From J-pop, to Mexican psychedelia to Arabian punk and garage, there is so much music that is so good mostly because it is sung in another language. For instance, all the music they play at my favorite sushi bar is always the same, it’s a Japanese mix that includes a cover of Blondie’s “Maria.” I like the song as it is, but when sung in Japanese, it turns into something else completely, something relevant even. ANYWAY, imagine my surprise to get an email from Le Sorelle MArinetti, an Italian group of drag queens that sing cabaret-style three part harmonies, not unlike the Andrews Sisters. AND they do the old time-y outfits too. In Italian. The songs are killer, buy them on itunes.
Posts Tagged ‘queen’
Slightspots
December 13, 2007
Last week’s cover of Chicago gay society rag Nightspots was promoting the cabaret show Geisha and Gaysha. The Windy City Times, parent company of Nightspots, issued this editors statement. Apparently, the editor(s) weren’t aware of the racism implicit in white people dressing up as an ethnicity other than their own until they received letters from outraged community members.
This is an issue usually discussed around Halloween but is equally relevant all year long. I don’t know why some white gay men feel that because they are homosexual, they can’t possibly be racist (or classist, sexist, etc.). Of course, white gay men aren’t the only ones guilty of this, it just seems to be more rampant among this particular group as of late. In an interview with Nightspots, Geisha and Gaysha creator Kyle Hustedt, says of his show:
[Costume designer Byron Batista] really gave the characters a hysterical personality. For instance: Suki’s opening wig has a bunch of sushi in it and Sakura’s has a take-out box spilled over with chow mien…the comedy!
Then had the chance to defend himself in a less-than satisfying artist’s statement. It’s clear he just doesn’t get it.
–Amy Miller
