We're So Lovely

To alleviate the slings and arrows of what has been a bit of a gruelling week so far - what with the untypical 35-40C temperatures that swept over London on Monday and, particularly, Tuesday, and work, which has been a bastard - it is an opportune moment, methinks, for a little exploration of some of the "newer" musical discoveries that have caught my ear of late...

...and now that Auntie Beeb has unceremoniously dispensed with fave radio shows such as Ana Matronic's, I have even had to resort to discovering a lot of these all by myself! Such as......

...a camp little Pride number (albeit a tad late for our own London celebrations):

Osvaldo Supino - Gold

A rather catchy (and very welcome) return to form from a "house fave" band:

Hot Chip - Down

A couple of "classical" numbers that might be more familiar than one might expect:

Caroline Shaw with Sō Percussion - Lay All Your Love on Me

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (The Anarchy Arias) - Pretty Vacant

And now for something completely different. As the video's blurb says - "What if Gypsy Woman was released five years earlier, in 1987...in Italy?".It's brilliantly done:

Crystal Waters - Gypsy Woman (Italo Disco Live Remix)

Now, saving the best to last...

Can a dance choon and video get any gayer?!

Daddy Squad feat Hard Ton - We’re So Lovely

...and then there's this - the very, very welcome return of those honorary members of the homosexualist Royal Family, French and Saunders Keren and Sarah!

Bananarama - Masquerade

As ever, dear reader - let me know your thoughts...

---

STOP PRESS:

I forgot to include this one...

Parralox feat Marcella Detroit - Paradise (Eric Kupper Remix)

Ana Matronic's kiki is over

In the latest round of "why the fuck?" reshuffling at BBC Radio 2, another of our all-time favourite shows (presented by one of our all-time favourite Divas) has been axed - Ana Matronic's Dance Devotion!

Aside from her stint with the campest band of the past few decades, Scissor Sisters, Ms Matronic's musical influence and knowledge is far-reaching, and I have picked up many, many choons and/or remixes that I have never heard anywhere else except on her show - and, inevitably shared them here with you, dear reader... Back in August last year, I highlighted loads of such faboo tracks for which I owe the lady a great debt.

I am utterly pissed-off at this decision by Auntie Beeb, so, before she disappears to pastures new - let's have proper send-off party with another selection of highlights - tracks first heard, or on heavy rotation, on her brilliant show, for your delectation:

Tim Deluxe feat. Sam Obernik - It Just Won't Do

Camelphat and Elderbrook - Cola

Boris Dlugosch Presents Booom (feat Inaya Day) - Keep Pushin'

Magnifique - Magnifique

Kariya - Let Me Love You For Tonight

The Shamanic Feat Andrea Love - Fire

Sub Sub - Ain't No Love, Ain't No Use

Crystal Waters & Musique Boutique - Gypsy Woman (Gianni Coletti vs Keejay Freak Remix)

Janelle Monáe - Dance Apocalyptic (Chocolate Puma Remix)

Oceanic - Insanity

Now that's what I call a "leaving do"!

Ana Matronic's last-ever Dance Devotion show will be on Radio 2 on Saturday 18th June 2022 - miss it if you dare!

One last thing...

Scissor Sisters - Let's Have A Kiki (instructional video)

Ha-ha-honey!

We salute you.

Mighty and real

Me, Madam Arcati and Baby Steve, doing what we do...

Normally, on a Sunday I might choose to feature something typical of the sort of music BBC Radio 2 used to play; we call it "Sunday Music", indeed. You know the sort of thing - Big Bands, Dance Bands, crooners, Lounge music, general laid-back-ness.

Not this Sunday!

I have been so utterly pissed-off by the fact that I have had a fortnight's leave [admittedly relaxing, with lots of lie-ins, and all that] which was meant to encompass a picnic in Regent's Park (cancelled due to the fucking shit weather - which also meant any chance of lounging/pottering in the garden was out of bounds until Tuesday this week - and replaced by a drinking sesh in a Wetherspoons), a long weekend in my fave city on earth Amsterdam (which was cancelled due to onerous COVID restrictions) for my birthday, and to be topped-off with a mass gathering for our first post-lockdown live on-stage musical Anything Goes (which was also cancelled at short notice due to fucking COVID stuff), that this Sunday - my last day before returning to the joys of working for a living - I am determined to rave till my tits fall off!

A good enough excuse for a blow-out is the fact it happened to be the birthday yesterday of our "Patron Saint of Dance Music" Miss Ana Matronic - so in her honour, here's a collection of choons I either originally heard on her radio show or I know she has featured over the years...

Enjoy, dear chums!

Erick E - The Beat Is Rockin'

Vikki Love with Nuance - Stop Playing on Me

Mr. Tophat - Time Lapse (DJ Tennis Disko Bang Club Mix)

Delerium ft. Sarah McLachlan - Silence (Airscape Remix)

Crystal Waters - 100% Pure Love

Joe Goddard feat. Valentina - Gabriel

Moloko - Sing It Back (Mousse T Feel Love mix)

Freaks - The Creeps (Get On The Dancefloor)

Sylvester - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) [Ralphi Rosario Dub Mix]

Now THAT is how to end a disappointing fortnight's "holiday" - with a bang!

Destination fairly obvious, I'd say

Praise be! Another weekend is looming, and the sun is out (at last)!

Today also happens to be the birthday of the marvellous Miss Crystal Waters, so to get the party jumping, here's an utterly faboo choon from her back catalogue [no - not the "la-da-dee-da-da-da" one]...

Alex Gaudino feat. Crystal Waters - Destination Calabria

If, dear reader, you find the gyrations of those strumpets-with-trumpets is a bit unexpected of a blog of a homosexualist nature such as this, never fear...

Let's address the balance somewhat, with a bevy of boys - and Thank Disco Cher It's Friday!

Cher - Take It Like A Man 7th Heaven Remix (Andrew Christian models version)

That's better.

Have great weekend, my leetle chums!