Antony & the Johnsons vs. George W. Bush
I had a bizarre dream last night. As usual, I can’t recall many of the details, but I remember that it involved George W. Bush, the U.S. military, and Antony & The Johnsons. Apparently Bush had just pushed through some new draconian anti-gay measure (imagine that!) which forbade citizens from sending any material deemed “pro-homosexual” (books, music, etc.) to a member of the Armed Forces. The shit hit the fan when I mailed a copy of the latest Antony & The Johnsons record to someone I knew in the Army, culminating in a showdown between Antony and Dubya, with me stuck in the middle. Now that’s one match I’d like to see! The rest is lost in a fog of REM, but it was one helluva vivid dream. I only thank God that militarystud Jeff Gannon/James Guckert and his giant cock didn’t make an appearance!
Antony & The Johnsons have been around for a number of years now, having issued their first album on David Tibet’s World Serpent label back in 2000, but have largely flown under the radar until recently. But with the release of I Am a Bird Now on Secretly Canadian, the Johnsons and their androgynous frontman figure to see their popularity skyrocket.
Featuring guest appearances from the likes of Lou Reed, Devendra Banhart, Rufus Wainwright, and Boy George, the record is an exquisite gem of astonishing beauty and quite unlike anything I’ve ever heard. It embodies a fair amount of cabaret and camp, yet above all it feels emotionally honest, tender, vulnerable, and seductive. And there’s no denying that Voice. Love it or hate it—and I’ve met folks from both camps— there’s no denying that Voice.
Listen for yourself. And there’s loads of information to be found here.
From I Am a Bird Now:
Antony & The Johnsons – Hope There’s Someone
From the self-titled debut:
Antony & The Johnsons – River of Sorrow
Antony & The Johnsons – Cripple and the Starfish
Others:
Antony & The Johnsons – Frankenstein
Antony & The Johnsons – Boy (excerpt)
Mad props to Secretly Canadian. That label has really come into its own in the last year or so.
N/P Jay Farrar – Stone, Steel & Bright Lights
Antony & The Johnsons have been around for a number of years now, having issued their first album on David Tibet’s World Serpent label back in 2000, but have largely flown under the radar until recently. But with the release of I Am a Bird Now on Secretly Canadian, the Johnsons and their androgynous frontman figure to see their popularity skyrocket.
Featuring guest appearances from the likes of Lou Reed, Devendra Banhart, Rufus Wainwright, and Boy George, the record is an exquisite gem of astonishing beauty and quite unlike anything I’ve ever heard. It embodies a fair amount of cabaret and camp, yet above all it feels emotionally honest, tender, vulnerable, and seductive. And there’s no denying that Voice. Love it or hate it—and I’ve met folks from both camps— there’s no denying that Voice.
Listen for yourself. And there’s loads of information to be found here.
From I Am a Bird Now:
From the self-titled debut:
Others:
Mad props to Secretly Canadian. That label has really come into its own in the last year or so.
N/P Jay Farrar – Stone, Steel & Bright Lights
posted by Jonathan Wright at 12:04 PM EMAIL POST
