THEGAYUK

Category: Interview

  • INTERVIEW | (Wild) Bill McKechnie

    You can be forgiven for not having heard of Bill McKechnie. Affectionately known as Wild Bill, the former Britain’s Got Talent contestant has been working away on new music and supporting LGBT organisations over the past few years. Earlier this year saw the release of Bill’s new track ‘Fluffy Snow’, which he is aiming to get into the charts by Christmas. With all of Bill’s work supporting charities, including a number of LGBT causes, I caught up with him to find out more.

    Bill, lovely to speak to you. You’ve released a Christmas song, called Fluffy Snow, which you’re trying to get into the charts in time for the festive period. It’s an incredibly catchy song. How did the idea for Fluffy Snow come about?
    I was going through the rhythms on my keyboard and came across a Christmas Swing which I loved straight away. So I decided to try my hand at a Christmas composition. It took me just over thirty minutes to come up with the tune and as daft as it may sound the words were already there in my head. They were a little bit muddled up to start with but they soon began to flow naturally.

    You’ve been getting a lot of airplay from radio stations around the country. What’s the reaction to the song been like?
    I have been overwhelmed by the support from people all over the world, especially the support of Santa Claus, who has said it is going to be a hit. I have many friends who constantly share my Fluffy Snow posts on Facebook and Twitter.

    You do a lot for charity and in particular you have been a big supporter of gay pride events in recent years. It’s refreshing to see, as you’re a straight man. What is it about LGBT causes that makes you want to support them?
    Straight??? After two failed marriages I like to keep my options open. From a young age until my 40s I was extremely homophobic. I didn’t think it was right that two men should be together, but with age I started to see things from a different perspective. I have met a lot of gay men and lesbians over the last fifteen years and some have become my friends. It was an honour for me to be part of recent Pride festivals. I guess at the same time it was a release to finally allow myself to be me and stop worrying what other people think. I get a lot of pleasure from raising money for community groups and charities. I was blessed with many talents and I aim to use those gifts to help others less fortunate than myself.

    You’re a former Britain’s Got Talent contestant. What was it like being part of such a huge show?
    Being on Britain’s Got Talent was a truly awesome experience. I applied for the show with one purpose in mind and that was to get on national television to reach out to disabled viewers and show them how they could dance using their hands. Everyone joined in and learnt the hand dance routine to Saturday Night Fever, even Simon Cowell.

    What’s 2015 got in store?
    I have self-published an eBook that is available on Amazon Kindle. It’s called First Aid and Health & Safety in Rhyme. I’m aiming to get it accepted by a publisher as I have had great feedback from health organisations and first aid providers.

    You can find out more about Wild Bill and the work he does to support charities, including LGBT causes, at www.wild-bill.co.uk. You can get your copy of Fluffy Snow on Amazon.

  • INTERVIEW: La Voix

    INTERVIEW: La Voix

    Having been on the scene a number of years now, La Voix won the nation’s hearts on Britain’s Got Talent this year performing with the London Big Band, sadly losing out at the Semi-Finals, but concreting her career as one of the UK’s top drag acts. Of course, there was only one question we could ask first…

    Has the cheque become bigger?

    Of course it has, I’m not gonna lie. I mean, two years ago I was working as a makeup artist and I was doing the odd gig here and there. Now two years later La Voix is full-time. It’s what I do. I’ve got an office space I rent, a PA for bookings and invoices and It’s crazy, It’s like the world of camp gone mad.

    Do you get a lot of gigs with the London Big Band or do you now work alone?

    The immediate after-mass, the band took a break because it was a long rehearsal, you can imagine trying to get twenty-five of us together for rehearsal was hell because they’ve all got jobs. Next year we’ve got lots of exciting bookings together. We’ve got theatre tours all up and down the country, but this year for me has been majority solo.

    Is there any bitching from the other queens on the scene, since your new found fame?

    I get a mixed reaction. I think I’m half loved, half hated. I’m very ambitious and I’m not scared to let people know that. Sometimes people think that It’s a bit of a bitch but I think I’d say I’m a bit of a diva, but not a bitch, I think there’s a difference. I just think It’s about time, if the drag scene is gonna move forward, like it has done in New York with Ru Paul’s Drag Race, we need to step it up. I think it can be a little bit ropey over here. Like I said on Britain’s Got Talent I think you can get a bit of a naff vibe and there’s some great acts out there and some great talent but it just doesn’t get the light of day really.

    Drag had been fading from the public consciousness but seems to have come full circle with popular TV drag shows. Was there a fear in the drag community that the art was dying out?

    I came into the cabaret scene quite late off the back of wining Drag Idol in 2012, so I’ve really only been on the gay scene as an act for two years, which is quite short compared to a lot of the names who have done ‘20-25 years darling’, to quote Danny La Rue. When I joined I didn’t realise there was such a big scene and it opened my eyes. You’d imagine going to Soho and it’d be dripping with drag shows and drag bars but there’s a lot more on the outskirts with your Clapham, your Camden, your Brighton. I thought drag was definitely on its way out but I think its gone a bit more main stream with Ru Paul’s Drag Race, and it’s bound to come over here in some form at some point.

    Well, we know that Ru Paul’s Drag Race is coming to the UK, so what are your thoughts on that?

    Do you know what? I am more than prepared for it. I’ve been preparing for this for more than a year. I’ve taken sewing classes. If that comes about without a doubt I’ll be going hook line and sinker to get on that show. I like a competition.

    Are you any good at sewing?

    No, I am one of those lazy ones that has everything made for me. I literally, no word of a lie, started an evening sewing class. I’ve got a sewing machine and this is literally all in preparation for whet Ru Paul’s Drag Race comes to the UK. I think it’s such a great opportunity to get the drag back out there. I mean, just look at the work those guys get for being on that show, why on earth you’d be a drag queen and not be on it I do not know.

    Do you think that Simon Cowell would make a good drag queen?

    No! He’d be horrendous I mean look at his style as a man. Imagine what he’d be like as a woman. No.

    Taking in his shape and size, is there any advice you’d give him if he was looking for a moment in drag?

    Oh My God. He’d just have to wear a huge cover all and lots of ostrich to try and cover that shape but he should definitely keep his flat top hair style. He could maybe be the first lesbian drag look.

    You came about during Drag Idol in 2012, so were you doing drag at all before then?

    Yeah. I was a resident down at Madame Jo Jo’s on a saturday for seven years, but I don’t think people knew I was down there really because it’s very much a non-gay crowd now, like all stag and hen nights. It was very choreographed and stylised and I was quite snobby about the cabaret scene for a long time. I didn’t want to be part of that ‘singing in a pub’. I came from a theatre background and had my degree and I very much wanted to be a serious actor for a while. The drag thing, it sounds corny, kinda found me. I was working as a make up artist and also a singer and it just happened, I put the two together. I didn’t realise how lucrative it was and how much work you could get otherwise I would have done it years ago. So I’m absolutely loving it.

    So where did the name come from?

    I was really inspired by a retired lip syncer in America who, although I’m a live singer, I was just amazed by his You Tube. He had red hair and a 50s look and I was always very honest that I literally stole that image because it was so iconic and I think gay men are so intrigued by your Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, but there’s not many acts that actually embody that 50s era. With his name being Lip Syncer and what he did was lip syncing, I quite liked the the idea that his name told you what he did and I thought my point of difference was that I sing live, which is not that different in Britain but it certainly is in the States. We were just playing around with the voice, singing and different languages and we just came up with that really.

    Where are you from originally?

    I’m from the North East, Stockton-on-Tees

    And do you ever get to go back?

    Yeah, It’s a very small scene because Newcastle is 45 mins up the road and Leeds is about 45 mins to an hour the other way, so you’re in between two quite prolific cities really that have got quite good scenes. You’ve got the odd one or two bars, the one that’s gay on a Tuesday night, so It’s very small. However, what was wonderful was this year, off the back of telly, I headlined the Middlesborough Community Pride, which is one of the first gay prides they’ve ever done in the North East.

    Did your folks attend?

    Yeah, they walked the gay parade march with me this year and that was lovely. My mum tries my dresses on. The first thing she does when she comes to london, oh let me try this on, let me try this one on.

    So you haven’t just burst from no-where, you’ve almost got one foot in the older more established drag queens camp and also a foot in the new crop of queens that have come about, because of TV, so looking back at the ‘heritage’ queens, the Dave Lynn the Titti La Camp, is there anyone who’s your favourite?

    Well Titti La Camp, who hosted Drag Idol, was a wonderful support for me very early on. I remember having this phone call with her and she went through every single cabaret venue in the uk from the North to the South saying this stage is like this and this town’s not very good, this town’s good, this is the money you need here this is the money you’ll get there, you wont get any higher than that there and she was really, really lovely and supportive and I’ve always had a soft spot for Titti La Camp. I think without him I wouldn’t have won the competition and still been a little bit snobby about it all and not done as much work as I would have. He basically said, take the money, take the booking, say yes to everything, just do it, and it was the best advice he gave me. It exploded me onto the scene.

    From the new batch has anyone caught your eye?

    I like Myra Dubois, he’s very original and quirky. He hosted the Cabaret Awards last year and I was just in tears with laughter as he was just so clever. He can’t sing a note for toffee but his comedy’s great. [Laughs.] To be honest I think we need a new school. We need some fresh blood there.

    Do you think the idea of a drag girl-band works or do you think there’s just too many personalities?

    I think with the age group of some of those acts they’ve got in, what spills across the footlights for me is the politics in the group or the problems with rehearsing. If you were to do a girl group of Dave Lynn, Miss Jason and Titti, straight away what you’d get is triple the energy, you’d get fun and any politics and jokes would be thrown to the audience to laugh at.

    How do you think you’d fair in the executive realness? What kind of look would you pull?

    I’d go for Ann Widdecombe.

    Oh dear, that’s an image. Tell me the very first time La Voix came about, where were you?

    We came up with the name and the look and I decided I wanted to be with a live band, even though now that’s few and far between because of the logistics, but I hired Madame Jo Jo’s myself, and Shadow Lounge, and did a ticketed show with a live band, which was brave as I had no following – which showed in the ticket sales! We literally launched like you would a new product. Looking back it was a little too premature, however it certainly prepared me for a couple of months later when the whole Drag Idol came up.

    Do you have a partner?

    No.

    In La Voix’s life does she have a partner?

    Oh, that’s a very deep question. No, I don’t think she does. She’s been married before. She’s got kids but she lost them somewhere. She put them up for adoption when she got gigs because she didn’t want to lose her record deal for being pregnant.

  • Blind Ambition: Interview with Belo Cipriani

    In the spring of 2007, a young gay man living in San Francisco, was beaten and robbed of his sight at the hands of his gay friends. At the age of twenty-six, Belo Cipriani, was forced to relearn how to walk, cook, and date – in the dark.

    In his first book, Blind: A Memoir, he chronicles the two years immediately following his assault. He narrates the recondite world of the blind, where microwaves, watches, and computers talk, and guide dogs guard as well as lead.

    Why was it important for you to tell your story?
    When I became blind, I realised that everything I knew about blindness was inaccurate. Many of my erroneous assumptions about blindness had been created by Hollywood and novels and I wanted to put something out that properly portrayed what it’s like to lose your sight in the twenty-first century.

    What do you hope people will learn from reading the book?
    I hope people learn that disability doesn’t mean the end of someone’s life. Most importantly, I hope readers become more open to befriending a person with a disability.

    How do your disabilities impact your life as a gay man?
    Blindness makes it tough to flirt with guys in public. It also takes me a bit longer to warm up to a crowd of guys in a bar.

    And there’s no app for that?
    Although there are apps that can describe colours, decode money, and allow me to text a message, there are no apps that make dating easier.

    Does Oslo (Belo’s service dog) ever guide you to Mr. Right?
    Absolutely, Oslo has brought some great guys into my life! Whether he sat me next to them on the bus or in a bar, he seems to know my type. Oslo is very important to me and I only date guys who like dogs.

    Can you go anywhere with Oslo?
    International travel is very challenging as some countries still do not permit me to enter with Oslo. Once, in New York City, I had a cab driver refuse to allow me in the car with him. I have also been denied service at restaurants and coffee shops.

    Is that your biggest pet peeve?
    It’s one of them. Another one is I think people with disabilities are often de-eroticised and romanticised. We are often seen as saints, inspirational figures, and not as regular people. We are never portrayed as beautiful, sexy, or funny. Disabled people, first and foremost, are people. We crave the same things everyone else does no matter how we get around.

    Being gay and disabled, do you find yourself fighting two fronts – the gay agenda and the disabilities agenda?
    As a Hispanic, I actually find myself fighting three fronts! I was the keynote speaker at University of San Francisco for National Disability Awareness Month. I spoke to students about the dos and don’ts of speaking to a person with a disability. At Yale, I was the keynote speaker for Hispanic Heritage Month. I talked to students about my journey of becoming a writer and how my Latino culture helped that happen.

    How did you become a spokesperson for Guide Dogs For the Blind?
    Oslo has brought some great guys into my life! Whether he sat me next to them on the bus or in a bar, he
    seems to know my type. Oslo is very important to me and I only date guys who like dogs. The organisation asked me if they could feature my story in their documentary. I have since spoken at many of their fundraising events and represented the organisation on TV, radio, and print media in both English and Spanish.

    You’re also featured on the cover of their 2015 calendar!
    (Laughing) Isn’t that remarkable? It’s also proof there is a silver lining to everything! I would never have been the cover of a calendar had I not lost my sight!

    Hilarious! But in all seriousness, if you could regain your sight, would you?
    I meet a lot of people, at signings and on the street, who tell me that they are praying I get my vision back. I always tell them to pray for my health instead. Sometimes people wish or pray that the disabled would become able-bodied again. Yet, this is often not possible. Currently, there are no medical procedures that would help me regain my sight and that’s ok. I am happy with who I am.

    Interview by Shane Gallagher

    This interview first appeared in issue 6 of TheGayUK.

  • Interview | Dolly Parton: Welcome To Dollywood

    Rarely does an artist evoke a reaction like the one Dolly receives. I told a number of people I was going to interview Dolly and young and old alike knew exactly who I was talking about. You see she’s an artist who transcends demographics, she’s loved by all and sundry. This is fact. Having recently finished a sellout World Tour, headlined at Glastonbury and become one of just a handful of women to top 100 million world wide record sales, a number of journalists were invited to a press conference with the star, here is what we learnt. Dolly is an unstoppable, loveable and relatable force of nature and she’s one of the nicest ‘town tramps’ we know.

    Your connection to the gay community is strong and undeniable, is there a song or album over the years that you’ve heard from your gay fans they particularly connect with?

    Oh, I think a lot of my fans relate to different songs, a lot of them like Light Of A Blue Morning, it’s a very uplifting song, it’s really a song of overcoming different things, but I think they just relate to my songs just in general. Hopefully, I think, they relate to me more than any particular song, although, at some point, I would like to do a dance record and I have several songs that are targeted towards the gay community, like a fun little song called Just A Wee Bit Gay, it’s a great little dance tune. I do write a lot of songs along those lines for people that are different and unusual and for people that are, you know, just themselves.

    I have a lot of those good positive uplifting songs and hopefully eventually I will get (them) out there.

     

    Can you update us on Doggie Parton?

    YESSS! …We gotta call with the main people with the government and they told us that the true owners did come forward. They had reported the dog missing. It was a language barrier. I think they were from another country and they got the dog back. Everybody feels good about it. I do not get to take her home, I was looking forward to it. I was going to rename her Glassie because of Glastonbury. I was gonna say Glassie comes home, but they want her and they feel good about that and I have been very instrumental in making sure that the dog is taken care of all the way through. So now they have her back. She’s 15 years-old, they thought at one time she was seven, but she’s 15, so everyone’s happy that she’s back where she belongs. I’m a little sad, because I was looking forward to taking her home, but I’m glad she’s back where she belongs.

    On your newest album Blue Smoke, Lay Your Hands On Me and Miss You Miss Me are great songs about strength and comfort, can you talk about the background of those and what you would say to kids who are feeling broken or rejected?

    Lay Your Hands On Me, I just always loved that song and when I first heard it years ago it just sounded like a gospel song ‘cause I grew up in the church where people did, you know, lay hands on just to pray for the sick or just to make you feel better as a spiritual thing. So I just thought it’d make a good song to turn into a gospel song – just having a conversation with God. I asked Jon Bon Jovi and Richie if they’d reconsider reworking it and working it into a gospel tune and they were willing to do that and it’s actually one of my favourites and as far as the Miss You Miss Me track I actually had a niece who was going through a divorce and my little grand niece who was part of that whole divorce, was feeling like she didn’t quite understand why there were such problems between her Mum and her Dad and that’s what inspired that particular song. I just think that so many children get caught up in the divorce and children are left to be made to feel like they’ve done something wrong when two grown people, even if they can’t get along should be more considerate where the children are concerned.

    You mentioned being disappointed about not being able to take Doggie Parton home with you, do you think you’ll get a new dog to adopt from the Happy Landing Shelter?

    Well, no, I don’t believe we’re looking, I have a big responsibility at home. My heart went out to this particular dog, because of the way, it was like it was meant to be somehow. It was just so touching to me, that she got lost there at the festival where we were. I would definitely want to make sure when we all became aware, that this dog was lost and found. It just really broke our hearts, that someone could abandon it, but I’m not looking to adopt another dog. This one was the one I was definitely going to make sure she was okay, no matter what. I would have not been able to take her had they not found the owner, because she was not in great health. They thought it would have traumatised her. So I guess God knows what he’s doing. Everything is back in order and I’m thankful that everyone played their part and I was not going to drop the ball nor the dog… (laughs)

    We heard that you shipped your buses from Australia to Europe for this tour, what prompted you to do that?

    Well, because I love living on the bus. We’ve been on tour so many times through the years, I found that I just love living on the bus as opposed to going in and out of hotels. I can always keep all of my things on the bus so we have two buses running all the time on these tours. If we have to fly from point A to point B we have one of the buses, which are almost identical; that are stocked almost the same way, so it just gives me a feeling of being home all the time. I can scatter my stuff and I don’t have to carry all that luggage in and out of hotels. I’m just a gypsy this is my caravan (Laughs).

    Is there a significant difference between overseas’ audiences and American audiences? Perhaps in the way they react or respond to certain songs?

    Yeah, I think the main difference is in America they’re great, I mean I love all my audiences and they’re all wonderful. But in America they know they’re going to get to see you because you’re there all the time. The main difference is when we’re overseas, you don’t get to come that often and they really, really go out of their way to let you know how much they love you, how happy they are to see you and if they don’t see you again they remember that they appreciated you being there. So there’s an excitement that you can’t hardly describe. It’s really just the time and the space I suppose. ‘I don’t know when I’ll see you again so let’s just make the absolute most of it’ and that’s how I respond to them. I try to give them everything I possibly can, incase I don’t get chance to come back for years and years or ever… But they’re a wonderful audience and we just love them all. Don’t take nothing from my American audience though… Them also!

    How would you, Dolly Parton, get over a heartbreak?

    Laughs… The way everybody else does. You have to let time heal all wounds. I’m one of those people – I wound easy, but I heal fast. I always thought that a broken heart is like a broken bone. I wrote about that in a song. It’s like a broken heart is like a broken wing, it must have its time to mend. It’s like any other injury. Usually a terrible, terrible heart ache takes about a year to really heal, but some of us can heal a little faster. You just gotta look at it like an injury and just try to think positive, try to live above it, try to live beyond it. But you gotta wallow in that sorrow while it lasts – You can’t out run it, you got to roll with the sorrow too.

    How have you sustained an abundant positive energy for almost five decades of your career?

    I have a good attitude. I love my work. I think it’s important that people be busy, stay busy, try to be creative and I don’t think the years matter so much if you really make yourself busy. Of course you see yourself getting older, you notice little things as the years go by, but that doesn’t mean that you should stop. You just need to take care of those things as they come along. But keep a good attitude above everything else. I just keep myself creative and busy. I have good doctors – good makeup – and a good attitude and whatever it takes to keep myself looking better and better. That’s what I’m gonna try and do from now on…

    You just performed Jolene at the Glastonbury Festival, 40 years after its release in 1974. How does it make you feel that this song is still so recognised?

    Well, Jolene, a lot of people don’t realise is the song that is recorded more than any other song, by other artists throughout the world. I still enjoy singing it. It makes me feel great. I think it’s just so easy to sing. It’s got that bouncy little feeling. I think a lot of people relate to it. So I’m very proud of Jolene. I’m glad that people are still liking it.

    Any future plans for touring after this summer? Working on any new music?

    I’m gonna take off for a little while, I’m doing my life story as a musical. I’m also doing my life story as a movie, which also has a lot of music in it. I may possibly do some television, and some producing so I’ve got a lot of business stuff in mind, but I do not plan to do any more touring in the near future. We’ve done this world tour and we’re winding that up pretty soon, I’m sure as years go by we’ll be doing other things, but for now I’m gonna concentrate more on the business end of things and the creative stuff like the musical, the movies and the TV.

    You talk about the movie business and you had a part in From Hollywood To Dollywood, but we’ve not seen you in a movie since Joyful Noise, is acting something you’re likely to get back into?

    Well, only if I get good scripts. I’m not opposed to it. I’ve got a lot of things I’d like to do, but I do hope to do some more movies. I would like to do, as I mentioned, some TV things as well. Maybe some TV movies. If I get a great script for a movie, I’m certainly not opposed to do it. Always looking for a good script though!

    We’d like to know how it felt to perform to a staggering 100,000 people at Glastonbury at this point in your career?

    Well, there were a lot of people there. It was a sea of people, but to me I enjoyed it. It didn’t scare me. I’ve worked in front of a lot of people before – and that was a lot of people, but to me I look at those fans, and I just love them all. There can be 100,000 or 10,000 and I’ll just play to them all the same… But looking out, I have to say, at Glastonbury, it was more people than I’ve ever seen at one time. We had a really good time. They seemed to enjoy it. Got a lot of great, positive press, I was really shocked and surprised we did as well as we did! I wasn’t expecting anything other than just to go out and do my show, but it’s turned into something really special and it makes me feel real good that they accepted me that well.

    You’re about to go Platinum with your Cracker Barrel exclusive: An Evening With Dolly Parton, how does it feel to still be putting out a Platinum album?

    Well, you know, anything good that happens to me I’m just grateful for it. I don’t care how old I get. Any little award I get or any kind of acknowledgement, the fact that people still love my music, and the fact that I still want to do it. I always said that I’d still be doing my music, even if I had to sell it out the top of my car… So it makes me feel good, and my relationship with Cracker Barrel has been great. We make a great team.

    You said that the town tramp was a fashion inspiration for you, and you’ve been such a fashion icon for many people, what is it about the town tramp you like so much and are there any fashion icons today that you’re excited about?

    Well, I actually love anything that glitters and shines. I love a lot of colour and close fitting clothes. I always say I buy my clothes two sizes too small and then I have them taken in… I just love my clothes to fit me good and that was the thing about the town tramp – she had a lot of colour, a lot of flare. She showed her legs, she showed her boobs, she showed her waist line, she had her nails, she had her hair all piled up, she was just really beautiful – and that’s the way I felt inside. I’m not a natural beauty, so I have to kinda paint n’ powder and put it all on, so that the way I dress kinda fits the way I feel. I’ve always been very comfortable with that, it honestly is the truth that I patented my look after that, because I was impressed. To me that was what beauty was. And that just fits my style. and I still love the flare and the gaud.

    Did you ever keep in touch with the town tramp? Does she know how much she inspired you?

    Oh absolutely not. I knew her name, but I would never ever ever use it. I didn’t know if her folks knew that she was the town tramp! I don’t even know if she knew she was the town tramp! That’s just the way everybody saw her, she probably wasn’t a tramp! She may have been very much like me, just somebody who wanted to be more…

    They always say less is more, I always thought that was the biggest crock I ever heard. More is more, Less is less… (Laughs…) I want more!

    What did you think about all that nonsense about whether you were miming or not at Glastonbury?

    Oh you know what, every-time I go on tour I hear that. I just like people to come and watch what I do and then you tell me what you think… But they say that about every artist. I’m not getting into that. I’m there, I’m Dolly and I’m singing. Someone’s always gotta have something negative to say, so I just roll with the punches.

     

    You’ve been crossing over into pop for decades. How do you straddle the country music image where the media portrays them as this kind of conservative, right wing, anti-Obama, anti-abortion… Verses liberal left-wing Hollywood – how do you straddle that line and how do you suggest other artists to do the same?

    Well, I don’t usually get into any of the political stuff, I’ve been Dolly all the way through, people know who I am. They know that I’m very open and loving of all people. Accepting of all things. I’m an American girl, I’ve got the freedom to do whatever, and I’ve always been blessed with that. So I just write my songs, I just do my thing and say what I say and either people accept it or don’t. I’ve been around so long people just kinda think of me as a family member and I think they know I’m not out to do any harm, nor to get too political on anything. I’m just a living human being, trying to do the best I can.

     

  • Interview | Jonathan Lemieux: Dollar Survivalist

    Writer Chris Jones first came across this artist on Facebook, he was a friend of a friend on there and the posts sparked his curiosity. This guy survived on what we’d call pound store food and lived to write a best selling book on the subject – being a starving artist suddenly takes on a new aspect.

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  • INTERVIEW | Sergio Tovar Velarde

    Once in a blue moon we get to preview a movie that is so wonderfully refreshing that it blows our socks off and we feel the need to share it with you even before it is released.

    31-year-old Mexican/writer-director Sergio Tovar Velarde’s remarkable new film Four Moons chronicles four stories about love, heartbreak and self-acceptance. What makes them so unique in our gay culture that is often very ageist, is that he has chosen four different generations of gay men to tell his tales. There is a teenage schoolboy secretly attracted to his male cousin; two college students starting a new relationship that gets complicated when one of them insists on remaining closeted; a couple who put their relationship in jeopardy due to the arrival of another man; and an old man dazzled over a young male prostitute as he tries to raise the money to afford the experience.

    They are four differing kinds of love although each one is full of hope and the true value of accepting who you are, and Verlade gives each of these stories the ending they deserve, but not necessarily the ones that we would expect. His stance on these conflicts facing gay men of all generations is a sheer joy to watch, and a remarkable achievement from such a new (ish) filmmaker.

    We caught up with Sergio in Mexico City as he was preparing to leave for New York where the movie is about to open,  and we talked to him about love and life in general and Four Moons in particular.

    RWD: Why did you have this concept of covering four generations of gay men and their lives?

    STV: I had been looking for some time at different stories about how people deal with being gay and realised that whilst no two stories are the same, there are elements that are common to us all. Often when we talk about the LGBT community as a whole all the figures and statistics seem to eclipse these individual stories. I wanted to focus on just four of them dealing with both love and acceptance and the fear that accompanies that, and just how these men each evolve through their own journey. For example, back in the 1950’s in Mexico things were definitely more difficult for gay people and in the movie there is a retired married Professor who didn’t have a chance to live according to what he wanted.  Then at the other end of the scale there is a young schoolboy facing his future reality, plus a partnered couple who have already accepted it, and then two college chums who will accept it eventually.

    Every person has different tools and weapons to deal with what they are afraid of, so I think exploring them from different angles gives us more of an accurate description of what these stories mean. I think it is a matter of diversity because within the same gay community there can be big differences, so the way that I tried to approach the child is completely different than the way I approached the middle-aged characters.

    What motivated you to do a virtually unheard of concept of having a young gay guy’s story and that of an old gay guy in the same movie?

    I’ve been in all these situations. …(laugh)

    No, you haven’t, as you are not that old yet….

    But I’ve wanted to be (laugh). In a way, the stories work as a metaphor.  I have been in situations when I have not been young enough, or old enough, or hairy enough, or attractive enough, or handsome enough.  For many reasons, I believe that you do not have to be an older man to feel the connection with that character as anyone can feel less of a man because of lack of attractiveness. All my life I have never really fitted in and have felt quite awkward. I am too short, and I am chubby and hairy, but not quite enough to be a Bear. I’m a light-skinned Mexican guy, so I don’t even look like a typical Latino gay. In fact, I have felt unattractive my whole life, as I believe most of us do. I can easily relate to paying for a sexual experience even though I am not an old man like the Professor.  In a way his particular chapter was inspired by my own story because when I was first a filmmaker, and I had made a couple of films, I was trying to get a very handsome young man into bed by impressing him that I was a very important person, which is very much what the old Professor does.

    Did it work for you?

    No, but sometimes it does….(laugh). Everybody uses everything they have to get what they want. If you are not tall or handsome then you must try with what you have.  Sometimes it’s about intelligence; sometimes it’s about talent or often it’s just the magic of the surroundings.

    Was it an important element to you that each of the four stories end on such a positive note of hope?

    Yes, and that is why I chose ‘Four Moons’ as my title. The moon has a life cycle and resets every month, and then there is a new moon. When there is the moon it is the night and there is darkness.  For a very long time gay people had to be hiding in the dark otherwise they would have to bear too much pain and suffering, which I believe is not the way it should be. So pretty much the film has four different types of moon, and the last segment is the dawn where the sun is rising up again.  Even though they are still ‘dark’ places such as Uganda and Russia where life is really difficult for gay people I really believe that this is an evolving world that is allowing us to lead a better life. I believe this is a new era full of hope, and that the future is bright for all gay people, and is changing as it did so in the past for the black community and for women too. It’s important to me to say that good times are ahead and that we are approaching an era of better understanding, of better sympathy for each other, and a world where the small detail of who you go to bed will not matter anymore. I believe we are approaching the end of the night for gay people.

    Are any of the actual stories in the movie autobiographical?

    They all are! (laugh). When I was a kid I was very curious and was the kind of teenager who would look across the classroom wondering what my schoolmates would look like naked.  I was dying to know if they masturbated at all, and if they did what position did they take. I knew such thoughts were forbidden as I was raised as a Catholic and I was therefore totally convinced this was a sin, and I would have given anything in the world just to be ‘straight’.   At this point in my life when I look back to those days I realise that I was so stupid as now I wouldn’t give up being gay for anything.  But I still remember my childhood fear of being discovered was an unimaginable horror.

    Growing up in a Mexican suburb the fear of being ‘outed’ occupied my mind a great deal of my youth. I know there are still places in the world where young people are killing themselves because they feel it is impossible to be who they really are.  It’s too tough for them to deal with their own reality. I am an optimist but also a realist too.  One review of ‘Four Moons’ critiqued that its stories were neither current nor relevant because they judged it was about gay life back in the 1990’s, but they were wrong as it is still like this in very many places today. I hear stories even today of people who are still being kicked out of their homes by their parents for just being gay. Even on our Facebook page, there are lots of unpleasant homophobic comments from parents and rants from right-wing religious zealots from around the globe. However, the purpose of this film is to contribute not necessarily to the ongoing struggle for acceptance but more towards understanding who we are as people.

    Do you think of your stories as purely being about your own Mexican community or did you perceive them to reflect gay men everywhere?

    When you are making a film, or a piece of art, you have to try to be as honest as you can in order to be able to really connect with your audience. You bare your soul and open your heart in order to let everything out and when you act like an honest human being then others can relate to you, and that goes beyond our different races and cultures. All gay men are raised in straight societies … at least in our youth ….and discovering our sexuality is the same universally.

    Have you had different reactions at International Screenings of your movie?

    I had no concept about how other audiences outside of Mexico would react. When we first showed the movie in the US at the Opening Night of the Gay Film Festival in Fort Lauderdale, I was totally shocked. I had thought the audience would like it, but the reactions were overwhelming. The people next to me were crying their eyes out exactly like Mexican audiences, and I realised that maybe I had achieved my goal of being both local and universal. Being honest with my story really paid off.

    On a more personal level when I showed the movie to my father, it was like an illustrated confession. (laughs) I thought now my dad knows what I was really thinking about at school, and now he knows how I have sex.

    What was the most challenging aspect of making the movie?

    Working with the young actors, as one of them was just 12, and the other was 13 years old, and I had to talk to them about masturbation, circumcised penises, and innocent foreplay. I had to work a lot with them and earn their trust and it was important for me to treat them with respect as young adults. We shot their scenes with two cameras and with both sets of parents and a lawyer on the set which didn’t faze the young actors who were superb to work, and the result was really so beautiful and innocent and something I am so very proud of.

    A lot of the backers who were so eager to work with me after the success of my first two films withdrew their offers in a panic when they first saw the script. Having two teenage boys touch each and then having an old man pay a hooker for sex was just too much for them.   They said it was way too gay, and that they couldn’t be seen by their own families endorsing something that implied they approved of gay life styles, which I found very hurtful.

    What happens next?

    I’m off to New York for the opening at The Quad Cinema this week, and then the film is getting a general release in Mexico next February, and I’m not sure what to expect. Probably I am going to make a few new friends, but I will also lose a few old ones too, I really don’t know. It’s a film that I am proud of and which I needed to make, and am willing to face whatever comes.

  • INTERVIEW: Daniel Ribeiro: On The Way He Looks

    In 2011 a newbie 29 year-old Brazilian filmmaker Daniel Ribeiro showed his 3rd ever film ‘I Don’t Want To Go Back Alone’ at a Film Festival in Cardiff and won THE IRIS PRIZE, the most prestigious award in the world for a LGBT short film.

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  • INTERVIEW | Sassi Afrika, Refusing To Let Anything Hold Her Back

    If there was ever an award handed out for the most apt Drag Queen name, it would surely go to Sassi Afrika. Sassy in every sense of the word, Sassi Afrika is lively, bold and full of mischief. However, there’s another side to Sassi. She has a heart of gold and does a lot for charity. She also lives with disability and is a champion for people who refuse to let their disability hold them back from achieving their dreams. With a new album coming out and a message to spread, I sat down for a cuppa and a natter with this one of a kind Queen.

    DB: Sassi, you claim to have landed on Earth in 2013. What’s the reaction to your arrival been like?
    SA: Oh it’s been outstanding, honey. I’m so grateful to have been accepted by the people of Earth. Really I’m just a simple girl from Sassimus Prime, but I came here seeking fame and fortune, and it’s happening. I’m the modern day Madonna.

    DB: You’ve been performing at Pride festivals and earlier this year were named as one of the judges of Warwickshire Pride’s Got Talent. What is it about LGBT events that you love so much?
    SA: I just love the gays! I also heard that Warwickshire is full of them, so had to make it my destination. To be on the judging panel of Warwickshire Pride’s Got Talent is an absolute honour. Being a woman of many talents, it’s fabulous to be able to pass on my pearls of wisdom to others seeking fame and fortune. Performing at Pride events is always so much fun as I can be as Sassi as I like. And like I said, I just love the gays!

    DB: Your debut album, Shockaholic, is being released at the end of November. What can we expect from it?
    SA: It is shocking, believe me. You can expect lots of upbeat songs, dance tracks, and even a bit of hip-hop. Sassi sings, Sassi raps, and Sassi knows how to work it! I’m very proud of this album. I can feel a Grammy coming on.

    DB: And it’s for charity, right?
    SA: Yes that is right. Sassi likes to give back. As I love the gays, I have chosen to donate all of the proceeds from Shockaholic to Push Projects LGBTQ Youth Support charity. They do amazing work with young people and I am like their fairy godmother. So buy my album. It’s all for a good cause.

    DB: Aside from being a diva, you do a lot for charity and champion a number of good causes….
    SA: I do, darling. It keeps me grounded. I firmly believe in helping others if in a position to do so. I work with young people struggling with their sexuality, I volunteer for numerous charity events, and I also try to be a beacon of hope for people like me.

    It’s no secret that I have disabilities, but I have never allowed them to hold me back. I’m no different to anyone else, apart from being more Sassi obviously, and I am here to show that despite being disabled I can get out there, work it, and do the things I want to do. We should all do that.

    DB: What’s in store for Sassi Afrika in 2015?
    SA: Well 2015 is looking very Sassi indeed! I can exclusively reveal that I will be returning to the Warwickshire Pride’s Got Talent judging panel, which I am excited about. No doubt I’ll do a Cheryl Fernandez-Thingy and perform too; except I sing live. Then I will be appearing at various Pride festivals and other events. I’d like to go on a Sassi tour to promote my album, but as a woman in demand I’m not sure I’ll fit it in. In 2015 I’d also like to cement my status as a fashion icon and muse to the designers. I’m just waiting for Donatella to call me back. If you’re reading this, ring me babes. There’s so much happening in 2015. Like Cleopatra, Sassi’s comin’ atcha!

    Sassi Afrika’s debut album ‘Shockaholic’ is out on Monday 24th November. Check out her Bandcamp page to get your copy. You can also delve into the Sassi world at www.sassiafrika.moonfruit.com or tweet her @SassiAfrika.

  • Michael Lucas The King Of Porn Turns His Lens On A New View

    Michael Lucas The King Of Porn Turns His Lens On A New View

    You may know him as the King Of Porn, having built up an empire called Lucas Entertainment. Russian born, Israeli by parentage and American by heart Michael Lucas is in the midst of a rebrand. King of the documentary. We catch up with Mr. Lucas to talk about what’s on his mind and the power of the camera.

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  • Spotlight: Ben Haenow From X Factor 2014

    We spy with our little eyes something beginning with hot X Factor contestant Ben, but sorry boys he’s spoken for!

    The 29-year-old van driver from Croydon has certainly made an impact with audiences and has proved very popular with the judges and impressed them all with his version of Wild Horses. Ben used to be in a band with his brother called “The Lost Audio”. He is a long term relationship and nearly proposed to his girlfriend at the arena auditions.

    So what does it feel like to be through to the lives?

    “I can’t believe it. I wasn’t happy with my performance and everyone else was so good. To be the last one to be sent through, as well. It felt like I was waiting for a year”

    What did you feel about the makeovers?

    “I’m excited about it. I’m not sure I want highlights or blue ends but I’m definitely willing to have a bit of a trim. I’ve never been styled, I’ve never had that before.”

    What is your dream duet?

    “All my heroes are dead, man! Robert Plant, from Led Zep. If I could have a dead one it’d be Otis Reading. The guy has an amazing voice.”

    And what about your van days?

    “I might buy one for leisure purposes!”

  • INTERVIEW | David Allison

    For those of you who don’t know David Allison, he’s a high flyer, literally as he works for one of the top airlines, he’s a social media personality, making people laugh on both Facebook and Twitter, and he’s also a fundraiser. Every other year he takes part in a fundraising cycle ride over in the States to raise both awareness and much needed funds for AIDS research and support and has fun and lycra chaffing to prove it. As he prepares for the upcoming 2015 event, I managed to catch up with him to find out more about the event, and his fundraising to date:

    How and when did you become involved?
    A friend of mine put a link on Facebook for sponsorship back in 2010. I donated to his fundraising and followed it up with a message to wish him luck. Following that conversation he asked me “why don’t you do it too?”. I gave it some serious thought for a few days and thought ‘why not?!’ I had to change around some annual leave at work and once that was in place I simply signed up. Now I find myself training for my 3rd AIDS LifeCycle. My aim is to do it every other year due to the logistics and time off required. So far I’ve done 2011, 2013 and now training for 2015. Next year’s ride will be even more special as I’ve now been certified as a Training Ride Leader by ALC.

    From all the charities out there, why this one?
    Being a gay man (not that I am restricting those affected by HIV to one group or another) I have friends that are either directly affected by HIV or involved in Fundraising for HIV charities. No matter who it affects, it is a worth while cause. We have to make a difference in the world however we can. There are many charities, many fundraising efforts and many heroes. We each have to do our bit to help. We should all strive to be the best version of ourselves and share the love.

    How do you prepare for this event?
    My first year I didn’t even own a bike! Once I had all the necessary equipment I just began cycling as much as I could fit into my week, my month, my year. Someone once told me “do a LOT of hill training” and oh how right they were. Some of these hills (I’m tempted to say “mountains”) even have names such as ’The Evil Twins’ and ‘Quadbuster’… I rest my case.

    Because of my job and the fact I don’t always have access to a bike I utilise whatever I can to train. This usually meant lots of training in hotel gyms. I do recall spending 8 hours on a hotel gym bike once; I had a bag of food and bottles of water/sports drinks and I just got peddling whilst everyone else was sunning themselves by the pool. It was so un-glam, but by the end I had buns of steel so firm you could break a diamond on them.

    I also own a ‘Turbo Trainer’ which allows me to attach my own bike to a prop which has a roller on the back, essentially allowing me to train on my own bike at home. The great thing about this is you can train indoors when the weather isn’t so great, watch TV and get your backside accustomed to your saddle, which trust me, NEEDS to happen.

    Talk us through some of the things that happen along the road – and keep it clean, or not!
    Being a fully supported ride there are scheduled rest stops and water stops every so many miles. Each and every stop has a theme, Roadies dress up, food and water stands are decorated and there is just a general theme of fun and hilarity. You’ll even find interesting things to read in the portaloos! At certain points of the ride there will be entertainment; again provided by the roadies. It’s simple touches like this that can keep your spirits elevated.

    One of the most motivating things apart from roadies and fellow cyclists have to be random strangers cheering you on at any given time; the toot of a horn, the ring of a bell or even a whole school of children coming out to cheer you on are real energisers.

    My favourite day has to be ‘Red Dress day’ for a number of reasons; firstly because we get to dress up and secondly because it’s the shortest day at only 42 miles. This day was originally called ‘Dress Red day” but you know what happens when you get a bunch of gay guys and gals together! The purpose of this day was to emulate a huge AIDS ribbon cycling the route.

    Camping can bring about some interesting stories I’m sure, personally I’m too exhausted to think about anything other than having a shower, eating and getting to bed. You’ve not lived until you’ve had a shower in a truck specifically designed for the purpose!

    Each night in camp after you’ve joined the line for food (which is served to you by more awesome roadies) there are speeches, videos and pictures. Each night you are reminded of the day you’ve just completed, whether that be pictures taken by riders or video interviews of the people you are helping with your fundraising or sometimes even a musical guest or two. There are guaranteed to be laughs, tears and some heartwarming stories. Then it’s time for a hot chocolate and to hit the sack. I usually get up at 5am each morning and am on the road by about 6am ready to spend around 10 hours in the saddle. Trust me when I say that I make up for all these early nights and good behaviour when I get to LA as it’s Pride the day after the finish *insert cheeky grin*.

    What’s the atmosphere like on this race? Who does it attract in terms of other participants?
    Firstly it’s not a race, don’t get me wrong there are some competitive people out there but for many it’s just a chance to be able to make a difference and cycle all 545 miles. As far as the demographic I can honestly say the AIDS LifeCycle attracts every single creed, colour, sexual orientation, size and fitness capability. It’s like a rainbow flag of people, every colour and each one as bright and as beautiful as the last.

    What experiences have you had along the road?
    Each year the town of Bradley (population 120) parks their school bus on the outskirts of the town welcoming riders. When you cycle into Bradley there is a huge sense of love and community. They have a BBQ stand selling burgers to riders to raise money for their school and the children wearing official ALC T-shirts. It makes you think if a small town like this can be accepting of this cause then why can’t others?

    When people said to me that this ride would be life changing, they were right. Apart from fellow cyclists, the ride gives you the most amazing time for reflection. You are quite often riding roads that are simply in the middle of nowhere, facing the most mountainous of hills, breathtaking of views or just your own thoughts. It is a great opportunity for thinking about the way you live your life, the people you’re helping or how you can do things better. This ride literally fills you up with love for the human spirit. This reflection culminates in camp on the last night. After dinner there is a candlelight vigil on the beach. As Sofia from The Golden Girls would say “picture it…” 2000 people, each holding a candle yet sitting in silence. It can put you at peace, make you cry or just be happy to be alive and marvel in the accomplishment of your week. It is without doubt one of the most spiritual experiences; so much so I believe it fills you with energy for the last day. I don’t know where it comes from but the energy I feel when cycling those last few miles to the finish line is purely electric.

    The single most memorable moment of my two ALC rides has to be last year when my Mum surprised me at the finish line. Bearing in mind the longest flight she has ever done would be around 4 hours; to have her there cheering me on was just immeasurable. Thankfully someone took at video of it as it all happened so fast. I have always been fortunate to have my American friends and work colleagues at the finish but to have her there was just awesome… and yes… there were tears.

    And finally, where can we donate?
    You can donate directly to my fundraising efforts here www.tofighthiv.org/goto/davidallison and may I say a huge thank you in advance.

    Previously I’ve blogged en route but this time around I’m going to do it in video format via Instagram, if you’d like to follow along you can do so here www.instagram.com/dfa73

    What can I say? This guy is an inspiration – to take to two wheels and cycle this distance, raise funds for charity and also have fun doing it with a bunch of like minded individuals is one heck of a feat. The images David provided from previous events shows that this is hard work – but that everyone pulls together to make it an event to remember for these taking part, and that it raises as much as possible for these worthwhile causes.

    If you can, donate – and follow David on his Instagram feed, following the link above.

    For those of us who haven’t heard of Aids Lifecycle, can you give us some background

    (Taken directly from the ALC website) “AIDS/LifeCycle is a fully supported, 7-day bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise money and awareness in the fight against HIV/AIDS. AIDS/LifeCycle 2015 will take place May 31st through June 6th, 2015. Every year, this landmark ride through beautiful California delivers a life-changing experience for thousands of participants from all backgrounds and fitness levels united by a common desire to do something heroic.”

    ALC usually has around 2000 participants and around 500-600 Roadies who support the cyclists and the team. Collectively this year’s ride raised over $15million USD. Each participant commits to raising $3000; this money goes directly to the charities (San Francisco AIDS foundation and LA LGBT Centre). Costs such as flights, hotels pre/post ride etc are paid for by the individual rider. That said, through the week we are fully taken care of by the ALC team; we camp in tents which are provided by ALC as are food, hydration, medical professionals, bike technicians to name a few. ALC is such a massive undertaking each year; I sometimes think the cyclists have the easy job because as you’re cycling or getting ready to ride there are a team of Roadie’s getting up earlier to serve breakfast or setting up that next rest stop. While you’re riding the whole ‘village’ is being transported to the next camp.

    Both the San Francisco AIDS foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Centre provide numerous services such as testing, support, education, research and nutritional advice etc. These centres are a lifeline for many, many people who ordinarily wouldn’t have access to help. These organisations make a huge difference in people’s lives and in some cases it literally saves them.

    You can find a ton of information about the ride at www.aidslifecycle.org