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Tour Life, Safe Spaces, and Censorship with Ryan Cassata #41
42 Plays1 month ago
Mattie Bynum and Shane Lukas welcome Ryan Cassata (along with bandmates Top Surgeons, Kyle and Lauren) to talk about life on tour and the surprising ways different cities show up for queer communities. They dig into why house shows feel intimate, safer, and more sustaining—especially when traditional venues and platforms feel shaky. Ryan reflects on the long arc of trans and queer musician visibility, and how the internet helped shift who gets to be seen and heard. The episode closes with a playful speed round (comfort foods, rainy days, first dates, LA spots) and a clear through-line: building spaces where people can show up fully.
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Transcript
Creating Inclusive Spaces through Music
00:00:00
Speaker
I think that's one of my favorite parts about being out on the road with Ryan. Our shows are creating like a space, like Ryan's songs are creating a space for the community to come together like from all the different corners of wherever that city might be. but It's beautiful to meet just so many people and to see like it doesn't matter where we go, there are communities of really good people these people have the same viewpoints they want the same world that we do.
00:00:26
Speaker
Hello and welcome to Power Beyond Pride, a weekly queer change-making podcast, bringing you voices and ideas from across the fierce and fabulous spectrum to transform our world. And we are live here at the Great Ideas Studio. So that's an exciting, exciting thing for our first episode. this one Yes, it is. Did you introduce yourself? Oh my gosh, I did it. That's how excited I am to be here right now. My name's Shane Lucas, EM is, and I'm the owner of a great idea, a lifelong harm reduction activist, and actually a clear big collector of records, if you're looking at some of record set here. So I'm a vinyl enthusiast as well.
00:01:01
Speaker
And I am Maddie Minow. I am the loudest person laughing at all times in the room because I am a comedian, actress, activist, dancer, in the dark, but sometimes in the light. Yes. Closing optional sometimes. You never know. Privateizer. Tina is my favorite. And we're going to have to license that. going to cost us money.
00:01:20
Speaker
But yes, we are bringing you our show tonight power be on friday from the studio itself. And we have some of the most amazing people in our in our studio today.
Interview: Ryan Quesada's Tour and Community Impact
00:01:28
Speaker
Today we have the award-winning singer, songwriter, actor, publisher, writer, activist, along with the group themselves. We have the wonderful Ryan Quesada.
00:01:40
Speaker
Kyle. And Lauren. ank kyle i am won
00:01:48
Speaker
Well, welcome and thank you all for being here and having a conversation with us today. It means a lot because you're on tour. So you're on tour with how many cities? It's like a quiz. I started early. You don't really know. so You don't really know?
00:02:01
Speaker
It must be there on the back. Oh, are we gotta to count. Four, five, six, twenty. That's twenty. Twenty. We're calling it twenty. Twenty cities. Well, you just said you've already done twelve and you have eighteen more. We've done eight and we have twelve left. Oh, yeah. So we're almost at the halfway point. Almost at the halfway point. Okay. And what is your favorite city? And it's this one.
00:02:22
Speaker
What is your favorite city? Well, this is my first time in Greensboro, so I can't wait to check it out in the morning. my Okay, assuming it's not Greensboro, what city is it? Oh, jeez. I had a great time in Dallas. It was my first time there, too. community was wonderful. Yeah, they were cool. Nashville, too, was awesome. natural Well, you must have got the big love because they say everything is big on Texas. So... And then we were in Jasmine Crockett territory. yeah So that's where we did our arc show. And so all of the neighbors were so sweet and just letting us know, hey, you know, we're not just supportive. Like, we want you to know that we're doing X, Y and Z
Activism in Red States and Local Pride
00:03:00
Speaker
in the community. And we have these people in office. They were really proud about it. I love that because, again, I think there's a lot of communities, even in spaces that are designated kind of red, that are out there doing stuff and creating. And that's the history, right? There's always been, even in here in North Carolina, which is where we're recording right now, there are definitely enclaves and communities that are coming together, recognize that they need to be they need to be voices of dissent.
00:03:21
Speaker
So I think that's ad it's powerful. And so what about you, Kyle, or your favorite city? So far, i think Nashville. Nashville. super if i'm having had a chicken Did you to spend more time there? About a day and a half or so. A day and a Did you get out to any other venues?
00:03:35
Speaker
oh Oh, Lipstick Lounge? Yeah. Oh, that's fine. That's very fun. I have my favorite Motown Mondays is over there. Motown Mondays in Nashville is <unk>ske so good. What do we want?
00:03:46
Speaker
I really enjoyed Nashville, too. Yeah. so that means you're going to go back? Definitely. Spend some more time there? Yeah. Did you connect with a lot of fans there? Yeah, it's been really nice to connect with so many different people and hear their stories and especially like the younger trans people. That's awesome. Yeah.
00:04:06
Speaker
That's wild. I love it. And again, when you're when you're doing that, or you have the performances, but are you going to spend time outside the performances really talking to QT members? Outside of the performances, well, like not really outside of the venue much, but at the venue, we stick around. like We don't hide backstage or anything. So we're like on the ground the whole time meeting people and talking to people before and after the show. Yeah. So we get to connect with a lot of people. And then in some cities, we got to go out with people after as well from your shows. So that was fun. For the local food. Yeah. Local food, yes. I mean, especially in Nashville and Dallas.
00:04:44
Speaker
I do feel like you should have more rhinestones, though, if you're going to do Dallas. Nah. Well, I mean, it just depends on what part of Dallas. Are you at the Crystal Ballroom? I mean, where were where were we you all playing in Dallas? Oh, where were we? was played a Franklin's tattoo. played in the backyard of a tattoo shop. Oh, my gosh. That's amazing. Yeah, they had deck.
00:05:04
Speaker
They only had four inputs.
The Rise of House Shows Post-COVID
00:05:06
Speaker
And so like we had a really stripped down set it set up. No monitors, just like, you know, a really old school set up. That's awesome. Very punk rock. Very punk rock. Yeah. Is that also what you're seeing among community members? Like, are they like these house shows are amazing? Yeah. And I find house shows to be so fun to do. Do you think people are turning more to house shows, you know, to try and get more artists out and in the communities?
00:05:29
Speaker
Yeah, I think so. there's There's a lot of house shows that are popping up. It's a good way to make it like not be just 21 and up. like It could be all ages or some some of them are 18 and up.
00:05:40
Speaker
But we are doing quite a few house shows on this tour. And I think people do feel safer house shows a lot of times. like Knowing that, like okay, there's only going to be like 30 to 50 people here. like It just feels safer knowing like there's a smaller amount of people, especially right now, it's the political climate.
00:06:00
Speaker
Yeah, no, absolutely. No, I definitely agree, because i'm I'm actually about to go to a concert soon, and I just said that to a friend. I was like, I don't think now is the time to be in D.C. and in an arena with 5,000 other people.
00:06:11
Speaker
It's kind of like, come blow me up. late they're not Not in a bad way, but you've got to be careful now, because you don't know. One of my favorite parts of the house show is that it feels really intimate. You're already in somebody's home, so it's already it already feels really welcoming. It's really easy to get into conversations with strangers. like It's just a good time. i love that. now Again, I think that's it's communities kind of building spaces where where there is that safety and security. yeah So that's awesome. Any suggestions for people who want to put house show on?
00:06:40
Speaker
Clean your house first. I was damn... Make sure your your pipes are like in working order. like If your bathroom gets destroyed, you're ruined. you know Wow. the bill could be terrible. That's water not even your brain And make sure make sure your house is working order. And do you do you feel like when you're talking to other artists that they're really opening the door to those house parties? That's a thing that people want to be doing more of? Because I know in the pandemic, that was like ah one of the things that people started to look at when they started to do private parties because they wanted to do a mask and they wanted to create some more safe spaces. And then I've seen that trend kind of continue on a bit.
00:07:20
Speaker
Yeah, honestly, I think, like, right now the house show scene is blowing up more than I've ever seen it blow up because the, honestly, the All-American Rejects have been going viral by doing house shows. And there are, like, thousands of people coming to these people's houses, like, but, like, they just, like, popularized it again and, like, been like, yo, look, this is like a cool thing. And now they just apparently made an app too So we're hoping that we can join the app and then you can find like house shows to play.
00:07:50
Speaker
Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, so it's coming back. And and the reason why shows are coming back is because like, yeah, venues are struggling after COVID still. a lot of venues have closed down and then a lot of venues have fees.
00:08:04
Speaker
Like for example, our Nashville show, like The first $400 we made went to the venue. So my club cut, the soap company actually sponsored the show so that we could like actually get paid instead of just paying the venue. Like, yeah.
00:08:22
Speaker
So is that a small business that came through and kind of helped support? Yeah. Local small business. Are you seeing also because as ah as a small business owner, like are you seeing small businesses? Because always try to encourage small businesses to be doing more activism, to be engaged in that. Are you is that also something that you're seeing on in your life?
00:08:37
Speaker
ah Sometimes. it's It's more rare. like Mostly they give products, but yeah, it's rare that someone would like cover a venue fee.
00:08:49
Speaker
Yeah. But more businesses can do that. they They could and they should. Wonderful. Support the arts. That's great. But please, a little bit of cash. Sponsors. Yeah. share is That's what we're asking for. Sponsorships. Yeah.
00:09:02
Speaker
Yes. Well, supporting the arts. No, definitely agree. I think that's something, you know, we promote that all the time, especially with the children, within school, within your community, just in general, because without arts, you don't have a way to express yourself. So...
00:09:14
Speaker
Well, with any funding being cut and some of those channels being challenged, right, in terms of the content that's being out there, getting stuff that's queer inclusive, getting stuff that's even talking about social justice is itself going to be a challenge, I think. Right.
00:09:26
Speaker
And that like in this current moment, are you feeling that censorship and and that are you feeling any of the
Challenges of Online Censorship and Hate
00:09:32
Speaker
brunt that? Because the current conversation is really starting to move toward limiting speech, starting to limit, you know, more presentation. Are you feeling that?
00:09:40
Speaker
I'm definitely feeling it online where a lot of my posts are just like they're not being seen and you could tell only like 60 people viewed this like 60 people viewing ah a post on ah an account that has 130,000 followers like doesn't make sense and like I could tell like, oh, it's because I use the word queer in the caption or something like trans, like especially trans. Trans is definitely being censored, i would say. I think that's just a word that people are just afraid of at this moment. Yeah. All around.
00:10:14
Speaker
Yeah. But do you think that's going to then yield possible new channels? Because I know there's something called HeyFam that's now launched, which is trying to be queer friendly and try to create a queer friendly space, so-called HeyFam. They're just brand new and so they're developing. Do you think that this is an opportunity to also, like house parties, kind of go and build some of the solutions to get around essentially what is going to become a more restrictive environment?
00:10:36
Speaker
I think so. Like we need to be in control of our own apps as queer people like that we're using because obviously like Instagram, Meta, like, I mean, if you scroll through Facebook, my algorithm should be showing me like liberal stuff.
00:10:52
Speaker
And I'm seeing like the most conservative stuff suddenly. And I'm like, What is this? You know, very funny because Facebook ah meta in general made it point that they weren't going to start restricting and they weren't going to fact check and they weren't going to do all this. Yeah. Now, all of a sudden, I'm like you. I go on Facebook and I'm seeing things. I want i don't follow these people. oh yeah All of this content. Why am I seeing this content?
00:11:13
Speaker
Yeah. So i definitely agree And it's all stuff that you're like, this shouldn't even be allowed on the internet. It's hateful. Like these people are part of like Facebook hate groups that they like will post my stuff in and then like in within an hour, I'll get thousands of hate comments.
00:11:30
Speaker
So I want to ask, so how do you deal with that? Because you are in the spotlight. yeah and You are a celebrity. And in today's climate, where is everything that we say is being targeted, how do you handle that?
00:11:43
Speaker
Yeah, a lot of it, of course, like most of it I don't respond to at all. And then every once in a while, like, you know, I get pissed off and I'm just like, all right, I'm going to like bite back a little bit, but i'll I'll try to do it in a way that I'm like making a joke of them or like the comment they said.
00:12:01
Speaker
Like, it's always similar types of people. If you go to their profiles, it's like, Can I be honest? Yeah. It's always like... Like, why is like half of them like white guys with like big beards, like eat or have Trump in their profile picture or they're holding a fish or... or Yeah, or a gun. But, you know, mean, those are more the bots than they are the real ones. You do? Yeah, because there is a common theme that you can see. Just like I was on Facebook the other day and someone had posted something about stuff that's going on.
00:12:44
Speaker
And I saw one a comment from a person that was like, well, we should all be able to say what we want to say and be how we want to be. And and and up and I go to his page and it's a white man with a beard holding a fish. And he's also a Trump supporter. And you see like three or four things. And I'm just like, this is a bond. This isn't someone real.
00:13:03
Speaker
This isn't someone real. Because no matter who you support, common decency is just common decency. Yeah. Human beings are human beings, you know? so Well, that's the thing is it's ah it's been successful as a model, right? The problem is that it worked. And so I think maybe maybe as activists, and and we're going to take a second and pause here for a break, but like maybe when we can come back, we can think about what what other opportunities can we as a community then think about?
Building Independent Queer Platforms
00:13:28
Speaker
to to like what's possible and and creating alternative channels, like other ways that we're gonna have to be, because you know social justice has been infringed upon for centuries, a very like entirety. And communities have come to create systems that lived you know independently, create community systems and care systems, right?
00:13:48
Speaker
But I think we need to go back to that creative well a little bit and start to go, well, what's possible? What can we build for ourselves? Because I think we were looking at all those popular channels, but we never owned them and they were never ours. Right. eshroom And so maybe we need to start thinking about like, well, what other ways can we live outside this system? well What platform are you going to create? Oh, good question. I mean, this is why love, you know, again, I mentioned, hey, fam, they're small, but i but I do like that people are coming to the table with ideas and start thinking about like, you know, again, like house parties, other places and go like, we can't depend on these. We can't. And and there's an argument and probably a fair argument. we'll We'll talk about more after we get, you know, after break.
00:14:24
Speaker
that So then that the systems were things we really could have depended on to begin with. And maybe maybe maybe we kind of lulled ourselves into a space of very ah of a feeling okay when it was never actually okay.
00:14:36
Speaker
And on that note, we'll be right back.
00:14:46
Speaker
Welcome back to Power Beyond Pride. My name is Maddie Bynum, one of your favorite hostesses with the mostest. I'm telling you, I'm always the loudest person in the room, whether it's the color I'm wearing or the sound out my mouth.
00:14:57
Speaker
But I promise you, you will always see me recognize me. And I'm sitting here with my wonderful, beautiful first time in his own kilt. Yes, give it a smile. I'm loving it. Shane Lucas.
00:15:09
Speaker
Woo! I want to give a call call out to Rosada Virilis, I think is the name of the company. They're out of Virginia, queer owned, and we, oh gosh.
00:15:19
Speaker
I'm not used to that. They're a great company, check them out. They do great stuff. told you before the show starts, keep your legs closed at your knees, just picture together. There you go, there you go. All right, so we are also going with the amazing group that we're sitting here with today. We have Mr. Ryan, Kyle, and Lauren, correct? Yes, exactly. I am going to name it so far. Remember your name? That's a great thing. I should know that.
00:15:38
Speaker
Okay. So I do have a question. How did y'all get started? Like the group, the band, where did it all come about? These guys came together first. so I think this is going to be a good place to start. Yeah. So, well, Lauren and I are another another other band, but...
00:15:53
Speaker
We submitted songs to different like blogs and one happened to be Ryan's Rock the Pigeon. So that's how we first sort of had that connection.
00:16:07
Speaker
and then... Then you guys were like, you want to get food? We're in LA. And I was like, who are these people? and also like... You know, i'm running a music blog, but like I didn't really have my like face attached to it so much. Like it was very like, you know, it's very low key. So i was like, I don't know who they are, you know?
00:16:27
Speaker
so I was like, I'm going to bring my manager. that i i brought my friend and like we walk in and we're like, so what's up with this?
00:16:39
Speaker
But then as soon as we saw them, we like, oh, there it's totally not scary at all. Like, yeah. I think that's every blonde date back in the day. yeah sha for front line And you did that film. All right, I'm going to draw by. I'm going to go at least a couple of octaves. Yeah. And they're like, if you ever need a backing band, let let us know. And I was like, well, actually I do. And then a few years ago we came up with, okay, we need a band name. I've always been going by Ryan Quesada since I was like 15, 14.
00:17:10
Speaker
But we need like a a name to like show like, Hey, this is a full band show. So we came up with Ryan Quesada and the top surgeons. yeah yeah Very fun. How did you know it was the right mix as a band?
00:17:23
Speaker
Well, this was kind of a fun opportunity. Oh, boy. when i So the other band that um Kyle just mentioned, i was the last member to have joined that one as well. So I just roll into this group, right? And I'm probably playing with this other band for maybe a month or so.
00:17:41
Speaker
And then this opportunity came up for us to play at this a juvenile center over in Los Angeles. And that was a dual show with our other band and Ryan. And that was my first time meeting Ryan. I'm like, oh, yeah, like, check this guy. out and so we played and it was a great time a little while later i guess there was something that like you know he needed a fill-in bass player and i got a spontaneous call to adventure and then we went and we played this show over at cla campus it was like this college it was like a what would would you call it like a it was like a frat party kind of all of that show you remember that one that was the first one
00:18:17
Speaker
It was so fun. It's not spell of the stories. Talk about house show parties. Yeah, right? Talking about house show parties. Nothing was set up when we got there. Absolutely nothing. but And we got there late. Oh. So it turned out meatut best so yeah yeah yeah to We're going to put this together real quick. but What? So go ahead. and We play these songs. you know I'm like, i know I know what I got to do. I'm up there doing my thing. We're all jamming out. The crowd's having a great time.
00:18:44
Speaker
And I didn't really know like how Ryan was feeling about it. because we never I don't even know if we rehearsed before that. And he's so sweet. you know He's five foot nothing. and and I'm standing behind him. And now he just turns back at me and he says, it was really good. ah I'm so glad! And so now it's been like six years or so, or five and a half. So it's been a really good time. Lauren, I have ask, not only are you really good, do you make bass face? Oh, I make all kinds of faces. I make bass face. I make bass body. She has dance. Yeah, yeah. You do the whole like... I love that. So, Ryan, because you run the blog and music is really important to you,
00:19:30
Speaker
do you feel like music is also a good temperature to gauge how communities
The Evolution of Trans and Queer Visibility
00:19:33
Speaker
are talking? like Is that also a really good way that you are seeing changes within conversations? like Because I think about the number of trans artists who sort of, you know again, come to the come to the conversation these days and are doing incredibly creative things. Other queer artists, I mean, we at this point, like throw a stone on the pop chart and you can hit somebody who's you know somewhere a along the clear spectrum. yeah um Do you feel like that's ah's that's something fascinating to watch just from a music kind of journalist and an aggregate man standpoint? I've been out as trans now for 17 years and I've been out as queer for almost 20 years. And I think like when I came out, I didn't really see any queer artists, even like artists that were queer. Like I didn't even know they were queer, like until they died or like, like it was so like underground, you know, like people were really being like closeted about it or just keeping it like hushed down low. I mean, George Michael proclaimed he was straight and we were all like, eh.
00:20:26
Speaker
yeah are you How many fights were over George Michael's back in the day and Billy Oates? But even punk bands like Revolting Cox and like you had all these different bands over the years who, you know, you just had amazing bands that were always queer, i would think queer affirming, but like you didn't really have a lot of people talking about oh Yeah, exactly. aless sa I would say the trans ah liberation started really big 10 years ago, within the last 10 years. Because if you go back 10 years, like said, there's not a lot of people that were out publicly. You may have knew somebody, knew somebody that knew somebody that knew the inside tip, but to be public with it, that's within the last 10 years.
00:21:06
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, you had Jackie Chan. Yeah. I mean, and yeah, I mean, when I when i came out... Chaz Bono was came out maybe a year after I came out. and You were setting a trend. Yeah. I love it. And there there wasn't really that many people out then. And then like eventually like Caitlyn Jenner came out and also Laura Jane Grace of Against Me. So like I watched people that were like really famous come out.
00:21:34
Speaker
And that's I think that started... ah changing things more drastically. We're like, okay, now everyone knows about being trans because when I first came out, like I would say I was transgender to someone and they'd be like, what the hell is that?
00:21:49
Speaker
Like, no one would know what that meant. They thought I meant, I was talking about like some transportation thing, like vehicles, like people had no idea what trans, trans was, transgender. Wouldn't even say trans.
00:22:01
Speaker
back then. So it was just like a way different time. And now there's like so many trans musicians. Like when I was like coming up, like I could name off the top of my head, every single musician that was out as trans. And now like, I probably find a new trans musician like every day, you know, thought out and doing their thing. So I love it. i love that people feel comfortable. Yeah, it's great. Is that also part of the democratization of the media? In other words, because there's less controlled avenues to release music that now you can as an independent artist, you can really get out there. Like that's part of to me what the internet kind of opened up. It had a sort of double double edged sword on it. But like, know that's the right metaphor, but essentially like it opened up opportunities for people to release music on their own and build up an audience. Yeah. I didn't get like major airwaves. But you mentioned like Laura Jane Grace, who's like amazing. But like, that's the first musician I know of from the very public sector, like very public rock.
00:22:57
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. To really come out and have that conversation. And, you know, she took a lot of heat for that. Yeah, definitely. Well, I think, I mean, the Internet's been around like for my entire music career and not like i used to just like...
The Democratization of Music Online
00:23:13
Speaker
record demos in my bathroom, that had the best reverb, like through my MacBook with no mic, and then just burn CD after CD and write all the tracks with Sharpie, like one by one and sell them at school and at shows. Like, so people have been able to like release their own music, like forever. So i don't think that's like what has pushed more trans artists to come out. I just think like visibility has been increasing little by little. And like now we're seeing this like big jump Of course, because of like what's happening politically.
00:23:46
Speaker
and I think just the more visibility that happens, the more people could see themselves reflected in someone else and be like, oh, like now it all makes sense. Because for me, like I was so confused and so lost and I didn't know like what was going on with me. Like I didn't understand why I didn't like didn't fit in. Like I came out as bi and I still was just like, I don't feel like who everyone is calling me, you know? And then as soon as I met a trans person who was older than me, like, I was just like, whoa, like, that's me, you know?
00:24:22
Speaker
i yeah. I was gonna say, so with that being said, how do you deal with, with all of that and being able to self-care and take care of
Balancing Public Persona and Self-Care
00:24:30
Speaker
yourself? Because the thing about it is being the spotlight being a a beacon, being a person that stands in the gap for other people, you have to be careful enough to take time for yourself. yeah So how do all three y'all, like how do y'all take time to recharge?
00:24:46
Speaker
Oh, I'm a big napper and i'm a big snapper. ah I'm either out, I'm performing, I'm on the road with these guys. That's my social time. Then I just get myself home. I want to watch cartoons. I don't want to see anybody. Just put me on the couch for three days and then I'm great.
00:25:10
Speaker
Ready to go. currentlynie I feel you are. here ni k Me just surrounding myself with nature. okay I think it wants me to sort of reset. Reground myself in that.
00:25:21
Speaker
It's a shame. I'm not a huge hiker. I'm there. I'm there with it. I love social environments, but my battery goes and then I'm like, I got to go out in nature. And I'm like, I know you're trying to kill me, nature. I know. I know you are all the time. That's your job. I know everything else I have to. But I'm just going soak up. I need I need all this green. I need the chlorophyll. He's the kind of guy to wake up at six in the morning while we're still sleeping to just go outside and get a little bit nature before we're on to the next stop. That's a good plan. mean, you're getting to see all parts of the country, so I think that's amazing.
00:25:51
Speaker
And Ryan, everybody? I am absolutely terrible at taking a break or resting. i am like, I'm a complete workaholic. And then like when I am not working, then i am like hanging out with friends, going to whatever party. The times that I'm like resting is like probably when my when I watch TV with my husband, like And we try to do that for like a half hour every night when I'm home.
00:26:20
Speaker
But he's also like kind of a workaholic. So we just were like always like, are you working, babe? Are you working? Yeah, I'm working. Like all day in the house. Working still. a Favorite genre that you both kind of agree on? Because I know with my with my own partner, like we have very like the historical romance stuff. yeah don Forget it. I'm out. Those are things I'm like, I'm traveling. Please oh watch away or watch a away if. I don't know what they do. Watch away. We cross over on a lot of TV shows for sure. Like we'll watch stuff that totally takes us out Like we're like, let's watch something happy that distracts us from like what's going on in the world. But then we also like, honestly, we're like huge fans of the Jimmy Kimmel show. And we were like waiting for him to come up, come back because he was on huge break all summer. And we're like, when is Uncle Jimmy coming back? Like we refer to him as Uncle Jimmy in our house.
00:27:09
Speaker
yeah I think we're going to take a moment to honor Uncle Jimmy, but also to know um Uncle Jimmy. And I believe, I think i'm I'm hearing that they're talking about another media environment that Maddow, Colbert, and Kimmel made. So again, I think going outside the box, really, like as as people feel that compression right now in this moment, like realizing that that freedom is so important and you sometimes have build it for ourselves. They could do a podcast.
00:27:36
Speaker
i'm I'm sure they do plenty of posh. Yeah. i'm going to go with that. But I think building a media empire around like yeah a commitment to freedom and a commitment to creating spaces where people could be like, and again, have the commentary and be able to bring that into the opposition.
00:27:50
Speaker
We're here for that. We're here for that. We we see you. We see you. We love you. or We encourage. We're grateful. So as we go to break, I need y'all to be prepared. when we come back, it's our speed round. This is juicy. This is where it gets a little teething, tantalizing. Yes.
00:28:05
Speaker
So be thinking of your answer while we're break, OK? We'll be right back with Power Beyond Run.
00:28:18
Speaker
Welcome back to Power Beyond Pride. I'm Shane Lucas, and I'm here with my amazing co-host, Maddie Bynum. And we are talking with Ryan Quesada and the top... I always get this wrong. And the top... The top... What is it? The top surgeons. The top surgeons and the top surgeons. No medical license required. With Kyle and Lauren. Yes, no animals nor people have been hurt in the making of this episode. I think you've shown your age a little bit. We're gonna do shows.
00:28:47
Speaker
Or any of the shows. are any of we do We do bring inflatable balls to every show, though. mean, who doesn't like balls? Fans balls. Fans balls. Who doesn't like balls? I mean, I'm a fan. Everyone. I'm a fan. I'm a fan. I won't leave that one for myself. Anyways, all right. Yes. Everybody loves balls in some sort of fashion.
00:29:12
Speaker
so but up Some sort of balls. I'm like, to hey, a rose has a ball at the end of it at some point. So, okay. Would that be a sin? I don't even know how to respond to that.
00:29:23
Speaker
You got it done, Izzy. This podcast is brought to you by balls. I'm just kidding. Ha, ha, ha. but So if you can't tell, we are really having a good time tonight, in this podcast. So I do have a question because i really love how at the end of every performance, y'all have this space to where people can ask questions and answer. So that way people who may not be LGBT living, they may be affirming or, you know, allied. It gives a space for everybody to leave more educated so they're not ignorant in this world. So what made you offer that space?
Engaging Fans through Q&A Sessions
00:30:01
Speaker
Yeah. Well, when I was first starting doing my college speaking, i mean, i i was doing middle schools, high schools, colleges, conferences. So there i would i would be asked to speak, but I was so afraid to speak
00:30:14
Speaker
But I would bring my guitar and play a song and I was like, oh, OK, this is like makes me feel OK enough to actually speak and share my story. So then I just started like putting music in to all of my speeches and then i would do a Q&A at the end.
00:30:30
Speaker
ah to wrap it up. And I still do this a lot. And that would be like in a more formal way of doing it where people are asking a question and in front of a bunch of strangers usually, which is also intimidating. um At our shows, though, I try to hang out at the merch table as much as I can. and yeah, every show people come up to me and talk to me and ask questions. And a lot of times, you know, there's people that pull me aside and they're they're asking about like coming out and things that they are probably like too afraid to talk to their friend group about or their family. So...
00:31:06
Speaker
but I think it's important to for me to be out there. like i feel strong enough that like no matter what they say, like I can handle what they're saying and like the impact that will have on me emotionally. um Because I... i I do consider myself like very empathetic. like Often like when a good person is crying to me about their trans experience or or whatever they're going through at home, i'm just like trying so hard to like hold it together too. i'm like I could feel how this is affecting you and it makes me feel really sad for you. and i just like
00:31:43
Speaker
I'm always like, can I give you a hug? Like, you know, I always want to give people a hug. and I, yeah, I just, I just try to like be that person because when i was a kid, like I didn't have that, not from like another trans person, you know, and that would have made things a lot easier.
Supporting Parents of Trans Children
00:32:03
Speaker
Just having those interactions every once in a while, you know, would have just made everything a lot easier. So yeah, I try to be like who I needed when I was young.
00:32:13
Speaker
I find it really powerful after a show when parents with with trans kids will go up to Ryan and ask questions about how they can better support their child. And that's beautiful. Yeah. Because it's showing not only are you affecting the child and giving them a positive reinforcement and a role model, but it's also creating a space for everybody to grow and learn. Because that's really what want. We want our community to become a everybody's community. Yeah, exactly.
00:32:41
Speaker
to have just one big picnic at the end of the year instead of multiple different ones. And I think a lot of times, like you said, people are scared to ask questions. Not so much as scared to ask, but sometimes to offend because they don't know how to write to ask the right question. Because like, what if you don't know what to say? Or you know, especially or like with people's pronouns. Like I have a friend, Natty cracks me up. She don't know someone's pronouns. She just says and wait for them to start to speak. Oh, yeah. And I'm like, that's so wrong. Like, you can't do that to people. But she's like, i don't want to offend nobody. I'm like, you're just looking like a damn Like, you're just asking her.
00:33:15
Speaker
Wait minute, so I think. Just ask them. Right. But some people don't know. You know what I'm saying? Like, they don't even know how because they think that even that's offended. I mean, like meeting Ryan, like Ryan was the was the first trans man that I met. And so like that was my introduction into the trans community. So as a cis woman, it took me some time to also understand how to navigate through that. Right. And to be able to be comfortable making that quick disclaimer, like, I'm sorry, wait, what are your pronouns? You know, It's also easy to ask someone like you could just be like, hey, man, my name's Ryan. I use he, him pronouns. What's your name and pronouns? And it just makes it like normalized when you're also saying yours, you know? Yeah.
00:33:54
Speaker
i love that. I love it because that kind of question and helping people, I think, understand because navigating that example question is really important. But questions are actually what we're going to move to here because it is time for a speed round. And we have some questions for all of you. Speed round. You can't really spend time thinking about the questions. We have a few. I'm gonna throw a few in this mix myself.
00:34:17
Speaker
Because this is our chance to get to know you even a little bit better. i'll Thank you for for being here and and and you you know we'll know how you feel about after you get these questions. All right, so first one I'm gonna ask all of you, your go-to comfort food.
00:34:34
Speaker
Oh, oh no.
00:34:38
Speaker
um a lot bless your free felt p like are and nipp and i'm trying to get aggressive go to copper food Honestly, sushi. ah Yeah, you have a favorite. do you have a favorite role? I just I like just a salmon roll. Just salmon and rice. Nice and easy.
00:34:55
Speaker
Yeah. um Yeah. Yeah. Do you wait without the wasabi? Without. Yeah. scar we're gonna go off and dothful I don't even use any sauce. Yeah. Wow. I keep it simple to buttery noodles.
00:35:07
Speaker
i had Oh, okay. That's precious. Kyle? The precious one? Just spaghetti. Spaghetti is a number of food? Yeah. Meatballs or no? thanks We've been talking balls now. And I don't meatballs, but I do throw in some sort of protein. Okay, that sounds good. The comedian in me has so many jokes in that. We're going to move on a lawsuit. What is your favorite way to spend a rainy day?
00:35:35
Speaker
I like to spend a inside with my girlfriend, just snuggled up on the couch watching a movie. That's my kind of taste. If it's by myself, then I will go run or ride my bike outside.
00:35:48
Speaker
So I love doing that like when i lived in the Midwest. In my brain? Yeah. but I don't know. It's yeah just si for all relaxing. It's like but You're a frolicker. We like frolickers.
00:36:00
Speaker
We're a fan of frolickers. What are you on? I honestly love to like look out the window and see that it's like still raining and be like to to my husband, like, babe, it's still raining.
00:36:12
Speaker
Look, it's still raining. like That's totally me the whole time. He believes in us. Your other job is where? It's like LA, it doesn't rain. You're like a neurologist? Is that LA? hi and I wanted to be a meteorologist when I was a kid.
00:36:26
Speaker
Like so badly, I was like, I will be a meteorologist when I grew up. we yeah so So we have Ryan's other career is as meteorologists. That was what I wanted to be when I grew up. That that is a, love that. Do you have any meteorologist jokes? Because you know they all had to really bad jokes.
00:36:43
Speaker
I don't have any jokes. No good. right, well, we'll come back to that. But now I now i feel like you need to do a music video at some point to where you are a meteorologist. Yeah. I think that would be it. I think that, to fulfill the dream, I'm all about it. So what's the last bop that you couldn't get out of your head?
00:37:00
Speaker
What's the last song that you couldn't get out of your head? think you stopped him. Daisy's Justin Bieber. Daisy's Justin Bieber? Ah. So it got stuck in there and you were just... Yeah, for sure. Okay.
00:37:13
Speaker
Kyle? Uh-oh. arch I think mine was a Love Shack B-52 because we were out at a karaoke night and I was asking Kyle, I was like, hey, Kyle, they do you know Love Shack? Because, like, I don't usually do karaoke. And I'm like, if we were to have for enough beers in us, maybe we can get up. So because you did that now, and it because it's karaoke, are you going to do the one major call out, the one major point in the song? Are you going to do Twin Roof? Yeah, of course. We're waiting. Of course. Right now? Right now.
00:37:44
Speaker
That's all I got to. I can't say that. You forgot that it works so hard. Somebody else got to point the room. Are we going to? Okay. Okay. My first concert was Beat Hippity Teeth, by the way. Okay. Do it on new. Take two. Yeah. Ready? We're going to get on that rust. Yes. I'll be on it. Tid roots.
00:38:00
Speaker
Rusty.
00:38:03
Speaker
and What do I do, Kyle? I think Believe by Share. Oh, wow. That's always in my head. There's a lot of callbacks. Y'all are bringing back the retro. yeah I love it. Yeah, look at that. Ryan's like, I'm from this chair i'm like for this country.
00:38:17
Speaker
And you all are like calling in from, like I don't know, Casey Kasem. Do you know who Casey Kasem is? Oh, good. Don't do them like that. Don't do them like that. Don't do them. Because if they just said no, then I'd be pissed off at you. me you know okay da i Don't at us on the spot like that. Okay, perfect first date.
00:38:38
Speaker
The first date that I had with my girlfriend, Chase, was the best first date. were in West Hollywood, Rocko's Tavern. We met for the first time. I cruised up on my bike and I'm wearing my rose sunglasses. She was probably thinking, like, who the hell is this?
00:38:54
Speaker
And it turned into a six hour, eight hour date. We just walked around. We got a bunch of stuff to eat. wasn't fish She forgot about her dogs at home. And so it was such a good date that, you know, she kind of forgot about all of her. poor daughter poor The It was fun to get on. I mean, Sam's like, oh no, I gotta leave. So what was the second date? I mean, that's still a conversation, but how do you talk about it? Like, a first date is supposed to last date, man.
00:39:21
Speaker
I know. That's how we knew, though. Okay. Kyle. No pressure. yeah hour You got an eight hour a day. or yeah people With my girlfriend, we we shared our love of for Asian foods. We went to Korean barbecue and then got Bopa.
00:39:39
Speaker
Oh, I always get those little balls like. You're probably going to have a fixation on you. i cant out But like, I always get them stuck in the straw. ah you have to get the fresh balls. Is that what it is? Fresh balls. It's all about fresh balls. So we're going to hold on to that. they have a hard time with both of us. I have a hard time. I can't handle it because it's like Russian roulette. You never know.
00:40:05
Speaker
That's the thing. There's nothing worse than a ball stuck in your throat. A ball stuck in your throat is a problem. I'm not going to hold it.
00:40:18
Speaker
not snooty books oh jesus where's that fan where's that fan of yours wearing that fan we're nice fan ears ah but rock you have a la of let i was i was also afraid of boba. I was afraid of boba and choking on the boba. then when Steph, my husband, I met him on an app and we met on a hookup app. But of course, I was like on a hookup app, but I was like, I have to like meet up with you three times before we hook up because I don't trust anyone right now. How you admire desire. So is that noun version of the three-month rule?
00:41:03
Speaker
Yeah. So three hookups. No, no no re days three dates. Three dates, then hookup. Yeah. So not three months. Yeah, just to weed out the the crazies. You know, I'll get home. They'll stick around. was so good. Anyway, it's all like 90 days. Like, you know, singing sometimes those first time crazy clothes are so good. It's just that they knew where you lived. Yeah, exactly. So, so yeah, he he asked me let's let's go to Boba. And I was, like, afraid of it, but I was like, oh, my gosh, you're so hot. Like, yeah, let's go to Boba. I didn't even tell him I never had it before and that i was, like, afraid of choking on it. I did not to expect...
00:41:39
Speaker
i mean I don't even like milk, so that was also like... So i literally ordered my boba without milk, which is what was odd.
00:41:50
Speaker
um and And no sugar. or a dry balls cup. Which are more likely to get caught in your throat, I'll be honest. Well, but yeah we we went to, we got Boba and then we walked around K-Town for like hours talking, getting to know each other, being cute.
00:42:14
Speaker
And then at the end, he kissed me against a tree and that was really cute. And I was I called my friend, I was like, oh my God, this guy you know. we live And now we're married. too Because I want to go walking for eight hours. I don't know about that. just want to go walking for eight hours. We were walking eight hours, but we we were walking. And I've never had bubble tea.
00:42:33
Speaker
So I've never played with them all. First of all, the laptop is not true. I'm about to say, you know, me being the queen of who I am, I have not had the ball and the Russian roulette and the choke. I'm choking. It's a threat. It's a threat.
00:42:47
Speaker
I feel like there's so many, I'm not, that we're leaving that alone. We're leaving that a alone, but and I do want to come back to all of you in l la that l LA, you know, in California brings a lot of opportunities for people to explore things. What's your favorite secret haunt, which we're no longer going to make a secret now, in LA?
00:43:07
Speaker
What's a haunt? Oh, it's kind of like the place you go, like the place you, like the place you go kind of to bring you joy. Like what's the space to bring
00:43:21
Speaker
For old people like me, it's actually like ghosts. It is where we live. It's not like it has nothing to do with scary woods or a house. I mean, it could if you're into that. But the point is that it's someplace that you go to that you love, that you frequent, that is in L.A. That's kind of your little, I was going to say secret, but we're going to make it a secret now.
00:43:42
Speaker
There's a really cute place in West Hollywood called The Woods. It's owned by Woody Harrelson. And in the back, there's this beautiful oasis called the Ganja Giggle Garden, where you can go and you go and smoke a little bit of weed. They have some exotic birds in the back and like a little waterfalls. It's really cute.
00:44:00
Speaker
It's a fun place to just go in. That's such an interesting way to describe that place. Yeah. Ryan, what your description? It's a dispensary. That you have to buy stuff from them to smoke it there or drink it. Oh, you just bought a joint. yeah Yeah, they have a bar that you can get THC drinks from. Oh, nice. Yeah, yeah. and you But you have to walk in through the dispensary, buy something, and then that's how you get like a ticket into the garden. Into the ganja garden. Into the ganja hill garden.
00:44:33
Speaker
It feels like you're in a different place. Yeah. What about you? I don't know.
00:44:45
Speaker
i don't know. I go to an open mic a lot called Writer's Room. It's pretty cool. It's got a good community. So maybe that. yeah there you go. That's a good thing. Where's that at? That's at Ivanhoe and Silver Lake. Oh, Silver Lake. Yeah. Silver Lake. Yeah, that's awesome. Silver Lake's where all the cool people from Weehoe and everybody went to, right? Silver Lake Dog Park is awesome. Oh, the dog park. Oh, that's nice. It's gigantic.
00:45:09
Speaker
Yeah, it's cool. Very cool. And Kyle? um Where do I even go? Pirates. was we No. What is it? Oh, is it?
00:45:22
Speaker
Well, our studio is a rehearsal spot. um with Pretty much no one working there. So no one works there. There's no AC. There's no windows. they make concrete? No. OK, it's dirty.
00:45:36
Speaker
yeah I went to one is like, don't close the bathroom door because yeah otherwise you'll get locked inside. and the elevator is broken.
00:45:48
Speaker
What do you love about it? oh I don't. You don't. I know. It's the cheapest place. I'm losing the up-field here. Wait a minute. Do you want to go as a recording for recording sessions? Not recording.
00:46:01
Speaker
Rehearsals. Just rehearsals. Just rehearsals. We need a dark room. You can hear like seven other bands while you're playing. so oh that's very postmodern. It's like Warped Tour. Yeah.
00:46:12
Speaker
Awesome. i think de I think like Griffith Park. Just there's so many different trails. Griffith Park classic. Yeah. the like the in the next door there's like this wisdom tree trail that overlooks the hollywood sign wisdom tree trail yeah that's awesome that's just like one random tree at the top that people try to make it to and frequently like almost every day get airlifted out of because they pass because they did not bring water oh wow yeah i believe That I believe. do Have you ever seen a wildcat there? Because don't they have... and Okay. Are there are occasions where they have like they have animals? Lions? Yeah, the lions. are blue man ah We had our our lion, but he Awesome. A moment for P-22.
00:46:55
Speaker
rest rested piece twenty two yeah um moment moment for p twenty two The two fellow Leos sitting here, so, you know. We feel that Leo energy. We just feel like we... Was he a lion was he? Mountain mount lion. yeah Oh, yeah, was a lion.
00:47:12
Speaker
So this is a group question. Since y'all are traveling, out of the three y'all, who is the messiest and who is the tidiest?
00:47:21
Speaker
Whoa. I don't know. look, we're all... We're pretty neat. Yeah, we're pretty neat. Which is probably why we haven't been in any fights yet. Yeah.
00:47:33
Speaker
That's good. Good lesson for any band going on tour. i Yeah. yeah keep um Well, every time we're at a rest stop, I'm like, who's got trash? Get rid of your trash. What? I am the person who usually sits in the back who's surrounded by all the crap.
00:47:48
Speaker
So like, it's possible that I'm the dirtiest one because I have like the four snack bags of stuff. The I might want to fit into while we're in the car. We're like, Lauren, can you put this back there? And I'm like, no, like sure nothing, everything can fit. Just put it in my seat. I'll figure it out.
00:48:07
Speaker
But you're not to be the most protective one if anything ever happens because you got all the stuff around you. All the stuff. Yeah. Okay. It's like an armadillo. Not an armadillo. It's cozy. but I was at the same time where just go with the old but but So we asked this also of our guests. What does power beyond pride mean to you? Hmm.
00:48:25
Speaker
To me, it means going beyond just celebrating who you are and making it so that making it so that we can pave paths to freedom so other people are also able to celebrate who they are.
00:48:42
Speaker
So it's it's doing the activism work. Love Thank you. What are you all think? Just being a part of this movement and creating the safe space, like a community where people can go and express themselves.
00:48:58
Speaker
And yeah. When I hear power beyond pride, I think about what is the most powerful thing this aside from being proud and being being having pride for who you are. And I think it's the fight to be consistently comfortable and at peace.
00:49:16
Speaker
So it's that's my favorite part of this mission is to try to spread pride and love and to make people feel more OK. It'd be nice for everyone who is different to be able to wake up in the morning and feel peaceful and comfortable their entire day before they fall asleep.
00:49:37
Speaker
That's beautiful. Thank you. That's be all beautiful answers. Thank you so much. I love how she is. Thank you. of them. Beautiful. Beautiful. Maddie, do you want a handkerchief? I was just saying, this is my spirit handle over here. Anybody that starts to the answer all with repeating a question, I'm not going to let you. I'm just telling you.
00:49:57
Speaker
Let's go.
Conclusion and Farewell
00:49:58
Speaker
So I will say thank y'all so much again for coming on the show today with us. Well, this scene is not really daytime. It's kind of nighttime. But thank y'all so much for coming on the show. It was so Yeah, thanks for having us.
00:50:09
Speaker
We love it. So real quick, social medias for everybody. Where can people follow you? Yeah, but you can find me at RyanCasada.com and at Ryan Casada on all the social medias and I'm on Instagram and YouTube the most.
00:50:25
Speaker
And you can find us at the top surgeons on Instagram would be the easiest way. Okay, the top surgeons and y'all are still on tour. So what's the next three dates coming up? but We got Greensburg. Wait, hold on. Greensboro Pride tomorrow. Then we're going to Pittsburgh and rehearse fest. Then we're going to Philly to play at the nail. And then Indianapolis. then and we have we been Oh,
00:50:56
Speaker
catch just all the way through Madison, Wisconsin, Minneapolis, miss Minnesota, Denver, Colorado, Upper Corky, New Mexico, Ventura, California, Los Angeles, California, and then Long Island, New York. but All right. Some of them are random one-offs that I put on the shirt.
00:51:10
Speaker
yeah So if you're near one of those locations, please come out and see it You will enjoy yourself, I promise you. hilarious group of people, but amazingly great, talented artists. And I love it. I love it. I love it. Thank We thank y'all so much coming. Yeah. Thank you so much. we We would love to have you back on the podcast. So we'll keep an eye on you on tour. And again, everyone follow them on social media. Download the music. The music is also available right on where they able to work were they able to get the music from.
00:51:38
Speaker
Yeah, the best place to support is Bandcamp where you could buy physical copies of records, CDs and vinyl to keep us afloat. And you could also stream it digitally as well.
00:51:52
Speaker
I'm a big fan of vinyl, so I definitely encourage and curve some vinyl purchasing. i'm like Thank you for being with us today. It means a lot, and we we do hope you come back, and we look forward to supporting the the tour. I'm Shane Lucas. He, him, his, owner of A Great Idea, also a lifelong harm reduction activist, and a big vinyl collector with a band that I adore. And so I'm very excited um to add your vinyl to my collection and continue to support you as a fan.
00:52:18
Speaker
Thank you so much. I am Maddie Vino. Like I said, the loudest person in the room. I'm not going to go through all of again because now I'm being quiet because I'm tired. But yes, you can catch me at Maddie Simone 737 on Instagram, Maddie Vino on Facebook.
00:52:31
Speaker
And thank you so much for watching with us today. And you can remember to subscribe and get your friends to subscribe to Power Beyond Pride on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, including YouTube as well. And check out our site at PowerBeyondPride.com. Power Beyond Pride is a project from A Great Idea, a queer-owned design and content agency. Learn more about them agreatidea.com.
00:52:49
Speaker
And this episode was produced by Shane Lucas, project manager, me, Maddie. And we are our developer is going to be Ian and I'm Jared Redding. And we are part of a seven member co-host team from co-hosts all around the country. And so we also do every month a reply all episode where several of our co-hosts get together, talk about what's in the headlines, as well as take your questions. So we encourage you to send your questions in at Power Beyond Pride dot com, where we will answer them.
00:53:17
Speaker
And so check out Power BI on Friday once a week. Here we are. Enjoy. us Thank you all for being here. Thank you for tuning in. And we look forward to seeing you next time. Thank you. Thank you.