Beth Ditto, the local diva currently in the process of taking over the world is loved by gay men and lesbians alike. It’s easy to see why in this just released music video with her band The Gossip, for “Men in Love.” This is no Glee field trip. This bus is rolling through the school of rock. In this ultimate party bus that rivals PDX drunken dream Bar-fly bus, Ditto drives her way through debauchery with fantastic red lipstick.
(Oh, and speaking of Ditto fashion…she’s going to grow her eyebrows back folks. You heard it here first.)
Portland-based Punk singer Beth Ditto has copped the top spot on a website set out to rank the “most shocking magazine covers ever” with her naked photoshoot for the UK’s NME back in 2007.
In case you have been living in a cloud of volcanic ash, like most of Europe is currently, here a reminder.
Many of us have been traumatized by the year 2009, and we are happy to leave the aughts behind in favor of a brand new decade. And this is probably why it has taken me so long to will myself to look back at the good times. So now, in the slow news months of late winter I am finally getting around to profiling some of last year’s best music, movies, and television.
First up, the Top 5 Gay Albums of 2009. Stay tuned for some of the last decade’s bests towards the end of the month.
Local blogger Byron Beck put the word out this morning that tomorrow’s undercover dance party and Yummy Fur, Pie Ghosts, Asss show at Mississippi Studios (3939 N Mississippi Ave) will feature local sensations The Gossip in addition to the announced lineup.
Surely this news will overshadow the Glaswegian art-rock cult combo and send tickets flying, but the $5 show was already an interesting bargain. If they are good friends […]
The excitement was palpable when Southerners turned Portlanders The Gossip started to really make it big with their last release Standing in the Way of Control. It’s hard to believe that was three years ago. In the interim frontwoman Beth Dittohas become a spokeswoman for chub love and queer rights and culture, appeared naked on the cover of two magazines, started her own plus-size clothing line, and in general burst onto the international stage as a powerful, innovative and inspirational rock goddess.
With this year’s release of Music for Men there is no doubt that the world is has heard the bold and beautiful voice of Ditto and is responding in a big way. Saturday they bring the sound home for those of us who have been appreciating the no-nonsense flamboyancy for a decade.
We all thought they blew up with the last album but yesterday’s release of “Music for Men” has really propelled The Gossip into the spotlight. I even heard them in a club in Mexico. And in case you missed it last night here they are performing “Heavy Cross” on Jimmy Kimmel.
I’m not exactly sure what balloon-headed, unitard-wearing, rollerskating has to do with love, but the video for the Gossip’s most recent release “Love Long Distance” (from the brand-spanking new album Music for Men) is charming and wonderful nevertheless. It’s worth watching for the keytar alone, but really the animated floating heads of Beth Ditto, Brace Payne and Hannah Blillie are ridiculously cute.
Beth Ditto, the local diva currently in the process of taking over the world is loved by gay men and lesbians alike. It’s easy to see why in this just released music video with her band The Gossip, for “Men in Love.” This is no Glee field trip. This bus is rolling through the school of rock. In this ultimate party bus that rivals PDX drunken dream Bar-fly bus, Ditto drives her way through debauchery with fantastic red lipstick.
