Chicks on Speed, Austra, Girls and Hunx and His Punx; Queer Music

Step away from the Britney, put down your Beyonce and lets listen to some talented queers who actually make music because they like to, not for the paycheck (although I bet none of these performers ever turned down a paycheck). I some times rate music by the lack of hearing of a group. In some twisted way, I think a band underground makes better music.

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Tip off via 365gay.com

Chicks on Speed

(My Favorite girls of the “now”)

This Berlin-based band do that whole anti-pop/electro sound really well.  Plus, they sing about everything from feminism to Euro-trash all in a very spunky and sarcastic way. You gotta love that. Check out their cover of Tom Tom Club’s Wordy Rappinghood here. Oh! And  their collab with the always irreverent, forever wonderful Peaches here.

http://www.chicksonspeed.com/

Austra

Toronto’s Austra knows how to deliver the club beats…probably just as good as Gaga, but with a little less glam and sparkle and a little more goth-infused electronica. Maybe if Erasure had a lovechild with The Knife then made said lovechild listen to a lot of My Bloody Valentine. Does that make sense? Because now I’m confusing myself. Here, listen before I go on. The out lead singer Katie Stelmanis is a classically trained vocalist and her voice plus the band’s perfectly balanced new-wave pop sound make a perfect couple.

Girls

Christopher Owens, front man of Girls, has had a pretty interesting life thus far. He grew up in a religious cult with his mom, moved to over 20 different countries, and then finally packed off and headed to Texas – by himself – all by the time he was 16. With a life that interesting, you’re sure to make some memorable music. His band Girls, who he formed with fellow band mate Chet White, does just that. Did I mention they have Seth Bogart (of Hunx and His Punx/Gravy Train!!!!) very nude in their NSFW music video for Lust for Life? Check out the tamer version here.

Hunx and His Punx

Speaking of the flamboyantly wonderful Seth Bogart, Hunx and His Punx is his all-girl backing poppy, trashy, punk band out of Oakland. The boy is sassy, likes to show some skin, and sings songs about crushing on boys… hard. As the Houston Press so eloquently put it, this band is a John Water’s film come to life.

And this is news to me, but apparently Lens Crafters used this Hunx song in a recent commercial. How not punk

‘Am I undatable because I’m HIV+?

I will leave this one to the expert.

By Joe Kort, relationship expert @ 356 GAY

Question: I have a good job.  I am athletic and health oriented.  I am the boy next door.  I live right outside of one of the largest and gayest cities in the world.  I have awesome family and friends.Oh, and I happen to have HIV.Because of the latter, all the other traits I can bring to the table seem not to matter when it comes to dating.  I have tried HIV dating websites and social events but I have been unsuccessful.  Since my status does not define me and I do not like limiting myself to just HIV+ guys, I am open to dating anyone who fits into what I look for in a man.  Although the statistics amongst gay urban males regarding HIV seem like this would not be an issue in 2011, it still is.My question is how do I deal with HIV stigma and dating without giving up hope? Signed,Seriously single and losing hope.

Dear SSLH,

I love that you do not define yourself by your health status! Leading with who you are as a person rather than your health status as your primary image of yourself is going to shape your dating experiences. Using one’s status as an excuse or feeling victimized by it is a recipe for poor self-esteem and bad dating experiences.

READ REST OF ANSWER

Cliff Notes on the Meaning of Transgendered

The headlines are dominated by stories of transgendered folks lately. The bad news is that it is usually the result of an attack or discrimination.  Now is the time, I feel, with so much attention on the issue, for a whole migration of transgendered folks to come out of the close. Strength in numbers and visibility is what breaks down walls. Having the word trans rolling off the tongues of ignorant haters will eventually become an acquired taste to them, and through exposure to “real life” transgendered folks will put hate in the closet , where it belongs. NO MORE VIOLENCE!

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Corvino: The meaning of transgender

via By John Corvino, columnist, 365gay.com

A friend recently asked, “Do you ever have doubts about the whole transgender thing?”

My friend has a habit of referring to anything she hasn’t wrapped her mind around as a “thing,” which has the unfortunate effect of making whatever it is sound like a trend or fad. (As in, “What do you think of the whole ‘skinny jeans’ thing?”)

At first I was tempted to respond, “I’m a philosophy professor. I have doubts about everything.” But knowing my friend, I recognized that she meant the question sincerely. I thought she deserved a serious response.

Here’s my take on “the transgender thing”: I don’t have “doubts,” but I do have a question. It’s a question that others might share, and that some might misinterpret as a doubt.

First, some preliminaries.

Generally speaking, I think it’s good policy (not to mention good manners) to treat individual adults as the experts on their own lives. As a gay man, I don’t like it when opponents of homosexuality tell me what I “really” am deep down, and I wouldn’t presume to tell others—including transgender people—what they really are deep down. That’s for them to determine, perhaps in dialogue with significant others, friends, or professionals.

I don’t have many transgender friends, although two of my closest lesbian-identified friends are married to trans men. (Lesbians married to men? There’s a reason Facebook invented “It’s complicated.”) Having spent time with these guys, I have no more doubt about their maleness than I do about my own. It strikes me as “natural,” to use a loaded but appropriate term. READ MORE

MATISTACHE “BEHIND-THE-SCENES” IN POSI+TIVE MAGAZINE

Well wax my ass and call me Judy. Not as much fashion, as slapping a mustache on to typical looking hot men. Mustache ride anyone? Would expect anything less from a Italian based Magazine? POSI+TIVE MAGAZINE

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ITALIAN BASED POSI+TIVE MAGAZINE RAN SOME PREVIEWS OF THE MATISTACHE SHOOT…SORT OF A BEHIND-THE-SECNES WITH KAYLAN FALGOUST, FILIP GUSTAVSSON & RENATO FERREIRA.  LOOK FOR THE FULL EDITORIAL IN THE JUNE ISSUE OF BLU MAGAZINE IN GERMANY. fear-less.com

HTTP://WWW.POSITIVE-MAGAZINE.COM/FASHION/INNERES-AUGE-MATISTACHE/

Credits:
Photographer: Justin Violini
Hair/Makeup: Alejandro Calvani
Models: Kaylan Falgoust (Red), Filip Gustavsson (Red) & Renato Ferreira (Major)
Designer: Matistache Germany
Edited by: Matteo Menotto