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World Pride, Detroit & Veronica Electronica (with DJ John Michael)
132 Plays17 days ago
We open this episode on a more serious note, taking a moment to acknowledge the intensity and heartbreak of what’s happening in the world right now. While HOMOPHONIC has always been a place of joy, celebration, and escape, we felt it was important to pause and share how we’re processing the injustice around us.
Once we’ve cleared the air, we pivot into full-on Pride mode. John Michael recaps an unforgettable weekend DJing with Jess King at World Pride, experiencing their block parties, and catching performances by Betty Who, Rita Ora, Kevin Aviance, and Kristine W. Meanwhile, I share my own weekend in Detroit with family—ending in a moment three years in the making: finally meeting our incredibly talented friends of the pod, ZEE MACHINE and Bentley Robles! I talk about the electric energy of seeing ZEE perform live, dancing next to Bentley, and falling in love with the music of Madison Rose.
We also get into some big pop moments, including Madonna’s surprise announcement of the long-awaited Veronica Electronica remix album and Mariah Carey’s brand-new single, “Type Dangerous.”
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Transcript
Managing Podcast Content
00:00:00
Speaker
so So none of that can go into the podcast. ah I was actually thinking about this because I'm trying to figure out what the way is to handle this. I mean, could have a yeah we could have an honest conversation, but I almost wonder if it makes sense for you to do sort of like what you do on Instagram. I mean, I can help you do whatever. or I mean, I'm fine to do whatever.
00:00:21
Speaker
But I don't want to take that away from you because this is your podcast. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Well, it's just sort of, well, I was going to say to sort of come out on top, like before the episode starts, because I feel like it's weird to start the episode with the happy music and then come in and be like, so they're really fucking up LA, huh?
00:00:35
Speaker
You know, like that's totally. So I feel like before the episode starts, there should be like a 30 second thing where it's like acknowledged about this with the intent to give people an escape.
00:00:47
Speaker
Yeah. Yes. No, for sure. And I was actually going to say like before, and I probably will keep this in the episode. I i was probably just because we're recording so close to release time that I was probably just going to just like not.
Podcast as an Escape
00:01:02
Speaker
I do the music this time around and right and just kind of go into it, but welcome back to Homophonic, everybody. ah John Michael is joining me. Hello, everyone. Today, I'm so excited. um We just had a deep, we, i as you might have just heard us kind of chit-chatting about, the times are tough right now.
00:01:19
Speaker
Yeah. yeah Times are tough right now. um Our hearts go out to everyone in the l a and really just like kind of all over this country and all over the world at this point because there is so much fucked up shit happening right now. And we we know that people listen to this podcast for an escape and we want to keep it that way. But we also just feel like it's very disingenuous and just strange.
00:01:44
Speaker
Strange. you know, go on and on and talk about, you know, do people think that Madonna's skin remix sounds old? Cause we're going to get into that. We're going to, I, mean I want to bring that up, but, um but there's some serious shit happening right now.
00:02:00
Speaker
And we're all feeling it, whether we are personally feeling, you know, what is happening with ICE in l LA or just the mundane day-to-day going to our day jobs and pretending like nothing, like the world isn't falling apart.
Capitalism and Connection
00:02:14
Speaker
like it's Well, and I think i think that it's this is this is one of the weird things about capitalism in this country. I mean, we are a capitalist society here in America.
00:02:22
Speaker
And I think that this is one of those things that we're sort of, the experiment is being seen in in real time. Yeah. You know, and I think that we're really seeing where the links in the chain don't work and where it's broken and how far we've gotten away from humans and human connection and humanity. And I think that's really at the root of this.
00:02:40
Speaker
I think it's all been exploded by social media and we could go about the ills and everything else and talk about it. But all this just to say is that, you know, what I've realized in witnessing all of these different things in all different countries across my lifetime is that no one human experience is truly unique.
00:02:58
Speaker
we are all We are all so connected and we have all experienced so many things, so many of the same things, are experiencing so many of the same things as our brothers and sisters all around the world that it's, I don't know, it's just truly heartbreaking that this is the society that we've decided to engineer when we could be so much better because we are are everything is so much more possible when we put our our hearts into it like that to better humanity.
00:03:24
Speaker
Sorry for the rant. No, i mean, it's, it's, it's I know that you, I admire you so much because you do all these rallies, youve got all these protests, you are so
Staying Informed and Mental Health
00:03:34
Speaker
well-informed. I sometimes, I'm gonna completely admit right now that I don't always feel the most informed. I see the headlines, I do my best to try to to read about things, but it's also just so hard as the average American go to work go to work you know, come home, stay up to date on these things, pay your bills, ah figure out what's going on, gonna i mean what you're doing the next day. Worry about your health. where they Worry about your health. like That's a real thing here. Maintain relationships with friends and family. and like it's it's
00:04:10
Speaker
It's really hard. And so I know that that's something that I need to be better about, but also just for my own mental health too. like ah you You would kind of touch on this earlier, but like so ah social media will...
00:04:24
Speaker
drop all of these things, that go whatever you're interacting with, right your algorithm is going to be like, oh, you liked this thing about this particular social or or political thing that happened. Here's 10 more posts for you that's going to make it feel... don't want to say 10 times... Right. I was going to say 10 times. It's bad.
00:04:42
Speaker
It's bad. I don't want to say that this is like being amplified by social media, but it will make you feel like the world is ending today. Absolutely. And I think that yeah i've I've had this discussion with people where I said that there are some times it can feel harder to not manufacture joy. That's the wrong way of putting it. But to sort of be able to drop in and be present when joy is happening IRL in real life, you know, because we're so into our phones. And I do it all the time where it's like I'm i'm i'm out doing something and I'll pick up my phone just as a reflex.
00:05:15
Speaker
and I open whatever app and all of a sudden it's like the craziest news story you get hit across the face with. And I'm like, God, I'm standing in a Kohl's and I feel crazy right now. Like, what did I just do? like, what am I gonna do with this Kohl's cash? Right, right.
Unity Beyond Divisions
00:05:30
Speaker
So it feels like absolutely insane and I know that everybody's feeling it everywhere. No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, it's not even about that.
00:05:37
Speaker
And that's what I- That's what I think the thing that I've realized the most out of all of this, and again, not going to get in a soapbox, but that it is so much not left and right, but up and down. And I think that the sooner that we realize that as a nation, the better off that we're going to be.
00:05:49
Speaker
Yeah.
Celebrating Family and Guilt
00:05:50
Speaker
Yeah. um i I feel that too. I mean, i was in Detroit this weekend with my family doing an early birthday celebration for my brother and I. Our birthdays are three days apart um and we're both turning 40. so...
00:06:04
Speaker
We like did this whole thing, we're like celebrating, like I went to drag bingo, or we went to it like a Tigers Cubs game, like we we've been doing all this stuff. And it was quite literally in the middle of this is when opened my phone right and saw the ice stuff happening in l LA and everyone's posting about l LA.
00:06:19
Speaker
And I was like, this feels so strange right now. And I felt the same way when the LA wildfires happened. It's so strange that I'm just living my life, quote unquote,
00:06:31
Speaker
And then seeing all of this horrific things all around me. Right. It's a very strange, almost like a survivor's guilt thing. Right. And so anyway, I just wanted to, we just wanted to throw that out there now. Well, because it's, it's hard to not, I don't know. It's, it's, it's stranger to me to not acknowledge.
00:06:53
Speaker
Yes. You know? Like, and it's, it's, I don't know. It feels like that just, it weighs on you more, you know? and So it's, it just doesn't feel good for the soul. Yeah. And I know that I don't always have the right things to say. And that's why people might think that I'm being silent. It's just like, I don't know what there is to say. And honestly, you know, I, you know, I'm all about people using their platforms, but I'm also like, let's stop turning to certain types of people, AKA people.
00:07:20
Speaker
influencers, meme creators, if they are well-informed, and I'm not saying that they can't use their platform, but if you're expecting these people, myself included, to speak on everything that's happening in the world, I am not a good resource for that.
00:07:35
Speaker
Well, i always i always think of... Who was it? There was... there was Man, I can't even remember what the issue was. is I'm drawing a blank on this right now, but there was like a bunch of celebrities that had posted things about it, and all of the facts hadn't been out yet.
00:07:50
Speaker
And like a bunch of them had gotten and sort of caught with their pants down. And it's like, I know that it's like everybody wants to sort of rush.
Community Solidarity
00:07:57
Speaker
I think that's what the social media aspect is, that the problem and the root of the problem is, is that everybody wants to...
00:08:05
Speaker
just throw their hat into the ring. You don't you want you want to feel like you have community. Actually, let me go back to that because I feel like now more than ever, that is what is becoming more glaringly important.
00:08:18
Speaker
yeah I mean, and it's it's crazy that it feels like it had to come to this and some on some level, but I think that... what at least what I'm seeing, I don't know where about where you are, but because I'm so like involved in like the activism side of it that I see so many people like trying to rally and figure out things and how to keep people safe and do all of this. And it's, I, not to compare in any way because the events are so completely different, but living through nine eleven and seeing how New Yorkers banded together, and seeing the support from other states about what was going on, and how Philly jumped in, and how Boston came down, and how all of these other places, and these people just rallied, and they sent everybody here to help us.
00:08:58
Speaker
It was such an incredible sense of community in one of the worst times ever. I feel like I'm seeing similar things happening now in spots all across the country, where it's not just happening in one city like it was happening in New York.
00:09:10
Speaker
So I feel like that that is something that maybe I hope people will wake up to, to realize that we need each other in order to get through these tough
Podcast Direction Decisions
00:09:18
Speaker
times. Because that is, I say it all the time, we are the only thing that will save us.
00:09:23
Speaker
Yeah. That's what it comes down to. Absolutely. And so none of that's going in. No. Right. Yeah. And so now, well. I will say this. I just got, I got, I got back. I've been up since 4am. So if I look like this, this, I'm actually found an audio today that made me laugh. You are glowing.
00:09:40
Speaker
Well, we appreciate that. It's just the lighting. But I heard this audio today that made me laugh. And I was like, I'm going to actually play this on the podcast because it's perfect. Oh my gosh. I love it. I can't wait. this is me coming back from World Pride.
Pride Experiences and Reflections
00:09:52
Speaker
it like I'm tired, am. it looks like I have no makeup on, I don't.
00:10:04
Speaker
If this is the fifth time you've seen me in dress, deal with it.
00:10:12
Speaker
That's so real. I was like, that's when I got, when I turned on my camera for my Zoom for my first meeting, I was like, this is exactly how I feel right now. That is so real. I have no makeup on.
00:10:23
Speaker
Wow. 4 a.m. Because you went to World Pride. I did go to World Pride. And how was it? Kind of epic. Like I didn't do everything. ah So, okay. Let me, let me first say, we went down there primarily to protest in March. Like we were going down there, getting down there on Friday. we were planning to have a very chill Friday evening.
00:10:40
Speaker
And then Saturday we' were going to get up, do the parade, do all that, the festivities. And then Sunday ah morning there was a rally and then there was a march on Washington. That was primarily what we were going down there to do. Yeah. Last minute, my friend Jess ah from Peloton, Jess King, said, you know, hey, got invited to do this thing.
00:10:56
Speaker
Want to do it with me? I think it would be really, really fun. And I was like, oh, I don't know. I don't know. I feel like I'm not. I have to, like, really get myself together and whatever. Long story short, I said, you know what? What the hell? Let's just do it. It's going to be great. We're going to be at a festival on a stage. Why would we not do it?
00:11:08
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. I the best time. I can't even tell you. For one hour, it was so incredible just seeing everybody. like I think more than anything else what I realized this weekend is not only do I just love all gay people. i don't care who you are. If you are a gay person out there listening with the sound of my voice, I love you.
00:11:28
Speaker
because when I was walking around and seeing the outfits and everything else, and it's like, I know it seems so like cheesy and glitter and shiny, whatever, but like, I don't know. There was just something, especially now seeing people sew themselves on mass, laughing, dancing, joyful, colorful, like just, I don't know. It just really, really filled me with the spirit that I feel like I probably needed more than anything else for this pride month.
00:11:57
Speaker
Absolutely. You know, and so I really do thank Jess because like, I think that that was the right kickstart into the whole thing. And it was just unbelievable. It looked like a blast. I saw some of the clips that you and Brian had posted and the crowd was insane. Like I was like seeing all those people there listening to you guys. i was like, oh my, I like had like tears in my eyes. Like I was like, this is so cool.
00:12:20
Speaker
And then the black party that you went to, like you had talked about the energy of the black party. And I felt that energy through your story. I was like, there is nothing more than I fucking love in a black party. Well, and I realized too when I was walking down, so for anybody who doesn't know, so DC is a pretty big city and they have, everything is set up in different areas. So like where our hotel was, we were like 15 minutes from Capitol, you know, from the the block party. But then there's like another half hour out is where the World Pride Music Festival was. And it was like all different things around the city.
00:12:49
Speaker
So when I was a kid, you know, I grew up mostly, i was raised in Staten Island, but I grew up a lot in Brooklyn and we were there every weekend, you know, just hanging out with my family, just like every other Italian family.
00:13:00
Speaker
And Block parties were such a thing in my childhood. And it just shut down the block. We'd have fireworks because you were allowed to do that. And I mean, that's how old I am. But it was just like DJs and party. Everybody bought tables and food. And just everybody just left their doors open. And i look, i I know that we live in a different world. I get all of that. I really, really do.
00:13:20
Speaker
But... there is a sense of community that I have not found that existing in a long time like that. It still exists. There's still places in Brooklyn and Queens and whatever all around the have black parties. It does, but it's just nowhere near as common as what I'm used to seeing. So yeah walking around there felt not only nostalgic, but also like, oh my God, like this is,
00:13:41
Speaker
quite possibly some of the best vibes that you could have for Pride because it's it's free, it's open, it's literally anybody can come. And so it was just, you had the most diverse crowd ever. Everybody was so in a good mood and I couldn't say enough. It really, DC was fantastic this weekend and so little opposition. I didn't see any, no no anti-protest, and no nothing. I saw none of it this weekend. that's it You know what? That's incredible.
00:14:06
Speaker
Similarly, I went to do Motor City Pride in Detroit yesterday And I did not see a single protester. I was and very surprised. And it was. And so I've only the only other pride I've been to that I can compare that I have any sort of reference point to is um Grand Rapids. Right. And is that big?
00:14:24
Speaker
That's big. It's it's gotten big. Yeah. So last year was probably the biggest that I've ever seen it. um It takes up a huge portion of our downtown area now. Yeah. I'm interested to see what it's going to look like this year.
00:14:36
Speaker
ah but lack i mean But there's still protesters. you know right um when does When is your Pride? ah Our Pride starts ah I think it's Saturday the 21st and it's two days this year. So it's the 21st and 22nd. Ellie and AJ are headlining. Stop. I love.
00:14:54
Speaker
I was like, I want Like Woe on repeat. That's amazing. And potential breakup song. Right. That's what want. Right. But... um Yeah. So this pride, Motor City, was enormous.
00:15:09
Speaker
um Not a single protester. So diverse. I mean, the energy. So here's what I thought was fascinating. And I've never experienced this before in my life.
00:15:23
Speaker
i So first and foremost, I wore a very revealing outfit. yes you Yes, you did. i certainly did. um I was like, dick out for Z machine. That's what we're doing.
00:15:35
Speaker
um And so, but I was like, you know what? i was I was like, the body is bodying right now. i don't I don't know how many more years I have with this left. I was like, I'm going to do this. I'm going to wear this. and i was And I know that I will post thirst traps and shit, but like i i that is not something that I typically do in the real world. So I was really proud of myself for doing that.
00:15:58
Speaker
But um i as I'm walking around it, or actually as I was leaving Pride, seemingly a group of straight men, I can't prove that they were straight, but they seemed straight and sounded straight from their voices, um looked at me and the a few other people that had clearly left pride. Right. And they go, happy pride, y'all.
00:16:18
Speaker
And I was just like, this energy. And I was like, I was like, I would have never heard that ever. Right. And let me tell you, and I think, and I also felt like what I saw a lot at World Pride, I mean, World Pride is obviously a huge event, but it felt like there were so many more allies than usual there. And maybe it's just because of the size of it. But everywhere I went, it seemed like there were people yearning for the normalcy of pride, which is crazy, right?
00:16:49
Speaker
To be in that position. But it's like, I saw, you know, heterosexual parents with families, like bringing their children, drawing rainbows and and butterflies on their faces and like all these different, there was so many different churches and congregations and synagogues and just all these different religious ah factions that had come to support and have tables and whatever.
00:17:08
Speaker
And it was just, I don't know, it really felt like world pride, like all these places had just come together so much more than what I'm even used to seeing from the straights. Right.
00:17:18
Speaker
So I... We welcome you. yeah Welcome to the party. We've been waiting. Welcome to the party. Yeah. Yep. Absolutely. And so, yeah, it was really, really cool. And they had, like, three different stages. There were just tons of people. I mean, it was... What would you attribute that to, though?
00:17:37
Speaker
What would you think there would be, like, a change out there that would... I mean... Is it visibility thing? Maybe. i mean, the east side of the state is a lot more liberal than the west side of the state.
00:17:48
Speaker
Got it. So even though like we typically we're a swing state, right? And so but a lot of times we swing more blue than red. um And that's because of the that Detroit area.
00:17:59
Speaker
Right. um i don't i mean I don't know. it was just... it was it was a really cool energy. and i's it's I remember thinking as I was driving away, I was like, I forget that this is Michigan. Right. Because my experience of Michigan is West Michigan, which is a lot more conservative, a lot more tame, um a lot more religious. Right.
00:18:22
Speaker
At least in the Christian sense. um So just seeing the diversity of people, the seeing the diversity of just... bodies and ages it just and just in skin color and everything. Like I sound so silly saying that probably, but like, it's not something that I get to see every single day. it's very It's very white over here, or at least the areas that I frequent are very white.
00:18:49
Speaker
I would say that actually my work is probably one of the most more diverse places in Grand Rapids because that we do serve a quite a diverse population. yeah so um So I don't see that. So I do see a little bit more of that diversity at work, but not in a queer sense, you know?
00:19:03
Speaker
So now my my my real question, though, is like, what was the music that was playing being played down there? Was it like yeah classics or were they turning it out with the new girls? Like where is Detroit and all this? so ah So there were three stages that I could see. So there was like the main stage with which had the performers, which I'm so excited. and We'll talk about this in second. We got to finally meet Z Machine. Yes. um So when I had gotten there, there were, i forget who they were, but it was a couple of RuPaul drag queens that were performing.
00:19:31
Speaker
And I would love that. And then the two other stages where words were kind of right next to each other. And it was kind I was kind of like, oh, I was like, when you're standing in between them, I was like, the music's kind of clashing. I was like, okay, we need to figure that out. But um it was house music.
00:19:44
Speaker
And so, yeah, and I don't know who the DJs were, but it was it was a vibe. It was really, really cool. Yeah, it was a lot of fun. um and and they were both one stage was like i'm trying to remember the name of the plaza i'm such a bad michigander but it was like overlooking the river and um there so there was one stage next to this like pyramid of stairs which was really cool and then there was another stage that was kind of like lower and like a lower pit right so those are the two that were next to each other and then the main stage was also in a lower pit but that was kind of in the front of the area um
00:20:18
Speaker
Yeah, it was it was
Musical Interactions at Pride
00:20:20
Speaker
sick. I was only there for probably about two hours. I went to CZ and then kind of hung out for a second. And then I ended up leaving because I was like, i have to drive like three hours back to Grand Rapids now. Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah.
00:20:31
Speaker
I ended up, I got to see Betty Hu, which was phenomenal. Like I literally had the absolute honor and opportunity of hosting her at Peloton last week. And let me tell you something like You know when you just know?
00:20:47
Speaker
Like you can just look at somebody and just know and be like, no, they they get it. Not only do they get it, but they like they're like they're so true in their support of all of it. And it's just she's just one of those people. She's exactly who you think she is and everything that you would want her to be. She's lovely. She's unbelievably talented.
00:21:02
Speaker
And it's just, I can't say enough things about her. I really, really can't. I'm totally hookah for life. Who grew for life. i mean She is an incredible performer and she's a great singer. She's a great songwriter. I mean, like, yeah, i I'm blown away by her. I mean, the energy that she exudes from what we see on social media. I mean, obviously we all put a version of ourselves out, right? But like,
00:21:23
Speaker
I, I, my only other interaction with her is when she performed at Grand Rapids Pride a few years back. And when she was like walking through the, uh, to, you know, get to stage whatever, and she was waving at people, you, I could feel that energy. energy Right. Right. You know, it's just, as she just lights the room up. It was, she really is wonderful. And we i got to hear a couple of songs that she's going to put out in the future, which are phenomenal.
00:21:42
Speaker
And I'm really excited for everybody to hear them, but. um Yeah, so she I got to see her. Did you see J-Lo? I did not see J-Lo. Oh, I know I couldn't even do it anymore because I was so tired. Because, again, we took like a ridiculous, I think, a 6 a.m. flight to get down there. Because originally we were not planning on doing this.
00:22:00
Speaker
So by the time that i we did the entire day and then after the set, I was like – Oh, girl, I'm done. I've seen JLo like twice in concert and she's phenomenal and I love her and we've obviously talked about this.
00:22:10
Speaker
But yeah, I did see who else did we go see? We saw Betty who we saw Rita Ora, who was, I think, having tech issues, unfortunately. that's yeah. It was really, really terrible, too, because she's just like, you know, it's Pride and I just dropped this new song today and I can't wait to perform it for the first time.
00:22:26
Speaker
Tech issues. Of course. And I was like, oh no. and so then she had Wait, so it's crazy because she's doing, and i don't I'm sure there's video of it online, but so she's just like, well, you know what? If it happens, it happens. We're just going to sing it acapella. And she starts singing. She sounds amazing. And she's singing this song and her dancers are behind her and there's no music. And so it's just Rita Ora singing this song and her dancers are like,
00:22:49
Speaker
And I'm like, it was so crazy. And I'm like, good for them. Good for them. Because if you can keep up, keep time to do that, like that's why you're dancers. But it was just like in the moment, I'm like, this is crazy. Right. Oh my God. But she, I can tell you, the mic is on. The girl can sing. She, i was going to say, we we don't give Rita Ora enough credit for her vocal abilities. She's an incredible singer. Incredible. She was so good. Yeah. and i'm Just getting to see hear her do Let You Love Me live.
00:23:16
Speaker
Oh, love that. Love. That's one of my favorites. It's so good. Did she do... um I didn't catch the whole thing, so I i don't know the whole set list. I was going say, I loved her song, unfortunately, with Chris Brown, but it was called Body On Me. I loved that one. right um And I love Anywhere.
00:23:32
Speaker
Love Anywhere. Favorite. And the new song Heat is great. So good. i I love It's co-written by Troye Sivan. um And he also does backing vocals. I'm going to call it right now and say that he'll probably be featured on a remix.
00:23:43
Speaker
what? Right. Like, like it's going to happen. I could just can feel it. Yeah. Yeah. It's great song. Love it. Um, on her saw her. Then I saw a D, uh, Brian wanted to see this DJ Patrick Mason. Now let me tell you something. If he ever comes to your town,
00:23:58
Speaker
You specifically have to go see him because he is not only – and I haven't done all of the research because he's definitely involved very much so with the houses of Extravaganza and Ninja and all these other voguing houses because they were all represented there and they were all voguing around him.
00:24:15
Speaker
But – The most, the gayest, most fantastic, just like energy ninety s house type set that I have heard in so long. But it like it pulled from the 90s, but also felt super modern. And just the way he wove everything together. I was like, this is the most interesting set I've heard in a long time. so Patrick Mason turned it the fuck out.
00:24:36
Speaker
Also got to see Kevin Avianz, the Kevin Avianz. ah Yes. And I'm so happy because you just had like a health scare. Yes. So that's incredible. Yes. And that's why like it came out in the boots with that the outfit. And like, girl, you are literally two days out of the hospital and you are back in these boots. I can't even handle it. So good.
00:24:54
Speaker
These boots are made for serving. Serving. And if you're not, if you're listening out there, Kevin Aviance is one of the people that has sampled on Beyonce's Pure Honey. So when you hear that, kind country that in the background, that's that's all Kevin Aviance, a New York City icon.
00:25:08
Speaker
Yes. Also another icon for gay men over 40, Christine W., Dude, okay. but So when I saw that, she I was like, wait, hold on. And something that we didn't talk about or I did not mention in my meme carousel about new music released last week was she released a new song. Yes. um And i fucking love Christine Love, love. And I even love the new song. Like when I first listened to it, I was like, oh, this is okay. But then when I actually got to see her perform at Love, I was like, oh no, I really like this. I was like, this is really, really cute. Good for you.
00:25:37
Speaker
Yeah. what It's called Love love Personified. yeah Yes, yes, yes, yes. um She looked incredible. and She came out in the gayest outfit that I could have ever seen. Ever. With like Rufio hair.
00:25:51
Speaker
Rufio hair. She had this like blue, I don't even know, like, like petal looking thing with like, obviously a bodysuit underneath. I mean, it was incredible. Right. I'm so jealous of her to see her.
00:26:03
Speaker
Saw her do Save My Soul. She played the saxophone. She did all like she literally I've been seeing her perform since 1999 and she's never given a bad performance. I've never seen her give a bad performance. She's just phenomenal.
00:26:16
Speaker
I love her. Did she Clubland? I, to be honest, I didn't stay for the whole set because I was dying and I needed something to eat. Totally. No, I get that. No, I saw Love Personified. I saw Save My Soul. More Try. Land want to she feel what she doing were walking Okay.
00:26:31
Speaker
want to say she did clublin i feel like that's what she was doing as we were walking out okay um But yeah and Stronger. I love Stronger. But give me a you know,
00:26:46
Speaker
ah why I'm not even kidding. My favorite vocal stim. Yeah. it like like It's so good. It's so good. Oh, that's so fun. Yeah. the Like she's so good. She's so good. The Fly Again album.
00:27:01
Speaker
You want to talk about an album that we don't talk about enough? That Fly Again album. Phenomenal. Crazy Life on that album is so good. Crazy. Yeah. Yeah. Oh my God. Don't even get me started. See, and this is why, and I saw somebody comment on, on Instagram about how they want us to do like a old gay house ah music, like ninety yeah this type of stuff episode. I'm totally down with this.
00:27:21
Speaker
I think that after the, after we're done recording, I think we should do a brief, a debrief really quick and talk about what, what we want to talk about with that, because we need to do this. Yeah, no, absolutely. and Yeah. So the people that I saw in Detroit, so I got there, I got there as like the RuPaul Queens were, ah were wrapping up.
00:27:40
Speaker
Jan something. oh Jan Sport. Yes. I love her. Yes. Yes. Jan Sport. And so then right after them ah was Madison Rose. Work. Yeah. And so I, she's blew me away. Yeah.
00:27:56
Speaker
blew me the fuck away. Her stage presence, her voice, every song was a fucking banger. So I know that Madison is friends with Bentley Robles.
00:28:06
Speaker
right and And so I know that she's featured on the remix of High Definition Lover. And so I knew that song. And i think that I knew her song Iconic. But I didn't ah was not familiar with the rest of her music. right So I have to say, I was front row dancing. And I was sitting right next to Bentley. i like i was so excited. i was like, hey. um So I was like dancing next to him or whatever.
00:28:30
Speaker
um And I like felt awkward because I was like, I don't know her music. and So it's not like I'm ah out there like singing her songs. But I was living. like i was i was I loved her music. And it was really interesting, too, because, again, as a sober person,
00:28:45
Speaker
who's entering his forties in a skimpy little body suit. I felt very vulnerable and on display right there. And I was also like meeting Bentley and I met Z and I was like, so I definitely felt shy. I was feeling a little shy and I probably didn't let loose as much as I would have had I been like with like people that i had known for some time.
00:29:08
Speaker
But by the end of it, I was like living my best life. And I, was completely blown away by all of the songs. There was a song called house that she did that I loved. um She did a song ah called better off alone, which doesn't sample the Alice DJ song, but she did incorporate it into the performance, which I loved. I was like, and I always appreciate that when people do that, she did a song.
00:29:32
Speaker
um ah was it was a better off alone. I think it was Better Fallen, where then she mashed it up with and did a met did that as a medley with um Robin's Dancing on My Own. Oh, work. Which was in worked immaculately. yeah It was so good.
00:29:46
Speaker
um So then she did the highd de list High Definition Lover remix. so And I think that was ah tech issue. So unfortunately, bentley Bentley performed the day before, and unfortunately couldn't see his performance because I was out with my family. Right.
00:29:59
Speaker
But um he said that it went amazing. um But he said that. So when I met him, I was like, oh, my gosh. Hey, Bentley. He lost his voice. Oh, he because, again, the Michigan wildfire or not the Michigan wildfires, but like the wildfires that were happening. We got like the the aftermath, like the smoke and whatnot. Air quality has been terrible.
00:30:18
Speaker
Allergies, like there's like birch trees everywhere that it's like looks like it's fucking snow on the ground. And um so anyway, he lost his voice. He was supposed to be on stage with her to do do a surprise performance of that song.
00:30:28
Speaker
um So she did it by herself, but like they she had changed the track list, but it something happened anyway. But like a trooper, she sang it. She sang it. So I have a clip of Bentley being like like dancing because he's like, this is my song. It was so much fun. i mean, she was incredible. I saw her. I want to say...
00:30:50
Speaker
I could be wrong and I'm i'm pretty sure I saw her at Webster Hall and I want to say she was opening opening for someone and I want to say it was Aqua. Oh, wow. i really I feel like it was like Laguna Blue, which is like a local drag ah queen. And then I feel like it was her, Madison, and then Aqua, I feel, or something like that. She was in the mix somewhere. She opened for somebody at Webster Hall.
00:31:10
Speaker
Like literally as soon as she got on the stage, I was like, okay, I am locked in. We're doing this. Yeah, no, i would I was really blown away by her performance. And again, just like it's, you know, she's an independent artist, right? So it was literally just her in a cunty little outfit and she just,
00:31:26
Speaker
crushed it. she She like walked into the audience and she like was like people who were recording her, she like grabbed their phone and she was like filming herself and then gave it back. Like she just was like, I was blown away by it.
00:31:38
Speaker
um And then after a small in intermission, also Jay Rodriguez ah work from the original yeah was emceeing. So that was really fun. love her um And who did an amazing job. And then after a short intermission,
00:31:55
Speaker
we got to see Z machine. um And I mean, Again, you're the person that introduced me to his music with Habit three years ago. And I've been obsessed with Z ever since.
00:32:07
Speaker
And we've been fortunate enough to like, you know, bond and have a friendship, ah you know, through the through Instagram and through the podcast. we've He's been a guest plenty of times. So to finally meet the person that you have been talking to all this, I was very nervous. Like, I don't know how he felt, but I was very nervous because I was just like, I just don't want, I hope I don't, I hope that I am not, you know,
00:32:31
Speaker
I don't know. I don't know what I was thinking, but I was just like, I was nervous. And well, it's also, it's very, very random and it's not always ah easy to make fun as an adult. I mean, I make friends as an adult. Right. It's not. Yeah. And so, but he was everything I could have ever dreamed of. I mean, he was so sweet. First of all, tall King.
00:32:49
Speaker
I mean, he's not like crazy tall, but like he's anyone. I mean, I guess anyone's taller than me. I'm only five, seven. Got it. But, um, but like I was, not and i I imagined you to be taller. Right. Yeah. I'm a short King. Five, seven. Wow. I had no idea. Okay. And so, um but loved that. i mean, he I saw, i cause I was like, look, when I got there I just went by myself. So I, uh, Jansport was wrapping up. I was kind of looking down into the crowd and I was like trying to see people. I was just like looking around and and then I saw Z's hair and I was like, I know that hair anywhere. right And so I quickly ran down.
00:33:23
Speaker
And then I was like nervous because I was behind him and I was like, oh my God, do I touch him? Do I not? And then I finally just like, I was just going to gently stroke his mouth. Because that's not weird. Because that's not weird at all.
00:33:37
Speaker
um And no and then it was just... It was amazing. Love at first sight. It was, love it was so fun. And then he went on, he performed, I mean, he opened the show with good boy, um did a little extended intro and I literally screamed. I was like, come on, extended intro. um And then he went into Habit, which, and he dedicated that to me. I was like, ah that that was so sweet.
00:34:01
Speaker
um And yeah, like I was and was standing next to Bentley. Also want to shout out Shane um and his husband, Jim, ah ah two followers of mine that I got to meet. That was super fun.
00:34:12
Speaker
um So we were all standing together for the entire show. And um he did, what else do you do he did he do? ah the radio. He did Everybody Wants It. He did Motions.
00:34:23
Speaker
Work. With David Aude. um He did I'm In Love With Everyone. He did ah Should Have Been Yours. Okay, come on, long set.
00:34:34
Speaker
ah Yeah, no, I mean, he it was incredible. He played the guitar. And the riffs, I mean, i know that Z can sing. Like, yeah that's not news to me by any stretch, but like seeing someone sing like that live is
00:34:52
Speaker
was otherworldly to me. like i And just just all of the ad-libs that he did, I mean, he was just wailing. i was like I was like, no big deal. and i did that for like 30 minutes. No big deal.
00:35:03
Speaker
Right. And I think that was one of the first things that sort of attracted me to him on Instagram when I first discovered him was sort of like ah watching him just sort of like off the cuff, like saying like phrases and random things. And I was like oh, she's really got it. I was like oh, okay. I was like, I got to really pay attention here. I said, because this one actually has like the voice. Okay, good, good, good.
00:35:21
Speaker
And then when I saw the guitar and I was like, oh she's Prince too. Okay, great. I was like, I'm in for the whole thing. Let's do it. The guitar was incredible. I mean, he, I know he came out he was wearing a um ah lion shirt over like the a mesh top. And I was like, you better pander. I was like, you better pander to us. yeah um And yeah, I mean, just absolutely incredible. I mean, it was like, it was, it kind of felt like,
00:35:47
Speaker
And I'm not just saying this to gas Z up and because we're his friend, but like it did kind of feel like seeing Lady Gaga before she blew up. Oh, absolutely. Because this is exactly, but this is that moment, I feel like, where yeah it's in that era for him. Yeah. hundred for For him and Bentley.
00:36:03
Speaker
And that's, yeah. And that's how it felt. I was just like, I was like, yeah, I was like, he's destined to do this. And he just put on such a show. I mean, with his moves. I mean, there was a, okay, there was a really fun, I don't know if this will stay in the show, but I'll say it anyway, and maybe I'll edit it last minute, but... theres here Here's what I'm going to say. Here's what here's what I will say.
00:36:21
Speaker
He did a song, and he did a song with an artist that is no longer making music. oh And um I had whispered to Bentley, I said, you know, is so-and-so still making music? And Bentley kind of filled me in on what's going on. And so Bentley...
00:36:36
Speaker
but and You know how people will like put a request on a phone yes and and whatnot? yeah He put where's so-and-so and then Z saw it and he like squinted out and then he was like, ah so if you see photos on Instagram of him going, he's, that's what he's reacting to.
00:36:55
Speaker
um But anyway, so that was just like a funny moment because he was like, I don't know. um But yeah, Yeah. And then what else? I'm just trying to, i mean, like the performance was just, it was just, up and also like, I felt like I felt almost kind of felt like a proud dad in ah in a way, because I was like recording so much of it. and but that i'm also I'm recording, but I'm also dancing. So the footage is like all over the place.
00:37:20
Speaker
um It's like everything in my mother's phone. ah Yeah. But then I was also trying to like live in the moment. So i was trying to fight, strike the balance between the two of them, but it was, it was just incredible. But I mean, it just, is the whole environment really just recharges your batteries.
00:37:34
Speaker
You know? Like, as exhausted as I feel right now, like, it was it was absolutely worth it, and it was such a good weekend, and it's... Same here. Yeah. I needed it. Yeah. I really needed it. really needed And also, so, we were able to, like, actually converse after his set, and it was just really cool seeing people come up to him and being like, I loved your show, like, where can I find your music?
00:37:53
Speaker
There was one person... that i like made a joke to it and i don't know if they got it or not but i was like uh this one guy came up to him and he was like he was like you were so performative or whatever and i go he just called you performative
00:38:09
Speaker
This is my first my first impression of you, sir. Right. Yeah, exactly. And I was like, no, i'm totally kidding. I'm totally kidding. um And it was just so, I mean, like, there's so many people going up being like, can I get your photo? Can I get your And I was like, and I was there and i was like, here, I was like, I'll take it for you. And was like, there was like a group of guys they're like, can you take your photo of us? And I was like, sure.
00:38:25
Speaker
But like they, because the, where this was like part of it was like starting to like go, and don't want to underground, but it was like under this like tunnel area. So there's like like shadow. And I was like, actually, we're going to turn you guys around because the flight is this way. So I was like, we're going to want this to look good.
00:38:38
Speaker
And ze was like, art director. Also, shout out. There was this man. God bless this man. His name is Jamie. Older gentleman, photographer for Pride. had a Pride crew shirt on.
00:38:51
Speaker
lovely man but wow does he have stories oh i can't even imagine at the wow does he have stories and wow does he not know when to stop talking about the stories oh wow yeah because there he had a moment with z where he was like can i get your like a headshot of you for and z was like of course and so he's like walking around or whatever and then all sudden it felt like 15 minutes had gone by and i was like oh my god and z was like oh my god like help stop talking he was like yes but they had like walked away and I was also like talking with this other guy um that I was like you know right we were we were we were interested and um
00:39:26
Speaker
And then Jamie approached us and same thing with us where I'm like trying to flirt with this guy. and I was like, and so I ended up exchanging Snapchat with this guy, but I was like, Oh my God, not Jamie cock blocking us.
00:39:39
Speaker
Not the photographer from pride. And again, literally the sweetest man, my impression that he's straight um used to be in the medical field was talking about the importance the importance of of doctors being needed during the AIDS ah crisis in the 80s. And like he, again, this guy had been around and was clearly an ally. and but But yeah, it was just funny because we were just like, we're like, we're trying to get Dick down right now. You know, come on. But um not in public, but you know what I'm saying. right but um But yeah, no, it was it was a fantastic time. And I i needed that.
00:40:15
Speaker
I needed that to just...
Finding Joy and Mental Health Breaks
00:40:19
Speaker
Yeah, relight my fire because its times are wild right now. It really is. So that's why I said I will take the joy wherever I can find it.
00:40:28
Speaker
And I feel like that's what everybody else has to do. And also like give yourself a little bit of grace. Yeah, it's tough. It's really tough. It's okay to be tired of it. It's okay to be exhausted and it's okay to look away, not look away. That's the wrong phrase.
00:40:40
Speaker
It's okay to take a break yeah and do something for yourself and be with your people because that's really, really important. You can't pour from an empty cup. And the break can be long. It doesn't need to be two hours. and It doesn't need to be one day. Right. Take a couple of weeks, take a month. For what you need.
00:40:55
Speaker
Yeah. Right. It's, it's super important. Yeah. um To shift gears really quick, can we get into, so I had posted in my stories last week yeah asking, this was a genuine question.
Madonna's Remix and Music Evolution
00:41:07
Speaker
No one had said anything to me. This is a genuine question to me.
00:41:11
Speaker
because Madonna surprise released the skin collaboration remix as part of the ah Veronica electronica EP that is finally getting released ah next month. um You had sent me this and I've got thoughts on it.
00:41:25
Speaker
But when I heard the remix, I was like, you know, this remix has not been on streaming before. and I was listening to it and I was like, Oh, this is so fun. Like nostalgia coming back. But then I was like, I'm curious.
00:41:38
Speaker
Do people listen to this remix and think this sounds old? And I don't know if everyone really understood what I meant by that, but I got a lot of really interesting responses.
00:41:49
Speaker
And... My thought, well, I have a lot of thoughts on the edit, but my thought when I listen to some of it now, and I think it's specific to certain DJs more than others.
00:42:01
Speaker
I feel like Junior and Peter really have a lot of this more than some of the other DJs from the time. Yeah. The mastering techniques don't sound right sometimes. Not that they don't sound right, but they sound different.
00:42:13
Speaker
Yeah. So there's something about it that 25 years twenty five years on for songs that haven't been remastered to newer technology with newer technology, that sometimes they sound either a little flat or maybe they're a little too loud or everything's just a little compressed. Like there's just something about some of the mixes.
00:42:31
Speaker
And I feel like skin is falling victim to that. Yeah. It was an interesting edit. i mean, the original remix is about 11 minutes long, which, you know, we love a length here. We're size queens here. We do. And the full one was released on Victor Calderon's original CD, E equals MC squared, I think it is, or the second volume, something like that. E equals, yeah, something like that. no, equals, yeah, whatever. VC, VC, VC. I was like, MC, that's Murray Carey.
00:42:54
Speaker
We'll get to her. Right, VC. um And so, yeah, the edit, I mean, it eliminates the verses. Yeah. Like, and that's my biggest issue. I'm like, it wasn't even necessary. I have an edit that I did that doesn't eliminate the verses.
00:43:07
Speaker
Right. Yeah. And so I was like, okay, so like part of me, I'm like, it makes me curious, like who did the edit? And that's what I want to know. Yeah. like Because I just want to be like, hey, can I help? Yeah. Like, is this an edit from Peter or Victor that was unreleased or? Severely doubt it.
00:43:23
Speaker
Yeah. And so... Anyway, long story short, the what i the answers that I got from people that ah were really interesting, some people said it sounded old. that They were like, this sounds like 90s or whatever. um Other people said, yes, it sounds 90s, but they said it sounds classic, which I thought was interesting.
00:43:42
Speaker
And then one person even took a step further and said, yes, it sounds old, but it sounds classic, but I like this because it sounds like more effort went into this remix than it does with remixes now.
00:43:54
Speaker
And I was like, ding, ding, ding, ding. I was like, that's that's that's what I wanted to hear. right But I thought it was interesting. And when I say old, because I remember thinking when I was in my late teens and I would hear music from the 70s, music from the 80s, it sounded old to me.
00:44:18
Speaker
um I now have to say, though, as a nearly 40-year-old, when I hear music, there are certain mixes that I hear from the 90s and the early 2000s. I mean, don't get me wrong. I can place pretty much all of them. Oh, yeah. I'm, like, without a doubt.
00:44:32
Speaker
But there are certain sounds from those time periods that still sound so fresh to me that I don't feel, like... like like i'm like yes i can tell that that came from this time period but it still sounds fresh to my ears because no one really kept on with that sound and it's in and and it still nothing sounds like it right i think that there's with some of it it it feels like there has been certain evolutions because i mean look there's only so many ways that you can slice a synthesizer really and it's like well there are new sounds and it's evolving all the time
00:45:06
Speaker
There's a lot of elements that are still very much the same. Like I hear this a lot in some of the anima stuff or like just this like darker, like melodic techno, like the scarier type sounding stuff. yeah yeah It really just sounds like a lot of older nineties trance music just slowed down and made maybe pull out like four elements.
00:45:25
Speaker
Yeah. So they like, it's like stripped down a little bit. There's a little bit more atmosphere around it to take up the space. Whereas I feel like in the nineties and like mid to late nineties, early two thousands, everything was like, how much can we get into this mix?
00:45:38
Speaker
Yeah. Put everything into it. Put everything into it. And that's why they're all 11 minutes. Cause we're going do all of it. Yeah, I was going to say the mixes these days are a lot shorter. They're a lot shorter. but So you don't really have a lot of time to expand right you know and introduce all these different elements. It's either they're in or they're not. so i write that And I think that's a part of it. you know Look, my true feeling is that capitalism is leading the culture of...
00:46:01
Speaker
club music right now, which is not my favorite place to be in, but yeah it's a cycle. It happens, you know, it'll go back underground. It's just, it's the way that it goes. But yeah, I, like I said, I think that some of the more like piano type nineties house feels more relevant now yeah because that's still a very, very current sound when you think of like defected records and those types of people.
00:46:23
Speaker
Well, and someone said, let me see if I can find it really quick. Someone really gave like a thesis statement about it. Cause I was like, I was like, this is the energy that I need. Let me see. Hold on one moment. Y'all we are, we are waiting. We'll take this out in post.
00:46:39
Speaker
Or we won't. Or we'll just keep it right here. um Oh my gosh, I might not be able to find it But they were basically like, you know It might sound old To some people But but he was like, it's Oh Oh, I thought I found it He was basically like A lot of music these days references stuff from the 70s, from the 80s, from the 90s, and music hasn't really moved forward since then. Like, we've kind of... I don't know if we've necessarily capped out at sounds, but, like, he was, like, a lot... He was, like, just about everything references...
00:47:21
Speaker
you know, but I feel and like the piano house and things like that. And so um, so he was like, it might sound old to some people, but it's also being recycled currently.
00:47:32
Speaker
But I feel like that's, and he's not wrong. He's not wrong at all. And I agree with that a hundred percent, but I feel like every generation sort of feels the same way because right there is like, you know, you think of like in the eighties,
00:47:46
Speaker
The 60s were only 20 years earlier than that. So songs... That's crazy to think about. But so this is what I mean. So like when you hear like, oh, Kylie Minogue's first hit was The Locomotion, that makes absolute sense because the original Locomotion only came out within the last two decades before it.
00:48:00
Speaker
So it was still a newer song that everyone was aware of. Yeah. You know what I mean? Wild. yeah Right. So it's like, I think that whereas... covers were more the thing earlier in like 70s, 60s, 50s, where people were just doing covers. I mean, you could really go down this route and talk about how white people were taking music from black people and sort of like making their own version and not giving the credit and yada, yada, yada.
00:48:24
Speaker
But even beyond that, it seemed to be more like covers of songs that sort of then, because if you look at like a lot of the girls, the girls, the pop girls of the 60s, um You know, like Connie Francis and and even like early Cher and Petula Clark. And like, I'm really aging myself here. But these- My girl Petula?
00:48:45
Speaker
Right. but Ms. Clark, if you're nasty. But they they were all doing very similar songs. Like Cher recorded Alfie. Dionne Warwick recorded Alfie. Like everybody was recording these songs. Like but it was just, you know, Burt Bacharach would write a song and all the girls would sing it. You know, it was just- So I feel like that morphed into once technology became a thing.
00:49:05
Speaker
sampling or interpolating. Right. yeah So it's, it's, I feel like every generation sort of feels that same way. And it's just like, well, they're only referencing things from the past, but I do think that we've reached here because of the internet, a critical mass.
00:49:19
Speaker
Yeah. Whereas before it seemed like there was more of a steady drip of it. So it wasn't so like an all out of salt, but now it's like, Every time I see the words David Guetta and Bebe Rexha and I'm like, what song is it?
00:49:32
Speaker
What are you getting now What are you pilfering now? Like, and I love both of them, but I'm like, all right, what is it? what What's going to be the next song I hear at all the weddings? Totally. I know. yeah And again, but that's, that's, I feel like that's the capitalist side of it. And that's the thing like, cause you know, that's going to be the moneymaker.
00:49:47
Speaker
Right. You know? yeah so And yeah. And to bring it back to Veronica Electronica, I'm excited for this. I'm very excited for this because it's it's if this is the thing, this will be the first thing that she's actually making good on for a minute.
00:50:01
Speaker
Right. If I'm going be honest. Yeah. But at the same time, I'm going to be honest. like and When I looked at the track listing, it I was like, this is clearly not the project that was kind of alluded to back when when she was filming the Frozen music video in 1998. This so clearly...
00:50:17
Speaker
a you know a celebration of the record and the remixes which it's which should and because ah it's it's one of the best remix packages of all time right um but i i i would have been so curious to hear this record because madonna had alluded to william orbit being kind of like the mastermind behind the remix record right um And i mean, I would have loved to have seen maybe some unreleased remixes. I don't know if any exists, but like remixes that maybe for some album tracks, right? Yeah, but not even that.
00:50:47
Speaker
But you know what though? Like if if I'm going to dream big and you're going to really like go there, especially with your fans, Madonna, and I'm not trying to fault her because I understand how the music industry works and i understand how record labels work.
00:50:59
Speaker
But if you're really going to go there with Veronica Electronica, knowing that it's been 25 years and we've all been sort of like wondering what this is, You, of all people, I feel like, have the opportunity to do something. You could easily take the entire vocals from all of Ray of Light and then make Veronica Electronica and give them to other people and do a full-on remix album, like a new one, and give it to interesting people. Give it to Kei Trinata. Give it to...
00:51:24
Speaker
Portis head now, give it to, you know, whatever, like just Nellie Hooper, like grab somebody, like anybody, like, and just yeah do something that's really, really interesting, but can still feel current.
00:51:35
Speaker
And that's what I feel like I would have appreciated a little bit more. Now, do I think that Madonna fans would have been happy with that? No, because they'd be like, who's this? Who are these people? You know, because they don't know. Right. Yeah. Unfortunately.
00:51:46
Speaker
Right. I do think that for something, for the namesake of it, yeah And Z, I hope you're happy we're talking about Ray of Light. like But, you know, i do I just because we're only talking about because she's talking about it. Right. Exactly. Right.
00:52:00
Speaker
But it's like, I don't know. I kind of I wanted i did want something a little bit more. Same. yeah But that said, I'm excited to get some new edits of the songs. I'm interested to see here how they're going to edit down the Twylo mix of Ray of Light. I'm interested to hear.
00:52:15
Speaker
I'm curious and because a lot of these originally did have edits that were done by them. Yeah. That were done by the DJs and stuff, but they just never put them out. Right. So yeah i'm I'm curious to see if they're actually those or if they're like new edits.
00:52:27
Speaker
Yeah, I will say i would have loved if they had included. So a Ray of Light was Madonna had said that it was originally a 10 minute song on its own. Right. um And I would have loved if they had included the original 10 minute song. She said that she said that she did not want to edit it down in her label.
00:52:42
Speaker
Label forced her to. And so. That would have been cool if they included the original 10-minute version. Sock it, Taylor. Well, I wonder if it's because I feel like the original, because you know the the lyrics are from the song Zephyr by, I can't think of the guy's name, something right whatever his name is.
00:52:57
Speaker
um yeah But I feel like there were more lyrics. I feel like she did that entire thing. Right, yeah. There were probably more lyrics. yeah um I also think there was ah there's like an extended crazy, I mean, part of it kind of leaked online. There is like an and and unofficial edit version of this floating around on YouTube um where William Orbit is just really going off on the guitar.
00:53:20
Speaker
And it's really, really cool. And also, i mean, part of it was also used in some of the and one of the remixes. It's that part where she was like, and I feel...
00:53:34
Speaker
so sorry everybody at home ah so i know that was in there ah um let's don't like that it's probably somewhere in the apartment going what the hell is happening what the hell is happening we're getting possessed by veronica herself we're like oh um i'm excited that the gone gone gone demo is yeah is getting an official release that's cool um But yeah, i would i mean I would have loved to have heard maybe a remix of Candy Perfume Girl or Shanti Ashtonji. Yes, just give me something for skin.
00:54:05
Speaker
like Give me something more. I don't know. give me Yeah. why I want something more. Because I will say the original Skin is such a cool song, the way it builds and builds and builds and builds. Yeah. that like This is no disrespect to Victor Calderon and Peter. I do like the Skin remix, but I would have i wanted something more it. Oh, 100%.
00:54:27
Speaker
That was just very much reflective of the sound that they were in in the moment. Yes. right Yeah. So I don't know who could have who could even do a remix of Skin, past or present, but...
00:54:39
Speaker
i mean I mean, honestly, i mean maybe i'm just maybe this is me just being biased, but like
Challenges in Remixing Music
00:54:44
Speaker
BT and Sasha killed it. knew you were going to say that. They really killed it with their remixes for this project. So, I mean, they probably, i mean, BT specifically, I mean, knows how to create a remix. Now, I mean, every episode being like, BT, make a remix.
00:54:58
Speaker
Friend of the pod, BT. Please. um But, I mean, he could probably could have done something really cool. But, yeah. Yeah, I don't know. i just i it feels It feels like there's a lack of A&R a little bit to me.
00:55:13
Speaker
Totally. And i forget I forget his name, Oscar something, but he had passed away. and he was i remember Madonna... ah He had passed away 2020, 2021-ish, somewhere in there.
00:55:27
Speaker
um It was after I Don't Search, I Find had gone number one on the club charts. It was like her 50th, I think that was her 50th or 51st, something like that. And she said that Oscar was the A&R person that was responsible for helping get a lot of her songs to number one on the club charts, you know, selecting remixes and things like that.
00:55:46
Speaker
And so, I mean, yeah, I mean, this is no disrespect to the DJs and producers that are out there. I mean, I know that everyone's grinding and they're doing their absolute best, but the unfortunate thing is because yeah people are chasing capitalism and trying to get the next sound bite out there, yada, yada, yada.
00:56:03
Speaker
People aren't unfortunately taking their time to create and draft and these incredible sounds. And I get why a lot of people don't like remixes now because of that. Right. Well, yeah but but the goal is different, you know, and that goal is different that's what I feel like the goal is now. Like, how do I get my song on a playlist? Not, how can I get this song in the hands of a DJ who's going to break it at the club?
00:56:24
Speaker
Like the club has a different function for, I think a lot of society now. It feel, whereas it feels like the club used to be where you would go to get an education. Now I feel like this is just reinforcing everything that you you've been hearing all day.
00:56:36
Speaker
Right. You know, and it's, and again, it's, there's, there's many, many ways to party and neither is, is better or worse. It's just different and it's a preference, but it's, Yeah, I don't know. I think that when it comes to like the legacy artists, you do sort of feel like, I want there to be more. You do deserve the respect. You do deserve the accolades and all the flowers and everything else. So let's do this right. yeah And that's why I feel like Mariah is always the one whenever it comes her back catalog. But I'm going to segue.
00:57:02
Speaker
Give it. Miss Mariah. New record label. New team. New music video. New single. Who is she? I live. Who is she? Type dangerous.
00:57:13
Speaker
Type dangerous. I love it. I love Anderson.Paak. Chef's kiss. Bezos for Anderson.Paak. Bezos. I will say my only, again, beating it at a horse here, my only gripe is that it's short because I feel like the way it ends, it feels like it's a bridge. Right. That it's about to go into one more chorus and it just ends. Right. So that's my only gripe, but the song is great.
00:57:35
Speaker
I love it. I love it. I think it's a great first little buzz. Yeah. I'm really, really curious. If I know Mariah, there'll probably be some type of a remix, whether it's a dance one or whether it's, you know, something else I think would be yeah fantastic. Yeah.
00:57:47
Speaker
I don't know. She looks phenomenal. And it's like, it's been seven years since caution. That's crazy. Like that is blows my mind that it's been that long. She just teased the music video today. And I have to say this shout out to the team for this, because you know what, because of this instant gratification culture
Mariah Carey's Musical Journey
00:58:04
Speaker
and I get it. People often release their music videos the same day that the song is released, right? Whether it be, you know, at midnight when the song drops or, you know, maybe it's 9am the next morning or whatever. Right.
00:58:15
Speaker
there I love this idea of like, hey, let's drop the single this week and then the following week we'll do the music video because it creates a moment. It extends that like you're you're you're able to enjoy it a little bit more and you're able to, because once you get the song in the music video, then That's it. Right. But that's what i mean. like you The whole idea of this is that you know this this there's been an idea around this project that the artist wants to put out and it you what does Madonna say in Truth to Do? You get on this train, it's it's cathartic.
00:58:44
Speaker
Yeah. You go on this journey, and it'ss it but it is it is very that. like you know If somebody wants you to hear your their art a certain way, you should at least indulge them a little. Absolutely. And so I love it. i mean, she looks phenomena as you said, she looks phenomenal.
00:58:58
Speaker
I'm excited to see what the music video is all about. It looks kind of like it's paying homage a little bit to It's Like That. Totally. The way it's kind of opening up in a party. Yeah. So... Yeah, I mean, she I'm excited for this new album. I'm excited to hear that she's, you know, I love that it's an uptempo song. I love that she Kind of you had mentioned earlier is that she, when we were in the in the text thread, that she's kind of, she's not rapping, but she's not like, it's like a rap singing type of way of delivery. giving brandy.
00:59:28
Speaker
Yeah. It's definitely giving brandy. Yeah. Oh yeah. Cause I think I had said that it sounds kind of like, um, turn it up from the Aphrodisiac album a little bit. Yeah. And love that. But it's also like, and what I like about this too, is that she's making music that is fitting her voice now.
00:59:43
Speaker
And that I feel like when you're somebody like Mariah Carey and you were known for the voice for so long, there was this expectation to still be at whatever age you are at, still giving vocals like when you were 22.
00:59:54
Speaker
And it's unrealistic. And i like I don't have a problem. You want to lower the key? Girl, lower the key. Do you know how many notes you're doing in Vision of Love? Jesus. Right. Like, I don't care. Like, that's fine. Like, you have nothing to prove to me. You're Mariah Carey.
01:00:06
Speaker
right like that's why it's just so weird to hold people to that sort of standard but yeah um yeah i just love it because i felt like caution was the perfect bridge because i'm like i get it i get the christmas stuff and yes it's the money maker i totally understand and do all the christmas stuff but i'm a little sick of it i need i want i want more like what caution was i caution to me is probably one of my favorite albums by her now yeah it just i think it did so well for her and her voice and it was just so suited for her and that sound and it's It was R&B without being exactly the same Jermaine Dupri-ness. Right, yeah, for sure. Again, not bad, but just something a little bit different in the same pocket.
01:00:43
Speaker
So I am very, very excited to see where this is going to go. I am too. I mean, I'm interested to see if, you know, Anderson.Paak has done more on the project. I'm interested to see if she dives into different types of sounds. I mean, you know, I love when she does a little house moment and I think that she's primed and ready to do an original house song. Absolutely. um That would be incredible.
01:01:05
Speaker
Call David Morales. Get her on the phone. Don't tease me. Don't tease me with a good time. Like, that would be amazing. Yeah, David Morales. I mean, even Kei Trinata. Right. I loved ah his mix of Don't Forget About Us. It's such a vibe.
01:01:18
Speaker
Yeah. And so... Yeah, I'm excited to see what she has to come. And I love that i love that there is an album coming. I mean, obviously with the MC-16 of it all. Right. um So yeah, I'm ready. Because I'm sorry. like And even if you go back into her catalog, and I could do this all day with her, but like there's so many songs that just never got their comeuppance that were so good. Meteorite is one of them.
01:01:39
Speaker
You Don't Know What To Do is another one. Like there's just so many bops that she's put out that I'm like, y'all are asleep and I don't get it. Like these are vibes. Yeah. you Especially You Don't Know What To Do and and Meteorite. Like you just said, like those two songs were so good. And part of me is like, again, like who is behind these decisions?
01:01:59
Speaker
i think I think her team was really messy for a while. Because let me tell you what, when I think of me, I am Mariah the Elusive Shanteuse. First of all, maybe we need to workshop the title. Maybe. One ah one or the other. One or the other.
01:02:12
Speaker
But I felt like there was a conversation at that time about Mariah... returning to her roots again, right? Or like kind of returning to the prime Mariah that we all know and love of her, right? And you don't know what to do is a really good example of her doing kind of that classic dancey sound in a current ah current but environment, you know?
01:02:38
Speaker
And the fact that it was not the lead single or even the second single, right I want to say it was ah it was released as like the third or fourth, but like it didn't get a proper push. I think it got one live performance.
01:02:48
Speaker
It didn't get a music video. right I'm like, what are you doing? Right. Yeah. And I feel like that's also, like it feels like the most the most easily accessible music for her too. like you know Like the R&B bag that she's always in, like you know I feel like people are expecting her to do the tricks and the flips and everything like that. But like,
01:03:04
Speaker
she could just vibe over a beat and she always does i mean even if you look at something as vibey as um i'm that chick from equals mc squared and absolute vibe i love that song yes one my favorites yeah oh gosh well i mean i've always wanted a house album for mariah so but that's what i mean like please girl i would die that would be a amazing day yeah maybe one day one day maybe one day fingers crossed Ah, well, John Michael, it's come to that famous section of the show where we love to talk about a song we don't talk about enough, where we rally about ah deep cut, bonus track, remix, what have you.
Exploring Lesser-Known Pop Songs
01:03:40
Speaker
Do you have a selection for today? I do. And um it's it's a little random and I don't know what made me think of it, but I was just kind of feeling a little Britney moment. Maybe it's because of the Britney-ness. We just did the moment of Peloton. um Yeah.
01:03:51
Speaker
Yeah, I don't. But Liar from Glory. Oh, I love that. i love this song so much. And like, it's, it's the thing about this one specifically. Well, first of all, it's co-written by Jason Evigan. Evigan. I don't know how you say his last name, but, and he is, if you look at his credits, he is involved in some of the most incredible like pop music as of recently. So ah we love that.
01:04:15
Speaker
But, The production is phenomenal. And it's one of those Britney songs like, and if you seek Amy to me where it's instantly cinematic, like I'm instantly transported into the Britney Spears cinematic universe when I hear the intro to liar. And I'm like,
01:04:29
Speaker
I see her in the boots, the cowboy hat, on the ranch. She's got the lasso. She's going to go for the guy. like i I could see the whole music video. I love that. That's what like a pop star does for me. like When i can yeah I hear your music and I can see the visuals, you know you are the visuals, baby.
01:04:45
Speaker
you know You are the visuals. You are the visuals, baby. I love that. and that's such a fan favorite from the album, too. like And it was actually hard because I wanted it to be something from here. And I'm like, look I could pick Mood Ring, too, but I really want to go for Liar.
01:04:59
Speaker
yeah liar i mean it just didn't get the it didn't get obviously didn't get the single treatment and yeah there should have been so many more music i know there was so much going on at the time and i get it like we all know now but like yeah just ah i mean i love do you want to come over i mean i could do a whole thing about glory it really is just a phenomenal album yeah it really is i loved to um one of the bonus tracks what was it uh Swimming in the Stars. Oh, I love that song. haven't listened to that in a minute.
01:05:28
Speaker
Yeah. I even like the the weird French one too. ah
01:05:34
Speaker
right Yeah. I do. I just love. Yeah. Yeah. It's so good. Yeah. Under, underrated Britney album for sure.
Bentley Robles' Impact
01:05:43
Speaker
I am going to go with a friend of the pod. um I want to give Bentley Robles his flowers. Work.
01:05:53
Speaker
when Madison performed High Definition Lover ah at the show, i was like, this goes off. I mean, I liked the song. Right. But like hearing songs live sometimes does something in my brain where it will transform it.
01:06:08
Speaker
Absolutely. And so like hearing that I was like, this is incredible. So I really want to specifically shout out the song note chaotic erotica work. I love that one. It's so good. The part of the chant was like, put your hands on me sweat from body.
01:06:27
Speaker
I was like, Bentley, what did you put in this song? Like, it is so good. And his so his music is so big and bombastic. Kind of, it doesn't, how do I say this?
01:06:43
Speaker
Reminiscent in the way that, like, Bonnie McKee's Hot City is really big and bombastic. That's, ah I would say, very different sounds. Right. But still big in production and big in vocals, you know? It's a commitment to the bit.
01:06:56
Speaker
And that's what you need. you have to there there is a you There is a level of DeLulu that you need to have to pull off being a pop star. And that's why I think both Bentley and Z, they both have that.
01:07:07
Speaker
and i don't And I'm not even saying DeLulu in a shady way. I just think that it's like you have to have this sort of otherworldly part of yourself to pull this out of you. Truly.
01:07:17
Speaker
And Bentley does it. I mean, like it's, it just goes off. I was listening to it all day. Cause today I took the day off of work today. um And I was like doing, you know, my, my normal Sunday errands and I was listening to the EP and I was just like, this is such a talented man. Right. And so, yeah. Chaotic erotica, which, you know, kind of his own Veronica electronica. Right. Right. You know, just saying the cadence of it all. yeah,
01:07:44
Speaker
But yeah, I mean, shout out to him because, yeah, excellent song. You know what we should do? We should also do, maybe we'll take this out in post, but um maybe like a Pride episode where we talk only about gay artists.
01:07:55
Speaker
We'd love that. I would love that. I think that's a really good idea. i think that would be nice to have a little bit of rallying around the community like that. but I agree. I love that. Yeah.
Episode Closure and Positive Messages
01:08:05
Speaker
Well, everyone, thank you for listening to this episode. We know times are tough right now.
01:08:08
Speaker
um Be good to yourselves. Be good to others. and i hope that that I hope that you enjoyed this. I hope that this gave you a little bit of respite, little bit of levity. Me too. And I hope that, you know, I think that we want to be an escape for you, but we also just want to be real.
01:08:25
Speaker
I mean, I think that that's the thing. It's like we we we understand that things are are crazy right now. Right. We don't want you thinking that we're just ignoring it and being like, la what do people think of the skin? right Happy pride. Happy pride. Right. Yeah. Love is love. Until it's not.
01:08:41
Speaker
ah Until it's not. Until it's not. Oh my God. For real. Wow. Anyways, peace and love. And until next time. Bye bye.