GrooveOut

Out of My Way
Two gay musicians who conform to nobody
Chris Sill

Scott Free is a gay man living on the edge. He readily admits that he should have died from AIDS some years ago, but protease inhibitors came along just at the right time to save him. That’s edgy enough for most people, but for this Chicago native, it’s only part of the story. Free lives his life on the edge of the gay community, somewhere in the fringes that lie well outside the gay lifestyle the majority of us know.

"Queerpunk." "Homocore." "Queercore." All three catchwords describe the gay subculture where Free dwells not only as a person but also as an artist. With two CDs to his credit and being named the Windy City Times 2001 Artist of the Year, Free is one of Chicago’s most prominent queer musicians.

His angst-ridden hardcore music stays as true to the punk sound as his intensely straightforward lyrics. Anti-establishment is the name of the game here, and Free has plenty to say and plenty of anger to say it with. On "Placebo," Free exclaims, "They’re holding back the drugs they say we don’t qualify for. Our skin is turning black, they say don’t play in the dirt. We’re wasting away they say drink a milkshake. We’re jumping off the roof, they say here’s a counselor." Free not only vents at the system but also at the gay community itself. "Rejection" finds Free retaliating against the way many gay men now objectify sex. Instead of looking at the real person, Free sees men more interested in their chest size, piercings, etc.

To some, living so far from the gay mainstream may seem dangerous, even reckless. For Free it’s exactly what gives him the edge, a place to freely express himself without fear. Maybe Free’s motto should be If you’re not living life on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.

Out on another edge, far from the vociferousness of Scott Free, stands gay singer-songwriter Mark Weigle. While not quite on the outskirts of his community, the title of his newest release Out of the Loop suggests otherwise. Don’t be fooled. Weigle’s easily accessible acoustic rock sound often borders on country. What both Weigle and Free posses aside from their homosexuality is a fierce sense of independence. For Weigle, Out of the Loop validates the success he’s achieved by doing things his way.

After three critically acclaimed CDs, Weigle remains unsigned to a major record label. Surprising? Not really. It’s a common problem among out gay and lesbian musicians. Record label executives just can’t figure out how to market gay artists. Either keep quiet until you’ve become a superstar or go it alone. The solo route is just what Weigle has done. Performing just about anywhere he could get a gig, Weigle has slowly but surely built a national fan base.

Now more than ever, Weigle seems poised to break through on the national scene, and recent accolades from Billboard magazine’s talent editor, Larry Flick, serve as confirmation. In 2000 Flick named Weigle’s song "A Good Day" Independent Artist Record of the Year, and picked All That Matters as one of his top 10 CDs of the year.

Artists gay or straight have something to learn from Weigle’s choices. Being true to who you are as a person and an artist gives you something no record label can. Record deal or not, Weigle’s efforts inspire us all.

For more on Scott Free and Mark Weigle visit their websites at www.scottfree.com and www.markweigle.com.