hardyzine.com/2017/07/04/tea-with-the-queen-part-two/Tea with the Queen: PART TWO
If you’ve already picked up a copy of HARDY Vol. 2 “We Are Family,” then by now you’ve sipped some tea with Adam Lambert, in Joey Gray’s candid chat about everything from coming out, to gay bars, drag, and chosen family.
PART TWO continues right here:
JG: What advice would you give to a queer creative person just coming of age?
AL: If you’re a young person reading this, challenge yourself to do research. It’s interesting, it’s cool—you’ll end up discovering old film icons, or diving into older music, and then you’ll hear something that makes you go, “Oh wait, so-and-so is totally doing that!” There is so much referencing that people don’t even know about or realize. Challenge yourself to explore music and film from the past! It will make your art so much stronger.
Right, know your references! At DragCon this year, Bob the Drag Queen–
–I love Bob!
OMG, I know! He was talking about how drag queens went from referencing Judy, Barbra, Cher, Madonna or Gaga to now being the ones who are referenced. I mean, just think about the influence Raven’s makeup has had.
I think it’s kind of the same thing, say, with Gaga: she’s referencing Madonna [who was referencing Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrich, and Mae West] but the kids are referencing Gaga. So, it’s just about tracing the line back and connecting the dots to the original reference, and making sure that it’s being recognized and appreciated.
It’s tricky because you can get into hot water as an artist if you straight up say: “I’m referencing so-and-so.” Then all of a sudden you’re considered a copycat. Funny thing is, as long as you don’t fess up, there are a lot of people who won’t catch it. But is it better to just admit it? I don’t know. The art of drag in bars is all in the lip sync, or at least that’s what it’s been for so long. They’re performing somebody else’s song. It’s all imitation. But, the real fierce queens who have figured out how to be ironic with it, or how to cut up a fucking batshit medley, or these queens who sort of turn something on its ear—that’s the drag that I get really excited about.
Yeah, when they take it a step beyond a straightforward reference or parody.
And add some intelligence or some humor to it, something that makes it weird and special. I love that. Or, you know, like a wig within a wig! A tear-away wig moment!
C’mon, Roxxxy Andrews!
Yes! Okay, who else do the children need to know about, especially on a vocal level? Some of the best singers, in my opinion, are:
Donna Summer is such an icon of the Disco era. Sylvester was way ahead of his time. Patti Labelle and Chaka Kahn—yes please! Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston. Go back further and listen to some Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughn or Etta James. That’s one hell of a master class. Listen to some rock stars too: Freddie Mercury and Robert Plant. If Janis Joplin doesn’t make you feel some shit, I don’t know what will. Listening to James Brown is always yummy.
I love that there are a lot of films and TV shows being made right now that are exploring the queer culture in the 70s and 80s and being real about it. It was something that was so underground at that time and was taboo in pop culture. But now, in our mainstream entertainment, we get to see it. There are real stories being told about real people with depth and respect. It’s major progress.
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