Comments on: What else should I say Everyone is gay

Question: What else should I say Everyone is gay

ashbury — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 17:41:56 -0800

I need a list of gay rock/pop and jazz musicians and naturally thought of the obliging folks here at AskMe. So...any ideas?

Strangely enough, all I can think of is Bob Mould.

By: Steven C. Den Beste

Steven C. Den Beste — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 17:43:22 -0800

Elton John.

By: Joseph Gurl

Joseph Gurl — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 17:48:47 -0800

A couple of weird ones,

Not completely verified, but it's pretty well-known that Darby Crash of the Germs was gay.

Duke Ellington is also believed to have been gay.

By: patr1ck

patr1ck — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 17:49:54 -0800

Um, the Village People?

By: selton

selton — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 17:50:15 -0800

Tom Robinson.

By: matthewr

matthewr — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 17:51:16 -0800

Freddy Mercury (bi)

By: iTristan

iTristan — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 17:54:10 -0800

Gary Burton

By: kimota

kimota — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 17:55:38 -0800

Rufus Wainwright

By: bim

bim — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 17:56:16 -0800

Fred Hirsch (jazz)

Freddy Mercury

George Michael

Boy George

Fred Schneider? (b-52's)

Patricia Barber (jazz)

By: ashbury

ashbury — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 17:58:28 -0800

I should clarify: this is for gay day on a University radio station, so think college radio.

By: Robert Angelo

Robert Angelo — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:00:09 -0800

Rob Halford

By: scody

scody — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:02:51 -0800

Bob Mould is all about the intersection of college radio and being gay.

By: RichardP

RichardP — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:03:04 -0800

Billie Holliday (jazz, bi)

By: JMOZ

JMOZ — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:03:08 -0800

David Bowie, Lou Reed, and Little Richard all claimed to be bisexual at one point but "converted" to heterosexuality later on.

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:03:48 -0800

According to Wikipedia list of gay, lesbian, or bisexual people:
Marc Almond (Soft Cell)
Janis Ian
Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood)
k.d. lang
Phranc
Amy Ray & Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
Fred Schneider (B-52's)
Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks)
Jimmy Somerville (Bronski Beat and the Communards)
Michael Stipe (R.E.M.)

Also:

Pansy Division
Two Nice Girls ("actually four lesbians of varying dispositions")

By: scody

scody — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:03:51 -0800

d'oh! missed Bob Mould on the "more inside" because I went directly to the answers.

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:04:59 -0800

Wikipedia also has a list of gay musicians.

By: JMOZ

JMOZ — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:05:04 -0800

This list may help as well, but it's not well-sorted to answer your question.

By: macadamiaranch

macadamiaranch — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:05:35 -0800

Janis Ian
Melissa Etheridge
The Indigo Girls
Me'shelle N'DgeO'cello (or however it's spelled)
George Michael
David Bowie (bi)
Boy George
Rob Halford (Judas Priest)
Mark Almond
Andy Bell (Erasure)
Dave Koz
KD Lang
Patty Barber
Michelle Shocked
Dan Hartman (Edgar Winter Group)
Holly (Frankie Goes to Hollywood)
Walter Carlos (transgendered - became Wendy Carlos)

There's more in Wikipedia under Gay male musicians, Lesbian musicians and Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgendered composers.

By: JMOZ

JMOZ — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:05:48 -0800

Oops, should have previewed.

By: milarepa

milarepa — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:06:29 -0800

stephen merrit (magnetic fields) -- definitely gay

By: kimota

kimota — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:12:08 -0800

Did Joe Jackson ever make it official? Either way, if you're compiling a playlist, then "Real Men" should be on it.

Also, wasn't/isn't Mitch Ryder gay?

By: Robert Angelo

Robert Angelo — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:13:57 -0800

Dont't forget lesbian classics in Women's / Womyn's Music: Holly Near, Meg Christian, Cris Williamson... Also Phranc and Suede.

By: Robert Angelo

Robert Angelo — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:15:49 -0800

Also gay male groups: Flirtations, Romanovsky & Phillips, among others...

By: padraigin

padraigin — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:22:57 -0800

Morrissey.

By: ludwig_van

ludwig_van — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:29:05 -0800

Antony Hegarty (Antony and the Johnsons)
Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy)

By: hydrophonic

hydrophonic — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:42:07 -0800

Ellington colaborator Billy Strayhorn ("Take the A Train")

Klaus Nomi, Bronski Beat, Baltimora, Tom Wilson Weinberg (he wrote "Lesbian Seagull").

Also there are quite a few bands in the queercore movement.

This site has a list, but I don't know how credible it is. (Tatu? Wasn't their lesbianism just a marketing gimmick?)

By: fireflies to stars

fireflies to stars — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 19:26:06 -0800

Well, as for gay ladies, some to get you started:

Mirah, Sleater Kinney, Cadallaca, The Lookers, Cub, Dear Nora, Team Dresch (back together and touring!), Le Tigre, Tracy + The Plastics, Tegan and Sarah, Gravity and Henry, the Butchies, Dear Nora, Doria Roberts, The Lookers, Tami Hart, The Need, The Gossip.

Good luck!

By: SisterHavana

SisterHavana — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 19:28:38 -0800

The Murmurs.

By: mediareport

mediareport — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 19:30:59 -0800

Billy Tipton, jazz musician, who lived as a man for decades.

By: mediareport

mediareport — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 19:37:19 -0800

Duke Ellington is also believed to have been gay.

Whew. Can o' worms, there. His lifelong musical partner, Strayhorn, was gay, sure, and Ellington spoke of him lovingly, but I kind of doubt that Ellington is "believed to have been gay" by most folks who've studied his life. Wouldn't surprise me, I suppose, to find he swung both ways, but that's a long way from commonly believed, even among jazzheads.

By: mediareport

mediareport — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 19:40:55 -0800

All of the issues of the [cough] seminal late 80s zine Homocore are online. Lots and lots of good info there.

By: brandz

brandz — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 19:53:18 -0800

jim nabors (gomer pyle)?

By: Gilbert

Gilbert — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 19:58:49 -0800

Keeping in mind "college radio," I came up with these. These are all pretty good:
The Ditty Bops
Matmos
Pet Shop Boys
Kinnie Starr
The Moaners
The Ex-Boyfriends
Mary Gauthier
Scissor Sisters
The Butchies
Antony & the Johnsons
Tegan and Sara
Rufus Wainwright
Melissa Ferrick
Lucinda Williams
The Aluminum Group
Beth Ditto of The Gossip
The singer for Sigur Ros
The Hidden Cameras (songwriter, at least)
50% of Junior Senior
50% of The Vertical Struts
Also, Carrie and Corin of Sleater-Kinney dated for a time

By: radioamy

radioamy — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 20:27:06 -0800

Tiga

By: bim

bim — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 20:31:22 -0800

Though we might like to claim her, I don't believe that Lucinda Williams is gay.

I would definitely second playing some Melissa Ferrick and Rufus Wainwright (Want One and Poses CD's, not Want Two which was lousy) for the college crowd.

And you better throw in some Joan Jett too. She's always at the NY Liberty WNBA games...if you know what I mean. LOL

Patty Larkin (folkie stuff) is gay. So is Sharon Isbin, if you want to go wild and slip in some classical guitar.

Doria Roberts

Michelle Malone

Catie Curtis

Ani DiFranco (bi)

Sister Funk

Betty (partially gay group)

The late Laura Nyro (she was a goddess IMHO)

By: croutonsupafreak

croutonsupafreak — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 20:38:55 -0800

Pet shop boys. Jill Sobule (ish).

Are you sure about Lucinda Williams? She sings so many songs about the fellas.

By: Cochise

Cochise — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 23:07:49 -0800

Wow, I haven't thought about The Murmurs in a really, really, long time.

I just read something saying that Morrissey says he's neither gay nor bisexual. Not sure what I think, but just putting it out there.

I'm not sure if anyone already said it, but Kele Okerek from Bloc Party is reportedly gay.

Tracy Chapman.

Clay Aiken?

By: maxreax

maxreax — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 00:06:21 -0800

Don't forget that, along with Mould, Grant Hart was gay--thus making Hüsker Dü 2/3 gay. Flip you wig, indeed!

By: nakedcodemonkey

nakedcodemonkey — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 01:21:41 -0800

Elizabeth (Bitsy) Ziff of BETTY

By: rob511

rob511 — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 01:48:04 -0800

What, no drumbeat for t.A.T.u.?

Also, songbird and longtime Chevy shill Dinah Shore apparently wasn't gay, but her tournament sho' nuff is!

By: pollystark

pollystark — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 04:08:39 -0800

Tribe 8 (queer punk rock)
The Haggard (female hardcore punk duo)
Dominatrix (Brazilian old school h/c punk)
Sextional (incl. Emily of The Haggard and Tami Hart)
Limp Wrist (old school h/c punk)

By: Ziggy Zaga

Ziggy Zaga — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 04:40:43 -0800

roddy bottum (imperial teen)

By: Hat Maui

Hat Maui — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 04:50:26 -0800

a question for the questioner: why do you need/want this list? (i'm merely curious.)

although it's never been confirmed authoritatively, billy squier has been rumored to be gay. this does nothing to dispel it. warning: linked video is extremely, extremely (yeah, that's right -- double extremely -- take that, marketers!) gay.

Don't forget that, along with Mould, Grant Hart was gay--thus making Hüsker Dü 2/3 gay. Flip you wig, indeed!

the only straight member of hüsker dü.

By: ashbury

ashbury — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 05:30:25 -0800

hat maui, the station I host a show at is doing an "all gay all day" event, where the playlist should feature gay musicians. The program director has requested help in finding artists to play, so naturally I thought of askme.

By: Joseph Gurl

Joseph Gurl — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 05:35:58 -0800

The dead one from Heatmiser (Elliot Smith's old band), can't remember his name. Talented dude & pretty fucking college radio

By: ashbury

ashbury — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 05:38:43 -0800

Oh, and by the way, thanks everybody for your help - this is a great list.

By: macdara

macdara — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 05:39:49 -0800

Hat Maui: I was about to mention the Bob Mould/Grant Hart thing.

I've always thought of Hüsker Dü as the gay ZZ Top. One look at Greg Norton's publicity shots from the mid-80s and you'll see what I mean.

By: divabat

divabat — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 06:28:47 -0800

Clay Aiken hasn't been confirmed either way - and trust me, don't play him unless you want a bunch of crazy Claymates making your life a misery. /is a Clay fan but not the batshit version

There was an Idol contestant that was gay. J.D. Lewis, was it? He was in the first season. Will Young and Gareth Gates (#1 and #2 in the Brit version) are also gay.

Darren Hayes (he of Savage Garden) is also undetermined; some of his songs ("Love and Attraction" for example) and his interviews suggest he goes both ways. He's gay-positive, at the very least; he's performed at various gay parades and is working on that market now.

I think Lene Nystrom (ex-Aqua) and Pink had said something about bisexuality at some point. Madonna?

By: matildaben

matildaben — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 07:31:46 -0800

Voice Farm

By: hermitosis

hermitosis — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 07:36:36 -0800

What about Kevin Aviance, who was severely beaten in NYC a couple of weeks ago for being gay?

By: Gilbert

Gilbert — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 07:40:40 -0800

Whoopsie, not Lucinda. Don't know how she got in there. Also, despite being pretty obvious, Joan Jett officially has no comment. I also forgot to mention Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu.

By: SisterHavana

SisterHavana — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 08:27:29 -0800

There was an Idol contestant that was gay. J.D. Lewis, was it? He was in the first season.

That was Jim Verraros.

Others I thought of:
Luscious Jackson (Kate Schellenbach)
The Breeders (Josephine Wigg - she actually used to date Kate Schellenbach)
Bikini Kill/Le Tigre

By: everichon

everichon — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 08:53:07 -0800

I don't care what Morrissey said in interviews, he is gay. Gayer than Oscar Wilde and Joe Orton notional love-child, gayer than Tom Cruise on poppers at a Dennis Cooper reading, G-A-Y.

Or so I surmise from a lifetime of slavering fandom.

By: Scoo

Scoo — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 09:13:38 -0800

Did Joe Jackson ever make it official?

From Don't Wanna Be Like That:

And the playboy centerfold leaves me cold
And that aint cause Im a fag

Seems pretty official to me :)

By: echolalia67

echolalia67 — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 09:28:31 -0800

Though we might like to claim her, I don't believe that Lucinda Williams is gay.

Lucindia is a "friend of a friend" - definitely not gay.

By: electroboy

electroboy — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 10:16:42 -0800

You should slip in someone who isn't just to confuse everyone. "You didn't know Glen Danzig was gay? What planet are you living on?"

By: ganseki

ganseki — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 10:43:14 -0800

Is Billy Joe Armstrong from Green Day bi? I've heard this a couple of times and he seems to be quoted as saying so here.

By: klangklangston

klangklangston — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 11:52:43 -0800

Joan Jett is out. Henry Rollins is not. Apparently, Sun Ra was gay. see here for more.

By: QIbHom

QIbHom — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 12:56:20 -0800

Only one of the two members of Pet Shop Boys has said they are gay. The other one (Neil Tennant, IIRC), refuses to say.

Second Billy Tipton. Hard to get queerer than that.

One of the three members of Sapphire, The Uppity Blues Women, is a lesbian (and, they are just awesome, anyway).

By: geckoinpdx

geckoinpdx — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 13:41:49 -0800

Maybe a little dancier than you're looking for but Baltimora, Dead or Alive (at least Pete Burns), Jimmy Somerville, Army of Lovers and Dirty Sanchez as well.

Leæther Strip (Claus Larsen) is openly gay, and dedicated his most recent album to his partner ("I'm yours for life"), which I thought was sweet.

Most (if not all) of My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult are, and I remember reading somewhere that none of the Lords of Acid are completely straight (but can't confirm this).

A few members of Chumbawamba play for the other team, and I seem to remember at least one of Fischerspooner was. Peaches ("I U She") apaprently plays for both teams.

I'm sure there are lots more but that's off the top of my head.

By: klangklangston

klangklangston — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 15:12:58 -0800

Uh... From what I've seen, and this obviously depends on what era of TKK you're talking about, there's a lot of bi in that band but no one seemed all that polar in orientation, knowwhatimean?

By: mediareport

mediareport — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 15:18:03 -0800

Re: Duke Ellington - talked with a local composer/conductor this afternoon who laughed when I asked him about it; turns out he was reading about the subject just last night. Here's what he told me:

Ellington and Strayhorn had an extremely close relationship - so close that Mercer Ellington, Duke's son, said he just assumed they were lovers. For instance, Duke invited Billy to live with him just two weeks after they met. Billy was out to friends but very discrete about it. But Duke was also a notorious womanizer, in addition to whatever sexual attachment he felt towards Billy (or other men). In the end, my conductor pal (who's gay) believes that the relationship between Duke and Billy [an amazing artistic partnership, I'd add, that was easily as intense as what most people call "love"] worked on a different plane than the sexual one. It may sound like a bit of a cop-out, but aside from Mercer's comment and at least one story floating around of the two of them getting interrupted in the middle of sex by someone, there's really not much evidence of Ellington's homo- or bisexuality.

Homo-intimacy, on the other hand...

By: QIbHom

QIbHom — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 15:35:09 -0800

Sophie B. Hawkins is another. I think she self defines as "omnisexual."

By: geckoinpdx

geckoinpdx — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 15:36:44 -0800

> no one seemed all that polar in orientation, knowwhatimean?

I admit that I don't know much about the current incarnation.

this was the first thing that came to mind though (I'm at work and can't dig around too much..."subversive" material is frowned upon here).

By: tutbon

tutbon — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 18:28:41 -0800

Yes, Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields is definitely gay and his bandmate, Claudia Gonson is a lesbian. If you're looking for specific songs, then probably "I Thought You Were My Boyfriend" on Magnetic Fields' I album would be a reasonable choice.

By: hydrophonic

hydrophonic — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 07:46:42 -0800

Gravy Train!!!! - although I don't know if there's any songs you could play on the radio.

By: ludwig_van

ludwig_van — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 12:37:34 -0800

For still more gay musicians, here's a huge ILM thread on the subject.

By: klangklangston

klangklangston — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 13:04:26 -0800

Dude, don't bite my rhymes.

By: ludwig_van

ludwig_van — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 18:12:08 -0800

Oh, sorry, I searched the thread for ILM before posting.