OREGON S LGBTO NEWSMAGAZINE
To become a living legend generally con
notes a life spent on the edge. The label speaks
of pioneering new thought, approaching or
surpassing previously insurmountable achieve
ments and making some noise, figuratively
—or literally—speaking while doing so. But
above all, it means you’ve had to survive. To be
a living legend is a coveted and rare sort of
treat. At only 50 years old, it’s safe to say Joey
Arias fits that hill.
Arias established himself as an enormous
part of the new wave, East Village art scene in
the late 1970s and early ‘80s— running in the
same circles as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring
and Jean-Michel Basquiat. W ith a journey that
took him from fashionista department store
salesman to the stages of Club 57 to Saturday
Night Live backing David Bowie with close
friend Klaus Nomi, Arias has blazed a singular
path for the advancement of sonic, cabaret-
style performance art. For a sample, the 2009
documentary Arias with a Twist: The Docufan-
tasy follows Arias and world-renowned pup
peteer Basil Twist’s wildly successful show run
of the same name. The documentary kicks off
the 2011 QDoc Film Festival Thursday, June 2
at the Clinton Street Theater.
Arias will be on hand to introduce the film
and to answer questions before heading off to
perform at M other’s Bistro for a couple of
numbers with Pink M artini’s Thomas Lauder
dale—just another day for a pop-art pioneer.
Luckily, we were able to snag a quick phone
interview with the legend himself in anticipa
tion of his arrival.
MAY 20. 2011
There and Back Again
Joey Arias returns to Portland for QDoc
“I wasn’t a big fan of drag— period—
in the beginning. When I did get
into drag, it was a party that Andy
Warhol and a bunch of artists were
going to and you had to go in drag.
... So I went in drag and people were
like, ‘Oh my God, you should always
dress in girl’s clothes!’”
Just Out: You’re a couple years removed
from when “Arias with a Twist” was first per
formed. Does promoting the “docufantasy”
bring back fond memories?
Joey Arias: You know, whenever I see the
film, it puts me [back] there. We’re doing the
show again in New York in the fall for a month.
It’s kind of a present back to New York. It’s
called “Arias with a Twist Deluxe.”
I don’t like looking back usually— that’s not
my thing. It’s all history, and it’s great if you
want to be able to look at it that way. I like
going to the future. I know there’s a body of
ÏL-M
-JOEY ARIAS
work now on me. I personally don’t go back
and look at it. So when I see the film, it mirrors,
of course, certain things in my life ... it changes
every time I see it. I have copies o f it at home,
and I don’t choose to watch it a lot.
JO: I’d read that when you first started per
forming, and the first couple times you
dressed in drag, you weren’t a huge fan o f it...
JA: I wasn’t a big fan of drag—period— in
the beginning. When I did get into drag, it was
You have to be better than him.” I’m like, “I’m
not gonna compete with James Brown!" I had
by ryan j . prado
this devil kind of character look, did this whole
show and the crowd went bananas. I remember
right before I walked out on stage, I said to
myself, “All right, it this flops, I’m gonna walk
; away from all ot it.” I’d have just gone back into
n fashion. But it turned out to be something
spectacular, and that was it.
a party that Andy Warhol and a bunch of art
ists were going to and you had to go in drag. I
was like, “Oh no! This is not what I want to do!”
So I went in drag and people were like, “Oh my
God, you should always dress in girl’s clothes!”
[My outfit] was kind of based on a Russ Meyer
super-vixen kind o f apparel. Then I hooked up
with Manfred Thierry Mugler and he was very
excited. He said, “You’ve got to be in drag. I t’s
too perfect for you. You can’t be wearing men’s
clothes.” So I just embraced it. It became part
o f my life; it’s part o f my attire. Instead of
wearing guy’s clothes, I’m wearing [adopting
sultry voice] beautiful womens clothes. Now I
have become the goddess.
JO: I would imagine, in some respects, with
Portland being a smaller city, the scene out
here might be comparable to the way it was
when you started in New York.
JA: Yeah. Portland is definitely insane. I’ve
gone to some clubs there that were over the
top— things you can’t even do in New York. X-
rated—just really nasty. I went to a bar one time
there and there were about four guys standing
there at the bar. They saw me and all of a sudden
they all pulled their pants down. They were like,
“This is for you!” I was like, “W hat?” They were
like, “We heard you like big cocks, so we’re here
to show you Portland has big cocks!” Oh my
God! So I wound up sampling some of the culi
nary of Portland! [laughing]
JO: Well that takes care o f my “where do
you like to go or what do you like to see when
you come to Portland?” question. I’ll let you
go enjoy the rest o f your day.
JA: Ha! I’m looking forward to coming there
and seeing everybody! I hope you pull your
crotch out, too.
JO: We’ll see!
JA: That’s the new handshake, I think!
JO :The Portland handshake...
JA: That kind of blew my mind.
JO: What would you say was the turning
point in your work, where you said, “I’m go Joey Arias appears Ihurs., June 2 at the Clinton
ing to live my creativity, live my art”?
Street '¡heater (2522 SE Clinton St.) at 7 p.m.
JA: Well, when I did Saturday Night Live Sneakin' Out performs prior to screening. After the
with David Bowie, and with Klaus— that was film , Arias will be joined by Pink Martini's Thomas
one point. There was another point when I Lauderdale at Mother's Bistro (212 SW Stark) at
went solo— probably 1988. I was all alone in 9:30 p.m. for a special opening night party featur
London or Spain at a big show and the owners ing complimentary hors d oeuvres and beverages.
told me, “James Brown was here two weeks ago. Visit queerdocfest.orgfor more information.
►
HOLLYWOOD ANTIQUES
P O R T L A N D 'S PREM IERE ANTIQUE MALL
est. 1983
D ianne Applegate
Modem Family Denial Care
23 Years Experience
1969 NE 4 2 Ave.
Portland, OR 9 7 2 1 3
503 . 288.1051
* Excellent Customer
Service
Comprehensive Dental
Care
Monday-Thursday 8:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Low Radiation Digital
X-Rays
In-Office Whitening
Interest-Free Payment
Plan
4840 SI 39th Avenue
♦
503 775-9500
-
♦
www.d rd ia n neapplegate.com