The Future is GoGuide Magazine

Welcome to GoGuide Magazine! 

Happy New Year from GoGuide Magazine. Happy 23rd birthday to Caitlin Clark!

Significant changes will be made to GoGuide Magazine, which is still in the planning stages. Although it's running a little behind schedule, if you take on this big project, you want to ensure it's done right—thousands of people read the magazine monthly. We're well on our way to becoming the most-read online magazine in the greater Iowa City area within three years. Thank you to everyone who visits our site. Please share the site with your friends and let us know your thoughts.

At GoGuide, we're committed to a greener future. We've made a conscious choice to avoid contributing thousands of unread paper magazines to local landfills. While paper magazines were a staple of the last century, we're excited to introduce you to our new, interactive digital format, which offers a more immersive experience. 

Your input is invaluable to us. We want to hear from you, whether it's constructive criticism or a shoutout for something we've done right. We're particularly interested in your story ideas and submissions on travel, books, food, and local events. And yes, we're  (hint). Your ideas and contributions are what make GoGuide Magazine unique and engaging. We are thrilled to introduce you to our new and interactive digital format. This format offers a more immersive and convenient reading experience, bringing our content to life in a way that's never been possible.

GoGuide Magazine is also looking for freelance writers in the Iowa City area. Topics include theatre previews, nightlife, cinema, and more. If interested, please email tim@romllc.us

Thank you for taking the time to visit our site!

Tim Nedoba (he/him)

Tim@romllc.us

 According to the Iowa Cancer Registry, Iowa has the 2nd highest cancer incidence (new cancer) rate in the U.S. Iowa’s overall cancer incidence rate is rising while the U.S. rate is falling. Only six states have rising incidence rates, but Iowa’s is growing the fastest. 

The four cancers listed below largely explain Iowa’s high and increasing cancer incidence. If you remove these four cancers from consideration, Iowa’s cancer incidence becomes more like the rest of the U.S., though still a bit higher. 

Lung Cancer 

Incidence is declining more slowly in Iowa than in the rest of the US. Iowa ranks 2nd to last in reducing age-adjusted lung cancer incidence from 1990 to 2019 (5% decline in Iowa vs. 23% decline in the U.S.). • Iowa ranks last in reducing lung cancer mortality from 1990-2019 (6% decline in Iowa vs. 27% decline in the U.S.). Among women, age-adjusted lung cancer mortality increased 26% in Iowa compared to a 6% decrease in the U.S. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality and accounts for almost 25% of cancer deaths in Iowa. • Lung cancer can largely be prevented. The two most common risk factors include: Tobacco use -- causes over 80% of lung cancers, and 15% of Iowans still report smoking. o Radon -- the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers; all of Iowa is at high risk for exposure. 

Melanoma

Iowa has the 5th highest incidence rate, rising faster in Iowa than most other states (Figure 4). • The primary driver of melanoma is exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun or the use of indoor tanning beds. 

Breast Cancer

Iowa has the 9th highest incidence rate, rising faster in Iowa than most other states (Figure 5). • Iowa’s breast cancer trend is mainly increasing in the early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive type. Risk factors for breast cancer include alcohol and obesity, both of which increase estrogen levels. Drinking alcohol -- Iowa ranks 4th in the US for binge drinking and for alcohol-associated cancers. o Obesity -- Iowa ranks 11th for obesity (36%), and only 1 in 5 Iowans meet physical activity guidelines. 

Prostate Cancer • Iowa has the 4th highest incidence rate among Black males and the 7th highest rate among White males, and it is rising faster in Iowa than in many other states. There are few known risk factors for prostate cancer. However, some evidence suggests that Tobacco use, binge drinking, and heavy drinking are associated with prostate cancer incidence and mortality. Obesity may increase the risk of developing an aggressive, fast-growing, and deadly form of prostate cancer. Chemical exposures (e.g., exposure to arsenic, exposure to PFAS among firefighters, and exposure to certain pesticides among farmers) have been linked to prostate cancer.

For more information, contact Audrey Gronemeyer at audrey-herring@uiowa.edu,

Tim Nedoba researched this article for publication. Tim can be reached at tim@romllc.us

The American Lung Association’s “State of Lung Cancer” report shows the toll lung cancer takes on each state. It examines rates of new cases, survival, early diagnosis, surgical treatment, lack of treatment, screening, and insurance coverage of comprehensive biomarker testing. The report also explores the lung cancer burden among racial and ethnic groups at the national and state levels.

GoGuideMagazine will interview One Iowa later this month to look at their CDC grant and learn more about how One Iowa is working to improve the lung health of the LGBTQ+ communities in Iowa.

Here is a quick view of Iowa’s state of lung cancer and a summary of neighboring states Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

New Cases: Iowa

• The rate of new lung cancer cases is 61.2, significantly higher than the national rate of 53.6.
• Iowa ranks 39th among all states, placing it in the below-average tier.
• Over the last five years, Iowa's rate of new cases improved by 10%.
• Iowa was one of the 15 states requiring insurance coverage for comprehensive biomarker testing, including lung cancer, as of September 2024.

New cases: Illinois

• The rate of new lung cancer cases is 58.7  , significantly higher than the national rate of 53.6.
• Illinois ranks 34th among all states, placing it in the average tier.
• Over the last five years, the rate of new cases improved by 11%.
• Illinois was one of the 15 states requiring insurance coverage of comprehensive biomarker testing, including lung cancer testing.

New cases: Minnesota

• The rate of new lung cancer cases is 54.8 and not significantly different than the national rate of 53.6.
• Minnesota ranks 24th among all states, placing it in the average tier.
• Over the last five years, Minnesota's rate of new cases improved by 10%.
• Minnesota was one of the 15 states requiring insurance coverage of comprehensive biomarker testing, including lung cancer, as of September 2024.

New cases: Wisconsin

• The rate of new lung cancer cases is 56.2, significantly higher than the national rate of 53.6.

Why this “state of lung cancer” study matters.

According to the American Lung Association, about every two minutes, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with lung cancer, and every day, lung cancer takes the lives of more than 361 of our friends, neighbors, and loved ones. But now there is hope, as more people in the U.S. than ever are surviving lung cancer. While the disease remains the leading cause of cancer deaths among both women and men, over the past five years, the survival rate has increased by 26% nationally to 28.4%.

This year’s report also examines the lifesaving potential of lung cancer screening, which can detect the disease at an earlier stage when it’s more curable, the importance of advancements in lung cancer research, which holds the promise for better treatment options, and insurance coverage of comprehensive biomarker testing, which can help determine what treatment options would be best for individuals with lung cancer and other diseases. 

In conclusion, the American Lung Association works toward defeating lung cancer; the goal of the “State of Lung Cancer” report is to empower the public to learn more about lung cancer in their state.

The report looks at key lung cancer measures to highlight the burden and examine opportunities to address lung cancer at the state level better. The report found that lung cancer rates for every measure vary significantly by state and that every state can do more to defeat lung cancer, such as increasing the rate of screening among those at high risk, addressing racial disparities that impact lung cancer outcomes, decreasing exposure to radon and secondhand smoke, and eliminating tobacco use. 

This report provides unique information for federal and state officials, policymakers, researchers, and those affected by lung cancer. It emphasizes the need for resources and action to decrease the toll of lung cancer across the country. 

For more information, please visit https://www.lung.org/research/state-of-lung-cancer.

Tim Nedoba researched this article for publication. Tim can be reached at tim@romllc.us

RIVERSIDE TO PRESENT THE CURE AT TROY 

A Version of Sophocles’ Philoctetes by Seamus Heaney 

BETRAYAL, REDEMPTION, AND HOPE ON STAGE 

AT RIVERSIDE THEATRE 

Premiering January 30 and running through February 9, 2025

Riverside Theatre announces its upcoming production of The Cure at Troy by Seamus Heaney, an adaptation of Sophocles’ play Philoctetes by a celebrated Nobel Laureate. 

The production is directed by Adam Knight, whose recent credits at Riverside Theatre include The Weir, Julius Caesar, and Scalia/Ginsburg—opening on January 30 and running through February 9, 2025, at Riverside Theatre, 119 E. College Street. Tickets are on sale now at riversidetheatre.org/troy. 

This compelling adaptation of a classic Greek tragedy delves into themes of morality, deception, and the human condition. The narrative finds Odysseus seeking out the banished Philoctetes to gain a strategic advantage for the Greeks in their prolonged siege of Troy. He enlists the son of Achilles in an elaborate deception to steal a weapon of immense power. But do the ends justify the means in the conflict between private and public morality? 

“Coming into the new year after such an eventful twelve months, it felt important to go back to the well with this ancient tale,” says Knight, who also serves as Producing Artistic Director at Riverside. “Not only was the work of Sophocles instrumental in defining Western theatrical traditions – it was also the product of a society engaged in the first bold, fraught democratic experiment.” 

This ancient text finds new urgency in this adaptation by Irish poet and Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney. Born in Northern Ireland in 1939, Heaney's works often reflect the rich tapestry of Irish rural life and history against prolonged conflict. His adaptation of Sophocles' Philoctetes, titled The Cure at Troy, contains some of Heaney's most famous lines, including the Chorus's reflection that sometimes "hope and history rhyme." This production at Riverside Theatre offers a unique opportunity to experience Heaney's masterful blend of classical themes with modern sensibilities, promising an evening of thought-provoking and inspiring theatre. 

“Bringing to life the words of Heaney, considered by many to be the greatest 20th-century poet, feels appropriate in this UNESCO City of Literature,” adds Knight. 

The cast features Tim Budd as Philoctetes, making his 70th appearance at Riverside. The cast includes Aaron Stonerook* as Odysseus, Mark Worth as Neoptolemus, Cristina Goyeneche, K. Michael Moore, and Olivia Winters as the Chorus. The creative team comprises Kaelen Novak (scenic design), Cassandra Williams (costume design), Haven Haywood (lighting design), Dakota Parobek (sound design), Stephen Polchert (props design), and Kelly Garrett (stage management). (*Member of Actors' Equity Association.) 

The Cure at Troy will be performed on the Wilson Family Stage at 119 E College Street. Evening performances run on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. On Sunday, February 2nd, Miriam Gilbert will host a special talkback with the performers and director after the matinee. This event is free and open to the public; attendance at that day's performance is not required to participate. 

An interview with Tim Budd: This production also marks Tim Budd's 70th appearance on the Riverside Stage. This week, Tim sat down with Riverside Theatre to discuss his history with the organization and why he believes everyone should come to experience The Cure at Troy. You can read and watch the complete interview here: https://riversidetheatre.org/budd/.

For more information and tickets, visit https://riversidetheatre.org/troy.

Iowa City scores perfectly on the 2024 Municipal Equality Index, an honor running for several consecutive years. 

The Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index (MEI) is the only comprehensive, nationwide assessment of LGBTQ+ equality in policies, laws, and services. At a time when LGBTQ+ rights are at stake, the MEI and the rubric it provides for cities and towns has never been more critical. 

The MEI provides a public snapshot of how committed a given city or town is to LGBTQ+ equality. It also provides a comprehensive framework for mayors, councilors, and administrators nationwide to safeguard the rights and well-being of LGBTQ+ residents and staff.

“Cities and towns around the country are stepping up every day, finding new and innovative ways to empower LGBTQ+ people in the face of a dire national state of emergency. Even when anti-LGBTQ+ extremists in state capitals are working to undermine their progress, mayors and city councilmembers keep fighting to make sure that LGBTQ+ people in their communities - especially trans people - are supported and lifted to the fullest extent possible. This year’s Municipal Equality Index shows the results of their dedication while acknowledging the increasingly hostile environment in which they must govern.” Kelley Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign

This year, a record-breaking 130 cities—or more than 25 percent of all MEI-rated cities—earned the highest score of 100. Additionally, 76 cities earned over 85 points despite being from states without nongaidiscrimination statutes that explicitly protect sexual orientation and gender identity.

See how your city scored here: https://www.hrc.org/resources/municipal-equality-index.

 Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds will introduce legislation eliminating gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. 

It would make Iowa the first state to remove rights from an entire protected class if passed.

According to One Iowa and multiple independent sources, Governor Kim Reynolds will introduce legislation to remove basic human rights protections from transgender Iowans. This bill would remove gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act, stripping transgender Iowans of critical anti-discrimination protections in the areas of housing, credit practices, education, employment, and public accommodations. While this type of legislation has been introduced in the past, this will be the first time it has had direct support from the Governor. It would make Iowa the first state to remove rights from an entire protected class if passed.

One Iowa Executive Director, Max Mowitz, condemned the proposal in a statement: “If this bill passes, many basic life necessities Iowans take for granted will become much more difficult for transgender Iowans to access. Landlords will legally be able to deny them the ability to rent an apartment, banks will be able to deny them a car loan, and hotels will be able to turn them away for no other reason than because they are transgender. 

This bill gives those who wish to discriminate the ability to put their thumb on the scales of the American dream.

No group of Iowans deserves to be denied shelter or credit simply because of their identity. That is the opposite of equality, the opposite of fairness. We call on these officials to recognize ALL Iowans' rights and reject this cruel proposal.”

State Representative Aime Wichtendahl, the state’s first transgender legislator, also denounced the planned legislation: "If these rumors are true, it is a serious contempt by the Majority Party for Civil Rights and is contrary to Iowan values of our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain."

Find out more about One Iowa at oneiowaaction.org.

Special to GoGuideMagazine.com by Gregg Shapiro

Photo Credit: Taylor Hill/Getty Images for Live Nation (at right)

When I did the tally, I realized that, including this one, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Cyndi Lauper nine times since 1997. Of course, that doesn’t match the number of times I’ve been fortunate to see her perform live – that would be 12, beginning in 1984. And now, as I prepare to see her for a 13th time, it’s with a touch of sadness as Lauper is embarking on her farewell tour. 

One of the best friends the LGBTQ+ community has ever had, Lauper’s multi-artist True Colors Tours, which ran from 2007-2010 and raised funds for the Matthew Shepard Foundation, PFLAG, and HRC, and the subsequent founding of True Colors United in 2008, which continues to help homeless LGBTQ+ youth, are just a couple of examples her activism. Additionally, Lauper is a lifetime musical trendsetter. For instance, she recorded a duet with the late Tony Benett, more than 10 years before Lady Gaga did, as well as releasing dance-oriented and country music albums, 14 and 8 years, respectively, before Beyoncé. When it comes to her legendary personal style, social media fashion critic Nicky Campbell recently declared Lauper an icon in his review of the 2024 VMA fashions. Now, as we prepare to say farewell to Lauper on the concert tour circuit, she was generous enough to make time for an interview before hitting the road.

Gregg Shapiro: In preparing for this interview, in which we’re talking about your farewell tour, I pulled out my 12 ticket stubs from your concerts I’ve attended since 1984, beginning with two that year in Boston. Do you remember what that first, headlining tour as a solo artist felt like for you?

Cyndi Lauper: I just wanted to make sure I had places to go. I wanted the sound to be really great. I don't know if I accomplished that, but I did have those big speakers that I used to run upon. That's me! I loved that. Because I saw all those wonderful English groups, the ska bands…

GS:…you mean Madness and The English Beat and The Specials?

CL: The Specials! I thought they were extraordinary. The singer (Neville Staple), I don't know where his family was from, I guess he could have been Jamaican English. He was so fierce, singing so great, and he climbed up on top of the speaker and put up his fist and he's singing his guts out. I'm thinking, “It's Mighty Mouse!” When I was a kid that was kind of my favorite show, I don't know why [laughs]. But it always influenced me, and I remember in ’84, ‘85 I was still free. When ‘86 came then I became a prisoner of the system.

GS: Being on a major record label, and all that.

CL: I wasn’t allowed to touch anybody. I wasn’t allowed to go out to them (in the audience) or have them come to me. It was totally different, and I totally hated it.

GS: Did you ever imagine that 40 years later you would be embarking on a farewell tour?

CL: Well, at some point, sure. I think that for me this is the perfect time. Because it's a kind of bucket list of what I always wanted to do. In the beginning, it was roughneck style. Whatever I could jimmy-rig, I did. When I got to a certain point.  like we were doing the (live) “Money Changes Everything” video. I had fantasies of a cherry-picker. Because of our budget, everyone said “Well, you can't get a cherry-picker but we’ll give you a garbage pail and a pulley system. I thought to myself, “Oh no, like Oscar the Grouch?” I had a friend who was a great interviewer, and she used to interview everybody from a garbage pail. So, of course, that’s what my people gave me to go up in the crowd. I thought it was a pulley system. The pulley system was actually 10 men with rope holding it. When I started to shake (while singing), I started to slip out of their hands. They brought me right in. That could have been the reason that the lawyer made me sign my will before I left.

GS: Are you planning to sing songs from each of your albums?

CL: I'm really trying. I didn't get anything from the blues album (2010’s “Memphis Blues”) in there because there's too many songs. I usually get to the point where (I say), “Hey, guys, if the visuals look good for this, can we switch the songs?” What I did was I wanted to do visuals (on the tour). I wanted to do performance art. That means you have to be on a click. Like when I went out on the (Rod) Stewart tour and we used the lyric video of “Sally's Pigeons.” You can't do that and not be on a click, because the guy running visual has to be on the click. If nobody's together, it's like, “Hey, what the hell now the words are there…no they're not.”

GS: It's like a badly dubbed movie.

CL: Yeah. But this time I got this wonderful visual director, Brian Burke, who worked for years with the creative director of Cirque Du Soleil, and not having people flying through the air. In the beginning of all that, that was my fantasy! I wanted to fly through the air, and all I got was a cherry-picker -- not a cherry-picker, but a garbage pail. It wasn't going to happen for me. Now, I'm 71! I'm not gonna go flying through the air. It's a mixture of collabs with artists and art. Art and music. The whole thing is an artist collective, any time you go out on tour. It's not just you. You're with other dance artists if you're a dancer, or you're with musicians. Or you’re with lighting designers, that’s art, too. We did these collabs and I'm excited to present a show like this because it's something I always wanted to do. Fingers crossed that it all works out. I'm even going to do costume changes this time, which you know I never do because it's so bothersome. But I can do it in a way now that I'm comfortable with. I just want to be able to do this as a gift to all the people that followed me through all my crazy twists and turns. I did all those twists and turns because I kept hitting brick walls. You keep hitting the gatekeeper, you gotta find your way around that gatekeeper.

GS: Earlier this year, “Let The Canary Sing,” Alison Ellwood’s documentary about you received a theatrical release. After having your memoir published in 2012, did it feel to you like the documentary was the next logical step, a continuation of sorts?

CL: Well, not for me. I didn't want to have a documentary. It was the pandemic, and everyone was saying, “Everybody's doing documentaries now, Cyn! Come on, what are you doing?” I was like, “I’m not dead!” Then I started watching documentaries on the streaming services and I saw “Laurel Canyon.” I felt it was an extraordinarily captivating documentary for me because it was the history of music. All of the people and players in that story were very much influential for me as a growing artist, especially in the ‘70s. I looked and saw who directed it…

GS: Alison Ellwood!

CL: When they came at me again, I said, “I want a film, not a TV special. So, how about Alison Ellwood? She makes films.” She wanted to do it! I think she did a good job. It's not your typical story. I don't think anybody's story is typical. Right? We think we know people but I guess we don’t. You think, “It's typical! You start a band.” Which is always my theory! If something's wrong, start a band, start playing out, you'll feel a lot better!” [Laughs] It doesn't always go that way.

GS: With the end of touring in sight, is there a possibility that you might do more film work for a potential Oscar to complete your EGOT status?

CL: Listen, I happen to love independent films. For that I would write. I wrote “Unhook The Stars” for…

GS: …the Gena Rowlands movie.

CL: Right! Usually, I like an independent movie because then you get to talk to the director and then you have to understand what their vision is. That's interesting, becaus each director is a different personality and a different kind of artist. You have to listen and see what story they're trying to tell and then have a couple of different suggestions. When we first wrote “Who Let In the Rain,” I wrote it with Allee Willis…

GS: Oh, the late Allee Willis.

CL: Allee Willis was a great songwriter.

GS: Did you see that documentary?

CL: No, I wish I did because I miss her so much. I guess I was talking to the director, and we didn't have a band, so I just sang (sings) “They fall like rain,” and, in between, her dog, Orbit would bark. I was like, “OK, the dog is musical,” and everyone laughed. Then, I described it to the director as “Chinese Motown.” That would scare most people. To me, I hear influences of every culture in American music. That's how I make my music: with different influences. Like cooking, like spices. I feel grateful that I was brought up in New York City because I was exposed to so many different cultures.

 “When the Band Played On: The Life of Randy Shilts, America’s Trailblazing Gay Journalist” by Michael G. Lee

c.2025, Chicago Review Press $30.00 282 pages

Special to GoGuide Magazine from The Bookworm Sez

You spent most of your early career playing second fiddle.

But now you’ve got the baton and a story to tell that people aren’t going to want to hear, though they must face the music. They must know what’s happening. As in the new book “When the Band Played On” by Michael G. Lee, this time, it’s personal.

Born in 1951 in small-town Iowa, Randy Shilts was his alcoholic, abusive mother’s third of six sons. Frustrated and drunk, she reportedly beat Shilts almost daily when he was young; she also called him a “sissy,” which “seemed to follow Randy everywhere.”

Perhaps because of the abuse, Shilts had to “teach himself social graces,” developing “adultlike impassiveness” and “biting sarcasm,” traits that featured strongly as he matured and became a writer. He was exploring his sexuality then, learning “the subtleties of sexual communication” while sleeping with women before fully coming out as gay to friends.

Nearing his twenty-first birthday, Shilts moved to Oregon to attend college and “allow myself love.” There, he became somewhat of an activist before leaving San Francisco to pursue journalism fully. He focused on stories of gay life that were “mostly unknown to anyone outside of gay culture.”

Shilts bounced between Oregon and California several times, but he never lost sight of his writing career and, through it, his activism. In both states, he reported on gay life until he became well-known to national readers and gay influencers. After San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk was assassinated, he was tapped to write Milk’s biography.

By 1982, Shilts was in love, had written a book, had a radio gig, and had a regular byline in a national publication reporting “on the GRID beat,” an acronym later changed to AIDS. He was even under contract to write a second book.

But Shilts was careless. Just once, careless.

“In hindsight,” says Lee, “… it was likely the night when Randy crossed the line, becoming more a part of the pandemic than just another worried bystander.”

Perhaps not surprisingly, “When the Band Played On " has two distinct audiences. One type of reader will remember the AIDS crisis and the seminal book about it. The other is too young to remember it but needs to know Randy Shilts’ place in its history.

The journey may be different, but the result is the same: author Michael G. Lee tells a complicated, still-controversial story of Shilts and the book that made America pay attention, and it’s edgy for modern eyes. Lee clearly shows why Shilts had fans and haters, why Shilts was who he was, and Lee keeps some mystery in the tale: Shilts had the knowledge to keep himself safe, but he didn’t, and readers are left to wonder why. There’s uncomfortable tension in that and a lot of hypothetical thinking.

This is an essential book for scholars of gay history. For anyone too young to remember AIDS as it was, “When the Band Played On” hits the right note.

Author Michael G. Lee is pictured at right. PHOTO CREDIT: Dani Werner @ Dani Werner Photography

Interview lead-in photo by Margret Long

The “RE:VIEW” from here: an interview with Melissa Manchester

By Gregg Shapiro

It can be challenging to keep track of all the things for which we owe a debt of gratitude to Bette Midler. Close to the top of the list is when, in the early 1970s, Midler made Melissa Manchester one of her backup singers, known affectionately as the Harlettes. For many LGBTQ+ folks, it was an introduction to a performer and lifetime friend of the community, who would go on to have a chart-topping career as a singer and songwriter in her own right. For “Re:View” (Green Hill), Manchester’s new album, she revisits some of her best-known songs, including “Come In From The Rain,” “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” “Just You and I,” and “You Should Hear How She Talks About You.” What sets the album apart are her renditions of “Whenever I Call You Friend” (a duet with Kenny Loggins, with whom she co-wrote the song) and “Midnight Blue” (a duet with Dolly Parton on the hit single Manchester co-wrote with longtime collaborator Carole Bayer Sager). Manchester, currently performing in the national tour of “Funny Girl,” as Fanny’s mother, Mrs. Brice, no less, graciously made time for an interview to talk about “Re:View.”

Gregg Shapiro: With so many songs from which to choose, what was involved in your selection process for your new album “RE:VIEW”

Melissa Manchester: It was sort of a thank you to my fans for sharing this musical journey for 50 years. You're right, there were several to choose from and they couldn't all fit on the album. These were some of the charted hits and songs that I have performed, mostly, for such a long time. I found some harmonic tweaks and I found more insight into the performance of the lyrics, and I wanted to revisit them because they have grown in depth and wisdom as I've grown in depth and wisdom.

GS: “Re:View” opens with you performing a duet with Kenny Loggins on “Whenever I Call You Friend.” Loggins had a hit with his 1978 version, a duet with Stevie Nicks. How did the songwriting collaboration with Kenny come about?

MM: Kenny and I kept running into each other at televised award shows where we were often paired up to present an award to somebody. It got to be so often that we’d see each other that it got to be kind of funny. He said why don't we meet in a room without a powder puff in between us because we always met in the green room. I invited him over to my home one night to write a song. He showed up with his guitar and I had my piano, and we both had our boom boxes, because you would work on cassettes in those days. We wrote the song and then I didn’t really see him again for a very long time. More recently, I had found out that after he left my place, he played the song for his friend Mike McDonald of The Doobie Brothers, who was not terribly impressed with “Whenever I Call You Friend.” I played my cassette (of the song) for Clive Davis who was not terribly impressed with “Whenever I Call You Friend.”

GS: Oh, no!

MM: [Laughs] Kenny was opening for Fleetwood Mac at the time so he enlisted Stevie to sing with him. That's how that happened. I had been trying to get him to record with me for such a long time because it's such a natural fit. Our schedules didn't allow and whatever. I finally said it's time to do this and if he wants to participate that's fine, and if he doesn't, I'll just move on. I produced and co-arranged the track with Stephan Oberhoff. His manager was very excited about it. I sent her the track and she forwarded it to him. I hadn't heard from him for a couple of weeks. Then one evening I texted him and asked him if he wanted to do it or not. He said, “Why don't you send me the track?” I said, “You've had it for two weeks!” He said, “I'll get right back to you,” and ten minutes later he said, “It's fantastic! I'm in.” It was a wonderful recording session. He couldn't have been more amiable or affable. We had a great time, and the video is the proof in the pudding. It's a beautiful and delightful achievement after all these decades.

GS: What did it mean to you that that song became such a massive hit for Kenny and Stevie when it did?

MM: It's always delightful on a very major scale when a song of yours is a hit. It would have been nice to be notified that he was recording it. He apologized for that later which was very sweet of him. Of course, when I started performing the song myself with my keyboard player or whoever was singing, it was instantly recognizable and that's always exciting.

GS: The duet with Dolly Parton on “Midnight Blue” is simply gorgeous. What was the experience of collaborating with Dolly like for you?

MM: She is a true queen. That’s the thing. She is music royalty, and so beloved, and has done such magnificent work not only through her songwriting but through her philanthropy. It was a real joy and honor to work with her. She was completely professional and delightful. My video crew flew down to Nashville to film the video. We only had a very short amount of time to shoot. The last shot that we did was the two of us driving in the back of an open-air Mustang, making a right and a right and a right, right back into the parking lot beside the recording studio. We were on Music Row, where all the publishing houses are, and it's the tourist area of Nashville. Coincidentally, as we were driving, and our director was in the front seat facing backward with his camera, there was a tourist bus that came right next to us. Once they saw Dolly in the car, people were basically dripping out of the bus, screaming her name. It was so dear and thrilling. People in cars pull over when they see her and stop and call out to her. She is just magnificently, and well-deservedly beloved. It was lovely to rethink “Midnight Blue” as a duet. It had never been recorded as a duet. But she wanted to be part of the album and that was very sweet. I needed to think of which song would suit her. That worked out really well, and she sang so beautifully.

GS: I totally agree. I know, and love, the song “Confide In Me” from Diana Ross’ underrated 1977 album “Baby, It’s Me.” I’m so happy you finally got to record the song for “RE:VIEW.”

MM: [Laughs] I found the right moment. My collaborator Stan Schwartz kept saying over the decades, “Are you gonna do this at some point?” When I revisited the song, it was written as a torch song. Raquel Welch had performed it on “The Muppet Show.” When I took a deep dive into the song, I realized that it could sustain a Latin beat. Because it could do that, it could hold up to an opening verse, which is a very old-fashioned element that's not written anymore. But it worked beautifully, and I think we created a beautiful video for it. I think the recording is very luscious.

GS: I also love the addition of the Citrus Singers choir on “Just You and I,” which lifts the song to new heights.

MM: Yes, oh absolutely! Thank you for mentioning that. One of the interesting things about recording “Re:View” is, because we had recorded so much of it prior to the pandemic, a lot of it was in the can. Many of these songs, without my knowing it, grew into that moment. When I rerecorded “Just You and I,” which Carole Sager and I had written a long time ago, at the beginning of the women's movement actually, when we were young singer/ songwriters, it grew into this song that would pay homage to essential workers, who were marginalized workers prior to the pandemic. Nurses and pizza delivery people and postal workers and people that were keeping the country functioning as best they could. The video for that song pays homage to that. I wanted to write choral parts for the Citrus Singers so they could underscore and amplify the gospel and anthemic components of the song.

GS: I'm so glad you mentioned Carole. In the liner notes, you extend your gratitude multiple times to “my esteemed colleague Carole Bayer Sager,” with whom you co-wrote half the songs on “Re:View,” as well as many others.  What was it about Carole that made her a good songwriting collaborator?

MM: That’s such a good question! One of the things that I learned not too long ago was that I was the first artist that Carole ever wrote with and wrote for. She was a songwriter for hire. She would write a song and it would be sent to other artists. I'd never written with anyone before. She sat with me. She had a very interesting and intriguing way of expressing herself which is what stirs my imagination to hear music. We would chat, and out of those discussions came our songs. That's why the tones of our songs are always very conversational. They literally came out of conversations. She was a magnificent collaborator, and we had a very fruitful, productive, and beautiful collaboration for several years. Our songs reflect that. It was a joy to work with her.

GS: “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” which Carole co-wrote with the late Peter Allen, was one of the biggest hits of your recording career. Do you remember what the response to that song meant to you?

MM: It was thrilling because it was touching so many people. For me initially, it was curious. The song was so beautiful, but I heard it as a very quiet lullaby sung by Peter Allen. I thought that rendition was just perfection. When it was arranged to be this gigantic anthem it sort of overwhelmed me because Carole and I wrote songs about finding your voice and affirming your value and all of that. Suddenly I was singing this big version of a song where the first word of the title is, “Don't.” I thought, “How am I going to pull this off?” It took me a little bit to understand what people were resonating with from the song. The song is about how one must learn how to cope. That’s just the way life goes. It is the lamenting of it, and it is the celebrating of it.

GS: Carole’s memoir, “They’re Playing Our Song,” was published in 2016. Do you think you might have a memoir in you?

MM: I do have a memoir in me! I just have to figure out how to do it [laughs]. I've started many times. I may end up with a collaborator, just to help me focus and sit quietly and get it out. Yes, I do have a memoir in me.

GS: I had the pleasure of attending your concert at JAZZIZ in Boca Raton a few years ago. Are there plans for you to perform concerts in support of “RE:VIEW”?

MM: Well, you would think, wouldn't you [laughs]? It's just that, at this moment, I am on the national tour of “Funny Girl,” which is a wonderful way to celebrate the 50th year of my career. Yes, I will be returning to the concert platform once this is over, but it has been extended through April, so I'll be away from concerts for a little bit more.

GS: What is your favorite part about playing Mrs. Brice in “Funny Girl?”

MM: My favorite part about playing Mrs. Brice is that, at this moment in my life, I can bring so much of my life experience and hard-won wisdom to the role. That's what I feel I do.

GS: Finally, you have a long history as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. We’re speaking during Pride Month 2024, and I was wondering if you had anything you wanted to say to your queer fans?

MM: I say to all of my LGBTQ+ fans, thank you for sharing this journey. I was raised to be an ally from my parents. They were allies. I was raised with lots of uncles and aunties from the community when everybody was hiding in closets, except in our home. I am grateful to love everybody. I am touched by the love that I have received. And we shall all carry on.

by Gregg Shapiro

A local GoGuide Exclusive

The Indigo Girls – Emily Saliers and Amy Ray – are having a moment. Since the release of Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” movie in the summer of 2023, in which the queer duo’s “Closer To Fine” was heard repeatedly, to today, when they are prominently featured in Tom Gustafson’s “Glitter & Doom” and Alexandria Bombach’s doc “Indigo Girls: It’s Only Life After All,” Indigo Girls are hotter than ever. That’s just the half of it! In addition to a well-received performance on the “Today” show, Indigo Girls are embarking on a multi-city concert tour, including several dates with Melissa Etheridge. In the midst of their super busy schedule, Emily was generous enough to make time for an interview.

Gregg Shapiro: In the introduction to my favorable review of Alexandria Bombach’s documentary “Indigo Girls: It’s Only Life After All,” I talk about how since the summer of 2023, when “Closer To Fine” was featured prominently in Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” to today when we are speaking, Indigo Girls are having an amazing year. So, I’d like to begin by asking you to say what it meant to you to have “Closer To Fine” heard in “Barbie.”

Emily Saliers: First of all, it was a huge surprise to be asked. And it was an honor because both Amy and I adore Greta Gerwig’s work. It just kind of fell out of the sky, this massive gift. We knew it was going to be in the trailer, but we didn't know it was gonna be in the film. We certainly didn't know that was going to be featured in its own way in terms of its content in the movie. It was so exciting and so gratifying because we love Greta’s work. I loved the movie, too. I thought it was amazing on so many levels. The issues it delved into, the way it looked, how stylized it was, how funny it was, how clever, and the dancing. The whole thing was like this big experience. So, to have “Closer To Fine” included in something that I really loved so much as a piece of art was fantastic. Then, of course, there was a spike in interest, I think, in the Indigo Girls’ music. What a gift that was to come out of nowhere and take hold. I think we’re still feeling the repercussions of that in a positive way.

GS: As I mentioned, I enjoyed the doc “It’s Only Life After All.” How did it feel to be the subject of a documentary and have your life and career highlighted that way?

ES: We met Alexandria, the director, through Kathlyn Horan who was one of the producers on the documentary. We had lunch together and she said, “I’d like to make a documentary about y’all. I can see that that’s never been done before.” In our conversations, we were clear with Alexandria that we wanted it to be not so much just about us, but about our community. About a community that has gone through these things together. I think she handled that very deftly and respectfully. Instead of feeling like, “Here’s a movie about y’all,” it feels more like here’s a movie about the power of music and community. Especially for queer folks or people who don't fit inside a box, for them to have an openness and expression. And for us to go through our hard times in life together. The fact that it landed within the scope of the time of “Barbie” and “Glitter & Doom,” was just kind of like, “Wow! What is happening?” This is like the giving season for the Indigo Girls.

GS: I’m glad you mentioned “Glitter & Doom.” When I interviewed Amy in 2023 about her solo album (“If It All Goes South”), I asked her about the possibility of a stage musical consisting of Indigo Girls songs, and that’s when I learned about “Glitter & Doom.” The movie not only incorporates many Indigo Girls songs, but you also appear in the movie as the character of The Dream. What was that experience like for you?

ES: We read the script -- we get script submissions sometimes -- but this one really stood out. We loved the story. Then we heard the music, Michelle Chamuel’s arrangements and production, and how our music was arranged, produced, and performed in a way that we’d never heard before. That was really exciting for us and we loved it. We love Tom (Gustafson) and Cory (Krueckeberg) who co-directed the film (written by Krueckeberg). To be a cameo – Amy, I think, was terrified. Amy will tell you she does not like to act. I think she did an amazing job. For me, it was exciting. I was in high school theater, and I don't mind that. We had a different experience of actually being in the film. We both love the movie and it just premiered in a theater in New York. It’s so well done. It's a colorful and well- directed film with the songs. The actors are captivating. I love the story. Again, it was this wonderful piece of art that someone was creating that they invited us to be part of with our music. That feels good. Also, the other thing Gregg, that's important to me and Amy, is that when we were coming up, I remember this growing up as a young queer in Atlanta; there was a divide between the gay male world and the lesbian world. There was the complexity of the horror of the AIDS crisis, but beyond that, there was a separation, sort of never the twain shall meet. I feel like this experience with Tom and Cory and the gay male presence, the queer presence in the film, and then bringing in the lesbian artists to contribute was such a great energy and a great confluence of things that historically has not always happened. It's sort of like bringing all the queers together. That was profoundly moving to me and Amy, as well. I think it was important. I don't know if you remember that divide.

GS: I do! We’re close in age, and I remember that divide within the community. When I would tell people about “Glitter & Doom,” about how it features the Indigo Girls’ music, they would ask if it was a movie about a lesbian couple. I’d tell them, no, it's about a male couple and they’d say, “Wow!  Indigo Girls songs in a movie about a gay male couple!” So, yes, you’re right. “Glitter & Doom” attempts to bridge that gap.

ES: It does. I knew it, intellectually, but sitting in the theater and experiencing it was a whole other thing. It brought to life the way that queer people come together and the power of that, artistically, politically, socially, in every realm. Amy was sitting there in the theater experiencing the same thing and we didn't realize it until we started answering questions during the Q&A after the film was shown.

GS: “Glitter & Doom” also includes a song from your 2017 solo album “Murmuration Nation.” What does that inclusion mean to you?

ES: When I heard the way it’s treated in the movie, it was so thrilling. I wrote that song, “Match,” with Kristen Hall, one of the original members of Sugarland. It takes a seed of a song that was written so long ago for fun with a friend, and it makes it become this whole world of its own in the context of the movie. I love the way it was treated musically. In a way, it's like sitting outside of something and hearing something beautiful, but then it's connected to you because you created it. It's hard to articulate, but I thought it was really cool that they included a solo song from each of us in the whole body of work for the movie. For me, sitting there as an audience member, I was like, “Oh, who wrote this song? It’s pretty. This is really working [laughs].” It was the experience of being outside and inside at the same time and I don't get to experience that a lot. It was really cool.

GS: We’re speaking on March 28, and later today Indigo Girls perform at David Geffen Hall in New York, and the concert includes a conversation with the brilliant music journalist Ann Powers. What are you most looking forward to about that?

ES: Amy and I have the utmost respect for Ann Powers. When we first met her, we were so intimidated, I don't think we could barely speak [laughs]. Now, our paths have crossed through the years. To sit in an intimate gathering and talk with Ann, it's always an honor to have anything mediated by Ann. She’s such a stellar journalist, a journalist of incredible pedigree. It’s going to be intimate because Amy and I won’t be standing up at our mic stands and doing a whole show. We're seated and we're playing songs and Ann is asking questions about the process. It’s going to be a much more intimate experience. Of course, to be in New York, it's one of my very favorite places to play. We're looking forward to it. Lincoln Center is beautiful. It’s sold out. They're going to be showing it on big screens outside the theatre, and that will be cool, too. I'm looking forward to the whole experience of it.

GS: Speaking of concerts, Indigo Girls are touring with Melissa Etheridge. How did this amazing combination come to be?

ES: It is so cool! We've never done anything like this with Melissa. Of course, we have such respect for her career and her music. She was doing one of those rock cruises and we got invited to be on that, and we couldn't do it. But the speed was planted. After all these years, there was interest from both parties to play some shows together. Then it turned out to be playing summer sheds together. She’ll have her thing and we'll have our band, and we'll do some stuff together. Then it turned into this run of shows. When we first announced to a crowd that we were doing shows with Melissa Etheridge, it was in the Northeast somewhere, people screamed [laughs]! It was like, “Okay, this is a good decision.” We've been in touch with each other about doing a song together or whatever the case may be. It’s the first time we've done something like this with a storied artist like Melissa and we're both so excited.

GS: Additionally, on Sept. 1 Indigo Girls are playing Town Hall in Provincetown.

ES: Woo hoo!

GS: This made me wonder if Lea DeLaria, who not only appears in “Glitter & Doom,” but is also a presence in PTOWN might be joining the Indigo Girls for a number.

ES: We haven't heard from Lea, but we would always welcome Lea with open arms, of course. We love Lea, and if Lea is there, of course we'll do something together. But we haven’t gone through official lines. Maybe you’re putting the bug in Lea’s ear right now.

GS: I’m sure you don’t need to be reminded, but it’s been four years since the release of the Indigo Girls’ “Look Long” album. Is there a new Indigo Girls album in the works?

ES: It’s kind of floating in the ether. Everything is meeting at this juncture where we have the documentary and “Glitter & Doom,” and then “Barbie” happened, and we're doing a lot of symphony shows and touring. At the same time, Amy has a 10- year-old-daughter and I have an 11-year-old-daughter. We’re feeling the pain of missing life. So, we're trying to orchestrate how to keep our lives in balance with home life and touring. Then Amy had a super long tour with her solo band. And I'm writing for musical theater. To answer your question, as we're getting older we just seem to be getting busier [laughs] with these projects that are all wonderful. We have talked about the next album, and we started tossing around ideas, but we're going to take a little bit of a mental break this summer and spend time with our family. Then I’m sure we’ll be refreshed after that and from the tour with Melissa and Amos Lee and start to really focus in on when we can do the next album. There will be a next album, it’s just been such a busy time.

GS: Finally, because Indigo Girls are renowned for their activism, do you have any words of wisdom regarding the upcoming 2024 election?

ES: [Long pause] I'm just going to come out and say I'm voting for Biden. I'm going to say that it is absolutely critical that if you’re of voting age and ability, you have to vote. You cannot be distracted by the media that may pull you one way or another. I encourage you not to be distracted by a feeling of, “Well, my vote doesn't count,” because this election is as critical as any election has ever been. We're seeing a shift after Roe V. Wade was overturned in local and state politics. The onslaught of legislation against queer people, particularly trans people; conservatives are coming for all our rights, all of them, I would say, please vote, vote progressive. Don't be distracted by anything, even if you feel you have to vote for the lesser of two evils in your mind, vote for the lesser of two evils. This is an absolutely critical juncture for obvious reasons. I truly believe that the fabric of democracy is coming apart in this country, but we have to protect our queer family. We are under attack, and you have to vote for the candidate who supports us. That candidate is obviously Biden. It's extremely important to vote in your local elections because conservatives who are anti-queer are taking over school boards. You know what they're doing; banning books. Gregg, I could spend the next 20 minutes imploring anybody who's reading this to vote through a progressive lens. They're coming after us and we need to stand up for equal rights and for the future of democracy in this country.

Attendee panel closed

GoGuide Magzine caught up with our own Miss Christine (they/them) while on tour a couple of weeks ago. They were kind enough to do a Q&A with us for our new online magazine's inaugural issue.

According to Miss Christine's website, "The "Miss" has nothing to do with womanhood and everything to do with absence and longing. In this case, it's the longing for truth and freedom from misguided external perceptions. 

Miss Christine attended the Berklee College of Music before gaining experience as a session musician in Nashville. Christine defied expectations again by leaving Nashville behind for a farm near Iowa City, where they write and record their original songs. Miss Christine released their debut solo album, Conversion, in 2019. The follow-up, Bittersweet, is out June 2023 on Bandcamp, vinyl, and CD

GoGuide Magazine (GGM): How would you describe your tour, and how has it changed over the years?

Miss Christine: The tour has been so much fun! Before the pandemic, I played close to 100 shows a year, so since 2020, my tour schedule has slowed down tremendously. It felt so good to be back on stage this summer, playing Pride festivals and shows around the Midwest to support the release of my second album, Bittersweet. The pandemic allowed me the space to become more comfortable with my queerness and performing in public as my genderqueer self. My audience has changed so much since my first tour. It is much more queer.

I've been performing under the moniker Miss Christine since 2010. In 2017, I began to pursue my original music much more seriously, and in 2018, I hit the road touring around the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast. I've been touring the last five years with different lineups of musicians in Miss Christine. A Miss Christine show is energetic and empowering with some introspective moments. 

Fortunately, Miss Christine can be found in Iowa City performing at LA Wine Bar on November 16 and at Gabe's on November 24.

GGM: How many albums have you recorded? What songs are fan favorites?

Miss Christine: I've recorded two full-length albums and two EPs. My first album, Conversion, came out in 2019, and my second album, Bittersweet, in 2023. Fan favorite songs are Conversion, Google University, and Profound. My favorite song at the moment is My Brain, which is about the time I got a concussion. It is so much fun to play live. Someone deemed it Doom Pop, which makes me laugh.

GGM: How would you describe your musical and performance style? Who in the music influenced you the most?

Miss Christine: I call it punk rock doo-wop. There are lots of vocal harmonies, defiant punk attitude, soulful moments, and occasional guitar and keyboard solos. Since I am a singing bassist, my songs are often short and full of unexpected surprises. My biggest influences are Paul McCartney, James Jamerson, Carol Kaye, The Beatles, The Grates, and The Supremes. I often say that I'm stuck in the '60s. I love music from that decade, especially Motown.

GGM: What has been your biggest hurdle in getting to the point you're at now?

Miss Christine: I spent most of my life hiding behind my bass playing instead of listening to who I am outside of my musicianship. My biggest hurdle has been learning to respect myself enough to advocate for my self-worth. Even though people like me are often left out of the mainstream, we exist and are valid just as we are. Since being public with my genderqueerness and asexuality, my life and music career have blossomed in a new way I never thought possible.

GGM: You will be headlining the Third Coralville Pride Festival next June. What can the crowd expect, and do you have any surprises for the show?

Miss Christine: We are excited to play at the Coralville Pride Festival next year! The crowd can expect a fun and energetic show filled with self-compassion. You'll have to come to the show and find out about surprises. ;) 

Visit the Miss Christine website for complete tour date listings and more information: https://www.misschristinemusic.com/