I never got into the straight/gay divide in music because it was just music. I would never say Bette Midler nor Cyndi Lauper catered to a gay audience. I never concerned myself with the sexual partner choices of individual audience members.
Funny story you may be be too young to know. The Sonny and Cher movie Good Times premiered at the Paramount in 1967. Embarrassingly, the alarm on my Vulcain Cricket wrist watch went off why they were addressing the audience. I killed it very quickly.
In the course of my concert-going career, I've seen acts from Jimi Hendrix to Jimmy Dale Gilmore, from Frank Zappa to Frank Sinatra. I saw Barry Manilow at the Paramount in Seattle in '75, and Stephen Stills at the same venue the very next night. I've seen The Go-Gos and the Marine Corps Glee Club, and thoroughly enjoyed both shows.... and my music collection reflects that eclecticism. I have Girl in a Coma right next to Jane Gillman, Cher nestled in between Cheap Trick and Chicago. I won't listen to Celine Dion simply because I can't stand her voice, not because she's a diva, and my cis-het cred isn't challenged by the fact that I enjoy Bette Midler, Boy George, Billie Eilish or Beyoncé. It's all music, darlin'.
You get a pass on the Tapestry thing.
there are no guilty pleasures…man cannot live on bread alone.
I left a puddle of creme on the floor looking at that photo of Cher!
great title “Oilcan Harry’s Hall of Fame “
Thanks for that !!!
lol. Thanks for mansplaining. Everybody knows that music is love. Love the one you’re with. I love music and have a lot of guilty pleasures.
I never got into the straight/gay divide in music because it was just music. I would never say Bette Midler nor Cyndi Lauper catered to a gay audience. I never concerned myself with the sexual partner choices of individual audience members.
Funny story you may be be too young to know. The Sonny and Cher movie Good Times premiered at the Paramount in 1967. Embarrassingly, the alarm on my Vulcain Cricket wrist watch went off why they were addressing the audience. I killed it very quickly.
Really enjoyed this article Michael…very well done.
In the course of my concert-going career, I've seen acts from Jimi Hendrix to Jimmy Dale Gilmore, from Frank Zappa to Frank Sinatra. I saw Barry Manilow at the Paramount in Seattle in '75, and Stephen Stills at the same venue the very next night. I've seen The Go-Gos and the Marine Corps Glee Club, and thoroughly enjoyed both shows.... and my music collection reflects that eclecticism. I have Girl in a Coma right next to Jane Gillman, Cher nestled in between Cheap Trick and Chicago. I won't listen to Celine Dion simply because I can't stand her voice, not because she's a diva, and my cis-het cred isn't challenged by the fact that I enjoy Bette Midler, Boy George, Billie Eilish or Beyoncé. It's all music, darlin'.