LGBTQ news and entertainment
Bright Light Bright Light (Rod Thomas) teams up with former Scissor Sisters vocalist Ana Matronic with this track from the coming Life Is Easy remix album. The duo collaborated earlier this year covering the Pet Shop Boys classic West End Girls in a charity single for NYC’s Hetrick-Martin Institute, which serves at-risk LGBT youth.
One of my favorite contemporary holiday songs. From the soundtrack of the film How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Faith Hill sings “Where Are You Christmas?” https://youtu.be/Bt3Y3HJpXQs?si=654ffHSeK0CkLfWV
For World AIDS Day, out singer Rod Thomas (currently touring with Elton John) has released this charity single “Everything I Ever Wanted.” From Bright Light Bright Light:
“I really wanted to do something to help raise money for World AIDS Day. I know many people who have been affected by the disease and making pop music, I don’t get to do an awful lot that feels like it helps a wider community. And while I love working in a pop world, it’s so important for me to still be connected to the real world and real people. “I hope we can raise money, and in some small way I can help to fight AIDS and to give something back to Elton to thank him for all his support of my work, by raising money for his AIDS Foundation and the excellent work he and his team do.”
A portion of all proceeds go to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Available now on Amazon.
Adorable – two of my favorite artists – Idina Menzel and Michael Bublé – from Idina’s new holiday CD, “Holiday Wishes.” https://youtu.be/6bbuBubZ1yE?si=Vymiu6yxOf4hI3qm
Joe Manganiello
Tatum: One of our first stops is at a drag club on our odyssey. We call it a stripper odyssey because it’s a traveling band of strippers. This movie is a lot more fun. In the first movie, we were obligated to show the underbelly — the pitfalls and dangers of being in that world. In this one, we kicked off a lot of the darkness. We’re going to have a lot of fun on the road together. Hopefully you’re going to care about these guys, and then get to see a lot of ridiculous nakedness and stupidity.
TIME: That’s what America wants.
Tatum: We got Joe Manganiello naked as much as possible. Everyone in the world: you’re welcome.
Bright Light Bright Light, (aka Rod Thomas, currently on tour opening for Elton John) drops his new single, “I Believe,” on iTunes today.
“I Wish We Were Leaving” is the title track of Bright Light Bright Light’s (aka Rod Thomas) new EP out on April 7 (as well as a track from his forthcoming sophomore record Life Is Easy, due out in July) — and Thomas shares vocal duties with Sir Elton John. The duet happened after Elton John reached out to Rod Thomas to praise BLBL’s debut album, Make Me Believe In Hope. “From then I kept hearing his voice on the track,” Thomas tells The Guardian. “In time I played him ‘I Wish We Were Leaving’ and he added his vocals. Although it wasn’t written as a duet, I love that his voice taking lead in the second verse is a reminder that every relationship has two sides and two voices.”
This clip from a 1977 Bing Crosby Christmas special always makes me smile for the cross-generational aspect AND the surprising ease that Bowie and Crosby seemed to have in the performance. As the story goes, Bowie didn’t think “Little Drummer Boy” was a good fit for him. From the Washington Post:
The original plan had been for Bowie and Crosby to sing just “Little Drummer Boy.” But “David came in and said: ‘I hate this song. Is there something else I could sing?’ ” Fraser said. “We didn’t know quite what to do.”
(Writers) Fraser, Kohan and Grossman left the set and found a piano in the studios’ basement. In about 75 minutes, they wrote “Peace on Earth,” an original tune, and worked out an arrangement that weaved together the two songs. Bowie and Crosby nailed the performance with less than an hour of rehearsal.
The recording was released for sale in 1982 and remains in heavy rotation on radio during the holidays. https://youtu.be/lCpXMy5GalI
The cast of GLEE honors Cory Monteith by singing “Seasons of Love” from the Broadway hit musical RENT as part of the tribute to Monteith in this week’s episode, titled “The Quarterback.” Continue reading “GLEE Honors Cory Monteith – “Seasons of Love””
