Glam March

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2 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
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Letter from the Editor
Local Spotlight
BackStage
On The Record
Feature: Olivia Newton John
Feature: People Like Me
Industry Insider
Going Out
Gear Heads
Music Business 101
Magic's Still Going Strong
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6 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
Special Thanks To:
Kevin Richardson, Kevin Black, Superstar DJ
Keoki, Kim Taddeo, Pink Vodka, Mike & Mark,
Ankit Shamar, Fernando Lemus, Steve Heretick,
Summer Eckford, Gayle Halloway, Mike Joynes,
Kim White, Tiffany Ross, The Andrews Family,
Lucian McIntyre
Houston Andrews
[email protected]
Elizabeth Rack
[email protected]
Santiago Douglas
Sonia Cantore
Michael Thomas
[email protected]
Robert Simmons
[email protected]
Veit Renn
McCarton Ackerman
N. Derrick Decorte
Fushia DeVille
Christian Dukes
Robert Celestin
Luscious
Kevin Crawford
David Broughton
DJ ELH
Roberto Ligresti
Katherine Murphy
DazyGoRound
N. Derrick Decorte
Misty Graves
David Broughton
President/Publisher
Editor-in-Chief
East Coast Editor
Fashion Editor
Sales and Promotions
Art Director
Contributing Writers
Contributing Photographers
7
Dear Readers,
In this, our second issue of GLAM, we showcase not only gender-bending but
genre-bending pioneers in music, TV and film. GLAM has expanded our distri-
bution to LA, NY and Austin, and we highlight both the people and places that
make a difference in those communities.
The celebrities we have chosen to profile also make a difference, whether it’s
inspiring others to come out on their own terms, like Top Model Claudia Char-
riez; stirring up (and educating) mainstream media and creating more authen-
tic portrayals of the gay lifestyle, like Selena Blake, with her documentary on
homophobia in Jamaican culture, and Deadlee (the homo thug); or trying to
encourage a healthy and holistic approach to being in the world, like Aussie
icon Olivia Newton-John. And beyond these themes and the importance of their
messages, the artists we feature in this issue are out there making music, lay-
ing down beats, and generally producing quality entertainment in all its many
forms.
To provide a window into the world of entertainment and a guide along your
way, we profile this season’s music conferences, get exclusive pics from the
Sundance film festival, and sample a few bars to help you start your collection
of places to go at home or away.
Above all, in any geographical area or genre, our goal is to maintain our ever-
present mantra:
99% Inspiration. 100% Entertainment.
Until next time,
Elizabeth Rack
Editor-in-Chief
8 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
Interview with David Green of Uncle
Charlie’s
Uncle Charlie’s, the Austin staple bar
featured in our Going OUT section,
is run by a man named David Green.
Green creates a haven for folks in Austin
to be who they are, and is big on charity
functions to give back to the community.
Valentine’s Day at Uncle Charlie’s was
proof of that, though the good works go
on all year. GLAM sat down with David
Green to get a little insight into Uncle
Charlie’s, behind the scenes.
GLAM: How long has Charlie’s been
a part of Austin, TX?
David: Charlie’s has been here since
1984.
GLAM: How many patrons frequent
in a week?
David: About 6000 people.
GLAM: What is the flavor of the room
tonight?
David: The United Court of Austin is
having their Valentine’s celebration
with Chocolates for Charity.
They come in every Tuesday and do
Chocolates for Charity, too.
GLAM: Who is United Court of Aus-
tin?
David: United Court is a group that
started out of California. In August,
they put on a grand ball where they
elect all their officials and do their for-
mations.
GLAM: How long have you been
here at Charlie’s?
David: I’ve been here since 1990.
GLAM: What is the biggest change
that you’ve seen?
David: Hmmm…I guess - where we
are sitting used to be a parking lot
(laughs). We are redoing the light
shows this year at the club. Throwing
in all LED and Laser Lighting.
GLAM: Are you affiliated with any of
the other bars?
David: We also have About Time up
North that has been there since 1989.
GLAM: Is it true that the most beauti-
ful men in Austin come here?
David: Everybody comes here. We in-
vite everybody to come to Charlie’s.
We don’t care how you look, how you
dress, what wigs you wear, what wigs
you don’t wear.
GLAM: Rock n’ Roll.
Austin
9
F
or the small island
of Jamaica, homo-
sexuality has always
been a taboo subject. Not only is gay sex is
a criminal offense in the country, but a string
of physical attacks against gays in recent years
have demonstrated how deeply ingrained
homophobia is in the culture. These attacks
prompted Jamaican filmmaker and New York
resident Selena Blake to not only examine Ja-
maica’s strained relationship with its gay citi-
zens, but also the extent to which it affects the
country both politically and economically.
Her documentary, entitled Taboo:
Yardies, takes Blake to the United States, Can-
ada, England, and Jamaica, as she interviews
gay and straight people with widely differing
views on the subject. “The Jamaican mentality
is that if you keep your mouth shut and don’t
talk about it, you’re okay,” said Blake. “We talk
about persecution of Blacks and Jews and how
it’s not acceptable, but it somehow doesn’t ap-
ply to gay people. It’s the only kind of persecu-
tion that they can do and get away with. Why
are they so curious about people in the bed-
room? It’s such a private thing.”
Several gay bashing incidents have
occurred in Jamaica over the last few years,
prompting the Human Rights Watch to issue a
report in 2004 entitled, “Hated to Death: Vio-
lence and Jamaica’s HIV/AIDS Epidemic.” In
2007, a group of men attacked a church hold-
ing a funeral service for a gay man, demand-
ing the service be halted and destroying the
church windows with bottles. In February of
2008, a gay police officer named Michael
Hayden was forced to flee the country for
Canada after receiving death threats once he
publicly came out. Several gay Jamaicans have
reported that police not only failed to do any-
thing about the violence, but were actually their
biggest tormenters.
The controversy reached a boil-
ing point last year when Jamaican Prime Min-
ster Bruce Golding said that no homosexuals
would be allowed to serve on his cabinet. The
comment prompted several American human
rights groups to call for a tourist boycott of Ja-
maica, an action which many Canadian legisla-
tures also encouraged.
The gay bashing in Jamaica in recent
years is a far cry from what Blake remembers
of her childhood in Jamaica. Growing up in
Old Harbour, St. Catherine, Blake recalled a
stress-free childhood full of family and playing
outside. Her parents pointed out the man in her
neighborhood who was openly gay, but spoke
of him with acceptance.
Blake moved with her mother to the
New York City borough of Queens in 1979,
where she worked as a stock girl at Martha’s.
and eventually got a break for a modeling and
acting career. “There was this Arab sheik who
wanted gowns for his wife, so they asked me
to try on a bunch of different dresses,” said
Blake. “I did some acting in films and television
commercials, which I was never crazy about,
but it did lead to eventually getting behind the
scenes.”
Blake went on to write and direct her
first full-length documentary, Queensbridge:
The Other Side, about America’s largest low-
income housing project in Long Island City,
where she once lived with her son. The film
was critically acclaimed by publications in-
cluding The New York Times, and is now part of
social studies lesson plans in over 50 New York
City public schools.
Shortly after the making of this film,
Blake said she had a conversation with a friend
back home that inspired her to make Taboo:
Yardies. “We were talking and she asked me if
I knew that gay people were being killed in Ja-
maica,” said Blake. “I had people telling me that
they weren’t going back there, that they weren’t
going to spend money in a place where people
are killing off their own. There are 2.7 million
people in Jamaica. We’re not all monsters and
we all don’t feel that way.”
Blake Looks To
Tackle Jamaican
Homophobia
With Yardies
by McCarton Ackerman
NY
10 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
With Taboo: Yardies, Blake is
trying to pry into what is largely an un-
derground gay scene in Jamaica, con-
sisting of a few bars and clubs that have
been routinely raided by the police.
“If you have money in Jamaica
and you’re able to hide it, then you’re
okay,” said Blake. “Otherwise you’re
screwed. You see lots of people with nine
or ten women in the bed and babies from
all these different people when all they
really want is one man. We’re taught that
homosexuality is the biggest abomina-
tion against God, but it’s something that’s
been around forever. Before Christ. What
makes them think that they’re going to
eradicate it?”
The strong reaction on the
subject from those in the Jamaican com-
munity has prompted many people to
bail out of scheduled interviews for the
film. Many times, the interviewees will
not even call ahead to cancel the shoot.
“Our last interviewee was in
DC and he can-
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cel l ed
when we already
had gotten there, then insist-
ed I must have forgot [sic],” said Blake.
“They’re scared about what might happen
to them when they go back home. I’ve had
to chase after people for some of these in-
terviews.”
Blake said that she has received
little support from her family and those
around her due to their disapproval of
the subject matter. “I’ve got folks who say
that homosexuality is an abomination and
that it goes against the laws of nature,”
said Blake. “It gets exhausting fighting
them....I’ve got a few key people around
me, though, who have been my biggest
supporters throughout all of this.”
Blake openly admits that the
biggest issue with the making of the film is
acquiring money. Completing the project
from start to finish will cost $250,000. With
the film halfway done, Blake said she is
out of funds to continue shooting and that
a potential deal for financial backing fell
through with the market crash in Septem-
ber. She said that she could cut the film
right now, but it wouldn’t be what she had
intended.
“It’s an expensive project,” said
Blake. “Just the Jamaica portion of the trip
will cost $15,000-$20,000 between hiring
a crew and a van full of bodyguards for
protection. I sell anything that I can pos-
sibly sell, I cook and clean, I go and re-
cycle the bottles from my catering job af-
terwards, and it’s all because I completely
believe in this film and stand behind it,
despite the heat I’m getting.”
Blake hosted raffles at several
gay clubs around Brooklyn last fall, but
said she only managed to raise $700 in two
months and received surprisingly mixed
reactions to her efforts. “I had one person
come up and tell me, ‘I’ll never support
what you’re doing,’ said Blake. This is at a
gay club! As his boyfriend is pull-
ing his ass out onto
the dance
floor! On the oth-
er side, though, the person
who won the top prize at our first raffle
donated the money back to us, which we
used to make t-shirts for the film.”
Despite the struggle, Blake is
pushing on. She’s holding a fundraiser
on March 6th at the LGBT Center in the
Chelsea district of New York City, with the
intent of raising enough money to shoot
in Jamaica. She’s hoping her request to
interview Prime Minister Golding
in the middle
of March will be granted, and she’s looking at
a release date for either the summer or early
fall of 2009.
“I just don’t want to see another
person get killed or beaten up for their sex-
ual orientation. If I could get one person to
change their mind about that, all of this would
be worth it.”
Blake said that she is confident that
once her financial issues are sorted and the
film is released, people will take notice of
what she is trying to accomplish.
“We’ve been so brainwashed in
that we can show violence, but will censor
love,” said Blake. “It’s something which is so
private and sacred, but some people make
so public and nasty. I just hope and pray that
my message gets across, which is that life is
simply precious. Live and let live.”
11

D
ecoding Jesus, the brain-
child of Edgar Montiel, is
an electronic act that claims to be the originator of
a new genre called electro-alternative. Decoding Je-
sus, or DJ to fans, was discovered in LA by the late
Terrance Brown of Megatone Records. The act is now
known for music publishing, production, worldwide
DJing, and extremely popular remixes - even being
requested to remix artists such as Santana and Moby.
The future looks bright for Decoding Jesus, most
recently associated with DJ Keoki in several collab-
orative releases. GLAM got the DL on DJ from Edgar
Montiel himself – from the name to the gear with a
healthy helping of shameless self-promotion. Nothing
wrong with that, we say.
How did you get the name Decoding Jesus?
It was basically a take-off from my previ-
ous band called Decode 3, which was a band that
sounded synth poppy/industrial. And I really want-
ed a name that would make people question if I was
taking this project on a road to blasphemy. The way
I see it is that controversy towards an artist is always
good for publicity! So really I did it just to stir the
noodle and emotions of those closed-minded fools
who only think within the box.

You’ve been in the business for how
many years now?
I started very young, when I
was 19 years old. I was discovered by the
late Terrance Brown in 1996. Soon after, I
was remixing for and writing for great la-
bels like Megatone, Cleopatra, Hypnotic,
Warner Bros. Records.…And just a few
years ago, I launched my own label, Let's
Beat Milo Records. I used it to release my
own material and other artists’ as well. So
half my life, I would say, I have been in this
crazy business. It’s very challenging, but
at the end of the day, it's all good!

You started first as a vocalist, then as a
producer, right? What led you to start
DJing?
[Laughs] Really, it’s the other
way around. I started DJing first under
the name of Blaupunkt, a German word
meaning ‘Bluepoint,’ and I spun New
Wave/Goth/industrial music. I always
wondered how these electronic bands
that put out records did their music in
the studio. So I did my research on De-
peche Mode, Kraftwerk, and other electro
bands and found out they used computer
keyboards to make this style of music. I
begged my dad to buy me a keyboard
sampler, a Roland W-30, and ever since
then, I have not looked back. I did take
a long break from DJing in order to start
singing and producing music. I believe I
have mastered that realm of producing
tracks digitally, and so I have returned to
DJing simply because it’s fun and a clever
way of letting people hear my remixes on
the dance floor before they get released.

Tell us about your recent collaborations
with DJ Keoki and Rabbit in the Moon.
I have been working with Da-
vid Christopher on and off for about two
years now. I worked on his Decade CD,
inputting and producing some of the
rhythm tracks on their cover of David
Bowie’s song “Let’s Dance.” This year, I
did a remix of that track and gave it an
electro/industrial house vibe. In addition,
David [Christopher] also remixed a track
of mine called “The Path” off my second
album, Leviticus, and has licensed the re-
mix for their live performance. All in all,
we are good lovers – ha, don't he wish!
[Laughs]
Currently, I am working with
Superstar DJ Keoki as his producer and
band member, and plan to release our
first single of a track he and I did together
called “Speaker.” The vibe we are going
for is electro but very eclectic. The first
single will have remixes from such great
artists/DJs as dbas(s)ed, Evan Gamble
Lewis, DJ Casper, and Chaos Controller.
I am releasing the single under my label
- Let's Beat Milo Records - with a limited
amount of CDs out in stores and all ma-
jor digital download stores. [The single
was released online February 5, 2009.]
Not only do Keoki and I work together in
making tracks, but we also DJ together
when the opportunities are available. In
addition to all this, of course, I still work
with other labels, but I have been focus-
ing more time with Warner Bros. Records
as a remixer. This year alone, I remixed
Jessi Malay, and the notorious Mike Jones’
hit song “Drop and Gimme 50.” All I can
say is that 2009 is already looking promis-
ing and BUSY.

You had a long break from the mu-
sic game. What happened and what
brought you back?
My life partner, Jeorge Rada,
passed away from Hodgkins Lymphoma
on June 2, 2001. I was alone, and mentally
distraught because I could not believe
God would do this to me. But through
meditation and reading books on the
subject of spirituality and the survival
of the consciousness, I managed to find
the strength within myself. I had to learn
through my bereavement stage that I
had to let Jeorge go back to where we
all come from. So really, I left the music
industry to get mental treatment - not by
doctors, but by friends and family who
really knew my pain. I was away for five
years just to deal with my bereavement,
but during those five years, I discovered
who I was meant to be. As for my part-
ner, Jeorge, spiritually he is still with me
LA
DECODING JESUS
12 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
in many ways.
There was a huge response to "The
Path." Why do you think it was such a hit?
“The Path” melodically is very powerful, and
rhythmically - let’s just say it makes you dance.
In addition, “The Path” is just one of those
songs that everyone can relate to. It’s a song
about finding one’s path to life, success and
spiritual fulfillment. Being remixed by great
artists/DJs like Rabbit in the Moon and Josef
Plante of Perfecto Records made it even more
of a hit.
Who are your favorite DJs?
For now, I would say my top would have to be:
Giorgio Prezioso
Trent Cantrelle
Bunny and David from Rabbit in the Moon
Superstar DJ Keoki
deadmau5
What is on your play list?
Giorgio Prezioso “Get Dumb”
Rabbit in the Moon “Let's Dance” - Decoding
Jesus remix
Oliver Huntemann remix of Depeche Mode's
“Everything Counts”
deadmau5 “The Noise”
Thomas Gold “Star”
Santiago Bushido “Move from Me”
It’s obvious that most of what I spin covers
Electro House and Progressive House, but I
am open to spinning Break Beats and Trance
as well - really it all depends on the vibe the
dance floor has at the time.
What is the DJ gear you currently use and
why?
I am currently being sponsored by
PCDJ and [I use] their many DJ software pro-
grams when I DJ. In addition, I use a Sony lap-
top with an external USB DJ controller to mix
and have greater flexibility with the mix.
It's clear you work out…what does it take to
look like you?
I have been lifting since my "straight
days" when my girlfriend left me for a husky,
muscle bear-looking dude. I was 18 years old
at the time, and so just to get revenge, I got
buffed out and saw her years later with drool
on her face once she saw me. I know she
knows I am gay now and it's all cool with her.
But the person that got me hooked and trained
me in the past in the sport of weight lifting was
my lover Jeorge Rada - he won Mr. Baja 1998
in a body building competition, and for power-
lifting he won the World's silver medal in 1999.
But I try to eat good [sic] whenever I can and
focus hard at the gym with my training boys
(Warren, Monty and Victor). I am proud to say
that I have worked hard for these 21 guns I
have! It’s funny to see how when my fans see
me for the first time, they look at me like I am
some freak. I always get them to say " Damn,
boy, you are BIG!" Or another one is since I
produce Superstar DJ Keoki, many promoters
and fans think I am his bodyguard [laughs].
How many tatts do you have?
[Laughs] I know I have about 30
patterns, all Tahitian.
Where can we download your tracks?
They are all available through the
major digital stores like iTunes and Rhapsody,
and also through MySpace at www.myspace.
com/decodingjesus.
For inquiries on Decoding Jesus, please con-
tact Second To None Management (Patrick)
(361) 585-0393 or visit www.myspace.com/
decodingjesus.
13
Tony Pritchard – One
of the Good Guys
by David Broughton
This Norfolk powerhouse does charitable
good works and runs a tight ship (actually
more than one), all from behind a humble
persona that avoids the limelight. He is a
secret Santa, family man, and local gay icon
rolled in denim, flannel and a pair of white
suspenders.
"I wanted to be a cowboy...when I grew
up," said septuagenarian Tony Pritchard.
Pritchard has lived in Norfolk, Virginia, most
of his life, and is widely known in the commu-
nity. "I loved watching the westerns, and Roy
Rogers was my favorite," said Pritchard with
a big, toothy grin. "He was always on the side
of the good guys."
Pritchard is in good company. He
co-founded TACT, the Tidewater AIDS Com-
munity Taskforce, and opened the majority of
gay clubs and bars over the last 45 years in
the Norfolk area. "At one time, I think we had
eight bars going at once," he laughed. Cur-
rently, he has an interest in three.
Though he knows when to play, Pritchard un-
derstands the value of hard work and sports
the heart of a businessman. He started work
bagging groceries at age six. He liked the
money and was able to help his family, and
both of those ideals remain a constant in his
life to this day, although his “family” has ex-
tended to include much of the local gay com-
munity. Other past jobs include stock boy,
merchandiser, and plumber. "My brother
was in the garment industry, which led to
many opportunities [as well].” He smiled. “I
worked for Saks Fifth Avenue at one point, as
a model."
In 1983, he was instrumental in the founding
of TACT, recognized as the region’s most far-
reaching and comprehensive AIDS service
organization (ASO). "The idea was to form
the agency with a lawyer, doctor, business
person and someone from the religious com-
munity," said Pritchard. "We wanted to pool
those talents to help those that were not be-
ing taken care of in the community." His most
fervent wish for the community? "I'd love to
see a cure," he said.
On many levels, he has been granting wishes
of his own for years – a fairy godmother in
the classic sense. Pritchard, an avid thrift
store devotee, is known for buying clothes
and items for others in need. Last year, he
bought a van from Hope House thrift store to
donate to a charity that desperately needed
a vehicle. Random acts of kindness are ev-
eryday actions for Tony Pritchard, yet he re-
mains humble when asked about his deeds.
"I can never thank people enough for all they
have done for me and my family."
Family remains close to Tony, having always
been very supportive of him and his busi-
ness ventures. His sisters Ann and Shirley,
who encouraged him to open his first bar,
are still both active in family enterprises with
him. "The first bar I opened was The Ritz in
downtown. Things were a lot different then.
The vice squad would come in like gang-
busters, randomly pointing out men at tables.
They'd charge them with fondling or some
other ridiculous charge, " he said. "Things
have really changed." The Ritz was once
recognized as the number one bar in the
country by The Advocate. Through the 70s
and early 80s, he went on to open Mickeys,
the Paddock, and down the street The Boiler
Room. When pressed, he still can't name a fa-
vorite bar. "They all have been good to me,"
he laughed, "but the places have really been
about the people." Both the patrons and the
staff are equally important to him.
"I think I got into the idea of own-
ing the bar when I worked as a dishwasher.
I would get a lot of attention and meet lots
of interesting people. That made me want to
have a place of my own.” To those interested
in starting their own bars, Pritchard offered
this advice: "Owning a bar is like having a
baby. It shits on you, it spits up on you but
if you love it and nurture it, the rewards are
endless. You have to commit to running a bar
24-7."
On many nights, Pritchard can be
found visiting his baby The Garage, eating
shrimp (on Mondays), chatting with custom-
ers, or just sitting with friends in the corner.
He easily blends into his environment, reluc-
tant to be in the spotlight .
"I figure I have about five years left
in the business – then I want to travel," he
said. "I've got the things I want. I am not lone-
ly. I have so many friends and family. What
more could you want?"
HAMPTON ROADS
14 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
15
Deadlee’s talents cannot be denied. Whether on stage rapping, doing
stand-up comedy, in the theater, on TV or on the big screen, this sexy
lil’ Latino is quickly becoming a household name. Beneath the hard-
ened exterior, shaved head, tattoos, baggy clothes and downright
street thug appearance lays the heart of a true pioneer, a man who is
helping others by sharing himself and his experiences.
Deadlee’s involvement in the 2007
Hip Hop Homo Tour brought a great deal of media attention to the
cause, receiving press from powerhouses like The Advocate, In-
stinct, L.A. Weekly, New York Daily News, XXL, Rolling Stone, Wired,
and Variety. Soon to follow were televised interviews on CNN and
The Tyra Banks Show and even from world-renowned shock-jock
Howard Stern.
GLAM caught up with Deadlee at the premiere of Street
Cred 101: The Hip Hopera, The production takes an in-depth look
at the need for street credibility in the Hip Hop community. An all-
star cast of artists represents all areas of Hip Hop, from the beautiful
FoxxJazzell, a transgender Hip Hop Diva, to homo thugs like Dead-
lee and Down Low, plus Last Offence, Salvimex, Captain Magik,
Bryn’t, Nano Reyes, and Prince Cat Eyez. The Professor, played by
author and gay rights activist Khalil Amani, teaches these young
minds about the philosophies and background of Hip Hop.
GLAM: Your latest venture, Street Cred 101, is a new experience
in theater. Where did you come up with the idea?
It started after I was on The Tyra Banks Show. Tyra had put
a straight rapper into the audience who claimed gay rappers would
never accomplish anything big because they do not have street
cred and they would never get the mainstream attention or love, you
know…validation. So we thought we should take this and debunk
the myth about how gays don’t have street cred, and also say that…
to be in Hip Hop, you do not necessarily need street cred. It's open
to interpretation and I know a lot of gay people that probably got a
lot more street smarts than even some straight fools. Street Cred 101
was just supposed to be the title of me and Down Low’s new album,
but we just thought we could do more with it.
GLAM: How did you choose the name ‘Deadlee’?
My name is Joseph Lee, so my original rap name was
Killer Joe and I thought that “Killer” was a little too much, so I tried
to play on my last name and put Dead in front of it. I Googled Dead-
lee and I am like….ah ha, that is a hot rap name, why are there no
Deadlees? They think all gays are weak, and I wanted to get me the
hardest name I can think of. DEADLEE is about as hard as you can
get, as opposed to Nelly [laughs]. The new kids just don’t know – I
tell ‘em 'Nellie' just means gay, I don’t know why he would go for that
name.
GLAM: Have you ever thought how being openly gay has af-
fected your career?
I think it has actually helped, ‘cause I do not think I would
have gotten Howard Stern, Tyra or all these shows. Figure I can say
I got some style, some things to say, but I am probably not the best
rapper if you put one of my first albums up against some other rap-
per’s first attempt. I am getting there – it’s like a learning process. I
am sure there are plenty of straight fools that were better than me.
But not many were doing openly gay rap.
GLAM: What do you think about the many rappers in main-
stream Hip Hop and Rap that are in the closet?
There was a book out recently from an executive who
worked at MTV, saying he knew a bunch of in-the-closet fools. Ter-
rance Dean*. Anyway, I got no respect for those fools. My homeboys
were in Target the other day and they came back and told me about
this one “straight” rapper that has had some Top 40 hits, and he was
being all queeny with his friends. But he raps about girls and being
a gangsta and all this, so it’s hypocrisy, man. I just hope we can get
over this whole hypocrisy shit and people can just be real.
GLAM: Do you think the straight Hip-Hop community respects
you more or respects you less because you’re openly gay?
I think there are a lot of people who respect me, but there
is this group of hardcore Hip Hop heads that go to allhiphop.com
that talk their shit. But I think there are a lot more people who re-
spect my ass than not. I just signed to my management company
these two straight rappers, and they reached out to me. They liked
what I was doing, they were feeling my message, and they wanted
to work with me. So, I think it is coming where people are starting
to be a little more open…and these guys man, if you saw ‘em…
my manager did not want me to even go over there ‘cause he said,
“They look gangsta and might fuck you up.” I am like… ‘Are you
‘CAUSE NOT
ALL HOMOS
LISTEN TO CHER
by N. Derrick DeCorte
16 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
sure you are cool with a gay manager?’ But
naw…they were the coolest fools and now
they’re cool ‘cause they have a gay manager.
GLAM: You have helped so many teens with
self-acceptance and realizing that it is okay
to be whatever they are. How does it feel to
be a role model?
You know, I always have to remem-
ber that, ‘cause sometimes when I am just
over my shit, I get a letter. Last week I got one
from a 15-year-old who on YouTube just saw
for the first time my “Good Soldier” video. It’s
about gay suicide, and he said how much it
helped him and how he researched me. This
is a 15-year-old who is just going through
his coming out process, and I kinda forget
that some kids need that. I am around a lot
of young kids that are open with themselves
already, but there are a bunch that it is more
difficult for. I think LA is just kinda slanted,
because in LA there are so many young gay
kids out in the open, but there are these small
towns and communities where a lot of kids are
still having issues. I just think, the more people
that are out and open, it only helps everyone
else. I really wish I had had somebody as a
kid, ‘cause I do this lil’ thing in my comedy skit
about how I didn’t have anyone to look up to
except for like Elton John and Paul Lynde. I re-
member my mom watching Paul Lynde when
I was a child and I was like….”Ugh, who is this
queeny guy?”
GLAM: Who were your musical influences
growing up?
I was big on Prince, so it was a little
upsetting that I found out recently that he was
against the whole Prop[osition] 8, due to his
religion, ‘cause Prince in his early days was
real ambiguous with his sexuality and I loved
all that shit. And later on Rage Against The
Machine, ‘cause their message was all politi-
cal and when I started doing my stuff I wanted
to be out with my sexuality like Prince and out
with my political views like Rage. Also Paris,
I don’t know if you know Paris. He was a rap-
per out of Oakland, CA, in the 1990s; he was
kinda underground but he was a big influence
because of his political stuff.
GLAM: Where did you grow up and how did
that affect your music?
I grew up in Denver, CO. My cous-
ins were obviously Latino, so I got that stuff
from the Mexican side of my family, but then
my best friend was black and my other close
friends were white, and so I listened to ev-
erything from Parliament Funkadelic to Rush,
Journey, and Van Halen. I had a whole – I hate
that word, but – ‘eclectic’ mix of shit on my first
album. It was a mix of everything: Punk, Rock,
Hip Hop….I did not even label myself Hip Hop
man, ‘cause I was not trying to be the gay rap-
per. Someone finally just labeled it. I am a gay
rapper, but I would not think of my music as
necessarily just Hip Hop, I think it goes be-
yond Hip Hop.
GLAM: At what point in your career did you
decide to come out?
That was right away, man, right
when I decided to record my first album. I did
one track and my producer said I have to be
real with my lyrics, so I came back and the first
song I ever did was called “Homo Thug.” He
was even kinda shocked. He was all…“This is
pretty badass.” But we lost the fucking song…
that was wack. It was right away, man. I just
started experimenting with things. I was really
into watching different cult movies, like Paris is
Burning, so on my first album I sampled some
of that. Or like Cruising, an old Al Pacino movie
where he goes undercover as a gay. I used to
love to sample shit. Mostly underground gay
stuff. I have always wanted to and still might
sample some John Waters. I have not done
that yet; gotta get some Divine or some other
screaming something.
GLAM: Do you feel gay and lesbian artists
will one day enjoy the fame of mainstream
artists?
I think it is coming. I think Captain Magik’s
first album is similar to my second album. It is
“Street cred is open to interpretation and I know
a lot of gay people that probably got a lot more
street smarts than even some straight fools.”
17
18 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
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19
“Street cred is open to interpretation and I know
a lot of gay people that probably got a lot more
street smarts than even some straight fools.”
*Editor’s note: Deadlee is referring to
MTV Producer Terrance Dean’s book
Hiding in Hip-Hop: Confessions of a
Down Low Brother in the Entertainment
Industry, which describes the closeted
industry life, including outing some well-
known Hip Hop artists (though not explic-
itly in name).
kinda like his coming out process, but now he
can just show his skills and rap about all kinds
of stuff. It is just a matter of time now. I am
hoping now that we got some people in the
media that should be helping us, man. Tyra
really helped, but where is Ellen and some
of the other people that can truly give us a
platform, you know? Even some of the bigger
organizations, still the Prides are “backass-
wards.” They’re not helping us, so I think we
need to hit the mainstream press, and that’s
what we are doing. I know there is an article
coming out in Spin magazine that mentions
Captain Magik and Last Offence. It is coming
out in March, I think, so that should be good.
GLAM: You also have your next solo album,
Dead End, coming out later this year. What
can we expect from the new album?
It should be out in the fall. I am try-
ing to get it where there will be a DVD, too. It
will be a little darker than my recent albums. I
am kinda going back to my first album, more
of “the roots” of where I started. It was a little
more dark and more of a mixture of Rock,
Goth and Hip Hop. It is just really more what
I like. I think I drifted, cause I felt like I had
to live up to the whole gay rapper thing for
a minute. Doing the recent acting, and music
for the soundtracks, got me back into the real
DEADLEE mode. It has really helped me with
the new album.
GLAM: Your first album, Deadlee Sins,
came out almost 10 years ago. What differ-
ences, if any, have you seen in GLBT music
during the last decade?
Those were some good times
back then. There was a whole punk scene
going on. Best Revenge, I Am Love. There
were some real cool fucking rockers back in
the day. There was a Silver Lake gay under-
ground scene. They have since drifted away,
but that was how I got my start, with those
punk rockers. They used to let me open for
‘em. Now I am kinda disappointed in a lot of
the stuff I see on Logo. A lot of it just seems to
be real…I don’t know…cream puffy? I don’t
know what you call it; it is like ‘faggotry.’ I
mean there is nothing wrong with it, but for
me it is like fluff, man. I look for more lyrics
and more edge, but I guess that is just my
taste.
GLAM: With so many accomplishments
under your belt, from writer, rapper, and
comedian to most recently your feature
role in Hoochie Mamma Drama, and live
theater in Street Cred 101, what is next for
the great Deadlee?
[Laughs] “The great?”…You did
it, man, this interview is dope. Shit, what’s
next?…Probably just focus on the managing.
I am excited about it. I got Captain Magik,
Nano Reyes, a kid that used to do Christian
rap that is now doing his gay rap, a straight
rapper I just signed – just keeping it real. I
feel like I have been through the scene and
know how to get them some coverage. And
definitely more acting, that is kinda where my
career has been heading. Acting and writing
– I am writing my first movie, too. It’s going
to be produced by the same company that
did Hoochie Mamma. I won’t be acting in it
though, just writ[ing]. I just got my first act-
ing agent, so hopefully soon you will see a lot
more of me on CSI and shit like that, bigger
roles than in the past.
20 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
Bloomers and Broadway at the Opera
“Figaro!”
by Elizabeth Rack
e Virginia Opera is seen as a fairly traditional venue, perhaps with
the exception of those wonderful comic book-style opera “ads” a few years
back, an attempt to entice a younger audience to come to the shows
through a campaign that demonstrated the excitement and intrigue be-
hind opera storylines.
But the operas themselves have generally maintained their standard for-
mat – until now. With a Broadway director and an entirely new (and
unusual) character, e Barber of Seville is set to change the face of
opera.
S
tage Director Greg Ganakas likes surprises
– and spontaneity. He creates his produc-
tions as he goes along, and no one seems
to mind. e surprise this time around is
the character of Marie Antoinette, played
by Levi Hull, who may be better known in the gay community as
female impersonator India.
21
Hull has been with the Virginia Opera for
four years and played numerous roles as a
permanent cast member. He has performed
in such productions as Carmen, Aggripina,
and, most recently, Tosca.
e Marie Antoinette character is
a silent narrator of sorts, directing scene and
prop changes and almost physically moving
the other characters from scene to scene.
According to both Hull and Ganakas, “her”
ghostly, “almost harlequin-style” presence
on the stage is enhanced by “silent lm” fa-
cial expressions and gestures, as well as the
masks all of the characters wear in parts of
the production. Apparently, the Antoinette
character is very interactive with the audi-
ence and the players both. “He’ll take your
props from you,” said Hull.
e Barber of Seville tells the story
(among others) of a member of the elite who
disguises himself as a peasant to see if his
love’s feelings are true, and was responsible
for a number of lm and television adapta-
tions such as e Marriage of Figaro, shows
like Our Gang, and cartoons such as Bugs
Bunny, Tom and Jerry, and even e Simp-
sons (“e Homer of Seville”). e chorus of
“Figaro, Figaro” is known even to those who
have never seen the opera.
e entire production has been
crafted around a commedia dell’arte aes-
thetic, with disguise-infused Shakespearean
mayhem, doors opening and closing, and
mysterious letters appearing throughout.
“Choreographed confusion,” Hull called it.
Ganakas wanted to take these
elements of the script and heighten them,
based on the 18th century French origin
of the play (by a playwright named Pierre
Beaumarchais), the 19th century Italian ad-
aptation of the opera, and the actual Span-
ish setting – a smorgasbord of periods and
inuences.
While the comedy will revolve
around orchestrated chaos, the produc-
tion is intended, according to Ganakas, to
present as high art and will not be mired in
“buoonery.” He said reverently, “It’s very
hard to sing – the arias are tremendous.
It’s really a top-drawer opera…and it has
to have sophistication within it.” And so it
will, yet expect some surprises as the classic
peasant versus elite overture plays out “like a
kaleidoscope.”
Each scene is literally created as
they go. Ganakas said that he needs to meet
the cast of each production before being
able to craft and block it, and he wasn’t able
to meet this cast until he got here. So they
experiment on stage in rehearsals. Accord-
ing to Hull, “If he [Ganakas] doesn’t like a
scene, he’ll cut it. He creates it right here
on stage. It’s not written out in his book of
what he’s going to do and say. He’s just up
here, and it’s really interesting.” Hull con-
tinued, “is is denitely not your typical
opera style. ere’s a lot of Broadway. You
can tell he’s a Broadway director.”
As I followed him from room to
room around the labyrinthine opera house,
Ganakas’s soft leather briefcase hung open,
oering glimpses of tangerines and yellow
marshmallow Peeps as he walked and talked
at the speed of an auctioneer. When we ar-
rived at a large practice room with a piano,
we passed a toned young singer in skintight
black clothing, practicing (beautifully, we
might add) and oering us Rosemary and
Olive Oil Triscuits. Ganakas spoke to him
as we passed, but he wasn’t about to stop.
We kept going until we got to a
table at the other end of the room. ere,
he showed us his inspiration board for the
madcap Barber, lled with images of harle-
quins, Baroque dresses, Keystone Cops, and
the Marx Brothers’ Animal Crackers, among
others. “ere are so many images of people
putting on disguises [in this production].
It’s like the Perils of Pauline with the villain
in a cape. I’ve spun around for a year with
all these pieces,” he said of all of his varied
inuences.
As for the choice of Marie Antoinette,
“ere’s something about her fan,” Ganakas
said. He added,“I did a study on her. She
22 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
was a strong woman, passionate in love, and
killed by a guillotine very young. But she
ruled.” He seems to have chosen her for a
nod to the early French origins of e Bar-
ber as well as her desirable attributes. And,
of course, her outrageous wigs. “e Barber
cuts hair, but he also makes wigs,” said Ga-
nakas.
And when the character was cast,
Maestro Joseph Walsh presented him with
Hull, the Opera’s own permanent cast mem-
ber, who happens to be a drag queen in his
other life. Ganakas explains that this isn’t a
drag role, however, but is instead another
instrument of commedia dell’arte and the ele-
ment of disguise. Hull will be revealed in the
end to be a man, though no one would say
exactly how. Maybe they don’t even know
yet.
Ganakas is very impressed with
Hull. “He’s fantastic. He has such a beauty,
an inside beauty.” In fact, he seems to have
been so impressed that Marie Antoinette has
taken on a much bigger role than originally
anticipated. “When I rst appeared, all I said
was I think I’ll have a man dressed as a wom-
an. I wasn’t thinking so big.”
Hull conrmed Ganakas’s in-
sistence that it’s not really a drag role. “I’m
still a dude, you know,” he said as he leaned
up against an Italian-style garden wall in his
pink skirt and black muscle tee shirt, not the
least bit ironically. “I think that’s one of the
most important things Greg wanted to get
across.” ough Ganakas has a strong appre-
ciation for performance art, and says, “Drag
is commedia dell’arte at its best. It’s improvi-
sational, witty, sarcastic, and believable.”
“I’m bridging the gaps between
my two professions,” said Hull of the role.
I never thought my drag career would end
up playing a role in my professional stage ca-
reer. I’m a professional in the nightclubs, and
I get paid for it, but it’s dierent,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to the twist on our act.
I am very, very excited. [In the Opera,] I have
played primarily masculine roles, and it will
be nice to take some of my experience in drag
and adapt it for a more conservative crowd.”
e new presence on the stage is
not the only change to e Barber of Seville.
When the audience arrives, “the curtain is
already up. e stage is already lit. e con-
ductor is not even out there with the sym-
phony,” said Hull. “e audience come s in
and sits down and they don’t know what’s go-
ing on. e music starts, and the mayhem is
released.”
Ganakas said, “Most operas do
e Barber of Seville every three years or so
to raise money. But I’ve never done it. I’m
proud of that.” He wants to be able to come
at it with fresh eyes. Yet “I’m anxious about
it. I want it to be unique, but not ‘Hey, folks,
here’s something very clever.’ I think it’s
working. ere’s nothing crass about it.”
Greg Ganakas is aware of the chal-
lenge s these changes present, but he believes
audiences will be pleased with the end result.
“It’s brand new for me and everyone knows
it…But I can’t go back to Oklahoma.”
We at GLAM fully expect this production to
be as fantastic as it sounds on paper. If you
want to attend e Barber of Seville, visit
www.virginiaopera.org, or call the Harrison
Opera House in Norfolk or the Landmark
eater in Richmond.
Harrison Opera House Box Oce
(757) 623-1223 (Southside)
(757) 877-2550 (Peninsula)
Show Dates:
March 13, 15, 18, 20, and 22
Landmark eater Box Oce
Ticketmaster: 804.262.8003
For general single ticket sales
Virginia Opera:
1.866.OPERA.VA (866.673.7282)
For subscription sales, group sales, and single
ticket sales to subscribers and donors
Show Dates:
March 27, 29
23
24 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
Up-and-coming acoustic songwriter Chris Pureka has
earned accolades from publications such as Time Out
New York, Performing Songwriter, and Nashville City
Paper and been likened to Ani Difranco and Patty Grif-
n, though she is always described as a gifted artist in her
own right. Pureka is a rising star with a raspy voice and
an inspired intelligence, which she wields in songs about
relationships of all forms and the dynamics between people
- among other themes. GLAM caught up with her at her
show in NYC to get a closer look at this indie siren “On
e Record.”
T
he music scene is de-
nitely male-dominated,
but I’m lucky in that it’s
easier to be a folk musi-
cian,” reveals singer-
songwriter Chris Pureka. “I’ve never had any problems,
but sometimes people don’t take you as seriously right
away. People will say to me, ‘Oh, do you have a CD?’
and it’s like, ‘Yes. I have three.’”
She tells me this in the basement of South-
paw, the Brooklyn club where she is getting ready to
perform in support of her latest eort, a seven-song EP
entitled Chymera. Pureka’s candidness about her life
and music has given her a strong following over the last
several years. Her last release, the 2006 album Dryland,
sold 2,300 copies largely on word-of-mouth, and her
work has been compared to that of Patty Grin and
early Bruce Springsteen.
A born and raised New Englander, Pureka
grew up in the small town of New Canaan, CT. Pureka
said that while the auent and predominately conser-
vative environment of her town made it dicult for her
growing up, she was able to nd solace in music at her
home.
PUREKA LOOKS TO THE
PAST FOR NEWEST EP
by McCarton Ackerman
25
“There aren’t songs about George Bush on the album, but
that doesn’t mean I’m not a political person,” said
Pureka. “I feel like being a queer musician is
political on its own anyway."
26 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
“My parents never played
instruments and weren’t invested in it, but
we had a really cool record collection at
home,” said Pureka. “We had an out-of-
tune piano in our basement and I would
sort of feel things out. I never really started
playing until I was 16 and then began tak-
ing formal lessons on the guitar."
Pureka went on to attend Wes-
leyan University, where she graduated with
a degree in Biology. It was during this time
that she not only became exposed to the
singer-songwriter scene, but also began to
gain exposure to her own music.

“I opened up for people that came to our
campus and did a lot of open mic nights as
well,” said Pureka. “It was a great opportu-
nity to make a lot of connections.”
After nishing at Wesleyan,
Pureka moved to the alternative town of
Northampton, MA, where she worked at
a lab at Smith College and played music
on the weekends. Over the course of four
years, her music began to take precedence.
e success of her shows around the area
convinced Pureka to switch to part-time
hours at the lab before she eventually quit
altogether to pursue music.
She quickly cut a seven-song
EP at her home in June of 2001 as she
prepared for her rst national tour, a three-
month gig as an opening act for spoken
word artist Alix Olson. Pureka said that the
shows with Olson gave her a proper intro-
duction to what a career in music would
entail.
“It was such a great experience
because it was my rst headlining tour
and I had never driven across the country
before,” said Pureka. “I didn’t have a job
at that point, so it was a perfect situation.
We played everything from big venues like
the Michigan Women’s Festival to small
bookstores.”
Pureka released her rst full-
length record in 2004, Driving North, and
then followed it up two years later with her
critically acclaimed album, Dryland. Both
fans and critics took notice of Pureka’s
more mature subject matter and willing-
ness to deal with a variety of topics on her
sophomore eort.
“Driving North was basically a
break-up record,” said Pureka. “e whole
focus was this relationship, and I had now
started to think about the world in a dier-
ent way. It dealt with more serious themes
like death and depression and hope.”
Pureka, who identies as gen-
derqueer, says she has chosen to not deal
explicitly with LGBT issues in her music,
instead focusing on the emotional interac-
tions between individuals.
“ere aren’t songs about George
Bush on the album, but that doesn’t mean
I’m not a political person,” said Pureka. “I
feel like being a queer musician is political
on its own anyway.”
Pureka is currently on tour
in support of Chymera, named after the
mythological creature made up of dierent
animals. e EP will consist of three live
tracks, a cover, an instrumental song, a re-
recorded song, and a brand new song.
“I started writing the new song
when I was working on the last record,”
said Pureka. “e vibe of it is more like the
older material. e live versions are songs
from Dryland.”
After nishing her current tour,
Pureka will enter the studio to record
an as-of-now-untitled new album, tenta-
tively scheduled for release in late summer
or early fall. She’ll embark on a West Coast
tour in the spring and a full national tour
in the fall.
Pureka said that while she is
unsure about what songs will be on the
new album, the process of recording will be
kept as simple as she has maintained it in
the past.
“I edit a lot when I’m writing,”
said Pureka with a smile. “If I nish some-
thing, then it’s worth nishing.”
“If I finish something, then it’s worth finishing.”
27
28 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
by Elizabeth Rack
29
30 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
Olivia New-
ton-John is a powerhouse. Not quite the Sandra Dee-
style character of Sandy Olsson in Grease (though
there were moments in the interview that her sweet
nature reminded me of that character), and nothing
like the aerobics vixen in the “Physical” video, New-
ton-John is actually closest in my mind to the roller
skating muse in Xanadu, or maybe even the angels
she plays opposite in Two of a Kind.
She’s an advocate for health and wellness
from a holistic perspective, and a champion of breast
cancer awareness, not to mention her efforts in the
area of animal rights. She has written several albums
of healing music in addition to her soundtracks and
early pop and country careers, contributing pro-
ceeds to charity and raising money for awareness –
all beginning with her own breast cancer diagnosis in
1992.
While she may be best known for her cult
classic movie roles, and pop songs and ballads like
“Magic” and “I Honestly Love You,” Olivia Newton-
John is one of the most prolific people I have ever
come across. In addition to her charitable activities,
she’s a mother, and a newlywed as of last summer.
She owns her own Australian retreat and spa called
Gaia (also the name of one of her albums), acts in
movies and TV series, including “Sordid Lives” on
the Logo network and previous guest roles in sitcoms
such as Ned and Stacey, Murphy Brown, and Bette.
Sound like a lot? There’s more. She also co-
hosts The Healing Quest on PBS and helped to found
the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre
in Australia and the Web site Liv.com, dedicated to
breast cancer awareness. And, of course, she has re-
leased countless albums across genres – including
one with the Sydney symphony.
Maybe her astounding ability to handle so
much in the way of achievement is a little bit genetic
as well as the result of years of hard work, having
something to do with her grandfather being a Nobel
Prize winner (in Physics, no less). That would prob-
ably make the rest of us feel a little less like pathetic
underachievers. But as I listed out her accomplish-
ments during our interview, I had to ask if she was on
some kind of a mission.
She laughed at the list. “Wow, that’s a lot.
Who is doing all that?” She said, “Seriously, when
you look at it all, most everything I’m doing revolves
around health and wellness….It was just kind of the
direction my heart was taking and it’s led me here.”
She is currently on tour for
Celebration in Song, an album of duets
with a star-studded cast of her friends
on the tracks, was released last year to
commemorate a walk on the Great Wall
of China that she organized to raise
money for the Olivia Newton-John Can-
cer and Wellness Centre.
According to Newton-John,
the concert is more of a “slice of [her]
life and music”– her whole career’s
work. As for the album itself, she said,
“I asked my friends to contribute and
I wrote the theme song with a wonder-
ful young girl called Delta Goodrem.
The song was called “Right Here With
You” and it’s about the journey and how
you reach out to somebody else when
they’re going through a difficult time.
And everyone else on there contribut-
ed a song, which was very generous…
.I think most artists are very helpful to
each other when there’s a good cause
involved.” Her friends include Keith Ur-
ban, Richard Marx, Cliff Richard, and
Barry Gibb, Amy Sky, Sun Ho…quite
the eclectic mix.
The album’s duet about Aus-
tralia with Keith Urban, called “Sun-
burned Country,” evokes memories
of her former days as a country musi-
cian. What? Didn’t know about that? It
was quite the controversy when she
appeared on the scene, receiving an
award for Female Vocalist of the Year
from the Country Music Association
in 1974. “It was the ignorance about
[country music] that got me into it,”
Newton-John said, laughing. “Here was
this Australian girl with English and
Australian producers , with a country
song written by an Englishman that was
a big hit in Nashville.”
Legend has it, her win upset
enough people to foster the Associa-
tion of Country Entertainers, a counter-
organization that I’m guessing helped
keep country, well, country. It’s not
there anymore, of course. “They didn’t
like me for a while,” Newton-John said,
“but then along with John Denver, I
kind of opened the door to crossovers
from country to pop.” So we have OLJ
to thank for Shania Twain and all those
other Nashville stars that go both ways.
Good Friends Contribute
to a Good Cause
31
32 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
In 2006, Newton-John released an
album called Grace and Gratitude.
“It’s a healing CD … that’s very
close to my heart,” she said. The
album is structured around the
chakras, the areas of the body that
correspond to human emotion ac-
cording to New Age and Eastern
religious philosophy. The album’s
chakra structure was based on
Caroline Myss’s Anatomy of the
Spirit, a book that unifies religious
teachings through seven levels of
spiritual development, much of
which has to do with energy and
the divine.
How did she get the idea
to structure an album this way? “I
knew I wanted to do something
healing,” Newton-John said. “Amy
Sky, who was a co-writer for that,
and I wanted to do something very
spiritual, to figure a way to tie all
the songs together. It just kind of
made sense that we went up the
spine, up the emotional journey
through the body. We made that
our theme, so it gave us a focus on
how to write each song and which
emotions to devote to each of
them.”
While I was speaking
with Ms. Newton-John, her very
good husband slid breakfast un-
der her nose. “Oh, honey. It smells
so good,” she exclaimed. I know
it was a hint, but the publicist only
gave us 10 minutes and I wasn’t
gonna give them up over some
eggs. Not her eggs, anyhow.
So we kept going. Her
answers got a little shorter as she
munched, but I still managed to
eke some out. I used the sausage/
egg opportunity to segue right
into her husband Amazon John
Easterling’s company, which she
helps out with.
Newton-John secretly
married Easterling last summer
in an Incan spiritual ceremony in
Peru. They later solidified it with
a traditional ceremony in Jupiter,
Florida, where the Amazon Herb
Company is based.
Grace, Gratitude, and Eggs
for Breakfast
33
The Amazon Herb Company was
founded 30 years ago. Easterling
started out selling his herbs to doc-
tors, and now has a more open public
offering, especially the new health
drink called Zamu, an organically cer-
tified “happy drink” (Newton-John’s
words).
“It’s from a fruit called camu
camu berries that comes only from
the rainforest but lives four months of
the year in the rivers of the Amazon,”
she said. “It’s under the water for
months, so it takes all the nutrients
of the soil from the Amazon river.”
Pretty cool. I am waiting for our free
happy drink to arrive at the GLAM
offices, but I think we’re only getting a
breast self-examination device called
a Liv aid. That’s cool, too, especially
because the device is supposed to
heighten your sense of touch and
magnify how things feel – bet you
want one now, too. But the negative
happy drink status makes me very
sad, appropriately, I think.
The happy drink is also ap-
parently happy because it helps out
the Amazonians. “We’re affiliated with
a group called ACEAR,” said Newton-
John, “the Amazon Center for Educa-
tion and Research. They help educate
the children of the Amazon – they’ve
started schools down there. And they
also supply people with boats and
equipment. John has helped the na-
tives of the rainforest get titles to their
land. That’s been a big project for
him. So I’m helping him. I’m along for
the ride!” she said with a southern ac-
cent. The country music queen came
back for just a second, just a glimpse
of what once was.
Hubby Amazon John, The Amazon Herb
Company, and the “happy drink”…
The aforementioned device from Liv.
com, called the Liv Aid, is an impor-
tant self-examination tool for women
(all joking aside). “It’s a very simple
tool,” said Newton-John. “It enhances
your touch so when you use it on your
breast it makes everything feel larger.
If there are any changes in your breast
or any lumps you’ll feel them more
easily. It’s really to encourage women
to do regular self-examinations and
to do them on a regular basis. It gives
you a little privacy because you’ve got
the device between your hand and
your breast – because some people
are shy.”
She went on to talk about her
own experience and to try to inspire
women to trust themselves more. “I
found my lump myself when I had
breast cancer, and then the doctor
sent me for a mammogram and it
didn’t show on the mammogram. So
you have to rely on yourself a little
bit for these things, you can’t always
rely on the doctor. You’ve got to take
charge of your own health. And breast
health is a very important thing for
women right now chiefly because
it’s affecting younger and younger
women.”
Beyond breast health (though
it is a major cause for her), Olivia
Newton-John has a strong passion for
holistic healing in general, and it truly
does seem to infuse everything she
does. “I think my next album is going
to be based around that, too,” she said.
“That seems to be where I want to go.”
The Liv Aid
After speaking to Ms. Newton-John about her wellness mission
and her latest tour, we still had a few questions about her cult
and gay icon status and her role on the Logo channel. After all,
we couldn’t leave out Sordid Lives or kissing John Travolta,
now could we? Read on for the dirt, though it’s pretty clean, as
you might suspect…
34 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
Olivia Newton-John’s Web site
www.OliviaNewton-John.com
Olivia’s fan site, with discography, bio,
press kit, and all you need to know
about Olivia Newton-John.
The Liv Aid/Breast Cancer Awareness
www.Liv.com
Sponsored by BHS International, maker
of the Liv Aid. The site is dedicated to
educating women about breast cancer
and early detection, and to distributing
the Liv Aid to women everywhere.
Amazon Herb Company
– check out the Zamu!
www.AmazonHerb.com
Olivia says, “My husband’s Amazon-
Herb.com website has all of the skin
care products and herbs that I have
been taking for year s and I am a true
believer that they are helping to keep
me young, fit and healthy! His new Zamu
drink from the rainforest is ‘Magic’ (par-
don the pun).”
Gaia Retreat and Spa
www.gaiaretreat.com.au
According to the Web site, it’s the win-
ner of the Condé Nast Traveller Read-
ers' Spa Awards 2008 and is set in the
hills and valleys of subtropical Australia.
Olivia Newton-John Cancer
and Wellness Centre
www.oliviaappeal.com
The Australian cancer center Olivia
promotes and helps to raise money for.
35
GLAM is a gay-oriented maga-
zine, and you do have your icon
status—whether it’s from the
Physical video, your roller skat-
ing muse role in Xanadu or San-
dra Dee-turned-hot-mama Sandy
Olsson in Grease, or all three. So I
have to ask, how do you feel about
that status?
That’s very sweet and I guess I am just
happy that after all these years, I still
get to do what I love most – sing – and
people are still showing up [laughs].
My gay and lesbian fans have always
been so supportive and caring over
the years, and I consider it an honor
to be called a gay icon. Their loyalty is
amazing! I think gay men and women,
no matter where they are from, are
some of the most loyal fans any artist
can have, and I feel lucky to have so
many.
And now you’re
on the Logo net-
work replaying
your role as Bitsy
Mae Harling in
Sordid Lives: The
Series. Do you
enjoy playing that kind of a part?
What is it like on the set?
Playing Bitsy was a blast. I like to say
she is “Sandy” from Grease gone RE-
ALLY wrong! [Laughs] But seriously,
working with Del Shores again, a dear
friend and wonderful writer and direc-
tor, was one of the main reasons I re-
prised the role. Being from Australia, I
never knew ANYONE growing up who
was like ANY of the characters in Sor-
did Lives. With Bitsy, Del really gave
me a gift with this character. She is
so different from my real life, or from
anything I have done before in my ca-
reer – and that made the time on the
set wonderful. The show has so many
wonderful actors, it was an honor to
share the screen with them (not to
mention I think I laughed throughout
the filming because everyone was so
funny).
You also wrote songs for the show,
as you have for many of the pro-
ductions you’re in. Is it easier or
harder to write for a regular series
than a film, with regards to the
time involved in production?
Actually, writing the songs for the
series was great fun. I wrote and re-
corded them with my dear friend and
producer, Amy Sky. We wrote and re-
corded all of the songs in about four
or five days in Canada, and they just
poured out of us. What was really fun
was that Del wanted us to really “do
our thing,” and some of the songs are
actually a bit “cheeky” – but very “Bit-
sy.”
Many celebrities get tired of refer-
ences to their earlier work, things
that they feel typecast them in
some way. Does it ever get old hav-
ing people remember you from
Grease and Xanadu, maybe even
more sometimes than for what
you’re doing now?
Absolutely not. Grease really changed
my life, and the experience of filming
the movie is something I will never for-
get as I made some wonderful friends
during that summer. John (Travolta)
is still a dear friend, and Didi Conn
(Frenchy in the film) is a wonderful
spirit and friend. In fact, she walked
the Great Wall of China with me last
year as part of my Great Walk To Bei-
jing (GreatWalkToBeijing.com) to raise
funds to build the Olivia Newton-John
Cancer and Wellness Centre.
Another wonderful bonus about hav-
ing Grease in my life is that at my con-
certs today, I have 4 and 5 year olds
who are just discovering the movie
who come along with their mothers
and grandmothers – proving how time-
less the movie is in pop culture. And,
not to forget Xanadu – what a dream
it was to dance with Gene Kelly – that
was something I will never forget. And
of course, in my concerts, I sing songs
from both films, as they are such fun to
perform and the audiences still love
them!
Did you know about the resur-
gence of roller derby? Apparently,
it’s big in college towns now to get
teams together and compete—
mostly female. I imagine you’re a
rock star to them for Xanadu. Were
you an expert skater before that?
Do you ever do it now? Moved on
to rollerblading, perhaps?
Wow, no I didn’t know that, but actually,
during filming of Xanadu, I fell and
it was not pleasant [laughs]. In fact, I
don’t think I have been on skates since!
[Laughs]
You have accomplished so
much—Grammys, People’s
Choice Awards, Bill-
board charts, careers
in music, movies,
television, even as far
as getting titles from
the Queen of England
and the UN. What is
your advice to read-
ers aspiring to do even a fraction
of what you have done in your life?
My advice is to just enjoy your life
and what you do and be kind to each
other. Success means so many differ-
ent things to different people. I would
just say if there is something that you
are passionate about – get involved
because the more we do, the more we
can make a difference!
And finally, I must ask, for our
readers’ sake, of course: What’s it
like kissing John Travolta, heart-
throb (if your husband doesn’t
mind your answering)?
Well, I can’t give those details – but
let’s just say it is something I won’t for-
get. But my husband John (Easterling)
is definitely the top kisser in my life. He
is an amazing man and I am thrilled we
are both so happy! Love is a wonderful
thing!
“…I think most artists are very
helpful to each other when
there’s a good cause involved.”
36 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
B
efore reality tele-
vision received an
overwhelming introduction to the transgender
community on shows like I Want To Work For
Diddy and America’s Next Top Model, one woman
bravely set the trend for that exposure to take
place.
Claudia Charriez, who currently serves
as the spokeswoman for GLAM, became the
most recognizable transgender public gure since
RuPaul by winning over fans with successful ap-
pearances on e Tyra Banks Show and e Janice
Dickinson Modeling Agency, in addition to several
successful print campaigns.
“I’m denitely proud to be the rst one
in the whole string of transsexuals to appear on
television,” said Charriez. “I’ve been able to see
where it began and where it’s now going.”
Charriez grew up on the Upper West
Side of New York City in a family environment
that she says was loving and supportive. An ac-
complished dancer from an early age, Charriez
went on to study dance at the prestigious Juilliard
School of Music, but ended up dropping out be-
fore she graduated.
“I only went until my junior year,” said
Charriez. “My transition was more important
than anything else to me at that point, including
my academics.”
Charriez said she knew that she wanted
to begin this process when she was 13 and started
shortly after. Completely focused on this transfor-
mation, Charriez said she also cut herself o from
her family during this time. It would be 12 years
before she reconnected with them again.
“Suicide is a really big problem in the
Photographer - Roberto Ligresti
Hair and Makeup - Nisa Morales for Vincent Longo
Stylist - Chloe Fernandez
Editorial Assistant - Ankit Shamar
by McCarton Ackerman
37
John Galliano vintage gown
Lanvin chain necklace $695
Diana Broussard green bracelet $480
38 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
Peter Hidalgo red chiffon -
pleated strapless dress $3000
Peter Hidalgo patent pump $495

39
transgender community,” said Charriez. “My transition really was
inevitable, otherwise it would have been tragic. My family respect-
ed the fact that I needed to step away at that time.”
While in her teens, Charriez was introduced to legend-
ary photographer Peter Beard. He quickly took notice of her
natural modeling ability from her dance background, and the
two of them worked on several projects together.
“He actually used me for my rst paying job, which
was a portrait for Cipriani’s restaurant in Manhattan,” said
Charriez. “We did a very intricate shoot that was just a back
shot. I have a weird spine and my vertebrae kind of stick
out, so they highlighted the shoulder bones and back bones
with a neon light.”
Although many people credit Janice Dickin-
son with giving Charriez her largest exposure, Charriez
said she most credits Tyra Banks with reintroducing
her to the public. Although she was initially unsure
about auditioning for Cycle 6 of America’s Next Top
Model, Charriez said reading about the murder of
Gwen Aurajo gave her the courage to try out for
the show.
“at story was so tragic, but it gave me the push
to go,” said Charriez. “I’m lucky because everyone
has always been cool with me. I know girls who have
had bottles thrown at them or gotten into ghts, but that
honestly has never happened with me.”
Charriez made it to the semi-nal round of the audition for Cycle
6 of the show, but was ultimately disqualied because of her sta-
tus as a transgender woman.
“Even at that point in the audition, the producers
still didn’t know how to introduce me,” said Charriez. “ey
eventually took me aside and said they didn’t know how to go
about doing it. I truly believe that Tyra was pulling for me,
but it was tough to convince the other top producers on the
show to take a chance as well.”
Cesar Galindo holographic flocked leather blazer $1450
Diana Broussard black long necklace $1595
Liza Bruce vintage black jet beaded panty
Crocodile-embossed boots: models' own
40 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
Despite the initial disappointment
of not making it onto Top Model, producers
for the show contacted her about appearing on
an episode of e Tyra Banks Show to compete
for the prize of America’s Next Top Transsexual
Model. Charriez swept the competition and
received a standing ovation from the audience
due to her strong performance.
Janice Dickinson, who was one of
the judges for the show,
was impressed by Char-
riez’s ability and invited
her to become one of the
models on the rst season
of her reality show, e
Janice Dickinson Modeling
Agency. After appearing on the show through-
out the entire season, Charriez was cut from
Dickinson’s roster, told that a transgender
model was not the best t for her agency.
“Janice was aware of me beforehand
and they allowed me to come on the show as
an open transgender girl,” said Charriez. In the
end, it was really insulting because she made
me like an androgynous girl in one of the
shoots and wear a t-shirt that said ‘Gay Friend-
ly.’ I felt it was discriminatory and that they
were just trying to use my story for ratings.”
GLAAD encouraged Charriez to
take legal action, but she ultimately decided
not to. Despite the negative controversy, she
insists that appearing on the show turned out
to have positive eects.
“I was able to grow a lot from being rejected,”
said Charriez. “Initially, I was shocked and ob-
viously crushed, but I found strength in the
recovery process. A lot of people have either
come up to me or sent messages thanking me
for taking a chance."
After years in the business, Charriez
said that she feels her modeling career is mov-
ing towards becoming a spokeswoman. She is
involved with several charitable projects and is
an advocate in the ght for transgender equal-
ity.
“We’ve made incredible strides and
I think that will continue to happen, but there
are always going to be haters and people that
support you,” said Charriez. “at goes for any
minority. You just have to choose your friends
wisely and let them support you.”
Although Charriez said she is look-
ing towards the future, recent-
ly having made the decision
to nishing her schooling,
she has every intention of re-
maining in the entertainment
industry.
“I’ve put more of a focus
on life projects right now, like my relationship
with my boyfriend and nishing up my educa-
tion,” said Charriez. “at being said, I’d do
anything to get back in front of the camera
again. I just want to be on stage. at’s where
people like me belong.”
41
Cesar Galindo blue matte jersey gown $1870
Diana Broussard royal blue necklace $840
42 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
43
The GLAM team arrived in Salt Lake City on Thursday and made our
way to Park City just after dark. As we arrived closer to Main Street,
we could see that Christmas lights still adorned the hillsides and
homes and businesses.
Ah, how nice, and relaxing...uh NOT! That was the last
quiet, relaxing moment. Once we hit the main street (only about four
short blocks up and down the hill), the hustle began – 30,000 folks
from every walk of life filled the pubs, restaurants and shops and
overflowed into the streets. It was hard for us to believe that this was
one of the smallest turnouts in years due to the competing hoopla of
the 2009 Presidential Inauguration, as people seemed to be moving
all around us to get to and from the activities of the night.
The first night was ablaze with the usual gala opening
parties and folks coming in by the droves. The Ed Hardy Mansion
Party was a fun gig with a few celebs stopping by. Our fave? David
Archuleta from American Idol !
By the next day, the movies were on the screens and the
storefronts became lounges – some for "gifting" freebies to the ce-
lebs and VIPS, and some with a cause. We, of course, made it our
mission to find our way to the much-talked-about Queer Lounge.
The talk was for a good reason, as the lounge was defi-
nitely one of the best. Smart folks greeting and welcoming at the
front desk asked us to sign in. We were directed to the free drink
area (who could pass up free drinks in chilly Utah?) and then in-
formed that we could go upstairs to use free Internet to connect with
friends and fam back home. GLAM was a hit at the lounge and ev-
eryone wanted a copy – honestly a few copies – to circulate!
Rounding out our GLAM Sundance adventure was the
Celebrity Poker Tournament, put on by none other than Mike Lohan
(father to, you guessed it, Lindsey). This night was filled with celebs,
poker "biggies" and music acts. It was the cherry on top of the week!
Yours Truly,
*Luscious*
South by Southwest (SXSW)
Music: March 18-22
Film: March 13-21
Interactive: March 13-17
The legendary SXSW: music + film + in-
teractive conference takes place in March
in Austin, TX. Filled with indie pleasures
of all variety in media, the conference is
a smorgasbord of shows and screenings,
with speakers on various topics of inter-
est to indie folk. Attend the welcome din-
ner at the Four Seasons or bid on vintage
items at the Texas Guitar show. You should
try to sit in on the Fantastic Fest – interna-
tional film screenings with such gems as
Lesbian Vampire Killers from the UK, or
Pontypool, a Canadian horror flick with a
radio jockey for a protagonist.
Then of course there’s the
music. This years lineup of hundreds of
bands (on 80 stages throughout down-
town Austin) boasts such acts as The
Black Lips, The Drones, Crystal Antlers,
Choo Choo, Ipso Facto, Geeks, and The
Hot Melts.
Check out www.SXSW.com to
learn more about this week of indie indul-
gence.
Winter Music Conference
March 24-28 at Miami Beach, FL
Miami knows how to do it up. And winter
temperatures are not a problem for this
locale – illustrated by the boat and pool
parties that operate as venues for their
national acts along with the local clubs
and lounges. Check out the after hours
events like Lick Ur Pinky, or the DJ spinoff
competition.
The Sea to Sun Recordings
Pool Party hosts talent like Soha (Adam K
& Soha), Speakerbox (Sted-E, Anton Bass,
Anthony Fonseca), Hybrid Heights, Mark
Loverush (Loverush UK!), Rod Carrillo,
Lauren Lane, Danny Sullivan (Physical
Graffiti). Performing: Freedom Williams,
Sylvia Tosun.
Or hit the hoppin’ Island Ses-
sions Boat Party with Eric Kupper (Fierce
Angels), Hanna Hais (Atal), Lego (Poontin
Music), Eric Hurlburt (Funky Couture)
,and DJ Madrid (White Label).
There may be too many events
to attend at this conference, but don’t let
that stop you from trying. And don’t miss
the South Beach Sessions, based around
politics and issues such as going green in
the music biz.
Visit www.wintermusicconference.com
for more info.
44 GLAM MAR/APR 2009

When I was asked to fly to Berlin
for the Teddy Awards, I wasn’t quite sure what
to expect. Germany in the dead of winter??
I’m much more of a beach boy, but against my
better judgment, I got on the plane. I landed
in a snowstorm and was picked up at the air-
port in style – a white 1954 Cadillac. Not so
bad so far, so I went with it. My partners in
crime for the weekend were Nightlife Poobah
and legendary drag performer Michael “Mis-
tress Formika” Jones, stylist-to-the-stars Ma-
sha Callaway and interior design guru, Jason
Versace. I knew I had made the right decision
and was in for quite the ride.
For those of you who don’t know, The
Teddy Award is an international film award for
films with GLBT topics. Each year, the award
is presented in Berlin by an independent jury
as an official award of the Berlin International
Film Festival, or Berlinale. The jury generally
consists of organizers of gay and lesbian film
festivals who view films screened in all sec-
tions of the Berlinale. Subsequently, the jury
selects a list of films meeting criteria for GLBT
content, and a 3,000-Euro Teddy is awarded
to a feature film, a short film and a documen-
tary.
The award was first given in 1987
in a bookstore and has grown into what some
call the Gay Oscars. This year the awards, at-
tended by Tilda Swinton (who never misses)
and Nina Hagen, among others, was held at
the House of World Cultures. A special award
was given to legendary actor, Joe Dallasan-
dro – best known as the naked guy in the
Andy Warhol films – for “his achievements
as underground film star, gay icon and actor.”
Other awards included Best Acting Perfor-
mance to John Hurt for his portrayal of Quintin
Crisp in An Englishman in New York, and Best
Documentary Film to Fig Trees, an apparently
“cheeky” and “operatic”* globally-oriented
documentary by John Greyson on AIDS, in-
cluding personal histories and a scathing call-
out of pharmaceutical companies.
To add to the mix, cross-dressing
goddess Joey Arias was flown in from the Big
Apple to perform, followed by an after party
with a special performance by Squeezebox,
the cover band with lead singers/drag divas
Sherry Vine & Gloria Viagra. As if that weren’t
enough, all hell broke loose when music bad
girl Peaches made a special appearance
and belted out her rendition of the 80s clas-
sic “Gloria” while perched on top of Gloria
Viagra’s shoulders and then played DJ to the
hundreds of revelers.
The awards themselves were a
snooze, but those kids in Berlin sure do know
how to party, especially with a little help from
their New York friends. I want to give special
thanks to my host in Berlin, Anett-Patrice van
York, for her hospitality – Berlin in winter
might have not been so pleasant without her.
For more information on the Teddy Award and
a list of the winners and nominees visit www.
teddyaward.tv.
*adjectives and quotes borrowed from www.teddyaward.tv
descriptions
Berlin'sTeddy Award:
!"#$%&'(('")#!*)'+#,-+).
by Kevin Crawford
45
Carlos Campos
In these times of financial turmoil, the trend of
the season among all designers is "important"
garments. Every designer has shown a more
conscious yet wearable timeless collection. At
the Carlos Campos show, he managed to wow
us again with his impeccable use of tailoring
for both men and women – sharp-cut suits and
coats. Among all my favorite looks, I must say
the Varga girl romper was brilliant. Every girl
should acquire it for a chic soiree either in St.
Bart’s or St. Tropez. This season, Campos ex-
plores the sexiness of a person in a uniform and
the desire that comes from the darkness with-
in. It is the secret of what a uniform hides that
seems to intrigue Campos the most. Whether
it’s a priest, a nun or a sadist, Campos explores
the sensuality behind the man that makes the
suit. Once again, he delivered a stellar collec-
tion. After all, The Fashion Group International
awarded him Best Menswear Designer Award
of 2009.
NYC Fashion Week
by Laurean Ossorio
Cesar Galindo
Sheer opulence was the tone at the Cesar Galin-
do show. He drew inspiration from the fashion
mavens of the 1930s with metallic hues, em-
bellished champagne silk gowns with origami
pleat details, pearlized pewter silk satin A-line
skirts, foiled mohair corseted cocktail dresses,
brocade power suits and tie silk blousons with
a subtle hint of color. These were the key ele-
ments to such a wonderfully inspired collection
worthy of any red carpet. Bravo, Mr. Galindo.
Richie Rich
After a short departure from Heatherette, Richie
Rich manages to bring back the "Fun" in fashion
at the debut of his signature collection. It was a
star-studded cast of models, with the likes Tins-
ley Mortimer, Aubrey O'Day, Kat Deluna, Cari-
dee English, NYC’s finest Amanda Lepore and
the lovely Pamela Anderson closing the show! It
was the hottest show to see and to be seen. The
Waldorf Astoria lent itself as a backdrop to the
whimsical world of Mr. Richie Rich. He delivered
the most colorful show of the season, inspired by
candy color sweetheart, pop art and bold neon
animal prints. Among all the looks, my favorite
by far was the Miro print-inspired catsuit, which
will have all his celebrity and socialite friends
clamoring. Applause, Mr. Rich, for making New
York Fashion Week even more legendary.
46 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
LA
FLUX Bar
17817 Lakewood Blvd
Bellflower, CA 90706
Tel: (562) 633-6394
Hours: Daily, Noon-2am
www.fluxgaybar.com
Just follow the bright blue neon and leave the
yellow brick road to Dorothy. Located just on
the outskirts of Long Beach California lies a
quaint lil’ hole in the wall that houses what
could possibly be the friendliest gay bar in
Los Angeles. Imagine Cheers, only modern,
chic and filled with attractive people.
This may not be the bar for ev-
eryone, but from the moment you walk in
the door, you feel the love. I had not taken
more than five steps in the door when the
bartender welcomed me, as did the usual
pool table, dartboard and all the amenities
that you have come to expect from the L.A.
clubs.
But there is one big difference:
this is a truly mixed bar…men, women,
young, old and every color of the rainbow.
It was truly refreshing to see the gay and
lesbian communities together and having
the time of their lives. Gracious staff, even
friendlier patrons—it’s a home away from
home.
When I asked the locals what
keeps them coming back, I heard every-
thing from the drink specials (they know
how to party) to the clean modern feel, to
the friendships they have made.
But whatever the reason, you
combine plasmas rocking the latest videos,
a comfortable smoking patio, cheap drinks
and never a cover, you have a recipe for suc-
cess in this town. Note: Beware, small park-
ing lot.
48 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
Gear
HEADS
Veit Renn is a multi-platinum producer with
over 55 million records sold, producing any-
thing from Hip Hop, Pop, R&B, and Dance to
Rock and Country. He has a full-service record-
ing studio in Casselberry, Florida, with lots of
cool vintage and modern gear. He calls himself
a gear-slut and always keeps up with the new-
est releases.
Berliner's founder, Dana Paul, informs me that
the U77 was initially conceived to model the
Neumann M49. This was of great interest to
me, as the M49 has always been one of my
all-time favorite microphones, possessing that
"magic" sound on just about anything you put
on it. So naturally, I couldn't wait to put the U77
to the test.
The first thing I did, after warm-
ing up the U77 for about an hour, was send
it through an API 312 to record my own voice.
Ultimately, this is the best method for me to
judge a vocal microphone. I was NOT disap-
pointed, to say the least. In fact, I was quite
delighted to find that the U77 was extremely
musical and natural on my voice. I am a per-
fectionist and very picky with which mic I
use on my voice, and typically favor the Sony
C800G or Manley Gold for this task. But I
wouldn't hesitate for a second to make this my
main personal vocal mic due to its natural and
smooth sound.
Later that week, I had sessions
scheduled with a female R&B singer I've been
working with, which was a perfect opportu-
nity to utilize the U77 on her vocal tracks. I was
quite surprised by the outcome. I also tried it
on steel and nylon guitars and am impressed
with its natural, warm sound. I absolutely
LOVED this!
After mixing the material, it was ob-
vious that the U77 has a wonderful, lush way
of sitting in the mix – also something few mics
possess. So ultimately, little or no work was
needed on getting tracks recorded with the
U77 to sound just right.
Anyone looking to have that one
really great high-end tube mic in his or her
studio should definitely check out the Berliner
U77. I took my own advice and purchased the
one I tested, and I hope to get a second later
to make a pair.
MSRP: $3,995
STREET: $3,495
Available directly from Berliner at www.berlin-
eraudio.com or at your local pro audio dealer.
Melodyne has been on the market for a few
years now, and everyone is anxiously awaiting
the release of the new DNA Direct Note Ac-
cess plugin, which will give you access to the
separate notes of a chordal recording like a
piano, guitar or background harmony blend.
Much has been talked about this new technol-
ogy, but I want to put another highlight on how
Melodyne is invaluable and irreplaceable in
my everyday work.
I own Autotune and Waves Tune,
which are both powerful when you need just
a quick pitch fix, but with Autotune looking at
the entire pitch, including vibrato, I feel it adds
too much artificial distortion to the sound.
Waves Tune is kind of similar to Melodyne
in the way you move notes, but none except
Melodyne let you move the timing at the same
time.
I have pitched very bad perfor-
mances with singers almost talking, without
pitch and with bad timing, and have been able
to save the records, or had great performanc-
es that turned to a work of art through Melo-
dyne. For the remixer to be able to drop in any
instrument or vocal at the original speed and
then change the tempo in the host with it fol-
lowing flawlessly has just been a lifesaver. I’ve
increased tempos by 25 to 30 BPM and still
had useable results. The only bad thing is that
you cannot group tracks, so editing a drum
performance as a whole, like in Protool’s “Beat
Detective,” to avoid phasing issues, is not pos-
sible.
If you don’t have this software in
your arsenal, go get it today. I recommend the
full studio version, so you can drop all your
vocals in at once. If you are not comfortable
with editing, you can always send your tracks
to www.vocalsurgeons.com and let them do it
for you.
Plugin price: $249.97
Studio edition (recommended): $569.97
Single track version: $159.97
by Veit Renn
Melodyne
The Berliner U77 Tube Microphone
49
When it comes to synthesizer work in my productions,
the “Omnisphere” is my first choice. Warm pads, fat
basses and stunning arpeggiator sounds all in one ma-
chine. What I like most in the Omnisphere are the great
structure, all the presets you are looking for, and a very
intuitive workflow.
The sound is incredible; when I first installed
and opened the Omnisphere, I was shocked at how
warm, fat, and realistic it sounds. After my first session,
it made sense to me that it took a long time to develop
this monster synth, and it now plays a huge role in all
of my productions as it truly can be used for nearly
any project, whether it be a major label session, demo
work or scoring.
It offers such a dynamic variety that it enables me to
enhance my workflow and sonically improve my pro-
ductions in every session. I am discovering something
new everyday as I continue to use it. There is always
something great to find within the contents of this ma-
chine.
The Omnisphere saves me so much time in
the studio because of the stunning presets that need
little work on EQing and compressing the hell out of
other comparable gear.
A closer look to the arpeggiator really
makes me smile! A dream I had for many years to trim
the arpeggios to my beats…Spectrasonics fulfilled this
dream. Just drag a midi from the stylus to the arpeggia-
tor and boom...terminated!
To sum it all up:
Excellent sound, intuitive workflow, many versatile
sounds and a really good open structure. Probably the
best virtual synthesizer on the market.
MSRP: $479.97
Available at most music stores.
Omnisphere: The Secret Weapon
50 GLAM MAR/APR 2009
In the last column, we talked about setting up your re-
cord company by creating a corporation or forming an LLC. t
Before you spend any real money paying for studio time and pro-
ducers to develop an Artist, first make sure to sign the Artist to
an Exclusive Recording Agreement with your record/production
company. Why? Because if you spend money paying for studio
time and paying producers to record demos, and you’re stupid
enough to give the Artist copies of the demos and he (or she)
runs into Diddy at a party and he hears the demos (loves it!) and
signs the Artist to Bad Boy Records - nine times out of ten, you’re
*&%#ed because you’ve now lost the Artist!
All you can do at that point is hope that the Artist re-
members your contribution and “breaks you off ” when the deal
is closed or at least thanks you in the album credits. If the Artist
was signed to your record/production company from the get-go
and Diddy wanted to sign him (or her), he would have to make a
deal with you, because your record/production company has the
exclusive rights to the recording services of the Artist.
If you decide that you first want to find out if the Artist
is worth developing and want to cut a few demos, that’s cool - but
don’t give him (or her) the demos to run around with until after he
(or she) signs an Exclusive Recording Agreement (“ERA”) with
your company. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
In simple terms, the ERA is a contract between your re-
cord/production company and the Artist that gives your company
the exclusive right to record, market, promote and distribute the
performances of the Artist.
In having an attorney draft the ERA, here are some
main points to consider:
Options: Your goal as a record/production company is to sign
the Artist for as long as you can. Under the ERA, your record/
production company will have the “option” to require the Art-
ist to record and deliver a certain number of albums during the
term of the Agreement. Why do you want to keep getting records
from the Artist? Well, if he (or she) is successful and sells records
and you’ve spent a *&%#load of money producing, recording,
marketing and promoting the Artist’s album, you want to be able
to get that money back by selling as many albums for as long
as possible. You may not recoup your initial investment form the
sales of the first album, but you may on sales from the second
album. Make sure you have some real “paper” to begin with or
access to capital, because playing this music game can be very
costly.
Advance: Typically, the ERA will provide for the payment of a sum
of money (also known as an Advance) to the Artist. The Advance
is “recoupable” from the Artist’s royalty, which means that your
record/production company will deduct the Advance from the
Artist’s royalty share. You should advise your Artist to keep his (or
her) day job because the Advance a truly independent record/
production company can pay, if any, is usually not enough for the
Artist to live on.
Royalties: The Advance is also defined as a “pre-payment of roy-
alties,” which brings us to the next item of discussion. A royalty
is defined as a percentage of the “suggested retail list price” of
records sold, and each percentage point, for simplicity’s sake, is
roughly about 8-10 cents. So if the record/production company is
paying a fourteen (14%) percent Artist royalty, for example, the
Artist is roughly receiving approximately $1.12 - $1.40 per re-
cord sold. Keep in mind that this is considered an “all-in” royalty
because the Artist will pay the producer of the song a producer
royalty (typically three (3%) percent for a new producer) out of
his (or her) “all-in” royalty. Also remember that all the costs as-
sociated with the production, marketing and promotion of the al-
bum will be recouped out of the Artist’s royalty share before the
Artist will actually receive a royalty payment.
As an independent record/production company owner, you may
also want to have your attorney add in language regarding Mer-
chandising (where your record/production company can receive
a percentage of the Artist’s merchandise sales such as t-shirts,
posters, etc.) and Co-Publishing (where your record/production
company becomes a part owner of the Artist’s songs).
This is a very brief overview of the main points of an
ERA. For more details, please consult with a competent Enter-
tainment Attorney. In summary, if you are a new record/produc-
tion company, don’t get played! Have the Artist sign an Exclusive
Recording Agreement with your record/production company be-
fore you spend your time and money.


For more information:
Robert A. Celestin, Esq.
c/o Law Offices of Robert A. Celestin
250 West 57th Street, Suite 2331
New York, New York 10107
(212) 262-1103
[email protected]
www.raclawfirm.com
Music Business 101
THE RECORDING AGREEMENT
51
47
NYC
Eastern Bloc
505 E 6th St
New York, NY 10009
Tel: (212) 777-2555
Hours: Mon 12am-4am, 2pm-4am
Tue-Sat 2pm-4am
Sun 2pm-12am
www.easternblocnyc.com
Eastern Bloc takes what could have just been
the paint-by-numbers approach to most East
Village watering holes, spending loads of
money to make their space look like a dive
bar, and turned it into a novel concept that
truly stands out among the New York City gay
scene.
The small and cozy space, as sug-
gested by its name, takes on a communist
theme while still retaining its fab flair. The dim
red lighting sets a sexy, mysterious mood,
while taxidermied deer heads adorn the walls
next to the “Goat Check.”
Thoughtful and meticulous arrange-
ments of trippy 60s video montages and an
assortment of dystopia-pop artifacts appear
above the bar. Bathrooms are “One Gay At
A Time (Sweet Jesus),” as proclaimed by
the spray paint on the wall, while the regular
cheap drink specials still pleasantly pack in a
fair amount of booze.
The weekends are when Eastern
Bloc truly shines as the DJs play a mix of Top
40 hits with old-school 90s throwbacks (and
even classic rock bands like The Doors, if
you’re willing to wait until after 3 a.m. and ask
nicely).
And of course, the stripper pole
at the center of the bar features either sexy,
scantily clad go-go boys, or drunk patrons
who clearly don’t know any better at that point
in the night.
HAMPTON ROADS
The Garage
731 Granby St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
Tel: (757) 623-0323
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-2am
Sat Noon-2am
Sun 11am-2am

Located next to Fuzion Ink Tattoo Studio and
across the street from the Greyhound Bus Sta-
tion, The Garage epitomizes the classic "cruise
bar." Dark and basic are the bar’s hallmarks,
coupled with reasonable drink prices and kick-
ass dinner specials. This bar caters to mostly
multi-cultural and multi-generational men that
are there to get their drink on and mingle.
Order your favorite bev from bar-
tender Timmy, who has manned the bar since
it opened in the eighties. No frills, bells, or tam-
bourines – although a whistle and leather vest
will fit in comfortably. Pool tables and a jukebox
provide distraction until the entertainment kicks
off the evening.
Mondays feature a killer seafood
night with DJ Nozz dishing the shrimp, five for
a buck. Sundays are busy with Karaoke and a
tea dance starting at 4pm. Dancers and drag
are featured Wednesday and Sunday nights at
11:30pm. Saturdays are party night with DJ Bull-
dog rocking the decks, pumping the current
and classic dance hits. Put a loved one in lockup
on KnightHawk Leather Night, each second Sat-
urday of the month.
For the more adventurous, cross the
street and hit Bob's Gun and Tackle - visit the
shooting range for some pre-party fun.
52 GLAM MAR/APR 2009