Random Roundup: All Quiet on the Gay Front

July 21, 2004

I think I can count the number of letters we’ve received from gay and lesbian readers on the subject of gay marriage on one finger -- and that one was from the Triangle Foundation out of Detroit.
It seems odd, because Traverse City is considered one of the gay capitals of the Midwest. The city just hosted a big Pride Festival, the gay bar is virtually a major tourist attraction, drawing visitors from several states, and the town was the focus of a national news story over the gay/bi/les implications of the rainbow “Diversity” bumper sticker several years ago.
You’d think that when the U.S. Senate tries to change the Constitution in an election year, that would spark some fire on the letters page. Yet all we’re accustomed to seeing in local newspapers is the ranting of a few vocal homophobes who have a strange fixation that’s long overdue for a visit to a shrink’s couch.
Maybe that’s a sign that the whole gay marriage thing is really a non-issue to most people -- gay and straight alike -- a trumped up election shibboleth on par with perennial efforts to change the Constitution to allow school prayer or prevent the burning of the flag. (And as an aside, it seems kind of weird that so-called patriots can blow gas through Old Glory in the form of underwear and bikinis or wear it as a doo-rag on their greasy heads... where’s the constitutional amendment to ban that?)
Still, with the Federal Marriage Amendment sidelined in the U.S. Senate by a narrow vote of 48 to 50 (it required two-thirds vote), you’d think there would some kind of uproar from the gay community on local opinion pages. Or at least a whisper.
As one reader comments, “It’s funny Bush is promoting freedom in our country as he tours the Midwest but at the same time is trying to suppress the freedoms of Americans. Does he actually hear what he is saying?”
I guess like Janis said, “Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose.” To some, that means the freedom to take away someone else’s civil rights, even if it means screwing with the Constitution to win an election. To others, it should mean the freedom to speak out.

Recently Converted
Through the years, there have been many complaints in this space about the fact that Northern Michigan never seems to get the younger, cutting edge bands that play Detroit or Chicago on a regular basis. We’re the nation’s dumping ground for classic rock acts that had their heyday 30 years ago.
But after attending the Cadillac Jam last month and checking out the old battle-scarred rock warhorses from the trippy daze of Iron Butterfly, Steppenwolf, Alice Cooper, Rare Earth and Grand Funk, I had a revelation and change of heart about that old time rock & roll.
Call it grudging respect.
With a few exceptions (U2 and Nirvana come to mind) modern rock has never lived up to the sounds and poetry created over a 10-year period from the mid-’60s to ‘70s. To disavow that time in music’s history in favor of the tepid sounds of today is sort of like saying at the tail-end of the Renaissance that you’re sick of seeing the paintings of Michaelangelo, Botticelli and Raphael and wish the art world would move on to new, lesser talents.
Listening to John Kaye of Steppenwolf sing “Born to be Wild,” it occurred to me that this song will most likely be around for 1,000 years as a literal work of sonic art -- it has the poetry, spirit and attitude of a keeper. How many other songs currently on the radio can make that claim?

Too Cool
And while doing penance on that subject, I’d like to say a few “Hail Mary’s” in apology to the good folks at the National Cherry Festival.
Over the years, we’ve published many snickers and groans over the CFest’s selection of music at the Open Space, coming up with the rustiest, dustiest bands imaginable -- Herman’s Hermits, the Four Seaons, Paul Revere & the Raiders... (did they really have Freddy and the Dreamers or did I dream that?).
But this year, the Cherry Festival absolutely nailed the best music we’ve ever heard at any national city festival. It’s a cryin’ shame that it was a moist, cool week, because if you braved the weather to hear Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Asleep at the Wheel, Edgar Winter with Kenny Olson, our own on-fire homeboy Brian Schram and his excellent Band, and Greg Rollie’s time trip with the songs of Santana... well, it was nothing less than a super-dooper spectacular week -- and all for only $3. Way to go, Cherry Festival guys -- you rock!