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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 5, 2003)
MUSIC Join us fo r our Crystal ball Christmas Freshly rehabbed from a m eth addiction, Rufus W ainwright peers 5 0 0 years in to the fu tu re by J im Celebration R a ix ) sta ariah Carey, eat your heart out. Two days after the noto riously sketchy songbird flutters into the Schmtz bragging about how she made it “Through the Rain” following her in famous meltdown on live television, another gay icon will take to the stage across the river. And his skin is just a little hit thicker. Rufus W ainwrights dar ingly baroque latest album, Want— a la Q uentin Taran tino’s Kill Bill — is being released in two editions, with a more “lavish and obtuse” follow-up slated for next spring. In a telephone interview with Just Out, he sings the praises of Portland, assesses his toxic past and gazes far into the future. Jim Radosta: You make a reference to Portland in the song " 1 1 :1 1 .” Was that inspired by any particular experience? Rufus Wainwright: Port land is one of my favorite cities on the West Coast because, at least at the time Rufus Wainw right of when I wrote that song, it seemed to be one of the least sort of gentrified places left— at least [compared with] Seattle and San Francisco. Yeah, I’ve certainly had a couple of crazy nights in that town with all of your wacky inhabitants. It was a lot of fun. JR: W hen I saw you in concert a few years back, you mentioned a critic who com plained that you were “ too gay.” H ave things changed since then, or do you still encounter this kind of ignorant homophobia? RW: It doesn't really register on my radar. I haven’t really dealt with it all that much. It does happen occasionally, hut 1 just sort of dismiss it. JR: Now that you’ve put out three well- received albums in a row, do you see a time coming when you’ll just stop paying attention to critics? RW: I’m trying to get there. I’m trying not to read my criticism at all, only because you can read 10 great critiques and you’ll read one bad one, and it’s like you’ve been condemned to a life sentence.... But every once in a while I peek— kind of like peeking at a horror movie. JR: You remade “ T he Origin of Love” for the Hedwig and the Angry inch tribute album Wig in a Box, which was produced by a Portlander. How did you get involved in that project? RW: 1 know [Hedtcig writer/director/star] John Cameron Mitchell, and he asked me to do it, and it’s also for a really good cause. And I also don’t get the chance often to really, like, rock out to«) m uch...so 1 liked to d o that as well. JR: In light of the state of the world t«xiay, do you find yourself increasingly drawn to causes that will make the world a better place? Christmas Sunday, Dec 21 Meditative Service 9:00am Celebration Service 10:00 with Chancel & Handbell Choirs Christm as Eve, Dec 24 Family Service 7:00pm Candlelight Service 11:00pm with Chancel & Handbell Choirs Southminster Presbyterian Church M em b er o f the C o m m u n ity ot W elcom ing C o ng reg ation s www.southmin.com 1 2 2 5 0 S W D e n n e y Rd B e a v e r t o n , OR | 5 0 3 . 6 4 4 . 2 0 7 3 plays the Aladdin in Portland on Dec. 11 and The Shedd in Eugene on Dec. 12 RW: Definitely, in terms of saving the world or whatever, now is the time to do it. 1 think we’ve sort of lost the sense of bliss, or ignor ance, or blissful ignorance I’d say, especially after 9/11. All those predictions I had growing up about, you know, by the year 2000 this and this and this will happen— well, it’s 2003, and I think it’s probably more time to act now. JR: I n interviews you’ve been candid about your past use of crystal meth. I’m curi ous what convinced you to go into rehab— was it strictly the physical effects, or did it also have something to do with turning 30 or world events like 9/1 1 and the war? RW: I just couldn’t take it emotionally, and certainly the drug itself is— in my opinion, any way— above and beyond most other experi ences I’ve had with narcotics.... So that was the main reason. B ut...I felt like in terms of arguing about what was going on in the world, I really had to get my own house in order, in order to really be effective. JR: This might be a rather naive question, but what exactly made somebody as beautiful and talented as you feel like you needed a drug to make yourself feel sexy and secure? RW: I don’t kn«>w. I think a lot of it has to d«> with the nature of the attention that I get, which is on one hand very compassionate and honest and real but also from 20 feet away. It was that classic Janis Joplin line, “For 40 m in utes you’ve got all the love in the world and everybody's around you, and then for the rest of the time you're completely alone." There was a backlash to that kind of atten tio n .... And also it was that I have been so dedicated to my music, my art, that sometimes I forget that I’m actually a human being. JR : I love the tracks you recorded for the soundtracks to Moulin Rouge and Big Daddy. Are there any other projects or collaborations you’re dying to work on— a James Bond theme, a duet with Liza? RW: I do want to write an opera at some point. And I’m just saying that a lot because it’ll force me to do it. /Laughs/ I’d love to write a really crazy opera that is performed for anoth er 500 years. JR : Both of your show s in O regon are going to be all-ages, and y o u ’ve got a really strong connection w ith your young fans. D o you th in k th e y ’re draw n to you because y o u ’ve been ou t since you were a teen-ager? RW: That may be an element. I think the main thing is that there has to be a fallout from the present music era. There’s not a lot of alter natives (H it there for kids, and so I’m sort of banking on the fact that there are ones out there that are interested in depth. I ¡Mugful And I’m not saying that I’m the only [deep] musi cian at all, but there’s not a lot that arc given the amount of attention that I’m given. JOIN PORTLAND CENTER STAGE ON DEC.9 af 7pm for GAY & LES B IA N A U D IEN C E N IG H T after the showing of OiOAiPA ir DAVID SCOARIS . .A CHRISTMAS MEMORY ir TRUMAN CAPOTE with special hostess Poison Waters, sponsored by: j U S t m i call JR: W hat other “deep” musicians are on your radar right now? RW: I’m thinking a lot aKnit, of course, Elliott Smith, because he died. I like Beth O rton as a songwriter, and I’m one of those Radioheads as well. 503 / 274-6588 jn R ufus W ainwriumt plays Portland’s Aladdm Theater, 3017 S.E. Milwaukte Ave., at 8 p.m. Dec. 11 and Eugene's The Shedd, 285 E. Broaduuy, at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12. Tickets are $25 from Tnketmaster (PintLmd) and $22.50-$32.50 fn im 541 -687-6526 (Eugene). l i l t Southwett BROADWAY • ••■ PC S arf
