V-Rag Magazine #50 - October 2013 by V-Rag Magazine

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06 One of Andy Warhol's most famous Superstars, we got to catch up with living legend and immortalized sex symbol Joe Dallesandro.

10 Usually I take this time to go over a preview of the issue you're about to read, but this month I thought I'd take a bit of a different tactic. This month I'd like to look back. You see, October marks the 50th issue of V-Rag Magazine and what better month than this to give thanks to all our readers, collaborators, hard-working writers and advertisers... Without all of you, V-Rag could never have made it to 50 fabulous magazines. That's over 2,000 pages of Vancouver-based LGBTQ music, film, art, culture and events since June 2009. So to whomever is reading this now, thanks for your support, we love continuing to bring you more! V Editor & Art Director Cole Johnston â&#x20AC;˘ cole@v-rag.com

Editorial staff

Art & Photography

Paul Donovan Jason Goodwin Joan-E Cole Johnston Mumbles Matt Nagle Velvet Steele Michael Venus East Van Graphics

Maya Bankovic Bavo Defurne Kris Dewitte Matthew Fessenden Cole Johnston Julie Maroh Paul Morrissey SixthSpence Photography Colin Smith Vancouver Film Festival

Publisher

Cover Photo by

Cole Johnston Design

Bavo Defurne

Printed by

Copy deadline for the November issue is Oct. 30. Ad space is available until Oct. 29 and can be booked by calling 604-831-8179 or emailing cole@v-rag. com. Our rates are available upon request. V-Rag welcomes submissions but accepts no responsibility for the return of unsolicited materials.

V-Rag Magazine 2626 Fir Street, Box 103 Vancouver B.C. V6J 3B9 V-Rag is printed monthly by Cole Johnston Design. No part of this may be reproduced in any form by any means without prior written consent from the publisher. All content ÂŠ 2013 Cole Johnston Design.

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The Vancouver International Film Festival has even more LQBTQ films this year than ever, and we'll pick our favourites!

18 He may not be from North Sea Texas, but cult European gay director Bavo Defurne has taken North America cinema by storm.

20 Julie Maroh is the writer and illustrator of the most talked about graphic novel since The Watchmen. Except this comic is about lesbian love.

22 Rae Spoon's longtime collaborator, friend, and director of the new documentary My Prairie Home, Chelsea McMullan talks about her muse.

24 As V-Rag hits its 50th issue, the House of Venus celebrates 20 Years! Guess we're pretty young after all, hey Michael?

28 Films G.B.F. and Interior. Leather Bar. get reviewed, as well as Music from Basement Jaxx, Moby, and Defected Records.

30 Sometimes you just gotta do right, and our fabulour drag mother (or is it auntie?) Joan-E's Rag gives us some serious food for thought.

photos by paul morrissey

by Michael Venus

ne of the 10 most beautiful men Francesco Scavullo said he ever photographed. The "Little Joe" of Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side". The Valentino of the Underground. The crotch on the Sticky Fingers album cover. The only guy at the party willing to return a punch from Norman Mailer. The actor whose performance made George Cukor understand what it meant to be a drug addict. The beauty wily enough to catch a fainting Tennessee Williams and then get out of the hotel bedroom while the going was good. Joe Dallesandro (born Joseph Angelo D'Allesandro III) is most famous for being a superstar... An Andy Warhol Superstar, appearing in seminal Paul Morrissey films such as Flesh for Frankenstein, Blood for Dracula, Flesh, Heat, and Trash (the latter hailed as the Rolling Stone's Best Film of 1970). To this day, Dallesandro is considered to be the most famous male sex symbol of American underground films of the 20th century, embodying the counter culture and gay aesthetic of the late '60s and early '70s. He was there for the sexual revolution, the star of the youth culture and subculture revolts, and the pin-up boy of the Warhol era. We have the ultimate fan's pleasure of chatting with this cult icon and living legend about his inspirations, memories and dreams for the future. What's been keeping Joe Dallesandro busy?

I'm busy running a hotel in Hollywood. I take the time to help both young and older individuals deal with life's funny curve balls. I've had a few, so I know a thing or two about good ways and not so good ways to deal with problems. I've done both in my life. I'm also easing into that next phase of life where you change more physically (and mentally according to my wife), and I'm enjoying just being me, slowing down and taking my time more now. I'm involved in a few things that will be fantastic if they happen. But mainly I try my best to stay stress free. It hurts to stress out as you age. You'll find out. You're known for your film work with Paul Morrissey and contributions with the Andy Warhol Group. What's it like being part of such a legendary and iconic history of film?

I just am me. I don't absorb any of that information. Paul Morrissey gave me great advice when I first started with the Warhol Group: "If you believe the good stuff, then you have to believe the bad stuff." So I stay out of those verbal praises and work hard at what's in front of me. Who or what is inspiring you lately?

I'm inspired by this younger generation. They are so smart, most of that coming from technology and their understanding of it. They know how to present their best work and get it noticed. What they need

help with is how to deal with success and all the pitfalls that come with it.

From your long and interesting career in film and art, what have been some of your highlights and fondest memories?

I loved working with Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin. I loved my time in Europe up until my brother Bobby died. Then it got dark for me. I loved getting sober in the 1980s and enjoying life again. I love my family and my wife Kim. I enjoy meeting new people and finding out I know them from long ago and we still are on the same page. Life is pretty exciting if you stay out of the way. What are you listening to these days?

I listen to all kinds of music, from classical to rap. My children send me music, Kim lived in Austin so I became familiar with some great new music through her. Right now, I'm real interested in Michael Williams, have you heard of him? He's incredible. And I wish I could make his musical dream come true. Look him up on my page or YouTube. Not much released there but I'm rarely impressed and this guy got my attention. Who, in Hollywood today would you pick to play you in a film?

Why would they even make a film about me? What a silly question.

C-zo IPL October PRINT.pdf

2013-09-24

Favourite thing about Andy Warhol?

I didn't know Andy in the sense that we rarely spoke and rarely hung out. But I suppose he showed the world that he could play a joke on them and get them to want silly art that was really just copies of everyday things, and people fell for it. So in that regard, he manipulated the world into believing he was a fine artist. Like that story the Emperor's New Clothes. C

Fave place to hang in L.A.?

At my house watching cartoons.

What can we expect in the future ,and where can folks learn more about you? CY

You can expect me to continue to get older and continue to care about people. Maybe a few surprises, there's more on my website. V CMY

Joe Dallesandro continues to be one of the most iconic male sex symbols in American film history. For more information, and perhaps some "surprising" updates, check out his extensive website. www.joedallesandro.com

photo by colin smith

Blue Is the Warmest Colour D: Abdellatif Kechiche / France / 179 min.

A tour de force of unbridled intimacy and graphic sexuality, Abdellatif Kechiche’s acclaimed drama features superb performances from Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos as young women finding their love for each other. Check out our interview with the writer of the graphic novel on which it was based, Julie Maroh, on page 20. Winner: Palme d’Or (for film and lead actors), Cannes Film Festival 2013. Sept. 27 – 10:30 am @ SFU Woodwards Oct. 5 – 12:00 pm @ the Rio Theatre Oct. 10 – 08:30 pm @ Vancouver Playhouse

Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia D: Nicholas Wrathall / usa / 89 min.

Eternally opinionated, brilliantly funny and terminally political, Gore Vidal – novelist, essayist, polemicist, politician, pundit, screenwriter – was the true protean man. Using fascinating and apt recent and legendary archival footage, and interviews – including an exclusive with a fierce and fearless Vidal as he neared the end of his life – Nicholas Wrathall gives the man his due. Oct. 3 – 1:15 pm @ The Cinematheque Oct. 8 – 9:00 pm @ The Cinematheque

A Gun in Each Hand D: Cesc Gay / spain / 97 min.

Cesc Gay (Nico and Dani, In the City) directs an all-star Spanish-language cast – Ricardo Darín, Eduardo Noriega, Jordi Mollà, Candela Peña – in this formidably acted, quietly acerbic comedy about the male ego brought low. "A witty, perceptive dissection of mid-life masculine insecurities… the dialogue is by turns acidly observant, hilarious and quotable." – Variety. Winner: Best Supporting Actress, Goya Awards 2013. Oct. 1 – 4:00 pm @ International Village #10 Oct. 3 – 9:30 pm @ Centre for Performing Arts Oct. 11 – 1:00 pm @ the Rio Theatre

Lawrence & Holloman D: Matthew Kowalchuk / Canada / 88 min.

Having just chickened out of a suicide attempt, malcontent Holloman turns his attention to orchestrating the ruin of Lawrence, a man of few morals and no brains. Matthew Kowalchuk’s film – adapted from Morris Panych’s play of the same name – works on many levels: as wacky sketch comedy, as absurdist fable and, most pungently, as a satire on the modern rat race. Winner: Rising Star Award, Edmonton International Film Festival 2013. World Premier. Oct. 1 – 6:45 pm @ the Rio Theatre Oct. 9 – 03:45 pm @ SFU Woodwards

My Prairie Home D: Chelsea McMullan / Canada / 77 min.

A true Canadian iconoclast, acclaimed transgender country/electro-pop artist Rae Spoon revisits stretches of rural Alberta and confronts memories of growing up queer in an abusive, evangelical household. Lyrical and alluring, Chelsea McMullan’s documusical questions our traditional definitions of "home" and celebrates the places in between, be they in music, geography or gender. Check out our interview with the director on page 22. World Premiere.

Sept. 29 – 9:15 pm @ the Rio Theatre Oct. 1 – 4:00 pm @ the Rio Theatre

Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer D: Maxim Pozdorovkin & Mike Lerner russia & UK / 90 min.

The saga of Russian feminist punk collective Pussy Riot is well-known by now, but the lives of the three brave young women beneath the balaclavas much less so. UK-based director Mike Lerner and Russian director Maxim Pozdorovkin change that with this smart and exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the group. "The most important film at Sundance this year." – Moviemaker Magazine. Sept. 29 – 11:10 am @ International Village #10 Oct. 10 – 9:30 pm @ Rio Theatre

The Spider’s Lair D: Jason Paul Laxamana / Philippines / 101 min.

Cat-and-mouse games get a turtle-andmonkey makeover in Jason Paul Laxamana’s (Astro Mayabang) tale of 21st-century grifters. Bam Bonifacio (Kiko Matos) is a dream hunk on a dating site, adept at persuading his admirers to part with cash. Behind ‘Bam’ is Greg (Alex Vincent Medina), less impressive and much more fallible… Dragons & Tigers Award nominee. Winner: Best Supporting Actor (for Joey Paras), Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2013. Oct. 1 – 9:15 pm @ Vancity Theatre Oct. 2 – 4:00 pm @ International Village #8

Tom at the Farm D: Xavier Dolan / canada / 90 min.

Xavier Dolan (I Killed My Mother, Laurence Anyways), one of Canada’s most provocative and boundary pushing filmmakers, dips his toes into the mainstream with this gripping psychological thriller. Dolan plays the grief-stricken Tom, who ventures into the bucolic Quebec countryside for his lover’s funeral, only to become a pawn in a savage, sadistic game perpetrated by members of the grieving family. Official competition film at the Venice Film Festival. Sept. 27 – 9:15 pm @ the Rio Theatre Sept. 29 – 1:40 pm @ International Village #10

Vic + Flo Saw a Bear D: Denis Côté / canada / 95 min.

Desire and revenge fuel up-and-coming star director Denis Côté’s entrancing tragicomedy about two lesbian ex-cons trying – and failing – to discover normalcy in the Quebec countryside. A dizzying climax certifies this as "one of the more bizarre and original films to emerge from a territory that seems to specialize in this cinematic commodity…" – Screen. Winner: Alfred Bauer Silver Bear Award, The 63rd Berlin International Film Festival. Oct. 5 – 9:00 pm @ International Village #8 Oct. 7 – 2:00 pm @ Vancity Theatre

What Now? Remind Me Later D: Joaquim Pinto / Portugal / 164 min.

"One of the [Locarno Film Festival's] biggest surprises and most rewarding films… [Joaquim Pinto’s film] emerged from a year in which Pinto, HIV-positive since the '90s, endured an experimental clinical trial… This profoundly moving film about living in the shadow of death becomes an all-encompassing meditation on what it means to be alive." – Los Angeles Times. Winner: Special Jury Prize, Locarno Film Festival 2013. Sept. 28 – 9:00 pm @ Vancity Theatre Sept. 30 – 10:00 am @ Vancity Theatre

Paws for Hope Animal Foundation presents,

Supporting Animal Welfare: In your community and abroad A keynote luncheon with

Josey Kitson Executive Director WSPA Canada

Vancouver Fairmont | Wednesday, October 23, 201311:30-1pm | Tickets $30

http://pawsforhope.org/events Darren Wagnor Investors Group

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1181 (1181 Davie) 8x6 (1775 Haro) abantu salon (3596 Kingsway) Banana Tans (1060 Davie, 148 E. Broadway) C-z么 Hair Salon (525 Smithe) cbc studios (700 Hamilton) Celebrities Nightclub (1022 Davie) Club 23 West (23 West Cordova) Cobalt (917 Main) Commodore Ballroom (868 Granville) Eco Chic Aveda (190 - 650 W. 41st) electric owl (926 Main) F212 Steam (1048 Davie) Five Sixty (560 Seymour) Fortune sound club (147 E. Pender)

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Fountainhead Pu ginger62 (1219 Gran Gorg-O-Mish (695 granville island H.I.M. Main Office Harbour Cruises The Junction (1138 Little Sisters (123 Narrow lounge ( Numbers Cabaret Oasis (1240 Thurlow) The Orpheum thea Pacific Cinemath performance wo Priape (1148 Davie)

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PumpJack Pub (1167 Davie) Queen Elizabeth Theatre (649 Cambie) The Red Door (1210 Granville) Rogers Arena (800 Griffiths Way) Roundhouse Centre (181 Roundhouse Mews) St. paul's hospital (1081 Burrard) Score On Davie (1262 Davie) Shine Nightclub (364 Water) Steamworks (123 W. Pender) VanCity Theatre (1181 Seymour) Vancouver Art Gallery (750 Hornby) Venue (881 Granville) Vogue Theatre (918 Granville) West End Centre (870 Denman) Zulu Records (1972 W.4th Ave)

photo by kris dewitte

Who is Bavo Defurne?

normously successful at LGBTQ film festivals throughout the world, Bavo Defurne's rich and beautiful short films examined gay love and loss and marked the emergence of one of Europe's most exciting young filmmakers. Last year, the Flemish cult director released his debut feature, North Sea Texas (Noordzee, Texas in its original Dutch language), to enormous critical acclaim. It swept the festival circuit, including the 2012 Vancouver Queer Film Festival, winning countless awards and accolades. Based on André Sollie's children's novel Nooit gaat dit over, the film is one of V-Rag's favourite modern gay fairy tales (pun intended).

I am a filmmaker from Belgium. My filmmaking started with four short films that you can own on a DVD named Campfire. My first feature film North Sea Texas is about a boy growing up and falling in love with his hunky neighbour. I won some prizes with this movie. It's available in many countries, including Canada. I am now travelling the world to attend premieres and festivals. When I’m home, I write and prepare new movies, I teach and I shoot commercial work like music videos. What did you find the main differences between short and feature length films are?

In shorts, you can’t really go very subtle or complex. My trick to go deeper was to use “icons” like the sailor or the boy scout. Or Saint Sebastian. The audience already knows a lot before the film starts, and my storytelling doesn't have to start from scratch. With a feature, you have time to tell a story fully and to really create complex characters. With a lot of layers. A feature film is more like a layer-cake.

What made you decide to adapt North Sea Texas from its original text? And are there any major differences between your film and the source novel?

We did not alter anything. We adapted words to images. We added some scenes to dig a bit deeper into some characters, like Pim's mother was extended by us. But it all came from André Sollie's great short novel. I did not want to change anything. The book is great, so why change? The film could be described as a story about young love; did you understand love at a young age?

No I did not. The film explores in a sort of retrospect. I was young and wild, just like main characters Pim and Gino. At that age, you only have time to see through your own eyes. Pim has that teenage-tunnel vision. But I am over that now. I see more than just my own little world – this is necessary to tell a rich story. I think when Pim would have to tell his own story it would sound dumb and boring. The movie makes it exciting and beautiful. What do you think of the state of LGBTQ cinema today? Do you think it's moving more into the mainstream?

Some rare mainstream movies are adding a tiny little bit of queerness to their heterocentric stories, but it's a very shy and not really thrilling thing. Rather marginal. TV series like Glee or Modern Family are more

exciting to me. And meanwhile, the greatest and most relevant movies about gay people are still being produced underground, on a shoestring budget, like Weekend. Obviously, many people could get a little touchy about the subject of North Sea Texas. Was it difficult to cast the film with its young actors?

The casting was hell, a lot of young actors did not dare to do these roles. But after all, we found super wonderful and very brave boys to play the roles. They’re my heroes, because they say to the world “ fuck you, I’m an actor”. What is next for you and your career?

I think it is Souvenir, a movie about a forgotten Eurovision Song Contest singer. She’s over fifty and works in a meat factory. She wants to remain forgotten until she meets an 18-year-old boxer who asks her to sing again. She doesn’t want to, but he’s so cute… V Bavo Defurne's short films Campfire are available from BFI, and North Sea Texas is out now on iTunes. www.bavo.org

orgeously illustrated and beautifully told, Blue Is the Warmest Colour is an elemental lesbian love story that crackles with the energy of youth, rebellion, and desire. First published in French as Le bleu est une couleur chaude, the graphic novel has won several awards, including the Audience Prize at the Angoulême International Comics Festival, Europe’s largest. The live-action, French-language film version won the Palme d’Or for both of its lead actors as well as the film, making it the first LGBTQ film to win top prize in Cannes Film Festival's illustrious history. Author and illustrator Julie Maroh took some time to explain the awardwinning story and her process of writing it.

You began Blue is the Warmest Colour when you were 19 and it took you many years to complete. Did it evolve over time, or did you have a very clear vision of the story of Clementine and Emma from the beginning?

The beginning and the end of the book take place at the same moment in time; this ideas was clear to me from the start. Otherwise, the main events of the story revealed themselves to me after Clementine and Emma’s personality traits were settled. I suppose that using such verbs might sound weird, but this is really how it worked for me. As soon as a character is clarified, he/she can react in only one or two possible ways in any given situation. By this, I mean that the personalities of my characters were my guides and helped me to have a clear vision of the story. Clementine goes through a very difficult process of coming out to herself, classmates, and her conservative family. Her family’s disowning of her is something that haunts her and her relationship with Emma. Do you think the climate has changed for queer youth in France since 1994 (when the book is first set)? I couldn’t tell for sure, however the recent political climate in

France proved that we still have a long way to go about this issue. During the debate around gay marriage, a lot of young queer people have been harassed and kicked out by their families. I mean: more than “usual.” In France we have great LGBT associations doing an amazing and difficult job, and their reports on this subject were really alarming and demoralizing. The best thing this book could do is help queer youth, somewhere, somehow. The first part of Blue explores Clementine and Emma’s courtship, and the next part skips ahead ten years in their relationship. Can you talk about why you chose to tell the story this way?

When I write a story, I always ask myself one question for each scene: “Is it useful for the story?” In this case, ten years could be encapsulated in one page, and it’s still easily understandable that their intimacy went further, that they moved in together and were happy. The details of this part don’t really matter. What matters is what led to this happiness and what followed afterwards. What is your illustration process?

Actually, it’s quite a neurotic process! And it’s more about creating a page or a scene than a panel. First of all, I write down everything that runs through my head: events, situations, dialogues, gestures, shots, close-ups, backgrounds... Starting from there, I draw a rough version of the page; most of the time I create two facing pages at the same time.

When I feel that all the elements are balanced and efficient, I draw the final version on another sheet of paper. The color comes at the end. What other writers are you inspired by? Who inspired you to become a comic creator?

I’ve been inspired by so many that it wouldn’t be fair to name only a few. Everything feeds me in my work; every kind of art becomes every little rock on my path. For me, it’s more about what and how to pass on. I first became a storyteller when I was around six years old, and drew my first comic book when I was eight. So really, it was my entire environment that helped to shape me as a storyteller and comic artist since I was a child. What are you working on now?

My next graphic novel Skandalon will be released in France this fall, as will a little comic I made about Brahms, the composer. I’ll spend the rest of this year and 2014 working on my new project called Les corps sonores, a series of little love stories and introspections focused on alternative identities and sexualities. V The film version of Julie Maroh's Blue Is the Warmest Colour plays September 27th, October 5th and October 10th as part of the Vancouver International Film Festival. The graphic novel is available now from Arsenal Pulp Press. www.juliemaroh.com www.arsenalpulp.com www.viff.org

photo by maya bankovic

ack in November of 2012, we got a little teaser about the brand new documentary My Prairie Home when we interviewed Canadian electro/folk singer Rae Spoon. A transgender icon and amazing musical artist, it's no wonder director Chelsea McMullan decided to turn her lens towards Rae for their brilliant collaboration. We got to speak with McMullan about the VIFF 2013 film and her perceptions after its making. Your latest film is called My Prairie Home. How would you define " home"?

To me the idea of home is very complicated. In the context of the film we define it as where you come from. I think it’s fairly universal to feel like an outsider of home. I also think you can change your definition of home. In the film I was really interested in how paradoxically home can be both a comfort and a burden. I sort of saw Rae’s journey home as mythological one. Rae returns to the people who both love and reject them, to an endless and complicated landscape, and to the versions of their identity that have been left behind, like ghosts scattered across the prairies. This has been called a documentary-musical. Can you explain the reasoning behind such an innovative format? When Rae Spoon and I began collaborating and they slowly opened up and told me their story, I realized it’s all in their music. Rae carefully wraps secrets in their sparse melodic voice. This spawned the idea not only to make a documentary but also to use Rae’s music, to tell their story (hence the documentary musical). For us, this is the ultimate collaboration, using both of our respective mediums to create a unique film. A lot of the documentary challenges the ideas of gender. Had you originally set out to make a political film about gender?

My intention for the film was to create a biography of a feeling. I want an audience to really understand in a visceral way what it’s like to be Rae Spoon. Also, if it exposes more people to Rae’s music then that’s great too. I have so much respect for them as an artist. I don’t think there are too many artists out there like Rae, who have total autonomy over their work. They don’t play the “industry” game, instead they just sing it out and let the music speak for itself. Finally, my films are not overtly political but I would love if this film starts a conversation about gender.

How have your personal ideas of gender and transphobia changed since making the film? Since meeting Rae my perspective on gender has totally shifted. It’s liberating when you sort of let the binary fall away and just be. I think we are on the cusp of a gender revolution and Rae is a pioneer. Gender-neutral washrooms for all! With the World Premier this month at the Vancouver International Film Festival, what kind of audience would you love to see coming to the screening?

I’m not sure who will come out to the screening but I think the Rio Theatre is the perfect theater for the premiere! The marketing department at the NFB has been testing the film and feel like the target demographic is quite young, which I think is great. They are the ones that are really going to change things around here. What's next for you as a writer/director?

I have two projects coming up; the first is a doc called Michael Shannon Michael Shannon John. The other film I’m working on is the second installment in a trilogy of short documentary films I am making about western ideology inspired by Umberto Eco’s essay travels in hyper reality (Rae is doing the score). It’s about the World Famous Gopher Hole Museum in Torrington, Alberta. V Chelsea McMullan's My Prairie Home has its World Premier September 29th at the Rio Theatre as part of the Vancouver International Film Festival. www.raespoon.com www.chelseamcmullan.com

ur readers know Michael Venus as one of the most prolific writers on the V-Rag team, having interviewed the likes of Lady Miss Kier, Michael Musto and Lady Bunny, just to name a few. He's one of our favourite people, and his superstar art collective, the House of Venus, turns 20 this year. Congrats Michael, Cotton, MKW, Dickey and the whole HOV crew for this accomplishment!

came from the New York club scene that was blowing up at the time. AIDS was still in your face, and acceptance was trickling in very slowly with RuPaul and KD Lang. Since the internet arrived, clubs became less busy as you didn’t need to cruise so much to hook up. I like seeing history repeating itself with the new-found love of drag queens and fashionistas... I love creative expression!

Well… The best way to describe the House of Venus is an artist collective, although throughout the past two decades, we have been many creative and expressive things; a film House, a drag House, a fashion House, a TV show… We started back in Windsor throwing theme parties. When we moved to Vancouver we did the same, but leaned more heavily into drag as we started doing tons of after hours parties and club nights, all while making film and art. We got big into fashion for a while as well. The House has an open-door policy and we still collaborate with tons of people and Venus “relatives” from all corners of the earth. Our goal is to create positive energy and positive change through art and expression. The House of Venus is Love!

I am planning a few events so far in Toronto and Vancouver, which will be announced soon. World Pride is coming up and we have some great things up our sleeves.

For those who aren't aware, what exactly is the House of Venus?

In your 20 years as "mother" of the House of Venus, what have some of the most outrageous experiences been?

Well, "mother" usually comes in the form of my alter ego Miss Cotton who has too many outrageous experiences to name. But she will anyway… Giving Deborah Harry my very own bottled water (Cotton’s Fountain of Youth) backstage at Wiggle 9 with Lady Bunny was outrageous on many levels. Hosting the IOC Winter Olympics after party with INXS was cray. Hanging out in drag on Polk Street in San Francisco with Alexis Arquette; Depeche Mode's Martin Gore coming to my party at The Chameleon; Bruce LaBruce bringing Parker Posey to my rock party and dancing to Billy Idol were all experiences. How has the gay scene changed in your view since the House of Venus formed in 1993?

We came out of Detroit rock & roll and techno scenes when rave culture was just hitting North America, our inspiration

20 is a big anniversary. Are you planning anything special for the double decade?

We all of course want to know… Can we expect another Wiggle in 2014?

Yes of course! I always had it in my mind to make it to 20 and this is a Wiggle tradition. I am thrilled to announce Wiggle 20 will happen in Vancouver in the summer of 2014 at The Vancouver Art Gallery as part of FUSE! What's next for Michael and the House of Venus?

Oi to the vey! It’s project to project at the moment and I'm swamped working on a few House of Venus catalogue/fanzine-type publications. I'm going through tons of old pictures and videos, revisiting fun times while digitizing it all. I am also currently working on the second batch of short experimental films from my Supa 8 series, and a few television projects are on the table. Fingers crossed, we will be seeing more of our favourite crazy people from The Face of Furry Creek in the not-so-distant future. MKW Productions is wrapping a doc for Out TV which I co-produced, looking at Toronto’s ever-changing Church and Wellesley Village. Icons and Demigods and my newer portrait series He Pops are still always brewing on the back burner too, with more to see soon! I'm not sure what I will do with the House of Venus after 20. I’d love to get some funding and take it across Canada and into the cultural landscape - we shall see! V The House of Venus and V-Rag will be joining forces Summer 2014 for the much anticipated Wiggle 20! www.houseofvenus.com www.facebook.com/MissCottonVenus

air free, care free, or trimmed? Personal grooming, that’s what I'm talking about. Women have been all over this for centuries. The men, not so much. But in the last ten or so years, the activity widely known as “manscaping” has been steadily on the rise from toe to head. Styling of the hair on the head, threading of the brows, shaving of the face and neck, trimming and shaving of the chest hair, trimming of the pubes, ass-crack waxing, shaving of the legs... What?! Ass-crack waxing?! Let’s back up a bit here, yes that’s right! Being offered by many salons specifically targeted to men is a service called the “back, sac, and crack wax”. Don’t even bother asking if it hurts, I’ll leave that to the smart ones. For some of the seasoned veterans they’ll tell you it doesn’t, but the beginners best be prepared. The process involves stripping down to nothing (if you’ve opted for the full meal deal) and hopping up on that bed for a 1-2 hour euphoric journey. You might just see stars! First – the back, lying face down; next up – the butt, lying on your side with your knee up to your chest for the cheek; Then like a good sport use your hand, grip your cheek and help with the spread. Flip and repeat for the other side. Now keep in mind this is a process that involves hot melted wax smeared on your skin with a wooden tongue depressor-type spatula. Generally areas no larger than 10cm by 5cm can be worked on at one time. Once on the skin, a cotton fabric strip is placed onto the wax, gently rubbed to adhere, and ripped free! Voila, smooth as a baby’s bottom! Skin will need to be taut for the wax to properly adhere and avoid tearing, so the sac can be a tricky area to wax, what with all those wrinkles. Small

by Velvet Steele spots of wax generally need to be applied to get all those rogue hairs, rip after rip, stretch after stretch. Seeing stars yet? Once done a lovely pat down with some after-care lotion and you're ready for the morning breeze. OK, so I haven’t painted a lovely picture of this bit of “manscaping”, but if you can get past the feelings of humiliation pain, then knock yourself out! It’s a great feeling afterwards! Trust me, I get myself waxed and absolutely love the smooth feeling! Granted, it’s not for everyone. Some like hair, some like a lot of hair, some like men gently groomed, some like them smooth all over. I’ve had my fair share of selection and I can tell you variety is the spice of life. For me, a man is a man. No matter what they've got going on when it comes to hair or not, it’s all about the mood at the time. One thing lovely about waxing... it grows back! But if you’re looking for something more permanent, try a laser. Available at salons or for home use, there are plenty to choose from; IPL systems, Laser, Thermacore, all you need to do is your research. Time for a toothpick! Enticingly yours, Velvet. V Velvet Steele is a local sex educator, entertainer and advocate in Vancouver. www.velvetsteele.com www.facebook.com/VelvetSteele

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g.b.f.

interior. leather bar.

At North Gateway High in the heart of suburbia, a buzz circulates around the school over the latest accessory every popular girl should have – a G.B.F. (Gay Best Friend). When the queens of the high school’s social hierarchy get wind of this new must-have, it’s all out war to be the first to get one. Bossy, blonde bombshell Fawcett, drama club diva Caprice and Mormon good girl ‘Shley scheme and conspire to sniff out their gay prey from among the student body, and end up finding someone who doesn’t quite meet the stereotype they were expecting. Full of witty quips, hip one-liners and sharp dialogue, G.B.F. includes its share of dramatic moments in its insightful look into the lives of teenagers in the 21st century. Its story is universal, one that all audiences can relate to, thanks to the film’s talented writer George Northy (his first screenplay) and direction by Darren Stein (writer/director of Jawbreaker). It's is a smart film in its portrayal of how gay youth, and gay people in general for that matter, often struggle to find their place in life, and in its insightful commentary on how gay men in particular are still generally perceived in today’s society. G.B.F. challenges stereotypes across the board and not just in how gay people are seen, but also in how we see each other. Highly reccommended, especially for queer youth looking for something fresh.

There's no use denying it anymore. James Franco is the most fascinating filmmaker on the planet today. And his new film Interior. Leather Bar. is kinda partly gay porn. In 1980, Al Pacino made a weird and controversial film called Cruising about a cop that goes undercover in the gay club scene in order to catch a serial killer. Legend has it that they had to cut 40 minutes of sex scenes from the film in order to avoid an X-rating. James Franco teamed up with documentary psychologist Travis Matthews to make this movie, which is about them making a movie about recreating the lost sex footage from Cruising. They explore the difference between art vs. porn, expression vs. censorship, social conditioning, and the purpose of breaking taboos. You don't ever see the recreated sex scenes - that's not the point. But to be faithful to the idea, you do see them film a little actual gay sex. It is X-rated, but with everything else going on, it doesn't come across as porn. Franco and Matthews have all but guaranteed that the movie will never be popular. Most people will never even hear about it, much less see it. It's a movie about a movie about an obscure pornographic legend about an obscure movie. People will say it's immoral, it's pretentious, it's pointless. And it's the most fascinating, brilliant film of the year.

D: Darren Stein by Matt Nagle

D: James Franco, Travis Mathews by Paul Donovan

basement jaxx

moby

defected records

It’s been four years since Basement Jaxx’s last LP, 2009's Zephyr, but the English electronic duo is scheduled to return this year with the, um, ambitiously titled Music. Before that, though, they dropped an in September, the title track of which we’ve got today. “What A Difference Your Love Makes” is pretty joyous and incredibly slick house with huge disco melodies, featuring vocals by a dude named Sam Brookes. I’m listening to it on decent noise-canceling headphones, and the thing sounds absolutely perfect – meticulous, layered, massive – but it’ll probably sound even better at jet-engine levels in warehouse-sized spaces where everybody else will be hearing it every night for the remainder of 2013. Also on the EP, “Mermaids ofSalinas” recalls the duo's latin flavour they loved so much in the 1990s. Overall, a great teaser for an anticipated album.

Nerdy electronic music icon Moby returns with his 10th full-length album and has invited a heaping handful of collaborators into his studio to offer some exciting new directions. Flaming Lips singer Wayne Coyne, indie-rocker Damien Jurado and Canada's Cold Specks are just a few of the artists who lend their voices to the 47-year-old's musical landscapes. After the huge success of 1999's Play, Moby tried to distance his following albums from that sound to avoid being accused of selling out. The albums between then and now have been uneven at best. Finally, with Innocents, he sounds like an artist who is re-claiming his signature sound with great confidence and still unafraid to take a few risks. Having nothing more to prove to the world, Moby reminds us why he's been able to inspire so many and still capable of surprising us even today.

OK OK, I know... An Ibiza dance compilation? What is this, 1998? Will Alice Deejay make an appearance shrieking that's she's "Better Off Alone"? Well, the answer is... No. Defected Records has long paved the way for classy, mature house music, and continues to do so while cashing in on the cheesy Ibiza party island branding. Not to say that the tracks assembled here by DJ Andy Daniell weren't massive hits during the summer clubbing season. Rachel Row's beautiful "Follow the Step" and FCL's classic house cover "It's You" both appear (with MK providing a lush remix), and the Flashmob mix of "Vocal" by the Pet Shop Boys is worth the price alone. So if you're in need of a compilation that drips sunshine, while remaining brooding enough to take you through to winter, this is the mix for you.

What A Difference Your Love... by Jason Goodwin

Innocents by Mumbles

The Closing Party Ibiza 2013 by Cole Johnston

photo by sixthspence photography

lot of gay men new to Vancouver (and quite a few who have been here a long time) tell me they have a lot of trouble meeting friends and or perspective partners. As someone who moved here from Calgary way back in the olden days, I can sympathise. Vancouver is not an easy town. It can be a bit cliquish and people here don't quickly move to familiarity. And yes, there is a whole lot of "flakiness" in our charming West Coast beach town. How many times have you given your phone number to someone (who asked for it) and they never even called you? There is a great way to meet people that you don't have to download an app for (did Grindr ever find anyone friends or a lover?) and doesn't require you to stand in a bar all by yourself. Volunteer! You will meet quality people

In almost all cases, the people who volunteer for charities do so because they believe in doing something good for someone else. This is a great quality to look for when hunting for pals or that special someone. Also, we live in a world where there's a fair share of creepy, dishonest and even dangerous people. The good news? Most of them would never dream of volunteering their time to make someone else's life better. You will feel good

I promise you that doing good deeds will bring out the best in you! You will just feel better. In my work, I encounter a lot of volunteers. Almost all of them are wellspoken, are uplifting and have a positive energy. When you feel good, you sound good. You also look good and become more confident. This will make you attractive.

You will alter your journey

If sitting in your favourite coffee shop or standing in the corner of a nightclub every Saturday hasn't worked in the last year, then mix it up! If you volunteer, you will do things you didn't expect to do and you go places you may not have gone before. Many volunteers actually find great new careers as a result of their volunteering! And certainly, you will be introduced to new people. Because you are already doing something with those people, you don't have to worry about having something in common that you can talk about! Here's a list in alphabetical order of ten places I can whole-heartedly suggest for anyone to volunteer: • A Loving Spoonful • AIDS Vancouver • The Dr. Peter Centre • The Health Initiative for Men (or H.I.M.) • Positive Living Vancouver • The Shooting Stars Foundation • Vancouver Friends For Life Society • The Vancouver Pride Society • The Vancouver Queer Film Festival or Out In Schools • YouthCo Good luck and go get 'em! V Read more of Joan-E's Rag online at www.v-rag.com

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