QS Mag issue June/July 2009

June/July 2009 FREE

4 INTRO

IN THIS ISSUE Cover story..

Lady Gaga page 90

Lee Ryan page 52

All the picures from Blackpool Pride 2009 Page 8

QS 1st Birthday Party Page 10

INTRO 5 Real Life Page 40 Darren Kavanagh Editor darren@qsmag.com Gary J Leek Design gary@qsmag.com

Group Interview Page 72

John May admin john@qsmag.com

ISSUE Also IN THIS ge 13 Club Drama is launched Pa l Page 30 Edinburgh Fringe Festiva well Page 62 Motoring with Rich Tuck Summer Special Page 68 Out Idols Page 94 Fashion Page 98 Nikk Mager Page 116 Mikesbliss Art Page 122 128 Stars for him and her Page

Plus much more

Leah Ashley- Brown PR leah@qsmag.com Venue pics Wildcats Photography Sales admin sales@qsmag.com General information info@qsmag.com www.qsmag.com Published by Arion Media in Scotland 0131 467 6212

The articles and views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Arion Media accepts no liability. Prices, dates and times are correct at time of going to press. No advertisement, article or picture in part or full may be used without prior written permission from Arion Media.

WELCOME 7

Hello everyone, Welcome to yet another jam packed issue of QS magazine, this is our biggest yet with 132 pages of all the content you have come to love.

Well summer is finally here and even here in bonny Scotland the sun is shining (well some days). Inside James longworth brings us his annual guide to summer living, last year this feature went down a storm and we are sure this years will be just as popular, don’t forget you actually have to try some of his suggestions.

Without a doubt lady ga ga has taking the world by storm, her tracks are the amazing and always fill a dance floor, but how much do we know about this new sensation? Dazglaz takes a look at the lady behind them amazing costumes. Also in this issue we bring you all the best fashion for the summer months with a preview of what to expect in the UK’s biggest high street stores.

On Saturday 27th June everyone will be out in full glory for Pride Scotia which takes place in Edinburgh. All of the venues have major things planned for this special weekend and we cover them all in our nightlife section. Last year I never made it to pride Glasgow so I am really looking forward to pride in Edinburgh. Is there enough vodka in Scotland to handle me and Aunty mikes weekend planned? Well I certainly hope so. But pride is not just about going out and getting drunk, it is a day when we as a community stand united and show the world why we are proud. Being LGBT in these times are exciting and it’s great that we have so much freedom and respect from the world, but let’s never forget those that years ago fought hard for us to have these rights, and we still have much work to do to ensure our full acceptance and equality in the world. QS would like to express its gratitue to John Hein and all the pride team for putting on this special day for all of us to enjoy.

QS is now into it’s second year and we have so much planned for the future. The feedback we have got lately is that you cant wait 2 months to get your hands on a copy so from Sept we will be back to monthly magazines. 1 will be QS lifestyle and the other QS nightlife which will cover the gay scene not just in Scotland but across the UK. It has always been important to us to promote Scotland as a gay destination and we hope we will see people from all over the UK (and world) flock to this fabulous country.

So we hope you enjoy this issue, we love hearing from you with your comments and suggestions so feel free to get in touch.

Well thats me for another issue, I hope you are enjoying the good weather. Rememeber whatever you are up to this summer be safe and enjoy.

Love Darren and all the QS team.

8 PRIDE

EKEND BLACKPOOL PRIDE WE

By Gary J Leek After months of preparation and meetings with all the agencies to bring the 2009 event to the “heart of the gay village”, it got underway with building of the enclosure from a dull and overcast Saturday morning on the 16th of May. Everyone was running around proving that Rome could certainly be built in a day.

With people filtering in off coaches and trains it started to get busy. Stall holders were already selling their wares. There was a huge 30 feet twisted rainbow arch supplied from Pride Colours in Blackpool as a gateway to the enclosure.

Main stage got under way with an array of top acts hosted by the lovely Steve Paulden who had negotiated the main acts for 2009.

The acts included Kelly Wilde, Hannah Jones, Hazell Dean, Scooch, Andy Scott Lee, Frixion, Jo O’ Meara, Jessica Garlick, Hoop La La, Daniel Fox, Nicki French and Toya Willcox.

Two other acts not billed also made an impact with the crowd.

Lovely Michelle McManus popped down to say hello and ended up performing a couple of numbers at the start of the day. Later on Kelly Wilde’s new recruit star Jaymi Hensley provided a spectacular performance and definitely a name to watch out for in the future.

There were rain spells throughout the afternoon although that didn’t deter people enjoying the entertainment. The “Local acts” provided a fantastic day of entertainment as well as in the venues making it a truly great day out. Stella Artois, Brandy, Roxy Hart, Tim James, DJ Carmen and Steve Paulden hosted throughout the afternoon on main stage.

Pride Factor was Blackpool Pride’s fundraising event for 2009 hosted and organised by Tim James. Ann Marie Scott the winner for this year performed to the crowds before being presented with a big flat screen TV as part of her prize.

PRIDE 9

There was a hiccup during the start of the last section on main stage when they had to abandon it and transfer the Finale to FG2. The already crowded venue had even more to contend with as Toyah performed a fantastic set of songs and was also presented with a birthday cake for her Birthday.

Topping the bill were 2008 X Factor finalists Laura White and Austin Drage. Austin sang one song then finished his set off in Mardi Gras later while Laura finished off the finale in style.

During Saturday afternoon events elsewhere were taking place with Funny Girls putting on a spectacular matinee version of their famous show and The Flamingo bring a cool Ibiza style foam party which was very popular. FG2 was host to “Gurl Power” the women’s area for 2009 with top cabaret and Fussy Pussy at night. The venues were packed all day and night.

Day two brought the rain but it may have rained on our parade but the procession of colour made it’s way up the prom while umbrella armed crowds watched with delight. I snapped away and got soaked into the bargain but it was all worthwhile as a couple of hours later the pictures could be seen on Mardi Gras’s screens bringing the joys of the day for those who missed it.

Unfortunately the first ever closing ceremony couldn’t take place due to various factors so people had to make do with what was going on in the venues. This was disheartening but on reflection people enjoyed the weekend anyway.

Well it is all over for another year and a big thanks to Mark “Bunty” Seargent, chairman and Vice Chairman Mark Hurste along with all the committee for a great weekend of enjoyment.

Thanks also to Jonathan Marr PR for including Qs Mag and Gayzout on board as Media Partners.

All the picures can be seen online at : www.blackpoolgayscene.com and also on the official Blackpool pride website at www.prideblackpool.com See you all in Blackpool in 2010.

10 BIRTHDAY

inburgh

QS Birthday @ CC Blooms Ed On Sunday 3rd May QS celebrated it’s first birthday party in style. CC blooms Edinburgh was the perfect host for this special night. QS would like to thank everyone at CC’s for doing a fabulous job. All the staff (especially Christine for the decor) really made sure everything went perfectly. By midnight the place was totally rammed with the hottest boys and girls on the scene. Upstairs the dancefloor was packed with an eager crowd waiting on the one and only Ben Adams. Ben took to the stage and the place literally went crazy, that dance floor was hopping and everyone sang along to his old A1 tracks, they even knew his new songs. Ben was a total gentleman all night and we would like to thank him for being the perfect entertainer.

Downstairs the scenes hottest DJ right now Lucky Luciano as usual played some amazing dirty, filthy electro beats that are going down a storm across Scotland. It just shows you that not everyone on the scene wants cheesy pop all the time, infact lately it seems that electrosexual is one of the busiest nights in town. A huge thank’s to lucky from all at QS for all his hard work. The night was perfect and we are already planning next year’s. Of course QS would not be as big as it is now, (we now have 165,000 readers) without the loyal support of everyone that picks it up or downloads it so from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.

Don’t worry if you missed our birthday party as QS is planning lots more parties throughout the summer so watch this space or check out or sites at www.qsmag.com or www.bebo.com/qsmag.

BIRTHDAY 11

QS Mag becomes

1

12 BIRTHDAY

NIGHTLIFE 13

Drama @ Foundation Aberdeen

By Darren Kavanagh

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14 NIGHTLIFE

NIGHTLIFE 15

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16 NIGHTLIFE Aberdeen with Darren Aberdeen gets a new addition to the gay scene with the opening of Hytlo bar which use to be the crows nest on Commerce street. With entertainment and DJ’s every night we are sure this will be a popular place for a few drinks.

With drink offers like vodka and coke for £1, shots from 50p and many more. Food is also served every day. Opening hours for hytlo are 11am til midnight Mon-Thur, Fri and sat 11am until 1am and Sun 12.30 – midnight. So get yourself to this new venue and be assured of a great night out.

Cheerz is busier than ever and we are not surprised with vodka’s and shots from just 70p !! plus many other very cheap offers every day of the week. The usual entertainment takes place at cheerz which is pulling in the punters.

Of course of it’s banter you want with a friendly smile then head next door to the lovely Market Arms where Malci and co are always on hand to look after you in their own unique way.

Foundation has gone new night/theme mad. The venue of course hosts drama which is the success story of the year so far, drama takes place on the first Sat of every month. A new night called ‘Electrosex’ happens on the first Friday of the month at foundation with top DJ Lucky Luciano playing a deeper, dirtier electro set for all you that simply want to dance the night away. July Electrosex will be an ‘old school’ theme.

Saturday 13th Foundation has a beach party, they will also have a foam cannon there so no excuse to keep your clothes on. Fri 19th foundation is ‘Free on Friday’s’ which means there will be no door charge and lots of cheap drinks. Sat 20th there is a huge ‘white party’ at foundation with UV cannons and maybe even a UV darkroom (ohhh kinky boys).

The amazing ‘Spunk’ will be back on Friday 26th.

July at Foundation is set to a busy one with Electrosex on Friday 3rd then Drama on Saturday 4th which is a big American independence theme with top Cher tribute act and lot’s of give-a-ways.

On the 10th there will be a Ben Doer presents night with details being finalised as we went to print, Ben tells us it will be a big surprise.

Friday 17th there will be a ‘free on Fridays’ night and on 24th ‘spunk’ returns.

So boys and girls if you have not been to Foundation in a while it is worth checking out. Soon they will also be doing a new range of shooters, cocktails and fish bowls which I can highly recommend.

So no matter where you go to in Aberdeen you are guaranteed a great night out. I will be up on the first weekend of each month running Electrosex and Drama (yes I am a boy with many talents) so do come say hello to me, especially if you are gorgeous and single lol.

See you all in granite city soon

18 NIGHTLIFE What has to be THE best club night in the capital reached the grand old age of 5 in May. Fever which has settled nicely into it’s new home at faith has for years packed the crowds in and this night was no exception. After a bit of a messy Friday night before I was shall we say a little fragile, but that did not put me off making a trip for this special night.

What I love about fever is the complete mix of crowd, old faces came out of the woodwork , mingling with scene twinks and a nice hetro crowd. Dj’s fisher and price as always played a flawless set, I’m serious you could feel the love on that dance floor. Every track got the up for it crowd bouncing and it was one of the best night’s out I have had for a while.

5

Fever continues to grow from strength to strength at new home faith, the next parties will be Saturday 20th June and Saturday 18th July with Fisher and Price in the main room and Kaupuss and friends in the cocktail room. Entry is just £7 for members or £8 for non members and opens from 11pm til 3am. QS wishes Gordon and all the crew a huge happy birthday and we look forward to many more great nights at fever.

Years old

By Darren Kavanagh

NIGHTLIFE 19

From the same stable as Fever is Taste which is the longest running gay night in Edinburgh who will be celebrating it’s 15th birthday party on Sunday 5th July at GRV.

Of course you don’t have to wait until the birthday night as Taste happens on the first Sunday of every month.

Photos by: Mike McLoughlin

They will have all 4 rooms open for this one and have invited all of the old back room resident djs along to play a retro [1994 and before] set in the Cube on the top floor of the building [DJs Martin Valentine , Steven Wanless ,Neil Byers , Stuart Barrie , Gail Sellars all TBC] DJs Fisher & Price all night in the main room playing the very best of current underground dance music ,club classics and anthems ,and Miss Chris and friends playing Vocal and Funky House in the bar £7 members £8 non members 11-3am. That night is 100% not to be missed.

20 NIGHTLIFE Darren Kavanagh takes a look... ..at what’s happening on the Edinburgh scene

GHQ

Those lovely people at GHQ have got some great events and new nights coming up soon. On Friday 5th June the poptastic crew are there again and the first Friday of every month. The theme for June is army so dress up in all that sexy soldier gear and get on the dance floor to the best cheesy tunes in town. Poptasic always pulls in a great crowd to GHQ and on the night there will be plenty of games and giveaways.

The best lesbian night in Scotland of course is furburger which takes place on Friday 12th June. Furburger has been packed to the rafters with the hottest ladies (and gay pals) in town. Expect the best dance music all night long from the resident furburger DJ’s.

Recently Edinburgh’s legendary night vibe moved to GHQ and it seems to be going down well with the punters. On Tuesday 16th June vibe celebrates it’s 7th birthday. The theme is school disco. There will be live performances, dress up competitions and of course a tuck shop.Vibe without a doubt attracts the sexiest crowd in town. Music on the night will be from DJ James Longworth, and of course the lovely Ali. Make sure you get there early as vibe birthdays are known to be very busy. QS would like to wish James and all the Vibe crew a very happy birthday.

On Wed 17th June GHQ hosts ‘The bird cage tour’ which will have performances by the amazing drag queen Electra Fence. I have seen Electra perform many times down south and I can assure you do not want to miss this lady in action. On the decks will be DJ’s Jay C and Stewart Wilson.

Of Course pride weekend will be a massive one for GHQ. Kick starting the celebrations on Friday 26th June will be a live performance from the amazing ‘Same difference’. I know this is one act manager Amar has wanted for quite a while so I am sure he has a few more surprises up his sleeve to get you in the pride mood. Same difference have performed to millions on TV, and are selling out all over the UK. This brother and sister act know how to get any venue bouncing.

Well done to GHQ for putting on such a quality event. Saturday 27th of June is pride night and as always GHQ will be doing something fabulous.

A new night that is set to get pulses racing at GHQ is ‘Porn Idol’ which takes starts on Sunday 28th June. They will have a stripper, the gorgeous staff will be in the buff and quite a few more surprises along the way. Now who would be the perfect host to a porn night? The lovely Cilla Slack of course. So if it is a bit of flesh you want make sure you make it to porn idol at GHQ, trust me I will be at the front of the stage (so what I’m a perv get over it) Of course GHQ is open 6 nights a week and always a great night out. If you are heading to GHQ why not have a drink (or 5) upstairs in Piccardy place, they serve some amazing new cocktails, shooters. If you are from outside Edinburgh and need a hotel for the night upstairs of Piccardy have very luxurious rooms to let. Just call them on 0131 550 1780 and if you are booking please mention you read about the rooms here in QS.

NIGHTLIFE 21

22 NIGHTLIFE

Well where do I start with what’s going on at CC’s?

Seriously they have some cracking events and nights coming up soon. New night deviation is going down a treat with the alternative crowd who love the power pop, metal and rock tunes being blasted out.

The next deviation nights will be on Thursday 4th June and 2nd July. Now if it is sexy gorgeous boys and girls with very little clothes on then ‘Suds’ is just for you. Theses regular foam parties have been absolutely rammed and a really good night out. The next suds happens on Saturday 13th June.

The night that seems to be what everyone is talking about on the scene is of course ‘Electrosexual’.

This monthly electro affair has been pulling in a great up-for-it crowd on the last Sunday of the month. It’s themes galore with Electrosexual and in the past they have had beach parties, Army nights and recently School disco night. Sunday 28th June will be the pride after party and the theme is ‘Out and Proud’ so dress code is pink, rainbow colours, camp, flamboyant, diva, OTT (you get the picture) so this is 100 % going to be the best pride after party ever. DJ Lucky Luciano will be playing his usual amazing, dirty, filthy electro tunes, mash ups and general get your ass on the dance floor music.

But of course to have a pride after party there must be a pride party.....

CC Blooms are pulling out all the stops for Saturday 27th June. The big pride party will have a heaven and hell theme all day and night. CC’s will be open from midday and have a FREE BBQ until 2pm, so after the March head straight to CC’s and get well fed before the drinking continues. The DJ line up is so impressive. DJ Lucky Luciano, Sassy strider, Blondie, Shazza and the lovely Kirsty will be making sure you have the best pride party in the capital.

Of course entry will be FREE all day and night and there will be drink offers too.

Recently CC’s hosted a charity fundraiser for LGBT Youth Scotland. The night had top drag queen Dave Lynn. The night was a massive success and lots of money was raised for this worth while charity Well done to CC’s for putting on a great night for a charity that is the lifeblood of the Scottish community.

Sassy Stryker continues her successful nights at CC’s on June 26th. Sassy is one of the best and most professional drag queens in the UK and amazing with banter and knows how to get the crowd going. Not only is she hilarious but has a powerful voice. If you have never seen Sassy then make sure you get along to one of her nights.

From the camp to the chunky, CC’s will be hosting another ‘Woof’ night on Sunday 12th July. The last woof had the sexiest bears, and bear lovers in Edinburgh coming out in the droves. I heard a rumour the night was very sexual, but then again that could just have been Dazglaz cruising anything in sight lol. Woof is a great night out for anyone that likes their men with a bit of meat on their bones.

NIGHTLIFE 23

Planet is busier than ever. Monday club is a

great, cheap night out with drinks for just £1. A new thing that planet is doing at weekends is called ‘Ring the alarm’. Basically when you an alarm sound (no not the real fire alarm) for the duration of that song played all drinks at the bar will be Monday prices, so when you hear the magic sound hop foot it to the bar and stock up on drinkies. Planet for pride are having an ‘Ibiza rocks’ theme. From midday planet will have DJ’s playing the biggest Ibiza anthems, plus games, prizes and even a buffet. It being Ibiza theme wear as little as you want apparently. Planet always gets a nice chilled out crowd every night, with comfy sofas, a great drink selection and a pool table make sure planet is on your lists of places when your on a night out.

The Street lately has been one of my

favourite places for a drink or a bite to eat. The food is delicious and very well priced. Each night they have something on to cater for your every need.

Mondays is 2 for 1 on all cocktails (and a very impressive cocktail list it is), Tuesdays soon will have a new monthly theme, check with staff for more info, Wednesday’s Trendy Wendy hosts the pub quiz plus 2 for 1 drink offers on all orange drinks, Thursdays is now B & H sessions with Betty AKA DJ Bill now joined by the streets very own DJ Honky Tonk weekly and double up drink offers, Fridays is when the street gets the weekend started with Trendy Wendy playing the best music in town, Saturdays at the street has various nights on rotation with the Pre-Fever party on the 3rd Sat of the month and to round up your weekend every Sunday is ‘PINK Latin Salsa’ which is Edinburgh’s only same sex salsa classes from 7.30pm.

For pride the street will have DJ’s on all day and night with special pride cocktails and drink offers all day. So if it’s a classy bar that serves great food and drink with fabulous music make sure you head to the street.

NIGHTLIFE 25 Priscilla’s have recently launched a fabulous

shooter range. It is the best range of shooters I have seen in any gay bar, what’s even better is they are only £1. With offers that include various drinks and a shooter for just £1.50 all day every day, bargain! With a lovely new snack menu you can now have a wee bite to eat also. If you are a bit of a party animal and happen to be out all night on a Friday, you can head to Priscilla’s on a Sat morning at 5am when it opens. I do end up there most Saturday mornings as the banter is always great.

Priscilla’s are geared up for pride on Sat 27th June and open from 5am until 3am, Freddie will be hosting Karaoke all day and everyone that sings gets entered into a prize draw at 9pm. Now one thing I am looking forward to is the return of Diva Bliss who will grace the stage of Priscilla’s on pride night. Diva has been away working in Australia for months so this is a real treat for all here Edinburgh fans. Welcome home darling, you have been missed loads. A huge thank you to Deb’s and her team for doing the QS after party, it was a very busy morning in the bar and a great time was had by all.

26 NIGHTLIFE Habana is the perfect place to spend time

during the day for Pride. With outside drinking everyone basically meets there and enjoys the sunshine and a few bevies and the banter.

Habana will have entertainment all day and lot’s of drink promotions. The new Tuesday night’s at Habana seem to be pulling in the pre-vibe crowd with the best cheesy music and drink offers who can blame them. Don’t forget Habana do drinks from just £1.50 Sun-Thur from 9pm so if you are heading out on the town make sure you pop in for a few cheeky ones. Habana is the official pre-electrosexual venue that takes place on the last Saturday of the month. Recently they have gone to town with their beach and army parties. It’s nice to see a venue where staff get so involved, well done Habana. Speaking of Habana staff I notice that the sexiest bar boy in Scotland is now working there, the lovely Ryan (previously worked at Priscilla’s) is on hand to serve your drinks with that gorgeous smile. Also DJ Lucky Luciano now plays at Hab on the last Friday each month.

Frenchies

Other news on the scene is that bar is under new management and they are planning a bit of a make over. Frenchies is a small but very welcoming bar. The crowd of regulars will make sure you are kept chatting for hours. My pal Mike (no not Aunty Mike the other one) is now pulling the pints up there so pop up for a drink and blether. We will have a full feature on Frenchies next issue when the refurb is complete.

The Newtown Bar have some great theme nights coming up soon including 12th June sportswear, 19th June suited and booted, 26th June ‘workies’ (boiler suits and all that kinda stuff). Themes for July and August will be Neds, Chavs, Topless, Denim and summer wear. These Friday night’s events will be downstairs and anyone dressed in the appropriate clothing can take advantage of discounted drinks. The Newtown is always a great night out and will definitely be popping along for some of them great events. Don’t forget the newtown also do a great food menu every day.

NIGHTLIFE 27

GLASGOW SCENE DELMONICAS

July

July sees them start their Del Got Talent competition again, it’ll be finished on the telly and the winner announced, the tour will have just started and to celebrate to the mayhem, Delmonicas is doing it again.

This year they will be giving £500 cash prize to the winner and £200 cash prize to the runner up. 6 weekly heats starting Wednesday 8th July to Wednesday 12th August. Semi final to be held Wed 19th August and the grand final with the compulsory celebrity judges Wed 26th when 2 lucky people will be quid’s in!.

June Surprise PA first weekend of June (to be confirmed) 11th – 14th June – Boner weekend.

Striptease fun Fri. 11th, Hunky, gorgeous, naked butlers Sat 13th, Ms Liza and DJ Darren hosting a night of Karaoke and naughty fun and games for prizes galore Sunday 14th. Also to add a bit of a twist Ms Liza will be doing a little show with 2 very hunky half naked go go boys, (mmm I wonder if that’s any of the staff??)

Wednesday 17th – Sees them hosting a charity fundraising event for LGBT Youth Scotland. With Natalie’s Bingo, prizes galore and killer kitty to boot! All proceeds go to the charity.

Friday 19th – Sees them kicking off ‘Minted’t the new night in conjunction with the Polo Lounge.

Watch this space.

Sunday 21st – It went down so well last year they are going to do it all again. ‘KINK’ returns to Delmonicas with everyone coming dressed in their own Kink! Best dressed Kink wins £200 cash and of course there will be fun and games galore.

Fri 26th – ‘Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush’ go along to see who has the fastest fingers in ‘Light your Lemon’, can guess ‘Who is the guest Host’ and ‘Who knows the Most’ about their partner to win a holiday for 2.

Wednesday 24th – Will see the second prize draw from their all new Gay only Data draw to win either a meal for 2, a holiday away or a weekend break.

Boner Weekend – Fri 10th – Sun 12th.

Fri 10th – Striptease fun.

Sat 11th Horny Naked butlers.

Sun 12th – Ms Liza and DJ Darren will be up to their tricks again!

Friday 17th – ‘Minted’ with their sister Polo.

Sunday 19th – ‘Deal or No Deal’ or should it be ‘Dels or No Dels’ for your chance to win money, money, money. Go on Open Darren’s Box! You wont be the first and you certainly wont be the last, lol.

Friday 24th – ‘Don’t forget your Toothbrush’ for your chance to win another holiday courtesy of Delmonicas.

Wed 29th – Their monthly prize draw to win either a meal for 2, holiday or a weekend break.

28 NIGHTLIFE

Whats going on at The Polo

Don’t forge to beat the big crunch Polo are doing Drinks at £1 – MONDAYs, TUESDAYS and bloody WEDNESDAYS!

Don’t forget the biggie – Sclub in The Polo Lounge – 28th August – Advance tickets will be available soon – Gonna be a BELTER!

They have the usual camp and fun goings on there – as well as the new editions – They have Durty Disco – 1st Sunday of every month! Top Class RnB Brass!! With DJ Steven Devine. Also ongoing is the Locker Room – their men only night in trophy room – the last Sunday of every month! Also new to Polo is the massively popular – MINTED – a regular POP/TRASH replacement for Poptastic.

Pop in the main room with Dj Darren with games and pop videos in the club. Room 2 is Dj Chris taking a break from Moda to bring you the cream of heavenly house! If this isn’t enough they are having a different theme each month to accompany the Slag Tags with Filla Crack. This months Theme will be Doctors and Nurses – Cash Prizes for those in sexy dress! Add this to either Buckin Bronco/ Sumo Suits or some other fun game in the lounge and you have a winning formula!!

Polo also have a very, very, very special surprise weekend happening in September – we will keep you posted – WE CANNOT WAIT!!!

Also This month Polo have a Live PA from X Factor’s very own Same Difference in the club – 27th June! This is part of their sponsors weekend Gaybourhood.co.uk – a new online site that is firmly on the pulse of the Glasgow/Edin scene!

Friday is their lauch party in both Dels/Polo with FREE champagne and Canapes as they throw a welcome to the new kids on the block HOUSE Warming party. Free admission to some VIP guests – via bebo!! Giveaways on the night also with a Holiday for 2 to Barcelona to be won + £200 Cash also free t-shirt and goodies too.

Sunday will see the swan song for the weekend with a Big Cash giveaway in conjunction with DJ Leah and Soda Sundays! Got to be in it to win it!!

Details are being confirmed for July but all going well they should be Seeing the very handsome Peter Cunnah and D:ream in the club – belting out the hits “You’re the best thing” and “Things can only get better!” on Friday 24th July!

GAYbourhood.co.uk, a new gay website in Scotland from the G1 group. Visit everyday to see what’s going on in G1 venues up and down the country. Check out juicy gossip, fashion tips, sexual health tips and much more.

SPEAKEASY MONDAY–FREE JUKE BOX Drinks from £1.75,cocktails from £3.00,shots from £1 TUESDAY–CHARLIE’S BIG MUSIC AND FILM QUIZ Test your knowledge of films & music with your chance to win mega bucks plus selected drinks from £1 WEDNESDAY–MID-WEEK CHILL Sit back & sip on your favourite cocktails with your friends, Food served till 9pm, open til 12 THURSDAY–FRISCO DISCO Jamie on the decks from 9pm,Look out for theme nights £2 selected cocktails every Thursday Open til 3am FRIDAY–THE EARLY BUNK OFF a new opening time of 3pm & FREE bar snacks between 3 and 5pm DJ Jamie on the decks from 9pm right thru til 3am SATURDAY–THE LONG WEEKEND Now open from 12.30,food served til 9pm,then dance the night away with DJ Jamie & all your favourite tunes SUNDAY–THE SUNDAY SESSION Also open from 12.30 but now serving brunch between 12.30 & 4.30pm,join us for brunch,relax with friends & then sit back & listen to the live acoustic session from 7pm

NIGHTLIFE 29 BENNETTS LIVE PA E SAT 27TH JUN

A SKallYL High School you camp queens that like

For Musical!!

EARANCE FROM AATW SPECIAL PERSONAL APP SINGING THE DANCE / CLUBLAND RECORDS OOL SCH H HIG VERSION FROM FREE!!

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30 FRINGE

QS takes a sneak preview of what the stand comedy club have on offer for this years fringe festival.

J

ust when you thought it was safe to venture down the Royal Mile... the Edinburgh Festival aproaches, yet again.

Bring on the fliers, the crowds and the slim likelihood of completing a journey to anywhere in the city in anything like the time it would normally take – with this years added bonus of half the city looking like a building site. Probably because, thanks to the everlasting tramworks, it IS a building site.

This Fringe The Stand Comedy Club, Edinburgh’s only allyear round dedicated comedy venue, have ensured you won’t have to drag yourself all over the city to see the best in gay and gay-friendly comedy. In fact, you don’t even need to leave one building. Continuing with last years extension The Stand will again be adding a Stand Two, Three and Four to the existing venue at 5 York Place and like the song says, THREE is indeed the Magic Number. Situated just a short dander away at 28 York Place, this year Stand Three plays host to both comedy and theatre guaranteed to make you feel like having to avoid all those lost and meandering tourists is maybe worth it afterall.

What better way to start your day out than with a bit of home grown theatre? Gagarin Way was the debut play by Blackwatch’s Gregory Burke and was described by The Guardian as a ‘blistering, brilliant, crazily confident first play’. The play comes full circle this year, having first been performed at the Fringe, and since translated into nineteen languages and performed across the world. It may be set in small town Fife, but this is one play with global resonance – with capitalism in free fall and socialism a distant memory, Gagarin Way is a powerful commentary on what happens to the people that are left behind. And it’s bloody funny too.

FRINGE 31 The play is being produced by the Comedians Theatre Company and true to form, features frenetic ‘Nearly Gay’ comedian Phil Nichol, Scots stalwart Bruce Morton, plus character act comedian Jim Muir (‘The Reverend Obadiah Steppenwolfe III’) and BAFTA award winner Will Andrews.

Next up – what better recommendation could any self-respecting person, never mind comedian, really hope for other than being described as ‘twisted’

by The Daily Mail? Well, cult camp double act Topping and Butch have had just such an honour bequeathed on them, and were so thrilled they made it the name of their new show.

Nothing is quite as it seems when two rough lads take a look at love, politics, fame and everyday gossip and straighten it all out with their own surrealism and doubleentendre. Outrageous musical satire and spot-on stand up, which is terrifyingly stupid yet bang up to date.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, other reviewers have had a slightly different take on what Topping and Butch have to offer. Star reviewer to The Scotsman, Kate Copstick describes them as ‘performing perverts by appointment to the Edinburgh Fringe...They get graphic and we giggle; they get ruder and we roar. It’s a joy to see these two talented, funny men behaving badly. And they do it so well.’

Book your tickets early – the boys are only doing a half run from the 19th – 30th, and with four years worth of sell-out shows behind them, it’s better safe than sorry.

Last year we established she’s a ‘Two-faced Bitch’ but has that stopped her? Helllllll, no! This year, Jo Caulfield ‘Won’t Shut Up’ but thankfully, you won’t want her to. Back with just the right amount of vengeance following last year’s sold out run, Jo has plenty to say about everything...

Photo by: Piers Allardyce

32 FRINGE Dating Advice – ‘On my 16th birthday my strict Catholic mother told me, ‘When you go out with boys, whatever happens don’t let him touch you below the waist’. Luckily I’d learnt how to do handstands by then.’

Relationships – ‘I remember the day my husband got down on one knee and nervously asked me the question he hoped I’d say yes to… but I said no… for the last time I am not getting breast implants.’

Kate Moss – ‘Kate Moss has said she’s doing another range of outfits for Topshop, which I’m delighted about. For years I’ve wanted to dress like a scrawny, promiscuous ex cokehead but there just hasn’t been the right choice of clothes around.’

Thankfully the critics only have far more complimentary things to say about her: ‘Glory be: the bitch is back. Caulfield’s snappy asides, unconstrained mix of observational humour and rants on life’s irritations makes her lucid, compulsive viewing. She is, quite simply, a damn funny woman’ Scotsman Remember – she might not be right, but she WON’T shut up! Plus, everyday Jo will be performing five minutes of completely new material as a try-out for her upcoming Radio Four show – hear it before anyone else! Then come back the next day to hear some more!

Right after Jo Caulfield comes Paul Sinha’s 39 Years of Solitude, which should ask as an entertaining boost to those who may feel they’ve sat on the shelf a little too long. Sinha took a year off last year following heaps of critical acclaim for his two previous shows Saint or Sinha? and King of the World. A man of many talents, Paul Sinha is a qualified GP, a critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, able to play most of Abba’s back catalogue on the piano and the recorder, a junior chess champion, a half-decent pool player, and capable of giving the Times crossword a jolly good go. And yet somehow, it isn’t nearly enough.

He has been single since 1991. The lonely car journeys, the lonely overnight coaches, the lonely duvet hugging and the lonely breakfast buffets are testament to the fact that no-one seems to want to share in his increasingly quirky lifestyle. Paul’s 39 years of solitude represent a party that nobody is trying to gatecrash.

Fate, however, can lend a hand in a most unexpected fashion.

A chance enquiry about his availability for a niche BBC quiz show sets in motion of chain of events that sees him rejuvenate his childhood obsession with trivia.

Suddenly Paul has dragons to slay - teenage hoodies, Islamic extremists, angry lesbians, the Ministry of Justice, Jeremy Paxman, hate-filled thugs and the sarcastic teenagers who work the tills at Sainsbury’s in Crystal Palace. Will Paul’s inexorable rise up the UK quiz rankings finally bring him the love which he craves? Or will it be an entirely different form of redemption?

Remember – as if ALL THIS wasn’t enough there are three other Stand venues packed full of top comedians including Ava Vidal, Stewart Lee, Daniel Kitson, Simon Munnery, Jason Cook, Isma Almas, Stephen Carlin and many, many more. Confused as to what to go and see? Lost in a wave of overly air-brushed promotional pictures, star-ratings and quotes? Fear not, what you need is Devlin’s Daily, Monday to Friday in Stand One at 12.30pm.

Resident of Edinburgh in general and The Stand in particular, host Bruce Devlin is ‘definitely at the razor-sharp cutting edge of camp comedy’ according to The List and will treat you to a tasting menu of Festival treats. The only way to start your day.

FANCY SOMETHING SCOTTISH?

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MUSIC 35 2009’s Best Thumpin’ & Bumpin’ Summer Dance Tracks

By Jimmy Newsum

ps, now the is and flip flo in ik b r u yo he only place Dust off e upon us! T ar s th n o m e dance summer hes will be th ac e b a e th an ubs. Here is hotter th n’s top gay cl io at at n th r u s o m floors at dance albu the best new selection of mmer. stores this su are coming to

Generation Next Mixed by DJ Junior Vasquez (Silver Label) If you buy only one dance cd this summer, make it Generation Next. It is a collection of today’s best hard house beats delivered by one of dance music’s undisputed masters. The album pulls listeners in from the first wail of Oceana’s “Body Rock” to the last thump of Razor and Guido’s “Get Up Stand Up 09”. It also features two new Vasquez studio stormers: the groovy progressive jam “I Love Music” and the brash, gospel-infused vocals of songstress Maxi J. on the big-room blaster “Insecurities”.

Generation Next adds a bold exclamation point to the litany of legendary tracks Junior Vasquez has produced over the course of his decades in the business. It’s a dark, sexy and uncompromising dose of high-energy house that emphasizes the spinner’s relevance and enduring ability to create the choicest cuts in the genre today.

…And Then There Was Alexander Joey Salinas (TrebleMusic)

You think Justin Timberlake brought sexy back?

Think again. For summer 2009, Joey Salinas is heating things up with the release of his new album …And Then There Was Alexander. In fact, the first single, “Bedtime,” was inspired by a late night booty call. It is that brazenly honest, personalized touch that makes Salinas stand out from the rest of the pack of young out artists releasing albums this summer. But beyond the provocative subject matter, his musicality resounds throughout; from the sweeping violins in the ballad, “Perfect”, to the rockin’ guitar strums in “Befriended”. Nothing is better, though, then when Joey Salinas hits those high notes in “I loved You”. It will make you wish Salinas was in bed with you singing those words in your ear. That’s what sexy is about. Timberlake, take note.

36 MUSIC No Secret SupaNova (D1 Music) SupaNova is a multi-faceted entertainer that believes music and dance have the power to heal the soul and inspire the heart. The artist first broke into the scene in 2006 with “New Horizon”, a club track that remains a dance floor fave today due to its pounding beat, catchy hook, and positive, thought provoking lyrics. It’s been three years but finally the artist who is part Sylvester, part Grace Jones is back and ready to reclaim the spotlight.

“No Secrets” is an edgy euro-infused track about a lady who transforms into a sexual creature of the night. Once again, SupaNova impresses with sharp lyrics and a fresh sound that will add an exciting new flavor to this summer’s dance floors. The DJ Escape/Dom Capello mix on the maxi single is a particular standout.

Valentine Barton (.netspheres) Barton’s “Valentine” will be the indie dance track of the summer. Remixed by DJ Eric Kupper and Davidson Ospina, “Valentine” is sexy and intensely haunting. Barton ushers us into his cavernous world with “Morning comes along and I hear the song…” and then tantalizes us with sweeping lyrics like “Glimmers of your love like raindrops from above”. It’s the stuff that soaking, sweaty, dirty, dark nights on the dance floor are made of. The original 1996 track featuring Barton with Kathy Sledge is included on the maxi single. It’s amazing to see how Kupper and Ospina manage to re-invent Barton and the track for today’s gay dance floor.

38 TV

Glenn Douglas Packard + Brooke Knows Best: Season 2

, E F I L O T BACK Y T I L A E R O T K C A B ipp

By Mikey Kn

C

horeographer Glenn Douglas Packard got what he’s always wanted – to become a star – as Brooke Hogan’s best friend on the first season of VH1’s hit show Brooke Knows Best. But as the novelty of newfound fame wears thin, the self-proclaimed “sarcastic, adventurous, happy, gay best friend” must face reality – both on and off screen.

Packard, 30, who revealed his homosexuality when BKB premiered last year, will return to his roots in season two to confront his past and the people he loves. “We actually go to my hometown in Clare, Michigan, and tackle what life is like after I have come out to the world, and how my family and small town are dealing with all of it. It’s a milestone in my life – that moment when I had all my worlds come together: my family, my personal life and my work,” he says.

Prohibited from leaking too many details of season two, Packard is able to reveal the title of that particular episode – “Welcome to Michiglenn” – in which reality TV and real life collide. “You see where I came from and my family life – because what a lot of people don’t realize is that I had this whole other life where I was engaged to a woman and was ready to take over my family’s farm business.”

TV 39

FA departure from his days milking cows, the former farmhand also spends time in season two training for the space program.

“There is an episode where we go to Cape Canaveral, and I started a little thing where I would be the next gay guy to get into space.

I would definitely give Lance Bass a run for his money,” Packard quips, referring to the former *NSYNC singer’s famously failed bid to exit our atmosphere.

Of course, there’s more to BKB: Season 2 than facing one’s past and starry-eyed space odysseys.There’s also a focus on the future and what it holds for Glenn, Brooke and roommate Ashley, both personally and professionally.

In addition to choreographing Brooke’s new tour and music video, Packard is developing a comic book with Ashley, called “Teams of Heroes,” and he’s actively pitching two new reality concepts to studio executives.

Perhaps the most exciting news of all, however, is that Packard has found love. A love that he promises will blossom throughout BKB’s sophomore run.

“I had just gotten out of a nasty relationship, and I was ready to give up finding my dream man, my soul mate,” recalls Packard. “Then in walks Daniel Miagany – just moved to Miami! So you’ll get to see all that evolve into a strong, mature gay relationship.”

As for the person who put Packard on the map – Brooke Hogan – well, he still knows his role with her. After all, the show is called Brooke Knows Best. Now showing on VH1.

. . .

S G A R D FROM !

S E H C I R O ...T

40 REAL LIFE

When I headed off with my boyfriend for a package holiday on Lanzarote 15 years ago I never dreamt for one moment that my life would change forever.

Lee and I needed a break in the sun. We were fed up with rainy Manchester and it’s fair to say our dreary lives lacked excitement.

As a young lad I had dreamed of becoming a pop star but by the time I was in my early twenties I was slogging it out as a singer in working men’s clubs in Manchester and Blackpool. It was about as far from my pop dream as it was possible to get.

To make matters worse one of my old pals had become mega famous. I’d known Gary Barlow when we were both spotty teenagers singing in dinghy Manchester clubs and suddenly he was an overnight sensation with Take That. I was happy for him but I couldn’t help thinking, “When is my moment in the limelight going to come?”

Lee was fed up with his job too. We had been together for a couple of years and were very much in love. He scraped a living as a DJ in the pubs and clubs around Blackpool. He did okay but it wasn’t exactly Paul Oakenfold.

Still when we flew out from Manchester airport to Lanzarote in 1994 we were simply planning a fortnight in the sun and could never have imagined that we would both still be here 15 years later.

We hated the island at first but a chance meeting the night before we were due to fly home had a massive impact on us. We’d got talking to a British couple who ran a bar on the island. They complained that there was a real lack of live entertainment on Lanzarote.

REAL LIFE 41 One night I said to Lee, “Let’s do something different!” I borrowed a friend’s frock and put it on. I’d never dragged up before but somehow the whole thing felt strangely natural to me. Lee got hold of a couple of wigs and the pair of us plastered on the make up. That night I became Titti Trollop and I haven’t looked back since.

We developed a family friendly show which combined comedy and musical numbers from shows like Grease, Hairspray and Mamma Mia. Soon the punters were flocking in. Every night we would have to turn people away due to the fire regulations. We won awards from tour operators Thomson and our show became established as one of the main tourist attractions in Lanzarote.

We managed to buy the bar next door and knock through – going from 35 to 160 seats and still the house was packed night after night all year around.

We told the couple that I was a singer and Lee a DJ and they offered us a job on the spot running the entertainment in their bar. Lee and I looked at each other and he said, “Why not?”

So we stayed but it wasn’t easy. We both worked really hard in the first couple of years. We were both performing seven days a week in bars and hotels across the island. Often we would do a lunchtime show and then two or three more in the evening. Sometimes we performed together and sometimes separately. We slogged our guts out basically.

After a couple of years hard graft we had saved enough cash to buy our own bar. The Music Hall Tavern was a small 35 seat venue with a tiny little stage. We risked every penny we had to buy it and we both knew we would have to pack the tourists in to make the bar work.

That was when the hard times hit. We had our own bar but so what? It was just another venue like hundreds of others in Puerto Del Carmen. I did my best to put on a show every night but I’m no Gary Barlow and the crowds weren’t exactly flocking.

It didn’t take long before we realised we were in trouble. The bank manager was on our back and we needed to turn things around – fast.

Suddenly Lee and I had more cash than we knew what to do with. We could buy things we’d only ever dreamt about before including convertible Mercedes SLKs each and beach front property. To all our friends on the island we looked like a happy couple. But behind the heavily made-up exterior we were falling apart.

We had been together eight years and the pressure of living together, running a business together and putting on a live stage show together was taking its toll on our personal relationship. At one point we weren’t talking to each other for months but still had to perform together in the show. It was horrendous.

Eventually we talked it over and decided to call it a day. We still loved each other but we loved each other as brothers not as lovers. It was a difficult time and we even talked about selling the Tavern and splitting all our assets but instead we decided to be adults and keep all we had worked so hard to build together. We weren’t personal partners anymore but we could still be business partners.

42 REAL LIFE We went our separate ways in 2000 and we both got through it by working harder than ever. Titti was my escape. When I put on that frock and donned the make-up and wig I was a different person. She helped me get through it.

The Tavern was buzzing every night and the show got bigger and bigger. We now have five performers and a much bigger stage. I was still a success but inside I was lonely. When the applause died down and I took the make up off every night I went home to an empty house.

It wasn’t until 2004 that I found true love again. On holiday in Thailand with some friends I had gone out to dinner and caught the waiter’s eye. We got talking and my heart was racing. His name was Pukit but everyone knew him as A. I could see why.

He was A-mazing!

Long distance relationships aren’t easy so I was delighted when A agreed to move out to Lanzarote to be with me. I was a little nervous the first time he saw the show and met Titti but he loved it. I helped him set up his own restaurant – the first Thai restaurant in Lanzarote and last year we were married in a beautiful beach ceremony – the first same sex marriage on the island.

After 15 years in Lanzarote I know most people here and A has quickly gained a name for himself too and is fast becoming Lanzarote’s first celebrity chef.

Life never takes the course you expect. God knows what will happen over the coming decade who knows, I could find world wide fame like my old pal Gary Barlow!

A could become one of the best known chefs on the scene, or we could just live out our lives on this beautiful island and send the holiday makers home with a smile on their faces after spending the evening with Titti!

For some strange reason, I can’t see us living a quiet life! The last 15 years have been anything but!

To find out more about Titti Trollop’s Music Hall Tavern please visit: www.musichalltavern.com

44 THEATRE

THE LUVVIES PRESENTS

Exclusive to QS, Sandi Quinn talks to Martin Walker, Director of This Year’s Thing - a play about the Edinburgh gay scene, being performed during Edinburgh Pride weekend.

Martin finally returns to our quiet corner of Picardy Place, the plush Edinburgh gay bar above GHQ, with a couple of bottles of Corona. It’s 6pm, so the bar is quiet, but I’ve been waiting ages for my beer. “Sorry,” he shrugs, “The barman’s into theatre and he’s done some PR - was wondering if he’d like to get involved with the play.”

Oh yeah?

“I wasn’t chatting him up,” Martin assures me, “My God, he’s much too young and beautiful. Besides, my girlfriend would kill me!”

Girlfriend?

“Yeah Kate, she’s away in Mexico at the moment.”

Frowning, he pushes the lime from the top of his Corona bottle into the neck, and then takes a swig. “I’ve been a bit worried about her, with the swine flu and all that. But things seem to have calmed down a bit.”

ScotsGay had transformed in content and appearance since he took over. “It was enormous fun. But what people don’t realise is that everyone involved with ScotsGay works for free. Some assume that the magazine has big offices and fleets of staff. In reality, it’s a small group of men and women, working from home, in their spare time, busting a gut to get in out every month. I’m actually a full time Civil Servant by day.”

Martin says that he has never made any secret of his bisexuality.

“When I was the editor at ScotsGay Magazine, I got some flack from some older men ‘cos I started seeing a woman. But you live with it.”

TYT head writers: Martin was at the helm of ScotsGay for three years, Nicole Dolder, Andrea Mckenzie & Martin Walker but quit recently. “It was nothing to do with my relationship with Kate, it was just time to move lder & Kat Falon McKenzie, Nicole Do on…”

David Dalzell, Andrea s, ard Edw e Juli : ers Some cast memb

Rumours were that Martin had fallen out with John Hein, its publisher.

“I fell out with John every month,” Martin laughs, “it’s the nature of publishing and the roles of publisher and editor - who necessarily have different agendas. There is a lot of nonsense talked about John. He doesn’t make life easy for himself sometimes, but he is a good man, with a great deal to offer. When others whinge about Pride events, he goes out and delivers it, year in - year out. He formed ScotsGay in December 1994 and because of him it is still going strong.”

What about the alleged bitter rivalry between QS and ScotsGay? Actually some of those stories were quite funny.

Darren (Darren Kavanagh - QS Editor) and I would have a laugh about it. People just make shit up!

So how do you go from being a volunteer magazine editor to a theatre director?

“For the last decade or so, I’ve been a comedy and theatre critic during the Edinburgh Fringe. This Year’s Thing was simply an idea for a play that I wanted to see.”

Martin’s partner at the time was involved with The Luvvies (Scotland’s only LGBT Theatre company) and it was he that set up a meeting between Martin and Katy Dimmock, a Luvvies committee member.

“We were supposed to be talking about press and marketing, but we ended up discussing creative ideas. Katy seemed really interested, and asked me to pitch some stuff to the group. I thought if all The Luvvies, were this enthusiastic and positive, I’d be a fool NOT to work with these people.”

And that, Martin tells me, was two years ago - and his enthusiasm about the project hasn’t waned since then. Indeed his positivity is infectious, as he gives me the sales pitch.

“TYT is a tongue in cheek, comedy drama, set on the Edinburgh gay scene. It’s a bang-up-to date reflection of where the Edinburgh LGBT community is right now. Set and performed on the 40th anniversary of Judy Garland’s funeral and the Stonewall riots, it commemorates both events.”

I put it to him that this sounds very worthy.

“We have a laugh with it,” Martin smiles, “it cannot be described as politically correct.”

The writing credits for TYT are lengthy.

This Year’s Thing The Pleasance Cabaret Bar Friday 26th - Sunday 28th June at 7:30pm Tickets: £9/£7 www.tyttheplay.com

THEATRE 45

“The Luvvies run these workshop sessions called LuvvieBabes. We developed the play from the original idea using these sessions. It was a lot of fun.

Several of the attendees wrote dialogue, so it was only fair that they all got a writing credit. Myself, Nicole Dolder (writer of transsexual play, Painted Eggs) and Andrea Mckenzie were the lead writers.

We then work-shopped some scenes again after the play had been cast. We’ve got some very good actors and I wanted to give them some input and also see what they were capable of. If you have good actors, it’s important to stretch them and give them some proper acting to do.”

The plot revolves around a very special event at a fictitious Edinburgh gay pub called Judy’s Bar. Judy’s is owned by 60 y/o Anthony Childs (Roger Burroughs), who has spent his adult life campaigning for LGBT rights. Anthony was openly gay long before it was fashionable, or even legal.

The Manager of Judy’s is Sophie (Charlotte Chadwick), a mid twenties and terribly well organised bisexual women. She is producing the event at Judy’s which will mark 40 years since Judy Garland died and the Stonewall Riots erupted.

Those gathering include hot young lesbians Jem (Julie Edwards) and Josie (Kat Folan). Known as the JJ Girls, these two stunners are brash, fun and totally un-PC.

46 THEATRE Meanwhile, wide eyed young gay man Kevin (Gary Reid) doesn’t care about Judy Garland and has never heard of Stonewall. However, he is so dying to meet Anthony. Kevin likes older men and who better than the club owner to get his fingers into?

A very special guest is Laura (Nicole Dolder). Laura is a transsexual women with attitude and a very big mouth. Back in 1969, whilst the Stonewall Riots were raging,Young Laura (Ajay Lu) was attacked at an illegal gay bar in Edinburgh by two Policemen (Michael Mills and David Dalzell). Her friends Susan (Katy Dimmock) and Philip (Francis Aiken) witnessed the beating. The attack would have consequences 40 years later... tonight at Judy’s Bar...

“We deal with homophobia, transphobia, biphobia… but in a fun way. Every LGBT person will recognise one of the characters in this play.”

And it’s being performed over the Pride Scotia weekend in Edinburgh?

“Yeah, our brilliant producer, Ruth Corrigan, has secured the Pleasance Cabaret Bar over the Pride weekend. A venue I love, having seen a ton of stuff there. After the show, the bar will stay open, so people can come out and make a night of it. We’ve been delighted at the ticket sales so far, so people should move fast.” Time for another advert: “Go to www.tyttheplay.com and book your tickets now!”

The barman catches Martin’s eye as the extremely attractive fella collects a couple of empty glasses from the next door table.

“GHQ have been brilliant to us.” Martin smiles, “all the staff are very positive and helpful.” ...and gorgeous.

TYT presents

THIS YEAR’S THING On the night of Judy Garland's funeral, the Stonewall Inn in New York was raided.

The raid changed the course of LGBT history.

40 years later in a gay bar in Edinburgh...

Doors open at 7pm. Performance starts at 7.30pm Bar open until late

tickets £9/£7 (conc) book online at

www.tyttheplay.com in association with

ScotsGay

48 GAMING

. . . . . . y a l P s ’ Let With Debbie Lloyd

Tomb Raider Underworld Tomb Raider Underworld follows our heroine Lara Croft after the events of Legend, still continuing in her quest for rare artifacts and information about her mother and father.

The game starts off after the initial training level in a burning Croft Manor with Lara setting off on a scuba diving expedition with her team of adventure junkies. Although starting in an underwater location may seem a bit cruel, this really shows off the positively stunning graphics the game has to offer, and gives a small taste of the vast landscapes that Lara will have the pleasure of venturing through. Through this exploration, you will also find yourself collecting various treasures for achievements, and also hidden relics buried deep within the ruins you will find yourself investigating.

You will spend a lot of time puzzle solving in certain areas, as entire locations can turn out to be one large interactive logic puzzle, but this does not make the game any less fun to play.

The simple fact that all the environments are so vast and the ease in which Lara can interact with her surroundings keeps things fresh and exciting. There is also never really one set way in which to complete a puzzle, leaving you completely free to explore every nook and cranny for as long as you feel like.

Even though it may seem like there is a lot more emphasis being put on puzzle solving, there is still plenty of combat for the action ready out there. The battle system for Underworld has been significantly improved from previous games, adding new and interesting features to the way you fight your battles.

When you do happen to come across several vicious enemies, it is now possible for Lara to shoot in two directions at once, allowing you to, technically, kill two birds with one stone.

One of the most notable differences is how easy it is to control Lara. I’m sure we all remember the endless frustration of trying to get her into the precise position to enable her to pick up that much needed box of ammo.

This has been made a lot easier, for if you are standing close enough to the object that you want to retrieve, Lara will align herself with it once you click the action button. That should save the lives of a few controllers, and of course, our sanity.

You can customize your game play to suit your own style by either simply selecting a difficulty setting at the start of the game, or playing around with the amount of ammo, life and endurance you have.You can also manipulate your enemy’s benefits and handicaps, giving them low health etc. The ability to be able to choose exactly what Lara wears at the beginning of each level is also an interesting new feature, for example having her explore ancient ruins in her trademark shorts and tank top, or allowing for a far more suitable and battle ready look depending on your personal preference.

Underworld is definitely a worthy addition to the Tomb Raider franchise for fans and newcomers alike.

GAMING 49

Resident Evil 5 With the release of Resident Evil 5, fans couldn’t wait to get their hands on the latest zombie slaying classic. With familiar face Chris Redfield and fresh face Sheva Alomar to balance things out a bit, RE5 hits the next generation of consoles with much anticipation and excitement.

After receiving a lot of initial criticism about the control mechanics from the demo, the game is actually a lot easier to control than it was originally given credit for. After a short amount of time, the heavily critiqued method of having to stand still whilst shooting at zombie hordes becomes almost second nature, not giving it another thought as you stand there and plow through reams of blood thirsty enemies with your weapon of choice.

Interestingly, your partner can also pull enemies off you if a zombie decides to latch themselves onto your neck, or any other part of your body and you can of course return the favor. This can quickly be turned into a series of combo’s between the two characters in order to bring the enemy to their knees, before dealing a final devastating blow.

The emphasis on co operation with your partner is something very new for the franchise. In previous installments, you’ve either been completely alone, or having to look after some poor defenseless young thing, helping them to hide in crates and any other location where a drooling zombie wouldn’t be able to find them. Sheva has a lot more to offer than Ashley did in Resident Evil 4 though, and can certainly fend for herself when push comes to shove. She can perhaps be criticized for firing more ammo into the wall as opposed to the infected, but you really would be lost without her in times of need.

The much loved Merchant from RE4 sadly does not make an appearance, and is instead replaced with a simple item screen and non interactive shop at the beginning of each level. The inventory has also been vastly downsized, another major criticism that Capcom are taking a step back after such a large capacity for weapons and items in previous games. The oddest aspect of this being that a small medicinal herb can take up exactly the same amount of space as a fully loaded rocket launcher. Doesn’t quite work out if you do the maths does it?

Regardless, it still works well, and if all else fails, you can always use Sheva as your own personal gun caddy if you run out of room.

Without a doubt, RE5 is an extremely enjoyable online experience. Not to say that the single player campaign is dull, but playing online co-op or simply playing with a friend is an experience in itself. Sheva’s AI in the single player campaign is decent, but not always on form. Having a friend in control of her however, is far more beneficial, and you get a real feel of teamwork when playing with another human being.

If you’re a die-hard fan of the series expecting tension and survival horror, this might not quite match up to those expectations. However, if you’re in for the action, head shots and blood splatters, this is definitely one you need to pick up.

With Marcus Lange

50 GET THIS

LG Cookie Never have I heard such an odd name for a mainstream product, other than of course the recent announcement of Skoda’s new 4x4 the ‘Yeti’, so I didn’t know what to expect when LG sent me the Cookie. After doing a little research on the latest LG’s I found that they all look pretty much like smaller Viewtys and that they all carry much the same characteristics.

In terms of styling, the Cookie follows this great modern influx of flat touch screen, up market approach, with just the three little buttons at the bottom. Again, I must say it is very similar to the others in LG’s latest range meaning that should you be up or downgrading from a previous model, you will soon be well on your way. Sticking with classic black is always a safe bet, but LG have kept the model available in pink, which is novel I suppose.

Practicality is certainly a strong point for the Cookie, with speed dials displayed on the home screen and the much-loved widgets for all you apple fans on the secondary home screen (yes there are two home screens).

Now as with all touch enabled phones there are a few glitches and for the multi-talented out there you wont mind switching to predictive text for this model, as texting without T9 on can be really slow, but can be sped up if you use the ‘qwerty’ keyboard by turning the handset on it’s side. Other than that, the Cookie is fantastic if you lead a fast paced lifestyle.

Overall, I must admit without the ability to connect to the web wirelessly (without paying) I was left thinking about audience and who this handset is solely aimed at, and decided that the Cookie is perfect for those crying out for a simple easy to manage phone. Cost isn’t much of an issue either, around £100, certainly a winner in my eyes and a perfect introduction to the latest LG family.

Samsung i850

Truly a beautiful phone, with a fantastic 8.0 megapixel camera, this is definitely a phone to consider.

The first Samsung to have an 8.0 megapixel camera, which has now been used throughout their high-end handsets, is a fantastic phone. Not only is it Samsung technology (a personal favourite), but it utilises every angle you could try and pick a flaw with. Including a huge range of features, GPS, Internet, e-mail and video camera, to name a few, this handset is packed full of technology.

Arguably, it is quite a size and fairly weighted, but can you really complain for the amount of kit your carrying? Think, no need to take that notebook about for emails and internet surfing, with google maps and route 66 navigation built in, that chunky old sat-nav can be thrown away and no need to carry that massive SLR, with the 8.0 megapixel camera and built in editing suite you can be the next Hockney in no time!

In terms of it being a phone, it does everything you need it to and more. Makes and receives calls, text, emails and lets you surf the net. What more could you ask for!

My one glitch with this gadget is the scroll function on the navigation panel, meaning you end up scrolling through your contacts rather than looking through your photos. Overall a fantastic piece of kit and certainly a winner from Samsung, especially now they have rolled out the technology to the other models in their range.

GET THIS 51 Ladybird Mugs

The ‘How It Works’ series of books taught curious children about the complex engineering involved in keeping aeroplanes off the ground and the clever ways that hovercraft worked to name just a couple. The “How It Works’ The Motor Car’ book taught the basics of car mechanics to small boys everywhere and is probably the reason why all dads know their way around engines so well. You may remember helping your dad with the family car when you were a lad.

Wilton Giant Cup Cake Tin

Whether it is a birthday party, wedding, christening or swanky dinner party, the Giant Cupcake brings a little fun and originality to the occasion cake. The tin creates a mind-blowing 3D cupcake for the whole party to share! It’s totally simple to use, simply fill both sides of the tin with cake mix (try out our recipe below) bake in the oven, turn out and cool then assemble top and bottom cake halves with a thin layer of icing. All you need to add is some imaginative decoration.

Let your imagination go wild, stock up on sugar craft and see what you can create!

Ladybird Journals

‘Things to Make’ is a classic title from the nostalgic Ladybird series.You may remember reaching for it on a rainy day looking for fun toys to make with whatever was lying around the house.

So, even though you’re all grown up now and rainy days don’t mean arts and crafts, you can still share a golden moment of nostalgia whenever you take notes at work. Alternatively you could use this journal to start your own collection of fun things to make for your kids, keeping the ladybird legacy alive.

prezzybox.com

52 FEATURE

Lee Ryan

By Gary J Leek

L

ee was born in Chatham, Kent. When he was five years old his parents split up so his early life was spent growing up with his mother, sister Gemma and his grandmother.

It was discovered at the same time that he suffered from dyslexia. This did not deter his enthusiasm and dedication to be successful and attended performing arts schools including the independent theatre school, Sylvia Young as well as the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.

His talents were spotted early so when he joined Blue, one of the UK’s most successful boy bands at the young age of only Seventeen, we knew that some exciting times were ahead in this young man’s career.

In 2001 he released his debut single with Blue, All Rise and was the youngest member of the band.

Throughout the times with the band it became obvious that the talents and performances were pushing his likeability further up the rankings.. This led to him co writing and performing lead vocals of many of Blue’s most successful releases.

John Ryan Name: Lee : Blonde Hair colour e Green / Blu : ur lo co Eye ” 11 5’ Height: : 17 / 06 / 83 Date of Birth ini em G : gn Star si ent Chatham, K : th ir r Place of B evie Wonde St t: is rt /a onder nd

by Stevie W n’ Favourite ba io it st er up ‘S : ’ ng on so ti e Favourit Men ‘Evolu bum: Boyz II e’s Favourite al ?: Marvin Gay an km al W ur yo in t’s Wha its’ ‘Greatest H tball Diaries ok:The Baske bo e it ur vo Fa b m: Fight Clu Favourite fil Young Ones he T : ow sh V Favourite T Norton tor: Edward Favourite ac i eal: Sush Favourite m l ink:Red Bul dr e it ur vo l Fa Coco Chane l: c el sm e it rlton Athleti Favour ha C : otball team ci Favourite fo Guc othes store: Favourite cl lue B : ur lo co e Favourit

54 FEATURE

In 2004 Blue had become one of the biggest selling pop acts across the world. Many awards followed along the way including best newcomer at the BRIT Awards in 2002, Best UK Band and best live Act also in 2002. Best Single, newcomer and act at the Capital FM Awards and MTV Japan voted the One Love video as Best pop Video, while MTV Asia named them as Best International Group.

His singing career brought him notoriety and respect with many key figures of modern times and had already collaborated with world class superstars such as Elton John and Stevie Wonder.

Apart from his passion of music, Lee has also has a love for film and screen writing. He co directed the video to his own song “Breathe Easy”, alongside video Director Cameron Casey. He has also completed a film director’s course at the Tisch School of The arts in New York and has his own production company.

After five years performing with Blue he has become and experienced and creatively all rounder with many talents stretching across the Arts.

His universal appeal , good looks and charm makes him very popular along with his energy and determination.

Lee was due to perform at CC Blooms for Pride Scotia. Due to circumstances beyond their control, he will hopefully be performing at a later date.

Watch this space for details

56 TRAVEL

!

N O I T A C Y GA

By Michael Knipp

There are vacations, and then there are Zoom Vacations – gay getaways that, according to the Chicago-based company’s co-founders, Joel Cabrera and Bryan Herb, “expand the mind, invigorate the soul, and re-energize the imagination.”

Created in the months after the Sept. 11th attacks – the owners say the tragic events that transpired that day motivated them to spend their lives celebrating their passion – Zoom travels to some of the most spectacular spots on earth to deliver its LGBT customers custom experiences they can’t get anywhere else.

“Zoom Vacation tours are multisensory, experiential journeys that blend adventure, luxury, culture and style,” says Herb, a former high school English teacher, about Zoom’s one-of-a-kind itineraries, many items on which wouldn’t be feasible on an independent expedition.

For example, on a recent trip to Rio de Janeiro, guests had the option of hang-gliding into a chic beach party. In Peru, an elaborate and exclusive dinner was held at a private, palatial mansion. And on a trek to Africa, travelers arrived by elephantback to a gourmet candle-lit dinner on the banks of the Zambezi River at Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

“We believe that gay people desire exciting excursions and adventure by day, and would like to end their day in the finest way possible, ensuring comfort and luxury throughout their vacation,” Herb says.

While most of Zoom’s travelers are professionals who range in age from 25 to 65 – with the majority of them between ages 35 and 50 – Herb says that “this demographic is searching for something more than just big parties. They appreciate the care and details we place into each trip. They want to see the world in a comfortable way, which allows them to truly be themselves, and make new friends along the way.”

TRAVEL 57

“But they also like to let their hair down and have a great time cocktailing, dancing or meeting the locals,” says Cabrera, who spent 10 year as a lawyer before launching Zoom.

Of course, in a recession, you’d think these two entrepreneurs would be worried that gay travelers might be more discretionary with their pink dollar, but that’s not the case according to Herb, who said in a recent Chicago Tribune article that despite the down economy business is up.

And there’s a good reason why.

“Thoughtful details are put into every Zoom trip to make sure our guests are well looked after and pampered in physical and emotional ways,” Cabrera says.

Take, for instance, a 40th birthday party Zoom planned at a palace in Prague, where staff dressed in Victorian-era clothing and guests were decked out in festive black and white. Before the fete kicked off, revelers were picked up at a Four Seasons hotel by a lineup of horse-drawn carriages.

At the end of the celebration, a cake was brought out to the birthday boy by a pair of Bel Ami porn stars wearing only pants of the Victorian period.

But while Zoom Vacations cater to individual needs, Herb and Cabrera recognize that gay families and friends want to take trips together, an experience that Herb says “becomes a platform on which they strengthen their own relationships and enjoy stress-fee time together.”

“The LGBT community seeks vacations that allow them to get the most out of the destination and experience, while completely being themselves,” he continues. “They seek adventure, melded with comfort, style and authenticity.”

Which is what they’ll continue to get with Zoom as the company constantly enhances its offerings with recent additions like the Gay Pride celebration in Madrid; the 2010 Gay Games in Cologne, Germany; and other exotic locales, such as China and India – all unique travel experiences that gay people can’t access on their own for the price Zoom offers.

As for Herb and Cabrera, Zoom is just the beginning of something bigger for them.

“In five years, I see us doing more than just providing gay travel,” says Herb. “We would like to have written a book and have our own gay travel show.”

Until then, however, the vacation-planning business partners are content globetrotting with the LGBT community, “enjoying the best a destination has to offer and creating long-lasting memories.”

58 LUSH

! a m a r D a t a h w , h O

Problems aired with Lexie Lush

Lexie my boyfriend loves to rim me during sex. but it does nothing for me! should I tell him i dont like it or go on faking it?

Daniel Glasgow My Darling daniel first of all I would like to ask why you dont like a tongue up your bum cos quite frankly I can think of nothing more tantalising. but yes you should tell your boyfriend as he is probably only doing this to please you, and maybe then he will put his energy into something that really does rock your world. communication is always the key even if your mouth is full xxx

Dear Lexie my boyfriend and i have a great laugh together but we only seem to have sex when we are drunk is our relationship really going anywhere?

Craig Lothian Well craig darlin alcohol is usually the catalyst in so many sexual encounters and it has gotten me into all sorts of encounters usually involving a german tourist poppers,and tube of anusol for afters, but honey at least your gettin some and you seem to be comfortable with this guy as your havin a laugh in between sessions so stop worrying. chill out relax and get pissed every weekend xx

Q. My housemate always seems to be short of cash and I find myself always bailing her out even with the rent. but when I ask for it back it always ends in a row and im fed a load of excuses. what should I do?

Sharon Dundee

My boyfriend and i have decided to add a little spice into our relationship so we decided to have threesomes, however the guy we pulled seemed more interested in my boyfriend and i felt like an outsider this left me feeling terrible my boyfriend wants another 1 but im dubious please help.

Zak Glasgow

A. well honey it seems to me that you really must figure out why her finances are so bad and if must comes to must kick her scaddgin ass out... if its your name on the lease that is! however if she is havin real financial problems like so many are these days,try and find a solution she must face up to this problem try to make her realise that. but as for you dont help her anymore financially just be a friend if shes geniune she will appreciate that more xx

zak zak zak if this makes you feel bad then you simply must tell your boyfriend that its a no to the next threesome unless of course it was him that chose the last guy? if it was then you choose someone that really is into you and lay it on thick. make him feel as awkward as you did believe me he wont be to quick to invite someone into the bedroom then be strong and have confidence sweetie hes your man and dont you forget it xx

LUSH 59

I feel bad at the way ive treated a friend I let my jealousy get in the way and i ruined their chance for a relationship i poisoned peoples minds against her because i was jealous. but now things seem to be going bad for me and she is back on top should I appologise and try to make ammends.

Joan Aberdeen I think you should appologise to them as it seems your friend is a decent person judging on the fact shes well liked again and that you felt the need to blacken her name however if im honest the fact that you feel slightly ostrisised and the fact you feel bad is simply KARMA before you even think of saying sorry take into consideration how she felt... if it was me id slap you sensless and tell to fuck off good job its not me eh.

I have been with my boyfriend for 3 years and hes the only guy ive ever been with but ive discoverd small white itchy spots on my rectum is this an STD. Lee Glasgow First of all toots im no Dr and thank you very much for using the word rectum. it seems to me you either may have piles which is easily treated with anusol or germoloids which you can buy from your local chemist or it could be anal warts they too are treatable so you should contact your local GUM clinic . find out what they are first then confront your boyfriend. im here if you need further advice sweetie xx

You can catch Lexie live as the host of Club Drama which takes place at : Club Foundation, Aberdeen on 1st Saturday every month.

More Drama’s next time...

Have fun everyone..

Loads of love...Lexie xx

60 FITNESS

a loser too?

Can you beHealth and Fitness with Steve Schiemer There is quite an up roar occurring in Australia at the moment over the programme The Biggest Loser. The English version is showing now on TV and, like the Australian and American version, the contestants are losing massive amounts of body weight in a relatively short period.

For those who have never seen this programme, the concept is quite simple. A bunch of obese contestants enter a house where they are split into two groups, and are then handed over to two of the country’s top personal trainers who train them to the extreme, change their eating habits and basically work them so hard the fat almost literally falls off them. The recent Australian version, which is the country’s top rating programme while on air, saw contestants lose more than half their body weight. The winning contestant lost an amazing 89 Kilogrammes, or 54% of his body weight!

The uproar concerns the safety and ethical considerations of losing so much weight in such a short time. The contestants are losing 5 to 12 kilogrammes a week! When you consider the recommended rate is half a kilo to a kilo a week, you can start to see the reason for the debate. There is also the question of whether it is right to send out this kind of message to the overweight population. It seems to be another one of society’s quick fix solutions. Having indulged themselves for their whole life, they then decide to lose the weight in a couple of months, instead of taking the recommended route of slow weight loss.

For those out there who are weight challenged, I can hear the thought in your head even now: Is it safe to lose that sort of weight so quickly, and could I do it? Let’s answer the first question first; Is it safe? Well, no-one has died yet, but there have been quite a few injuries along the way. Remember these people are carrying around up to 180 or so kilogrammes. Anyone running around with that sort of weight is likely to damage their knees or backs. But let’s face it, for many of them it is often a case of damaged knees, or dead! I think most of us would take the damaged knees.

FITNESS 61 Also remember that there are medical professionals constantly present at the house, so any issues are dealt with immediately. The biggest problem that faces fitness trainers who watch this show is the intensity of the workouts that are being given to some of the country’s most unfit inhabitants. But as I said before, in 3-4 years of these programmes, there have been no major health scares, just massive weight loss.

So could you do it? Besides the fact you would need to take 3-5 months off work and employ a personal trainer who would live with you and work you harder than you dreamed possible, it is possible to lose weight quickly (if not as quickly as on these shows). A good personal trainer that you can see at least once per week is essential. Besides giving you an eating plan that would reduce your fat intake, your trainer would need to devise a high energy workout programme. None of this ‘long slow distance’ rubbish where you walk for 1.5 to 2 hours in your ‘fat burning zone’! You will need shorter, harder workouts that push your heart rate higher.You will also need to increase your muscle mass, as muscles continue burning calories for up to 24 hours after you finish your workout.

If you have been watching the current UK version of the biggest loser, you may have seen trainer Rich Callendar using a piece of kit called an XCO-Trainer. These aluminium tubes are filled with a silicon granulate that moves forward and back when you move your arms. These XCO-Trainers increase your calorie expenditure by 33%, and are equivalent to running at a pace that is 2 kilometres per hour faster than your normal pace! If you are looking to lose weight, tone up your upper body, and strengthen your deep core muscles, a set of XCO-Trainers is essential.

Check out their website www.xco-trainer.co.uk for more information.You can walk with them, run with them and perform strength exercises with them.

You will be burning far more calories as a result, and hopefully these intense workouts will have the body fat falling off you and a new you will be parading on the beach this summer!

62 MOTORS

It’s ma

Wh bee top As of t pet trul

Rich Tuckwell’s

Motoring Column

Wh you new but sic, ligh the win a b of t Wa ting

Mercedes C Class Model Tested: C220 CDI Sport Saloon

Rich X

The Mercedes has style and class by the bucket load, it’s a stunning motor, its sharp lines and big fat ‘I’m the prettiest in the playground by far’ attitude filled grille mean that all the other cars in the playground have With Valentines Day just around the corner and Hallmark rubbing its hands together with the prosnow sent it to Coventry for stealing their boyfriends. Interiors have always been a MB strong point and profits (well Christmas pect of yet more guaranteed made them more than smile), love is most definitely it would appear that no expense was spared when it came to the new C-Class’s. The C220in theCDI Sport I I thought this month air. With that in mind I’d review motors that make you fall in love with tested had seats with split personality disorder, one minute they were so comfortable I could have them. Most of usslept, start our love affair with cars in mid to late teens, passing that all important test the next (upon planting one’s foot into the shag pile) they’d transformed into sports seats,our hugging tighter (even without actually being able to afford a car at time) gives us true independence, the ability to than a desperate queen onto the last man in the club. If you actually take time to look longthe and hard atanythe go on a gay club crawl in city we want, and more importantly for those gays not ready to come out, C-Class it is actually a design master stroke. It’s designed to latch on to those primal instincts within the ability to live a gayus life inall; a different town without risk of exposure. Yes the car for us gays can be the it looks strong, aggressive, sporty but also safe. I absolutely love this new C-class (and goddifference knows I hated between gay life and abstinence. So let’s kick off this months motoring section with one of the one before it with a passion). the best convertibles on the market If you are currently thinking ‘diesel and performance’ don’t exactly go together hand in hand, where have you been, living under a ROCK! The 2.2L lump under the bonnet is outstanding, loads of low down ‘I’m the fastest rep in the world’ pull-away power. Shed loads of overtaking power (perfect for when you need to get to that 9am sales meeting) and it’s as quiet as a hibernating mouse, with the added benefit of some kick-ass noise under more aggressive driving. 0-62mph takes 8.5 seconds but feels much quicker, to be fair though, with the AMG body-kit and wheels pack added on the Sport model, ain’t nobody gonna be trying to take you at the lights anyways . The six-speed gear-box that comes as standard when you choose the Sport model is smoother than Angelina Jolie’s adoption process.

We we’re averaging around 45mpg combined and nearly 60mpg on the motorways, so yep it’s also economical. Now not’s huge on the ‘free gadgets’ but then it is a Merc, its not that long ago that a steering wheel was considered an optional extra. What you do get, by the arm full, is safety features, ASR (skid control), ABS (anti-lock braking), BAS (braking assist) and ESP (stability program, not the ability to see the future).You will have to butter up ya boss / bank manager if you want toys, I had the excellent COMMAND comm’s pack in my test vehicle and its well worth the £2,500 (including adding the LOGIC7 Harmon Kardon surround sound system, which results in a stereo system worthy of a nightclub).

So aggressive, bullish, stylish, sexy, quick and with the úber sporty C220 CDI coming in at under 28k, it’s a good buy.

Mo the her som mo wei the are is n clin mo Mu

I’m Eos com a v sho into it to has the kno

MOTORS Ford Mondeo: Model’s Tested: 1.8L 123bhp ECOnetic Hatch and 2.2L TDCI 170bhp Titanium X Saloon The current generation Mondeo is without doubt its best incarnation to date, great looks, fantastic performance and an all round superb package. It’s certainly got flair and style, kit it out with privacy glass and some kicking 18” alloys and it’s a sporty motor. The interior is beautifully laid out; everything is where you’d expect it to be. The overall feel of the cabin is very driver focused and has a high quality feel throughout. The ‘chrome’ effect trim is actually quite convincing and doesn’t feel or appear tacky.

Well I gave the Mondeo the mother of all tests, by driving it to Paris and back. I have to say that the comfort levels are really good. Even after 10hrs of almost non-stop driving I didn’t feel achy or stiff, I also didn’t feel fatigued at all. Ford’s rep wagon is definitely designed with huge mileage drivers in mind (as you would expect). Rear seat comfort hasn’t been overlooked either, there’s ample legroom and the seats are just as supportive as those in the front. As standard the entire range comes with bucket loads of equipment as standard, however adding a few options here and there can make a huge amount of difference. Sat Nav wise, we used the top-of-the-range system for our trip. One of the funniest moments of our travels came from the Nav as we were sat in Dover facing a ferry. The Nav had said nothing for about 20mins when suddenly ‘Doris’ (we named her) chimed in with ‘WARNING - Ferry’ (you had to be there!). The system performed well, unfortunately I forgot to check that the route included the use of motorways, this meant that the Nav guided us on a very scenic 5hr route to Paris, whoops.

We tested the 123bhp ECOnetic 1.8TDCI Durashift engine for the Paris trip. To say it has all the pulling ability of a fat drag queen would be an understatement. It’s not the quickest of cars, performance is rather lacking, 0-62 mph taking just under a leisurely 11 seconds, but then it’s designed for economy rather than sporting prowess. So rather than be an eco-warrior (yes I know its only £125 a year in road tax, and I’m saving the planet by not having huge CO2 emissions) my engine of choice would be the 170bhp 2.2L TDCI which offers far more entertaining performance.

Yes the ECOnetic is very economical and driving to Paris and back was taken care of in a tank and a half of diesel. We actual got better mpg figures than Fords quoted 64 for motorway mileage. Round town economy is good and the quiet little diesel was happy shooting around the back streets of the French capital.

Top Rep wagon for under 24k for the ECO and under 27k for the Titanium X, well worth high mileage drivers choosing the ECOnetic and saving the earth as well as pounds.

63

64 MOTORS

Toyota Avensis Model Tested: Toyota Avensis T4 2.0 150bhp Saloon MDS The Toyota Avensis is loved by reps and Taxi drivers alike, hundreds of thousands brought the old model, for its frugal economy, ability to rack up mileage like the Starship Enterprise and interior that just wouldn’t die (no matter how much you wanted it to). The Third and all new generation of the Avensis was released 6 months ago, huge changes had been made, for the first time ever it’s actually a good looking car for a start!

It’s not just the body that’s new; my test car had the 2L 150bhp petrol engine from the new ‘Optimal Drive’ technology engine range. The performance was good, not great, but better than average. 0-62mph takes a slightly longer than I would have liked 10 seconds, however on the motorway, flick the automatic gearbox to Sport and the Avensis comes alive in a huge rush of overtaking power. It’s got enough performance to keep you happy, but I’d go for a slightly beefy engine to really complete the package. The new engines are designed to increase fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions. I was getting around the 45mpg mark combined and over 50mpg over 60mph, so not too shabby on the economy front, especially when you consider I wasn’t driving like an octogenarian on the way to Bingo.

It’s stylish in an odd way, bulky but with sharp lines, I think I actually really like the look, it’s something different in an area of the market that has suffered hugely with ‘same-ol-same ol’ syndrome. The new interior is a massive improvement and much more upmarket and useable. Everything has a purpose and a feel quality feel about it, it’s also laid out really well. Huge bonus is the ability to operate just about everything in the car via the steering wheel controls, overall putting you far more in control more of the time, than if you were fiddling with the air-con whilst driving. Which brings me nicely on to how hot the inside of the Avensis gets, when it’s parked on the drive minding its own business? Getting in it during any form of warm weather is akin to walking out of the Arctic and into a sauna. Comedy sketches ensued whilst I frantically waved doors and opened windows just so I could get in and start the car.

Toyota’s rep carrier / Taxi cab is one of the best equipped car, as standard, we’ve tested. Huge specification and electric everything, regardless of the model level you choose. I really liked my T4 spec press car, it had everything I needed (included an upgraded Sat Nav and kick ass stereo system) and at a very reasonable price. The Avensis is definitely great value for money, including actually running it. With its very lower CO2 emissions, good solid performance, great interior and stand-out exterior, it’s a must try before you decide on your new motor.You’ll be really surprised.

MOTORS 65

Audi R8 5.2L V10 (525bhp) Starting from £99,570 OTR - £104,050 (R-Tronic)

It’s finally here and ready to order, the super-super 5.2L V10 version of Audi’s R8 super-car will be on UK roads within the next few weeks. For the few that have had the privilege of either driving or being a passenger in the already released 4.2L version of the sex-on-four-wheels R8 – It’s even better. Now don’t get me wrong, the 4.2L is still an immense motor, but this new incarnation, well it really is the best of the best. It’s like paying £80,000 out for a penis enlargement, getting an extra 2ins so you’ve got 8, and then finding out that if you’d spent 20k more you could have had 10”.

The reason I’m going down this route of talking R8’s and penis enlargement’s [trust me there is an explanation!]? Because anybody reading this article that a) isn’t into cars b) isn’t male and c) isn’t in their right mind, will have without question at the start of this article uttered (all be it under their breath), “penis extension”. If you are one of those people - go find your sense of style and taste, for you have lost it somewhere.

If you have a spare £104,050 (don’t forget the fifty!) lying around, then the 5.2L R8 is definitely the motor to blow your load on (take that sentence as you so wish, both connotations are applicable). It’s faster, handles tighter and it sounds / looks even more amazing. The styling of 5.2L changes slightly over the 4.2L, this is so any R8 drivers you pass in the 4.2L may bury their weeping face into their hands safe in the knowledge that you have a) even better handling and a faster car b) even more money than them.

The subtle and not so subtle differences between the V8 and the V10 are: over 80bhp more. Deeper side intake blades, even sexier 10 spoke Alloys. Audi Magnetic Ride (the reason for the better, sharper handling) as standard. All LED lights (including full beam, a world first). Oval exhaust tailpipes and finally, big V10 badges on the front wings and the engine bay. Inside its much the same story: upgraded Sat Nav system, interior and engine bay LED light pack, electric heated seats, stainless steel ‘racing’ pedals and one final ‘my car is the doggies knackers’ blow, a top of the range 12 speaker Bang & Olufson sound system, kicking out an eardrum shattering 465 watts.

The V10 R8 loves long open fast flowing roads and the twisting neck-breaking G-force inducing mountain passes. You can throw anything at the V10’s Magnetic Ride suspension system and it’ll soak it up, then slap you round the face in a ‘is that the best you’ve got bitch’ fashion. Audi have set a new benchmark for everyday super-car performance and handling. Plant your foot to the floor coming out of a heavy bend and the back end kicks out in pure driving poetry, the Quattro four wheel drive system kicks and ensures that the sideways motion is a thrill rather than a danger, the engine roar kicks in and off you go. The V10 R8 is road going Viagra. 0- 62mph takes 3.9 seconds and powers all the way up to 197mph which to be frank, unless you’re a racing superstar on the Le Mann’s circuit, trying to attempt to reach the top speed will almost definitely end up with your stupid lifeless body being removed from the wreckage by firemen

66 MOTORS

BHP Bender Bentley GT Speed Vs BWM M6 Some might say that having over £300,000’s worth of luxury sports cars / super-cars parked on the drive means I have an amazing job. So is it a fair review, a Bentley that has a phenomenal 600bhp being compared to the BMW M6’s 550bhp? The Bentley does 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds; the BWM takes 4.6 seconds, so it’s safe to say that within the first paragraph of this review we have established that the Bentley is quicker.

Woo-hoo, I’ve confirmed something that both manufacturers already knew! However this isn’t a verses review in the normal vein of verses reviews, here’s the kicker and what this review is actually about….. is an extra 50bhp and shaving 0.1 of a second of the 0-62mph time worth an extra £70,000?

Firstly let’s talk badges; Bentley’s are expensive, very expensive. However, picture the scene, you’re in a central London wine bar, the homeless and deluded city stockbrokers are all stood around, yar’ing and ‘ahu ahu ahu’ing’ . When the penniless and jobless bankers turn and ask you the question ‘so what do you drive then?’ Even as a humble journalist, the words ‘a Bentley GT Speed’ trips off the tongue like honey off a bee’s backside. It gives you a very odd sensation. It’s a mix of ‘jealous much’ smugness and out and out pride. You see if you say the word ‘Bentley’ to your average man on the street, the instant thought is that you’re minted. Let’s face it, you probably are, Bentley don’t have a super-mini or a family hatchback in the range. If you own a Bentley, it doesn’t matter which one it is, it’s still a Bentley.

It’s that exact thought process that’s the problem with one of the most expensive BMW’s money can buy.

If the response to the aforementioned question is ‘I drive a BMW M6’ those that aren’t car nuts have no idea what you’ve turned up in. It could be an Estate as far as they are know. Those who don’t listen properly, well they just hear BWM and assume you’re in a 3-series (not exactly the jaw-dropping-wow-factor you were hoping for). When it comes to impressing car boffins though, an M6 is a great way to start. Its raw and brutal power never fails to impress, its handling receives praise and acclaim.

So they’re both pricey motors, but the Bentley wins the ‘which one’s going to make people think you’ve got the most money’ prize.

MOTORS 67 Handling is another matter all together. The Bentley, considering it’s a much heavier car than the BMW, handles beautifully; it’s graceful, elegant and when put into sport mode, an absolute monster of speed and tight corners. However it does tend to drift wide coming out of hard corners. It copes excellently well with sweeping bends and even putting your foot down mid corner doesn’t faze the big GT Speed Coupe. In fact it’s this style of driving really showcases what the Bentley is capable of. Then we come to the M6, press a few buttons, tweak some controls, set the car up properly for maximum power / the best suspension settings and the M6 is without shadow of a doubt the better handling of the two. Its poise in cornering under speed and its ability to hold the road regardless of how much you’ve just pushed your luck is absolutely breath taking. Tight right and left bends one after the other are handled without so much as the M6 breaking a light sweat. This is a car that’s been designed for maximum handling.

The heavier Bentley loses the handling side of the review to the mighty German powerhouse. Both handle supremely well and are more than capable of handling almost anything you throw at them. The M6 just makes lighter work of the load.

The more money the car, the better the gearbox, or so you would think! The Bentley has one of the best gearboxes I’ve had the pleasure of driving. In Auto it shifts smoothly, quietly and without fuss, in Sport it feels like a race tuned monster, snatching gears with millisecond timing and precision, floor the Bentley in Sport mode in any gear and that wondrous box will respond by shifting you into a gear that will not only catapult you forwards, but also induce G-force strong enough to snap your neck.

This is the bit where it all goes horribly wrong for the M6 The seven-speed semi-auto SMG gearbox with DRIVELOGIC, fitted to my test car, was without question the WORST gearbox I’ve ever had to suffer. To say it’s totally crap would be unfair, no wait it wouldn’t because it is. Regardless of how you set the car up, whatever setting you have the gearbox in, be it manual, auto or sport, its not just jerky, its akin to being on a rollercoaster, it grabs gears and changes up and down for no apparent reason. Floor the Beemer and eventually the gearbox will decide to change down (if your lucky, if your not, it just wont do anything (and you’ll be there looking like a right muppet). On long motorway journeys when it just sits in 7th gear without needing to change up or down its great, round town however it’s so bad I nearly sent it back after the first 2 days because it wound me up so much! There is hope on the horizon though; my contact at BMW assures me that they will be fitting the outstanding seven-speed M-DCT (double clutch transmission) gearbox, available on the M3, as standard very soon.

So both these cars have outstanding performance, stunning looks, awe-inspiring road presence and both cost a fortune to buy, insure, maintain and run (combined fuel consumption for the Bentley is 17mpg and 14mpg the BMW). Both have fantastic build quality and superior technology and design. Both will do pretty much anything asked of them. So which one is the winner? At this level of motoring there is no winner or loser, I personally wouldn’t buy the M6 due to the gearbox, the only place it would drive me, is to distraction. My choice would be, the GT Speed, its one of those cars that I’d never get tired of.

68 SUMMER

With James Longworth

Become a Street Artiste It will come as a surprise to many that at one point in my life I had absolutely no money in the world whatsoever. This perhaps unsurprisingly also coincided with my being a student. I remember having ÂŁ15 in my wallet to last a fortnight with no access to any other funds and an increasingly rumbly stomach. I do not remember where the inspiration came from, but I decided that I would invest ten pounds of that into buying a small pamphlet on how to make balloon animals, a packet of 100 Qualatex modelling balloons and a Pentel N50 marker pen. I wasted about 20 of the balloons making wonky dogs and parrots and the next day hit the Mound dressed as ridiculously as I could. Within minutes a crowd of kids had surrounded me with Mums and Dads happily handing over donations of between 50p and a quid for my efforts. As the years progressed my repetoire increased hugely as did my speed and wow factor. I used to take about ÂŁ30 per hour in cash, got a tan, met some hugely interesting people and made lots of people happy. It eventually led to doing kids parties, which pretty much prepared me perfectly to be a gay club promoter!

Learn to ride motorbikes

SUMMER 69

Only a small percentage of road users are licensed to ride motorbikes. Most people are put off by the fact that you have to go through another diving test. In reality the learning process is great fun and even little motorbikes are way faster than most cars. It’s not particularly difficult and when I did mine at Two Wheels, Edinburgh back in 19 something there were a few road trips as part of the course which was a great way of exploring the Scottish coast. The other benefit is that if you go on your travels you can hire a motorbike to go exploring. I was in Honolulu last November and hired the biggest, fattest Harley Davidson that I could find then rode the whole way around the island in a day.

There is not requirement to wear a helmet in Hawaii so I threw caution to the wind and headed off in shorts, a t-shirt and cap. The wind in your hair, sun on your arms, and that big throb from beneath is one of the best feelings ever. As the particularly hot rental dude said on my departure “Only real men wear pink sir!” Little did he know how much danger he was in.

Hire a hot-tub This is utterly inspired… you can actually hire a hot-tub for the weekend. I’m going to do it for my Summer Party in August. It’s about £145 for a six person tub for six days. Now there is no way it’s coming into my house so I’m going to stick it in my car parking space at the back. That should keep the neighbours twitching the curtains as the gays all strip off to fiddle with the, erm, nozzles. A hot-tub in the car park. Brilliant.

for £1 Go to strange sounding places in Europe Since I wrote my Summer Guide in 2008 Ryanair have now moved four aeroplanes permanently to Edinburgh Airport, which is great for me as a pilot as it’s only fifteen minutes to get to the office. It’s also great for everyone else as the website is rammed full of ridiculously low fares to far flung places. As long as you stay off hold luggage, check-in online and pay by debit card you can go to some great places for peanuts. Personal recommendations, having flown in and seen the areas from above, include: Zadar in Croatia where I swear the baggage handlers are straight out of a Bel Ami porn shoot; Palma Mallorca or Malta for real sun and stunning coastlines; Krakow if you want to see Poland at its best and get drunk for very little; Malaga or Alicante if you fancy a bit of the Costa Del Sol and Spanish grub; Pisa or Rome if you are a culture vulture and enjoy ciao ciao ciaoing with an espresso; finally, let us not forget Berlin for all out filth, some of the hardest hardcore sex/ night clubs in the world. If you don’t believe me check out the website www.fickstutenmarkt.de which left even me a bit shocked. Not for the faint of hearted.

70 SUMMER mer Fall in love with a Fringe Perfor The number of times that I have left a club in August at 5am voddied up to the eyeballs with some hunky dancer in tow is unmentionable.

What then generally happens is that you spend three weeks in a whirlwind, hedonisitic adventure.

You discover that there are other gays outside of Edinburgh, who seem to live exotic, exciting lives that they want to share with you. You shag every minute of the day, drink far too much then wake up one morning to find that they have disappeared as quickly as they appeared. You can’t really be too upset as you knew it was going to happen from the start. You will get a Happy New Year text four months later and never hear from them again after that. The good news is that there will be a new, better version next year. Take photos in August if you need to get through the rest of the year alone.

Change your career drastically

They say that you are allowed up to three major career changes in your life. I’m firmly of the belief that you should keep changing them regularly to keep things fresh. I can count six separate jobs that I have been paid for in the last year alone. If you don’t like what you are doing then shake your life up. Do it. Courses that you can actually study at various educational institutions currently include: pig farming; knitting; surf science; puppetry; woman studies; auctioning, casino studies; folklore studies, nuclear; the phallus (Occidental College – I kid you not); Queer Musicology which explores how “sexual difference and complex gender identities in music and among musicians have incited productive consternation”; blackness; cyberfeminism. Wow. Can you imagine having a degree in Queer Musicology? DJing VIBE for so long I wonder if they could give me an honorary PHD! Love it. With stuff like that out there you have no excuse not to throw in the Topman towel and get back to school.

Personally you can count me in for a full course of Phallus!

lly only see in the zoo Cook creatures that you norma I like my food as you may have noticed if you’ve ever read my food articles in this very magazine. Sometimes I look for inspiration out of the box and I have to say that the website www.osgrow.com was fantastic. If you really want to impress the family then why not cook some of the exotic creatures they have on offer. I’ve personally tried the camel, crocodile, impala, kangaroo, kudu, ostrich, and zebra. Not all of them are that great, but I’ll leave you to work it out for yourselves. The packs of locusts are quite fun in stir-fries, and I did enjoy the chocolate covered giant ants and scorpions. It sounds disgusting but is actually rather fun and the look on people’s faces as you tell them they are scoffing a croc burger is priceless.

Take it all off...hair that is!

It’s the summer. Who needs hair?

Hair-straightening is such a winter pursuit. Stick the number 2 on the clippers and get your flatmate to shave it all off. The other option is to pretend you are Demi Moore in GI Jane and do it yourself whilst playing Pink at full tilt. Once you realise that you look five years younger then it’s time to get yourself to Sin Waxing and get a back, crack and sack. I tried it a few months back. It is kinda nippy, but you get used to it, and despite the fact that you are having your balls touched by a complete stranger it actually feels quite discreet. Certainly no worse than Carlton Hill. There was no horrible red blotches afterwards either and you feel a bit pre-pubescent which is strange when you are my age but not without its benefits. It does look weird at first, but also quite sexy. On balance I’d do it again though the bits either side of my dangly bit were properly excruciating. www.sinwaxing.co.uk if you fancy a go. Mention my name. It may or may not help…

SUMMER 71

Hit the local park Whilst the reserve of neds for most the year, the local green area should always be reclaimed during the summer months.

Get out your aviators, a hamper from ikea packed full of M&S munchies and the cans of pina colada they sell there and get proper ropey drunk with other queers. Then you can letch outrageously at the topless straights playing footie and use modern zoom technology to capture it for longevity. If you want a laugh you can regress to playing childhood games like hide and seek (not great in big empty grass parks), or using the kids’ swings and taking juvenile pictures for facebook. Maybe that’s just me. Either way HOORAY the summer is coming and I for one will be having a blast! Enjoy!

If you don’t have the energy.. just stop at home and take it easy.

72 INTERVIEW

First off, tell us about your new single, what’s it about and does it have any special meaning for any of you?

Our single Twilight is our favourite song off our album, its up beat and a great floorfiller!. The song is about been in a different world, where everything is surreal and everyone is happy.

What was it like performing on the same stage as Cascada?

Being Cascada’s support act was incredible, the audiences, the stages, the hectic long days and performances. We want more more more! we loved every second of the tour and didn’t want it to end... When we were on the stage we didn’t feel like a support act it felt like our very own stage.

We got fantastic feedback from audience across the UK .

Lucky Luciano chats to girlband Vogue exclusively for QS How long has it taken you to get this far?

We have been together since we were at school, we decided to follow our dream and stay together. We knew we had something too good to stop! From there we worked on finding the route that suited us as artists the best – which is dance music. We recorded our album “ From Klubland With Love” and released “Missing You” which went to number 8 in the commercial dance charts and was picked by Ministry Of Sound to feature on their compilation album “Big Tunes 3”.

After this we toured the UK, performing at venues such as arenas, stadiums, under 18 nights, Pride festivals, Gay clubs, Summer festival, Schools, Carling Academy’s (Cascada tour) and performed for BBC’s Children In Need.

We then went to Portugal where we filmed our music video for our single Twilight, which was crazy and so much fun!, now we are on the road promoting for the release of “Twilight” in June.

Out of the three of you, who would you say is the cleanest, or the messiest?

Louise is definitely the messy one, Charlotte & Rachel are tidy and organised and always tidying up after Louise!!! tut tut Who would you say are your biggest inspirations and influences?

You look at people like Kelly Lorrena , N trance and scooter who have been around for ages yet still making great records.

Who would you like to work with the most?

We would love to work with Timbaland, he is fantastic producer who can adapt to any style of music so to work with him would be a dream come true!

When putting a song together, do you think of lyrics first or do you come up with a tune and then apply lyrics?

When putting a song together we write the lyrics first and usually write a verse each then come up with the chorus together (as a powerful chorus is always what we look for in a song).

Rachael

What’s more important to you, the meaning of the song or the tune itself?

These are both equally important to us but if you have a rubbish tune it simply wouldn’t be a good song, and then again if you was singing about a load of rubbish it wouldn’t mean anything to us and also to people that are listening to it. We believe that people should be able to relate to your lyrics - so you need both for a good song!!

INTERVIEW 73

You’ve done a few under-agers nights, how do you find they compare to doing club gigs/concerts etc? Best gig/worst gig?

We like performing for the under 18s as its lively, fun and are fan base builds rapidly every gig.

Louise

Best gig/worst gig?

We have had some fantastic gigs such as Bitts Park Carsile (westlife headlining) Liverpool turning on the lights, The Butlins Tour, The Cascada Tour and many more. Although along with the good gigs we obviously have to deal with the bad .Overall the gigs have been amazing and touring the UK is what we love to do, seeing different venues and stages, meeting different artists and fans and performing LIVE! Every night is what we live for.

Have you performed at many gay events? How have they done and what are the crowd like?

We have performed at many gay clubs and pride festivals.

There is a real good atmosphere at these events.. The buzz and vibe at events is amazing, it makes us feel energetic and smile constantly. We are looking forward to performing at Drama nightclub on 6th June in Aberdeen that will be lots of fun – if you’re around come and see us!!

Twilight is going to be released on the 29th June. To pre-order our summer anthem text VOGUE to 78789, from the 29th June you can buy it from HMV, download from iTunes and all major download sites.

Charlotte

Where do you see yourselves in 5 years time?

In five years time our biggest goal is to be headlining our own tour and to be well known and established in the music industry. As long as we are performing and recording our own music and making a career out of it we will be the happiest girls out there.

Vogue will be performing live at Drama, The hottest gay night in Aberdeen which takes place on Saturday 6th June, and the first Sat of every month.

For info on drama and discount entry register for free at www.ilovedrama.co.uk and check out www.bebo.com/clubdrama

74 MY QS John May catches up with real people and finds out a few juicy secrets

Name? Gary Graham Age? 22 Location? Stirling Shoe Size? 9 Single/Taken? Single Occupation? Waste Analysis Who Was The Last Person Who Commented On Your Bebo? Michelle McLean Favourite TV Show At The Moment? Britain’s Got Talent What Is Your Favourite Aftershave? Green Lacoste or Paco Rabanne uv Man Who Would You Invite To Your Dream Party?

Shirley Bassey Favourite Holiday Destination? Gran Canaria How Do You Relax? Masturbate If You Could Go Back In Time Where Would You Go? 1960’s What Is Your Favourite Film Ever? Practical Magic If You Had 3 Wishes What Would They Be? To Find Real Love, Win EuroMillions and Keep Ma Mum & Dad for Life What’s The Worst Job You Have Ever Done?

Postman What Is The Most Important Lesson Life Has Taught You? Dont trust easy and love every second of Life.

Do You Plan To Grow Old Gracefully? No I love Life What Is Your Most Treasured Possession?

Mobile What Was The First Thing You Thought Of This Morning When You Woke Up? Sex Then Realised A Had to Go To Work!

Who is your best friend? Mrs Lovely (Teto)

Name? Kit Age? 24 Location? Edinburgh Shoe Size? Giant 9 Single/Taken? Very much taken Occupation? Student Favourite TV Show At The Moment? I’m watching 90210 and Brothers and Sisters. and The City... I like my Dramas Who Was Your First Kiss? Christopher Howlett. I suffered from small town denial.

Favourite Holiday Destination? Anywhere with at least 30ish degrees, a beach and all inclusive booze on tap What Music Do You Listen To? I’ll listen to mostly everything, I prefer Rock-pop How Do You Relax? I can’t, I play computer games or read books to switch off.

What Was Your Last Text Message? From Nikki saying “King Kit I make your lady confused” What Is Your Favourite Film Ever And Why? Ever After. I always thought I wanted to be Drew Barrymore and be rescued.

What’s The Worst Job You Have Ever Done?

It’s also the best. I picked up other peoples shit (sometimes literally) after Rockness and T in the park last year.

What Is The Most Important Lesson Life Has Taught You? When I was young I didn’t like not ‘fitting in’ Now I realise all the bad shit makes us outsiders who we are.

Do You Plan To Grow Old Gracefully? God

No! What Is Your Hidden Talent? I spin fire. and I do it well. :p What Are Your Vices? My temper. impatience. avoidance.

If You Were Invisible For The Day What Would You Do? heheheee Who is your hero? A friend of mine. Most people don’t realise what she’s gone/ is going through. She’s amazing. She doesn’t realise how much so.

What Makes You Lose Your Temper?

Everything.. I’m pretty bad at the moment.

MY QS 75

Name? Amy Stirling.

Age? 22.

Location?Hillside, Edinburgh.

Shoe Size? Eight.

Single/Taken? Taken.

Occupation? Freelance journalist, DJ, drummer, Deviation co-founder and student.

Name Of A Song That Reminds You Of A Loved One? “Unfamiliar Ceilings” by Fightstar.

What Is Your Favourite Aftershave/Perfume?

Gucci Rush, Armani Code, Lynx Fever...

Who Would You Swap Places With For 24 Hours? Any journalist covering UK music festivals and Warped Tour this summer.

What Music Do You Listen To? A bit of everything, really.

What Is Your Most Embarrassing Moment Ever? I don’t know. Most recent though was when after reviewing a gig for the Evening News, I dropped my favourite pen into the toilet before I had the chance to flush it and then without knowing the lead singer’s Mum was in the cubicle next to me.

How Do You Relax? Listen to music, hang out with friends, play drums, sleep, Xbox.

What Is Your Biggest Phobia? I hate, hate, haaaate spiders. I’m not keen of the dark

either.

What Is The Strangest Snack You Enjoy?

Banana on toast.

What Is Your Favourite Film Ever And Why? The Matrix, it’s amazing!

What Can’t You Live Without?. Music, without a doubt.

What Is The Most Important Lesson Life Has Taught You? It’s too short, live for the moment.

Do You Plan To Grow Old Gracefully? No! Why would I do that?!

Who Is Your Hero? My Parents.

What Is Your Current Mobile Ringtone? It’s something pants that came with the iPhone.

If You Could Change Anything In The Past What Would It Be? Nothing whatsoever.

YOUR DAY, OUR BOOK, THE PERFECT PARTNERSHIP

Don’ t get For your FREE copy of the book log onto

www.gayweddingorganizer.co.uk Simply the best up-to-the-minute information to help you plan your BIG day

g get Weddin!

Organized

Bebe Zahara Benet Wins the ‘Race’

By Michael Knipp

“You better work!”

FEATURE 77

It’s the most famous of RuPaul’s caustic catchphrases, and one that drag artist BeBe Zahara Benet lived by on the Logo reality competition “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

As the first season winner of the campy contest, Benet – whose legal name is Nea Ngwa Marshall Kudi – received a feature photo spread in Paper magazine; a portrait taken by renowned photographer Greg Gorman for the l.a. Eyeworks Legendary designer eyewear campaign; a headlining spot on the Absolut Pride Tour; and $20,000 in cash.

But perhaps the most important prize is one that can’t be quantified – the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar.”

And Kudi – who was raised in Cameroon and worked in France before moving to the United States – doesn’t take the honor lightly.

“Winning the race has not changed me; I’m still the same person I was before the win,” he says. “But I will say that I am blessed to see that my persona inspires a lot of people who find a connection with [BeBe], and as an artist, that’s huge – even money can’t buy that. As for my career, this is a stepping stone to take my artistry to the next level, and I’m thankful for all the opportunities that have come my way and those that are still to come.”

A testament to that humble statement is Kudi’s life after the win. Since the show ended, he has returned to his home in Minneapolis, Minn., and to his job as a cast member at the La Femme Show Lounge.

“People talk about ‘achieving status’ so much. I think it’s more important to focus on how you are impacting others and the world with said status,” he says. “For me, it’s not so much about the status, per say, but what work I am doing to move people forward.”

That work includes an upcoming EP titled “Beautiful Day: Prelude to the Dance,” and charitable contributions on behalf of the less fortunate living in his native Cameroon.

“I want to empower and inspire people through my artistry. I want to make change, on many levels,” Kudi says. “To start, I want to be able to bring resources to my home country for two projects – first, HIV resources; and, second, to establish art and music resources for the youth to explore the creative.”

GAYDAR findyoursenseofpride

theultimategaypersonalswebsite

FEATURE 79 As much as Kudi aims to inspire others, however, there are still those who inspire him. His alter ego, who has just been passed RuPaul’s crown, is the product of an inspirational moment during his days as a male model on the runways of France: During a show, when some of the female models failed to appear, Kudi was asked to step in – as a female. Identifying the opportunity as a chance to creatively channel that inspiration, Bebe Zahara Benet was born.

“I get my inspiration from different people, experiences, cultures, environments and artists, but I have always been inspired by female role models that I grew up with, and my mom is number one, so I strive to empower women and create and celebrate all kinds of beauty,” he says.

While Kudi is empowering others, he knows, however, that not everyone is empowered by him.

Much of mainstream America still doesn’t wholly understand or accept drag culture. But he hopes that people like him and shows like “Drag Race” will help usher in that change.

“The media just have to do us justice by showcasing who we really are, the right way and with respect. ‘Drag Race’ has sown the seed, and now more people are looking at our art in a new light, and accepting it as a legitimate career. We still have a long way to go, but nothing is impossible.”

Visit

www.bebezaharabenet.com.

80 FOOD

James Longworth’s

I

had a bit of a shocker this week. Following my own recommendations I headed out to find some spring lamb fillets. It is a little known fact that you can butcher a lamb just like a cow and get fillet or sirloin from them. The fillets are very thin strips (lambs are a lot smaller than cows!) and absolutely delicious flash-fried then tossed into a salad. The sirloin is equally delicious but significantly thicker. I rang Crombies in Edinburgh who are famed for their meat and was politely told that new spring lamb fillets would set me back £55 per kilogram! That’s a polite no then.

I rang some other butchers around town and it turns out that this is the hardest time of year to get Scottish lamb. I then decided to try locally and headed to J Andersen’s on Great Junction Street in Edinburgh. He had just had a delivery of New Zealand lamb in and happily butchered 2.5kg of fillets for me. On the phone this was going to cost £18 per kilo but crept up to £25 per kilo when I came to pay for some reason. I was too excited to argue. As it turned out this would have fed about 16 people generously.

into a the lamb ht of: I put all ig n e over marinad

il Olive o lic s of gar ar e v lo c g 2 ine vine White w ice Ju Lemon optional) ( Paprika r seeds e d Corian lso d and a (crushe l) optiona pper Pe & Salt

The white wine vinegar and lemon juice break down the proteins in the meat and make it uber-tender. It doesn’t really need it, but does create that melt in the mouth experience.

All you need to do to cook it is stick it onto either a barbeque, or hot frying pan for a few minutes, let it rest, then carve it up and stick it on lambs lettuce (for irony) with anything else you can find around to liven it up. I use pomegranate seeds, red cabbage, endives and a balsamic dressing. Chips or dauphinoise potatoes make perfect side dishes.

FOOD 81

I originally sampled this kind of salad in the Swiss Alps in Zermatt (see pictureat bottom of first page) and have found very little to beat the style of cooking. So fresh, healthy and moreish. By the time this goes to print the Scottish lambs should be plentiful too and the price more in keeping with crunched wallets. Oh, and keep an eye out in the frozen section of Lidl. They sometimes sell frozen lamb fillets for £6.99 which is enough for two and an utter bargain.

If lamb ain’t your bag, then my other great discovery is the Farmer’s Market every Saturday on Lower Castle Street, Edinburgh. If you like your food then it’s an absolute delight. You can sample most of the produce on offer from the local producers. There is soup, soap (not for eating), organic veg, chocolate (the sea salt and caramel was particularly good, as was the cardamom), beer, coffee, sea food, burgers a plenty and some cracking meat stalls.

Recent highlights have included purchasing a roast of buffalo from Puddledub Buffalo. There is something surreal about cooking a buffalo born, raised and presumably killed in Fife. I slow roasted it in wine and various root vegetables (behave!). It was wonderfully tender, flavoursome and not that expensive.

The sausages from Piperfield Ltd were sublime.

Not cheap mind, but very, very good. I guess if the pigs they come from are good enough for Heston Blumenthal then they should be good enough for me. The pigs that they use are called Middle Whites. They take longer to grow and are therefore more succulent. At least that is how the theory goes. On that basis I should be getting better with age? Either way they do taste fab and heartily recommended.

82 FOOD Finally my current favourite purchase from the market is definitely any cut of steak from Well Hung & Tender. The name obviously appeals, but the meat is something else. It is definitely the best steaks I have ever had the pleasure in cooking. They also have a rather good burger stall attached to the meat sales stall, and worth a go. Though there is tough competition in this area, as on the opposite side from them there is a hog roast stall which serves pork with apple sauce, stuffing all packed in a roll for four quid.

There are plenty of bargains to be had in the supermarkets if the Farmer’s Market sounds a bit too posh. If there is one positive to come out of the present economy it is that the supermarkets are competing harder than ever. Prices of food have certainly risen in some areas, but I have noticed some real effort being made to attract shoppers. Asda has lots of great looking vegetables for £1 which is way less than Tesco. I do increasingly find myself scouting round all the major shops for individual items. Whilst time-consuming it is a good way of finding products you may not have tried before.

Similarly there are lots of bargains to be had with booze. I bought a couple of stonking cases from Virgin Wines recently. All sub a fiver, and utterly drinkable. The supermarkets are offering lots of half price deals and there is no excuse these days for serving crap plonk.

With the recent warm spell I also braved an early opening of the Pimms bottle. For those of you now acquainted with the stuff you mix it with lemonade in a 1:3 ratio (or 50:50 in my house!). It is served with lots of ice and (not limited to) orange and apple slices, cucumber, fresh mint, and strawberries. The only catch is that it is titting expensive. It’s only 25% by volume too so you need to drink a fair bit of it to hit the mark.

Luckily Sainsbury’s currently have their “Pitchers” for half price at £6 which is a blatant ripoff from the original Pimms, tastes identical and is one to stock up on. The drink itself is addictive, refreshing and a perfect sundowner.

Lots of good, fresh food out there as the warm weather inspires nature to tart itself up. Go get it and enjoy!

FESTIVALS 83

l a v i t s Fe Time Amy Stirling takes a look at this year’s best music festivals throughout the UK.

It’s that time of year again folks! As June, July and August roll in, thousands of you will be hunting out your camping gear and heading to one (or more, if you’re lucky!) of the classic music festivals taking place up and down the UK this summer. It may be your first time or you might already be a seasoned festival go’er, but whatever category you fall into, take a lookie at this feature to clue yourself up on the four main festivals, with details about who’s appearing, what to take and how to make the most of your experience.

We’re starting off in June, where over the weekend of the 12th, 13th and 14th Donnington Park plays host to Download Festival. The festival has been running since 2003 and this year boasts headliners Faith No More, Slipknot and Def Leppard; as you can tell or probably already know, this is the festival for those into the more alternative side of music.

Other acts appearing include Korn, Limp Bizkit, Marilyn Manson, Whitesnake, Papa Roach and Opeth aswell as the likes of Billy Talent, The Blackout,You Me At Six, Fightstar, We Are The Ocean and Twin Atlantic.The venue is situated virtually smack bang in the middle of the countryside and while it might sound difficult to get to, travelling to Download is very easily done! You’re still only three miles away from the major trunk routes of the M1, M42 and A50 and the East Midlands International Airport which caters for both domestic and European flights is also only two and a half miles away. As if that didn’t make it easy enough, the mainline Intercity railway stations of Derby, Nottingham and Loughborough are no-more than a twenty minute drive away and no matter if you fly or get the train, it’s simple enough to jump on public transport or use a taxi service to get you straight to Donnington Park. See: www.downloadfestival.co.uk

84 FESTIVALS

ch res on the bank of Lo ckNess, situated in Do Ro it is e, nd nam eke we the e e part during the sam than ever and despit r the festival is bigger Another festival taking on the Friday d it, Inverness. This yea sse ay of music provided f-d gue hal ’ve the you , e, yes t tim firs Ness in, the Jaxx and for , ent ver em we music tastes. Ho e Flaming Lips, Bas caters for a range of g that weekend are Th s of Mylo, like min for the per m s fro act s e set DJ Som s only! ro and Placebo plu Cly fy night is for campers honey.

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Next up on the list is T In The Park, known for it’s wide range in genres over the weekend, taking place on July 10th, 11th and 12th; similar to RockNess and having been running for the last two years, the performers booked for Friday night were for campers only, but this year punters can buy a day ticket and join in. T In The Park was voted as having the UK’s best line-up last year and though many are comparing this years headliners with those of 2007, the weekend still promises to be a scorcher (with or without the weather to match). On Friday night the lucky campers have Kings Of Leon as their headline act, while Saturday and Sunday gives us The Killers, Blur and Snow Patrol; throughout the weekend acts such as Calvin Harris, Bloc Party, Elbow, Nine Inch Nails, The Gaslight Anthem, Go:Audio and Mogwai will woah the crowds while The Saturdays, Lily Allen, Katy Perry, Lady GaGa and even The Pet Shop Boys are busy catering towards those who are more into their pop and fancy nothing but a good jump around.

Aside from the most popular stages and tents, T In The Park will also continue to run with their T Break stage, hosting the freshest unsigned talent from throughout Scotland. The road to Balado Airfield in Perth & Kinross, where the event takes place, is easy to get to thanks to the many roadsigns directing the way, but please note: if you have been previous years, still follow the signs, as the traffic system changes each year. If you are travelling by car and plan to park, you will have to purchase a valid car park permit beforehand, but if you are being dropped off there are designated drop-off points close to the entry of the campsite so that the walk with your tent and crates of beer isn’t too far! There are also coach services running to the festival from thirty-two locations around Scotland or, if you’d rather not travel that way for most of your journey, hop on a train to Edinburgh, Glasgow or Perth stations then catch the T In The Park Citylink shuttle bus.

See: www.tinthepark.com

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FESTVALS 85

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Now to the part which you might think is boring or what might get the old “I know already!” response: the do’s and don’t’s. No matter what you think, the rules set out at each festivals aren’t for the intention of not letting you have any fun and ruining your weekend; they are there to keep you and other punters safe, to make sure that everyone has the best weekend they possibly could and to help things run smoothly.

DO

end of On returning to the campsite at the t be tired/ the day it may be dark or you migh ewhere drunk, so make sure you camp som kirts of a you’ll remember, like on the outs orable and section or close by another mem k. mar recognisable land

DO

going to a Enjoy yourself.The main point of rite acts, favou your see to is val music festi new people, hang out with your friends, meet . time good dy bloo a have and relax

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t in Try not to over-do it, there’s no poin away and end week a for £150 over ding spen use you’re ending up missing most of it beca saying you so trashed or hungover. Nobody is self, but your y enjo and drink a have shouldn’t k water as always, do it in moderation. Drin ated every so often to keep yourself hydr careful be s, drug for As s. and on top of thing festival and be sensible; we all know that s, but that campsites are known for their high . doesn’t mean you have to take part

DON’T

tent Whatever you do, do not pitch your it’ll be near a toilet block.You might think t want easy to find, but believe me, you don’ an waste to have the gagging stench of hum be woken blowing in your face all day or to even the or line in ing wait up by the people disposal vans cleaning them out.

FESTIVALS 87

DON’T

e’s a So you’ve met someone and ther n’t does it not, or ced indu spark - alcohol you’re matter. What does matter is that not careless. What’s worse than wakover? ing up in a tent with an awful hang e som e besid tent your in up ing Wak ’t use didn you that ing random and know not any protection. It’s not big and it’s way clever. If you wouldn’t behave that at a back home, don’t behave that way val. festi ic mus

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nsive Leave your mp3 player, those expe me/ perfu new y fanc that and s sunglasse them, deodorant at home.You don’t need some for do you If . them take t don’ so dy bizarre reason - you can blame nobo end up but yourself if they go missing or really broken. If there is something you (like must have, buy a cheaper version or a £3 for shop little a from s lasse sung x). can of Sure/Lyn

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as If there’s a list of banned items - such glass containers, laser pens and gas er cooking cylinders - don’t even both can You in. them k trying to snea will guarantee that if you’re caught, you been have You d. refun out with ed be eject ’re warned, so adhere to the rules - they e for your safety and the safety of thos around you.

NIGHTLIFE 3

90 COVER

Lady GaGa

Lady Gaga is the next rock/pop/electro superstar or maybe she is the first. Mix one part Blondie with one part Madonna, swirl it in a bath of the Scissor Sisters and Junior Senior, throw in some sprinkle with glitter and you come close to the recipe. Lady Gaga has crafted a debut CD full of beats and that has all dance floors across the world going crazy, But how did it all start Gaga was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta in New York City on March 28 1986, to Joseph Germanotta, an internet entrepreneur and his wife Cynthia, a telecommunications assistant who are both Italian Americans. Having learned piano by ear at the age of four, Gaga went on to write her first piano ballad at 13 and began performing at open mic nights by the age of 14. At age 20, Lady Gaga First came on the scene as an American songwriter and has written tracks for some of the biggest artists including Fergie, Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears & New Kids On the Block. Gaga got her stage name when the music producer Rob Fusari compared her vocal style to that of Freddie Mercury, and took the name Gaga from the 1984 Queen single “Radio Ga-Ga”. It was Fusari who helped her to write some of her early hits, including “Disco Heaven”, “Dirty Ice Cream”, and “Beautiful, Dirty, Rich”.

Throughout 2007, Lady Gaga collaborated with the similarly named Lower East Side Rock DJ, gogo dancer and performance artist Lady Starlight, who helped Gaga create her onstage fashions.

The pair began playing gigs at downtown club venues with their live performance art piece, “Lady Gaga and The Starlight Revue”. Billed as “The Ultimate Pop Burlesque RockShow”, their act was a tribute to 1970’s variety acts. In August 2007, Lady Gaga and The Starlight Revue were invited to play at American music festival Lollapalooza, where they shocked audiences with their wild performance. The show was critically acclaimed and their performance received rave reviews.

Having initially focused on avant-garde, electronic dance music, Gaga found her musical niche when she began to incorporate pop melodies and the vintage glam-rock of David Bowie and Queen into the mix.

“Queen and David Bowie were the key for me...I didn’t know what to do until I discovered Bowie and Queen”, Gaga says.

It was through her affiliation with Akon that Gaga started to work on her own new material for her debut album with producer RedOne. Already having a solid selection of electro-glam, David Bowie-esque, Queen inspired songs, Gaga wanted to mix her retro dance beats with urban melodies, a pop chorus and still retain a rock ‘n’ roll edge. The first song they produced was a mash-up of Mötley Crüe’s hit “Girls, Girls, Girls” and AC/DC’s “T.N.T..”

COVER 91

By 2008, Gaga had relocated to Los Angeles, working closely with her record label to finalize her debut album “The Fame and that album is about how anyone can feel famous,” she explains. “Pop culture is art. It doesn’t make you cool to hate pop culture, so I embraced it and you hear it all over The Fame. But, it’s a sharable fame. I want to invite you all to the party. I want people to feel a part of this lifestyle.” For this album, Gaga also stated she “married” a lot of different genres: “from Def Leppard drums and handclaps to metal drums on urban tracks.” The Fame received mostly positive reviews from critics, according to the music review aggregation of Metacritic, Times Online described the album as “a fantastic mix of Bowie-esque ballads, dramatic, Queen-inspired midtempo numbers and synth-based dance tracks that poke fun at celebrity-chasing rich kids.” The album’s lead single, “Just Dance”, was released on April 8, 2008 and has reached number one in seven countries. One of those countries was the United States, where “Just Dance” started to receive radio airplay in October, and hit number one in 2009, becoming Gaga’s first US number-one single. The second single, “Poker Face”, was released on September 29, 2008 and has reached number one in nearly twenty countries, including almost all major music markets in the world. “Poker Face” became Gaga’s second consecutive number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 2009.

Towards the end of 2008, comparisons were made between the fashion sense of Gaga and American singer-songwriter Christina Aguilera, noting similarities in their styling, hair and make-up. Aguilera later claimed she was “completely unaware of this person” and even “didn’t know if it [Gaga] is a man or a woman”.

Afterward Gaga released a statement where she welcomed the comparisons because the media attention had provided useful publicity.

Gaga said, “She’s such a huge star and if anything I should send her flowers, because a lot of people in America didn’t know who I was until that whole thing happened. It really put me on the map in a way.”

However, she later added that she doesn’t just want to be remembered for the “Christina Aguilera scandal” and that “nobody can copy me, because I can’t be copied.”.

COVER 93 “She’s iconic and powerful, yet people throw darts at her. She’s definitely provocative.” Gaga has her own creative production team called “Haus of Gaga” which she handles personally. The team creates some of her fashionable clothes, props on stage and hair-dos.

Gaga states that she is “very into fashion” and that it is “everything”. She said,”When I’m writing music, I’m thinking about the clothes I want to wear on stage. It’s all about everything altogether performance art, pop performance art, fashion.

For me, it’s everything coming together and being a real story that will bring back the super-fan.

I want to bring that back. I want the imagery to be so strong that fans will want to eat and taste and lick every part of us.”

With Times Online, she stated that her love of fashion came from her mother, who was “always very well kept and beautiful”. Gaga has also said she channels Versace in everything she does and considers Donatella Versace as her muse in many ways.

There is so much more to come out of Lady Gaga and I know that 2009 is just the start already there is not a club you can go to and not hear one of gaga’s tracks as it is a guaranteed floorfiller.

Watch is Space On what could possible be the Biggest Star of 2009 !!

Dazglaz X

94 FEATURE

OUT IDOLS Six Out Musicians Release New Albums

By Patrick Fleming

Every gay musician has got to have his gimmick. Boy George was the eighties clubber. RuPaul was the nineties supermodel. Freddie Mercury was the biker. The Village People couldn’t get by with just one gimmick, they had six!

Without a gimmick, you become Lance Bass.

This spring, several out artists are presenting their new albums. To help them identify their gimmick, and encourage you to buy their albums, we’ve assigned each a role.

On the surface, Barton’s music may sound like dance music, but there’s a lot more going on musically and lyrically for those who listen deeper. The Germany based singer/songwriter doesn’t rely on common clichés. He draws from his personal life experience; adding an authenticity that is hard to find in much of today’s pop music.

Barton, The Lover

His Formative album has already yielded two dance floor hits: “Take Me Up” and “To call My Own”, a song that climbed to no.1 on Sirius Radio. This spring he will release one more track form the LP, “Valentine”, a sensitive number about longing for love. “I went back and forth about releasing Valentine,” he admits. “Ultimately, I realized I needed to give it the attention it deserved.” It was a smart move.

The track has quickly become a crowd pleaser.

Barton’s next full-length album, LESSONS LEARNED, is scheduled to hit stores this summer. The first release will be “On the Beach”.

When a skinny white boy has the balls to take the stage of Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theatre, you know he is a fighter. That’s exactly what Jason Walker did – appearing on NBC’s Showtime at the Apollo singing competition show. Not only did Walker not get booed off the stage, he received a standing ovation and won the competition. Music producer Junior Vasquez happened to be watching the show. His people contacted Walker’s people and a month later, they were in the studio working on Walker’s This Is My Life album.

The album produced three Billboard #1s, confirming the artist as one of the few gay singers capable of breaking through to a global dance audience.

His songs of life and love, delivered in an octave well above any other male artists in pop music, became staples on both gay and straight dance floors worldwide.

Earlier this year, Walker released his follow-up cd, Flexible. The first single, “Can’t Get You out of My Mind”, rocketed Walker right back to the top spot on the club charts. It was also no.1 on LOGO’s video countdown show, The Click List. His second single, “Can’t Stop”, produced by superstar remixer Quentin Harris, hits dance floors this spring and is expected to be his fifth consecutive no.1. Go to: www.jasonwalkermusic.com

Jason Walker, The Fighter

FEATURE 95 Adam Joseph, the artist, may appear to be a pink, glittery princess but don’t be fooled. Adam Joseph, the business man, is a true warrior.

Adam Joseph, The Punk

After graduating Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, Joseph battled to become one the first openly queer artists to sign with Sony BMGs all-gay label, Rainbow with a Twist. It was the break artists dream of until the label folded and dropped its entire queer roster.

Joseph was determined that he wouldn’t fall to defeat. He formed his own independent label and released the smooth r&b grooves “You’re Mine” and “Flow with My Soul”.

But it was the music video to his campy track, “Faggoty Attention” that shined the brightest spotlight on the young artist. A little bit Michael Jackson (“The Way You Make Me Feel”), a little bit Madonna (“Music”; at least the part where she is dancing in her limo), the video depicted Joseph and his gaggle of gays luring a vulnerable straight boy.

It was a YouTube hit but criticized by some as merely a lucky break.

Adam Joseph, however, has said in interviews that the so-called lucky break was intentional; the result of hard work and tactical marketing.

This spring, he aims to prove he’s got staying power when he releases his new faggoty track: a cover of Kool and the Gang’s 70’s disco hit, “Fresh”. www.adamjosephmusic.com

Joey Salinas, The Hustler Joey Salinas’ 2008 ballad “All of Me” yielded the young artist a Billboard Magazine award. This spring, he releases “…And Then There Was Alexander”, a provocative album that continues Salinas’ voyage into the complicated adventures of his young life.

The first single from the album, “Bedtime,” was penned by Salinas and inspired by a booty call. Joey says that while waiting for his hook-up to show-up, he allowed the urgent, erotic energy he was feeling to spill over into a tune.

Basically, his horniness wrote the song.

The ups and downs of Joey’s rollercoaster emotions bleed into his music. He reveals and explores every aspect of his self: his sensitive side, aggressive side, sexual and moody sides. It is that personalized touch that critics say makes the young artist relatable to fans. For more info, go to www.joey-salinas.com

96 FEATURE Raphael Solomon, The Beauty

Raphael Solomon has overcome many struggles. The 28year-old sex muffin has been used, abused, spit out and hung to dry.

The best thing is he airs all of his deliciously dirty laundry on his captivating debut album, “Beautiful Dancer”.

In “Sex with My Sex”, the first track from the album, Solomon reflects on the good and bad of making whoopie with an old flame.

It’s an intriguing song; one that demands attention with its unique subject matter and captivates with its beat and memorable hook. It’s important to note that in the end, Solomon decides that sex with a former lover is not a bad thing, as long as you go into it with no expectations. Living for the moment is a running theme in Solomon’s album and probably says a lot about the artist himself.

Even when at his lowest – like when he admits in “Brand New Dime” how he can’t pay his rent - Solomon’s the ultimate optimist.

The former model knows how to pick himself up, dust off, and have a little fun. Like the night he dressed as Tarzan for a performance and his loincloth came undone on stage. Raphael Solomon’s “Beautiful Dancer” is available on i-Tunes now.

QBoy, The Thug Pop artist, rapper and DJ QBoy has single handily become one of the leading faces emerging from a new wave in queer music. Born to an English mother and Spanish father, he grew up in a difficult area where he was bullied throughout most of his school years, turning to music for comfort and in particular hip-hop for expression. He left home at 18 and in 2001 met up with DJ Mistermaker and recorded his first rap. Since then, he has managed to reach audiences all over the globe. His latest album, QFixx, is available in stores and online now. For more info, go to: www.qboy.co.uk

I T OU

S L DO

98 FASHION

Red cardigan £60, White photo print t-shirt £25, Indigo boot cut jeans £65 all Criminal by House of Fraser

Red and grey lightweight hoody £49, White ghetto blaster printed t-shirt £25, Khaki cargo shorts £60 all Criminal by House of Fraser

Blue dip dyed logo t-shirt £25, Camouflage cargo shorts £60, White canvas belt £20, Black leather cuff £15 all Criminal by House of Fraser

White suit jacket £200 Cobalt blue polo £45 White suit trousers £100 all Kenneth Cole at House of Fraser

Black and white checked shirt £45, Black drip logo t-shirt £25, Indigo straight leg denim jeans £65 all Criminal by House of Fraser

White ghetto blaster print t-shirt £25, Indigo boot cut denim jeans £65, Black leather cuff £15 all Criminal at House of Fraser

100 FASHION

Soul Cal S O Cal Tee £16.99, Soul Cal Finland Jean £34.99

Soul Cal Mission Short £24.99, Soul Cal Ribbed Vest £5.99, Soul Cal Sunset Stripe £19.99

Soul Cal Pique Polo Pink £19.99, Soul Cal Pique Polo Blue £19.99

Soul Cal Mission Check Short £24.99, Soul Cal Ribbed Vest £5.99

Soul Cal Coronado 72 £19.99

Crafted Cutwork Button Blouse £24.45, Crafted Lavender Smock £19.56

FASHION 101

Jagger Check Shirt £19.99, White Granddad Tee £4.99,Vintage Wash Regular Fit Jean £34.99

San Diego Sleeveless Sweatshirt £24.99, Grey Marl Grandad Tee £4.99, Atlas Regular Fit Jean £29.99

Crafted Rose Dress £24.45, Crafted Button Shrug £24.99

Crafted Savoy Jacket £29.99, Crafted Thumbs Tee £16.62, Crafted Brookville light Jeans £58.71

FASHION 103

Chrisler Shirt £19.99, Phonics Tee £16.99, Regular Fit Darted Jean £34.99

Vintage Hibiscus Boardshort £19.99

72 Hooded Sweatshirt £29.99, Miami Belted Cargo Pants £24.99

Floral Blouse £19.99 Denim Mini Skirt £24.99

FASHION 105

Yellow Beatles T-Shirt £16

Fire Red Sunglasses £12

Hi-Top Boots £18

Blue Blondes T Shirt £20

106 FASHION Red Stripe Crew Neck Sweater

£25

Purple/Blue Floral Cargo Swim Shorts £22

Flip Flops £10

Yellow Zombie T-Shirt £18

FASHION 109 Union Jack printed welly £24.99

Studded gladiator sandal £34.99

Sequin swimsuit £49.99

Scotland print shirt £29.99, Perfect skinny jeans £39.99, Oversized crown watch £24.99, Seb white hi tops £39.99

Patchwork cotton shirt £29.99, Chop chop denim shorts £29.99, Black skinny tie £9.99

110 FASHION

Blue Embroidered Dress £120, Embroidered Clutch Bag £50

Graphic T-shirt £20, Bleached Jeans £70, Grey Canvas Boots £50

Striped Shirt £45, Grey Cardigan £45, Brown Leather Belt £35, Brown Combat Trousers £55

frenchconnection.com Checked Shirt £45, White t-shirt £35, Distressed Denim Jeans £70

FASHION 111

Stripe Strapless Dress £90, Black Perspex Belt £15, Monochrome Clutch £50, Black Peep Toe Shoes £100, Black Chequerboard Jumper £50, Black Trousers £60, Sunglasses £49

Lucy jersey jumpsuit - £65, Jazzy shoes - £100

Grey jumper £45, Bright Blue Jeans £60, Dark Grey Hi-tops £50

Art dress - £90, Wooden clutch - £55, Black and white belt - £35, Jazzy shoes - £100

FASHION 113

Red Rugby Shirt- £35

Blue Patent City Bag- £40

Red Checked Shirt- £40

Hawaiian T-shirt £30

Grey T-Shirt- £20

Silver multi function watch £160

Tan chunky heel sandal- £95

Knitted Squared Pullover- £50

114 FASHION

Mens polo top £9.99 RRP £35.00 Mens shorts £16.99 RRP £60.00 Flip Flops £4.99 RRP £12.00 Mens Jeans £29.99 RRP £85.00 Mens Shirt £19.99 RRP £35.99

Red sun glasses £24.99 Multicoloured striped beach bag £9.99

116 FEATURE

Nikk Mager

Back in the beginning of last year, Nikk Mager appeared back on our screens, we instantly remembered him from ‘Popstars – The Rivals’, which saw lovable lad Nikk lose out to ‘formed-on-a-TV-talent-show’ mega girl band ‘Girls Aloud’ (whom we all know and love). Irony being the cruel bitch that it is, made sure that it would be fellow ‘Rivals’ competitor Cheryl Cole who would help destroy all Nikk’s hopes and dreams all over again, when he entered into last years X Factor, which saw Cheryl refuse to judge Nikk as she thought it ‘unfair as we competed together’. Nikk left our screens sobbing and a broken man, leaving the public eye for good – or so we thought…..

As I sit chatting to Nikk, I actually feel more like I’m on a date than an interview (wishful thinking?). I can’t get over how easy going and easy to get on with our Nikk is. He doesn’t seem wrapped up in himself; you’d think being part of an all male revue troupe he’d be staring into the back of his spoon all evening and require unending compliments, this is very much not the case. My first question is one most will be gagging to know: are you single or attached? He smiles widely, showing a killer grin “unfortunately, I’m embarrassingly single, very single, 25 and single, that’s sad isn’t it”. I ask if he’s searching for love “yea I wouldn’t say no” I inform him that that sounds a little desperate and perhaps he should be a bit picky “I am picky, very picky” “What’s worst is I don’t even have a type, I don’t care if their blonde or brown haired, muscled, thin, skinny, I like what I like, if I like somebody then I like them”. I ask if he’s thought of standing on the main road with a sign that reads ‘Boyfriend needed PLEASE’, he laughs his head off, how the hell this guy is still single, he’s a catch no mistake. I ask if there will be any men coming to see the show “god I hope so and hopefully they’ll all be gay”.

Interview by Rich Tuckwell

ScotsGay magazine

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So how the hell did you end up in ‘Here Come The Boys’ with a load of ex-Chippendales?

“I got a call before Christmas from a friend after the X factor thing, telling me about a project she was involved in and would I like to be the male vocalist in the new Chippendales re-union”. So do you strip in the show or just sing? “I just sing, I’ve not been tempted to get my kit off yet lol. Perhaps it’s the way forward, but I’m happy just singing for the time being, but you never know”. I ask where the body has sudden come from “I started going to the gym about a year and a half ago, before that I didn’t even know what a gym was. I was just doing my own thing, eating rubbish and I didn’t really care, but being in this project has made me really aware of health and the guys are so healthy, they really look after themselves A LOT”.

So is this where you saw yourself? [I can’t help by chuckle at my own question], “if somebody had said to me a year ago, ‘you’re gonna be on tour with the Chippendales’ I would have been like ‘Fuck off, noooo way’, but you know what, things have a funny way of working out”. “This time last year I was totally gutted, it hadn’t gone out on TV, but the whole X Factor thing had happened and I just locked myself away”.

Are you ok talking about this I ask, hoping he’ll give us a rare insight into the real X Factor behind the scenes, “Yea I’m fine it just makes me sad”.

FEATURE 119 “I just think they begrudged me, because of where I came from with the whole ‘Pop Stars’ thing, you know they just wanted to dramatise TV, it wouldn’t have been half as effective if they’d let me through, they wanted Cheryl to cry, they wanted her to do all that stuff and that made fantastic telly didn’t it”.

But that didn’t help your career, “well not at all, but who knows, now I’m the vocalist on a project that’s selling out theatres all across the UK. I wouldn’t have thought that six or seven months ago, but that was the worst day of my life seriously, it was awful.

I so desperately just wanna prove to myself and to other people that even someone like Simon Cowell saying your never gonna amount to anything, I just wanna be there to prove him wrong and say look at me, I’ve done it, just based on one persons opinion doesn’t mean you have to live your life that way.

Don’t get me wrong I agree with him 80% of the time, but he’s not always right. He said Gary Barlow would never make it, he said Mikka would never make it, he turned down the Spice Girls [he then not only cheers up but starts roaring with laughter again], but he’s got a big TV personality. It wasn’t my finest hour but you know, look at where I am now, I think it’s wicked”.

Since you joined the troupe do you think you’ve become more confident? “I’m not hugely confident anyway; like I wouldn’t approach a guy in a bar if I fancied him. It’s more an inner confidence I have, but I’ve definitely become more image conscious since joining the group, but then I’m surrounded by very attractive men with great bodies who really look after themselves. It has made me more aware of taking care of myself”.

So he’s sex on a plate, funny with a lightening quick wit, single, modest and he’s talented, he’s Mr Perfect!

I inform him that I think he was robbed, to which he gives me the sweetest, heart melting smile, “Yea totally, well that’s what I feel, I know my voice didn’t come across the best on the day, but I had the potential to get through to the next round and really show what I could do, ya know what I mean”.

120 FEATURE Have you heard of the LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing? Well if your answer is ‘no’ then you have been missing out on being part of one of the most unique and enterprising community centres in the UK. Originally set up in 2003 the Centre has grown from strength to strength. Unfortunately in the early months of 2008, due to issues with funding, the Centre was forced to temporarily close. This meant the loss of a vital social and health facility for the LGBT community in the heart of Edinburgh.

Happily later that year further funding was secured, a brand new staff team was appointed and the Centre reopened.

So what does the centre have planned for you over the coming months? As the Scottish summer is as reliable as a MP’s expenses claims, the team at the Centre are determined to bring sunshine and rainbows to the LGBT community, not matter what the weather brings! The Centre has a bumper packed programme of fun just for you. This is the time to come along to an event, meet different people, try your hand at something new or generally join them in enjoying the sun. Whatever you fancy, they have a little something for everyone.

That was 9 months ago, and they have been very busy since then! Over those 9 months the Centre has run a varied and exciting programme of activities ranging from sports courses to Edinburgh’s first ever LGBT Arts Festival. Some of the fantastic results have included a brand new beginners badminton group and an inflatable unicorn.

The Centre hosts a wide range of community groups on anything from book groups to knitting.

The Centre provides lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people an alternative to the scene and a chance to take part in a range of activities in a positive and inclusive environment.

They are currently running Mind Matters, a programme aimed at promoting the mental health and wellbeing of our community. Events include workshops and courses on healthy sleep, anxiety and anger management and assertiveness. To find out more about the Mind Matters programme visit www.lgtbhealth.org.uk

The focus for this summer is to get the community out into the sunshine and together. With the return of Pride to our city and so many LGBT groups based here in Edinburgh it’s time for everyone to gather and celebrate.

FEATURE 121 ramme with Out

the Summer Prog e from 12 noon they launy ch On Saturday 13th Juntryin n how to get involved? Have know reall r neve but t spor g a new

? & About. Have you ever fancied the confidence to approach them dly groups out there but never had , who team ball Foot s Scot you heard of all these LGBT frien Hot the BBQ local sports teams including Now is your chance. Alongside our and other LGBT sports teams. donian Thebans, the Racqueteers Cale the cup, N recently won the GFS , the Lillidots, and the Gay .com rlads by representatives from Outdoo nd These groups will also be joined get along to meet the people behi t to get more active outside. So lot of talent on a be to Outdoor Club for those who wan sure is e Ther en. gard e active tasters in the these groups and also try out som display!

Pride is once again being hosted here in Edinburgh, and in light of this they are holding a couple of events to get everyone in the mood.

On Sunday 21st June, from 1pm, we

are running a Banner and T-shirt making workshop.

After a light lunch we will provide everything you need to make a banner for Pride. We will also have materials to decorate your T-shirts (please bring these along). So get prepped for Pride during this unmissable afternoon!

Pride Scotia takes place on Saturday 27th June, and to get everyone all ready for the march at 1pm they are hosting a Pride Breakfast.

For just ÂŁ5 per head munch on a continental breakfast and enjoy a glass of Bucks Fizz whilst also taking the chance to view some of the work produced during their Arts Festival. A great opportunity to meet new people and make the most out of Pride! All proceeds will go towards your LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing.

Following Pride, make sure you go and meet the Centre staff at the Community and Health Fair.

They will all be there with bells on. The staff will have info, healthy snacks and a fantastic prize draw for anyone signing up to Village Voices on the day.

Whether you just want to find out more about the Centre or to talk to the staff direct then don’t hesitate to come and tap us on the shoulder.

Being eternal optimists they are hoping for a month long heat wave in July, especially for the BIG LGBT Picnic on Sunday 19th July. We will be setting off from the Centre at 1pm, friends, family and dogs all in tow and heading up to Inverleith Park for and afternoon of good old fashioned fun with games, music and a treasure hunt. Bring your own food for this afternoon of family-friendly fun.

They are finishing off the summer programme with a huge Community Summer Fete. On

Saturday 1st August, from 1pm, where they will host

a one-of-a-kind event bringing all the LGBT Community Groups together in one place.

Alongside a BBQ there will be a raffle, name the teddy, bake sales and many more stalls. This is a fun filled afternoon that celebrates the LGBT community and its many interests and achievements. With special surprise guests performing during the course of the afternoon this is a fantastic way to support not only the Centre but also the LGBT community as a whole.

As you can see the centre has a busy couple of months ahead.. To get involved simply turn up to any of the events above, unless stated they are all free.They are also always seeking new volunteers to get involved in shaping future events. For more information contact the Centre on 0131 523 1100 or at admin@lgbthealth.org.uk Visit the website www.lgbthealth.org.uk to get up-to-the-minute news on all events. Whilst you are checking it out also make sure you sign up to Village Voices to receive monthly updates direct to your inbox.

The centre does an amazing job for the LGBT community here in Edinburgh and we at QS strongly ask our readers to get involved in any small way you can.

Organisations like this are the lifeblood of the community.

122 FEATURE

Mikesbliss was born in Hartlepool in 1976 to an army family. He inherited form his Mother & Father a strong work ethic and morality that has produced a prolific and dedicated artist. He spent his childhood in places like Bangkok, Hong Kong, London & Germany. He has always drawn & painted. He was a painfully shy child who invented his own world to escape into, drawing beautiful people to be his play mates. Mike studied fashion in Edinburgh & this design background is evident in the illustrative nature of his work, also providing him an ability to understand that being a good artist is rarely enough to be successful; you also need to be able to sell yourself & know your audiences tastes and needs.

Mikesbliss moved to London in the summer of 2002 after a serious gay bashing incident in Hartlepool. He decided that he could either be a victim or refuse to allow the brutality of the attack to dictate his future. He bought a one way ticket and got off the bus in Victoria with ÂŁ50 in his pocket and no where permanent to live. This was nearly seven years ago.

From then to now Mike has managed to exhibit all over London from Cork Street to Covent Garden as well as Adonis Art. He works on his portfolio as well as undertaking private commissions. A testament to dedication, hard work & self belief.

Mikesbliss had his first major one man show at the Adonis Art Gallery in 2006.

This exhibition explored very different themes to this one such as happiness, love, hope & well being.

The exact opposite of this collection of work. His new work deals with grief, loss, heartbreak & hopelessness.

The seed of this radical departure was what can only be described as a nervous breakdown. The shift in technique was necessary to visualise the battle to regain his mental health. His life was drained of colour so he extracted it from his palette too.

mikesbliss.com

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128 STARS

Just for him...

ARIES 21 March-20 April Life perks along this month – with a few exceptions caused by retrograding Mercury in Gemini and then later in Taurus. Be careful what you say and how you say it. Be super careful of what you spend your disposable income on: you’ve got enough sex toys.

TAURUS 21 April-21 May Relationships are in positive focus the week of the Full Moon in Scorpio. The lunar energy is a plus for both romantic liaisons and business contacts too.

GEMINI 22 May-21 June June is your month to shine – the Sun in your sign ensures that.

You get time to think about all that you want to achieve in your new solar year going forward. people to your bed.

CANCER 22 June-23 July Take a brief step out of your hectic life around the time of the New Moon.You’ll enjoy some time alone with your own thoughts and a good porno, and the opportunity to relax (even if you take a few days off work and sit in the backyard on an internet chat line.

LEO 24 July-23 August Friends are a spotlight in your life throughout June, despite the potential downside of Mercury out of phase in Gemini, your friendship zone.

VIRGO 23 August-23 September

You’ll be in touch with lots of people in June, especially around the time of the Full Moon.

Relatives will be amongst the people you choose to hang with and although family relationships are generally positive, the potential does exist for misunderstandings

LIBRA 24 September-23 October Travel appeals to you this month with the New Moon in Gemini stirring up your travel bug, but with Mercury out of phase July is much better for you travel wise.

Saturn, the planet of focus and discipline finally moves directly into your 12th house of self–renewal.

SCORPIO 24 October-22 November

June is a high powered month workwise with Mars and Venus in Aries your sixth house of hard work and service to others through the end of the month.

SAGITTARIUS 23 November-21 December The big bright spot is the presence of Venus and Mars in your romance zone all month long.Venus is the goddess of love and beauty while Mars is the planet of passion and this combo is great for you! Single?

You won’t be for long!

CAPRICORN 22 December-20 January Despite the influence of Mercury out of phase in your self–fulfillment zone in Taurus, June isn’t such a bad month for you. Fun times with friends are very possible if you overlook people running late and not doing the things they say they are going to do.

AQUARIUS 21 January-19 February

Enthusiasm and your optimism soar, which is great as long as you don’t take on more than you can possibly chew. Be realistic about what you can swallow in one day, one week and the month. Don’t push yourself too hard or you’ll get absolutely nowhere boys.

PISCES 20 Februrary-20 March You want to see the best in people, giving them the benefit of the doubt when you should instead question their motives. Someone who appears to be sober may be exactly the opposite – Taureans and Leos are people not to put too much faith and trust in.

Just for her...

ARIES 21 March-20 April Combine fun with learning around the time of the New Moon which triggers your curiosity and could have you deciding to make sudden career or life changes. July is the month to visit an historical spot or take up some sort of new fetish.

TAURUS 21 April-21 May Don’t attempt to move mountains or make big changes in your life.You will face roadblocks at every single turn.

Career matters particularly require finesse.

GEMINI 22 May-21 June Your workload increases the week of the Full Moon. Irritation with coworkers and superiors is also possible, so make sure you think before you speak/yell/shout and kick up one of your Gemini stinks!

Just get to work,.

CANCER 22 June-23 July Be super conservative and wary because someone may try to separate you from your money as the Sun and Mercury clash with Jupiter and Neptune. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. A loan to a friend or relative is unlikely to be paid.

LEO 24 July-23 August Saturn, the planet of limitations and restrictions finally moves direct in your 2nd house of self–esteem and self–worth. Some sort of hold up with money will finally be sorted and you’ll feel as if you have come out on top by the end of the month.

VIRGO 23 August-23 September This is NOT the month to travel unless you schedule it in for the first few days of June. Try to do that if a business trip is very necessary because Mercury retrograde always messes with travel and always messes with your mind.

STARS 129

LIBRA 24 September-23 October Librans, hold off on major purchases, new credit cards and major financial decisions while Mercury is out of phase.You’re not thinking straight.You’ve just got through a major Venus retrograde in your one on one relationship zone.

SCORPIO 24 October-22 November Couples? Venus and Mars in your hard work zone suggest that July is the month for you to really put some hard yakka into your relationship. If you haven’t been doing fun stuff lately and it’s all getting rather ho–hum and boring, it’s time to fix that!

SAGITTARIUS 23 November-21 December Mercury retrograde will impact your relationships and your work life. Misunderstandings are unlikely too, so do try to be especially tactful in what you say and write and do (you know how you Sags have foot in mouth disease).

CAPRICORN 22 December-20 January

With Venus and Mars in Aries, your 4th solar house, you can zip through domestic projects and wrap them up before the end of June. Just watch out that you don’t try to climb up ladders (and fall off) or rewire something (and electrocute yourself).

AQUARIUS 21 January-19 February Mars steps up the pace of daily life as it advances in Aries, your solar 3rd house of communication and busy activities. But with Venus, the goddess of love and socialising there as well, you’ll enjoy almost every moment. Stay in touch with people and be in the mix.

PISCES 20 Februrary-20 March There’s not much you’d like more to do the week of the Full Moon than to pack your bags and head for parts unknown. Do it if you can, even for a long weekend – but know that with Mercury out of phase anything that can go wrong will go wrong if you’re not careful.

130 FINALLY Darren Kavanagh discovers that at times you need to take a step back in order to move forward.

As I write this it feels like it should be the start if the year when you say you want things in your life to change etc, but it’s not so why am I feeling this way?

Life has a weird way of throwing you things when you least expect it. I don’t know about you but I like to try and look to the future and plan ahead, perhaps this is where I am going wrong? So many of us have set ideas of what we want to achieve, not just in work but in all aspects of our lives. So what happens when don’t go the way we expect? Before I use to get frustrated, in fact I would even say stroppy but now I think I have learned a different approach.

Sometimes you have to just take a good old hard look at yourself, decide what is important and focus on that but also to realise that things do not always go your way. Sometimes we all get knocks, sometimes in work life, friendship or even in our love lives. Recently I let myself to get distracted by things that I knew in my heart would not be good for me, I got side tracked, slightly lost my focus of what was good and right in my life. I dealt with that in the best way I knew and realised that sometimes you simply have to let go.

Right now the economy has gone belly up, thanks to those wonderful people that supposedly run the country there are qualified accountants applying for jobs as checkout staff, people that recently had amazing jobs now struggling to simply pay bills. Perhaps you are one of them people out of work or in a job you do not even like? You have had to take 2 steps back but maybe now is the time to look at exactly what you want in life, perhaps now is the time to follow your dreams. This could be that crazy business idea you always wanted to start, that project that is in your head. Perhaps this is the time for you to take them steps forward.

Learning to let go of something we want, desire or love can be a hard and difficult task but if it is a stumbling block then it really does need to be done.

Life will throw all kinds of obstacles and problems our way but I believe it is how you deal with these that makes you in the person you really should be. It is not always going to be easy but if you keep focused and deal with things head on you can achieve anything, even if that means at times taking a step back and doing things a new different way.

As for me I don’t mind the odd set back as it just gives me the drive to really go for what I want. Will I get there? Well that’s what real life is all about.

Until next month Darren xx

75% of people from the LGBT community, in our online debate, said sex played a major role for them. The same percentage said they were more likely to be a victim of crime because of being part of the LGBT Community.

Stereotype or reality?

Visit our new Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community at www.co-operative.coop/lgbt to add your voice to the debate.

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