Beirut isn't exactly the picture of masculinity, but is lead singer Zach Condon actually gay? I assumed he was straight because a lot of his songs sound like serenades to women, but one of the tracks off the The Flying Club Cup had to make me wonder. This is the chorus for the song Cliquot:
What melody will lead my lover from his bed? What melody will see him in my arms again?
That doesn't sound straight... Now I know he's not even the lead singer on this track, but does anyone know Condon's true sexual orientation?
Thanks.
"A sense of humor, properly developed, is superior to any religion so far devised."
I'm pretty sure he's straight, not that it matters. Pitchforkmedia made some mention of the video for "Postcards From Italy" featuring shots of him and his girlfriend.
It truly matters not. I don't think an artist's sexual preference has much to do with whether or not they make great music. The new Beirut album is fucking incredible.
I actually think this brings up a bigger question. How much do you want to know about an artist's private life? Does it change/enhance your appreciation of the music in any way?
Actually, I like to know stuff about the artists whom I enjoy listening to. I loved Zach Condon's story about how he dropped out of school, and travelled Eastern Europe and came back and recorded his first album in his bedroom.
I enjoyed knowing Kevin Barnes' story of his breakdown, and split with his wife. Hissing Fauna is the document of that, but knowing the backstory makes it, to me, a little more interesting.
The thing about sexual preference, is that its so politically charged in this country. Your response to race and sexual preference becomes a litmus test for tolerance. It seems more "tolerant" to express indifference to either of them. I think that that's because so often the labels are used as by the forces of intolerance as a wedge issue, or as an excuse for hate.
I actually think that race and sexual orientation inform a person's worldview, and that both affect the music. I think it's interesting that two of the guys in TV on the Radio are black. I think they bring different experience to their music because of it. And I think it enriches "indie" music, because so much of "indie" is so lily white.
If Zach Condon is heterosexual, and is writing lyrics that could be seen as homoerotic (as Colin Meloy often has. Cf. Billy Liar, A Soldiering Life), I think that's interesting. If he's gay, and writing heteroerotic lyrics, the question becomes, why?
Obviously, the trick is that identification with a specific sexual, racial, ethnic, or political group or organization should never form the basis for thinking less of them. But as a filter for trying to understand them, I think the questions are legitimate.
And I agree, the new Beirut album is effin incredible.
--------------- My basic objection to religion is not that it isn't true; I like plenty of things that aren't true. It's that religion grants its adherents malign, intoxicating and morally corrosive sensations. -Philip Pullman
Originally posted by kendocubano: How much do you want to know about an artist's private life? Does it change/enhance your appreciation of the music in any way?
Not necessarily knowing about their private life, but knowing the circumstances surrounding the recording of a song or album, and the story behind it, usually gives me some newfound appreciation for it.
----- We were wasps with new wings, now we're bugs in the jar.
I think I should rephrase my original statement. I don't suppose I really want to know about the artists' private life, as much as knowing about their life in general. In that context sexual identity is different from sexual activity. Sexual identity may (or may not) be relevant. It may be like political affiliation, or marital status. Not something that is directly related to the production of music. But it isn't necessarily private. Clearly, I wouldn't want to "out" the personal details of anyone's life, nor would I want to encourage anyone to do that. But, my ethnic heritage, marital status, extra-professional interests are all part of my make-up. And, if I were talented enough to produce an album people wanted to listen to, I'd have no problem with people knowing those things about me. I don't really want to know the details of anyone's private life!
This message has been edited. Last edited by: kendocubano,
--------------- My basic objection to religion is not that it isn't true; I like plenty of things that aren't true. It's that religion grants its adherents malign, intoxicating and morally corrosive sensations. -Philip Pullman
Originally posted by kendocubano: Sexual identity may (or may not) be relevant.
It can be. There's a big thread about gay and lesbian artists here somewhere. I remember there was one guy who was pretty belligerent in his belief that all gay artists should be openly gay in their lyrics. In other words, don't take your cue from Michael Stipe or Rob Halford. I disagreed, since artists should be able to write about whatever they want, and got a pretty nasty PM from the guy. I think Stipe and Halford (especially Halford) are a couple of guys whose sexual identities have little impact on their art.
----- We were wasps with new wings, now we're bugs in the jar.
Originally posted by kendocubano: I think it's interesting that two of the guys in TV on the Radio are black.
Four of them are. Dave Sitek is the only white guy in the band.
Sexual identity is relevant if it comes to inform the perspective of the music. Or if you plan on making a great gay pride playlist (which I have...I'm not gay, just supportive).
But really, it should have no bearing on whether you like an artist, it only becomes interesting when it somehow crosses over into the content of the music.
I agree. I certainly don't think that sexual identity has to be relevant. And I certainly don't think that anyone, artist or otherwise, has any responsibility to the greater world, to trumpet their sexuality. However, I also don't think that people should feel obliged to hide the things that make them who they are. Unfortunately, our society has yet to reach the point where everyone can share their religious, political, sexual, etc beliefs without fear of hate or recrimination.
--------------- My basic objection to religion is not that it isn't true; I like plenty of things that aren't true. It's that religion grants its adherents malign, intoxicating and morally corrosive sensations. -Philip Pullman
If anyone is interested, here's a link to the other GLBT Aritsts Thread. It says pretty friendly for the first three pages, until we unleash the fury of toosadtobegoth.
----- We were wasps with new wings, now we're bugs in the jar.
But, I agree with the others who have said "What does it matter?" Colin Meloy has written some very homo-erotic songs (i.e., "The Soldiering Life", to name one that quickly comes to mind). He clearly does so in character, and I don't think that anybody questions his sexuality. I find it interesting, but it does not either increase or decrease my enjoyment of The Decemberists.
________________ Fighting for peace, that's like screaming for quiet.
"Mission Accomplished (Because You Gotta Have Faith)" - Todd Snider Peace Queer
I read on their site that Cliquot is a song about a young widow, so I think the lyrics are based on her perception and about her lover that passed away. (so for example, his bed refers to his death bed maybe?)
I think we should all listen carefully to the song and what the message is before we draw any conclusions.
Zach Condon is not gay. He didn't write the lyrics for Cliquot, Owen Pallett from Final Fantasy did. And Owen Pallatt is in fact gay, but the song is written from a widow that has survived the black plague, and her lover has not. Also, Zach Condon has a girlfriend.
