Rage Monthly Magazine

I am one of the many people who viewed Levi Kreis’s video for “Nothing at All” on MTV Music Online.

 

The handsome singer/actor made an impression because of his soulful, southern and spirited voice and intriguing good looks.

 

Levi has just released his third CD titled Where I Belong and while he was writing the songs for his latest collection, he also made the trek to Broadway with the musical Million Dollar Quartet in which he creates “great balls of fire” with his portrayal, singing and piano playing of Jerry Lee Lewis.

 

The Rage Monthly caught him in between curtain calls to find out more about this very talented and very out performer.

 

Levi Kreis: Yes, I’ve always been a big Stevie Wonder fan, and props to you for picking that up in my music. It’s amazing how varied people’s references can be when they listen to music.

 

LK: Good question. I suppose I only know what I’ve heard the most from people, and most of my life I’ve been told that people thought I was black when they hear my voice before they see me…probably because of the heavy gospel roots I have. I would suffice to say “passionate.”

 

I definitely learned my vocal and piano musicianship from the church where they teach you to “sing and play with conviction!” 

(more…)

by bill biss

In the history of filmmaking Allan Carr is not an instantly recognizable household name.

 

Yet, this openly gay man (when it was so not fashionable to be out) produced one of the top-grossing musicals of all time known as Grease starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

 

His marketing savvy and astoundingly over-the-top parties are well known and still remembered within the ranks of the Hollywood elite and the pretty people of a decade from 1975 to 1985.

 

Overweight, insecure and following his dream of being an important force to be reckoned with in the film and the­atre business, Carr also was the producing force behind the ground breaking Broadway musical called La Cage aux Folles. More notoriously, Carr also produced the devastatingly bad 1979 musical starring The Village People called Can’t Stop the Music.

 

His thumbprint also as a producer is on the 1989 Academy Award ceremony. One that will go down in the history books, as one of the most innovative for it’s time and most repulsive to those in the industry.

 

Enter Robert Hofler, Variety Senior Editor in L.A. and author of The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson. His creative skill to document Allan Carr’s life and his wild ride of sex, drugs and rock n’ roll, which swirled around Carr and a generation, is a fascinating read in his latest book Party Animals.

 

The Rage Monthly spoke with Hofler to discover how the book came to be, what intrigued the author most and why Carr deserves a resurrec­tion within the pages of Hofler’s biography.

(more…)

There are generations of people who will instantly remember the hit songs generated by Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam.

 

Whether it is their song “Head To Toe” or numerous others such as “I Wonder If I Take You Home,” “Lost in Emotion” or “All Cried Out.”

 

The group’s distinctive blend of break dancing beats, music fueled by a mix of Latin and Pop sounds along with the sexy and sensational voice of lead singer, Lisa Lisa, are firmly entrenched in Pop music history and are still a staple today.

 

From 1985 through 1994, the group excelled at music to make you dance and sing along to. Fast forward to 2008. Lisa Lisa released a solo recording on an independent label called Life ‘n Love.

 

Hearing this recent recording, her voice is not only as good as it ever was…it’s better! Lisa Lisa will be performing at the House of Blues in Los Angeles on May 14 and at Viejas Casino in San Diego on May 15.

 

The Rage Monthly caught up with Lisa who is on a current tour doing what she does best…entertaining her legion of devoted fans. Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam had such an incredible string of hits during the 1980s. Hearing Lisa’s range, tone and quality anew on her latest Life ‘n Love, it brought to mind another very popular performer Diana Ross.

(more…)

 

by bill biss

There are certain music artists who have the sheer talent and skill to put their individual stamp on anything they record.

 

It’s a sound or feeling that brings them instant recognition and admiration with their listening public every time they decide to release new work. Such is the case with Ms. Toni Braxton.

 

In a career span of over 15 years, she has won six Grammy Awards, sold over 40 million records worldwide and is a source of emotional passion, love and loss in the ever-changing landscape of romance and the songs that create a spark for those listening to her.

 

Braxton is very proud to release her new CD called Pulse on May 4 and The Rage Monthly spoke to her recently to learn more about her music…and in the process discovered this musical diva is truly down-to-earth and extremely happy to be back in the spotlight doing what she loves.

 

Toni Braxton: We rock, don’t we? (laughter)

 

TB: Atlantic is pretty good. I’ve just come here like a year and a half ago. It’s a little scary starting off with a new family but it’s been great so far!

  (more…)

 

 

 

This multi-faceted designer, who has product lines that also include swimwear, jock straps, shirts, tank tops and shorts, started his collec­tion in 1997.

 

And like anything worth devoting a lot of time and energy, it was born out of personal necessity.

 

“My initial concept for the underwear line was, really, basically from my own need, and my wanting for underwear that was a little more stylish, a little more colorful, a little more fashion-forward than what was in the market at that time,” he explained.

 

He did feel that this “necessity item” would be best suited for the gay community-at-large; in terms of “if you’re going to be hooking up with somebody, you want to have nice underwear, when it comes to that point of the evening.” However, that thought process is prevalent in the straight world, as well.

(more…)