Diva Dish: The Latest Scoop

Ok, people, Martha Wash is a diva who truly loves her gay fans and she isn't taking any bull dinkies from bullying homophobes. Martha is so just not having it! Understand?

Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov of Sochi, the Russian city hosting the Winter Olympics next month, told the BBC regarding gay visitors to the Olympics ceremonies: "We just say that it is your business, it's your life. But it's [being gay] not accepted here in the Caucasus where we live. We do not have them in our city."

Quipped Martha: "We do not have them in our city?" Oh, my ... 

But our Weather Girl -- who has recently recorded a new dance single with Tony Moran -- was just warming up. 

Official Charts Company UK reported a few days ago that "It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls is "set to storm the Official Singles Chart Top 20" since UKIP councillor David Silvester (ironic that his last name should be what it is) sent an open letter to Prime Minister David Cameron and, according to Official Charts: claimed that the UK’s recent spate of bad weather was a direct reaction to last year’s Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act.

"Since the passage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act, the nation has been beset by serious storms and floods," Silvester wrote. “This is not new. This happened in the Old Testament – they were warned if they turned against God there would be pestilence, there would be war, there would be disasters."

Martha fired back on her Facebook page:

"First of all I don't know anything about David Silvester, but I did read the article about him and his comments and concluded that as a straight woman who supports the LGBT community, he is totally Daft (as the British would say). While he is entitled to his opinion, I feel he is out of touch with reality. To say that "storms and floods were caused by LGBT people and gay marriage".....Really? He sounds like someone living in the 80's when it was said HIV/Aids was caused by "gay people". I think some people need to buy a clue and realize that everything wrong or bad or catastrophic is not caused by gay people. I support same-sex unions or marriages (depending on where you live) and feel it should be equality for ALL!!!
 
"BTW I'm a Christian also and the God I serve is ALL LOVE for ALL People. HE knows who he created.
 
"In regards to using It's Raining Men to support this campaign, I have no problem with it. I'm flattered that after all these years, the song is still relevant (even if it is for "storms and floods")!! Lol XO"

Go, Martha! Meanwhile, her truly inspirational new album is available through Amazon.com. Here's my Leave It to Beaverhausen review as it appeared on her official website: http://www.marthawash.com/beaverhausen-im-into-something-good-martha-wash/

Cher just announced that Pat Benatar will be the opening act for the Western half of her upcoming concert tour while Cyndi Lauper will open for the Eastern half in the USA. Cher 's "Take It Like a Man" remains at #2 on this week's Billboard dance /club chart.

Mel B of The Spice Girl's special, spicy "For Once in My Life" tears up the chart to the 9th spot, now nestled in the top ten, from last week's 13th place, and all this in six weeks!

Ok, dance diva worshipers, will be back soon with more disco diva news and, in the meantime, please join the UK in bringing "It's Raining Men," the Bob Esty/Paul Jabara song performed by The Weather Girls, back as a protest song.

First of all I don't know anything about David Silvester, but I did read the article about him and his comments and concluded that as a straight woman who supports the LGBT community, he is totally Daft (as the British would say).
'While he is entitled to his opinion, I feel he is out of touch with reality.
'To say that "storms and floods were caused by LGBT people and gay marriage".....Really? He sounds like someone living in the 80's when it was said HIV/Aids was caused by "gay people".
'I think some people need to buy a clue and realize that everything wrong or bad or catastrophic is not caused by gay people. I support same-sex unions or marriages (depending on where you live) and feel it should be equality for ALL!!!
BTW I'm a Christian also and the God I serve is ALL LOVE for ALL People. He knows who he created.
'In regards to using It's Raining Men to support this campaign, I have no problem with it. I'm flattered that after all these years, the song is still relevant (even if it is for "storms and floods")!!'
'LOL, XO Martha Wash’
- See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/hallelujah-original-weather-girl-blasts-gay-floods-politician290114#sthash.obTcZgdE.dpuf

First of all I don't know anything about David Silvester, but I did read the article about him and his comments and concluded that as a straight woman who supports the LGBT community, he is totally Daft (as the British would say).
'While he is entitled to his opinion, I feel he is out of touch with reality.
'To say that "storms and floods were caused by LGBT people and gay marriage".....Really? He sounds like someone living in the 80's when it was said HIV/Aids was caused by "gay people".
'I think some people need to buy a clue and realize that everything wrong or bad or catastrophic is not caused by gay people. I support same-sex unions or marriages (depending on where you live) and feel it should be equality for ALL!!!
BTW I'm a Christian also and the God I serve is ALL LOVE for ALL People. He knows who he created.
'In regards to using It's Raining Men to support this campaign, I have no problem with it. I'm flattered that after all these years, the song is still relevant (even if it is for "storms and floods")!!'
'LOL, XO Martha Wash’
- See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/hallelujah-original-weather-girl-blasts-gay-floods-politician290114#sthash.obTcZgdE.dpuf

Revisting The Weather Girls' "Success"

"Success! What does it mean/ When you can't find the right Marine?"  The Weather Girls' "Success" is one of the most camp, fabulously theatrical, deliciously over-the-top and cleverly tongue-in-cheek disco songs ever recorded. It's the opening number for the classic album of the same name, recently re-mastered and re-released, on cd, on the UK's Cherry Pop label. (They also recently reissued albums by Viola Wills and Divine, among other classic dance-music artists, as well.)

Martha Wash and Izora Armstead were first known as Two Tons o' Fun when they were Sylvester's back-up girls, starting in 1977, prominently featured in "Dance (Disco Heat)". They went on, under that group name, to have their own club hits with "Earth Can Be Just Like Heaven" and "I Got the Feeling."

In 1982, they had a smash international pop and club hit with "It's Raining Men." The success of that single led to the album, Success. Other songs on it included the food = love tune, "Hungry for Love" (Oh, admit it! You've been there!); the gospel-influenced "Hope" (the only song on the album with a straight face, so to speak); the Christmas classic, "Dear Santa (Bring Me a Man for Christmas)" and the cleverly disco-fied "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair" from the Rogers & Hammerstein musical, South Pacific. I wonder what Mary Martin and Mitzi Gaynor thought of that! (Ironically,  Dj Buddy B kissed both Martha Wash and Mitzi: http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2010/05/i-kissed-mitzi-gaynor.html
http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2012/08/martha-wash-at-bb-kings-nyc.html ).

All other songs on Success written by Bob Esty, Paul Jabara and/or Paul Shaffer.

The Cherry Pop release includes multiple bonus tracks. The 12" Larger Than Life remix of "Success" is too tame in my opinion, stripping the original production of its brassy bravado. 12'" version and instrumental version of "Raining Men," 12" of "Outta My Hair," instrumental of both "Santa" and "Raining Men" and a mix of the last mentioned two songs complete the selection of this collection.

In my recent interview with Bob Esty (in four parts), he talks about the making of Success and The Weather Girls, and more. Don't miss this revealing interview via this link: http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2013/06/bob-esty-part-3-martha-wash-and-raquel.html

Video of The Weather Girls performing "Success" at The Hippodrome:

Martha Wash on The David Letterman Show

Martha Wash appeared on David Letterman last night to sing "It's Raining Men," it being that song's 30th Anniversary. (Can you believe it?) Martha was one of the Weather Girls, a duo whose other vocalist was the late Izora Whitehead. Paul Schaffer, on keyboards, co-wrote the song with Paul Jabara. In his introduction, Letterman calls the song "iconic" and it certainly is that. The production around Ms Wash is quite elaborate, like Folies Bergere meet Cirque du Soleil on Solid Gold. See for yourselves:



By the way, did I ever mention that I kissed Martha Wash in August at B.B. King's, where she sang her excellent new single, "It's My Time"? Read about it at link:

http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2012/08/martha-wash-at-bb-kings-nyc.html