Can't Take That Away

by Steven Salvatore

There’s nothing better than a good vinyl record; the earnest crackle, the rawness of the instrumentation. The vocals are more real, like whoever is singing is right in front of you. There’s nowhere to hide on a vinyl, not like so many of the muddled, robotic auto-tuned Top 40 songs that hide any hints of artistry or a lack thereof.

There’s nothing better than a good vinyl record; the earnest crackle, the rawness of the instrumentation. The vocals are more real, like whoever is singing is right in front of you. There’s nowhere to hide on a vinyl, not like so many of the muddled, robotic auto-tuned Top 40 songs that hide any hints of artistry or a lack thereof.

Queen, like Mariah, is transcendent. Their songs resonate long after the final note or fade-out; they often crescendo and, just when you think they’re about to end, take a turn to someplace magical. When their songs are over, I either feel whole, like with “Don’t Stop Me Now” or “Killer Queen,” or a sense of loss, like with “Who Wants to Live Forever.”

“Why is it on me to get other people to change? It shouldn’t be on me or any queer person to make people treat us like … people.”

knew I’d made a mistake the second our lips touched. I loved Joey, in ways I will probably never fully understand, but I could never be what Joey needs in that way.

purple, white, and green—the colors of the genderqueer flag.

purple, blue, and pink—the colors of the bisexual flag.