Showing posts with label DIVA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIVA. Show all posts

3/17/20

CAMILLE O'GRADY: THIS IS THE END

san franciso legend camille o'grady passed away this morning amidst  world  collapse.
camille was an incredible singer, poet and visual artist. she became lovers with robert opel in the mid 70s. together they presented 
fey way studios: the first fetish- glbtq art gallery- ever!
fey way presented tom of finland, robert mapplethope, rex, the hun, entienne, and many fetish artists to the public for the first time.
camille was the only woman allowed at the leather bars/sex clubs throughout the 70s. mainly because she passed as a leatherman.  camille was present when robert opel was murdered at the gallery. the authorities called it a robbery gone wrong. camille and friends knew it was political retaliation from a police state era which was unhappy with the burgeoning gay scene and the blaming of  fellow cop dan white
 for harvey milk's murder.
camille went into hiding for many years after robert's murder. in the early 2000's camille took me to the original location of fey way studios. like an omen the space was open and availble for rent. camille was reunited with the guy that saved her life. an upstairs neighbor. 
yes, i have it all on film!
camille o'grady was an original spirit with original ideas. a truly one-of-a-kind person-
 rip  dear sorceress~

1/16/19

ALICE BAG

I started working on this song around the time that Kat Arthur and Tony Kinman died. I didn’t have the courage to put it up or do anything with it because I didn’t feel it was ready but the news of Lorna Doom’s passing today reminded me that punk has more to do with courage than polish. Thank you, Lorna for continuing to inspire. I feel you here although you’re gone.

A sketch of a new song, inspired by friends whose light still shines.
Restless days
Trying to stay above the chaos
Restless nights
Tossing sheets right off the bed
At ease, go on, sleep
Still and calm
It’s a long, long, peace
There’s no map to follow
It’s the great unknown
We’re all travelers
You’re not alone (Traveler)
That bright star
That is shining in the distance
It once burned
Oh, but that was long ago
It sleeps, yeah, it sleeps
Still and calm
Tho' we see it glow
There’s no map to follow
It’s the great unknown
We’re all travelers
You’re not alone (Travelers)
I see your afterglow
Your spirit echoes on
I feel you here
Although you’re gone
ALICEBAG.BANDCAMP.COM

CARDI B. TELLS IT LIKE IT IS

12/21/18

ETTA JAMES- LEGENDARY

I HAD A PLEASURE OF WITNESSING ETTA JAMES LIVE 
@ THE CATCH ONE-LA- CIRCA 1984ISH.
SHE WENT ON STAGE BAREFOOT, BELTING OUT SONGS THAT TORE THE CLUB UP!

9/14/18

SERENA WILLIAMS: THE WORLD OWES YOU AN APOLOGY


The world owes you an apology 
Not just the umpire 
Not just the French Open 
Not just racists who ask if you feel intimidated by Sharapova’s basic looks 
Or be
ing drug tested more than
The basic looking actual drug user
The nurses and doctors who ignored
Your knowledge
Of your own body
Almost causing your death
Every time they questioned your
Femininity
Ability
Strength
Integrity
Victory
They did so because of your skin
Asian parents who mold their children are
Tiger mothers
White parents who risk everything
Turn sex tapes into millions
Are momagers
But your father who made legends out of
Compton Concrete
Shaping you and your sister
Like Michelangelo chiseled David
He is loud
Obnoxious
Insane
The world owes you an apology
But we know it will never come
Because first they would have to acknowledge
The hatred
The racism
It isn’t your black panther suit
Your beauty
Your millions
You venting to a umpire
A broken racket
Or a demand of proper medical care
It’s your blackness that offends
Your power when you should be powerless
Your confidence
When you should always grovel
Always remind yourself
That you should thank them
for allowing you
To be on the courts at all
As if a Queen tells the jester
thank you for her
Throne
You are the living breathing embodiment of
#blackgirlmagic
The dream of our ancestors
The power of our foremothers
The strength that the
Middle passage
Slavery
Jim Crow
and America
Could not break
You are more than the
GOAT
You are goddess
Fearless
More than tennis
You are a living black legend
And they hate you for it” ~ Leslé Honoré