Happy Halloween! Free spooooky mixes

Crosspost from Shallow Rave.

Yes, its that time of year again, when darkness spreads across the land and the midnight hour is close at hand, etc etc. Due to the venue we had hired going out of business, we have been forced to cancel this years Rock'n'Shock festivities, which is a shame, but there's lots of other options for Samhain revelling (personally I highly recommend the Cry Parrot Art School party with Gary War, Ben Butler & Ultimate Thrush, and the return of Optimo Espookio). To get you in the mood, here are some free spookilicious download-able mixes.

The first two are from our own Menergy gang. We made these mixes back in May to promote the Italo Horror Party, but they seem more relevant at this time of year. Mine is a comp of all your favourite disco versions of horror themes while KZ's is a more brooding, modern take on John Carpenter atmospherics. But with some gay disco thrown in for good measure.



Halloween II - John Carpenter
Cannibal Ferox - Fabio Frizzi
Zombi - Goblin
Amityville Frenzy - Lalo Schiffrin
Prom Night Theme - Zaza & Zitter
Phantasm - Captain Zorro
Phantasmagoria / Silver Sphere Disco - Fred Myrow & Malcolm Seagrave
NYC Theme - Budy-Maglione
Demons (Disco Beard Edit) - Claudio Simonetti
Friday The 13th Part III - Manfredini & Zager
Lust - Rinder & Lewis
Doin' It In A Haunted House - Yvonne Cage
Disco Blood - The Vamps
Soul Dracula - Hot Blood

THE NIALLIST Disco Argento Mix by Menergy Mixes



Actress- Paint Straw and Bubbles
Tobe Hooker- Haddonfield Fear Factory
Mr Pauli- The Crunch
Black Devil Disco Club- Timing, Forget The Timing
Pat Hodges- Fly By Night
Telespazio – Galileo – Rodion Mix
Goblin- Tenebre
Lory D – Bank Robbery
Bunker 2 – Dark Side of The Moon
Gique- Fulci's Rotting Children
Patrick Cowley – They Came At Night
Ajello and Daniele Baldelli – Cosmogony
The Immortals- Ultimate Warlord
Goblin- Suspira
Solenoid- Suspiriosm
Porn Darstellar- Holocaust

KID ZIPPER Cannibal Italocaust Mix by Menergy Mixes

Next up we have a special festive mix from our chums at the disco/house blog Feel My Bicep. The whole thing is three hours long and available from their website. There are loads of great tracks up on the to download too, so get over there and get clickin'.



There's no tracklist for this yet.

HORROR MIXTAPE by Bicep

And finally here's an epic four hour mix from the producer Frenchbloke. Put together for a friend of his who had only just discovered Cabaret Voltaire, it features lots of cold-wave and minimal electronics form the early 80's. This is not specifially Halloween themed, but it is great, and some of these tunes are deliciously creepy!



xeno & oaklander - saracen
psychic youth - the future is now
ciaran harte - love is strange
deux - felicita
nightmoves - transdance (uk disco mix)
fad gadget - the box
the eurythmics - take me to your heart
metal urbain - panik
robert rental - a.c.c
rude 666 - the 1000 year storm
palais schaumburg - telefon
victrola - maritime tatami
rema rema - instrumental
the normal - warm leatherette (mathew stone remix)
cabaret voltaire - seconds too late
das boomerang - suzanne
oppenheimer analysis - the devil's dancers
futurisk - poison ivy
missing scientists - big city, bright lights
hiroshima chair - tu
eddie and sunshine - lines
moderne - indicatif
dark day - no, nothing, never
gorilla aktiv - spiegelbild
monte cazazza - kick that habit man
the passage - xoyo
ami marie - spiel mit mir
our daughters wedding - lawnchairs (dance club version)
daf - kebabtraume
blah blah blah - in the army
john bender - 06-27b4 (rainy day sunshine girl)
martin rev - mari
conrad schnitzler - auf dem schwarzen kanal
severed heads - adolf a carrot
emak - tanz in den himmel
soft cell - bleak is my favourite cliche
der plan - rot grun rot
the gist - iambic pentameter
yello - there is no reason
bourbonese qualk - lies
das kabinette - the cabinet
die krupps - goldfinger
klinik - moving hands
hula - poison (club mix)
chris and cosey - october (love song)
he said - a.b.c.dicks love
neon - lobotomy
portion control - go talk
john foxx - 20th century
front 242 - operating tracks
i start counting - my translucent hands
kas product - loony bin
spk - metal field
silicon teens - sun flight
dorothy - i confess
hard corps - je suis passee
daniel miller & boyd rice - cleanliness to order
malaria! - tod
holger hiller- jonny (du lump)
heaven 17 - i'm your money
voice farm - sleep
die doraus und die marinas - fred vom jupiter

The re-education of cartelmike by frenchbloke

Menergy Anthem: "Fly By Night" by Pat Hodges

A Kid Zipper favourite, from the late 70's vampire-disco-comedy Love At First Bite. I found a copy for 50p on the Isle or Wight - win!

Ball Culture

Since ball culture is somewhat of an alien concept here in Scotland, I thought it best we give you all a bit of an insight before THE FIERCE RULING DIVAS BALL on Nov 13th!

Ball culture, the house system, the ballroom community and similar terms describe the underground LGBT subculture in the United States in which people "walk" (i.e. compete) for trophies and prizes at events known as balls. Those who walk often also dance and vogue while others compete in various genres of drag often trying to pass as a specific gender and social class. Most people involved with ball culture belong to "houses" led by a single leader.


"Houses", also called "drag houses" or "drag families", are groups composed primarily of transgender people, the majority of which are African American or Latino, banded together under a respected "house mother" (sometimes a drag queen or a transgender person, but not always) or even a "house father".

The best known houses are New York City groups, especially those such as the House of Corey, the House of LaBeija, the House of Ninja, the House of Pendavis, the House of Garavani and House of Xtravaganza that were shown in the 1990 documentary film Paris Is Burning. Other houses function similarly in many United States but mainly focused in major cities on the East Coast, in the Midwest and South (i.e. House Of Infiniti , House of Mizrahi, House of Aviance, etc.)

According to the Village Voice:

...houses are loose-knit, typically same sex, confederacies of "children" who adopt a family name, usually swiped from a fashion designer, and adhere to rules set up by a presiding "mother" and "father."

Members of the house led by Willi Ninja, for example, adopt "Ninja" as their surname within ball culture, members of the house led by Anji Xtravaganza used the surname "Xtravaganza" and members of the house led by Avis Pendavis used the surname Pendavis such as Deborah, Kim, and Freddy and so on.

One theme discussed in Paris Is Burning is that people of color, queers, and poor people face certain disadvantages and are each a marginalized group; to qualify as all three makes one a pariah. In response, drag houses are:

...a whole new way of living, one that's highly structured and self-protective. The structure consists of system of houses where the young men function as apprentices. Reflecting a minority coping with hatred, the houses are associations of friends, presided over by a "mother," [...] that provide a substitute for biological families.

Under the house parents are:

...a big raucous band of "children": drag queens, butch queens, transsexuals - mostly MTF but some FTM, a few non-trans girls and one or two straight guys. The smattering of girls and straight guys notwithstanding, the houses are, essentially, cabals of young black and Hispanic men obsessed with being fashionable and fabulous.

House parents can provide wisdom, guidance and care for young people who otherwise might be homeless and without a parental figure. An exploratory study of two houses in Newark, New Jersey employed qualitative research methods including participant observation and in-depth interviewing to discern that:

Strategies employed by "house parents" have had an impact on the choices made by children of the houses regarding HIV risk behaviors. These strategies can be adapted for use by well-established community-based HIV prevention programs when they are comprised of staff who mirror the characteristics of "house parents" and engage in relationships that parallel this alternative family structure.

Competition

Besides providing a support system for its members, the main function of these houses is to "walk" or compete against one another in "balls" in which they are judged on dance skills, costume, general appearance, and attitude. Participants dress according to category in which they are competing and are expected to display appropriate "realness".
Dominated today by contemporary hip hop fashion and featuring much hip hop music, these events are actually part of a vivacious and ever-changing culture and are:

...a tradition dating back to the 19th century and going strong into the 21st. Balls continue to be held at bars or Masonic halls or other improbable venues. Across the country and throughout the five boroughs legends are still being born.

While these competitive walks may involve crossdressing, in other cases the goal is to accentuate a male participant's masculinity or a female participant's femininity so as to give the (almost always false) impression that the walker is heterosexual.

Taken from Wikipedia.

Fierce Ruling Divas Ball - Tickets Now ON SALE!

Tickets for Menergy's Fierce Ruling Divas Ball - our first birthday party - are now on sale at Tickets Scotland, Hellfire, Rub-A-Dub and the MarCHE @ Che Camille. Go get 'em!
x

Fierce Ruling Divas Ball - Entry Form

If you're thinking of catwalking in the Fierce Ruling Divas Ball then please take a minute to fill in your details and submit them on this form.
Thanks!

Lady Munter ranked in Attitude Mag list!

Our own Lady Munter is ranked among the 66 most influential gay people in the UK in this months Attitude mag! GO GIRL!

Fierce Ruling Divas Ball - NEW VENUE!

We can finally reveal that the new venue for Menergy's FIERCE RULING DIVAS BALL will be Che Camille @ The Barras Centre!



For those of you who have yet to be acquainted with Glasgow's latest hip and happening creative hub, check it here:

http://stylescanner.blogspot.com/2010/10/obscure-couture-fashion-show.html

For a map reference, check here:


View Larger Map

ALSO, we have some very exciting news in that professional make-up brand ILLAMASQUA are going to be sponsoring the event, which means prizes and make-up artists on-hand throughout the night to touch up your macquillage or give you a whole new look!

BRING IT!

Happy Birthday Divine!

Today would have been the birthday of Harris Glenn Milstead aka the one and only DIVINE!! She would have been 65 today - I wonder if that meant Harris would have been hanging up those heels for good? Happy birthday gurl wherever you are... xxx



Thx to Bear Magazine for the tip off!

Obscure Couture

Last night I attended the Obscure Couture launch party at The Barras Centre; a great alternative space and new home to our friends at Che Camille. The clothes were great and very wearable, with lots of leather, lace, lamé and bodycon silhouettes. A lot of effort went into the collection and insider info tells me that they were still putting it together at 7am the morning of the launch! Now that's dedication. I was even recruited last minute to help apply fake tattoos to the models, which I was more than happy to. After all, I do LOVE branding...
Check them out at The Barras Centre, Glasgow and online at www.obscure-couture.com.

Menergy FIERCE RULING DIVAS BALL

IT'S ON!!



More details to be announced very soon...

Check the Facebook event page...

And...

BRING IT!

Qaadir Howard aka Timaya

I know nothing about Timaya except that she is FIERCE! I discovered these vids last night randomly on Youtube and now I'm hooked. The music is like a more way-out-the-closet version of Cajmere or something. With a minimalist, Afro-centric feel. You can buy the music on iTunes, the artist name is Qaadir Howard.



This is the first video I found, after searching the term "throwing shade".



I really wanna work with Qaadir!!

Halloween = Cancelled

Bad news peeps, but due to the sudden closure of the venue we've had to cancel our Halloween event. :-(

Still, plans are afoot to find a replacement venue for our first birthday Divas Ball. Watch this space...

More Divine David

Here's another post that's just for Peaches Christ - some clips of Brit drag legend Divine David, from the self-titled late 90's Channel 4 series. David is still working in London and Manchester (he's dropped the Divine and is now just David Hoyle), if you ever get the chance to check her out then do, she's excellent.

Christeene [NSFW]

After a tip-off from Peaches Christ I have been checking out the videos of US alt-drag sensation Christeene. This is like so wrong it is right. In fact, it goes beyond concepts of wrong and right, it goes waaay beyond concepts of puny human morality. And it is TOTALLY NOT SAFE FOR WORK.

She has four videos in general circulation at the moment, and I am gonna post them all cos they are excellent. I'll break you guys in gently - here's the vid for "Fix My Dick":

CHRISTEENE- "Fix My Dick" Music Video - watch more funny videos

Here is the R&B slowjam "Tears From My Pussy".

CHRISTEENE "Tears From My Pussy" Music Video - watch more funny videos

Here's the ridiculously rude "Bustin' Brown" - guess what it's about?

CHRISTEENE "Bustin' Brown" music video (HD) - watch more funny videos

This is my favourite, the dub-steppy "Slowly/Easy":

CHRISTEENE "slowly/easy" music video (HD) - watch more funny videos

Christeene's debut EP "Soldier of Pleasure" is available to buy now from her website, and for more info check out this interview.

Today Is...

Happy Coming Out Day everybody! And remember - it DOES get better xx

Jake Shears "It Gets Better"

HOT MESS "In Your Face" Mix by Simonotron

HOT MESS resident DJ bot Simonotron has sent us a new mix to share with all you lovely people! Featuring a very tasty bunch of coconuts, you can download the mix from HERE.

Tracklist:
Science 2012 - Clock Keeps Turning
De Lacy - Hideaway (Deep Dish remix)
Prince - Controversy (Purple mix)
Vernon Burch - Get Up
Azoto - San Salvador (Acid edit)
Street Corner Symphony - Symphonic Tonic
Mount Rushmore - You Better
Editechnique - Dirty Kissing
Fun Boy Three - Our Lips Are Sealed (re-edit)

And remember Hot Mess is TOMORROW - if you are in the Edinburgh area we INSIST you head down to the Wee Red Bar to experience the thrills and spills. And maybe make a little Hot Mess of your own...

Tonight!

With Vanity Von Glow! Dare you take the challenge?

MegaLOL

I can't stop watching this - I lose my shit every time!

HOT MESS this Friday!

Well, it looks like the tidal wave of Gay Dance Parties is spreading throughout the land like a virus. Next city to succumb is our neighbour Edinburgh.

This Friday sees the launch of a new night at the Wee Red Bar, called "Hot Mess" hosted by our friend Simonotron (Club For Heroes/Devil Disco Club). When asked for the inspiration behind the night, Simon had this to say:

"For a long time, gay clubs seem to have become confused by the playground definition of 'gay' and consequently put on club nights that are lame and a bit rubbish, like fake Adidas trainers from Poundstretchers. Thankfully a few club nights like HMD, Menergy and LUYD are turning things around by putting on gay parties where top-quality DJing and a sense of irreverent fun go together to create something wonderful."

Name dropping us? Thank you Darling! The soundtrack to Hot Mess will be a mix up of disco, house, Hi-NRG, Italo and acid, while we are also promised that:
"The sounds will be accompanied by the HOT MESS non-stop video show, featuring x-rated space-cadets, bulging y-fronts, day-glo leotards and more moustaches than you’ve ever dreamed of. With all this going on you can expect lot...s of big smiles and plenty of hands in the air (maybe a few down your pants, too)."

Sounds like a great party to us! So if you are in Edinburgh get down tonight, and if you want more info check the Facebook event page.

It Gets Better

Here's a new campaign that's been started by US sex advice columnist Dan Savage called "It Gets Better". It aims to tackle REAL teenage suicide (no seriously, don't do it) by LGBT kids, by proving to them that life after high school does get better, in a series of testimonial clips by older members of the gay community. Savage has opened up the floor to anyone who wants to make a clip, all will be linked/posted on Youtube. Just turn on the camera and tell people why you think life as a queer person gets better after school. What an amazing idea! I can't wait to see the submissions, I reckon some of them are gonna be fierce - we here at Menergy might even be tempted to record some. I mean, who doesn't like showing off for the camera? And if it helps end situations like this, then all the better.

More info on It Gets Better in the Savage Love column here: http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=4940874

Awww...

Peaches Christ pres "All About Evil" TOMORROW NIGHT

There's a very special event happening tomorrow night here in Manchester. San Francisco drag legend Peaches Christ is debuting her film "All About Evil" at a very special one-off midnight screening at the Cornerhouse cinema. There is going to be a drag show before the film, a "Gore Couture" beauty contest, songs, dance, love, laughter, blood, death, AND we hear that some concerned community groups are planning to picket the screening! Rip them to shreds, I say.



Tickets are almost gone for this horror spooktacular, so if you do fancy it, be sure to get down early. The film itself is fast gaining a cult reputation, and stars some serious legends like Mink Stole, Natasha Lyonne, Cassandra Peterson (aka Elvira Mistress of the Dark), Patrick Bristow (from Showgirls/Austin Powers) and more. It'll be VERY. Here's the Facebook event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=121933004524904&ref=ts.
And here's some more of Peaches in action, in "Children of the Popcorn", where we get to see inside her very special factory of fear(ce):



And as if THAT wasn't enough, Peaches also hosts a midnight-movie screening series called "Midnight Mass", at which each film is accompanied by a corresponding drag show and audience participation is heartily encouraged. You will be delighted to know that they have shown Heathers, but the big show each year, which attracts up to 1500 people (some in costume, some in very little) is none other than Menergy's other favourite film Showgirls!! FEROCHE! There are plans afoot to get a convoy from the UK over to next year's screening. If you need some convincing, here's a report on this year's "Night Of 1000 Showgirls" by the delightful Lady Bear:



There's much more fun, including some great film reviews, behind the scenes action and John Waters over on the Peaches Christ Youtube channel.