  Also, Isis: 


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