I'm tickled pink to present my favorite drag queen Candy Samples' brand-new video "If I Had Only Left (Two Shots Earlier)," just up on You-tube in preparation for the gay street orgy "Southern Decadence" held in New Orleans over Labor Day weekend. Candy Samples is a regular in Astoria, Queens, performing at local bars, clubs, the Queens Pride rally, and local marriage-equality events. She performs elsewhere in New York City, and makes regular appearances down at Decadence each year. I'm proud to call her my friend, and my boyfriend Jesse has cowritten many of her songs, including this one. Both Jesse and I can be seen in this video, which is a complete hoot. The song is seventies-disco styled fun; and the video shows some qualitative growth in production values and conceptual storytelling.
Earlier Candy Samples videos have been featured here on The Cahokian: "Promise of a New Year," "Boy Crazy," and "Tap Tap." I didn't feature her very first video here, but it can be seen on Youtube, "Candy's Christmas Gift." I've been in all of them; and it's been a great experience to be a part of something so creative and fun. Watching Candy's friends and collaborators put these things together is inspiring. Candy is a real talent; a drag queen who doesn't cast shade but makes you happy.
This song also coincides with the release of her new EP, "Sample That," which can be downloaded from iTunes, Amazon and Rhapsody. Amazon also sells the CD. The EP is a lovely blend of uptempo numbers and ballads; I heartily recommend it; it's the follow up to last year's "Sample This."
Great bouncer action!
ReplyDeleteThanks Simon. Maybe there's a spot for me in the next Pauline Pantsdown video too?
ReplyDeletei don't know why i haven't begun reading this blog earlier. you seem more liberal than me, which is a pretty steep feat, so well done. in perusing the backlogs, i notice your interest in anti-american art. i'm curious: would consider yourself 'anti-american,' or are you just interested in the art, or both?
ReplyDeletealso, candy samples is fantastic. the music isn't really my cup of tea, but i love to see people having fun and being their own person. i occasionally go back and watch the ile oxumare video of her from time to time.
Hey freebones! Nice to see you over here.
ReplyDeleteWell, there's not a short answer to your question. I love my family, my friends, my city; I love the parts of our political system that promise equality and civil rights and freedoms. I'm not anti-American in the sense that I recognize most people here are just like me, we just want to live our lives in peace. But I do think that the US has done some terrible terrible things in the world (and at home). All this anti-American art is often caricaturistic and often the product of regimes I certainly would not like to live under, but I think holding up an ugly mirror to the sometimes delusional pretty image we have of our country is a really important reality check. I do aesthetically like the socialist realist style, but it's because I also like religious art and the two seem connected. I am, of course, not so foolish that I don't recognize that it contains its own delusional and manipulative character.
you are a very intelligent person. i was mostly just curious. i agree with most of that, excepting that i think it's important to remember that AMERICA is just the name we gave a nothern/southern landmass. AMERICA has never done anything. PEOPLE do things, or at least that's how i see it. and when politicians or generals abuse their power in the name of AMERICA, that's very sad. in any case, remembering the past is important, and so kudos to you. i look forward to your writings in the future.
ReplyDeletewise words freebones.
ReplyDelete