The fall season is when the music industry usually releases its heavy hitters. For example, Grammy winner Alicia Keys has a new single out called “Girl On Fire” featuring Nicki Minaj. When Alicia was a new artist I really liked her. She was a breath of fresh R&B air, but I haven’t really enjoyed any of her contributions since “You Don’t Know My Name”. Yeah....the hook on “Empire State” was sweet, but I don’t think her idea of R&B/Hip Hop has translated into today’s sound. That’s probably why not even Nicki Minaj’s quick rap could save this track.  And after Alicia and Jack White ruined their attempt at a James Bond theme, I don’t think Alicia could get a hit if she were blindfolded and thrown in traffic.

What? Too harsh? Well, I have been very disappointed with a lot of the “new” tracks being released. And speaking of Onika Tanya Maraj (oh...I mean Nicki Minaj)....what is this abundance of just crude lyrics. Her latest offering is “Come On A Cone”. All I can think about are those two little British girls on “Ellen”. No matter how much they try to make radio friendly versions of Nicki’s songs, these little girls are still singing them at the top of their lungs. I have grown tired of this foul-mouthed idiot. Between her pubescent lyrics and her blatant wannabe Lady GaGa image, I just can’t stomach her anymore. At least Lil’ Kim kept it real. Nicki has fallen in the same category that I put Marilyn Manson and Bethany Frankel.....say anything to be shocking. 

And since I brought up Ellen....did you hear about Anderson being cancelled? Apparently Ellen is kicking ass in ratings and has all the sponsors. And as much as I love those icy eyes and silver hair, over the past year or so his talk show has not caught on. His coming out was very lack lustered since everyone already knew. And his obsession with Reality TV personalities like Honey Boo Boo and the Real Housewives of New Jersey just made me wonder about his judgment.  It took years for Ellen to cultivate her following after coming out. I kinda think it’s different for a gay man coming out in the spotlight. I mean....Adam Lambert made it official after his stint on American Idol and he’s popular, but he’s not topping the charts. 

His latest single, “Trespassing” is okay, but none of the remixes are making me wanna play any of them. I mean...I’m happy that he’s out and doing his thang in the music industry, but is he happy with the material he’s putting out? 

And on the gay or gay Friendly horizon, rumors have emerged that The Scissor Sisters have broken up. In actuality they have amicably parted ways with their drummer, Paddy Boom (according to a statement that they posted on their website on October 22nd). I wonder if this is a situation like when Vince Clarke left Depeche Mode because he didn’t care for the direction the group was going with the music? If he hadn’t left, we would have never had Yazoo and Erasure. 

But don’t worry. This blog isn’t all bitchin’ and bad reviews. I have found a few things that I really like. For example, Swedish House Mafia has a great track out called “Don’t You Worry Child” featuring John Martin. My favorite remix is by Joris Voorn. It’s got a great bass line and would work for a serious House crowd as well as the young twinks. 

When I first heard Frank Ocean’s “Thinkin’ Bout You” I was really unimpressed. I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. It almost seemed like everyone was embracing him because he came out as bisexual before his album dropped. His falsetto sounded like a bad Prince impersonation and it was a ballad. But then I got the Lonsdale Boys Club Remix in my pool. Man....it’s like night and day between the original and this hot groove they put behind his vocals. It works and it is what my brother and I like to call a N&R track (nightly and regardless - whether they dance or not. I’m playing this one for me!). Fortunately my floor has been loving it. 

And finally, I was watching Ellen last week and she brought on this Hip Hop act called Macklemore & Ryan Lewis who performed this really deep song called “Same Love” featuring Mary Lambert. It is the first Hip Hop song that I have heard that supports same-sex marriage and gay Rights. I liked it so much that I immediately went to iTunes and bought their album. And then I spent a couple hours remixing the 85 BPM track into a 96 BPM DJ friendly track. I hope my floor appreciates it this weekend. 

Then I was so inspired by the message of the song that I put together a special mixed set about “Equality” to share with you. Here’s another free download: 

https://hotfile.com/dl/178176358/c9c0387/Relentless_In_The_Mix_(Equality)_DJ_Relentless.mp3.html

Now....I know this is not my normal blog about music, but I felt as an American in Canada I should say something about what is happening in this election (at least from my point of view). 

Obama’s performance in the last two debates was just what his campaign needed. I’m not sure if CNN is trying to appear unbiased but they will not let the President enjoy his victory. They keep saying that he won the debates, but Romney still did better on getting his points across. According to their poll numbers, Romney won points for hammering Obama on his record and the economy and the Libya Embassy situation. He basically lied about what he is going to do when he gets into office and pandered to those who don’t understand how bad a situation Obama inherited when he took office. 

And I love how the Republicans keep saying....”Obama promised to do all these things and didn’t accomplish them.” Well, of course he didn’t. From day one of his term, the Republicans vowed to block whatever he planned to do. They made it their mission to make him a one term president. And I find it interesting that through all of the debates, Romney still has not said what his plans are to fix the economy. He keeps saying he knows how to create jobs in this country and we are supposed to just trust him on this. He keeps speaking of his record as a governor and a business man. Obama is speaking from the experience of being in the oval office. Unfortunately, this whole election has come down to race. The Republicans would love to say that now that we have elected a Black President that “racism” is over. According to Ann Coulter’s new book “racism” is long gone with the civil rights movement. I guess that’s why there are so many folks on the internet posting statements like “Get that nigger out of office at all cost!” 

After the first debate, there was plenty of speculation about why Obama seemed lifeless. Some said he was tired. Others said he was surprised by Romney’s attacks. My husband thinks he was playin’ possum since he did so well in the last two. But I believe that the President had a much bigger problem on his mind. Most folks are not thinking about the pressures that this president has on his shoulders. 

Being the first African-American President he has an obligation to uphold the dignity of the office and also not look like an angry black man during the campaign. I would not like to be in his shoes. I applaud him for handling everything that his presidency has brought into his life. Do you realize that no other president has had as many death threats as Obama?. No other president has had to endure the verbal abuse and written attacks on him and his family. So, I believe the expressions on Obama’s face during the first debate were him contemplating what he wanted to say and how not to attack without bringing up all the adversity that he has endured. It seemed like there were a few moments when he came close to saying “The Republican party sabotaged my presidency and now they are blaming me!” The frustration was clear on his face and in his voice. 

I have a friend who loves to bash Obama every chance she gets. She loves to bring up his mistakes. But I don’t think she realizes what the backroom deals in Congress can do to a person. You don’t get things done in Washington DC for free. You've got to give up something. In this case, the Republicans only said yes if they could tarnish the original idea of what Obama wanted to do. Now, they are saying he didn’t do the job he was elected to do. The funny thing is that he has done more in his four years than George W. Bush did in eight. 

Romney kept trying to say that unemployemnt figures are unacceptable. That more people are out of work now than when Obama took office. He said that oil production was down 14% from last year. CNN did point out in their fact checking that Romney’s statements were “true, but misleading”. There are good explanations for why the economy has not completely bounced back. Our past is why we are still struggling. So, when the President starts telling us that we've a do things balanced when adjusting tax codes we don’t want to hear that. We want a quick fix, but the quick fix is like putting a band-aid on a hole in a dam. It’s gonna break sooner or later. To some who are not informed or stuck on one issue they are listening to Romney and his words are music to their ears. He’s singing the words that they want to hear. But beware of the wolf in sheep clothing. Romney still has not given direct information on how he plans to boost the economy. He just keeps saying “I know how to bring jobs back”. Like his record as a business man is supposed to be his resume. Just becasue he got money doesn’t mean he is going to get you some.  His closing statements during the second debate where he claimed to care about 100% of the American public is the presidential candidate who will say anything to be elected. And him trying to politicize the four people who lost their lives in Libya was just down right disrespectful and pathetic. Obama was very careful with his words on purpose. The world is watching. 

By the time we got to the last debate, I found it sad that my gay American friends were watching Rupaul’s Drag Race instead of paying attention. There is so much riding on this election and the idea that the gay community would just assume everyone is voting for Obama is a sad assumption. I have at least ten gay facebook friends who are voting for Romney. And if you ask them why they will tell you that they like what Romney is saying. But as we have all watched, Romney has and will say anything to win this election. What he will do when he gets in office is exactly what he said at that fundraiser dinner where he was taped talking about the 47%. 

CNN fact checkers even found that his comment about “binders of women” isn’t even true. He does not own a binder. And what was with the failed attempt by Paul Ryan to fake a photo op to make us believe that he volunteers in homeless shelters. Reports say that he and his crew pushed his way into a shelter after hours for him to wash some pots and pans that were already clean. Are these the men you want in the White House? 

And if you don’t believe that the Republicans are doing everything they can to steal this election, look at the headlines of Romney’s son buying up voting machines in Ohio. Or how about the Republican guy who was caught throwing out valid voter registration forms? And the biggest tell-tell signs are the states that have put in place new laws on voting. All of them are states where the Republicans think Obama is going to win if they don’t do something.

So, I hope that everyone thinks about what’s good for America as opposed to what they want to hear. And if Romney can’t explain to you how he’s going to fix our economy before he is elected, why do you think he will tell you after he’s in office. He can’t tell you because if he did you wouldn’t vote for him. From the beginning of his campaign to now....it’s been the same song, different verse. 

In this day and age of over stimulation and excessive technology, the average person living in a large city has too many choices of food, drink and where to spend their time. But the average person tends to be a creature of habit. They tend to eat at the same places. They send to order the same drinks. And they most definitely tend to go the same clubs. Why? Because of comfort in the knowledge that they know what to expect. 

I remember back in 1980 for my 13th birthday my mother couldn’t afford to pay admission for our whole family to go to Disney World. So, she paid for my admission and gave me about $40 to buy tickets to ride the rides. Back then you had to buy a book of different coloured tickets that were lettered “A” through “E” in order to get on the rides. I remember the “A” tickets were the small kids’ rides and the “E” tickets were for the major attractions like Space Mountain. I was actually happy to go to the amusement park alone. This was an adventure. No mother to tell me not to run. No waiting for my little brother and his million and one bathroom trips. Just me....free to go wherever I wanted. 

Now, the reason I am sharing this with you is to give you the idea of what I think of the nightlife scene in Toronto. The freedom that I had that day is the same freedom we all have in choosing what to do with our nights out on the town. I didn’t have very much money that day, but you can bet that I made the most out what I had. I saw every inch of Disney World that day and it was one of the best birthdays I have ever had. And the same applies for you and your dollar when going out. 

I’ve heard all kinds of complaints about every bar on the gay scene in the Toronto area. But the funny thing is that the same folks go to the same places even if they don’t like it. All in the hopes of being at the happening spot.

When I was still considered a twink, my friends  and I lived for an empty dance floor. If there was a new DJ or a new party, we were there. We weren’t going to miss any new adventures. I watch the kids out now and they are so busy texting and grinding that they couldn't care less about what the party is and who is spinning. Toronto’s gay scene seems to be driven by who’s friends with who.  If you’re a friend of the DJ’s or the drag performer then it’s okay to go to their party. 

The reality is that there are many talented DJ’s and performers in Toronto. One who comes to mind is DJ San Fran. He’s an excellent House DJ. The problem is that only a handful actually get to work. It’s really hard to get opportunities when the promoters and bar owners are only hiring their friends. I have been very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time, but there has been a glass ceiling. 

"Coming from NYC, I kinda cringe when I hear folks here talking about “House Music”."

During Nuit Blanche I went over to CLUB 120 to see who was out and about. It’s such a great club space, but for some reason folks don’t like to come down to that end of Church Street. It’s probably the closest thing to an authentic NY club that Toronto has, but yet everyone stays as far as they can from it. Coming from NYC, I kinda cringe when I hear folks here talking about “House Music”.  Mainly because what they call “House Music” isn’t even close.  And if someone played some real “House Music” these kids would run from the floor.  The majority want to hear Pop Music, not House Music. And they have been brainwashed into thinking that minimal vocals and electronic repetition is House. 

It would be interesting if a group of friends all decided that they were going to make a bar out of their way “the new spot”.  You have the power to do that, but social circles tend to limit you to the same ol’ thing. Wouldn’t it be novel if this group of friends decided to open their minds to a new experience. Listen to something that they never heard before. Dance to something completely the opposite of what they always do. And what if they left their phones in their pockets the entire time they were in the club or bar. 

Looking at the scene today it makes me so happy that I came out and grew up when I did. I experienced collecting Disco records when I was 10 years old. I witnessed Michael Jackson, Madonna & Prince when they were new artists in the 80’s. I went through my dark and depressing moods with The Smiths, The Cure & Siouxsie & The Banshees in my High School years. All while sneaking out to gay bars and hearing “So Many Men, So Little Time”. I moved to NYC in the early 90’s and got the education of life! Dancing at the Limelight for parties like DISCO 2000. Hanging out with the cast of “Paris Is Burning” and even being inducted into The House of LaBeija. Watching the Miss $1.98 Pageant at Boy Bar in the East Village. And let’s not even talk about creating my alter-ego, Jade Elektra. These were wonderful times and the clubs and bars were full of energy. I watch the kids today and they seem like they are going through the motions. They’re too distracted to even notice that they aren’t having a good time. 

As my good friend Mike Diamond says in his track, “Trust”.....”you’re so busy tryin’ to document the moment that you’re not even in it”. 

New York City is just a shell of itself now. As empty as ever. With the rich getting richer and the poor getting nowhere, the days of everyone partying together are long gone. It’s all segregated and processed into this homogenous cheese which we are all supposed to buy as being the new and  happening thang. So sad. People are like cattle. They just follow what the other cows do. Even if it leads them to the slaughter. 

"I’m tired of seeing the same ol’ faces every week so it’s time for some new ones."

Well, I say we don’t have to do that. I say we can make our own choices and change our own destinies! And starting today, I’m going head across town to see what is going on. I’m tired of seeing the same ol’ faces every week so it’s time for some new ones. I am no longer going to settle for mediocre. If the DJ is tired at the spot I normally hang out I’m going to leave. And if I find a new spot, I’m going to support it. If I hear a new DJ that has something to say with his music, I’m going to tell my friends and I’m going to make it out to hear him again. It might not be every week, but I will let him know that I am a fan. I’m going to go listen instead of demanding what I want heard. That’s the only way I’m going to learn something new. And  when a new party starts with a name I’m not familiar with, I’m going to check it out. 

There’s a whole world of adventures and new things to learn in the many lakes, rivers and oceans of life. And I’m going to to drink freely!

I just started a new night over at WAYLA Bar on Queen Street East on August 23rd.

After an absence from the Eastside, the new management decided to bring me back. I started there with a retro night and I wanted to do another one. So, I am spinning all the hits from the 90’s. 

Hey...remember when Madonna's "Sex Book" was a scandal? Do you remember when Biggie and 2Pac were still alive? Do you remember when Michael Jackson and Prince were the same color? This was the decade that brought us an “Achy Breaky Heart” along with “The Macarena” (NOT THAT I WILL BE PLAYING THESE TWO SONGS). Often referred to as The Gay 90’s....pop songs by Melissa Etheridge, k.d. lang & R.E.M. topped the charts. Hip Hop began its mainstay on the Pop Charts. And it was the definitely a decade for dance music! 

So, here’s my TOP TEN 90’s RETRO HITS 

1) Finally (Choice 12” Mix)-Ce Ce Peniston 

2) Show Me Love (Stonebridge Mix)-Robin S. 

3) Gettin’ Jiggy With It (X-mix)-Will Smith 

4) Hypnotize (Album Version)-Notorious BIG 

5) Wannabe (Album Version)-Spice Girls 

6) Groove Is In The Heart (Ultimix)-Deee-Lite 

7) Vogue (12” Version)-Madonna 

8) Emotions (12” Club Mix)-Mariah Carey 

9) Ice Ice Baby (Ultimix)-Vanilla Ice 

10) Everybody Everybody (Le Freak Mix)-Black Box 

And my cover picks for the 90’s are “Turn The Beat Around” by Gloria Estefan, “I Love Music” by Rozalla and “Mighty Real” by Bryon Stingily. 

So come join us every Sunday night at WAYLA Bar (996 Queen Street East) for a musical journey through the 90’s.