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Queer Emo Music & The Legacy Of Openside

On January 16th 2020, one of New Zealand’s most vibrant, vital and important bands posted a message online - white and red text on a black background: ‘Saying goodbye to something this special is heartbreaking... Thank you from the bottom of our emo hearts’.

For me and so many other misfit kids throughout NZ, the end of the Openside era was the source of a strange kind of heartbreak - something that could be described as the loss of a parent figure in a scene where we always felt we could be ourselves.

The pervading atmosphere at Openside shows was something we may never see the like of again. The acceptance, grace and glamour with which the band curated the space inspired simultaneous senses of excitement and safety. No one pushed you, no one leant against the back wall with a beer, no one was above having a grand old time.

Such is the case with many LGBTQ+ spaces. Young people who were perhaps afraid to be themselves around their families or colleagues were accepted with open arms; not with great fanfare, but with quiet assurance and mutual solidarity.

This was the case from the start.

As a high school kid working a job I hated at a local music store, I would religiously check out the free copies of NZ Musician magazine that were reliably lying about. Amid the slew of soulful singer-songwriters and white-boy reggae bands that inevitably permeated the pages, I found something new - a band of young people with an easygoing press shot, fronted by a colourful-haired singer with a gender-ambiguous ethos. The words ‘emo’ and ‘pop’ were mentioned in the article. These were unashamed uses of words that are often taken as slurs when uttered in description of a rock band - naturally, I had to investigate.

How fortunate that I did. The band’s debut single ‘Worth It’ was their only release at the time, and the sound was familiar but refreshing pop-punk angst. This band didn’t sing about chasing girls or leaving hometowns, though. Possum’s lyrics were a one-two punch of self-doubt and self-love, detailing the internal struggle we all have of the former against the latter.

The band continued on their trajectory to find a respectable place within mainstream New Zealand music in the following years with a progressively more synth-driven and catchy sound. Through this, the band taught me that it was okay to be a rock musician and still like pop, even love it, and this continues to inform my songwriting to this day.

When the time came in my life where I was at a place that I could critically look and things like my sexuality and gender identity, the message and meaning of Openside’s ethos took on a whole new context. Possum publicly advocated for the trans community at every opportunity, the most iconic example of which was the flying of a massive blue, pink and white flag in the video for their smash hit ‘I Feel Nothing’.

In late 2019 Holloway Holiday had the privilege of playing support at an Openside show, and it was there that my love for everything the band stood for was set in stone. The way kids queued up outside the venue for hours before doors opened, the way Possum held the room, the way everyone in the crowd was so excited to be there. It was special and not something that could be easily replicated. Afterwards, the band came out to meet everyone, and the beautiful emotional responses that followed were proof alone of how much they meant to their fans.

But as we all grow and learn and figure ourselves out, we inevitably need to say goodbye to those things which are ready to come to a close.

Possum, Harry, PJ and George are moving on to the next chapter in their musical lives, and it’s our job to wish them the best in that - I can only look forward to the great things they’ll go on to achieve.

Just as Openside felt the call to grow and pursue their next adventure, we who follow and admire them can aspire to do the same; take what Openside gave us and pass it down to the next generation of queer kids who need that recognition, advocacy and solidarity.

Here’s to a truly special band, and the love so many of us have for the legacy of Openside.

[louis-valentine-blog]

Playlist Breakdown - January 2020

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus/Josie Moon/My Chemical Romance/Coldplay/+others

Welcome, one and all, to my first ever playlist breakdown. It’s tasty, it’s fresh, it’s hot off the presses for the emotional messes. Let’s get into it.

January has been a weird month for me, not gonna lie. Coming out of the holidays I have a tan, a renewed sense of self-identity and a fierce appreciation for the people in my life with whom I have close relationships. The music of this month represents a shift from a sun-drenched new years’ holiday into the grind of starting full-time work as a self-employed writer. It’s been a wild ride and the year’s not even started. Oh boy.

What’s that? Oh yeah, the songs…

1. False Pretense / The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. This track is a favourite from way back, and it’s mainly just here as a check-in. Hey RJA. How ya doin’? Don’t You Fake It still a banger? You bet. This band taught me so many things about great sugar-punk songwriting when I was first starting out making my own music -  and when you think that this track comes off the same record that gave us such classics as Face Down and Your Guardian Angel, it’s no surprise.

2. Victor Hotel / Josie Moon. This track has been a mainstay in my monthly playlist ever since it dropped at the start of summer. Victor Hotel brings textural arrangements and mature pop songwriting together into this gorgeous collage of instrumental and vocal production that’s simultaneously old-school and lo-fi, but undeniably modern as fuck. The album art and title add a heavy pull of intrigue, too - I don’t know what or where Victor Hotel is, but listening to the music makes me feel like I’ve been there.

3. Summertime / My Chemical Romance. I was a latecomer to the MCR love train, dipping my toes into their discography during my high school career and only fully taking a deep dive during some dark times in 2017. Like so many others, MCR helped to pull me through the shit and into the light. Having been gifted The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys in paperback by Taylor for Christmas, I waded into the world of Danger Days over the summer and haven’t come back since. You know those rare songs that walk into your life at precisely the right time, squeeze on your feels like a fucking trash compactor and just don’t let go? Summertime did that for me.

4. Orphans / Coldplay. Not much to say about this one. I’m definitely missing some sort of memo when it comes to Coldplay’s new record - it’s not bad by any stretch, it just has me yearning for the days of Mylo Xyloto which then begs the question as to why I’m not just listening to that. The hooks are there, the production’s there, the lyrics hold up, it’s just… tired. Someone get Coldplay a double shot espresso, stat.

5. Zero Percent / My Chemical Romance. This one’s a real interesting cut from MCR’s Danger Days era. Released as a B-side to the Kids From Yesterday single, it had me hooked from the start with a drum and bass (???) style opening that then progresses into more familiar MCR territory. It’s damn good all told - the vocal melodies fall a little flat if I’m honest, but Gerard’s delivery is just too huge to fail.

6. Rangers / Randa. I had the pleasure of meeting Randa at an out of town show with Holloway Holiday. We were both supporting Auckland act Openside for their New Zealand tour, and we got to watch each other’s performances and chat a bit backstage. He’s the most genuine, authentic and out-there human being, and that ethos absolutely saturates his music. Rangers is a standout for me because of the syncopated beat production and the absolutely infectious chorus - not to mention a fresh and wholesome flow in the verses that you just don’t see a lot in rap. Totally original and captivating.

7. Give ’Em Hell, Kid / My Chemical Romance. Another MCR classic that I discovered way too late in life. This thing is a fucking steam train of a punk rock song featuring the huge production and lyrical finesse we’ve come to expect from the boys. The thing that always gets me about this one is the vocal effect when the verse kicks in, ‘I took a train out of New Orleans...’ it’s infectious and angsty as hell. I’m absolutely in love.

8. Damn Regret / The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Another Don’t You Fake It throwback. A lot of what I said on False Pretense can be said for this track too - impeccable production and songwriting, an absolute anthem of my high school years. Ronnie’s vocals are a standout in this song - the sheer range and delivery this guy has is basically unheard of in pop-punk. He’s like a grungier Brendon Urie, with a voice to match.

9. Soaked / BENEE. Having only discovered BENEE very recently I can fairly say this track cemented my option that some of the world’s best pop music comes out of New Zealand. This song cleaned up at the VNZMAs, and to be honest it feels like BENEE is verging on international success too. This song rides the metaphor of water for misguidedly infatuated love - not groundbreaking by any means but it’s catchy as hell and the production carries it all the way through.

10. The Piss, The Perfume / Hayley Mary. I discovered this track (and this artist) about five minutes before writing this, and I just had to add it to the end of the playlist. This track has this gorgeous, romantic, over-saturated quality to it and I’m kinda loving it. Quite a classic rock groove with really modern sounding vocals and catchy melodies. The compression on every element of the song is really tightly packed and tidy, which is not for everyone but I love it. Great discovery. Go listen!

11. Some Kind Of Disaster/All Time Low. Some Kind Of Disaster dropped at the end of the month and HOPEFULLY means there’s a new ATL record on the way. And if this song is anything to go by, I’m excited for whatever follows. This track comes together to represent solidifying of the modern ATL sound (a la Last Young Renegade) but also a call back to the good old days, more in the vein of Nothing Personal. Perhaps telling that they just celebrated the tenth anniversary of that record. This track is catchy, upbeat and lyrically interesting (standard ATL fare) but I feel like they’re really leaning heavily on the songwriting this time, as opposed to drowning the song the production tricks that have been mainstays in their sound as of late. I’m excited for what’s to come.

So, that’s it for my FIRST EVER playlist breakdown. If you’ve read this far... THANK YOU! Shouldn’t you be doing something more important? Anyway... How’d I do? Do you agree with what I said? You’re the best, you’re the best, what should I review next... (kidding). Let’s see where February takes us - the year is young and there’s a world of music, new and old, to explore. I can’t wait. C u.