Queer (song)

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“Queer”
“Queer” cover
Single by Garbage
from the album Garbage
B-side "Girl Don't Come" (OZ & EU)
"Sleep" (OZ & EU)
"Trip My Wire" (UK & France)
"Butterfly Collector" (UK)
Released November 20, 1995 (UK)
May 5, 1997 (UK 12" remixes)
Format 7", 12",
CD maxi, cassette single
Recorded 1994 - 1995
Smart Studios,
Madison, Wisconsin
Genre Alternative rock
Length 4:36
Label Mushroom Records (UK)
Almo Sounds (North America)Mushroom/BMG (Worldwide)
Writer(s) Garbage
Producer Garbage
Garbage singles chronology
"Only Happy When It Rains"
(1995)		 "Queer"
(1996)		 "Stupid Girl"
(1996)

"Queer" is a song released by Garbage which appears on their eponymous first album. It was written and recorded at Smart Studios during the 1994-1995 sessions for the debut album.

With its suggestive title and subdued trip-hop feel, "Queer" quickly became a word-of-mouth success for the fledgling band. The song samples the drum beat from Single Gun Theory's "Man of Straw". The band had wanted to use a Frank Sinatra sample for "Queer", but the idea was abandoned because it would have been too expensive.

Bass on "Queer" was played by Mike Kashou, additional drums by Clyde Stubblefield and clarinet by Les Thimming.

Contents

[edit] Single release

"Queer" was issued as a single in Australia and Europe as an EP in October 1995, and the following month the song was issued in the UK on a 2xCD set and vinyl to coincide with the band's debut UK show. The song was also issued as an airplay single in the US in late 1995.

"Queer" was the band's first top 20 UK single, peaking at number 13 in December 1995 & remained on the UK chart for 8 weeks. At one point in the midweeks charts the single had hit the UK Top Ten, but by the end of the week sales had levelled off and settled at the #13 spot.

Continuing the special packaging for Garbage's vinyl formats, the "Queer" 7" came in a stickered perspex case (with an embossed "G" logo on both sides). [1] The original idea for the vinyl format was package for in a jade velvet wallet with Garbage and Queer burned onto the velvet. [2] Initial copies of the 7" were packed in a bubble-wrap bag. Accompanying the vinyl was a two disc CD single set. [1]

[edit] Music video

Butch Vig, Steve Marker, Shirley Manson and Duke Erikson in the "Queer" video.
Butch Vig, Steve Marker, Shirley Manson and Duke Erikson in the "Queer" video.

The music video for "Queer" was filmed in July, 1995 in Los Angeles and directed by Stéphane Sednaoui for Propaganda Films. Manson chose Sednaoui as director after she saw his video for Björk's "Big Time Sensuality".[3] Two edits of the "Queer" video exist; the second has a fade out to obscure Manson blinding the protagonist. It premiered on August 5, and was certified a Buzz Clip by MTV, and given heavy airplay.[4] "Queer" was nominated at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1996 within the Breakthrough Video category.[5]

"He doesn't just take an idea an apply it to different artists, he seems to be able to figure out where the artist is coming from and make the photographs and the videos unique to that group. He really defined for us who we were visually. Stéphane was able to look at the band and listen to the music and figure out what was the perfect visual partner for the band. People think we're a very stylish band, and it's all to do with him. I'm really proud of "Queer", I think it's one of our best videos."
Shirley Manson[3]

The concept for the video came from Sednaoui personal experience of being "shredded into pieces" by a beautiful woman, and the band loved his storyboard for the song, feeling it matched the track. [3] Filmed in black-and-white, and from a first person perspective, as a young male follows Manson into an old house, where she is joined by the rest of Garbage in holding him captive, removing his clothing, blinding him with gaffa tape, and shaving his head. Later, the he laughs at his reflection in a mirror, before Manson drags him outside. Sednaoui operated the camera for the whole shoot.[3] The final scene of the video is in full colour, and shows the man leaving the street.

The "Queer" video was first commercially released on VHS and Video-CD on 1996's Garbage Video[6], and later on the 2005 DVD The Work of Director Stéphane Sednaoui (which also has an interview with Sednaoui and Manson talking about making the video, and it's impact on the band's image. A remastered version of the fade-out edit was included on Garbage's 2007 greatest hits DVD Absolute Garbage.[7]

[edit] Remixes

A radio edit of "Queer" was issued for airplay use on radio.

Alternate "Queer" remixes were completed by Florida's dance act Rabbit in the Moon, UK DJ Adrian Sherwood, Depeche Mode's Martin Gore (The Most Beautiful Woman in Town Mix) and by NY producer Danny Saber.

[edit] Live performances

"Queer" was first performed live at Garbage's first gig in Minneapolis, Minnesota on 5 November 1995. For the 1996 tour the song was remixed for live concerts and that version was performed throughout the 'Garbage' and 'Version 2.0' tours.

"Queer" was not played during the 'beautifulgarbage' tour, but Shirley performed a verse and a chorus of the song a cappella at some concerts.

On the 'Bleed Like Me' tour, "Queer" was re-introduced to the set as the show opener, to the delight of most Garbage fans. The version they band played on the tour was closer to the album version than the version they had played since 1996.

On some live performances Shirley introduced this song by either dedicating the song to the crowd at the show, or by saying "A's queer 'cept thee and me and sometimes even thee's queer, but most of the time, I'm completely bonkers!"

"Queer" had also been performed live on UK music show Top Of The Pops.

[edit] Queer quote, unquote

Butch Vig: "With "Queer", I was reading this novel about this woman who was hired to go and make this guy's son "a man". The kid is missing a few marbles. But then he realises that the woman who came to his room is also fucking his father."

[edit] Chart positions

Year Single Chart Peak Position
1995 "Queer" Australia ARIA Singles Chart 55
1995 "Queer" New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart 37 [8]
1995 "Queer" UK Airplay Chart 35 [9]
1995 "Queer" UK Singles Chart 13 [9]
1995 "Queer" U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks 12 [10]
1995 "Queer" U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay 57 [11]
1996 "Queer" Belgium (Wallonia) Singles Chart 24 [12]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Record Collector #209" (Retrieved - 2008-02-06)
  2. ^ "Butch Vig, as told to Here Be Monsters at "Gar-barge" press conference, July 25, 1995 (Retrieved 2008-02-06)
  3. ^ a b c d "Shirley Manson, as told on The Work of Director Stéphane Sednaoui (Retrieved 2008-02-17)
  4. ^ "Queer" promotional video press release
  5. ^ "1996 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS". RockOnTheNet.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-18.
  6. ^ ""The Screens Are Full of Garbage", Melody Maker, issue dated December 7, 1996" (Retrieved - 2008-02-05
  7. ^ "New Best Of Album". Garbage.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-17.
  8. ^ Garbage - Queer. Charts.org.nz. Retrieved on 2008-02-06.
  9. ^ a b "beautifulgarbage promotional history press release, Mushroom Records, July 2001" (Retrieved - 2008-02-06)
  10. ^ "Queer" Modern Rock Tracks Listing For The Week of September 23, 1995. Billboard. Retrieved on 2008-02-06.
  11. ^ "Queer" Hot 100 Airplay Listing For The Week of October 7, 1995. Billboard. Retrieved on 2008-02-06.
  12. ^ "GARBAGE - QUEER (CHANSON)". UltraTop.be. Retrieved on 2008-02-06.

[edit] External links


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[edit] References