Tag: Rod Thomas

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Bright Light Bright Light Takes You To ‘Fun City’

Bright Light Bright Light (aka Rod Thomas)
Out musician and DJ Rod Thomas (aka Bright Light Bright Light) dropped his highly anticipated new album Fun City on Friday. The Welsh-born artist recently chatted with The Advocate via Instagram Q&A about the new collection, which he calls a “celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.” “It’s really important to me to use this record and this platform to raise awareness for causes and people that are very close to my heart,” he told The Advocate. “Throughout the album, you will see stories about queer history, queer people, and tying it in with organizations who are really important.” The press is impressed: “Offers its own buoyant beat to dance through pain and trouble.” – Rolling Stone “Bright Light Bright Light has established himself as a purveyor of pulsing, electro-pop anthems that lean into glittery nostalgia.” – Huffington Post “A much-needed dance escape.” – Billboard Check out a few singles from the new collection, Fun City, below.

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Out Music: Bright Light Bright Light’s Latest Is Totally ‘Cool’

Bright Light Bright Light (Rod Thomas) & crew in ‘I Used To Be Cool’ (credit: Tyler Jensen)
  Bright Light Bright Light serves up a bouncy, Fire Island beach-y synth-pop bop with the release of his latest song and video “I Used To Be Cool.” A cheeky ode to cherishing your “15 minutes in the sun,” the music video for the new track is a campy homage to ’80s/’90s cinema, that feels one-part summer romance, one-part John Waters irreverence, and one-part classic MTV music video nostalgia.
(screen capture from ‘I Used To Be Cool’)
Fans of the 1980s will recognize tribute moments to Risky Business, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Desperately Seeking Susan and the music videos for “Magic” by The Cars and “Rock the Cradle” by Billy Idol. The new video finds Bright Light Bright Light (aka LGBTQ pop star Rod Thomas) and two friends tending to the summer housework of a dreamy heartthrob. Not-so-subtle swooning, a saturated daydream sequence, and warm synths all add up to the perfect musical 80s homage for your July 4th holiday.

This is the third single from the artist’s upcoming album, titled Fun City, a collection of 80s-inspired dance-pop, as well as a musical love letter to the LGBTQ community. According to Thomas, the vocals for Fun City were recorded on the empty dancefloor of East Village gay club Bedlam, a conscious decision made in an effort to channel the energy of the queer trailblazers that influenced him like Sylvester, Erasure, Scissor Sisters and Hercules & Love Affair. The title of the album is a historical reference to a quote from NYC mayor John V. Lindsay who on his first day in office in 1966, amidst a crippling transit strike, said “I still think it’s a fun city.” A Randy Report favorite for years, Bright Light Bright Light has been a staple of the international LGBTQ+ music scene for over a decade, having released three prior albums and touring as both a solo artist and as support alongside pop royalty like Elton John, Cher, Erasure, Ellie Goulding and Scissor Sisters. Check out my previous coverage of Bright Light Bright Light here.

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Out Music: Bright Light Bright Light “Uh-Huh!”

Rod Thomas aka Bright Light Bright Light (image via Facebook)

Regular readers know I love me some Bright Light Bright Light. Check out the third track – “Uh-Huh!” – from Bright Light Bright Light’s upcoming EP, Tough Love. “With ‘Uh Huh!’ I wanted something much more fun and playful,” Thomas told Billboard. “It’s an upbeat, summery song about not overthinking.” You’ve got some serious George Michael influence (in a good way), and some sassy horn blasts in just the right places. Oh yeah, you’re gonna bounce. Get ready and hit play. Tough Love comes out Sept. 21, coinciding with a performance at Manchester Pride and a U.K. and Europe tour.