Alive and Kicking

Wow! It's been a while since I last posted something....but I was away unexpectedly over the last couple of weeks, and also kicked into vacation in San Fran and Boston for the past week and a half.

I can usually post stuff from my Blackberry but I changed something in the settings and was not able to access my account to make or even view blogs....so if I have not been making comments reason is due to technology - to pass the buck!

Well San Fran was awesome - this is my third visit to the city but the first time I actually spent a day in The Castro and had time to enjoy the day, the bars and the sites. I have to go back - I have not seen so many pride flags in one stop - love it!

Boston - also my third time to the city, and I was there to see The Pixies. For the benefit of those whom have not heard of the Pixies - they were quoted by Kurt Cobain as one of his musical influences and they were one of the premier bands in hard rock/alternative - I will post more on this band on another post.

For this post I just want to say that I am alive and kicking and that I am only now able to access my blog account - miss you sexy people.


TTYL Peeps!

GAY Fort Lauderdale

OK Peeps - Off to Fort Lauderdale - staying in gay resort - just two nights. Hopefully some hot guys to look at and some man lovin'. YEAH BABY!!!

Take care peeps!

Starship - More Popular in the 80's

This continues my look at ...."More popular in the 80's - where I look at bands who were 70's derived (essentially); had a significantly big impact on the 70's and classic rock, but in the 80's they got a second lease on life and became - well - bigger in the 80's - thus opening themselves up to a new generation.

The next band I am looking at is a band who's been through many reincarnations - not only in musicians - but also in name as well.....the Great Society - to Jefferson Airplane - to Jefferson Starship - to just plain and simply - Starship.
I have to say that reading the bio-material on Grace Slick that it reads like a walk through the corridors of American rock history....

So Rock N' Roll - the model and flowerchild of the 60's

Slick was friends with Janis Joplin during her short career until her death in 1970. She also had a one-time sexual relationship with Jim Morrison. She was also good friends with the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia.....both Janis and Jerry being from San Fran where Grace was normally associated with.

Also note that Grace has outlived them all!

Grace and Janis - both female rock icons and both from SFO!

I just find her career so exciting - see attached quote/unquote I got from Wiki:

"Slick and Tricia Nixon, former President Richard Nixon's daughter, are both alumnae of Finch College. Grace was invited to a tea party for the alumnae at the White House in 1969. She invited the political activist Abbie Hoffman to be her escort, and planned to spike President Richard Nixon's tea with 600 micrograms of LSD. The plan was thwarted when they were prevented from entering after being recognized by White House security personnel".

Slick also has an autobiography called "Somebody to Love? A Rock and Roll Memoir" - I have to get this book - I am now intrigued!

But I have said alot about one of rock's most important icons - what about the theme of my post?

Jefferson Airplane (1965-1974)


When Grace joined Jefferson Airplane she brought two songs from her former band (which she was part of along with her then husband - Paul Kantner) - "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit" - these two are rock classics and are both included in RS's Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. During her presence with the "Airplane" Grace became a flower-child and sex symbol of the music scene.

Jefferson Airplane

Jefferson Airplane were one of the first bands from San Francisco to achieve such commercial success.


Jefferson Starship (1974-1984)


Under Jefferson Starship, the band's sound became a bit more tainted and they continued to have some big hits, like "Count On Me"; "Miracles" and "Jane". This is the band that I am most familiar with.

Jefferson Starship

Starship (1985....)


Due to a legal battle concerning the use of Jefferson, Airplane or other such derivative, the band once again changed it's name to Starhsip, and under this name, the band released "Knee Deep in the Hoopla" in 1985 and scored to #1 hits....."We Built This City" and "Sara". The band also had one other #1 hit "Nothing Is Gonna Stop Us Now".....wow -

I must say that the band's sound under Starship was very "poppy" and it was a switch that fit in well with the 80's sound....I am a fan of the band in either of it's many incarnations - I mean they can sing about cocaine; sex; love and they are one of rock's most influential bands - with a history going back to the 60's to today.....Grace Slick is also considered one of the most influential female artists in music history - she was a model and sex symbol...a rocker and at 46 she still was able ti have a number 1 with the band.

All I can say...is that this band's history plays for a good movie - some of rock's biggest players are there - from Janis to Jim. To the rock festivals at Woodstock, Monterey and Altamont. To Nixon and his days as President.

Of course I end with my Top 5 fave from the band:

5. Jane (1979)
4. Find Your Way Back (1981)
3. Count on Me (1978)
2. Miracles (1975)
1. Somebody to Love (1967)


Thanks peeps - I hope you enjoyed this slice of American Rock History. Next stop - Foreigner! 

Gay Tampa

Hi there - this is an overspill from my Tampa trip and I just wanted to mention the gay scene.

We stayed in Y'bor - which many of the family call "Gaybor". My first impression of Gaybor is that the Pride flag was almost everywhere - even in straight joints - thus welcoming family. Along the main stretch, there are numerous gay bars and clubs; tattoo parlors; restaurants and some shopping (not major but it's OK).

Main Street with bars and restaurants - Ybor

On our first night there (THURSDAY) we had dinner at Acropolis - a Greek restaurant. The food portions were OK but the food was not good (I have to give it a 3 out of 5 and that is being generous). They had Sangria on special but it tasted like fruit juice to me. The service was good though.

We had visited a number of clubs that night - G Bar and Chelsea (a strip joint) but these were OK. At G Bar - I think we were probably the oldest there - not too good for us (on a Thursday night). But at Chelsea the bar tender and scene was a better mix of ages - and the cutie bartender told us that we should try "The Castle".

We of course - gave it a shot - it rocked - unfortunately I forget my camera so I don't have pics to show. The club is a dungeon-goth setting as if in old English times. The crowd was a good mix of straight and gay but you felt welcome there.

The highlight of the night was that there was this 50-something guy in red lingerie and a g-string on dancing on the podium - it was cute and funny. The girlies had a good dance with the bloke - good fun though.

The music - OMG - it rocked - I loved it - it was modern dance indie and the last two songs of the night had me sold - Eddie Money's "Take Me Home Tonight" and "Iron Maiden" (YEAH BABY)!

Inside "Castle". Check out the Dungeon room.

We had revisited this club on Friday and Saturday and the scene was completely goth - all folks in black and dressed in goth rock. The music was also the same. So def - Thursday night is the night to be there!

On Friday - we were at the U2 concert - and we ended up at G Bar (we decided to give it a second try) - it rocked - might have been the girls night out - but the guys were also showing there "swinging bunkies" which my partner had to try - it was funny to watch.

The music - yeah baby - hip/hop and dance - the club was fully of energy and it was friendly. It had a nice mix of gays and lesbians and trans-genders! So def - Friday night is G-Bar!!

On Saturday we had gone to a show at "The Ritz" (not the hotel) to see "Thievery Corporation" - they rocked and they played everything from Rock to Electronic to Jamaican Dance Hall to Latin to Indian music. They had singers from Africa; Argentina and the Caribbean.

We tried a couple of bars whose name escapes me now - but we ended up at G-Bar - it was guys night - loved it - yeah baby! There were some hot guys on the bar giving shots and all decked out in sexy gorgeous underwear! UMMMMMMM UMMMM UMMMMM!

Well folks - if your in Tampa - remember Ybor - you have to visit.

See also my link to my Tampa concert Tampa Concert (http://longhairedboy.blogspot.com/2009/10/u2-weekend-and-man-loving-hheheheheh.html)


Aurevoir Peeps!

Madonna/Elton John - Adoption

Last week Madonna was in Malawi for a visit of an orphanage which was funded and built by Madonna's "Raising Malawi" non-profit organisation. The organisation which is foundned by Madonna is also building a girls school. Earlier this year Madonna adopted a baby ("Mercy" James) from the African-nation. In 2006 she also adopted a child from Malawi (way to go Madonna - YEAH!!!).


Madonna's journey to adopt "Mercy" James was not easy - it actually reached the High Court in Malawi - that is awesome news!

See link to BBC News - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8327133.stm

Madonna and "Mercy" James - her adopted son earlier this year.

This is great - I always think that if a child can be given a better life then it must be good. Madonna's visit prior to the adoption in early 2009 was viewed as a double edge sword. On the one hand, the Malawi authorities were stating that the star was using her International appeal to bully the authorities. On the other - a child is given a better standard of living.


I also just learned that Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish are also looking at adopting a baby from the Ukraine but because same-sex marriages are not recognised, as well as Sir Elton not being "legally" married (as in "to a woman") the Ukranian authorities are kicking some fuss about the adoption.

David Furnish in the pic on the with Baby Lev. 

I hope it all works out for them! Wish them luck.


Thanks Peeps!