Sylvester - Do You Wanna Funk?

I always used to poo-poo the legitimacy of Disco music, but recently, I’ve discovered what an important movement in pop culture it was. It seems like it sprung about after the civil rights movements of African-Americans, Women, and of course, the Gays. It’s so celebratory and liberating. It has a power all it’s own and isn’t just fluffy pop danceable goodness (even though it is all of that too). No wonder it is the way it is. The music reflects certain groups of people gaining power and strength. Why wouldn’t that be joyous?

Sylvester is one of my favorite disco legends. He started in the Cockettes in San Fransisco! How cool is that?

I’m happy. Especially with this song in my life.

One of my favorite people from one of my favorite documentaries: Octavia St. Laurent in Paris is Burning!

Like many other people, this film changed my life.

Song to the Siren by This Mortal Coil

No Problem by Perfume Genius

I heard about Perfume Genius in the Oregonian because he was coming to Portland for his concert yesterday at Mississippi Studios. I didn’t end up going, but I’m still really interested in his music and where he’s headed.

This video is interesting, but I’m more enthralled by the music itself. The man behind the music is Mike Hadreas from Seattle. His music is really intimate and although the sound often has a light, ethereal nature, the subject matter he sings about is often dark and revealing. This song, in particular, stands out because it has a more fully produced nature with the symphonic backing track and beat, while many of his other songs on the debut album “Learning” are more piano driven in sound.

I’m excited to see where he goes. He’s on tour right now and is getting a lot of promotion from his label, so he will probably become more apparent to the masses soon!

I was first introduced to Arthur Russell in the course Queer NY/Queer Histories. After reading “Hold on to your Dreams” and watching “Wild Combination” I quickly fell in love with his body of work.

I’ve recently been compiling a list of my favorite songs of his and stumbled across one entitled “Our Last Night Together” which I love and can really identify with at the moment. That song is from his album World of Echo which is all together beautifully haunting.

Here is another song from the album called “Soon-to-Be Innocent/Let’s See.”

His use of the cello is mesmerizing…

J’ai tue ma mere (I Killed My Mother) - I can’t wait for this film to be released in the US. I’m really intrigued by Xavier Dolan and the work he’s doing. And it’s pretty incredible that he is my age!

His second film Heartbeats also looks magical and the one he is in production for (Laurence Anyways) also interests me.