Sunday Jukebox Says I’m Coming Back

Apologies for doing my due diligence on here, but I’m in the process of moving home (and suburbs), and not able to give my all. Still worry not! There’s heaps of things I’m eager to muse about on this corner of the internet:

• The Australian election: Julia vs. Mad Tony (Blair) Abbott
• How The Australia-US Free-trade agreement leaves some of our (Australian) channels with schedules that look almost exactly like the Z-list has-been programming on barely watched US broadcast channels (think WLNY/Channel 55 in Long Island).
• The weirdness that is Masterchef Australia

And guess who’s also making a comeback (to Korea), BoA, and her song and video for Game has SAW (Stock Aitken Waterman) meets 80s Swing Out Sister written all over it…in Korean. In other words, this is aural heaven to me, the video ain’t too shabby either. Enjoy.

Monday Jukebox Schools A Fool

Alright, I’m 31. I embrace it fully.

I am also in Australia, and embrace that fully as well.

That said, I nearly spat out my drink when someone (admittedly a twentysomething, but a music journo who still should’ve known better) told me he thought the “I wanna rock right now”  in Rock That Body was not sampling.

So kids, get in the time machine and experience one of the best rap songs ever.

Yes, we weren’t afraid of wearing lots of colours in those days.

Friday Jukebox Says What?

What a interesting video that arrived in my inbox today. It’s like the product of a diluted Thriller (Michael Jackson) and Frozen (Madonna).

I don’t know whether I like the song or the choreography, but from a visual standpoint, it’s rather impressive.

I Left It, I Loved It : The Independence Day Post

I'm going to ask you to indulge me a bit.

Astrologically, the USA is considered a Cancerian (no pun intended). So was my father, who was born a few days earlier.

It wasn't until recently that I managed to see a parallel between my relationships with the two.

I'm an Aquarian, and for those who don't follow Astrology, we don't really get along well with Cancers. We think they're drama queens interested in inanity, they think we're cruel sadists out to break their hearts when it hurts the most for the sake of proving our individualism.

I spent the majority of my childhood being somewhat idolised (admittedly due to sexism) in my father's eyes. He was a Vet two times over, and subscribed to the 1930s-era of children being subservient to their parents. In his eyes, I was like The Little Prince. It also helped that it was the 1980s, and there was some degree of innocence left in popular children's culture.

Then came my rebellious years, wherein I horrified my father.

Now, everyone in general is expected to rebel while a teenager, but I saved mine until I went to college. Coming Out was not a rebellion, and to be terribly honest, I did not expect to be, nor was the news treated as such. (It was more of a "that's nice, son.")

My rebellion came when my father realised that the pleasant, well-mannered, slightly independent boy left for college and came back a pleasant, well-mannered Socialist young man.

I was never one of those "down with the tyrants" type of Socialists, but rather a "everyone deserves a fair go." And by "fair go," I do mean a level playing field.

This sort of thinking doesn't go down well in the US, because the US is about maintaining a certain facade, and maintaining that facade is paramount for its own mental health.

"Liberty and equality for all?"

Sure, the US is practicing that.

Never mind that it's been under a century since I, as a Black American have had a vote.

Never mind that my own state thinks that it is wrong to deny me even recognition of my partnership because it is with another man.

Never mind that in order to build that American Dream, it must be built on the backs of underpaid, underprotected workers and a mainstream society gone Cuckoo for Credit Card Capitalism.

I truly believe that the US is a nation that cannot at all afford to take such a hard look at itself, because it would disintegrate.

Yet, it's my literal homeland, and I can't help but have affection for it.

Remember how I said that I horrified my father? It wasn't because I was gay. It wasn't because I spoke my mind. It was because I could point out where the flaws were in the national dream that he, and many others Americans like him, had. I could also point out that it was not one that I wanted.

And that brought a chill to our relationship as father and son. One where he would bemoan my cigarette smoking*, and I his provincialism.

* Interestingly, when I was growing up. My father would castigate anyone who smoked in front of me--including relations. He also nearly burnt our house down whenever I ran the risk of catching him smoking. The image of being a non-smoker was more important than the action.

Nonetheless, when my father passed away in February 2002, I could honestly say that we had reached a honest, lasting civility. One where we could understand that the bond we had as family did not mean that we had to blindly accept the other.

That's how I feel about the US. I care about it, because it is where I grew up and I still have family there, but I cannot bring myself to truly accept that it is the Zion it likes to believe itself to be. The US just can't bring itself to reconcile its dreams and its reality, and I could only see myself turning into someone I was not meant be, the longer I remained.

Australia is certainly far from perfect, but I have to truly applaud it at how Australian society does value each person and how Australians are proud of their ability to call the proverbial 'bullshit" when there is discrimination.

I'm proud that I now live in a country where a majority of the populace straight and gay says that it is wrong to deny same sex couples marriage...no matter what the ruling party says. I'm also proud that I now live in a place where it is truly believable that discrimination will get reversed. I'm proud that the nation is willing to work at improving life across the board, and not still confused by the failure of trickle down economics.

And yet, I'm still proud of Obama. I'm still proud that there is hope for American society to truly learn to embrace its citizens, even if it must be long and arduous, and fraught with residual bigotry at every turn because it does not fit some absurd national myth.

I just don't want to live in that kind of society and I don't want my future child to live in that one either.

So the US & I are civil with each other. I can never be as close to it as I used to be, and that's fine.

At this moment, I'm enjoying a very chilly winter's night in NSW. It's -4C. This is the kind of weather I love. If every 4 July from here on in will be like this, I will be happy.

I'll just make sure to spend Australia Day in the Upper Midwest.

Oh, It’s Canada Day, don’cha know?

Love all you hosers up dere.

It’s a crying shame that I only have gotten a chance to see some of the best Canadian programming (The Border, Being Erica*, Billable Hours, etc.) since going Austral.

* Does anyone watch SOAPnet?

Though it’s a damn shame that Flashpoint isn’t airing regularly down here. (We are fortunately spared the inanity of Red Green, however, which airs constantly in Wisconsin.)

I still would move there (well Toronto or Montreal) in a heartbeat…especially in the middle of the Australian summer.

No Canadian tribute is complete without Celine Dion of course:

et pour le Quebec libre:

An Advertorial Break

Remember hearing about those days when adverts were actually part of the show? As in Lucy & Desi spruiking for cigarettes? Well, the morning chat shows down here in the Antipodes still use that form of advertising. Most of them are mind-numbingly camp (yet still not as annoying as the full half-hour beasts.)

However, here’s a rather smart one using drag star Courtney Act.

Australia Jumps Into Eurovision

Any singers and/or songwriters out there? Want to get into Eurovision but still support Australia?

Well, it’s time to get off your duff and put on your Green & Gold.

Entries are now open for the first Australian representative to the Asia-Pacific Song Contest.

Ok, the name Our Sound is naff, but the opportunity is worth it.

The Kiwis are planning to be in it, so we’re guaranteed at least a 12 points there.

Tuesday Jukebox Says “Could You At Least Try To Be Original?”

Case in point: Gwak Hyun Hwa’s video for Psycho.

Apparently they’re only just getting around to copying Single Ladies in South Korea.

Just to tie this into the Adelaide Radio campaign, I promise that I will not wear a leotard, but I will pretend to do so for an Adelaide radio station. (You hear me, Nova 91.9?)

(Ah, the magic of radio.)

By the way, what do you think of the new look over at this corner of the internet?

Hear, Hear

One thing you can always count on with Uncle Rupert’s papers is that they have a knack for coming up with a good headline.

Read this one about the US exiting the World Cup (upper centre).

Sums up my feelings exactly…at least at the moment.

With Australia, New Zealand, and now the US out of the World Cup, it really is off my radar.

The World Cup that matters is next year anyway.

The Adelaide Campaign: Day 5 (Pride Edition)

So I’ve eaten a floater and (gulp) liked it. Now I’ve made the discovery that the Crows official magazine is called The Pride.

And then there’s Don Dunstan

The man wore pink shorts in 1972 to Parliament House, helped destroy legalised anti-gay discrimination (and the White Australia policy) founded the South Australian Film Corporation…just to name a few of his achievements.

Ok, he died on my 20th birthday, but still I’d call him a hero, one who is truly missed.

Especially on International Pride Day.

Pride 2010: The Theme Song

(drum roll)

After much deliberation, here’s the Hikaruland official theme song for Pride 2010.

Congratulations Nhojj!

Can La Perry Take A Joke?

A recent episode of The Boondocks took the mickey out of La Perry…and made me very happy that La Perry’s work does not export.

According to Oh No They Didn’t, La Perry is really hopping mad about it.

Good.

Pride 2010: Commercial Break

LOGO (alas, still not available here in Australia) celebrates Pride by featuring a list of the most ridiculous gay-themed commercials over the past ten years.

I’m partial to the Vodafone & Absolut entries.

Enjoy!

Adelaide Campaign: Day Three

Ok, Adelaide just to prove how serious I am, we’re kicking the promises up a notch!

In case you don’t know what a [pie] floater is, here’s the Wikipedia entry.

More Nominees for Pride 2010

The race isn’t over yet! Blame the fracas over the new PM down here for causing me to omit the South Korean entry, but also another entrant who could be filed both as US/Guyana/Trinidad & Tobago. (Making the total nominees a Super Six.)

Nhojj – Gay Warrior Song (US/Guyana/Trinidad & Tobago)

Sistar – We Never Go Alone (South Korea)

The Theme Song Nominees for Pride 2010

Believe it or not—and in the Northern Hemisphere it probably is more plausible—Pride comes this Sunday.

Down here however, it’s quite nippy with frequent showers. Plus we have a new PM (an atheist, unmarried-but-partnered, childless PM! Take that, Abbott!)

I remain hopeful that Julia was merely toeing the party line with regards to the ALP stance on same-sex marriage, and that the new Gillard administration will wizen up.

It certainly seems like the mood on the ground is one of relief at the change.

Now onto the nominees for Pride 2010 Theme Song. This year, I thought it would be rather appropriate to have artists from the five countries (Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the US) that get major rotation over at this corner of the internet.

Manama - Yellow Stop (Japan)

Gabriella Cilimi – Hearts Don’t Lie (Australia)

Gin Wigmore – Hey Ho (New Zealand)

Scissor Sisters – Fire With Fire (USA)

Which song do you think best captures the LGBT zeitgeist?

Adelaide Campaign: Day Two

Today, I appeal to the sporting sensibilities of Adelaide radio.

I would like every one in Adelaide to know that the message I have written could get me done here in the heart of Rabbitohs territory. (Not to mention that I’m also a Souths fan, but I’ll go Crow too.)

Oh, and the new Prime Minister we have? She’s from Wales via—guess where?—Adelaide.

The Adelaide Campaign

I am going to take the serious risk of being perceived as a bit of a kook here.

(Deep Breath.)

For several weeks now, I have been having a recurring dream wherein I find myself working at an Adelaide radio station (I think it’s Nova 91.9, but it could very well be SAFM).

I can’t for the life of me figure out why I keep having this dream:

• Adelaide is hot (as in temperature), I like cold.
• It’s a metro area of 1 million +, on par with Milwaukee (a lateral move…I don’t like lateral moves)
• Radio is considered a swear word in my family, after some dodgy business dealings.
• Its nickname is “city of churches.” I’m aggressively non-religious.

Yet, the dream keeps popping up. So I’m now embarking on a “Get on Adelaide Radio” campaign both here and on Twitter. Here’s the result of Day One of this campaign:

Any suggestions for Day Two?

Wednesday Jukebox Doesn’t Want Nor Needs

It’s my last day in America and this hemisphere (at least for another 4 or 5 months), and I’m choosing to comemmorate this occasion by having the jukebox play Polish rock (the songtitle translates as “I don’t want. I don’t need”) from 2001.

‘Cause I’m random like that.

Why You Can’t Go Home Again: A Fortnight in the US

Well, this corner of the internet is back for June.

I’ve gone back Stateside for the first part of this month due to family matters, and I have to say that after a year living in Australia, it’s put an interesting spin on American life.

One of the things that does irk me a bit about living in Australia is that I’m constantly asked “what do I think of Australia?” It’s well-intentioned, but I want to scream “I LIVE HERE! Of course I like it.” Now, I’m getting the reverse from my fellow Americans. Here’s a typical conversation:

Fellow American: Where are you from?

Me: Here [meaning Wisconsin].

Fellow American: Really? You don’t sound like you’re from here.

Me: I live in Australia.

Fellow American: Seriously?

Me: Yes.

Fellow American: Why would you want to move there?

Me: Work.

Fellow American: Really?

It’s like no one can fathom the idea of an American living in Australia. I’ve even been asked what language Australians speak…by people who have completed college degrees!

Fair enough, every country is pretty insular (particularly away from the major cities), but it still blows my mind at how myopic things can be Stateside: The oil spill, as bad as it is, has been framed as US v. UK standoff. It’s almost like CNN & NBC are keen to restart The War of 1812!

If that wasn’t bad enough, every single local and state politician from the affected region is trying to get their 15 minutes of fame. Fine. Yet, it reached a certain level of absurdity when there was a huge line of them in Louisiana at a press conference, each of them saying the same critiques about how they aren’t getting any assistance. Heaven forbid they just chose a spokesperson and then got on with trying to do some clean up.

Then there is that Sunderland debacle. When half of Australia was losing its collective mind over Jessica Watson, the other half was saying “who cares?” I was in the latter camp. Personally, I think it’s a daft thing, and I can’t imagine why it’s so impressive to go around the world solo. Now, an American needs rescuing after attempting to do the same and the US media is all “aww, bless.” Meanwhile, not a single word about the fact that the Australian taxpayers are footing the bill for her rescue, not even a clip of a Sunderland saying thank you made the national news. (I’m going to assume that at least one of them did.)

The one major thing that has really blown my mind, however—and I mean in a good way—is how things seem less segregated here. Most likely demographics have not changed radically in one year, but the slight apprehension that I used to feel as a minority has largely disappeared. It used to feel like there were so many different Americas co-existing within the same borders and that it was only a matter of time before we all declared war on each other. Now, it feels unified…at least on a racial level, and the one good thing the GFC has done is that it has made conspicuous consumption something to be frowned upon.

In respect to LGBT matters, I can honestly say that I’m extremely glad that DADT looks likely to be overturned. That said, I still have no idea why the Federal Government (not to mention most of the states) can’t at least say “civil unions for all” and just get out of the marriage racket all together. (The same applies for Australia, too, although the de facto legislation is a major step that the US could at least consider.)

Even though as an American citizen (which I still am—boy is it fun explaining how I can be an American citizen but resident elsewhere), I benefit from all of these changes, there’s one thing that has made me realise that I’m not emotionally American anymore: I don’t take everything so seriously.

This is the land of extreme emotional reactions to everything. If someone wins, it’s like the second coming. If someone loses, it’s the apocalypse. Everything is put into an “us-versus-them, point-of-no-return, we’re-all-gonna-die” perspective. I mean everything from oil spills to box office receipts to celebrity relationships. Stop taking yourself so seriously, America.

Reading some of my pre-Australian posts, I definitely can tell that I’m guilty of this as well. There is just something about the atmosphere in this country* that just puts you in this frame of mind that everything you do must be written in bold and underlined three times, or else it doesn’t matter.

* I blame it on the fact that this country was settled by ultra-capitalist and ultra-religious zealots.

When all is said and done, it matters most that you just enjoy your life. Wherever you happen to be.