karaoke10p.m. wednesdays
st.pattyFUN2012
3.11parade RIDE THE GAYLICK EXPRESS TO DETROIT’S PARADE
TICKET $40. includes...
•To and From Parade and the ride of your life! •Road Trip Refreshments •Baubles and Beads •Exclusive Event Tee •Pizza Party back at Pronto!
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20 YEAR CELEBRATION
1991-2011
3.17st.patrick’s satur day THE BLARNEY CONTINUES! Get your Irish on during our Annual St. Patty’s Day Bash • FUN STARTS @ 9A.M. • GREEN BEER WILL FLOW • SPECIAL IRISH MENU • ALL DAY•ALL NITE PARTY YOUR IRISH (or not) ASS OFF!!!
HAPPYHOURS
MONDAY TUESDAY-FRIDAY FROM 4 : 0 0 - 7: 0 0
ALL DAY •$4.Call Drinks•$3.ALL Draft Beers ALL NITE •$2.Domestic Bottles•Martini Specials
$3.PINTS SUNDAY MIMOSAS LONG ISL ANDS
•$4.Call Drinks•$3.ALL Draft Beers •$2.Domestic Bottles•Martini Specials
TUESDAYS •Sanders Chocolate Stout•Miller Lite THURSDAYS •Blue Moon•ALL DAY•ALL NITE •$12. Mimosa Pitchers 9:00a.m. -3:00p.m. •$15. Long Island Pitchers 3:00 - 8:00p.m.
PRONTO! WHERE IT’S ALWAYS HAPPENING•DOWNTOWN ROYAL OAK 608 S. WASHINGTON•248.544.7900•www.prontorestaurant.com
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I know that there are jaws dropping and epithets being thrown right now, but before you get pissed at me, understand that MY top goddesses of musical inspiration are Barbra Streisand, Linda Eder, and Celine Dion. Because I was a singer – a Black female singer – most (white) people assumed, incorrectly, that I worshiped at the altar of Whitney. Nothing could be further from the truth.
RIP WHITNEY...
L
ike many of you, I have my own opinions of Whitney Houston. I’m letting you know now that some of my opinions within this article will be unpopular. The first time I ever heard Whitney Houston my mom had bought the 45 of “Saving All My Love for You.” I really had no feelings either way, it was OK. Another R&B song. I wasn’t big into R&B then – well, I’m still not. It was just another generic R&B song to me, no great shakes. I remember way back in the day when I started doing karaoke, I did sing “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” Thanks to the freedom of a cordless mike, I would dance around the bar while I sang. It was hard not to love the energy of that song, but still really no big deal. I could take or leave it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a hater. It's not that I didn't like her. Unlike everyone else, I just never thought she was “the answer.” Whitney was a beautiful and powerful singer, yes, but she never affected me the way she seemed to affect everyone else. She never made me stop dead in her tracks to listen or made me hold my breath waiting for the next note or phrase, but that doesn’t mean I don’t understand or respect what a gift she had and what she brought to the world.
Yes, I had sung some of her songs. The first band I ever worked with was around the time of “The Bodyguard” so I ended up singing “I Will Always Love You” almost every night without fail. Now THAT I hated. (I got sooo sick of that song you have no idea.) The general public had never heard the song before and thought Whitney was a genius. They had NO idea that the song was written by and previously performed by Dolly Parton from the film version of the musical “The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas.” Dolly Parton’ s music was a part of my musical history. So every time I performed the song, as an homage to Dolly, I spoke the third verse just as she did. “I Have Nothing,” also from “The Bodyguard,” was another song I sang. That one I really liked. I even won a local TV station talent competition with that song. My primary appreciation for Whitney as an artist came as I saw Whitney through the eyes of my fellow entertainers, the female illusionists I have been graced to work with. Through their eyes, I have seen Whitney as a fierce, fearless, diva who could take on the world and win – and God help anyone in her way! When they talked about Whitney, the whole level of energy in the room changed as favorite videos and looks were hotly debated. Favorite moments of
“Being Bobby Brown” were cheered and jeered. In their eyes, I saw the force that was Whitney. I felt her power through the performances that I experienced. Whitney always inspired everyone who performed her music to bring out their best. There was no half-stepping: you either gave your all, or you shouldn’t have bothered stepping onto the stage. Whitney inspired freedom, fun, ferocity and strength. If up-tempo songs were a hallelujah celebration, ballads were a solemn prayer. As I watched those entertainers pay tribute to her, the world did stop turning, and for that one moment in time I would hold my breath. As I have been typing this up, I have been watching the Oprah interview and the performance that Whitney gave. I admit tears here. Watching her energy, listening to the entertainers who have been inspired by her (including Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, and Celine) really makes me pause at what has been lost. There will be a noticeable absence in the music world, but I’m sure there will be more music from Whitney to come in the form of greatest hits compilations and previously unreleased songs from the vault, so there may be some new and fresh gems that have yet to be heard to reward the faithful who will wait breathlessly. Rest well, diva, for your legacy will be much celebrated. You will never be forgotten. Joan Stevenson is an entertainer in the metro Detroit area. Find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @Lady_J_8 #theworldaccordingtojoan. Joan also has a podcast at http://vidgirl8.podbean.com/ and on Tumblr. http://houseofwonderandchaos. tumblr.com/
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his month, instead of interviewing a vocal artist, I decided to move into the DJ/Producer/Remixer world. I got to go to Chicago a few weeks ago to hang out with one of my long time best pals, Dave Aude. Dave played at the legendary Vision Nightclub. I was curious about his take on pop and dance music, gay culture, and gay rights. We had dinner before and I grilled him about his career:
Dave—it’s no secret that you’re one of the top remixers/ producers in the world right now. How many Billboard #1s are we at now? I am proud to say that as of this week, I have 76 #1 Billboard Dance Tracks. A solid handful of those are singles of my own. Obviously, everyone knows your name nowadays. When did you first get into dance/pop music? I have been making music for most of my life and most of that music has been music for dancing. What was the first track or remix you worked on? How did it do? Professionally? My first real single was Lunatic Fringe – I Believe. I can’t really remember how it did because it was in the 90s… Ha ha. The most interesting part of learning about other DJs and producers is finding out how they got into the industry. Everyone starts somewhere. I started in a shitty dorm room at Michigan State University… A local DJ took me under his wing for a hot minute and then it was on. What’s your story? I was at an underground dance club in the early 90x and I heard someone was looking for a keyboard player. It was the guy who started Moonshine Music, and the label was formed around my first band, Lunatic Fringe. I guess you could say I was in the right place at the right time. You bang out remixes and productions, it seems like, 25 tracks a week. Are you running out of ideas? What do you do to get your creative juices flowing? I really have no idea where I get
my ideas. I just love the music and I love the challenge of making tracks that can compete with the stuff that I’m playing every week. I really feel like I’m still trying to get to the same level as the guys I look up to – Prydz, Price, Axwell… Where do you see dance music and electronic music in the next 5-8 years? We were stuck in such a terrible hip hop rut for so long. Do you think we’re in the clear for a bit now?
Thank God for Gaga and Guetta (The Two Gs) because they opened the door and once the door was open, all the Europeans jumped through and are living in LA, haha. It’s the Gold Rush for DJs right now and I think it’s here to stay—as long as the music good, the people will dance. You have a beautiful wife at home, along with two beautiful children. Is being on the road difficult on the family life? It’s difficult being away, but it’s also good because I appreciate my family more. The time away allows me to clear my head for a minute so I can go home and jump right back into the studio. My wife loves dance music as much as I do so it’s a perfect fit! What do you and your family do when you’re not writing music? We go to the park, go to Nobu, Lakers Games, and watch YoGabbaGabba (not in the order… well…. Maybe that order, ha!). What’s your favorite production that you’ve worked on?
No favorites. I love them all. I always ask people about their GLBT views. What are your thoughts on gay rights? For the most part, I’m really not a political person because all I do is work and then work more. When I think about it, light right now, I have so many friends that are gay and I don’t really even know what gay means because these are my friends, not my gay friends. I think that’s the problem—everyone is the same and we all need to stop putting labels on everyone. Dance music does the same thing— techno, progressive, election, gabber, speed garage, dubstep. Hey, it’s all just dance music, isn’t it?? Why do you think that America has such a problem with gay marriage, and in your opinion, what do we need to do to overcome that? Some people are just dumbasses. You can’t change that, can you? PS, I don’t think it’s America, I think it’s Middle America, and from what I’ve seen, Middle America is getting smaller every day… Obviously a lot of the pop and dance world is dominated by gay culture. It seems like marketing is pushed out to gay communities on new records/ tracks/artists before other communities. Why do you think that is and what’s it like being the straight guy in such a gay world? Again, I really don’t think about this stuff (until now)… Thanks Jace, now you’ve got me thinking….. I’m just making music. If you’re gay or straight, I don’t really care. I just care if you’re dancing.
My great-grandmother was born in Poland. Early on in her life she developed a love for America – specifically, the opportunities for a better life – and thought it could be her salvation. Before World War II, she fled to the United States and started anew.
My great-grandmother raised me since my parents were still at college. She instilled me with strong values, helped me to strive for greatness, and taught me her love of this country: of its greatness, its potential, and its people. She taught me to fight for social change through her stories of the civil rights movement, the protests against the Vietnam War, and the social changes of the '80s and '90s. Around her 80th birthday she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, which progressed rapidly and I painfully witnessed a once-vibrant woman succumb to sickness. As I watched her great mind and spirit slowly fade into confusion, her love of America became mine. Like my great-grandmother, I believe we live in the best country in the world. The freedoms we have been provided by years of progressive
movements and the ability to create and live the life we want is paramount to the American idea. America, however, is not perfect and has much room for improvement. For example, heterosexuals are the majority in today's society. It is the majority’s responsibility to question “What is justice?” and “How do we ensure minority rights?” The minority in today’s society that still has not been provided full representation is the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. The majority does not ask these questions, and instead the LGBT community remains one of the most oppressed and misunderstood communities in American society. As a result, the LGBT community has turned inward. We have, collectively, created our own society with its own hierarchy and social norms. There is nothing wrong with this, in fact it is something beautiful. However, I believe as a community we have not acknowledged our full potential. Instead, we have internalized the label of “gay” or “lesbian” given to us by mainstream society.
When we allow others to define us by a single characteristic, it limits our wholeness and makes us less human. If we embrace that label – out of fear, rejection, or simple compliance – we stop being who we are and start becoming who they want us to be, which is something disgusting and proverbial. The LGBT community needs to change its own self-definition: We need to stop asking “What does it mean to be gay?” and instead ask “What does it mean to be a person?” To do this, we must realize our struggle for equality is not alone. We must become part of the overarching movement for civil rights and human dignity. We must realize, as must the majority of human beings, that our suffering is not alone. Fundamentally, we must realize that when one group is denied liberty, all groups are denied liberty. We are not alone; together we sail on the ship of state. It is time we realize this. I am more than my sexuality and so are millions of others. I am a unique individual part of the greater American web of individuals. I want my voice to be heard; I want to be recognized as an individual and not just as a sexual minority. Don’t you?
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ou may have seen him around town; dancing at GiGi’s, Backstreet, performing alongside several of the areas biggest and most talented performers, maybe even selling you a shot or two in between his bounds on poles, stages, or counter tops. He also exists within the blogosphere providing us with seemingly endless ponderings of the world as we see be it on a global, national, or community level. At the very least you can say that Jai is one of the most fearless with the things that come out of his mouth be it observation or the “elephant in the room�; to the detriment of some, the delight and acclaim of others. Being a close friend of mine, as well as co-worker, muse, collaborator, among other things, Jai can be clearly seen as a staple to our community.
You are a prominent figure in the community, how do you feel people respond to you speaking out about it one way or another? I'm known for being a gogo boy, and there are a lot of people who think boys are meant to be seen and not heard. I have many opinions that I'm vocal about, and I don't believe in apologizing
for taking a stand. Of course, there are a lot of people in the community that are supportive and willing to listen. What do you have to say about the community as it stands today? What do you think we need to focus on or achieve? I would say the number one thing the gay community needs
to work on is the same thing the rest of the world, and that's just learning to love one another. We're all so focused on selfimprovement and self-gain, we forget that we're all just trying to make it in this world. Everyone has struggles, and so I think it's important to treat all beings with compassion. As I perceive it now, I don't see a lot of that here in Detroit. I also think we could make a lot
more progress as a community if our gay businesses and publications stopped trying to get a leg-up on one another and started being more supportive and working together. Whats your favorite color? Cerulean What or who have you been involved with
(performing, etc), and do you have any plans to do so soon or in the future? -When I was in high school, I was involved in theatre and dance at school, and then at a local studio. There I got into competitive dance and went on to spend a short amount of time at Wayne State studying dance. I injured myself in December of '09 in an audition and stopped
further training after the term had ended. In my time away from Wayne State, I have had both the distinct honor and privilege of working with local Detroit favorite entertainer, Sabin. This past summer I was with Spacee Kadet as a backup dancer when he was crowned the first ever King National Entertainer of the Year. I'm not currently working on anything, but summer usually brings a lot
of requests for backup dancers, so we'll have to wait and see! Have any 'Life Goals'? That is SO broad. I have no idea what exactly I want to spend the rest of my life doing, but I do know that I want to travel the world, meet people, and help spread the love...as Miss America as that may sound. What would you like to see done locally that could further bring us together? We all have so much pride. Not gay pride. Ego pride. I think it keeps us from letting our walls down with each other. It's like everyone thinks they're on the Detroit A-List or something. I feel like, if people were more real, we could drop the elitist attitudes and all come together to have a good time. What does the club scene represent or reflect for you and how would you describe your involvement in it? -Sometimes I feel like furniture, hahaha! I like being there. I'm lucky to have a job where work and play are pretty much the same thing. For me, it's a chance to express my joyous energy and make some money while I catch up with my friends. My "home bar", GiGi's, is a lot like a family. The regulars, the staff... we may not all aways get along, but we all know that if shit goes down, someone's got our back. And so, in that sense, the club is almost like a second home.
So you're probably wondering how a
little straight girl like me got involved in this colorful side of life. The journey was unexpected, but something I’m most proud of and I will always remember how it guided me toward discovering more about myself than I could have ever imagined. It was the summer before I middle school. I was around twelve years old. My mom had a job at Target at the time and became really good friends with one of her co-workers, Kristin, who would come over and hang out with my mom. I, for some reason, thought I was old and mature enough to be involved in their conversations. I would add my 10 cents in here and there, but Kristin always seemed to enjoy my company. We got along right away. Kristin is a plus-size woman, but with her full personality, it isn’t really what you pay attention to when you’re with her. She’s super bubbly and full of energy; she always gossiped and talked about going to the gay bars, hanging out with her friends, and the drama that happened the previous weekend. I thought Kristin was great, and I wanted to experience her nightlife badly. Kristin eventually started babysitting me from time to time and I really began to look up to her like an older sister. I could swear in front of her, talk to her about boys and sex – she was even the person that told me how to put a tampon in the right way! Without Kristin I wouldn’t be the woman I am today. I really appreciated her for always having respect for me even though I was so young; she made me believe in having my own voice and taught me in an unexpected way to accept people for who they are, that love is love, and there are no boundaries when it comes to love. After developing this new found selfesteem, the fall came. It was time to start middle school. After the first few days of classes, I remember that I was in my 6th grade English class and noticed some awkward boy in one of the rows ahead of me. Just by looking at him, I never thought this boy would become, and remain to this day, my best friend.
Joey and I became fast friends; we shared the same weird humor that really made us bond in the beginning. He was the first boy to call me at my house and my parents for sure thought we were “going out.” I was never attracted to Joey in that special way; I never saw him in that kind of light because there was always something different about him. He, though, had a crush on me for awhile until owning up to his love for boys. Joey came out to me in a note we had passed back and forth between classes one day. I had told him a few days before that I thought I was bisexual. After soon realizing that was not the case, right before he handed me the note I broke the news to him that it was just a phase and that bisexuality wasn’t really my thing. I liked boys and, after reading his note, so did Joey! I knew it could be possible, but for some reason I didn’t want to believe him. I remember going over to Joey’s house a few days after he came out to me and going up to his room so we could discuss this situation at hand. “Are you SURE?!” I asked, “Who do you like?!” After the twenty questions game, I really wanted to make sure he was being truthful. I proceeded to sit on his lap and asked him to touch my boobs. He was hesitant at first. He kept saying, “Nooo, I don’t want to!” But I finally said, “Just GRAB THEM!” as I took his hand and placed it on one of my girls. I remember saying, “How does that feel? Do you like that?” With this look of disgust, Joey pulled his hand away and said, “I felt nothing, Alysha – because I like boys!” And the rest is history. You know how some girls say that they really wish they had a gay best friend? Well, I’m lucky because I didn’t even have to wish. We found each other, and we found ourselves along the way. Even if the beginning was weird and awkward, I would of never wanted to miss out on any of it. Joey was my ticket into this world, and without him… Who knows where I would be?