queer-sounds

[queer-sounds]

Three years ago, I came up with this story about a man who felt trapped between his male lover and his wife and child. I wrote it as a song, intending to publish it soon after. As many of you may know by our lack of activity, life got in the way for us at Queer Sounds. So I’m really, really happy to finally be able to share Mother Don’t Worry with all of you today. -Aslan

[queer-sounds]

Jacob Riglin

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The wait is over. We are back with new music! Thank you SO MUCH to everyone for continuing to support us even throughout our 3+ years hiatus. This is a song I actually released solo a couple of months ago, but I originally wanted to release it as part of Queer Sounds. I’m so glad the day has finally come where I can share this song with you all. Any feedback and comments are more than welcome. Hope you all enjoy! -Aslan

[queer-sounds]

To those of you who are reading this: hello. It’s been a long time since we’ve last given any updates on Queer Sounds. After years of an unplanned hiatus, we have new music coming soon for you. Thank you to all of you who have still subscribed and followed us on our social media over the years. We really, really appreciate it. Knowing the music that we’ve made has resonated with so many of you has meant a great deal to us. -------------------------------------------- I wanted to share this song I wrote recently. Something about the Parkland shooting really got to me. It wasn’t as if the world suddenly got more divisive and vitriolic, but it felt like it did for me. I saw myself surrounded by pure rage and anger where misinformation in the form of mocking memes reigned supreme. Beliefs were wielded like identities and any attempt at dialogue was chased out. Brainwashed by the [insert opposing side of your choice] media/society/world, they cried. It demoralized me. It completely and utterly demoralized me. But I knew I had to do something because though it brought me so low, it also instilled a spark within me. I had my words and as long as I had my words, I would use them. So I put those words to paper and wrote this song. I wrote this song in honor of the world.  Thank you for listening.  -Aslan (Amy)

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This was a song I wrote two years ago before Queer Sounds existed. At the time, Masque and myself wanted to write a song, an anthem of sorts, for the LGBTQ+ community. WorldPride was also just around the corner and we thought what better way to spread our message than to release this music that we wanted to write alongside the third WorldPride event. And so, Masque wrote what came to be known as Asexy (Proud to be Me) and I wrote Pride.  In light of recent events - of the lives lost in the shooting in Orlando, Florida - I thought I would share this song once more.  -Amy

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So on Friday evening I found out that the government had basically binned the Safe Schools Coalition. As a young queer identified person this made me very mad, so I screamed and swore a lot, cried a little and ran laps of my uni building so to avoid punching things (anyone familiar with me knows that physical activity is not a thing I am particularly fond of so this shows just how wired I was). Then in a slightly more constructive turn, I went home and filmed this song. It's about just a few of the horrible things that have happened since the last election on account of horrible decisions from our politicians. So to our current government, I will not willingly put any more power in your hands. Come election day, my first preference, or even my second preference will not be lie with you and I have a feeling that anyone who agrees with me on the issues mentioned in this video is likely to also vote accordingly. I want you to know we are unhappy and I want you to know that you are on the wrong side of history and will be remembered accordingly for all the pain you have caused. I say good riddance! Cheers, Masque 

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A new album created to benefit FlintKids.Org, a charity that focuses on providing aid to Flint, Michigan’s children, is now out!

Not Safe To Drink: Music for Flint Water Crisis Relief, which contains 77 songs from various artists, is being offered for a minimum donation of $5 USD.

Visit http://notsafetodrink.bandcamp.com/ to purchase the album.

The People of Flint Need Our Help

The team at Haulix has been working behind-the-scenes to help make this project a reality. We don’t want credit, we just want you to help the people of Flint. Read on and find how $5 will get you a 60 song compilation and help make a difference where it’s needed most.

FLINT, MI - Pre-orders are now available for Not Safe To Drink: Music For Flint Water Crisis Relief. The charity compilation, which will be released digitally on February 20, is being offered in exchange for a minimum donation of $5 through Bandcamp. All proceeds raised will go to benefit FlintKids.Org, a charity that focuses on the long term fixes and aid related to lead exposure in Flint, Michigan’s children.

Use this link to purchase the album: http://notsafetodrink.bandcamp.com/

A track list for Not Safe To Drink is not yet available, but so far more than 50 artists from the worlds of punk, rock, alternative, and metal have contributed material to the release. A list of artists already confirmed to appear can be found below:

Keep reading

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RIP to Holly Woodlawn, a transgender actress and icon who inspired Lou Reed’s hit song “Walk on the Wild Side,” who passed away from cancer on Sunday. Take a listen to her 1991 interview with NPR's Terry Gross above. “Holly came from Miami, F.L.A. Hitch-hiked her way across the U.S.A. Plucked her eyebrows on the way Shaved her legs and then he was a she She says, ‘Hey, babe, Take a walk on the wild side.’ Said, ‘Hey, honey, Take a walk on the wild side.’ “

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A harrowing anthem from DJ Steven James and singer-songwriter Quentin Sound set to graphic footage of anti-LGBTQ violence.

50 percent of proceeds from the itunes sales of the single will be donated to LGBT youth organizations in Russia, Jamaica and Uganda: Children-404, the Jamaica Forum of Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (JFLAG) and Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG). via The Huffington Post

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“Don’t be ashamed of yourself. There is life beyond HIV.”

It’s World Aids Day, and it’s time to prove HIV is in no way an automatic death sentence. The people of Khayelitsha in Cape Town, in creative collaboration with MSF, activists, artists and musicians, came together to urge young people to stand strong against the virus. (via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeS9YPkdVhI)

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Coming Out? Want to be in a music video?

Are you LGTBTQ+? Want to be in a coming out-themed music video? Check out this new project here: http://goo.gl/0utoFs!

"I will be arranging a compilation of your coming out recreations to the music of Pride by Queer Sounds. I'd like you to record a recreation (up to two) of your coming out experience(s) (with your friends, family, etc) and send it to me via email (message me and I'll send you my email)."

If this sounds like a project you'd be interested to participate in or if you have any questions, please either message us here or email us at queersounds@gmail.com and we will send you the project creator's email.

Submissions are due by November 22 at the end of the day EST.

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“I am an intersex person, a biological state which means I am born with sexual anatomy that doesn’t fit the typical definitions of female or male.” - Thembani Vela Iranti-org, a queer human rights organization based in South Africa, partnered with Gender Dynamix and GATE to host a regional intersex ICD (International Classification of Diseases) Conference on important reform and recognition for and of intersex people.

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October 26 is Intersex Awareness Day. Find out what it means to be intersex and why awareness is important.

Intersex Youth Advocacy Group Legal Advocacy Group Support Group for intersex youth, adults, & families

FEATURING:

Sean Saifa Wall

Pidgeon Pagonis

Emily Quinn

Alice Alvarez

[queer-sounds]

This was a project I created for Asexual Awareness Week and I am truly overwhelmed by the response to this. Thank you to all those who participated and spread the word! 

-Amy of Queer Sounds

In honor of Asexual Awareness Week (Oct. 19 - 25), I created this project to portray asexual and asexual-spectrum people’s real experiences. I asked people to send in short video clips expressing themselves in a way they felt most comfortable and answer a series of in-depth questions about their experiences.

This was the result. Thank you to everyone who participated in this project, spread the word about it, and supported it. You made this happen. To find out more about asexuality and Asexual Awareness Week, visit: http://www.asexuality.org http://asexualawarenessweek.com/

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Hi strizzles,

I don’t think I got an email from you, but I was wondering if I could send you the chords to the song instead. Or if I can send a one-track instrumental or an acoustic instrumental version of Asexy. We’ve been trying to get an instrumental-only version of the song, but it’s been a little difficult. So if any of the above options work for you, let us know. Send us an email. Thanks, Amy

Hey it's strizzles. Yes please can you send me a no vocals version of Asexy? Would it be better if I sent you my email so you can send it that way?

Hi strizzles! I’m sorry once again for probably getting back to you at a really late time. Yes, if you can send me your email, that would be great! You can also send us an email at queersounds@gmail.com and let us know who you are. I’ll try my best to get an instrumental-only version of Asexy as soon as possible! All the best,Amy

[queer-sounds]

Hey everyone! This is a project I've just launched and would love it if any of you could participate in it or spread the word! 

Thanks so much to the AVEN Project Team for sharing! -Amy of Queer Sounds

Asexual Portraits video project for Asexual Awareness Week!

Want to participate in an asexual video project for Asexual Awareness Week this year? Check out the Asexual Portraits project here!

“[…] short video portraits showing asexual-spectrum people posing and expressing themselves how they see fit and then take a memorable quote from them (about their asexuality or their experiences with it in life) and display it over their portrait. The end result is that all of these short video clips of people will be combined into one large video, which will be hosted on the Portraits Collaboration Youtube channel.”

If this sounds like something you might be interested in, send an email to portraitscollab@gmail.com with “Asexual Portraits Collab” as the subject and include which questions from the google doc you want to answer. Remember to choose at least two.

An instruction video (captions enabled) has been made to help you make the absolute best video possible for your clip!