The sweltering Canadian summer is also the season when adventerous friends and families embark on regional road trips. So whether you're headed east from Ottawa to make the most of Montreal or tuning up for next week's Toronto Pride, here a five queer-friendly road trips songs. Tunes to promote an untroubled transit.
I'm In Love With My Car
Queen
Since you are on Xtra.ca, I doubt I need to explain to you why Queen are queer heroes; well Freddie Mercury was to most, at least. Some music critics have said Mercury was always out, while others say he hid sexuality, often distancing himself from his partner, John Hutton, in public.
Whatever the truth was, you can't get more gay than a name like Queen.
"I thought up the name Queen. It's just a name but it's very regal obviously and it sounds splendid. It's a strong name, very universal and immediate. It had a lot of visual potential and was open to all sorts of interpretations. I was certainly aware of gay connotations but that was just one facet of it," Mercury is purported to have said.
I'm In Love With My Car was composed by and is sung by Queen drummer Roger Taylor. This track is said to be about his fascination with his Alpha Romeo.
Dirty Back Road
The B-52s
B-52 Frank Schneider may be one of the gayest musicians of all time. Known for his recognizeable voice and over-the-top antics, Schneider spoke of his sexuality on Howard Stern in 2010 divulging he came out to his mother while she was vacuuming.
"She said 'Oh I know Freddie.' It's like OK. I guess I'll go back outside and smoke some pot."
Whether you find the B-52's music to be creative or campy, you can't deny the catchiness of this new wave track off of their 1980 sophomore album Wild Planet.
Schneider's odd sprechgesang vocals are absent with Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson's mellow harmonizing in its place.
With this euphemistic title and lyrics like "ride me like a sports car" there's also no denying this song is about anal sex.
Driving Lesson
Garbage
While no one in Garbage is out or even suspected of being gay, singer Shirley Manson's lyrics have frequently lit a torch for gay and transgender rights (see Queer, Cherry Lips, Sex Is Not The Enemy.)
In 2008, Manson took to Facebook and slammed the New York State Senate for voting down the same sex marriage bill.
"It saddens and sickens me that modern government and society has learned nothing from history but continue the vicious cycle of ignorance and intolerance whilst quoting and twisting from a bible that at its root, preaches love and understanding and equality for all."
Manson ended her post by writing, "Love is love is love is love. And it is rare and divine. So let us all attempt to preserve it in any manner we can. And by all of us I really do mean all of us. Because lord knows there's certainly not enough of it flowing around us in this life."
This automotive-themed track is a b-side on the band's 1995 megahit single Stupid Girl.
There are more counterculture songs on Garnage's just released Not Your Kind of People.
Bumper
Cults
There's nothing particularly gay about Cults. Neither Madeline Follin or Brian Oblivion are queer, yet their poppy, lo-fi music has garnered a large gay following for its originality and '60s throwback sound. They've evolved into a five-piece, so expect a fuller sound on their next release.
Pacific Coast Highway
Hole
Gay men love disasterous divas ("leave Britney alone!" anyone?)and Courtney Love is one of those trainwrecks gays love. So what if she has no descerinable talent besides writing rambling lyrics (this song's studio version's music was mostly written by very talented lesbian Linda Perry.) watch an early, very rough Courtney and Micko Larkin version below or listen to the polsished take here.
