In the olden days (I’m talking about G-A-Y at the Astoria), when I used to go out as an excitable newbie gay and was able to wear stomach revealing tees, Pop music was my haven.
Pop music of the late 90s and early 2000s seemed to know my man loving ways and was only to happy to deliver thumping after thumping hit for me to perform my little camp heart out on the sticky floors of that old, fondly missed haunt.
1) Geri Halliwell, the official gift to gay men delivered ‘Lift Me Up’ / ‘Look At Me’ / ‘Bag It Up’. No list of coming out songs is complete without one Ginger song and she’s given us at least 3. Geri’s debut solo album Schizo-Phonic offered up a plethora of camptastic tunes. I still put on ‘Bag It Up’ from time to time and it still makes me jig. Yes, I said ‘jig’ and I’m owning it.
2) ‘Get This Party Started’, When Pink slammed onto the scene with this song it almost became a homo chant. “I’m coming out, so you better get this party started’. Its place in the annals of gay culture was cemented when the Dame of Bassey made her almost definitive version of the classic for that M&S advert.
3) ‘One Day In Your Life’, at the height of Anastacia’s greatness the ab’d goddess with the huge voice was churning out stompers like nobody’s business. ‘One Day In Your Life’ has such a seriously strong chorus that it has become one of my all-time club classics.
4) ‘I Am What I Am’, The Dame of Bassey (Shirley Bassey). Ok, this isn’t one that featured much in the clubs – but sexuality affirmed men (and some who are yet to discover their true selves) with feather boas across the nation kick out their legs in unison whenever this track is played. It is against the law not to do some kind of jazz hand whilst this is playing – fact.
5) ‘Can’t Take That Away’, just before the true madness of Mariah Carey was unleashed upon the world, the stratospheric octaved diva delivered probably her most camp, dramatic and butterfly filled song ever – with a ‘love and respect’ yourself theme, what self-respecting gay can’t listen to this with a tear in his eye and a knowing in his heart?
6) Britney was on fire (and had a full head of hair) at the beginning of the noughties and ‘Stronger’ was a killer track. Pre ‘Madonna kiss’ post ‘I’m a naughty school girl’ – Brit knew the way forward was her gays.
7) ‘It’s Raining Men’ is a track, which just needs to feature on this list. It’s a floor filler. Geri’s is okay, but you can’t beat the original Weather Girls’ version, it only counts if you clap in the right place – those who miss the double clap HANG YOUR HEAD IN SHAME.
8) Remember Holly Valance, that Neighbours’ star turned pop princess? Vaguely? Well, she burst onto the scene with a seriously sexy number ‘Kiss Kiss’, which I remember making an impact – in my bedroom, but that’s not for here!
9) ‘Beautiful’, by XTina featured a rather hot gay couple in the video – which gets my vote and the song, has a gooey, lovey vibe, which makes me feel my most beautiful.
10) ‘I’m Coming Out’, Diana Ross sang this song either with full knowledge of the gay anthem she was about to create or in complete naivety. It features one of the longest introductions in the world, but lyrically this song has to come in at number 1. It says what it does on the tin (if it had a tin).
In the olden days (I’m talking about G-A-Y at the Astoria), when I used to go out as an excitable newbie gay and was able to wear stomach revealing tees, Pop music was my haven.
Pop music of the late 90s and early 2000s seemed to know my man loving ways and was only to happy to deliver thumping after thumping hit for me to perform my little camp heart out on the sticky floors of that old, fondly missed haunt.
1) Geri, the official gift to gay men delivered ‘Lift Me Up’ / ‘Look At Me’ / ‘Bag It Up’. No list of coming out songs is complete without one Ginger song and she’s given us at least 3. Geri’s debut solo album Schizo-Phonic offered up a plethora of camptastic tunes. I still put on ‘Bag It Up’ from time to time and it still makes me jig. Yes I said ‘jig’ and I’m owning it.
2) ‘Get This Party Started‘, When Pink slammed onto the scene with this song it almost became a homo chant. “I’m coming out, so you better get this party started’. Its place in the annals of gay culture was cemented when the Dame of Bassey made her almost definitive version of the classic for that M&S advert.
3) ‘One Day In Your Life’, at the height of Anastacia’s greatness the ab’d goddess with the huge voice was churning out stompers like nobody’s business. ‘One Day In Your Life’ has such a seriously strong chorus that it has become one of my all time club classics.
4) ‘I Am What I Am’, The Dame of Bassey (Shirley Bassey). Ok, this isn’t one that featured much in the clubs – but sexuality affirmed men (and some who are yet to discover their true selves) with feather boas across the nation kick out their legs in unison whenever this track is played. It is against the law not to do some kind of jazz hand whilst this is playing – fact.
5) ‘Can’t Take That Away’, just before the true madness of Mariah Carey was unleashed upon the world, the stratospheric octaved diva delivered probably her most camp, dramatic and butterfly filled song ever – with a ‘love and respect’ yourself theme, what self-respecting gay can’t listen to this with a tear in his eye and a knowing in his heart?
6) Britney was on fire (and had a full head of hair) at the beginning of the noughties and ‘Stronger’ was a killer track. Pre ‘Madonna kiss’ post ‘I’m a naughty school girl’ – Brit knew the way forward was her gays.
7) ‘It’s Raining Men’ is a track, which just needs to feature on this list. It’s a floor filler. Geri’s is okay, but you can’t beat the original Weather Girls’ version, it only counts if you clap in the right place – those who miss the double clap HANG YOUR HEAD IN SHAME.
8) Remember Holly Valance, that Neighbours star turned pop princess? Vaguely? Well, she burst onto the scene with a seriously sexy number ‘Kiss Kiss’, which I remember making an impact – in my bedroom, but that’s not for here!
9) ‘Beautiful’, by XTina featured a rather hot gay couple in the video – which gets my vote and the song, has a gooey, lovey vibe, which makes me feel my most beautiful.
10) ‘I’m Coming Out’, Diana Ross sang this song either with full knowledge of the gay anthem she was about to create or in complete naivety. It features one of the longest introductions in the world, but lyrically this song has to come in at number 1. It says what it does on the tin (if it had a tin).
I’m brimming with excitement. Anastacia and I are booked in for tea and ity bitty sandwiches at the Savoy Hotel. Immediately as I enter the quaint room, (it even has a dado rail and two sets of different off cream wallpaper) I feel slightly underdressed in my jeans and high backs.
CREDIT: Bryan Adams
I am though, wearing a shirt and it’s freshly pressed. She grabs me and says, “I’m glad someone is keeping it real with their clothing” and laughs as she looks at her own attire of a see-through black lace bodice and biker jeans with a set of killer heals. She looks incredible, it has to be said, and at 47, she looks as fresh as she did in the Outta Love days. Her laugh is naughty. Her honesty is refreshing as we talk botox and Simon Cowell, and her love of drag queens puts her at icon status level 1. We settle, teacups in hand with little pinkies out…
JH: I’m boiling with excitement…
A: Yay! Oh my god, well that makes two of us. It’s lovely to be back and talking about new music…
JH: Yes I hear you’re back with Sony?
A: Yes I am back…
JH: With a vengeance this time?
A: You know what, I’m back as if I never left. It feels like I never left the company. There was never animosity with me leaving, I actually left out of a very strange thing called loyalty, I left out of being loyal to the gentleman who signed me. Not the typical reason to leave a ridiculously thriving career at the top of your game. Not the best scenario. It’s not going to be something I tell all my younger singers to do in their life, but sometimes I can be loyal to a fault and it steers me in different direction. I know their (Sony’s) feelings were hurt because it’s not like they didn’t work their butts off…
JH: But they still sent the royalty cheques though?
A: Yes, but that was a hard thing to lose for them. They worked really hard. It was just unconventional, but I don’t think anything in my life has been supernormal. My story will be so like, What’s Love Got To Do With it? I mean I have a good story…
JH: Are you going to give Tina Turner a run for her money?
A: Oh my god, wouldn’t that be cute? I put myself in that category jokingly of course, but it’s something I’ve thought about in my life. I still feel I’m too young to want to go there with that kind of movie of my life. I could write a book that could become a movie for sure.
JH: As long as you don’t have that hideous scene when Tina is forced to record Nutbush City Limits over and over again…
A: I don’t have that scene, but I’ve got some good scenes! (Laughs). I think we all, as artists, have our own story.
JH: Would you play you in the movie?
A: Never, I would never destroy the movie like that!
JH: So who would be the person?
A: That’s a good question… Oh gosh…
JH: Is Jennifer Anniston too conventional? You’ve kind of have a similar look going on…
A: Yah!
JH: Would you have to dub the vocals in?
A: I dunno man, I’ve never heard her on the karaoke, so she could really blow you away. She could rock out to one of my songs and I’d be real surprised. I would see Jennifer Anniston possibly playing me in the current stage… Yah, she could play current me. Younger me could be Emma Roberts. She’s sorta has the humour, but she has the serious and emotional. Not that she looks anything like me, but I’d like to look like her. I’d like to pick the person I’d like to look like. Do I have to look like myself in my movie?
JH: They have to look like you; you’re the famous one!
A: Oh come on… It’s my movie, this is my movie, I can pick what I want! (Laughs)
JH: Are you a fan of the X Factor juggernaut – considering its artists are also homed at Sony?
A: I’ve always loved it. My own career got discovered off something that was before Idol. It was an MTV show called The Cut. Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez was the host. It was the artist singing their own material, not cover songs, so it was a hard swallow for the public, because people didn’t know your material. The song that I was singing was Not That Kind, it’s a song that inspired people. I wrote it and I could sing it well. My look was so different that it just worked. I know the machine of a show like that and what it can do for people’s careers. I’ve seen what his (Simon Cowell’s) show has done for a lot of the winners and some of the people who didn’t win! It still is an entertainment show at the end of the day, we all know this, but there is talent within the entertainment as well. (X Factor) is a brilliant idea, who knows why it didn’t quite fly in America, but I can say the same about my career! (Laughs) I don’t really happen in America so Simon and me have a lot in common, little did you know!
JH: The rest of the World loves you… so it doesn’t matter really right?
A: Hello the World is big!
JH: The World is massive!
A: Right and I think Americans forget that.
JH: If you were going to be contestant on X Factor today, what song would you choose to audition with?
A: Maybe Left Out Side Alone because there’s such a different range of where I go with that, from operatic to low voice to belting and it’s really catchy. It’s a very difficult song to master, vocally. I think the most popular one on X Factor is I’m Outta Love. Simon has said (to me), “I frickin hate your song!” Not serious but in jest. He’s like, “please don’t sing Anastacia, it’s like killing it”. It’s the same with Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and Patti La Belle if you really wanna go with a shocker song, you really gotta come with it honey.
JH: There is the saying, ‘don’t sing Mariah Carey unless you’re Mariah Carey…’
A: Yah, she does such a unique thing with her voice. Now, I will say that when Leona (Lewis) came out there I was like, “I can’t be mad with her if she sang any Mariah Carey” ever.
JH: But her albums didn’t sell after the first…
A: The X Factor has that extra added value of an audience that can make them fall in love with you in editing. Even though Leona’s voice is amazing you still have to have a great song to make it on radio, you can’t just have a great voice.
JH: Talking about amazing songs, it has to be said that I’m Outta Love was literally made for drag queens…
A: Oh my god… I agree. It’s just the worst because I realise how short my legs are every single time a beautiful drag queen does it. Their legs couldn’t be anymore gorgeous and long and fabulous – even if they’re drawing in their cleavage, it’s beyond beautiful. Now my cleavage is actually better than theirs, because I got my twinset – so they can’t compete with my little frickin’ twinset. I’m super honoured.
JH: I once saw a queen doing I’m Outta Love and I actually thought it was you…
A: (Laughs)
JH: She was AMAZING, she had this hairpiece that she whipped off, she had a skirt that she ripped off, she was strutting around the stage.
A: I’m so jealous. You don’t realise you have a gimmick until someone makes light of you – you’re then like, “oh my god I’ve made it, I’m quirky enough!” (Laughs) Things I thought looked whack – they love it.
JH: So you’re a fan of drag then?
A: Oh absolutely, always have been and let me just tell you, my Mother’s 70th birthday: drags… I had drags at her 70th birthday. I had Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland – all the people my mum would have loved to be in a room with and hang out with. And me (laughs) – somebody played me.
JH: You had your own drag queen come to your mother’s 70th birthday?
A: It was a total surprise. Michelle Visage got me some really great ones from Ru’s show. When I say I love a drag I’m not lying! I’ve known Michelle since we were like in our early early twenties in New York.
JH: A duet between you two?
A: OH MY GOD that could totally happen –that is something we have talked about… definitely. She my little Madonna.
JH: We will be all over that…
A: We would do a song and make all the money go to a HIV /AIDS charity – that is just something we would do! We would put it out not make a penny on it. I’d make sure we did a Pride Tour. That would just be fun. She could be my hostess and I could be up there just singing my ass off. I would have some drag queens up there. You’ll know who I am because I’m about 2 feet tall. That’s the unfortunate part – you’ll be like, “Oh, (sad face) I thought she’d look like him!”
JH: If you could put something from pop history into room 101 which would it be.. Miley’s tongue? Madonna’s Cape? Lenny Kravitz’s leather trousers?
A: Oh Lenny Kravitz. I’m sorry but that one eyed monster came out and I was like WHATTTTTT! I was so excited; I mean for him, I don’t know how he feels…
JH: He trended for days…
A: I mean the picture was so brilliant you couldn’t pose better for it. He was in his element and he was freein’ willy and it was awesome. I was so in love with him at that moment, he gave me a boner- and I don’t even know how to have one so.
JH: He gave you a lady boner?
A: He did – he gave me – what’s a lady boner – a loner! (Laughs) He gave me a loner… Oh my gawd.
JH: What’s the best way to get back on a cheating lover? Drink lots of red wine, put I’m Outta Love on and eat lots of ice cream? Take scissor to all of his clothes? Take yourself off to a retreat, dress in hemp, put on lots of beads and meditate for a month?
A: I think logically I would more do the meditation. If I wanted to be honest in my real life, truthfully, I never mention anyone’s names but I write songs to get through my relationships. That’s probably why people enjoyed my music, because there was a such a literal level of honesty cutting through each lyric. So I would say, number 1, but spiritually I’m a number 3.
JH: One Day In Your Life should have been a number 1 worldwide – it was THE TUNE… Why wasn’t it? Discuss!
A: My thoughts would be is that I was hard to out do I’m Outta Love, and it was really close. It was a strong reminder and I think if anyone else did it, it might not have even gone that far, but because I did it, it was reminiscent. If people had a choice, they’d have chosen I’m Outta Love, over One Day In Your Life. JH: I just don’t think they heard it enough!
A: I really like that song, it’s definitely a song that I don’t do at the beginning of my set for sure…
JH: You don’t want to give it away too soon!
A: Exactly…
JH: Which was the album that was the most fun and releasing for you to write?
A: Definitely Resurrection. I think the one I learned the most from was my covers album, It’s A Man’s World. I did only men’s classic rock songs like ACDC and Led Zeppelin. I did that for me, not necessarily for the factor that it would sell. I just needed to find myself again, it was the most engaged I’ve been in discovering music. When you’re trying to sing those songs my god, you pay homage, you’re like “I’m not worthy”. I was just able to come back to a place where, once I wrote my next project, which was Resurrection, I understood everything. I really loved writing Resurrection; there was real joy in it. I think the older you get you really understand music writing and lyrics and radio.
JH: Which of your songs has surprised you?
A: Paid My Dues, I didn’t think anybody wanted to hear about me being punched in the face but ohhhhh yeah they did!
2004 was an amazing year for music… These are the 12 songs you were probably totally dancing your tits off to in G-A-Y.
Sponsored by
Eric PrydzCall On Me
Why You Dance Your Tits Off To It:
Its over compress drum and bassline and that video just made you believe you could stretch and tone in a leotard. AnastaciaLeft Outside Alone
Why You Dance Your Tits Off To It:
Stop being so basic. It’s Anastacia. That’s why.
KelisMilkshake
Why You Dance Your Tits Off To It:
That bassline just made you move in ways that made your mother cry.
Destiny’s Child Lose My Breath
Why You Dance Your Tits Off To It:
This song’s drum beat literally made it the law to march in time.
Britney SpearsToxic
Why You Dance Your Tits Off To It:
Any reason to pretend you’re an air stewardess. Honestly what other reason do you need?
KelisTrick Me
Why You Dance Your Tits Off To It:
Just made you wanna do the nasty. Giving it sass all the way.
Christina MilianDip It Low
Why You Dance Your Tits Off To It:
Why don’t they make music like this anymore…. Why?
Christina Aguilera featuring Missy ElliottCarwash
Why You Dance Your Tits Off To It:
We were being post-modern, sort of…
Natasha BeddingfieldSingle
Why You Dance Your Tits Off To It:
Because…
Victoria BeckhamThis Groove
Why You Dance Your Tits Off To It:
Victoria threatened that this would be her last solo single. If it didn’t do well she’d never release another. So we dance like it was our last night on earth.
Britney SpearsMy Pergorative
Why You Dance Your Tits Off To It:
Britney suddenly got real.
Michelle McManusAll This Time
Why You Dance Your Tits Off To It:
It wasn’t actually Michelle we were listening to. It was Titti La Camp
Lenny Kravitz gave global superstar Anastacia tingles when his trousers split during a concert revealing his penis earlier this year.
Speaking in the latest issue of THEGAYUK, Anastacia, 47, revealed that Lenny Kravitz’s trousers split during a concert gave her lady boner.
She said,
“I’m sorry but that one eyed monster came out and I was like WHATTTTTT! I was so excited,
“I mean the picture was so brilliant you couldn’t pose better for it. He was in his element and he was freein’ willy and it was awesome.
Lenny Kravitz was the victim of a costume failure earlier this year. The moment was captured by a fan and tweeted which caused the singer to trend worldwide for days after.
Anastacia, who is currently promoting her latest Ultimate Collection album continued:
“I was so in love with him at that moment, he gave me a boner- and I don’t even know how to have one so.
“He gave me – what’s a lady boner – a loner! (Laughs) He gave me a loner… Oh my gawd.
Anastacia has revealed that she had Michelle Visage pimp out drag queens for her mother’s 70th birthday.
In an interview with THEGAYUK, rock diva Anastacia revealed how she had drag queens take over her mother’s 70th birthday and with the help of her gal pal and Ru Paul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage, she managed to hire a bunch of drag gay icons to appear including Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland.
She said,
“I had drags at her 70th birthday. I had Barbra Streisand, Judy garland – all the people my mum would have loved to be in a room with and hang out with.”
“It was a total surprise. Michelle Visage got me some really great ones from Ru’s show. I must say I’m pulling out names right now but I when I say I love a drag I’m not lying.”
Anastacia also revealed that she’d be up for a duet with Michelle Visage saying,
“Oh MY GOD that could totally happen –that is something we have talked about… definitely. She my little Madonna.”
The entire Anastacia Interview with THEGAYUK will be out Mid-November
Pop goddess Anastacia has revealed that she’d be open to a duet with Michelle Visage.
Get ready for the campest thing since Geri Halliwell’s single G-A-Y.
In an exclusive interview (out mid-November) with THEGAYUK, I’m Outta Love singer Anastacia has revealed that she would be up for a duet with Celebrity Big Brother star Michelle Visage. Speaking about their relationship Anastacia said,
“I’ve known Michelle since we were like in our early early twenties in New York!”
And when asked about the possibilty of a single released together she went on to say,
“That is something we have talked about… definitely. She my little Madonna.”
She went on to say,
“What I see us doing – we would do a song and make all the money go to a HIV /AIDS charity – that is just something we would do!
“We would put it out not make a penny on it. I’d make sure we did a Pride Tour.
“That would just be fun. She could be my hostess and I could be up there just singing my ass off. I would have some drag queens up there too!”
Anastacia is gearing up for the release of her ultimate collection with the release of her version of Christina Aguilera’s Army Of Me.
Pop legend Anastacia has unveiled the latest track taken from her forthcoming ‘Ultimate Collection’, a cover of Christina Aguilera’s ‘Army Of Me’. Army Of Me appeared on Xtina’s 2012 album Lotus.
This follows her new single ‘Take This Chance’, also taken from the album, out November 6th.
Anastacia will perform at London’s Heaven this Saturday 31st October.
Looking fierce and hotter than ever Anastacia has released the artwork and tracklisting of her ultimate hits album, due out in November.
Pop legend Anastacia – the mega voice behind massive hits including I’m Outta Love and Left Outside Alone – has released her brand new single Take This Chance. The track is taken from her forthcoming album ‘Ultimate Collection’ out November 6th.
In a recent interview with THEGAYUK out in November, Anastacia revealed she would be playing a gay venue in London – and will announce the date shortly.
1. I’m Outta Love
2. Left Outside Alone
3. Sick and Tired
4. Paid My Dues
5. Stupid Little Things
6. Not That Kind
7. Everything Burns with Ben Moody
8. Welcome To My Truth
9. You’ll Never Be Alone
10. Pieces Of A Dream
11. Best Of You
12. Heavy On My Heart
13. One Day In Your Life
14. Cowboys & Kisses
15. Why’d You Lie To Me
16. Love Is A Crime
17. I Belong to You (El Ritmo de la Pasion) with Eros Ramazzotti
18. Army Of Me
19. Take This Chance
We’re so excited… the woman with the HUGE ICONIC voice is back for her Ultimate collection which is out in October.
She’s sold 30 million records world-wide, most of them to drag queens. If you’ve not yet seen a drag queen take off I’m Outta Love, you’ve basically not lived.
2015 has been a huge year for Anastacia so far; she is currently performing on her 80-date ‘Resurrection’ World Tour.
Speaking about the forthcoming release Anastacia said,
“I feel so blessed and humbled to be experiencing this exciting next chapter of my life. The idea for my ‘Ultimate Collection’ is to include something for everyone. I’m eternally grateful to be reunited with Sony, the record label that made all of this possible from day one. 15 years later I’m back, I’m home and I couldn’t be happier”.
