Amusing the Muses

“For the Love Of” (Pride 2023)
Tomorrow’s Man - Music and voices
Amy Ketchum - Wonderful additional vocals #amyketchum

I gave myself six weeks to cover a Pride themed song that had inspired me; I’m happy to say there were far too many. I decided to choose at least one from each decade of my life to date, resulting in these naïve interpretations of tracks from The Buzzcocks (1970s); Visage (1980s); Blur (1990s); Franz Ferdinand, Fatboy Slim and Macy Gray, and Scissor Sisters (2000s); Goldfrapp, Perfume Genius (2010s); and Arlo Parks (2020s).

Additionally, I sampled songs by Luciano Berio and Cathy Berberian, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Janelle Monáe and Erykah Badu, Portishead, Prince, RuPaul, and The Stooges.

This became an effort to unite and combine the musical influences that have inspired me over the decades to embrace my own diversity and that of all others, in the spirit of love, the spirit of tolerance, the spirit of compassion, and the spirit of Pride.


Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've?) [The Buzzcocks, 1978] 
Bisexual lead singer and guitarist Pete Shelley revealed that this song was about his feelings for a male friend. Shelley fell in love with the man when the pair was living together, and expressed his longing the best way he knew how.

“Ever Fallen In Love…” contains a sample of “Dirt” by Depeche Mode, c.2001; and “Dirt” by The Stooges, c.1970.

The Anvil (Night Club School) [Visage, 1982] 
Visage's album The Anvil was named after a gay New York nightclub, and this song sets out to capture the atmosphere of gay culture at that time.

“The Anvil…” contains a sample of “Visage” by Luciano Berio and Cathy Berberian, c.2012.

Girls and Boys [Blur, 1994] 
Bisexual forums hail this song as a classic about bisexual fun or experimentation on holidays; transgender forums praise the song for its flexible, fluid depiction of gender roles in sex acts.  In any context this is a song about freedom of sexual preference and expression.

Filthy/Gorgeous [Scissor Sisters, 2003] 
The band took their name from the lesbian sex act (obviously). A previous S’Sisters song, "Take Your Mama," is about frontman Jake Shears' coming out to his mother as gay and trying to explain to her what it's all about; “Filthy/Gorgeous” is about the gay kink/fetish club scene at the time.

“Filthy Girls and Gorgeous Boys” contains a sample of “Fashion” by David Bowie, c.1980; “Girls and Boys” by Prince, c.1986; and “Sissy that Walk” by RuPaul, c.2014.

Michael [Franz Ferdinand, 2004] 
A simple song about a guy in a club who is attracted to another guy who is a good dancer, who coincidentally shares his name with that of my first male partner and who remains a dear, irreplaceable friend.  This one’s for MyKill.

“MyKill” contains a sample of “Glory Box” by Portishead, c.1994.

Annabel [Goldfrapp, 2013] 
Alison Goldfrapp's ode to the main character of Kathleen Winter's 2010 novel Annabel, about a cis-male intersex child who is forcibly raised as a boy while dreaming of being a girl.

Queen [Perfume Genius, 2014] 
Not much to say about this one other than it is cheeky, searing, and rocks, and I just really wanted any reason to sashay into that incredible bridge.

“Queen” contains a sample of “Q.U.E.E.N.” by Janelle Monáe and Erykah Badu, c.2013.

Green Eyes [Arlo Parks, 2020] 
A melancholy reflection on a gay relationship ended by the ignorance of social pressure, yet tries to be optimistic.  I love this song, but realized I did not want to pump my fists (and hips) for this long then end the album on a melancholy note, so I built in a segue to…

Demons [Macy Gray w/ Fatboy Slim, 2000] 
After watching the “Demons” episode of the show Sense8 by the Wachowskis, this song can never mean anything to me but gender positivity, sex positivity, acceptance, inclusiveness…every point I’m hoping I’ve echoed over the course of this set.

“Green Eyes and Demons” contains an excerpt from the Sense8 episode, 'I Am Also a We,' c.2015.

For the Love Of - Pride 2023

Sexy Pride Time!

With @amyketchum, a loving tribute to one of the most sensually evocative songs ever written.

ANApfORA - So Alive

White (Trash) Wedding

From the Tomorrow's Man forthcoming Pride-themed covers album, "For the Love of" June 2023. 

Cover version of the Buzzcocks "Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've?)."

Bisexual lead singer and guitarist Pete Shelley revealed that this song was about his feelings for a male friend.  Shelley fell in love with the man when the pair was living together, and expressed his longing the best way he knew how, through his music.

Contains a sample of “Dirt” by Depeche Mode, c.2001. 
Contains a sample of “Dirt” by The Stooges, c.1970.

For the Love of

Ever Fallen In Love

Cover version of The Anvil (Night Club School) by Visage, c.1982.
Co-Vocals: Amy Ketchum https://soundcloud.com/amyketchum

"The Anvil" was named after a gay New York nightclub, and this song sets out to capture the atmosphere of gay culture at that time.  Musically, the new wave goth pop of the original had a strong undercurrent of proto-industrialism, which has been fully realized for this cover version.

Contains a sample of “Visage” by Luciano Berio and Cathy Berberian, c.2012.

For the Love Of

The Anvil (Night Club School)

BIG PROPS TO THE BAMD AND THE AUDIENCE 2NITE, KILLED IT AT PRIDE @2023!!!  THANKX TO ALL FOR COMING OUT! HERE'S JUST A BIT OF ALL YOUX SWEATING YRSELFS INTO A JELLY OVR SOME CLASSICS COVERS WE GRINDED TOGETHA INB THE SPIRIT OF PRIDE, LOVE 2 U ALL!!!!

“Filthy Girls and Gorgeous Boys” contains samples of “Girls and Boys” by Prince, c.1986; and “Sissy that Walk” by RuPaul, c.2014.

Filthy Girls And Gorgeous Boys (Live @PRIDE 2023)

Cover version of Michael by Franz Ferdinand c.2004

From the Tomorrow's Man Pride-themed album "for the Love Of" coming out June 2023.

Video: https://youtu.be/rYFyCcCzTQI

A song about a guy in a club who is attracted to another guy who is a good dancer; but also who is the coincidental namesake of one of my dearest, most irreplaceable partners.

MyKill

Cover version of Annabel by Goldfrapp, c.2013, and Queen by Perfume Genius, c.2014.

Annabel:
Lead Vocals: Amy Ketchum #amyketchum
Alison Goldfrapp's ode to the main character of Kathleen Winter's 2010 novel Annabel, about a cis-male intersex child who is forcibly raised as a boy while dreaming of being a girl.

Queen:
One of the most wonderfully cheeky, biting, searing, rocking, queer songs out there.  Contains a sample of “Q.U.E.E.N.” by Janelle Monáe and Erykah Badu, c.2013.

For the Love Of (Pride 2023)

Annabel Queen

Cover of "Green Eyes" by Arlo Parks, c.2020 and "Demons" by Fatboy Slim featuring Macy Gray, c.2000. 

Green Eyes:
A melancholy reflection on a gay relationship ended by the ignorance of social pressure, yet tries to be optimistic.  I love this song, but realized I did not want to close the album on this note; thus, the segue to…

Demons:
After watching the “Demons” episode of the show Sense8 by the Wachowskis, this song can never mean anything but gender positivity, sex positivity, acceptance, inclusiveness…every point I’m hoping has been echoed on this album. 

“Green Eyes and Demons” contains an excerpt from the Sense8 episode, I Am Also a We, c.2015.

Happy Pride 2023.

Green Eyes And Demons

Cover version of the classic by my eternal fellow Bostonians.

Written by Thomas Hamilton & Steven Tyler. (C) Music of Stage Three.

Sweet Emotion

From the forthcoming album "Amusing the Muses."
#DonaldTrumpMightMurderMe
Music and Lyrics © 1981 A&M Records, Inc. 

Music by Stewart Copeland (Illegal Music, Inc. (BMI))
Lyrics by Sting (Chappell Music Co. (ASCAP))

He goes out at night with his big boots on
None of his friends know right from wrong
Beat a boy to death 'cause he don't belong
You've got to humanize yourself

A policeman put on his uniform
He got to have a gun just to keep him warm
Because violence here is a social norm
You've got to humanize yourself

Re-humanize yourself

I work all day at the factory
I'm building a machine that's not for me
There must be a reason that I can't see
You've got to humanize yourself

Billy's joined the National Front
He always was a little runt
He's got his hand in the air with the other cunts
You've got to humanize yourself

Re-humanize yourself

I work all day at the factory
I'm building a machine that's not for me
There must be a reason that I can't see
I got to humanize myself

Policeman put on his uniform
He got to have a gun just to keep him warm
Because violence here is a social norm
You've got to humanize yourself

Rehumanize Yourself (American Mix)

From the forthcoming Tomorrow's Man album, "Amusing the Muses."

#TrumpResignNow

For What It's Worth

Tenebre

No idea how this got recorded; the BAL of the room was well into the flammable by the time we even began.  Welcome to some archived curiosity.

BAL 0.13 - Precious Things (I - IV)

BAL 0.04 - Outline Of The Outlaw (Intro)

Unrelenting pretense, live at the Inferno, Madison, Wisconsin, March 2000.

Never Angel

Diatribe

All the Beds

Love Lies with Dirty Claws Like a Hungry Beast in Waiting

Live Interview on WORT, Madison, Wisconsin, New Year's Day 2004.  Frankly, not much has changed.

Cover photography by Chantale Arsenault, Montreal, Canada.

Websites, Exeunt

Small Pebble, Big Ripples

A Bastard's Honesty

I Am Tyler Durden

Fire

c. 1969 Creedence Clearwater Revival; lyrics by John Fogerty.

#TrumpResignNow

Fortunate Son

2016 recording of the Sylvia Plath poem, "Mad Girl's Love Song," produced, arranged, vox by Tomorrow's Man. 

Avatar photography by Tomorrow's Man.

Mad Girls Love Song (a capella)

Q:  What does a track recorded in two hours sound like?  
A:  A track recorded in two hours.

Screw it, it's New Year's Eve.  Cheers to Tomorrow's Man, the Ed Wood of sultry music.

Wishing Well

Inspired by 17 years of being called queer, faggot, etc. before finally moving out of my family home; by the Wachowskis; by Walt Whitman; by my blush crush on Jamie Clayton; and by those of the Fifth Epiphany -- the Family of Friends I've embraced since realizing the world is so much greater and grander when irrational fear and intolerance are dissipated like so much echo on the wind.

For more about the Eleven Epiphanies:  https://www.amazon.com/Eleven-Epiphanies-Christopher-Albanese-ebook/dp/B0087OXYO0/

Original composition by U2; arrangement by Tomorrow's Man.

Contains samples of:
Sense8, "Nomi's Pride speech"
President Barack Obama, "2016 LGBT Pride Month Speech"
Walt Whitman, "Song of Myself" (courtesy Eric Forsythe and the Walt Whitman Archive)

Cover painting/sculpture/photo/graffiti by Tomorrow's Man.

Love (in the Name of Pride)

Live cover of the 80s infectiously MOR-goth-pop hit by Gino Vannelli.

Black Cars

When it's somewhere between 0 and 20 degrees and I'm in tatters and shorts, this is the occurrence to expect.  Without doubt and to the surprise of no one, while in Wales I'd planned to record myself reading something for a Road Tone that is arguably the most historically famous villanelle in [Goth] history; though the "arguably" 1st/2nd goes to Sylvia Plath [if you don't know by now to what I'm referring you already gave up on art and life], this is 1st/2nd as well/also.

Do Not Go Gentle (Drunken South Irish Sea Into the Sober Wind)

Annual Tomorrow's Man Pride song, this one an old favorite.  Enjoy, peace, cheers, be well, be free, take Pride.

I Feel Love

The Look

Twist with Tomorrow's Man and me.

Tomorrow's Man is a mostly deaf sound designer/music producer working around the world with a goal of reaching 1,000 tracks covering as many genres as possible before utter silence sweeps in.

Cheers.

Tomorrow's Man

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