Writing is Fighting

Blackety-Black-Black: Don Lemon and Homophobia in Black Communities

I was talking to my daddy tonight about homosexuality and the church. Apparently, some in the United Church are considering whether to turn their churches into being labelled as a "open" ( I can't remember the exact name) church that would openly welcome GBLT folks and their families. I think that it is pretty cool, and we had a good discussion about it. My parents live in a rural area, very close to a small Eastern Ontario city, so it makes this project even more meaningful. 

This got me thinking about CNN Anchor, Don Lemon, who recently "came out" to the public. Good for you, my chocolate brother! Lemon has talked about some of the resistance from Black communities in relation to homosexuality, and has gotten some flak for it. I just read an article on The Root, and I really do think that some Black folks need to take a look in the mirror. 

Random Thoughts and Musings Pt. 27 (?) Rammstein, WNYC and Psychology Today

Okay....lots of news and views. First, I reviewed the Rammstein show for Exclaim!  here a couple of weeks ago, which was great. Granted, not a big fan of their music, but the show itself was impressive. Lots of pyrotechnics, the fans were excited, and my fellow photographers? A bit assholish, but what can you do?

What some people do when they are clearly sexist, is just pretend that you are not there, and proceed to step in front of you and even physically push you aside like an annoying fly to get those important shots. What I have learned is to stay back, relax, and as soon as the show starts, start tackling motherfuckers who try and block my view. I, like them, need good photos, and will be just as assholish when I need to be. So there. I don't fuck around.

Anyhoo, it was an interesting crowd: Old folks (I was surprised until I remembered how old I was when I first heard of the band), young people, Goths, some Nationalist Skinheads (?), and tons of rabid regular folk who dressed the part but were really psyched to see the band, the first time they had played in Toronto in over a decade. The singer, Till Lindemann is really fucking weird but with an amazing voice and persona. I wrote that he was so sexually charged in a S&M/sexually deviant way, which I found intriguing, and man, they really thought out their stage show. A bit too choreographed , but again, its a stadium show, and I'm used to tiny, smelly club shows. 

NYC Trip and an ode to Neurosis

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Last week I made a short trip to the best fucking city in the world, New York. I went for two reasons: my friend / writing colleague Daphne Carr  invited me to do a reading and participate in a panel at Housingworks Cafe in Soho/Chelsea, and to attend a one-day symposium on the writings of Ellen Willis, a noted feminist journalist / rock critic who passed away from cancer in 2006. 

Both events went well, and sandwiched between the two events was a party for Anne Powers hosted by NPR, celebrating her new position as Pop Music Critic for the station. Overall, it seemed to be a weekend of music criticism and seeing music journo rockstars, like Robert Christagau, Powers, Daphne Brooks, Joe Levy, Donna Gaines, my homegirl, Decibel's Jeanne Fury, Kandia Crazy Horse.... so much that by the time Saturday afternoon came about, I thought my head was going to explode. One of the highlights was not only meeting new people / contacts, but also seeing the elusive Ian Christe, my soon-to-be publisher (Bazillion Points) and metal journalist extraordinare.