As a gay man present at Merton Abbey’s second annual Dark Mills celebration of all things Gothic and Alternative last weekend, I was very aware that among the various subcultures which compose the Goth lifestyle, none is identifiably queer. When it comes to politics, religion or sexuality, Goths seem to exercise not so much tolerance, as neutrality, as if the devil and all his works were Swiss.
Patricia Quinn, the festival’s leading patron ( think pretty Bride of Frankenstein), spoke in the programme of a thriving but misunderstood artistic scene, whose contributions range from “Tim Burton to Vivian Westwood to Siouxie Sioux”. She then advocated giving oneself up to sexual abandon, while the main arena proclaimed a “Festival of Sins”. The bands and the music provided a focal point, around which fashion designers, gothic artists, and movie set innovators swirled in a sea of black robes and purple basques. The costumes alone should make this a magnet to gay taste, so how does it remain so irredeemably straight?
Welsh singing legend Dame Shirley Bassey has been lured out of blissful seclusion in Monaco to record an album of 11 new songs specially written for her by the likes of Gary Barlow, Rufus Wainwright, the Pet Shop Boys, along with others of note. Simply titled The Performance, this offering from the 72 year old ” girl from Tiger Bay” raises questions quite apart from its musical merits, namely the nature of the relationship between gay men and their adored divas in decline.
It’s well-known that Shirley Bassey avails herself of means of preserving her looks and holding back the effects of time. and the results speak for themselves. However, the album’s cover shot makes her look so improbably youthful you might think she had been at the vampire juice.
Swedish Pop Group BWO Ups Gay Appeal with New Track ‘Right Here, Right Now’
Marina Schiptjenko of BWO
The Swedish electro pop groupBWO (Bodies Without Organs) has always been a hit with gay guys - even performing at the prestigious G-A-Y nightclub on two separate saturday nights in 2008.
Now, their new single Right Here, Right Now has upped their game considerably with a catchy disco/trance tune and clever video to match.
The Swedish band, described as the missing link between Abba and Kraftwerk by band member Alexander Bard, are bringing their unique brand of artistic electro pop to an ever growing worldwide audience.
The band members include Alexander Bard who brings a wealth of musical and artistic experience to the band, keyboard player and influential Swedish art dealer Marina Schiptjenko whose dramatic appearance is a huge hit with her gay fans and lead singer Martin Rollinski who won an audition for the role. Read the rest of this entry »
Pam Ann Show at the Brighton Dome Fails to Take Off
A Pam Ann show - "You Fu-Coffee?"
Read the Mothership Blog review of the Pam Ann show at the Brighton Dome.
I adore Pam Ann. The gay-friendly Australian comedienne’s YouTube videos have adorned my Mothership Gay Dating profile for over a year. My partner and I have coined Pam Ann’s comedic phrases for everyday use (”Busy, Busy, Busy“, “You Fu-Coffee?”). I’ve been to see a Pam Ann show three times, bought her DVD and watched her on TV. I love this mad, bad, air hostess with the huge hair which is the Pam Ann phenomenon.
And phenomenon she is. Pam Ann (real name Caroline Reid) tours extensively all over the world. She’s filmed a viral promotional video for British Airways, has toured with Cher, and has even crewed for Elton John! The gay community adores her and has embraced her shiny uniforms, filthy tongue and hilarious insight into the idiosyncrasies of air travel.
Fake tan can look great on gay guys - like Mothership member Liam
Wait for it…tanning beds are as deadly as arsenic and mustard gas according to a report in the medical journal The Lancet on Wednesday. Don’t use them! The harmful UVA rays they emit means that if you use them before the age of 30 your skin cancer risk rises by 75%!
But gay men love a tan, right? The summer’s here, it is holiday season, and gay guys want to look their best. Read Mothership’s guide to safe tanning:
Self Tanning Creams, Sprays and Wipes
A self tanning cream, spray or wipe is the safest way to tan. You are at no risk of harmful UVA rays. The downside is that they can streak, can be messy, can smell horrible, can rub off on clothes and sometimes the finished colour isn’t quite right.
But they can also make you look GREAT! And quickly too!
