Brad Shreve:
Brad Shreve: 0:00
This is Queer We Are. I like to brag. I like all kinds of music, and I’m talking about from opera to jazz, to hip-hop, to reggae, to dubstep, to alternative. I mean, I don’t like them all equally. I can take or leave metal, for example, and while many people won’t admit it, I remember back during the disco era when many of us treated it like it was a disease. Yet today we talk about it nostalgically like it’s what we lived for at the time. There’s a scene in the Blues Brothers movie where Jake and Elwood go to a honky-tonk, and ask the woman behind the bar what kind of music do you usually have here? Her answer Oh, we got both kinds country and western. It’s a great line and a great movie. But what if you want to mix it up a bit more than that? Well, it can and has been done. A reporter for the Hollywood Digest wrote this about my guest, “Mr. Slade took on the challenge of covering an iconic rock song and he crushed it.” The song that the article refers to is Call Me, originally by Blondie. His take on it? Well, maybe it’s metal, maybe disco, alternative, classic rock, trance, house. How about I tell you. I’m not really sure what the hell to call it, but whatever it is, he did it right And, on top of doing all that, being a queer South Asian Canadian dude, he did it while breaking a lot of stereotypes. I’m Brad Shreve and I’m your host and I’m with my aggressive, sexy and always fun guest, Mr. Slade. So don’t go anywhere because queer we are. I’m going to make Mr. Slade hang tight for just a moment so I can ask a question Did you hate gym class? I know I did, but, contrary to stereotypes, not all LGBTQ kids did. Plenty of queer kids love sports but may fear being th
Brad Shreve: 0:00
This is Queer We Are. I like to brag. I like all kinds of music, and I’m talking about from opera to jazz, to hip-hop, to reggae, to dubstep, to alternative. I mean, I don’t like them all equally. I can take or leave metal, for example, and while many people won’t admit it, I remember back during the disco era when many of us treated it like it was a disease. Yet today we talk about it nostalgically like it’s what we lived for at the time. There’s a scene in the Blues Brothers movie where Jake and Elwood go to a honky-tonk, and ask the woman behind the bar what kind of music do you usually have here? Her answer Oh, we got both kinds country and western. It’s a great line and a great movie. But what if you want to mix it up a bit more than that? Well, it can and has been done. A reporter for the Hollywood Digest wrote this about my guest, “Mr. Slade took on the challenge of covering an iconic rock song and he crushed it.” The song that the article refers to is Call Me, originally by Blondie. His take on it? Well, maybe it’s metal, maybe disco, alternative, classic rock, trance, house. How about I tell you. I’m not really sure what the hell to call it, but whatever it is, he did it right And, on top of doing all that, being a queer South Asian Canadian dude, he did it while breaking a lot of stereotypes. I’m Brad Shreve and I’m your host and I’m with my aggressive, sexy and always fun guest, Mr. Slade. So don’t go anywhere because queer we are. I’m going to make Mr. Slade hang tight for just a moment so I can ask a question Did you hate gym class? I know I did, but, contrary to stereotypes, not all LGBTQ kids did. Plenty of queer kids love sports but may fear being themselves to their teammates. Adults too. Founded by pro baseball player Bryan Ruby, Proud to Be in Baseball’s mission is to advocate, educate and create opportunity for the next generation of LGBTQ baseball. It’s past time for inclusion in America’s pastime. As part of your pride month, learn more at proud tob e inb aseball.org and, while you’re there, how about making a tax-deductible donation? Help prevent future generations from experiencing the same fears you may have had or even have. Check the show notes for the link to Proud to Be in Baseball From the great white north, the city of Toronto, Mr. Slade, and I want to welcome you to Queer, we Are.
Mr. Slade: 3:09
Hello Brad, Thanks so much for having me.
Brad Shreve: 3:12
It’s a pleasure to have you. We follow each other on social media. I feel like you’re an old friend.
Mr. Slade: 3:17
We are old friends. Bosom buddies actually.
Brad Shreve: 3:20
Absolutely. Back a couple of years ago you did the cover Call Me by Blondie, and so I’m going to ask you about that. But I’m going to ask the listener this question. The 1980 song Call Me by Blondie is about what? There will be a few seconds to think about it.
Mr. Slade: 3:38
There will be copyright and.
Brad Shreve: 3:38
I shouldn’t tell him that. Oh no, Now I’m going to get shut down because you did copyright music. Okay. So now that you’ve thought about it, Mr Slade, what is the answer? What is Call Me about?
Mr. Slade: 3:52
What is male sex workers in the 80s.
Brad Shreve: 3:55
And you know what? I didn’t know that. And then when I read that it was the theme song to American Gigolo, i’m like, duh.
Mr. Slade: 4:03
Yeah, what is male? sex workers in the 1980s.
Brad Shreve: 4:08
But you know what American Gigolo made me fall in love with Richard Gere. But the movie was boring as hell, So I probably purposely tried to keep it out of my head.
Mr. Slade: 4:16
I’ve only seen the poster. I figured that was enough.
Brad Shreve: 4:19
Well, i will tell you this He seemed really hot, but he has that and maybe it’ll come back, so I probably shouldn’t say this. He has that 70s body hot, which is okay.
Mr. Slade: 4:25
I t’s Richard Gere, it’s on Richard Gere’s face, so I mean.
Brad Shreve: 4:34
I know, you know what Richard Gere gives such good face. Who cares?
Mr. Slade: 4:37
Who cares? He’s still super hot, he’s now a Zaddy.
Brad Shreve: 4:40
Yeah, he looks fabulous, Totally a daddy. Well, I have been playing some of your songs throughout the week and I want to tell you I enjoy them.
Mr. Slade: 4:47
Thank you.
Brad Shreve: 4:49
But when every time I saw an article or something that would describe your music, I avoided it. Because I wanted to describe it myself because it’s really hard to peg and I’m sure you’ve heard this before. To nail a label on it. So I kept thinking it through and I’m like At first I wasn’t sure because it sounded like metal, but I’ve never been a big fan of metal, but that’s what first jumped out at me, so I was kind of surprised, because I’m like metal and I like it. So it definitely has a metal aspect to it, but there’s kind of some techno and some disco. So my definition is going to be metal, techno, disco.
Mr. Slade: 5:34
I like it. I like it. I too have had a hard time describing my music when people ask me. Essentially what I want to do when I create a music was Personify my or take my personality and put it into music. And I think in general, i like to go out, i like to have fun. I’m aggressive. I’m A total extrovert and the slightly on the borderline of obnoxious, and so I kind of wanted a music that kind of sounded like that. I think nowadays everyone likes a bit like. I love AC DC, i love ABBA, i have a Kylie Minogue tattoo on my chest. I think everyone loves different bits of music, and I think it’s kind of cool to just incorporate little bits of like. Coolness or things that you like and mush them together and create something To get something that’s fun and unique or different.
Brad Shreve: 6:20
Well, you got that. I’m gonna give you one word rebellious and fun.
Mr. Slade: 6:25
Oh, i love that. Oh, thank you, i love that.
Brad Shreve: 6:29
Okay, Mr. Slade, i want to wish you happy Pride Month.
Mr. Slade: 6:38
Happy Pride to everyone out there. Oh geez, i think, surviving, surviving, thriving, living. I think we live in an age where pride means more so now that it ever has. I think, when the walls start closing in, that’s when our voices need to be amplified and unified and And as strong as possible in order to fight, you know, in order to fight the darkness that that tries to engulf us. So pride is, i think, more so now than ever before, the like, such an important and integral part of, of our community.
Brad Shreve: 7:07
That was a very quick and excellent answer, but you said fight the darkness.
Mr. Slade: 7:10
Yeah, yeah.
Brad Shreve: 7:11
Are you fighting the darkness?
Mr. Slade: 7:13
I think we are, and here’s the thing. I look, I’m up in Canada and so our laws are different, our culture is very different, and we look on at the United States in in shock, horror and sadness. But we’re so Ready to rally behind you guys because you guys are the, you know, a Beacon to the world in some, in so many ways, right. You guys are beacon of democracy and of enlightened theory and enlightened thinking, and if America fails, we all fail, and so everyone in the entire world even when I go to the UK or into you, go to Europe. You know we’re all very proud of our own distinct country and culture, but you know, if we can’t let America fail, we cannot let the darkness and the negativity and the anger and the hatred and the fear That’s rising above right now Overwhelm us. And I think you know what happened with Roe versus Wade. Everyone’s on alert now and everyone is like on guard, because we know that we have to protect our rights Not just our rights, but our future generations rights or it can be taken away from us. So it’s such a pivotal point right now and pride is supposed to be fun and it’s supposed to be, you know, a celebration, but I think the wonderful, you know, the only like silver lining out of this horrible darkness is we’re all kind of getting together now and rallying behind our Transgendered friends or non-binary friends, everyone that feels othered. We’re kind of rallying behind them now because we understand that what, what affects one person, affects all of us. So it’s it’s a it’s so pivotal and I think it’s so important right now.
Brad Shreve: 8:48
And thank you for saying such nice things about the United States, because we, many of us, feel like your downstairs trashy neighbors.
Mr. Slade: 9:01
But, like I said, again, if you guys fail, we all fail. I think what we’re seeing in the world right now is. You know we all need America. At the end of the day, you know, no offense of course, us Canadians, and of course other countries, we like to trash America to some degree, you know. I mean it’s an awful, but like we need America. America is so important to the entire world, right and Democracy and American freedom and American values, literally light the way in so many places where, where, where they don’t have that right. So American values, i think, need to be protected, need to be fought for as much as humanly possible.
Brad Shreve: 9:39
Brad: You know, keep make fun of us anyway, we deserve it. But thanks for being in our ball court here too. I Normally don’t read guest intros that are sent to me exactly, because usually they’re very long and then I just kind of make them short and sweet. Yes, it was perfect, and you know, i said yours, your music is rebellious and fun and And I’m gonna read your bio verbatim here, because this is all you gave me, mistakes included I. You put a capital letter word done belong with that’s okay.
Mr. Slade: 10:09
Canadian spelling.
Brad Shreve: 10:13
All right, and then you know there are no Z’s in there, so I don’t have to try and say Zed. So, listener, here’s the bio that he sent me. I make music that sounds like sweat beer and that feeling you get when you’re done working for the weekend, and That’s it. That’s it. I love it, but what does that mean?
Mr. Slade: 10:34
Um, i, to me I was one of my music beat escapism to some degree. I mean, here’s the thing We know, if you’re living a dreary life or whatever and you want to feel like you’re a Rocker chick on the back of a motorcycle driven by Rob Halford, you know you turn on one of my songs and for three minutes and 42 seconds you’re with that rocker chick And you know you’re shared with Meatloaf. Love like I wanted to be kind of a fantasy of you know rock and roll and Sexiness and fun and rebelliousness. So to me it was all about creating a mood and creating a feeling, more so than anything else. And sweat and beer I mean who doesn’t love sweat and beer? and That right before you’re like right before your shifts, about the end for the weekend is the sweetest half hour in the entire world. So I kind of wanted to create, put that in together and turn that into music.
Brad Shreve: 11:26
You know those times when you and a friend or family member are trying to find something on Netflix and, instead of watching your flip flip Flip, looking for one movie after another. Well, sometimes your decision comes down to the reviews, and the same thing happens to podcasting. So, for those that are searching madly for a new podcast, help them make the decision and leave a review for Queer We Are on Apple podcast or wherever you’re listening to this show. I Don’t think I’m alone when I think of metal as being kind of aggressive and maybe even angry, and I know that you’re a Billy Idol fan and other similar singers, obviously like Blondie, who has kind of an angry, edgy quality, but you seem edgy and, as I said, you’re obviously very playful too. So for a closed-minded person like me who likes boundaries and labels and things that are simple to understand, explain how that aggressiveness and playfulness are not mutually exclusive.
Mr. Slade: 12:30
Well, i think the best kind of playfulness is aggressive playfulness. I think the best kind of living your life and the best kind of dancing and the best kind of enjoying your life is aggressive. I think I wanted to kind of marry both worlds. I think my music is you know, there are essentially pop songs with an aggressive background to it. I kind of love the idea of live your life out loud aggressively, love aggressively, fight for things aggressively, enjoy your life aggressively. That kind of really was the kernel in terms of what I wanted my music to sound. So, yes, it is aggressive, but it’s also at the same time, very playful and, i hope, enjoyable in nature, because I think those things they’re not mutually exclusive. I think they make perfect partners and make perfect bedfellows.
Brad Shreve: 13:17
And along those same lines, when I think of fetish balls and sex parties, which are things I’ve heard of only, of course, i think of your music. Thank you, yeah, it fits right in.
Mr. Slade: 13:31
I’m very flattered by that. That is a huge compliment. Rebellious and fun and perfect for sex parties. You’ve made my day.
Brad Shreve: 13:39
Your version of Call Me has a very. I guess I like it better than Blondies, But I guess I shouldn’t say that They’re very different.
Mr. Slade: 13:48
I wouldn’t even say that.
Brad Shreve: 13:50
Well, they’re different. It’s really, you know, it’s like almost apples and oranges. Yours is just a very different take on it. It is very much edgier and certainly a lot more sexy.
Mr. Slade: 13:59
Thank you, i appreciate that very much. I’ll take that. Thank you very much. And when I when I just I mean I’m a huge blondie fan I think there there’ve been a band that’s been able to do reggae, disco, punk rock, quite a lot of everything, and so I was very much inspired by them And I thought Call Me such a great A – It’s about sex workers And I really kind of wanted to have slightly seedier, darker, dirtier feel to the song, as opposed to the, you know, the poppy version. Again, i love Blondie more than anything, but I kind of thought, ooh, it’d be kind of fun to explore a more seedier version of it, like an underground nightclub with only a red light in the back, allegedly. So what I’ve heard about these places from what I’ve heard about these places, you know like one big red light and everything’s kind of dark and smoky. I kind of wanted to feel like that allegedly Yes from what I’ve heard, i liked the version better.
Brad Shreve: 14:50
I like the version better and then when I read, when I found out that the song is about sex workers, i’m like that makes all. It actually clicked in much more to me. It seemed more appropriate.
Mr. Slade: 15:01
Thank you.
Brad Shreve: 15:03
You have that kind of sexy male voice, kind of edginess to it. I’ve mentioned labels a few times And we know with labels come stereotypes. You’re a South Asian guy, Your parents were immigrants and you’re queer And typically neither of those. As far as stereotypes go, the definition of those, you don’t think of somebody that is really into metal.
Mr. Slade: 15:29
No, not at all.
Brad Shreve: 15:30
It’s not typically what comes to mind. No, no, and I love that I love that.
Mr. Slade: 15:33
No, no, and I love that. I love that. And again, i’m not trying to calculate or think, oh, what would be an interesting take. It’s just, i think, organically, who I am, what I listen to, what I like, and I think the identity politics of it is just an addition. It’s just a nice little kind of fuck you. Here’s your preconceived notions and I want to fuck with them, but at the same time I’ll fuck with them and then let’s just have fun And those things are so important to me. I think moving forward socially as a person of color, as a person that’s queer, you can talk to people’s heads, but I think it’s more important to talk to people’s hearts And I think getting together on the dance floor is the best way to kind of breed a future or the best way to kind of breed compassion and empathy. And I hate the word tolerance, but tolerance for lack of better work. So to me it was kind of like okay, i do have a message, i do have a stance, i do hate the way that people that look like me are perceived and what’s expected of us, whether it’s from our own community or our own culture or our own family or our own selves. I love idea of fucking with it, but also to like, let’s do it and let’s have fun at the same time. So that was very important to me too. So it was kind of what I realized is all the things that to your point, yes, you wouldn’t think of a brown queer guy doing metal, and all of those things would have been negatives and obstacles. But I thought, hmm, i’m going to like, fuck around with that and change it and make it a strength as opposed to an obstacle. I’m going to make those things my bitch. That’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to make those obstacles my bitch.
Brad Shreve: 17:07
There you go.
Mr. Slade: 17:08
Yes.
Brad Shreve: 17:10
So I want to find out about little Mr Slade, but let’s start with the label thing. How was, how did that impact you growing up?
Mr. Slade: 17:19
It impacted me in a humongous way, but the thing is, i was like what I liked. I was never apologetic about it And I think my option was either a I like and pursue and I will go after what I like, or else What is the point of living? I have no interest in making my parents proud. I know that sounds awful, but I have no interest in making anyone else proud other than myself. I learned from a very young age. you know, i am the person that I need to make proud. I am the person that I need to impress. I’m the person that I want to accomplish what I need to accomplish for my own personal satisfaction, which sounds a bit selfish, but at the same time, it freed me from ever having to depend, rely or placate anyone else. So it was a challenging, big time. But again, the option, the other alternative, was death, not being alive. What’s the point? What’s the point of being alive if you can’t like what you like and be proud about it?
Brad Shreve: 18:15
What about family’s gay attitude?
Mr. Slade: 18:18
Um, it was, I mean, as you would expect, it was terrible, it was awful, i mean, although now my partner and my parents get along very, very well. So I mean, of course it was a journey, and I think that’s why kind of I’m very empathetic to the current journey that we all have to go to And I kind of I really strongly believe that you know, when compassion doesn’t start with your head, it starts with your heart, right, i think, even if you disagree with someone, if you can get together, laugh, dance, have a couple of pints with them, you’ve built a connection through your heart, and I think that’s the only way we can move forward. I don’t believe in policing people or cancelling them or talking down to them. I don’t believe in having this idea of having to preach to people. I think the best way to change people’s hearts is is to build a bridge And, of course, at the end of the day, we all kind of want the same thing. So to me, culturally, growing up, it was a very long journey, a journey of kind of reaching people in my community, in my family, through their heart versus their head, and then I made them my bitch.
Brad Shreve: 19:22
You want to make everything your bitch. That’s just your attitude.
Mr. Slade: 19:25
I know right.
Brad Shreve: 19:32
Well, i don’t usually get controversial because that’s not really the point of the show, but you said something that made me think of a quote that I have that you made, and I’m not going to tell you what the quote is because I’m going to lead up to it. You said you don’t like the cancel culture, so I’m going to bring up Dave Chappelle and his comments about trans folks. How do you feel about him being people wanting him canceled?
Mr. Slade: 19:52
Yeah, i think again, the idea is, i may not agree with you, i may not agree with your politics, because your politics and your beliefs are based on where you’re from, you’re upbringing. There’s a thousand different factors. In no way does that indicate whether you’re a good person or you’re a loving person. But I bet you a hundred bucks If I bought you a round of beers, we went on to the dance floor and danced, we would get along really well. I think that is, in my opinion, the way we can connect. We can. All those other artificial, superficial layers are insignificant and they’re mutable and they can change. But I think let’s try and connect on a personal level, on a spiritual, social, fun level, because I think that’s what’s going to bridge the gap And I think that’s what’s going to make the world a better place is, again, you’re allowed to believe what you believe, your religious beliefs, your religious beliefs based on what you were brought up on. I’m not trying to change them, but we can connect, and I think it’s more important to find that connection more so than anything else. And so my music really was kind of like yeah, it’s aggressive. It’s fun. It’s a little dirty sometimes, but it was meant to be that It was meant to. You know, it wrote a song about starting a love revolution And that, to me, was really important. I think a love revolution can start on the dance floor just as well as it can in a protest march. There might be more benefits, in fact, of starting a love revolution on the dance floor, more so than anywhere else.
Brad Shreve: 21:12
You make a good point. If I sat down with JK Rowling right now, i would actually have a very civil discussion. You’re right, absolutely, and I think we certainly need a lot more of that. But at the same time, had I not already owned all the Harry Potter movies, i wouldn’t buy one. Can’t you have both?
Mr. Slade: 21:30
I think you can absolutely 100% have both, because that’s your personal integrity. That doesn’t sit right with you buying into something that is going in any you know, spending your hard earned dollars going towards a person that you don’t believe their cause. I think that’s about integrity. But I think again, at the end of the day, if we want to have a future where we’re listening to each other and, i think, getting to a better place, i think it’s just so important that we all listen and talk and speak more, as opposed to silencing. But I also agree with you. I think it’s really important to have integrity. There’s certain artists I will not buy into or I will not give attention to. There’s certain people I don’t give attention to or buy into because part of my integrity is I don’t believe that what you’re producing or putting out is of value in the long run. You know, socially, consciously or whatnot. So I think you absolutely can have both.
Brad Shreve: 22:23
The reason why I ask the Dave Chappelle question is because a quote that I read that you made is my music is an extension of my beliefs, both political and spiritual. So speaking of dance floors, as, a kid. Almost all of us love music. Like there’s something inherent in all cultures. It seems that people just have a passion for music, at least especially when they’re children. But when did you realize you had more than the average kid, that you just had a really deep passion for music?
Mr. Slade: 24:26
I probably, you know, again, being, maybe the first time I was at a gay bar. I was 16, I should appreciate it. I was Big Time Sensuality was playing And it was just this most magical experience being on a dance floor with a bunch of other people dancing and sweating, and whatever was happening in the world didn’t matter. Whatever was happening, you know, it brought, it was like a magical, magical world And to me I thought, wow, like that’s such a special, amazing, spiritual, cosmic, metaphysical force And if we can take this energy and magnify it by 1000, we’d have world peace instantly, instantly. If everyone just spent, you know, remember Hands Across America, right, i think, if we just had like a five minute dance, a global dance party, i think, ta-da, you’d have world peace.
Brad Shreve: 25:16
Oh, you are so gay. And I gotta say, I was the whole time. You’re saying that I’m like, Oh my God, that would be awesome.
Mr. Slade: 25:30
But it wouldn’t be like if everyone just like a five minute global dance party you know, we’d have world peace, in my opinion, because that energy of love and excitement it just transmutes and it becomes bigger and bigger and it becomes quantum, And that’s the energy I wish you know we should all kind of vibrate on And I think we’d have peace. Who cares what you believe in? We’re dancing together and we’re laughing and having fun, Ta-da.
Brad Shreve: 25:55
I gotta tell you a story because it really connects with what you just said. I went through a really, really dark time in my life, as most people do at some point in their life. It was pretty dark As that was ending and things were getting better. my now husband and I were dancing in the club and the song it’s not a great a song. The video sucks. It’s Born to be Alive .
Mr. Slade: 26:15
Born to be alive. Did you know Madonna did back of vocals for that? Yep.
Brad Shreve: 26:20
She did. There you go. Do you ever see the video I did Patrick Hernandez? He walks in circles in a cane. I can’t figure that one out, But anyway. So we’re dancing and this song comes on and I just started bawling Yeah, Because I’m like that’s saying, that is exactly true.
Mr. Slade: 26:36
It’s magic.
Brad Shreve: 26:37
It was.
Mr. Slade: 26:40
It’s magic 1000%. I got 100%.
Brad Shreve: 26:42
Somebody could have told me that a thousand times and it wouldn’t have made the difference. But hearing that, as the music is playing, as I’m dancing and I’m with somebody that I love it, just even if I wasn’t with him, the music just went through me and I’m like, wow, this is really speaking to me.
Mr. Slade: 26:57
Yeah, no, 1000%. I totally agree with you. I totally like 1000% high five and you yes on that one, because that’s the magic power of music, of dancing, of drinking beer, sweating, all that kind of stuff. That’s the magic in it And I 100% agree. I had a very similar situation. I was in Berlin and this was in 2021. So this was right after the pandemic And a Kylie Minogue song came on and I was on the dance floor and dancing, and then I started bawling my eyes out because it was the PTSD of COVID. I was just like, oh my God, 2020 was so horrible. And the DJ came up to me and she started patting my back and she was just like, let it go, just let it out, let it out, let it out. So here I am on the middle of the dance floor, so I completely, 100% get where you’re coming from.
Brad Shreve: 27:45
As a musician, what’s it feel like to have that power?
Mr. Slade: 27:49
Amazing. Amazing But also like again, at the end of the day, it’s not so much about me, It’s more so like how does this make other people feel more so? That’s to me the most important thing. Don’t really care much about, you know, how does this make me look or whatnot, But if I can say that, if I could make someone for three minutes and 14 seconds, if I could make someone feel their most sexiest, dirtiest, coolest rocking roll-ist, then I’m very, very happy.
Brad Shreve: 28:17
Is that a lot of responsibility?
Mr. Slade: 28:20
Yeah, probably yes, but again, it comes from love, more so than anything, right? So again, if I could share my love of music and my love of a perfect, sweaty, beer-infused world with other peoples, then it’s a pleasure.
Brad Shreve: 28:35
So what makes you successful?
Mr. Slade: 28:39
I would say what’s the impression you leave. So that to me is what I would measure my success with. What’s the impression? Do I make people feel good? Do my people feel horny?
Brad Shreve: 28:53
I’m biting my tongue.
Mr. Slade: 28:59
That would be the marker of my success How many people I make horny.
Brad Shreve: 29:04
Listener, if you listen to his music, and he puts some sexy pictures of himself on Instagram. I’ll leave it at that. Well, what makes you feel inspired to be your best self?
Mr. Slade: 29:23
That’s it.
Brad Shreve: 29:26
I only know I’m a Libra. Beyond that I don’t know astrology. So you’re going to have to elaborate more than that.
Mr. Slade: 29:29
I think it’s just the end of the day, for me personally, and spiritually or consciously speaking and whatnot my religious beliefs or what lack of better word are, again, how can I be a vessel of love, or how can I be a vessel of sharing, how can be a vessel of compassion? Those things to me are really important because, at the end of the day, when you’re dead, hopefully you left a great mark, hopefully you left an imprint of love or inspiration or compassion, and those things to me are far more important than anything else. So again, i’d like to think hopefully, five years from now, i’ll be a better version of me. How I get there, i don’t know, i don’t care at this point, as long as I’m kind of focused on all right, how do I become better for the world?
Brad Shreve: 30:12
The variety of music that your music comes across to me. I’m presumed that you’d listen to a lot of different types of music growing up. What really stood out Like if you had to say this was my favorite which is always hard to do, but what would it be? What artists did you listen to the most? I guess Madonna. I’ve listened to a lot of Yeah.
Mr. Slade: 30:33
we’ve mentioned her 10 times, i think Our sponsors of our show. can we say hello to their sponsors at the show You’re sponsored by Madonna, right? Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Pet Shop Boys, Erasure. I listened to a lot of that kind of music, but I also listened to Nirvana and ACDC, so again, i would say a little bit of everything. I never liked the idea of okay, I like one thing, so therefore I have to like a bunch of other things I’m like no, no, Led Zepplin’s awesome. I. love Led Zepplin. I love Kiss. Thank you to the Tinkles down there.
Brad Shreve: 31:07
Well, I’m glad you got Nirvana in there. You picked up my ears there because I’m a total Nirvana fanatic. Yeah okay, i think it’s like anything. Well, it’s like guys. I had this discussion with somebody recently about your favorite type and I said you know? anybody that says Actually, i was interviewed for another podcast is what it was. And I said anybody that says they don’t have a type is full of shit.
Mr. Slade: 31:27
Yes, that’s a lie.
Brad Shreve: 31:28
Because if you’re in a room, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t interested in anybody else, but there is going to be one that grabs your attention more than others.
Mr. Slade: 31:37
Absolutely. I think same thing with types. I have types, i have lots of types. I just don’t put a period at the end of what my types are, because Exactly energy’s, energy Someone’s you know it can change all the time, so why would I limit myself by placing a period at the end of what my types are, so we get 100% agree with you And there’s nothing wrong with I mean, listen, i’m some people’s types, i’m some people’s dog food, it’s A-okay, like I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I don’t think we should penalize or I don’t think we should be mean to people who have types.
Brad Shreve: 32:09
Yeah, but a lot of people flip out.
Mr. Slade: 32:14
Yes, and I think that’s wrong. Again, that’s not fair. I think that’s not flip out, let’s, you know, flip on, let’s find out what’s going on, like we don’t need to flip out.
Brad Shreve: 32:30
And I love that you said you may be some people’s dog food because I remember, it was a number of years ago, I was actually at a bear bar that is more a traditional bear bar. That was the biggest clientele And it was a bear event. And this guy was in the corner who I knew He’s actually my ex’s ex And we had a friendly relationship. We weren’t friends, we had a friendly relationship And he was just cowering in the corner And I’m like what’s going on? He goes, nobody wants me, i’m just ugly And I’m like you’re at a bear event, you’re the belle of the ball for God’s sakes.
Mr. Slade: 32:54
I hope he said that too.
Brad Shreve: 33:00
I did And I said you know what? I go to West Hollywood. I go to West Hollywood and I dance, but I know I’m probably not going to get hooked up, maybe, maybe. But I’m just there to have a good time. It doesn’t mean that I’m a piece of shit.
Mr. Slade: 33:14
Absolutely, absolutely.
Brad Shreve: 33:16
It’s okay if they don’t like you.
Mr. Slade: 33:21
It’s absolutely okay. I think if you put weight into the fact that people like you, that’s just going to fuck you up later in life. I think you just kind of have to just be fluid with it. It is what it is. It’s great, it’s not great Whatever, and just kind of just do you.
Brad Shreve: 33:36
It fucks a lot of people up.
Mr. Slade: 33:38
Yes, yes And I think that’s Yes. I think, just focus on dancing.
Brad Shreve: 33:42
If we all focused on dancing, it would be much better. Yes, absolutely.
Mr. Slade: 33:46
Solution solved. There you go Five minutes of Born to be Alive, blasting from every city. World to be a better place, i guarantee it.
Brad Shreve: 33:54
But before I let you go, do you make the world a better place?
Mr. Slade: 33:59
I hope so. I hope I make people laugh or dance, or I hope I’m Most of my friends will say I am quite a lot of fun to be around with or I make them laugh, and that to me is really important. Laughers again. Laughter is another form of meditation in my point of view, because you’re again so caught up in just the moment, you’re connected to source and your body is releasing this involuntary kind of chat with God for lack of a better word And I think that’s the best thing. So I would say that.
Brad Shreve: 34:34
Well, listener, in this show notes you’ll see a link to his Instagram account where you can see him lots of pictures of him laughing and having a good time with his friends, in addition to his sexy poses as well, and if you go to website queerweare.com, i’ll have a link directly to his page. I am going to have his Spotify playlist right there on the website for you.
Mr. Slade: 34:55
Thank you so much.
Brad Shreve: 34:56
Go listen to it, listen to it, listen to it. Call me. I want folks let me know if you agree with me that it’s a better, updated version. It’s a version for today.
Mr. Slade: 35:07
I’m very glad that you said that. I’m very flattered.
Brad Shreve: 35:10
Thank you, Mr Slade. It’s been great to have you on. I’ve enjoyed the laughs.
Mr. Slade: 35:14
My pleasure, Brad. Thank you so much for having me.
Brad Shreve: 35:19
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