EXCLUSIVE Q&A with Kristine W, part 1

Kristine W talks like the girl next door with no attitude, no pretenses. She was utterly and disarmingly charming. A diva only when she takes to the stage, she was frank when she spoke with me about her beauty pageant days, her singing career (a multi-Billboard club music charter for three decades now) and her struggle with leukemia. I was happy to be able to get her talking with producer Bob Esty and have my fingers crossed we might see a collaboration. (Wouldn't that be divalicious!) It's all here in my interview. She will be performing this Sunday, March 15, at Saved, 175 MacDougal Street, NYC with Dj Escape and Dj/remixer/producer Hex Hector. She has a new club hit, "Love Come Home" and an upcoming new album for us to look forward to.

Ladies and gentlemen (and everyone in between and beyond), Ms Kristine W....

Buddy Beaverhausen: Thank you, Kristine for your time and for agreeing to do this Q&A with me.
Kristine W: Thank you, I'm happy to. Are you in New York right now? How's the weather?
BB: Cloudy but relatively warm, near 50.
KW: Well, I'm planning on bringing a lot of sunshine with me [from Vegas], so I'm conjuring that up right now.
BB: What can your fans expect when you appear Sunday night at Saved?
KW: We're going to do "Do What You Want" and just sort of check it out and see how everybody's doing. It'll be fun. And Escape wants to surprise everybody with what we're doing.
BB: You were born and raised in Washington state, am I right?
KW: Yep, farm girl!
BB: What kind of music did you listen to growing up and what influenced you?
KW: Oh, we had a really cool mix of ethnicity where I grew up, Tri-Cities, Washington. We had the farm people who liked Country, migrant workers who played Latin music, vacationing Seattle residents in the summer playing Rock and Easy Listening, Black railroad workers.... I was exposed to a lot of different types of music all the time. I was very rooted in soul and adored Earth, Wind & Fire.... Chaka Khan and Rufus.... My mom sang at a nightclub there. Standards, you know, like "You Light Up My Life."
     When I first heard Donna Summer's voice, that's what got me really excited. I knew, when I was a kid, that's who I wanted to do. And she was very glamorous! The stage presence, the big hair, the eyelashes and make-up, the beaded dresses!
BB: I think I recall you being compared to Donna Summer, especially vocally, when you first started recording, am I right?
KW: Yeah, that was such a compliment to me because she was my idol!
BB: Talking about Donna Summer and glamor, what was it like to be a Miss America contestant and a beauty pageant queen.
KW: You know, it was never about the glamor. I was raised by a single mother with four kids, and this was a way to get scholarship money. It was a way out of my life back home; my ticket to move on. So I got my money and headed to Vegas where I got my Master's degree. I worked all the time. I sang in other people's bands and sang whatever type of music they did. Back home, I'd been in church choirs and sang in bands. At 13, I was, like, 5'10" so nobody ever asked how old I was or for my i.d. or anything.
BB: In your private life, do you consider yourself high-maintenance cosmetically?
KW: Not really. When I'm not doing a show, like today, I have my lipstick on. No eye make-up. But we slather it on big-time at showtime.
BB: You have a slew of top-ten dance hits on the Billboard club chart. How many at this time?
KW: I have 16 #1s right now.
BB: Wow!
KW: And I have twenty records that made it to the top 5.
BB: Incredible.
KW: And I didn't even know it until Billboard shared that with me now that "Love Come Home" has made it onto the chart.
BB: Let's talk about "Love Come Home." What made you decide you wanted to cover that in particular?
KW: Because it's sort of underground; not many people have heard it over here [in the US]. And because I sang on the background vocals with Frankie Knuckles when nobody knew who I was. I was ready to record "Do What You Want," but the back-up singers didn't show up on Frankie's song. I was so young then, I didn't ask for anything. I didn't ask to get paid, or for riders. I later did a duet of "Love Come Home" with Franke Pharoah, of all people, for Our Tribe that I loved!
BB: You write most of your own songs and they're not fluff. They have depth and are serious songs about life and deeper feelings, really, yet they're so dancefloor-friendly. How do you do that?
KW: I listen to what people have to say, and the serious issues about their lives. It touches my heart. It's just put it to a high  number of beats per mnute, about 128 bpm or so. And the beat makes people happy and want to dance even if the song is dark.
BB: The only other dance-music artists who do that consistently, I think, are the Pet Shop Boys.
KW: Yes, I think that's right, too. And I love their music.

On Dance Music and Divas

Through this Polar Vortex, divas are still heating up NYC dancefloors according to the Billboard Dance/Club chart end-dated February 1st. And who's absolutely on fire? None other than Scary Spice herself, Mel B, who flares up from last week's 22nd spot to this week's 13th with "For Once in My Life," a brilliant, uplifting and energetic new number.

Cher also blazes ahead, now at #2 with "Take It Like a Man," the second huge hit, after "Woman's World," off her new album. Seems gender is a hot ticket lately. Let's see if it trounces Demi Lovato's "Neon Lights" from the #1 roost next outing.

Last week's #1, Deborah Cox's "Higher," simmers in the 11th position. And club queen Kristine W pulls off a fairly rare event by moving back up the chart. This hot number radiated enough interest to take it from 19th place to 17th. It's been on the chart for 11 weeks and peaked in 2nd place.

Lady Gaga's "Do What U Want," from the new ArtPop album, is upwardly mobile in the 9th spot. The last time we looked, it was #11.

Meanwhile, PrideSource recently asked none other than the divine Patti Labelle about divahood. I love what she had to say in her interview with Chris Azzopardi. Here is that portion of their interview: For you, what does it mean to be a diva? [Patti:] That word is used so loosely that I don't even consider myself a diva. I always considered myself a woman who sings her heart out and who gives 120 percent. "Diva" is a word that I wouldn't wanna call myself because it's so loosely used. It's not cute anymore. Is there a negative connotation to it now? Yeah, because all these little heifers who can't sing are called divas! It doesn't mean anything to me and probably to some of the other ladies who have been doing it for as long as I have: Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick. You know, I'm speaking for me - I don't know if they like to be called divas - but I know I wouldn't call them divas, because it's not in good company. But it used to be a respectable term at some point. Well, for opera singers, and for ladies who earned it, but that was way, way back when. Now you can look up to them, but you might not see what you wanna see. A hot mess! People who are doing it and doing it with about 40 people on stage with them to hide their pitifulness - that's not a word, but you know what I mean.

And so, until next time, m dance music diva lovers, Dj Buddy Beaverhausen says keep warm and embrace your inner heifer. Uhhh..., I meant your inner diva, of course!

Doritos Goes Bold with Leslie Jordan, Billboard Divas Rule the Roost, Betty White Still Hot at 92

In an obvious attempt to appeal to the gay market, Lay's decided to pitch Doritos to gay men. Well, you don't know how many times I'm at a party or scoffing up snacks at happy hour in a gay bar and desperately search for that salty, nacho-flavored junk food, hoping to raise my blood pressure to new heights as I sip my salt-rimmed margaritas! And, of course, there's always cool raunch ~ err, I meant ranch. And hot wings or chipotle bbq flavor.

Lay's went over the top with the delightful, impish Leslie Jordan (best known for his recurring guest role on Will & Grace, perhaps, but also for Sordid Lives and the movie, The Help). That said, this is a pretty "out" there ad and we applaud Lay's Doritos for it. See for yourselves!



By the way, in the latest Billboard club/dance music news, Deborah Cox's "Higher" reached the #1 spot on that chart! Big woo for the diva, who I so enjoyed seeing at the pier dance last Pride in NYC, opening for Cher, whose "Take It Like a Man" has skyrocketed to third place in just 6 weeks. http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2013/07/on-pier-with-cher-and-hot-cox.html

Celine Dion's "Loved Me Back to Life" peaked at numero tres but holds onto the top ten at #10. Lady Gaga's "Do What You Want" is upwardly mobile at #11. Kristine W's "So Close to Me," which once held the #2 spot, down but strong at #19.

Spice Girl Mel B's "For Once In My Life" breaks into the top 25 (#22)! Congrats Mel, and congrats Sobel Promotions and Dj Pornstar on your brilliant remix of this great club tune!
http://queens.ourcityradio.com/music-news/dj-pornstar-mel-beautiful-music

Finally, we wish golden girl Betty White a belated Happy 92nd birthday!

On My Turntables Sept. 27, 2013

Kristine W's back with a new club number that has "HIT" written all over it. You'll drop your cosmos, dahlings, and head straight to the disco floor when Ms W belts out "SoClosetoMe." This is outstanding diva-driven club music the way it always should be. She has a slew of fab remixers, my faves being the Todd Terry Main Mix, especially, and the Tony Moran Destination Club Mix.

Another fab diva returns with a Whitney cover that's tops. Ms Barbara Tucker joins producers The Cube Guys for "I Wanna Dance with Somebody." Cube Guys' original version is pumpin' with poz energy, but you can't get better than David Morales' Pride Anthem Mix. Does the name of this mix tell you where he's going to take us? You won't be able to sit this one out, believe me.

Miley Cyrus, "Wrecking Ball." Holy Hannah Montana, did she get our attention at the MTV Video Music Awards with her performance! As I've said before, the Paul Ruiz remix was fantastic.  Many of the dance mixes out are not as successful; just a bunch of busy noise. The Edson Pride/Sweet Beatz Project remix isn't bad, but I'll stick with Ruiz if I really feel the need to spin this.

Gabry Ponte's Funk & Love do-over of "I Will Survive" is a great, respectful  remix of Gloria Gaynor's eternal classic. Probably not for peak hour but maintains the integrity of the song that will definitely draw people to the floor, plus full of both Funk and Love as promised by its remix title.

Disco most certainly is still in style if UK"s Irish Colleens, The Saturdays, have named their latest song "Disco Love," although the song is more HiNRG in style rather than disco. Fave mix: Starlab Disco Club Mix. Runner-up: Wideboys Extended Mix. In any event, a catchy tune from the dance-music girl group.

Buddy B thanks my blog's audience in the US, of course, but also in the Ukraine, France, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Romania, Russia, Italy, Poland, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Thailand, and welcome Bangladesh! Take to the dancefloors, share the music, let unity and love, peace and harmony take over our planet. We are one world! SoClose.

Attached below, the original mix of Kristine W's "SoClosetoMe." (And dig those back-up vocals!)

Dj Buddy B's Disco Desert

Good morning, Vietnam and thanks for reading Leave It to Beaverhausen! New hits from that country and a record number of hits from Taiwan as well. I am humbled.

Kristine W's new remixes are just the shot in the arm that clubs need this season. I was listening to her New and Number One Club Mixes album (cd promo) and every track is a winner. S-Groover's S-Groove Club Mix, for example, lifts her classic "Love Come Home" to a more exciting, upbeat, higher energy place, as does Howard D's remix of "Don't Wanna Think." "Room at the Top," a new one on me, is sublimely mixed by the always winning Bimbo Jones as is their mix, along with Lee Dagger, of Kristine's klassic, "Feel What You Want."

This collection of 17 tracks is highly recommended, available for download from Amazon and iTunes, and at the dance diva's site: http://www.kristinew.com/

The release is an oasis in a disco desert, however, as I otherwise give a listen to one mediocrity after another. No surprise the Rolling Stones' "Doom and Gloom" (upbeat title, no?) has barely made a blip on club charts. The promo remix by Benny Benassi tries to pound the number across and it just doesn't work,  sounding a tad desperate. Wawa remixes are generally reliable, but they don't do much with Adam Lambert's "Trespassing," either. The singer has had successful remix work on other songs off his lastest album, but this just doesn't work for me, even with Cazwell and Amanda Lepore thrown into the soup.

The latest song from Pet Shop Boys' current album to get remixed -- "Memory of the Future" -- also falls a bit short of generating full enthusiasm from this boy. Best, in my opinion, is the trance-like Digital Dog remix.

Finally, model, actress, singer,dancer and television personality, Carmen Electra, is less than electrifying on "I Like It Loud." On the promo mixes I listened to, the best of the bunch was Bill Hamel's smooth hiNRG remix. Hector Fonseca, this time out, delivers a mix that sounds robotic and pandering.

Or am I just in a bad mood? Hope springs eternal and I pray for a better spring crop. Meanwhile, enjoy this video:

Kristine W's Hard Candy Christmas

Another Christmas dance track for your spiked egg-nog holiday parties, with the always-divine Kristine W singing "Hard Candy Christmas", remixed by Resolution (as in New Year's), as my Christmas Countdown 2012 continues.

Divas, Divas Everywhere

Heartthrob Adam Lambert, himself a diva in the best sense, will be hosting this year's "VH1 Divas" show on December 16th. While tributes to both Donna Summer and Whitney Houston are planned, Dj Buddy B is rather underwhelmed by the rather doggy diva line-up set to perform.. They include Ciara, Jordan Sparks, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato and Kelly Rowland.

Yours truly is underwhelmed by the week's Billboard Dance/Club chart, too. Can you dig that South Korean singer/rapper PSY is # 3 with the novelty dance floor number, "Gangnam Style." I'm multi-culti and all that; however, I'll sit that one out at the disco, thanks. And, hey, waiter, bring me a mai tai. What ever happened to the Macarena and Los del Rio? Oh, and did I mention Taryn Manning's "Send Me Your Love" is this week's #1? Better make that drink a double.

Meanwhile, can you believe Kristine W peaked at # 4 and dropped to 6th place this week with the fabulous "Everything That I Got"? Waiter, another drinky-poo, please.

Other diva faves are upwardly mobile, though. A toast to the week's 8th through 10th chart positions. Nothing's stopping Yoko Ono from moving on, I'm happy to announce, with "I'm Moving On," as she occupies the # 8 spot after climbing to # 10 last week. This week's 10th spot belongs to Christina Aguilera with remixes of her sprightly new number, "Your Body," Buddy boasts.

At the bottom of the top 25, things are settling rather than rising with one fine exception. The band Matchbox Twenty (not to be confused with Haircut 100) soars from 31st place to # 23 with "She's So Mean," on a slew of fab remixes. Song's off their album, released in September, North, which is exactly where their single's pointed at the moment. 

Beyonce's "I Was Here" is still here, dropped to # 22 without ever having cracked the top 10. It peaked at 13. Ouch! Pet Shop Boys' "Winner" peaked at 12, now at # 24. And Pink's "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" rests on the bottom rung, # 25, a steep drop from last week's 8th spot. But it did, in fact, peak at #1.

Mariah Carey's "Triumphant," also a recent numero uno, slowly deflates. Was # 11 when we last looked; now at # 13. And where would we be these days without a Rihanna song on the Club chart? She's the Greatest Gainer, having made it up from # 35 the previous week with "Diamonds," and taking over the 18th place this go-round, where she smacks into Ke$ha, currently # 17 with "Die Young." No cheap, tasteless comment from me here, folks!

So until next week's chart, keep dancing to your favorite club dj, to the radio, to the music videos at your gym or bar or both, and wherever you find the music that moves you. This week's dj kisses out to Belgium, Turkey and the Netherlands for your record views of my blog. Four more years of Obama to celebrate, everybody, so peace, love, disco, over and out!

Billboard Shake-Up

It was sad to see Kathy Griffin's fabulous "I'll Say It" drop off the top 25 Billboard Dance/Club Chart this go-round, but good to see Florence Welch (of "+ the Machine") ascend to #14 (from #20 last week) on vocals for "Sweet Nothing" by Calvin Harris. While I love listening to Harris' extended version, it offers no intro for mixing into a set. For that purpose, I recommend the Tiesto remix.

Christina Aguilera leaped into the top 25 in a major way when her quite catchy but undistinguished "Your Body" made it from last week's #26 song to the #16th. I'll refrain from any Greatest Gainer comments.

Mariah Carey's "Triumphant" is still solid at #11, having peaked at numero uno. X Factor's Melanie Amaro is rising right behind, at #12, with "Don't Fail Me Now." And, at #13, we have Beyonce, losing wind and nudging up just one spot from last week, with "I Was Here." Yeah, you was.

Pet Shop Boys peaked at #12 with "Winner" on the US chart, though Kristine W is up at #4 with the fantastic, Bimbo Jones-produced floor-filler, "Everything That I Got." Meanwhile, Yoko Ono is "Moving On" to the number 10th place.

Let me tell you, I could eat up every part of a guy like Cheyenne Jackson in a New York minute (pictured at top)! But who couldn't? Tall, dark, handsome and out (but married). The Conaire remix of the Broadway crooner's "Drive" crossed my desk recently.  Unfortunately, it doesn't quite gel for the dance floor. Good song, but not a good mix. Unlikely to peak on Billboard or end up in my mix.

More on the dance floor musique and some more Billboard club jive soon. Love ~~ Dj Buddy B!

Billboard's Diva Race

For those of you following the diva race on Billboard's dance chart, this week Mariah Carey snags the #1 spot, victorious with "Triumphant," probably her best club tune ever. I'd call her a "Winner," but that song, by Pet Shop Boys has currently reached the12th spot on the chart, upwardly mobile, and expected to get into the current Top 10.

Mariah's American Idol rival, Nicki Minaj, slides to seventh place with "Pound the Alarm" (exactly what I'd like to do when it goes off in the mornings). Last week's #1, "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)," by Pink, is back down at #5.

Kristine W's "Everything That I Got" makes a nice show this week at #8. Offering a fantastic production by Bimbo Jones and boasting several expert mixes, it'll have you up and dancing before its intro is done.

The perennial Yoko Ono, club diva at 79 years of age, leaps into the top 25 club hits, at #20, with "I'm Moving On." And we're glad she is. Love most of the remixes for this one.

And "I'll Say It" by Kathy Griffin cracks the top 25 this week as well! #24 with a bullet to the comedian/diva's remixed tv theme. I adore it!  Hear it at link.  http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2012/09/kathy-griffin-ill-sing-it.html

Thanks to all my blog readers! Love you guys (and gals) from Italy to Indonesia, Ukraine to United Kingdom, Russia to Rwanda. (Actually, I don't think I have any readers in Rwanda.) And, to my fellow Americans, I was psyched by this week's Presidential debate; hope you were, too.

Peace and happiness for all! ~~ Disco kisses xxx Dj Buddy B

Buddy's Biased Billboard, Briefly, & International Call-Out

Nicki Minaj's "Pound the Alarm" pounds its way to #1 this week on the Billboard Dance/Club top 25, coinciding with the ever-charming Minaj threatening to pound the shit out of Mariah Carey, her American Idol co-star. But, beware, Nicki, Ms Carey is just two spots down, with "Triumphant," ascendant at #3, to trounce you from that perch and triumphantly usurp it for herself.

Betwix you two gals, however, is Pink, now #2 with "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)."  Kristine W up, at lucky number 13, with the Moto Blanco-produced "Everything That I Got," a real floor-filler. And Pet Shop Boys are champs, now at the 16th niche with "Winner."

Scissor Sisters have Kiki'd down, just below the top 10 but holding strong at #11. And Gossip's "Move in the Right Direction" is certainly doing that, now up at #17. Beyonce again enters the top 25 with "I Was Here," while Rebecca Ferguson's at #24 with "Nothing's Real But Love," which peaked at 11th place.

What a bummer watching the obnoxious Mitt Romney steamroll over moderator Jim Lehrer last night to President Obama's detriment during their first debate. Just got to drown myself in a double dose of disco today to get beyond that! Meanwhile, want to thank everyone reading my blog, with special thanks this week -- beyond my perennial views from the USA, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Mexico and Brazil -- to readers in the Palestinian Territories, Kuwait, Pakistan, Japan, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, Ukraine, Latvia, Japan and Venezuela. Peace, love, happiness and dance music to all!

Below, the Seamus Haji remix of the new Gossip number:

Homophobia of the Rich & Famous + Buddy's Billboard

Class act Paris Hilton

Last week was one filled with more hot messes, particularly of homophobic explosions amongst the rich and famous, it seemed. A savvy NYC cabbie had Paris Hilton and her gay, male friend in his backseat. So what did he do? He taped their conversation, of course. Talk about your cash cab! Well, when that hit shit the fan, it created a furor because it was full of anti-gay rancor. Of gay men, Paris said, "They’re disgusting! Dude, most of them probably have AIDS!" Paris said she'd "be so scared if I were a gay guy. You'll like, die of AIDS." This from the woman famous for a sex tape showing her being, like, most unsafe.

What's an airhead.... er, I mean an heiress like Paris to do but apologize profusely and tell us she adores gay men? Exactly what she did, wouldn't you just know it.

Then, washed-up '80s author, Bret (Bright Lights, Big City) Easton (American Psycho) Ellis felt the need to stir the pot, perhaps for his own desperately needed publicity. He agreed with Paris' vapid comments and added, "As someone who has used Grindr? Paris Hilton isn't that far off." Ahem.

Then there was the incident from the world of sports.

Truth Wins Out reported: "Yunel Escobar, a 29-year-old Cuban baseball star who plays for the Toronto Blue Jays, wore eye black during Saturday’s game against the Boston Red Sox that had a homophobic message written on it: “TU ERE MARICON.”

Commonly translated: “You are a faggot.”

Escobar didn't play on Sunday, saying he had flu-like symptoms. Aw, Yunel, stop being a maricon and get in there and play! Need I add, he then issued a public apology. Just talking out of his his cap, I tell you.

Well, we've got some fierce business on Billboard, with no apologies or homophobic flare-ups, as divas jockey for position on the Dance/Club Top 25 and beyond.

Florence + the Machine take over the #1 spot with "Spectrum (Say My Name)" this time out, while last week's "Let's Have a Kiki," by Scissor Sisters, rests at #7 after burning up the chart all the way to the top.

Pink's in the pink at #5 with "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)," and Mariah Carey's "Triumphant" at #8, up from the 13th spot last week. Madonna's holding onto the top 10, turning up at #10 with "Turn on the Radio." Rebecca Ferguson's "Nothing's Real But Love" is in 12th place, down one nook from #11 last outing. And Cyndi Lauper's "Sex Is in the Heel" sashays its way down to #18, after peaking at #6.

Finally, Kristine W debuts in the Top 25, at #25, up 11 spots from #36 last week, with the divalicious "Everything That I Got." Just under the Top 25, Gossip's "Move in the Right Direction" moves right up to #26 and Sweden's Gravitonas does nicely at #27 with "Call Your Name." Pet Shop Boys' "Winner" winningly rises to #30 from 38th place.

Peace, love & disco, y'all, to readers from Australia to Saudi Arabia to Russia, Latvia and Ukraine. No need for war, hatred, prejudice or those nasty, homophobic outbursts.Get Excited & Carry On!

Here's Buddy's dance-music video of the week:

Beaverhausen's Biased Billboard for Bitches

Florence Welch of + the Machine

Let's have it, bitches! "Let's Have a Kiki" overtakes the #1 spot on the current Billboard Dance/Club chart. Can we give our Scissor Sisters a hand? I know they'd love the sound of applause because, frankly, who doesn't? I thrive off it!

Last week, Usher was a "Scream" in the #1 spot but, this week, he's tumbled to #8. Kylie Minogue is falling off the chart with one of the summer's big, best dance club smashes, though she has been on Billboard Dance/Club for a very robust 13 weeks, peaking at #1. Down to #33 last week, she's now at #45. The diva from down undah has soared to the US dance chart's #1 position a total of 9 times to date. We loves our Kylie!

Florence +the Machine's sitting pretty in the #2 location, a serious contender for #1 next week with "Spectrum (Say My Name)." The song has already topped charts in the UK.

David, who runs the iconic Rebel Rebel record store in the Village, on Bleecker, tells me that the Madonna fans who come in to shop are always the nastiest queens who walk into his house of vinyl and cds (and that includes yours truly). But they qvelled at Queen Mother's performance in NYC last week, when all the nastiness gave way to ferocity and turned into sweet adoration. Madonna, on her way down from lofty first place, holding strongly at #6, where we found her last week as well, with "Turn on the Radio."

Red-hot Pink leaps from 18th place last time to #10 now, warbling "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)," which is what I always say, or something to that tune. Rebecca Ferguson's charting nicely with "Nothing's Real But Love," at #11; expect it to enter the Top Ten next week.

Mariah Carey's working it with "Triumphant," as indeed she is with one of her strongest club outings ever, at #11 up from #21, a Billboard Greatest Gainer (and we're not talking weight this time); expect it to go up, up and up!

Cyndi Lauper's "Sex Is in the Heel" and Adam Lambert's "Never Close Our Eyes" are at numbers 16 and 17, respectively. Lambert charted for 12 weeks on Dance/Club -- nice work there -- and peaked at 6th place, which is where Ms Lauper peaked as well, charting thus far at a solid 11 weeks.

Moving into the Top 50 are Kristine W's "Everything That I Got," produced by Bimbo Jones (bursting in at #36) and Pet Shop Boys' "Winner," remixes of the song they sang at the London Olympics (#38).

An anonymous Billboard-charting dance diva tells me, confidentially, that, to chart, one needs "to hire a Billboard promoter" and that "it's expensive and not cost-effective in today's market.... Absolutely necessary to get one to get on [Billboard Dance/Club]. Maybe Madonna doesn't need a promoter to get on ... but, as you can see, Pink, J Lo, Katy Perry, Debby Holiday, Kristine W all have a BB promoter." Kind of stacks the deck, no? So take this chart info with a grain of salt. For other charts of interest, one site you may want to visit comes recommended to me by Dj Ron Slomowicz:

http://notabledance.com/

And callin' out around the world, based on this week's stats: Thanks to Ukraine, Switzerland, Mexico, Indonesia, Colombia, Brazil, Slovenia, and to all my readers across Europe, in the UK, Canada and, of course, the USA. Despite recent events, world peace and love is a real possibility. Take it to the dance floor. Till next time, dance away the music! ~~ Dj Buddy Beaverhausen

Buddy B's Best Club Songs of 2011

2011 was a good year for dance music, showcasing some fine vocal talent and a slate of equally impressive remixers attached to their songs. The UK ruled with the 4-to-the-floor sound freshly reloaded by Bimbo Jones, Moto Blanco, Almighty, 7th Heaven and Digital Dog, to name a few. All are actually indebted, to one degree or another, to the classic Almighty style, while Almighty has stayed relevant by refreshing its formula and bringing in new remixer talent. This sound has enjoyed a true worldwide renaissance over the past few years, originating as the beat of classic disco and continuing as Europe's hiNRG sound. It's subversively re-uniting the world.

England's classic HiNRG producer/remixer Pete Hammond came back prominently this year, and American stalwarts like Tony Moran, Ralphi Rosario, Eddie Baez and Jonathan Peters held their ground in the brave new disco world before them.

Note my opinions are just that and, as such, highly subjective, but these are the songs that I enjoyed playing the most, and that inspired me to get up and dance and to party on down. Now, let's get to that list! Shall we?

My top-15 artists are in alphabetical order, starting with the ubiquitous Adele, who was felled only recently by throat surgery (from which I understand she's recovering quite nicely). Adele has had a few of her pop songs translated for the dance floor, both legitimately and not. Dance remixers did quite well by this talent regarding "Set Fire to the Rain," "Rolling in the Deep," and "Someone Like You" (my personal favorite, even if it didn't fare as well as the previous two).

Pattie Brooks is disco-diva royalty best known for her 1978 sensation, "After Dark." She garnered positive notice this year with "All About the Music." Pattie started her professional career in the chorus on The Smother Brothers Comedy Hour, and toured with people like Bobby Darin and Ann-Margret before signing as a solo artist for the Casablanca record label. "All About the Music" was mixed by a slew of remixers domestically, in England, and in Australia. It was originally produced by legend Paul Gianatos. An energetic tune that'll rouse you to the floor, it's nice to have Pattie back to dance to after dark. And nice to have Charo on the scene again, too, with the latter's "Sexy, Sexy."

"Sexy Sexy" showcases the Cuchi-Cuchi Queen in fine form, still with the laughable broken English (a put-on, surely, considering how long she's been speaking English) and camp lyrics. "Feel on me, dance on me, touch on me, creep on me," Charo emplores to a disco beat. Below, she performs the song (after her bawdy, knowingly self-depracating, drag queen-like patter, dubbing herself, "The Spanish Puta". "Viva La Puta!" one of the boys shouts back from the crowd). The show was filmed earlier this year at Splash, NYC. Charo is one hot mess, but an intentional one (I think)! And she's looking simply stunning, sweeties! Here's the video for your enjoyment (and wait till the posse of go-go boys arrives):


Two women who are always a pleasure to have back on the disco scene returned this year with top-notch numbers to showcase their voices: Deborah Cox, at the end of the calendar year with the Janice Robinson-penned, "If It Wasn't for Love," and Taylor Dayne, this past summer with "Floor on Fire." Two strong, solidly written and produced tracks for two great, distinctive deliveries.

The divas known as Erasure (Vince Clark and Andy Bell) made a wonderful and welcome comeback with "When I Start to Break It All Down" in the fall while Lady Gaga ruled dance floors with a new anthem. "Born This Way" had a great beat, positive and empowering lyrics you can dance to, and melodic structure that reminded many of Madonna's "Express Yourself." But that's not such a bad thing, is it? I mean, she could do worse in terms of a model to clone from. Call it an homage and it isn't a problem any more; call it plagiarism only if you care to be ugly about it. Recent remixes of "Marry the Night" (my favorite song off the album) also score big on this year-end tally.

Jennifer Holliday has been away from dance music for too long, so it's a warm welcome back to that belting voice as she re-emerges for the club crowd with "Magic." The Tony Moran-produced track from his album, Mix Magic Music is truly a stunner worthy of this great diva. Remixes have started to emerge in just the past month or so. It is a powerhouse club threat, and I am telling you I'm not going to have this off my turntables for some time!

While Laura LaRue has a current Billboard dance charter with "Un Deux Trois," her Gay Pride-timed hit, "San Francisco Is My Disco," made me smile... and dance, and won a place in my heart, and is consequently on this list as a dance fave of the year. Here's the original, non-remixed version, already designed for the clubs.

Two Martins make my chart for the year: Billie Ray and Ricky. Ms Martin (by which I mean Billie Ray) started as vocalist for the '90s electropop group, Electribe, then had her first international solo hit with "Lovin' Arms," famously remixed by Junior Vasquez in 1995. This German diva is freely inventive with a style I can only call "disco avant-garde," and when she gets it right, the results are amazing as in this year's "Sweet Suburban Disco."

"Deep grooves are overlaid with layers of sparse, cold, synths which are expertly counterpointed by Billie’s huge warm vocals and the best lyrical content we’ve heard in dance music for a while," raved electronicrumors.com. Just keep 'em comin', honey! Love ya!

Martin, Ricky, on the other hand, had a hit on the Billboard Dance chart with "Freak of Nature" (originally entitled "Mas"), going all the way to #7, propelled by the brilliant Ralphi Rosario remix. This really was one of the very best dance songs of the year, and I was championing it since back in the spring (check my blog archive for evidence). (It shoulda gone to #1, I tell ya!) Try not to dance when you put this on. Muy caliente!

Michele McCain, whose dynamic vocals are like a cross between Loleatta Holloway and Izora Whitehead, has never gone beyond cult status, unfortunately, despite a history of well-produced but definitely diva-driven club numbers. This year's "Make a Friend" made a friend of me and was easily one of my faves.

Kylie Minogue's "Put Your Hands Up" charted on Billboard's 2011 top-50 dance listing, ascending to #1, and certainly was adored by moi! Viva La Minogue! And Viva La Ono, as Yoko, at 88 years of age, scored not one, but two Billboard dance charters for the year: the brilliant "Move on Fast" and the even better "Talking to the Universe." She's the new Betty White, people, so look out! (Betty's duet with Luciana, "I'm Still Hot" was a fun dance track, even if it fell short of my fave list.)

And, rounding out my list is Kristine W. This girl has really lasted, thank God, and what a shame it is her name isn't a household word.

She's been a beacon in the world of dance music since the 1990s; one of the most reliably stalwart vocalists, and a great lyricist to boot, frequently taking dance music to a level of human emotion and thoughtfulness consistently paralleled only, perhaps, by the Pet Shop Boys.

So, there you have it, my favorite club songs of the year and the 15 artists who lifted me to new levels of pure joy throughout the four seasons. Wishing everyone a happy New Year, and even bigger and brighter diva-fueled hits for the 2012 dance floor.

Katy Perry Vs. Lady Gaga on the Year-End 2011 Dance/Club Billboard Charts

Well, I was certainly surprised, disappointed, occasionally impressed but certainly not blase about the results of Billboard's annual wrap-up of the dance/club charts for the year 2011.

It was Katy Perry who held the #1 spot on the Dance/ Club Play list with "E.T." Did you say, "Really?" That's what I said! Katy was also in the #6 spot, singing about girls gone wild ("Last Friday Night"), which I'm sure was a fave at sorority parties everywhere but not something I'd care to hear at a club particularly. The best song from the Teenage Dream album is "Firework," in my opinion, charting on the Club Play list at 19. This derivative but infectious ditty surprisingly was not mashed up with Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors," with which it shares a common theme, the way Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" was mashed with Madonna's "Express Yourself," with which it shares a melodic structure.

A little incidental trivia: Did you know Katy is the great-niece of director Frank Perry, the director of "Mommie Dearest?" (Perhaps we should start playing Six Degrees of Mommie Dearest.)

Second place sees Rihanna all settled in with the "whips and chains" of "S&M," a little bracing coming from a victim of date violence. Exploit much and possibly not a well woman at large here, though very pretty when her face isn't battered by Chris Brown.

Kylie nicely sits atop both the tenth and eleventh spots. The big surprise here is that "Put Your Hands Up" is the 11th spot and "Better Than Today" is one entry up at #10.

Cher's back on the annual Billboard dance hits list with "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me." Dance remixes (notably by Almighty) lifted this one upward on Billboard from the soundtrack of Burlesque. Always a good year when Cher charts for the dance floor.

The shocker on this chart is the fact that Lady Gaga's biggest hit on it is #23, and that's the anthemic "Born This Way," which I thought received endless club play earlier this year. So, excuse me here, but "E.T." phoning home at #1 and "Born This Way" at 23? Doesn't add up! I'd love to see a breakdown of gay club play vs straight club play because results might be quite different, I think. God, I miss the old DMA (Dance Music Authority) magazine!

But Gaga has four hits on the 2011 top 50 whereas Perry has three. Our Lady of Gaga also charts at 37 with "The Edge of Glory;" 41 with "Judas" and 45 with "You & I."

On the Dance/Electronic Albums chart, however, Gaga rules. Born This Way is #1 on that list and The Fame album is #3.

The Fame Monster is #8, while The Remix -- just recently released -- is #9. Ranking four out of the top 10? A simply dazzling feat for any artist.

Ultimately, on the Dance/Club Artists chart, Billboard has Miss Perry in the numero uno spot and La Gaga at numero dos.

Other gay-favorite divas who charted are: Jennifer Lopez with "On the Floor," "I'm Into You" and "Papi" (numbers 15, 16 and 18, respectively); Wynter Gordon's "Til Death" made #20; ageless wonder Yoko Ono came in at nos. 21 and 28 with "Move On Fast" and "Talking to the Universe," respectively. Erika Jayne is in the 22nd spot with "One Hot Pleasure" as the always divine Kritine W charts a respectable 23 with this year's "Fade." Gloria Estefan's "Wepa" is #38, which is nice considering it was released in the fall and tallied alot of play in a relatively short period. The ubiquitous Betty White and Luciana got their "I'm Still Hot" hot enough to be this year's number 48 dance/club hit. You got it goin' on, Perfect Betty!

But it's our Britney who's kind of bottom-heavy on the Dance/Club list this year.

Though "Til the World Ends" did a smashing #17 on this year's round-up, Britney holds the numbers 34 and 39 places down with "Hold It Against Me" followed with "I Wanna Go."

For any of the above-mentioned full chart listings, go to Billboard.com.