V-rag
vancouver's gay arts + culture rag
v-rag.com best of 2011 #30
V a n R a g a z i n e
Ace of BAse TAbaTa Coffey BreN CorrigAn Dragonette Grace Jones Lisa LAmpAneÂŁi Rick Mercer PEches CeCe Penison Mike Ruiz
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t's a new year for V-Rag, and before we jump into 2012 with the upcoming special WinterPRIDE edition, I thought we should look back at the amazing 12 months we had. In this limited Best of 2011 issue, we're going to revisit the 10 most memorable interviews from 2011. And believe me, this was hard to narrow down. In a year that saw interviews with James St. James, Simone Denny, Casey Spooner, Mitzi Gaynor, Larry Tee, The B-52s,
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Francois Sagat, Bruce LaBruce, Frankie Knuckles, Lady Bunny, and Elvira Mistress of the Dark, it was a tough job to pick only ten. But here they are, the people that helped define V-Rag in 2011. I'm definitely looking forward to what the new year brings. Be sure to check the newly-updated website www.v-rag.com in the New Year, and stay on top with weekly contests and giveaways from our Facebook Group at www.facebook.com/vragmagazine.
Ace of BAse . . . . . . . . . . f o u r TAbaTa Coffey . . . . . . . . . . f i v e BreN CorrigAn . . . . . . . . . . s i x Dragonette ..........s e v en Grace Jones . . . . . . . . . . e i g h t Lisa LAmpAneÂŁi . . . . . . . . . . n i n e Rick Mercer . . . . . . . . . . t e n PEches . . . . . . . . . . e l e v e n CeCe Penison . . . . . . . . . . t w e l v e Mike Ruiz . . . . . . . . . . t h i r t e e n
Ace of BAse by Jen Hill ith new girls, a new album, and a gig at the Vancouver Outgames, 2011 was the year of Ace of Base. Gracing the cover of our special Pride issue in July, we got a chance to chat with founding member Ulf Ekberg about The Golden Ratio.
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Fans will notice some new members and the absence of Linn and Jenny Berggren. What can you tell us about the changes? After Linn left the band in the beginning of 2000 and Jenny decided to focus on her solo album, we had no choice than finding two new girls if we were proceeding with the comeback. With Julia and Clara, we’re not so limited anymore. Clara we found through Swedish Pop Idol where I was the judge. It is exciting to see Ace of Base return to the music scene with new material! How did the decision to make The Golden Ratio come about? We found the spirit of writing again and [had] been missing the fans for too long! The album is really inspired by most of the inspirational sources from the first album, which is the early ‘80s. It has a very typical Ace of Base sound on some songs,
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the reggae beats and so forth. And then it has a really heavy dance influence to it as well. How has your sound changed through the years? I bought my first Kraftwerk album when I was eight. Our music came from that and the first new wave of Depeche Mode, OMD, Human League and Eurythmics. We asked ourselves how would we sound now if we did exactly the music that we love, so we experimented with analog synthesizers, Pendell basses and live drums. Of course, we have matured a little bit, so we wanted to present that side of us as well. How have changes to dance music over the last 20 years affected the group? What groups or performers do you look at as exciting these days? We are extremely honoured to have both Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, two of the biggest and most creative artists in the world, be inspired by us. I listen to Lady Gaga and Katy Perry and find myself in turn being inspired by them. In many ways their singles ‘Just Dance’ and ‘I Kissed A Girl’ opened up radio for pop and dance again. We did a little of that in the early ’90s in the U.S., so it’s amazing they are inspired by us and we’ve come back. www.aceofbase-music.de
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TAbaTa Coffey by Cole Johnston ou don't have to be a hair stylist to know who Tabatha Coffey is. With only three seasons of the hit Bravo reality show Tabatha's Salon Takeover, Coffey is already one of the most famous stylists on the planet. Our April cover featured this no-nonsense reality star.
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What was the most surprising challenge about writing It's Not Really About the Hair? Everything about it was challenging. It completely took me out of my comfort zone, and it was probably the closest that I’ll ever come to knowing what it’s like to have a baby. It was a truly cathartic experience; and when it was due to be released, it really did feel like I was giving birth. You had a pretty interesting childhood, spending much of it around strip clubs and drag queens. How did that form you as an adult today? It was an interesting childhood, but it was completely normal for me because it was the only one I knew. Because I saw the queens face so much ridicule and adversity with bravery and authenticity, I learned the importance of being true to and standing up for yourself, which looking back, were great life lessons for a child to learn. And, learning
how to do fabulous hair, put on fake eyelashes, and be a glamazon didn’t hurt either. When did you realize hairdressing was your passion and calling? I truly don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a hairdresser, but I know my passion was definitely ignited by being in my parent’s club watching the queens do their hair. After a while, they got sick of having this little kid underfoot and actually put me to work setting their wigs. It’s something I have always truly loved. In your book, you say you've reclaimed the word "bitch". How did you do this? I did it because I got so sick of being labeled a bitch for being honest and speaking my mind. It’s so not representative of who I am, so I redefined it as Brave, Intelligent, Tenacious, Creative and Honest — qualities that are important for everyone to have in business and life in general. What's one thing about you that fans might be surprised to learn? That I’m actually a very nice person, and not at all the bitch that everyone makes me out to be. www.tabathacoffey.com
BreN CorrigAn by Charlie David pending time with Sean Paul Lockhart aka Brent Corrigan is akin to how Twilight’s Bella must feel with Edward (yes, I went there). The adult film star-turnedmainstream actor added some much needed man meat to our July Pride edition.
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Why was it important for you to get involved with your new film Judas Kiss? I loved the writing. I found the concept of second chances and the different decisions we can make in our lives very attractive. I'm not meaning to hint that I'd do anything over in mine... Judas Kiss was an opportunity to take some of what life has thrown at me and use it constructively. If it hadn't been for some of the very real things I've experienced in my past, I don't think I would have been capable of a role as emotional as this one. What was the most challenging aspect of getting into acting? Getting people to give me a chance. It's difficult to get filmmakers to see a different side of me - to take me seriously. Many gay filmmakers have been very hesitant of being a part of that. Maybe until now I wasn't ready or they couldn't see it there.
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How have your fans reacted to your acting in mainstream films? It's hard to gauge this early on how my adult fans are going to like my transitional career choice. Sure, there are plenty of vocal people who tell me I'm only valuable when I'm baring my body. I say those people can go stuff it. I know there is more value and talent to me than just the physical! I just need a fair enough chance to prove it. Thankfully Judas Kiss and my other latest mainstream film, I Was A Teenage Werebear, show off a new side of me. Will you continue to actively pursue both sides? Honestly, I don't feel pressured to make a decision one way or the other right now. I think a lot of people are expecting me to proclaim porn is the devil and I'm becoming a Scientologist because I'm a wannabe A-list celebrity. None of that will ever happen – primarily because none of it is what I want for myself. [Right now] I'm traveling to the festivals and screenings for Judas Kiss and Werebears. I'm taking appearance bookings under the Brent Corrigan name because I love meeting fans and making new friends. www.thenewbrentcorrigan.com
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Dragonette by Derek Bedry f you haven’t heard of them, you’ve certainly bobbed your head in blissful ignorance when one of their tunes played on the radio over the last four years, or engulfed the dance floor at Junction recently. Adding to the July superstar line-up was electro darlings Dragonette.
Well, last week a fan of ours let me squeeze her brand new fake boobs. Very exciting. But not, perhaps, as special a moment as being given homegrown purple fingerling potatoes.
"Hello" with Martin Solveig blew up into Dragonette's best-charting and, arguably, most popular song. You've had other relative hits – do you ever feel pressure to replicate big successes?
Dragonette seems effortless in its ability to pluck tropes from other genres, incorporating country twang or Bollywood-style instrumentals into previous releases. It's a pretty exciting sense of limitlessness. How are those ideas born? And, how do you know they're good?
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There can be the nagging feeling while writing music of "wouldn't be great if I could just spit out another X or Y radio hit?” But ultimately my creative is most excited by surprising itself. And there's not much surprise that comes with writing the same song over and over again. So if that kind of thinking occurs while trying to write a song, we do our best to banish it. Will you keep working with Martin Solveig? What's next? We have a few more songs on his record and, who knows, maybe he'll turn up on ours. Would you tell us about your favourite moment with a fan?
What might fans be surprised to know about you? I lost my virginity at 21.
I think we just like to see what whacked out ingredients we can make taste good together. And whether other people like it or not doesn't effect whether it gives you that satisfying feeling. If I get that 'uh huh' feeling then I've succeeded, because that's all I'm ever really looking for: Uh huh. What do you miss about Canada? As it's summertime, I find myself missing lakes and cottages and big Canadian shield rocks and chipmunks and raccoons and wild blueberries. www.dragonette.com
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Grace Jones by Cole Johnston ugust marked one of the biggest interviews we've ever done, with living legend Grace Jones. To say it was a slightly terrifying experience would be an understatement, but who could turn down an opportunity to chat with the Corporate Cannibal herself? Not me!
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Your latest album Hurricane contains some amazing collaborations with the likes of Tricky and Sly & Robbie. What do you like best about collaborative efforts like these? I love collaborating. When I collaborate, they push me and I push them. So you always end up with something magical at the end. Your look seems to be just as important to you as your music. How would you explain this? I have a lot of vanity. It's all very important to me. Because I really started on the stage as a teenager, and my mother was very much into fashion. She was a seamstress, did weddings, things like that. And we all grew up learning how to do that. I think growing up in Jamaica with a very religious background, made my imagination even more out there – out of the box.
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The track 'Williams' Blood' talks about your religious and conservative upbringing. How did that sort of childhood affect your music? I was born into a very religious family where everything was about setting the right example for the community and having to obey orders blindly. When you're a bishop in Jamaica your family is always scrutinised, so everything we did was controlled. I wasn't allowed to listen to the radio. I wasn’t allowed to wear fingernail polish. I wasn’t allowed to receive private letters. In Jamaica the Pentecostal Church was very British, very proper. Hymns. No dancing. Very quiet. Very fundamental. I was baptised and speaking in tongues at eight. Hellameesherrack. Meeshellackallah! My mother was very conservative. She wanted me to marry a preacher like she did. That's why 'Williams' Blood' all has to do with my mom trying to get me to do what she did, otherwise you're going to be manizing, and drinking and you're going to live a short life. What is one thing that might surprise your fans? When people meet my son, they can't believe I would be his mother. They think he must be crazy... Or gay! www.worldofgracejones.com
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Lisa LAmpAne£i by Jen Hill ell played Lampanelli, well played. June was the month of Lisa Lampanelli vs. the Westboro Baptist Church, who were planning on protesting her Topeka, Kansas comedy show. In response, Ms. Lampanelli announced that she would donate $1,000 to Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC), the nation's oldest HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care services provider, for each protestor who showed up. Moreover, she would donate the money in the name of the WBC. The more protestors the merrier!
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Have you had any "run ins" with the Westboro Baptist Church in the past? Someone had sent me a link to a website with funny anti-Westboro signs. It was hysterical and I tweeted it out. And then they started coming after me. They're like 100 people or less and hadn't been on my radar. But then I started reading about them and I thought, oh, my god. I hate them so much! I put up that Westboro Church isn't really a church, it's just a shitty sign-making company. They were being vicious. And then, when I was coming to Topeka, their back yard, they started saying they were going to come out
and protest. I couldn't stop them, so I thought of donating a thousand dollars in each protestor's name to GMHC, 'cause that will stick it to them. I wanted them to know, if you come out to protest the gays, you're going to end up helping the gays. Where did the idea to donate in their name come from? What were your original thoughts there? I'd like to say this idea came from my love of gays, which part of it did. But it also came from my wish to stick it to these sick douchebags. Their idea of religion and sexuality is so fucked up! There were reports that your team counted 44 people but WBC counted 48 people, and that you ended up donating an even 50K. Is that true? It’s interesting that they quibbled over a few people. My driver counted 44 people, but the next day, somebody from those assholes said they had 48. I'm not going to quibble, so I said, "Let's make it an even 50 grand." And if they don't like that, they can suck my dick. So we're going to GMHC on Wednesday. I asked if we could put in the memo line of the check, "Courtesy of the in-bred bigots," but the nice lady at GMHC said that's a little politically incorrect. www.insultcomic.com
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Rick Mercer by Michael Venus his is one interview that really needs no introduction. Every red-blooded Canadian knows who Rick Mercer is, a true Northern star. Best known for his weekly exploration of this great country on CBC's The Rick Mercer Report, people will also remember his almost decade-long run on This Hour Has 22 Minutes. It was a year ago in January that we got to sit down with him.
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You seem to have gotten some very surprising guests on your show, and poked fun at some very influential figures. Is there any politician or public figure that is just off limits?
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God no. There are politicians that I choose to ignore, there are politicians that are, through no fault of their own, just plain dull, and there are public figures that don’t lend themselves to comedy, but nobody is off limits. Of course there are also people who you would never even think of criticizing in any way because they are just genuinely amazing people. You take a guy like Rick Hansen. He’s just about as inspiring and decent a person as you’re ever likely to find. He’s been a personal hero of mine for most of my life. I was thrilled to have him on the show, it was a huge honour to strap a bungee cord to his wheel chair and toss him off a bridge.
You recently participated in a Canadian response to the "It Gets Better" campaign. Why is this an important cause to you and how did it come to be? In 2007 a kid in Ontario named Shaquille Wisdom took his own life. He did it after he was outed as gay at school and was subsequently the victim of online bullying. It’s just such a senseless waste of a life. Like any other gay adult, hearing that news was just devastating. I know it’s hard for kids who are being bullied to understand that “it gets better” – but it does. It’s just one of many messages these kids need to hear. They also need to know that if you are being bullied, that doesn’t mean that you have to just put your head down and accept it. The Kids Help Line, and Youthline.ca are out there, and there are people who can help them. I agreed to appear in the video for the same reasons everyone else did I imagine. It just seemed like the right thing to do. I have no idea if a video like that one could have helped Shaquille Wisdom but if there’s a small chance that it would have or that it might help a kid in a similar situation then you have to do it. And I don’t want to overstate my roll. I did an interview, that’s it. The people who do the heavy lifting are the people who work on the front lines and help kids who are at risk. www.rickmercer.com
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PEches by Michael Venus eaches is probably the most recognizable name to come out of the short-lived electroclash movement of the early 2000's. Her dirty, sexually-charged songs have become classics, not only in her native Canada, but around the world. We caught up with the Fatherfucker in March when she headlined the Utopia Festival.
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You have had a crazy year with your Peaches Christ Superstar show. What was the highlight of this huge undertaking and how does preparing for that show differ from a regular Peaches concert? It was a ridiculous undertaking. I'm so happy that I could pull it off without being ironic. It was important for me that people understood that I was doing the whole Jesus Christ Superstar with sincerity. It was also a great chance for me to really sing which was a great and successful challenge. You also celebrated the ten year anniversary of your first album "The Teaches of Peaches" by putting on a rock opera where you played yourself. A close friend who saw the show said it was one of the best things he had ever seen. Will you ever tour with this spectacle?
I hope to travel with this production, but it has a cast and crew of 40 people! We'll see. You have been doing some acting, DJing and many other forms of artistic expression. Is there anything you don't do or any new mediums you want to try? Actually 2010 was a big breakout year for me all around. I performed the whole Peaches Christ Superstar rock opera as a one-woman show. I also created an opera based on 24 of my own songs which was called Peaches Does Herself. I was curated in a art show in Korea with seven other German and Korean artists. I starred in an independent movie by Gonzales called Ivory Tower. All that and I continued two new Peaches concert shows. I'm open for all performance and artistic mediums, I think it's important to try all of them and bring a fresh excitement to them. Since you have been releasing albums over the past decade, have you witnessed any changes being a female in the biz? Are things progressing? Well, they are progressing for sure, but we still need more female producers. Not just figureheads! www.peachesrocks.com
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CeCe Penison by Cole Johnston inally we are talking to her... What can you say about an icon like CeCe Peniston that hasn't been said in her 20 year career? Having been crowned the most successful female club artist in history, she's back from a long hiatus with a new single and a forthcoming studio album. We caught up with club royalty in June to chat about "Stoopid".
a song that's real and fun at the same time.
15 years since the last album! That's a long time to make us fans wait! What can people expect from your fourth solo studio album?
If you could do one dream collaboration, what would it be?
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Haha I know baby. I had to make sure it was right. Expect a more grown up CeCe, who’s more open to being and expressing exactly who she wants to be. Flirty, in a very creative space, sexy, funny, spiritual... Your new single "Stoopid" has a really fresh r&b flavour to it. How do you see your musical progression from your first big hit "Finally"? I feel like my songs seem to tell a story. 'Finally' was about love and 'Stoopid' is about relationships and, you know, what happens when people get mad haha. You often hear them say 'oh... they must think I'm stupid.' So I thought how can I make that
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You've been produced by some of the music industry's best including Steve "Silk" Hurley and Dave "Jam" Hall… Who do you have on production detail this time around? So far, I've worked with Vudu Spellz and Status out of Vegas, Aphiliated and the Incredibles, and I'm set to work with J2 and Paul Oakenfold.
I really love Lady Gaga... She's so creative and she played my song 'Finally' in the opening of her show, so you know, I love that and would love to do a collaboration with her. Why do you think your music has been embraced so widely by the gay and lesbian community? I couldn’t ask for a better fan-base. The gay and lesbian community has continued to show me so much love, all I can say is that I'm really blessed. I believe it’s because my music is easy to dance to and it‘s happy music and they know I'mma bring when I hit the stage in my short dress and high-ass pumps haha! www.cecepeniston.com
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Mike Ruiz by Michael Venus ne intrepid Canadian has changed the face of the still image worldwide, and that is of course Mike Ruiz. His distinct, colourful photographs have landed him a place in fashion and art royalty, appearing in Vanity Fair, Brazilian Vogue, Interview, People, Dazed & Confused, and The Advocate. We got a chance to chat with the busy Quebec-born stud in January.
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Over the past few years you have really made a mark on the fashion world and become a consistent force in pop culture. What is your driving force and what inspires you? Everything I do stems from my desire to create a better world. I started out doing it aesthetically through my work and now I try to do it with every action I take and every word I speak. I don't always succeed but God knows I do try! You work with so many different artists and celebrities. Who have been some of the highlights or made true fashion moments? I think transformation shoot I did with Kim Kardashian defined what it is that I've been doing all along, and that is to present people in very different yet aspirational ways.
You're a smalltown Canadian guy who has followed his dream to become a fashion icon. How does that feel, and can other young dreamers expect to achieve this kind of success? I really just perceive myself as the little boy  that I was growing up in Repentigny, Quebec except I get to do some really cool stuff now. The best advice I can give is to love what you do and always be grateful for everything you are given. Perception is your only reality so choose to perceive your world as wonderful! Which Canadians inspired you growing up? I was hugely inspired by Dick Walsh, who was and continues to be one of the the most creatively brilliant minds I have ever known. What projects can we watch out for from you in the near future? As a cast member on the Logo Network's The A-List: New York, I am hoping to spin out some more television productions. I'm also in the preliminary stages of producing a book. Aside from that, who knows what the future holds? I love the adventure of the unknown. www.mikeruiz.com
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