A fine art, film, history and literature site oriented to, but not exclusively for, the gay community. Please be aware that there is mature content on this blog. Information on images and links to sources will be provided if known. Enjoy your visit and please subscribe.
The Moth and The Flame, “Live While I Breathe” from the Album “Young and Unafraid”, 2016
I will tear my sky
To make it through the night
I will take back my pride
And live while I breathe,
Live while I breathe
I will move the ground
I will pull the curtains down
Wear my fist on my sleeve
And live while I breathe,
Live while I breathe
Nothing But Thieves, “Graveyard Whistling”
Nothing But Thieves is an English five-piece alternative rock band from Southend-on-Sea in Essex. Formed in 2012, the band consists of Conor Mason (vocals), Joe Langridge-Brown (guitars), Dominic Craik (guitars, keyboards), James Price (drums), and Philip Blake (bass guitar). In 2014, they were signed to RCA Records. Their style of music has been compared to the likes of Foals, The Neighbourhood, and Civil Twilight.
The song “Graveyard Whistling” is from the “Nothing But Thieves” album released in the US in February 2016.
Kaleois an Icelandic rock band that formed at Mosfellsbaer in 2012. It consists of lead vocalist and guitarist JJ Julius Son (Jökull Júlíusson), drummer David Antonsson, bassist Daniel Kristjansson, and lead guitarist Rubin Pollock. They have released two studio albums, “Kaleo” in 2013 and “A/B” in 2016, as well as an EP “Glasshouse” in 2013.. “A/B“ has sold over one million albums worldwide.
Run River North, “Run or Hide” from the Album “Drinking from a Salt Pond”
Run River North, formerly known as Monsters Calling Home, is a Korean-American indie folk-rock band. The band formed in 2011. Its early works were inspired by the band members’ Asian-American parents’ background. The band performed at venues across Southern California, including Super Concert, the DRIP coffeeshop in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, and the Kollaboration 11 competition at the Nokia Theatre on December 5, 2011.
The band released their self-titled, debut album, “Run River North” on February 25th, 2014. The second studio album is “Drinking from a Salt Pond”.
Foals, “Mountain at My Gates”
The band’s musical influences are varied, with the band members citing minimal techno, Arthur Russell, the Irish-based math rock band The Redneck Manifesto, Krautrock bands such as Harmonia, Talking Heads, as well For London (previously known as The Jester People) as their main sources of inspiration.
Total Life Forever was nominated for the Mercury Prize in July 2010, losing to The xx’s xx on 7 September that year. The album was tested again the following year for Best Album in addition to a nomination for Best Cover Artwork at the NME Awards. The single “Spanish Sahara” was nominated by the same group for Best Track on top of being named all-around Best Band and Best Live Act. In July, the MOJO honour awards also nominated Foals alongside Canadian band Arcade Fire for the calibre of their live performances.
Sebastian Castro, “Theban”
The Sacred Band of Thebes (Hieròs Lókhos) was a troop of picked soldiers, consisting of 150 pairs of male lovers which formed the elite force of the Theban army in the 4th century BC. Its predominance began with its crucial role in the Battle of Leuctra in 371BC. It was annihilated by Philip II of Macedon in the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC.
According to Plutarch, the 300 hand-picked men were chosen by Gorgidas purely for ability and merit, regardless of social class. It was composed of 150 male couples, each pair consisting of an older erastês (ἐραστής, “lover”) and a younger erômenos (ἐρώμενος, “beloved”). Athenaeus of Naucratis also records the Sacred Band as being composed of “lovers and their favorites, thus indicating the dignity of the god Eros in that they embrace a glorious death in preference to a dishonorable and reprehensible life”; while Polyaenus describes the Sacred Band as being composed of men “devoted to each other by mutual obligations of love”.
The origin of the “sacred” appellation of the Sacred Band is unexplained by Dinarchus and other historians. But Plutarch claims that it was due to an exchange of sacred vows between lover and beloved at the shrine of Iolaus (one of the lovers of Hercules) at Thebes. He also tangentially mentions Plato’s characterization of the lover as a “friend inspired of God”.
After the success of his previous video, “Bubble” earlier this year, über-hot Manila-based popster Sebastian Castro is back with a new clip entitled “Theban”, skillfully directed by Ian Galsim, featuring a tribe of scantily-clad dancers but sans actor Enchong Dee. Openly gay, the Peruvian-Japanese artist stated that the Sacred Band of Thebes was an ancient Greek army composed entirely of gay men. “It was believed that if you fought next to the person you loved, you would fight much harder to keep them alive. This led the generals to have the lovers fight alongside one another in battle. I can’t think of anything more beautiful -beautiful and sexy… I love the idea of dragging my followers, or any LGBT for that matter, into this world where you are fighting with, fighting for and possibly dying for the one you love. The ultimate message : you belong. Two words gay kids don’t hear enough. Two words they don’t feel enough”, he said.
Florian Kaltenbach, “Faceoff Boxing”
Florian Kaltenbach is a film director from Berlin, Germany. He directed, wrote and produced the 2007 short film “Delay”, an experimental film in which a guitarist who perceives sound with delay fights to make music again.
If you like the boxing gif above, the link below is directs you to the clip of Kaltenbach’s boxing segment from his work “Faceoff Boxing” . Enjoy.
Kaltenbach’s most recent work can also be found at his site: https://floriankaltenbach.com/tags/recent%20work#36
Bronski Beat, “Small-town Boy”
“Smalltown Boy” is a 1984 song by the British synthpop group Bronski Beat. It was released in June 1984, and appeared on the band’s debut album The Age of Consent, released in December 1984.
The song is a popular gay anthem and was a big commercial success, reaching number 3 in the band’s native UK. It was also a number one hit in the Netherlands and Belgium, and hit the top 10 in Australia, Canada, France, Ireland and Switzerland. The track reached number 48 in the US pop chart and was a number one US dance hit.
The song addresses key issues in 1980s LGBT culture. It addresses family rejection for being homosexual and homophobia in British society. It also deals with loneliness and bullying through societal and familial rejection.
Martin Del Carpio, “Lies in Your Eyes”, June 2015
Video concept by Martin Del Carpio
Videography, photography and editing by William Murray
williammurrayvideo.com
Make up by Amanda Grace
Digital download of the track:
martindelcarpio.bandcamp.com/track/lies-in-your-eyes
Music created, produced & mastered by Jamie Muffett
jamiemuffett.com
Produced by Jamie Muffett & Martin Del Carpio
Lyrics & vocals by Martin Del Carpio
Guitars by Juan I. Garcia
Dead Man’s Bones, “My Body’s a Zombie for You”
Dead Man’s Bones is a rock duo consisting of actor Ryan Gosling and his friend Zach Shields. Their first album, Dead Man’s Bones, was released on 6 October 2009 through ANTI- Records. The entire album is a collaboration with the Silverlake Conservatory Children’s Choir —started by Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea— from Los Angeles, California. Gosling performs under the alias “Baby Goose”.
When Shields and Gosling met in 2005 they discovered a mutual obsession with the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland and decided to write love stories about ghosts and monsters. The pair chose to play all the instruments on the record, even those they had never touched before. They also imposed rules on themselves during the recording process, such as not playing with a click track, and trying to do no more than three takes on any song, letting any imperfections highlight the strengths of the music.
Linkin Park, “Powerless”
What can one say? Great song by a great group. Enjoy.
Caitlin Matthews, “Song of Exile (German)”, Composed by Hans Zimmer for “King Arthur”