No band has waved the rainbow flag more proudly than Pansy Division. From its origins and involvement in early-’90s Bay Area punk to becoming de facto leaders of the “homocore” movement, Jon Ginoli, Chris Freeman and a rotating cast of straight and gay drummers (the band is now rounded out by drummer Luis Illades and guitarist Joel Reader) never shied away from graphic depictions of queer, bi and questioning dudes getting sweaty with each other and a variety of apparati. But as acceptance of queer culture and community has grown and the band’s members find themselves in their 40s and 50s, the topics on new album Quite Contrary have also progressed. Pansy Division will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new feature on them.
Luis Illades picked up the pink emergency phone and checked in with his closest friends and icons that Pansy Division has met along the road to check in about their experiences with the queer past and present. As well as trying to get a tip on the newest jamz.
Who was the last queer artist you collaborated with and how has their experience influenced your attitude toward your work?
I played on an album by an NYC songwriter named Derek Bishop who is at the beginning of his career. It was an open window into the vulnerability that we face as performers marginalized as “other than”s. However far queer perception has come in mainstream media, we are often having to wear our identities on our lapels whether in a demand for a seat at the table or a desire for visibility, making up for the lack thereof when we were searching for others and knowing the value of that connection or impact. Especially with a new emerging artist, we are always trying to determine “How much do I reveal?” or “Is this valuable to my work or am I pandering? Am I trying to lead by example?” There are always so many questions as to what this part of you determines the story that you tell the world. Over time, I have cared less and less to the point of not second guessing what I reveal since there is nothing secret to defend, but earlier on, everything was overanalyzed and with good reason.
Who was the first queer icon who made an impression on you?
Accidentally coming across the film The Boys In Band on broadcast television when I was in fifth grade was shocking, and like a secret world I had never seen. When my family walked in the room, I changed the channel, but I caught enough of Cliff Gorman to be aware of his grandiosity and get a sense of the camaraderie (even in tearing each other apart) that is the bond of a shared survival. I was fortunate to find this in friendships along the way later in life. I used to go to the video store and walk past the VHS tape of this movie over and over, knowing that although I couldn’t rent this movie without people knowing, at least I knew it was on the shelf and I could remember the bits of storyline I had caught in those five little minutes.
What was the last song that you listened to on repeat?
“Holy City” by Joan As Police Woman. Spiritual, sexy and fighting strong!
