Gay Porn Stars We Lost in 2025

In August of 2020, porn star Koldo Goran tweeted about three fellow performers who had recently died. Goran’s tweet was the only public notice that one of them, Dani Rivera, had been murdered. “I realize nobody talks about it, we are unprotected and forgotten;” Goran tweeted “We are humans, people, enough of contempt.”

Koldo Goran tweet

Most gay news outlets choose to ignore the passing of all but the biggest names in the adult film industry.  Porn companies also seem reluctant to broadcast the death of a performer who is still on their roster, forever young and willing in their website content. An obit is a real boner killer, ya know? Why jeopardize the profit margin?

Note that at least two of the men listed below have had studio content posted months after their passing without any mention of the fact.

Additionally, performers who abandon their porn personas and return to life under their real names often pass away unnoticed by former employers and scene partners. Case in point: A reader recently alerted me to the passing of Trent Locke in July of 2022 at the age of 32. Locke was a high profile performer with a 5 year career working for Colt, Falcon, Raging Stallion, Next Door, Hot House, Lucas Entertainment, Cocksuremen and several others companies. Surely some adult film news outlet would have noted his passing, right?

Once again, this year’s list is short on people of color. Why? Is it that few have passed on or that they haven’t been reported? For this reason – and due to continued interest from fans – there are ongoing updates to the lists of porn star passings in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

We remember those that were lost in 2025 to prove Koldo Goran wrong – they have not been forgotten.

1) Chris O’Donnell, aka creeohdee was born on June 18, 1993 and lived in Phoenix, Arizona. He was a popular TikTok influencer and also active on Onlyfans from 2022-2024. While best known for his fitness videos, he was also candid about his battles with mental health and substance abuse issues. 
He committed suicide at age 31 on January 11, 2025.

2) Shawn, aka Kenny only appeared in a handful of scenes. He was Shawn at Active Duty and Kenny at GayCastings. The Chico, California native was born on June 14, 1995. He made his film appearances in 2015 when he was 20 years old. In his interview segment at GayCastings, he mentioned previous health issues that had interrupted his pursuit of a medical degree. According to the IAFD, he passed away on February 1, 2025 at age 29.

3) Roman Mercury was born Hermes Sant Anna Filho on June 22, 1979 in Sao Paulo, Brazil and died of a “heart attack” in late February, 2025 at age 45.

Based in Las Vegas, Mercury was a latecomer to the adult film industry: he was 42 years old when he made his studio debut in 2022 with Raging Stallion’s Heavy Load Movers. His IAFD profile lists 93 titles in the past three years. He earned two GayVN Award nominations at this year’s show.

Friend and co-star Gregg Dixxon paid tribute in an Out magazine interview and on social media, writing; “Roman left us unexpectedly, leaving behind a legacy of passion, talent, and kindness that touched the lives of so many around the world…. His family will spread his ashes in the ocean near his favorite place to live in Southern California. Roman, you will always be missed, but never forgotten!”

4) Tim Kruger, was 44 years old when he died following an accident at his home on March 1, 2025. Born Marcel Bonn on January 25, 1981 in Dusseldorf, Germany, the adult film actor, producer, and director appeared in his first film back in 2006. Of course, he was best known for his website TimTales, which he started with the help of his partner, Grobes Gereat, in their hometown of Berlin in 2009.

A statement written by Grobes was posted on the TimTales blog :

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share the news of the passing of our beloved Marcel, the man you all knew and loved as Tim Kruger. To the public, he was the ultimate ginger pornstar; to me, he was a sweet, caring partner of over 20 years. He was also my best friend. He touched the lives of everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

“I am very aware of the stigma that surrounds deaths in the porn industry, so let me make this very clear to hopefully cut down on the inevitable speculation: Tim’s death was a tragic, yet simple accident at home. There were no drugs involved, nor was there any indication of foul play or suicide. Though my heart is broken into pieces, I find solace in the countless memories he gifted us. And I know that he died knowing he was loved. Tim’s legacy of compassion, love, and joy will live on in all who knew him.”

5) Damien Stone was born in Moldova on September 16, 1992 and emigrated to the U.S., where he grew up in Pennsylvania. He began his prolific film career in 2017 with appearances in gay, bisexual, and trans porn scenes. Among the companies he worked for were MEN, TransAngels, ManUpFilms, FaceDownAssUp, WhyNotBi, TheGuySite, Bromo, and NakedSword. 

Stone retired from studio work in 2020 and competed in bodybuilding competitions.  He later transitioned to OnlyFans content and was active on social media up until early February.

On March 11, 2025 family members confirmed that Stone died of “complications from an enlarged heart.” He was 32 years old. Four months later, Bro Network posted a new scene featuring Stone with Boomer Banks.

6) Popular Sean Cody model Brendan, aka Michael Johnson was involved in a murder/suicide on April 13, 2025. He was 35 years old and living in Oak Grove, Kentucky. Brendan appeared in approximately 10 Sean Cody films between 2015-2017. According to his social media accounts, he later pursued a career in country music.

7) Jay Massage, aka JayM4m, Cmtcpt, Desmides, Elcmt, and Itsdesmipeach, reportedly died of an overdose in early May, 2025. He was known as “the unofficial masseuse of the gay porn stars.” FitnessPapi posted about the passing, but it was unconfirmed as his OnlyFans and other socials began to be taken down. The IAFD updated his profile, while his Instagram account has been turned into a memorial page referring to addiction and recovery.

8) Brad Knight was a straight porn star who also appeared on the Spunkworthy website. He was 36 when he died of stomach cancer on May 6, 2025. He detailed his cancer battle on his Instagram page. 

Born on December 29, 1988 in San Diego, CA, Knight appeared in hundreds of straight porn scenes over a 14 year period and was voted AVN Best Male Newcomer in 2016. He also directed several films for Blazed studios.  In late 2019, he left the U.S. adult movie industry and moved to China to teach school, but resumed his career in Europe three years later.

9) Colton Ford, aka Glenn Soukesian 62, died in Palm Springs, CA on May 19, 2025. Originally thought to be a hiking accident, toxicology results revealed an accidental overdose. Born on October 12, 1962 in Pasadena, Ford entered the porn business at age 40 and appeared in titles over the next 22 years. The companies he worked for included Falcon Studios, MRS Releasing, RawFuckClub, All Worlds, and Mustang. In 2003 he was awarded GayVN Performer Of The Year.

Ford was a rare crossover, with film and TV credits including Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild!, Hellbent, The Lair, and The Next Best Thing. The 2004 documentary Naked Fame chronicled his attempts to transition from adult films to a music career. He went on to release 3 albums and several EPs.

His stage work included a 2011 Off-Broadway appearance in Little House On The Ferry. Earlier this year he appeared in a Palm Springs production of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. Click here for more about Colton Ford.

10) Travis Youth, aka Gregory Reno from Decatur, IL was born on July 19,1994. Between 2019 – 2024, he made 29 films according to the IAFD website. He performed as Dave at Sean Cody and Greg Toreno at TheGuySite, but it was as Travis Youth at Gayhoopla and BiGuysFuck that he made the most appearances.

After a break, he reappeared in 2024-25 on the ASGMax websites and as Trevor Daniels at SketchySex. He overdosed at age 30 on July 24, 2025. His passing was also noted on the MenOfPorn blog.

11) Koby Falks, aka Anthony Cox was born September 7, 1982 (or 1985) in Cloncurry, Queensland, Australia and died at age 39 (or 42) on May 28, 2025. In just three years, Falks had racked up 75 appearances for RawfuckClub in addition to his OnlyFans and JustForFans accounts. He often appeared with his partner Sam Brownell.

Talent agent Matthew Leigh shared a tribute on Instagram, writing “”We have lost a trailblazing creative spirit far too soon. But I truly believe his light and legacy will continue shining brightly above. Rest peacefully, Koby. You will be missed, always.”

12) Nathan, aka Nicholas Tulloss passed away at 29 years old in Los Angeles on May 20, 2025. He appeared in two scenes for Military Classified back in 2017 and returned for one more in 2021. Site owner Rob Navarro posted on social media: “For 20 years I’ve enjoyed great success working w/many models who have brought us joy but along w/success sometimes tragedies hit & today I’m writing about one… w/a heavy heart I announce 29 yo civilian NATHAN passed away… RIP Nicholas!”

13) Kolby Gigante‘s stage name was inspired by his 6’7″ stature. Born on June 19, 2000, he made appearances at Gayhoopla and HotGuysFuck websites in 2023. The MenofPorn website posted about his death at age 24 on May 10, 2025. 

14) Brazilian bodybuilder Gustavo Boton was a content creator alongside his equally muscular partner, Andres Vergel. Besides OnlyFans and JustForFans, the duo appeared in approximately 10 scenes for RawFuckClub in 2024-25. Vergel posted a heartfelt tribute to his partner in late July, stating that his beloved “Nene” had passed away the previous month. “I love you, my hero… the love of my life.”

15) Mr. Cali, aka Robert Franklin, died suddenly at age 38 in early July, 2025. Born December 9, 1986 in Long Beach, CA, Mr. Cali made his first film appearance at age 29. The IAFD lists 80+ titles over 10 years for Noir Male, Treasure Island Media, Dawgpound, and Raw Strokes, among others. He was also a music entrepreneur and digital content creator under the Mr. Cali Entertainment brand.

As news of his death spread, many fans paid tribute online with one noting, “… heartbroken and shocked to hear of the sudden passing of legendary Black Gay Adult Entertainer Mr. Cali. Not only did he help to usher in this new era of Black Gay Porn but he was never afraid to be out as a member of the community.”

16) Sean Cody’s Jamie, aka Kyle Allen Mills, 35, passed away due to a fentanyl overdose on August 6, 2025. The North Carolina native was born on May 14, 1990, and began working with Sean Cody in 2009. He was one of the most popular models on their site, with 16 appearances between 2009-2012. His videos have since been removed. Recent posts have detailed his legal troubles, and a GoFundMe was established to help cover funeral costs.

17) Dino Phillips, aka Dimitri Perparos was 55 years old when he died “unexpectedly” in late October, 2025.  Born in Chicago, Illinois on December 13, 1969, he moved with his family to Arizona when he was in his teens. He was dancing at The Works in Phoenix when he met drag queen/porn director Chi Chi LaRue in 1993. She invited him to San Francisco to appear in his first adult film. Phillips went on to appear in approximately 150 films over the next 16 years. Sometimes using the name Dino Jordan, he worked for Falcon, Hot Desert Knights, Jet Set, Catalina, All Worlds, Minotaur and many other studios. In 1996 he won the Grabby for Best Newcomer, and the 1997 AVN Award for Best Supporting Performer. As Dane Preston, he also directed several films.

Phillips left the industry in 2009. In recent years he resided in Chandler, Arizona and worked as a customer service representative for an insurance company.

A GoFundMe has been set up by Mark Morris to cover funeral expenses. Mark writes, “He was family. His compassion, laughter and unwavering support touched countless lives. Whether it was a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand, or a moment of joy, he gave freely and wholeheartedly. His beauty was not just in his appearance but in the way he made others feel seen, heard and loved.”

A few of the many DVD/VHS box covers featuring Dino Phillips

18) Vince Ferelli, aka Jared Degado, aka Jared Tarquini was born on March 10, 1983 in Danville, IL. He was 25 years old when he began his film career and appeared in over 50 films from 2008-2017. He worked for Colt, Hot House, Raging Stallion, Jet Set, Kink.com and several other studios.

Ferelli was homeless when he passed away at age 42 on November 6, 2025 in Los Angeles. The cause of death is under investigation.

19) Scott Finn, aka Rhett Douglas Messerly was born in Ogden, Utah on February 2, 1998. He made his porn debut with Active Duty when he was just 18 years old, and worked with them steadily over the next 9 years. His IAFD profile lists over 250 titles – most with Active Duty and Next Door Studios. 

He had been going through a tough time over the past two years, posting on social media about a divorce and other issues. His family released a statement that he passed away at age 27 on November 23, 2025. 

Next Door Studios executive producer/director Jeremy Babcock told AVN,  “Scott had an infectious laugh, and always raised the energy of every room he was in. On and off camera, he captivated everyone he met. I’m honored to have had Scott as a co-worker and friend.” 

20) Taylor Coleman, aka Jordan Kilts was born on December 22, 1998 in Tennessee. He racked up over 30 film appearances with Helix and 8TeenBoy between 2018-2020. After retiring from the business, he went on to work in financial services. He was 26 when he passed away on December 6, 2025 at his home in Aloha, Oregon. 

Earlier this year, he posted on social media:
“You’re like a wind through a field: you pass through, and things don’t look the same after – not because you took anything, but because your presence changed how the light moved.”

21) Lane V. Rogers, aka Blake Mitchell, was killed in a motorcycle accident on December 15, 2025. The Kentucky native was visiting friends in Los Angeles where the accident occurred near Oxnard, CA.

Born August 14, 1994, Lane began his adult film career with webcam shows in 2014. He moved into work with Helix studios rather than attend college, and remained a strong presence in the industry for over the next 10 years. Besides his work with Helix, Cockyboys and Bel Ami, in recent years he focused on OnlyFans content.

Lane’s vibrant personality is evident in the many heartfelt tributes that have been posted by friends and fellow performers.

See Also:
Gay Porn Stars We Lost In 2024
Gay Porn Stars We Lost In 2023
Gay Porn Stars We Lost In 2022
Gay Porn Stars We Lost In 2021
Gay Porn Stars We Lost In 2020
Alexis Arquette’s Lost Porn Flick
Remembering prolific pornographer Robert Prion
RIP Porn Star Turned Activist Terry DeCarlo
Costello Presley and 80’s Gay Porn Guilty Pleasures
George Platt Lynes: In Touch Magazine (1982)

The Mysterious Midge Williams

In the April 11, 1936 edition of the New York Age newspaper, Joe Bostic wrote in his “Seeing The Show” column about show he attended at the Apollo Theatre. The headliner was an unknown: the now legendary blues singer Lead Belly. Bostic was not impressed:

The advanced publicity stated that this man had been in two jails on murder charges and that the wardens, on hearing him work out on his guitar and vocally, had set him free. Maybe they did but after hearing the man myself, I’m not so sure that musical excellence prompted [the] actions. It may have been that both they and the other inmates wanted some peace during their quiet hours. No. Lead Belly isn’t the man, if it’s music that you want.

After reviewing other aspects of the show, including the comedy of Pigmeat Markham, Bostic concludes his review with this:

Midge Williams, the sensation from the west coast, looks, acts and sings like she knew most of the answers as a personality soloist…. She’s too good for the company she’s in at the Apollo this week.

I’ve had a bit of an obsession with the mysterious Midge Williams since I first heard her recordings of familiar jazz standards… sung in both Japanese and English. In the mid 1930’s, she was the first female African American singer with a national radio show. Midge worked with Bunny Berigan, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, and Jimmie Lunsford. When Olympian Jesse Owens had a short-lived foray as a bandleader, Midge was his singer. She toured with Louis Armstrong’s orchestra for three years, from 1938 until 1941, when she ended up hospitalized in Detroit. And then… nothing. She died of tuberculosis in 1952 at age 36.

That’s the story in a nutshell, according to the liner notes of her CD compilations and the few websites that mention her. Several years ago, I set out to fill in the blanks on this forgotten artist.

Midge started out in a family group with her three brothers. They were The Williams Quartette, later The Williams Four, performing in clubs and churches in the San Francisco area. They later joined the Fanchon and Marco vaudeville circuit and performed up and down the West Coast during summer breaks from school.

A musician / arranger named Roger Segure took them under his wing and became their manager, securing work on local radio and then traveling with the group to China and Japan. The opportunity to hear swing jazz vocals sung live was heralded as a major event in the history of Japanese jazz. During their stay in Japan, Midge recorded several sides, singing in English and Japanese, accompanied by the Columbia Jazz Band:

Midge crossed paths with writer Langston Hughes as he traveled through the Far East. Back in New York a few years later, Hughes would write songs for Midge. She recorded his “Love Is Like Whiskey” in February, 1938. Another song, “Night Time,” with lyrics by Hughes and music from her manager Roger Segure, was the theme song to her radio program. Unfortunately, no recording of the song exists.

The New York Age, April 16, 1938
California Eagle, (8/17/39)

Attempts by gossip columnists to stir rumors of a romance between the two proved unsuccessful.

Midge was just 21 years old when she began hosting her own radio show on NBC – a twice-weekly 15-minute program. She recorded several dozen sides while also making club appearances. A prominent figure in Harlem society at the time, the African American newspapers covered her every move… until her alcoholism resulted in a dismissal from the Louis Armstrong Orchestra.

Baltimore Afro-American (4/30/38)

Her last studio recording was with Lil Hardin Armstrong (Louis’ ex-wife) and her Dixielanders in 1940:

In April of 1946, Midge made an appearance on Jack Webb’s radio show. She was in fine voice on a cover of “Cow Cow Boogie”:

Shortly after the Jack Webb radio performance, Midge settled into a six month engagement at Mona’s 440 Club, the legendary lesbian bar in San Francisco. It is from this period that we have a photo of Midge, an image that has been widely circulated. One of the most familiar photos depicting lesbian nightlife of the 1940’s, it was also used to promote the 1993 documentary Last Call At Maud’s.

Midge Williams (left) with fellow Mona’s singer Kay Scott and friends (ca 1946)

Tune in to a 35 minute overview of the life and music of Midge Williams on 60 Degrees with Brian Ferrari.

See also:
Neeka Shaw: The Forgotten Showgirl
Madame Spivy on the Good Time Sallies podcast
Madame Spivy: Movies & Television
Madame Spivy’s Alley Cat
Madame Spivy’s Tarantella
The Christmas In Connecticut Delivery Woman
Etta James: Advertising Zombie
No More Chicken Pepperoni: RIP Yvonne Wilder
Artist’s Muse: José “Pete” Martinez


So Jill Sobule

Last month, when the NYC lounge Barracuda announced its closing after 30 years, I posted a couple of photos on social media from a May 5, 1997 appearance by singer/songwriter Jill Sobule. She was interviewed onstage by nightlife icon Candis Cayne, sang a couple of songs, screened the music video for “Bitter” and then met with fans.

That was 28 years ago this week. 30 years ago this same week, Jill’s single “I Kissed A Girl” was released. And now just days before both anniversaries comes the news that Jill has perished in a house fire. It’s a shocking end for such a talented individual, beloved by fans and fellow musicians.

Until the advent of YouTube, the screening of “Bitter” at Barracuda back in 1997 was the only time I ever saw the music video. MTV and VH1 certainly weren’t playing it. Her Happy Town CD had only been out for two months, but it was pretty clear that it wasn’t going to be as successful as her 1995 breakthrough LP – the one with her two hits: “I Kissed A Girl” and “Supermodel”. She would be dropped by Atlantic records by the end of 1997.

When I stepped up to meet Jill that night, I blathered on like the breathless fan that I was, telling her that the album was great and that her fans appreciated her music whether she sold 20 or 20 million copies. She seemed to be touched, gave me a hug and said “Oh, thank you so much.”

Jill sang a song at Barracuda that she had just written called “Money Shot” – a little ditty about a troubled porn star who couldn’t finish the job. She trusted that her audience at this gay club would appreciate it and the song went over well.

The following night, Jill was on the bill as part of a songwriters series at the Bottom Line in Greenwich Village. In the middle of her set, she asked the audience for song requests. I’d had a few cocktails by that point and called out “MONEY SHOT!”

I immediately regretted it.

Her wide eyes got even wider. She looked mortified as she said “Oh no.”

Jill at Joe’s Pub, NYC (April, 2002)

What had been a fun idea at a performance for gay fans in a Chelsea lounge didn’t fly in mixed company at The Bottom Line.

Five years later, I was briefly in a folk trio called The Wormwoods. We shared the bill with Jill and a dozen other singers at Joe’s Pub for two Dusty Springfield tribute concerts. She performed the classic Dusty In Memphis track “Just A Little Lovin’.”

Fast forward to August, 2011: Jill is opening for Fountains of Wayne at Bowery Ballroom on the Lower East Side. At first glance, this might appear to be an ill fit: The “I Kissed A Girl” girl and the “Stacey’s Mom” guys. Their fans can tell you that dismissing either act as a one-hit wonder is an oversight of many albums worth of smart, funny storytelling. Jill won over the Fountains of Wayne audience in no time.

Jill was at the merch table at intermission. “I think you made some new fans tonight,” I said.

She was pleasantly surprised. “They really seemed to like it, didn’t they?”

Songwriters of North America CEO Michelle Lewis called Jill Sobule “a singer/songwriter’s singer/songwriter.” I have similarly called her a musician’s musician. She often performed with just the smallest guitar and played with such intricacy that her audience could forget that it was her only accompaniment. I saw her onstage once with a small children’s keyboard that she had just picked up at a garage sale. Again, she found a way to make it sound like it was all the instrumentation that she needed.

Her song “Mexican Wrestler” epitomized her genius: heartbreakingly funny songwriting and a brilliantly nuanced performance.

Two weeks ago when Jill was opening for The Fixx on tour, she posted online about a concertgoer who took offense at her song “JD Vance is a C**t.” After the show, the woman shoved her and spewed some MAGA bile in her direction.

Jill’s response? She couldn’t wait until her next show – so that she could sing that song again.

I hate the idea of facing the next four years without her take on the unraveling of this administration. I can’t quite grasp that she won’t be here to sing “Underdog Victorious” when we are all on the other side of it.

Some of the many tributes to Jill that have popped up on social media:

Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go’s posted a link to “So Jill,” a song she co-wrote and performed with bandmate Charlotte Caffey and Lloyd Cole after meeting Jill at a songwriters retreat in 1997.

Photo: Brian Blauser/Mountain Stage Archive, Oct 8, 1995

The last 25 minutes of the May 4th episode of 60 Degrees with Brian Ferrari on East Village Radio is a tribute to Jill, with her songs about Joey Heatherton and Bobbie Gentry alongside covers of “Just A Little Lovin’,” “Stone Soul Picnic” and “Que Sera Sera.” Click to have a listen – the tribute starts at 1:35.

See also:
Adam Schlesinger: Not Just The Guy On The Right
A Voice You Know: Angela McCluskey
Luke Combs’ Cover Of “Fast Car” Is The Perfect Song For Our Times
You Know The B-52’s Song “Roam” Is About Butt Sex, Right?
Debbie At The World (1989)
Etta James: Advertising Zombie
Dusty Springfield Sings Kate Bush
Tina Turner: 12+ Cover Songs You May Have Missed
10 Forgotten Cher Moments
The Lost Madonna 80’s Megamix Video

Dusting Off The Holiday Favorites (2024)

NYC Holiday Window Display (1915)

I know I am not alone when I say that I take comfort in the annual repetition of the holidays: revisiting holiday-themed music, films, television shows… and now internet posts. Dave Holmes’ account of Patti LaBelle’s disastrous performance at the 1996 National Christmas Tree lighting is worth an annual revisit. Trust me.

Not to get meta or anything, but the post you are currently reading has been reworked and updated each year since 2020.

While we’re mining the past and dusting off our chestnuts, here’s the intro to the 1999 holiday episode of Bri-Guy’s Media Surf, an NYC Public Access show that featured yours truly lip-synching a little Esquivel:

Whenever the song pops up on my holiday playlist, I still do this.

I find it interesting that we immerse ourselves in certain pop culture favorites for exactly 6 weeks of the year and then pack them up in mothballs with the ornaments until next year. I mean, Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” is currently at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Burl Ives, Bobby Helms and Andy Williams are also in the top 10. Are any of them on your 4th of July playlist? They aren’t on mine.

Gabe Pressman (left) with Marilyn Monroe (1956)

I used to look forward to the annual Christmas Eve tradition on NBC New York’s evening news when reporter Gabe Pressman would read “Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus.” I taped it in 2011, knowing that the tradition wouldn’t last forever. The self-described “little Jewish kid from the Bronx” was 87 years old at the time and continued to work at NBC until his death at age 93.

NBC New York reporter Gabe Pressman’s annual segment on Virginia O’Hanlon’s 1897 letter to the New York Sun Newspaper.

In keeping with this revisit, my other blog posts of Christmas past are back to haunt you like A Christmas Carol, Mr. Scrooge:

Last year I posted Your Guide To Gay Disposable Holiday Movies, highlighting the 10 gayest Lifetime/Hallmark/Netflix movies of the past few years:


Copyright issues kept my 60 Degrees Girl Group Christmas playlists out of commission but now they are back! They have been running each week on the resurrected East Village Radio all month. Click here for streaming:
12/1/2024 – from 2008
12/8/2024 – from 2009
12/15/2024 – from 2012

And here’s a new one:

There’s a new Motown Christmas Special this year that has already aired in prime time several times this month, featuring Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, Martha Reeves and The Temptations. Here is my take on the 1987 Motown Christmas Special – which featured very few Motown acts.


Here are 10 Things You May Not Know About March of The Wooden Soldiers, the Laurel & Hardy classic holiday film.

My Canine Christmas Tail is a true story about my dog Sunshine, a basset hound with an appetite for tinsel.


Have you watched Christmas In Connecticut yet this year? How about that delivery woman? This year I was able to update my 2019 post, identifying Daisy Bufford as the actress who played the unbilled role.

The original version of “¿Dónde Está Santa Claus?” is featured in “Llamacita,” this year’s Amazon Prime holiday commercial. Here’s a little backstory on the song & Augie Rios, who sang the original version.

Also – would you like to hear my Spotify holiday playlist?

Way back in 2002, when Limewire was a thing and people listened to music on silvery discs, I started creating Christmas CD mixes that I would mail out or give to people. These were received with a heartwarming combination of feigned delight, veiled indifference and deafening silence. None of these CDs had a pressing of more than 20 copies. I’d like to call them “much sought after” – but no, that’s not really the case, although every once in a while, someone really got into them and would ask for copies of other volumes.

And so, I’m offering this simple playlist…. for kids from 1 to 92. Unfortunately some of the tracks on these dozen CDs are not on Spotify, but I keep adding songs that would be on the current CD volume… if there was one. And now the playlist is over 17 hours of holiday tunes. I recommend listening on shuffle – there’s something to irritate everyone. Enjoy!

Here’s one more nugget to stuff in your stocking: This vid went viral in 2011. Choreographed and performed by Alex Karigan & Zac Hammer of the Amy Marshall Dance Company, it was filmed in one continuous take at the New 42nd St. Dance Studios. There’s something infectious about it: the joy, the corniness, the celebratory queerness of it all. It makes me want to dust off my jazz shoes. Once a year.

See Also:
Your Guide To Disposable Gay Holiday Movies
The 60 Degrees Girl Group Christmas Show
The Christmas In Connecticut Delivery Woman
¿Dónde Está Santa Claus? (& Augie Rios)?
March Of The Wooden Soldiers: 10 Things You May Not Know About This Holiday Classic
Sunshine & Tinsel: A Canine Christmas Tail
A Christmas Without Miracles: The 1987 Motown Xmas Special

EVR in the NYT

East Village Radio had been back on the air for three months now – and that includes my weekly show, 60 Degrees with Brian Ferrari. On Sunday, September 29th, 2024 The New York Times posted an article about the station on the front page of their Metropolitan section.

60 Degrees is devoted to girl groups and female singers of the 1960’s, featuring hidden gems, cult favorites and unreleased obscurities. The show airs every Sunday morning from 8-10am EST, alternating new shows with old episodes from the original run (2008-2013). Episodes are available to stream any time, on demand for free here.

Here’s a recap of recent episodes – click on the date for streaming:

7/21/2024 A tribute to Mary Weiss of The Shangri-Las, songs from film & television, Young Rascals covers, spotlight on Chess Records & selections from The Girls Scene CD Compilation.
7/28/2024 – From 2/2013, show #54: Sisters In The City (mostly NY), and songs recorded live on The Ed Sullivan Show.
8/4/2024 Spotlight on Red Bird records, Mama Cass Elliot, Beatles covers, Ronnie Spector, Brit girls and soul sisters.
8/18/2024 – Selections from the Kiss N’ Tell CD Compilation, girl groups in the bubble gum zone, a folky 15 minutes and Stax soul sisters.
8/25/2024 – From 9/2008, show #13: Summer / surf songs, party drama, Beatles covers, and Motown rarities.
9/1/2024 – From 4/2011, show #40: Where The Girls Are LP compilation, Marvelettes tribute, and C’est Chic! French girls compilation.
9/8/2024 – From 9/2008, show #14: An assortment of The Cookies, soul sisters, Beatles covers, and songs about shoes.
9/15/2024 – Spotlight on Sue records, the British Bird Invasion, a folky 15 minutes, Beatles covers, and Motown.
9/22/2024 – From 11/2008, show #16: Wedding drama, Beatles covers, a folky 15 minutes, Girls In The Garage.
9/29/2024 Dream Babies LP compilation, spotlight on Cameo/Parkway records, Brit girls, 50’s chicks in the 60’s, and Girls in the Garage.
10/6/2024 – Songs from John Waters’ Hairspray, peripheral Motown songs, Spector soundalikes, Beatles covers, Brit girls and Girls In The Garage.
10/13/2024 – A rebroadcast from 3/26/12: The Houston/Warwick Clan, Girls With Guitars, International Gals, Monkees Covers & Motown.
10/20/2024 – A rebroadcast from 4/21/08 featuring car songs, Dusty Springfield covers, NYC: A Mini-Musical, soul, Motown and more!
10/27/2024 – The 60 Degrees Halloween Show

See also:
Back To The Girl Zone: 60 Degrees Returns
60’s Girl Group Survivors
Girl Group Heaven: Ronnie, Rosa & Wanda
60 Degrees Halloween Show
60 Degrees Girl Group Christmas
Ronnie Spector 1980
Dusty Springfield Sings Kate Bush
Tina Turner: 12+ Cover Songs You May Have Missed
Etta James: Advertising Zombie
A Christmas Without Miracles: The 1987 Motown Xmas Special

Back To The Girl Zone: 60 Degrees Returns

I’m bursting with excitement to be able to share the news about something I have been working on for the past couple of months…

After a 10 year hiatus, East Village Radio is now officially back on the air. My show, 60 Degrees with Brian Ferrari ran on the station for 5 years – from 2008-2013. The 2-hour program, featuring female 60’s singers and girl groups, is now back with new episodes bi-weekly, with repeated classic episodes on the opposite week. Besides the Sunday morning, 8-10am broadcast, archives of the show will be available for streaming on demand, any time, for free.

Here’s a little backstory: I had a late night public access television program called Bri-Guy’s Media Surf that aired in New York City from 1997-2007. Based on the music clips I played on that show, I was approached to do a spot on the early low-frequency broadcast version of East Village Radio. The signal was so weak that I couldn’t receive it in my apartment three blocks north of the station. Given the workload of producing the TV show, I didn’t have the bandwidth to take on a two-hour radio program, so I politely declined. After Media Surf wrapped in late 2007, I was offered a radio spot again. By this time, the station had transitioned into internet streaming and now had a worldwide audience. This time I said “Yes.”

In front of the EVR booth (2008)

From its inception, the concept of 60 Degrees was that it existed in an alternate reality where women ruled the pop charts throughout the 1960’s, a decade that I consider to be the most transitional and eclectic in the history of popular music. The all-female playlist is in direct contrast to radio programmers that only allow a certain number of female artists per hour. In the land of 60 Degrees, it’s all women, all the time. The men remain in the shadows, only stepping forward for the occasional duet.

This is not to say that the male groups that ruled the charts are completely ignored here. Female artists doing Beatles or Rolling Stones covers and tribute or answer songs are often featured. Besides, you can’t have a 60’s girl group playlist without the specter of Phil Spector looming large.

Another rule for 60 Degrees is that it is not a re-hash of the WCBS-FM “We play your favorite oldies” format. If a 60’s hit is in rotation on an oldies station, you won’t hear it here unless it’s live version, an alternate take, or sung in a foreign language.

Other ingredients that add to 60 Degrees’ unique flavor are the vintage commercials and sound clips from various movies and TV shows peppered throughout each 2 hour episode. These add a camp element to the proceedings and act as an acknowledgement of pop culture’s shift over the past 60 years.

60 Degrees usually concludes each episode with a modern cover or a remix of a 60’s tune to transition the listener back to the current day, in preparation for the next show on the East Village Radio schedule.

Exciters lead singer Brenda Reid was a guest on the show in 2012.

I did my first (and only) live show in the First Avenue storefront booth on January 17, 2008. Broadcasting live at street level by myself was a slightly terrifying prospect. The first show went without interruption but at some point I was bound to get a random loon trying to get into the booth while I’m spinning some Shirelles. And it wasn’t like I was going to get a sidewalk crowd like the higher profile prime time DJs. Besides, the variety of the content meant that I was dealing with wildly different sound levels and other audio issues over approximately 75 different clips per episode. Pre-taping allowed for a more seamless, fast-paced show, which was then broadcast in the morning hours before the DJ booth was open.

After 5 years on the air, I felt that the show had run it’s course and I hung up my headphones. I continued on my own personal quest of discovering new/old music, focusing on early soul singers and the sister groups of the 1940’s… then the 1930’s… until one day I found myself listening to 78 records on my 1916 RCA crank victrola. Having gone about as far as I could go, I thew it into reverse once again.

And so we’re back. From outer space. And so is 60 Degrees. I hope you will come along for the ride. It’s kinda cool

Bringing 60 Degrees back to East Village Radio, with the help of Jean & The Statesides.

See also:
EVR in the NYT
60’s Girl Group Survivors
Girl Group Heaven: Ronnie, Rosa & Wanda
60 Degrees Halloween Show
60 Degrees Girl Group Christmas
Ronnie Spector 1980
10 Forgotten Cher Moments
Dusty Springfield Sings Kate Bush
Etta James: Advertising Zombie
So Jill Sobule
A Christmas Without Miracles: The 1987 Motown Xmas Special

Debbie At The World (1989)

Here comes the 21st century… it’s gonna be much better for a girl like me…
-Deborah Harry, “I Want That Man”

I recently came across the 2018 Interview magazine article “An Oral History of The World: the most iconic nightclub you never heard of”. This reminded me of my one and only trip to the legendary club when Deborah Harry played there in November, 1989.

Seven years after Blondie went on hiatus, “Debbie” become “Deborah” as she released her third solo album, Def Dumb and Blonde – an eclectic 15-track collection that most fans consider to be her best effort outside of the band. Although the album did not crack the US Billboard top 100, it reached the top 10 in the UK and other countries.

I got tickets to the November 11 show. This was the second of three sold out shows at the Lower East Side club. The guy I was seeing when the tickets went on sale was no longer in the picture by the time the show came around, so I ended up taking my older sister, Kari. She had been a Blondie fan a decade before – it was her cassette of Parallel Lines that we wore out.

We came up out of the F train at Houston Street and First Avenue and started heading east into Alphabet City, walking briskly past the homeless huddled around burning trashcans and assorted drug-induced shenanigans. Kari was holding onto my arm, talking a mile a minute – engrossed in a story that I hoped would keep her distracted for as long as possible. We were somewhere between Avenues A & B when she finally looked around, slowed a bit, gripped my arm tighter and said “Oh my god. Where are you taking me???”

“Almost there!” I said, although I wasn’t sure if we were.

I knew nothing about The World – a 16-and-over nightclub that payed little attention to underage drinking, a quaint complaint given the other activities that allegedly went on there. Housed in a crumbling former catering hall, it had that air of faded decadence prevalent in many East Village hangouts. It was as if the party continued on in the ruins of past generations…. clubs and galleries in the dilapidated haunts of German, Polish, and Ukranian immigrants, followed by another generation of hippies and poets, then punks and artists who had now come and gone. We were in the last months of the 1980’s and all that the decade had wrought was slipping into the past. But would Debbie, um, Deborah Harry?

There was an air of anticipation as to how this show would go: her first solo tour at age 44 – the same age as Tina Turner at the time of her Private Dancer success 5 years earlier. Given that Harry was back on her home turf – just a few blocks from CBGB’s – would she lean into her rock/punk roots? Surely this would not be a parade of greatest hits.

Still, it was a surprise when she quietly took to the stage along with her ever-present creative partner Chris Stein and opened her set with the jazzy Motown ballad “The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game.” This Marvelettes cover was the final song on Blondie’s 1982 LP The Hunter. It was an intriguing choice for an opening number, as if she & Stein were picking up right where Blondie left off.

And then the show shifted into gear: playing through a set heavy on Def Dumb & Blonde‘s edgier cuts while seamlessly mixing in Blondie album tracks like “Cautious Lip” & “Detroit 442”. The set wound down with “Brite Side,” her latest single which segued into a cover of The Velvet Underground’s “Waiting For The Man”.

For the encore, she took off her jacket and returned the stage in just a black bra. When presented with a bouquet of roses, she bit the head off of one and spit it back at the audience. She tore through a couple of conciliatory hits: “Call Me” & “One Way Or Another”, plus her minor solo hit “French Kissin’ In The USA”.

Here’s where memory gets tricky: I recall that she did a Ramones cover as her final song. In the years following this show, I saw The Go-Go’s and Kirsty MacColl both cover “I Wanna Be Sedated” as final encores at their concerts. Some mental wires got crossed and 30+ years later, I thought Harry sang it too. But thanks to the internet and her fanatic fans, I am reminded that the Ramones song she covered on this tour was “Pet Sematary,” the theme to the Stephen King movie that her old friends had released earlier that year. 

Here’s a recording from The Roxy in LA on October 23, 1989 – two weeks prior to The World shows in NYC:

My sister had gone off during the encore to find a bathroom. Towards the end of this song, she reappeared, white as a ghost, saying “Ohmygod ohmygod you have to help me! I have to pee SO bad and there’s only ONE bathroom for everyone! NO STALLS. I asked someone if it was the ladies room and she said ‘Men, women… what’s the difference?’ ohmygod you have to help me!”

Downstairs in the bathroom, I stood with my back to her, holding my full-length wool coat open like some sort of reverse-flasher trying to block her from the view of everyone except the woman sitting on the toilet right next to her having a conversation with her friend. I was trying not to laugh too hard as my sister kept muttering behind me “ohmygod ohmygod unbelievable… men, women, what’s the difference… unbelievable….”

On our way out, I poked my head into the lounge, where futuristic electronic music played. I could only make out strange silhouettes in the dim colored lights of the smoky room. It seemed like a cross between the Creature Cantina and something out of The Jetsons. 

Still got that t-shirt…

After a quick t-shirt purchase at the merch booth, we were back on the street. Kari was holding on to my arm as we headed down East Second Street. A panhandler approached and said “Now there’s an attractive couple!” My sister let out a sustained “Eeew” which I punctuated with “She’s my SISTER.”

“My apologies.” He responded quickly and moved on to the second half of his spiel as he walked alongside us. “I’m having a rough time right now. If you could reach down into your pockets and help me out with anything, anything at all, I would really appreciate it.”

Kari, absentmindedly reached down into her pocket and presented him with a matchbook. He was not amused.

We turned on to Avenue A as he stood there screaming after us “Fuck you bitch! Fuck you! I will fucking BURN you bitch!”

She didn’t seem to hear him. Shaking her head, she said, “Oh my god. That bathroom.”

It would be another year and a half before I relocated to the neighborhood. But The World ended just two weeks before I got there: On June 27, 1991 co-owner Steven Venizelos – described by the New York Times as “a corpulent man with a penchant for jewelry” – was found murdered on the balcony of the club. He was shot three times at close range. There were no signs of robbery and the case went unsolved. In keeping with the East Village trend, the building was demolished to make way for “luxury” apartments. 

The Record, 6/29/91

And Debbie? She’s still going strong. As she sang in “I Want That Man,” Here comes the 21st Century… it’s gonna be much better for a girl like me… the reunited Blondie brought in the new millennium with “Maria,” a #1 hit in the UK. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

Her latest collaboration is with The Dandy Warhols – “I Will Never Stop Loving You.”

See Also:
The Tin Man And The Lion: Unanswered Prayers
The Lion In The Emerald City: Promise Of A New Day
Homo Alone (1991)
A Stroll Though 1980’s NYC
Madonna’s Lost 1980’s Megamix Video
Kate Bush’s Gayest Songs
Ronnie Spector 1980
12 Forgotten Female New Wave Classics
Don Herron’s Tub Shots
Keith Haring In Heat Magazine (1992)
You Know The B-52’s Song “Roam” Is About Butt Sex, Right?
Sheena Is A Grandmother

A Voice You Know: Angela McCluskey

Celebrating singer Angela McCluskey, who died at age 64 on 3/15/24. In the 90’s she fronted the band Wild Colonials, and her timeless voice graced many soundtracks and commercials.

You know the voice. Even if you think you have never heard it before, you recognize it. When you hear it out in public, in a movie, on television, it’s a voice that makes you reach for your phone to Shazam and find out who it is. It has been described as fractured, gin-soaked. It has the strength to front a rock band. It has a break that recalls Billie Holiday. It transcends genres.

Through the 1990’s Angela McCluskey fronted The Wild Colonials with a force akin to her friend and fellow Scotsman Shirley Manson of Garbage. Formed in Los Angeles, the band had heavy ties with the movie industry. Their music ultimately appeared in over 30 films, and three of the band members have scored full-length features.

Their third album, Reel Life, Vol. 1 was a compilation of songs used in various films including Mr. Wrong, Unhook The Stars and Flirting With Disaster. Their songs were used on television as well, most notably on Grey’s Anatomy.

McCluskey also lent her voice to numerous advertising campaigns, singing in commercials for American Express, Schick razors and this memorable 2000 Kohls jingle:

In 2004, McCluskey released her first solo LP, The Things We Do, featuring the song “It’s Been Done”:

Over the next 18 years, she would release 4 LPs and numerous singles and EPs, including one with the reunited Wild Colonials in 2010.

McCluskey has been described as “a singer’s singer.” Her list of collaborators is long and wide-ranging –  from Dr. John to Cyndi Lauper to Shudder To Think to Paul Oakenfold. She contributed vocals for two albums with French electronic group Télépopmusik. Their 2004 collaboration “Breathe” garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording.

Another highlight from her work with Télépopmusik was “Love’s Almighty” from 2005:

She appeared on Robbie Robertson’s LP How To Become Clairvoyant. “In The Air,” her 2011 collaboration with Morgan Page reached #1 on the Billboard Dance Airplay chart.

Angela McCluskey sings “Wild is the Wind” and “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today” for WFUV (2012):

McCluskey recounted her early days with The Wild Colonials in one of her final Instagram posts:

“…what a journey it’s been incredible American dream really”
“Never did anyone live life more fully, love more generously, sing more… well, just… more. Angela sang just as she breathed. Her life was a song, and she was music. She will be missed more than any of us can say…”

Spotify playlist covering her eclectic career:

See also:
Adam Schlesinger: Not Just The Guy On The Right
Tina Turner: 12+ Cover Songs You May Have Missed
Etta James: Advertising Zombie
60’s Girl Group Survivors
Dusty Springfield Sings Kate Bush
10 Forgotten Cher Moments
You Know The B-52’s “Roam” Is About Butt Sex, Right?
Debbie At The World (1989)
Kate Bush’s Gayest Songs
Madame Spivy’s Alley Cat
So Jill Sobule

A 60 Degrees Girl Group Christmas

darlene

I have always loved Christmas music. I tend to listen to older music all year round, but when it comes to sharing music with the general public, this is the only time of year when Brenda Lee is considered cool. To combat the 60’s holiday tracks that are over-covered and overplayed, I am always searching for more obscure holiday recordings by girl groups and female vocalists that are not on radio or Spotify playlists.

60DegreesWhen I began hosting my internet radio show 60 Degrees with Brian Ferrari back in 2008, I started an annual tradition of putting together a holiday program full of female 60’s singers and girl groups interspersed with vintage commercials and sound clips from classic holiday movies and television shows. You can listen to the Halloween show here.

East Village Radio was a pirate radio station that went legit and switched to the internet, broadcasting from a storefront in New York’s Lower East Side. This first 60 Degrees holiday show debuted on December 22, 2008 and was repeated annually throughout the shows 5 year run. By 2012, the holiday programs had gained such a following that 60 Degrees was given an uninterrupted 16-hour marathon on Christmas Day.

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At the beginning of Part 2 of this episode, I read a Christmas poem that I wrote about an incident from my childhood involving our tinsel-eating dog Sunshine, which has previously been posted here and also on The Good Men Project website. You can’t say I don’t recycle!

Other than my speedy vocal delivery (someone tell that guy to slow down) and some minor sound level issues, the show holds up pretty well. There are a few mis-statements that I wish I could fix:

  • I said that Maya Rudolph’s mother, the late great Minnie Riperton was not singing lead on The Gems tracks. But it turned out that she was.
  • I mis-pronounce the Meditation Singers as “The Mediation Singers” and would add that soul singer Laura Lee was a member of the group, having replaced Della Reese in the 1950’s.
  • Janice Orenstein is the singer on “There’s Always Tomorrow” from the Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer soundtrack.

Gems MinnieMeditation SingersJanice Orenstein

Honey BeesValerie Masters500x500

Part 1 Flirtaitons

  1. Donde Esta Santa Claus – Toni Stante
  2. Gee Whiz, It’s Christmas  – Carla Thomas
  3. My Boyfriend’s Coming Home For Christmas  – Toni Wine
  4. Christmas Will Be Just Another Lonely Day – Brenda Lee
  5. White Christmas – Baby Washington
  6. Snowfall – Doris Day
  7. I Want A Boy For Christmas – The Del-Vetts
  8. You Better Be Good, World – Shirley Ellis
  9. Peace For Christmas  – Gigi Parker
  10. Christmas Calling  – Valerie Masters
  11. Christmas Time – Jan Bradley
  12. All I Want For Christmas Is You – Carla Thomas
  13. Christmas Is The Time To Be With Your Baby – The Orchids
  14. Christmas Time Is Here Again – The Flirtations
  15. O Holy Child – Dusty Springfield
  16. Sleigh Ride – Darlene Love wi/ The Brian Setzer Orchestra
  17. Deep in the Heart of Christmas Darlene Love wi/ The Brian Setzer Orchestra
  18. Christmastime For The Jews – Darlene Love
  19. Xmas (Baby Please Come Home) Live 2005 – Darlene Love

beverley-happy-new-year-1966-2DustyXmas 2carla thomas xmas

Kim Weston xmasAretha-Xmas.jpgBrenda Lee xmas45

Part 2: Suprems xmasbboard

  1. Wish You A Merry Christmas – Kim Weston
  2. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! – The Miracles (featuring Claudette Robinson)
  3. Oh Holy Night – The Supremes (featuring Florence Ballard)
  4. Won’t Be Long Before Christmas – The Supremes
  5. Blue Christmas – The Meditation Singers
  6. Blue Holiday – Aretha Franklin
  7. Love For Christmas  -The Gems
  8. Jing Jing A Ling – Honey & The Bees
  9. Silver Bells – Rachel Sweet
  10. Close Your Mouth (It’s Christmas) – The Free Design
  11. The Christmas Song – Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66
  12. I Don’t Intend to Spend Christmas Without You – Margo Guryan
  13. Happy New Year Baby – JoAnn Campbell
  14. Happy New Year Baby – The Sisters
  15. January First – Peggy March
  16. Happy New Year – Beverley
  17. Jingle Jingle Jingle – Burl Ives
  18. There’s Always Tomorrow – Janice Orenstein
  19. Auld Lang Syne – Honey & the Bees

I’ll be uploading other episodes of 60 Degrees in the future. I hope you enjoy them. Thanks for listening!Delvettes 45

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You can now listen to this episode on Mixcloud:

See also:
’60s Girl Group Survivors
Girl Group Heaven: Ronnie, Rosa & Wanda
EVR in the NYT
The Christmas In Connecticut Delivery Woman
¿Dónde Está Santa Claus (& Augie Rios)?
Dusty Springfield Sings Kate Bush
Tina Turner: 12+ Cover Songs You May Have Missed
Yes Virginia, There Is A Spotify Playlist
A Christmas Without Miracles: The 1987 Motown Xmas Special
Your Guide To Disposable Gay Holiday Movies
Dusting Off The Holiday Favorites (2023)

You Know The B-52’s Song “Roam” Is About Butt Sex, Right?

The B-52’s are currently in the midst of another farewell tour. It seems like a good time to revisit this blog post from the summer of 2018:

A couple of months ago, the internet burst into flames when Bunny Wailer, songwriter of “The Electric Slide”, confirmed rumors that the song is indeed about a vibrator. (It’s electric!).

An article on the Aazios site quoted him as saying that he wrote the song after a girlfriend told him she didn’t need him because she had a toy she nicknamed the “electric slide”. The story went viral.

Singer Marcia Griffiths was not happy about it. “I don’t sing about vibrators,” she said. “I sing to teach, educate and uplift.”

“Why not both?” I say.

ALT whynot both

Huffpost, which initially reposted the Aazios story, then printed an update that it was not true… noting, apropos of nothing, that Aazios is “an online source of LGBTQ news and entertainment” – as if that had anything to do with Bunny Wailer, the vibrator, or the validity of the story.

Snopehas labeled the story FALSE with a quote from Bunny Wailer that reads like a statement prepared by a lawyer to protect a client from litigation: “At no time have I ever lent credence to a rumor that the song was inspired by anything other than Eddie Grant’s Electric Avenue. To state otherwise is a falsehood and offends my legacy, the legacy of singer Marcia Griffiths, and tarnishes the reputation of a song beloved by millions of fans the world over.”

The problem is… Wailer wrote the song in the 1970’s, years before Eddie Grant’s 1982 hit. The song was dusted off and reworked to ride the “Electric” coattails of that hit record. Thirty-five years later, it is still a dance floor staple at a certain caliber of venue. It is understandable that someone who still makes money off of this record does not want to suddenly admit that their cash cow is about a dildo.

electric slide

Bottom line: It is or it isn’t. Either way, you now have a topic of conversation to slur loudly over your 9th cocktail while your mom and Karen from finance are knocking into each other on the dance floor. 

So… now can we talk about The B-52’s 1989 hit song “Roam“? You know it’s about butt sex, right?

b52s wildplanet

Of course, nobody is going to step up and confirm this now. The B-52’s still make a nice living touring the world performing “Roam” along with party classics like “Rock Lobster and “Love ShackOne song they haven’t performed in years is “Dirty Back Road,” a track from their 1980 Wild Planet LP. Co-written by a guy named Robert Waldrop with band member Ricky Wilson, it’s not that much of a stretch to figure out what this little ditty is about:

 

Wreckless driving / Like a sports car / God I want you / Like a fuel engine / Energized line / Like a road / You ride me / Like a road / You ride me / Foot on the peddle / Feet in the air / Sand in my hair / Don’t look back / Don’t look behind you / Reckless drivin’ on / Dirty back road

Pretty obvious, right? Well… of course not, according to YouTube comments. People will argue about anything. I know, I know. Never read the comments.

b52s dirty back roadb52s-dirty-back-road-1980

Now lets move on to “Roam“: The song’s lyrics are credited again to Robert Waldrop, with music written by the surviving members of the band. Ricky Wilson had passed away from AIDS complications in 1985 during the recording of the Bouncing Off The Satellites LP. After taking a few years off, the band came back in 1989 with the LP Cosmic Thing, which would be the biggest commercial success of their career. The singles “Love Shack” and “Roam” topped the charts around the world, garnered the band their first two Grammy nominations and still get regular airplay today.

 

b52s cosmic thingb52s roam

 

When did I realize that “Roam” was about butt sex? I couldn’t say. I just always knew. I saw Robert Waldrop’s name in the cassette booklet, read the lyrics to “Roam and thought “Look at that. He cleaned up his ‘Dirty Back Road.” Well, not completely – the second line has them “dancing down those dirty and dusty trails.” It may not be as blatant, but it’s there.

 

 

The phrase “Take it hip to hip rock it through the wilderness” is repeated about a dozen times throughout the song.

The chorus: Roam if you want to / Roam around the world / Without wings without wheels / Roam around the world / Without anything but the love we feel… 

And then there’s this verse:

Hit the air-strip to the sunset Ride the arrow to the target / Take it hip to hip rock it through the wilderness / Around the world the trip begins with a kiss 

(at this point in the video, a banana goes through a hole in a bagel)

Roam

 

I would like to make it clear that I do not make these pronouncements as some sort of slander. Believe me, I am a big fan of butt sex and partake as often as possible.

In posting this piece, I realize that there are people who will get annoyed or upset that their favorite B-52’s hit is all about taking a ride on the Hershey highway, but really… if you think this is shocking or not possibly true then you never really understood the band and/or their sense of humor in the first place. People who only know them from Top 40 radio might not remember that they were/are a predominantly gay party bandThey were messysubversive and more than just a little punk. Fun punk. 

If a clueless fan does not know that, it is akin to saying that you love John Waters because of the films Hairspray and Cry Baby, but have never seen Pink Flamingos or Female Trouble.

 

Polyester

 

Like many other bands before or since, the B-52’s started out edgy and moved towards mainstream pop as their career progressed. While their current tour does pull heavily from their first two LPs, their bread and butter is still playing the hit songs. They are a business  not so much a band as a corporation like their contemporaries the Go-Go’s and Blondie.

Even if the B-52’s issued a statement today that Roam” never was or is about getting popped in the pooper, the motivation would not be to tell the truth, but rather to protect their own livelihoodCase in point: The Village People, Inc. When faced with anti-gay protests for a gig in Jamaica back in 1998their representative had the balls to issue a statement declaring that there was nothing gay about them. The fucking Village People, people. I would like to think that the B-52’s are still way too cool to ever do such a thing.

So… I just thought you ought to know. Roam” is about takin’ it up the ass. Something to think about when you hear it wafting over the airwaves at the supermarket or when you are in line at the bankI am not going to debate the evidence. It is what it is. I think it’s a hoot – it makes me chuckle whenever I hear it. But if you feel a strong opposition to the theory… may I invite you to hit the airstrip… and teach yourself the Electric Slide. Boogie woogie woogie.

 

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UPDATE: Since this was piece was first posted in August, 2018, an expanded 30th Anniversary edition of the Cosmic Thing LP was released. The band did a considerable amount of press, reflecting on the songs and recording process. Not surprisingly, nobody mentioned that “Roam” is about butt sex.

“‘Roam‘ has many meanings, but it’s a beautiful song about death,” Cindy Wilson told Classic Pop magazine in 2019. “It’s about when your spirit leaves your body and you can just roam.”

Well, yes. Some would describe it like that.

See Also:
’60’s Girl Group Survivors
10 Forgotten Cher Moments
Debbie At The World (1989)
Dusty Springfield Sings Kate Bush
12+ Tina Turner Cover Songs You May Have Missed
Gimme Gimme Gimme: Erasure Covering ABBA
Kate Bush’s Gayest Songs
John Waters in Blueboy Magazine (1977)
Sheena Is A Grandmother
Keith Haring In Heat Magazine (1992)