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."
