The McCue/Equinox connection to Rufus Wainwright is celebrating it's 10th Anniversary. In the winter of 1998, McCue had a copy of the OUT 100, sporting Rufus Wainwright on the cover. When asked what he wanted for his birthday he said "Hey, how about this guy's album." The rest, my fair reader, is history. Equinox made the dubs and McCue distributed them on their college campus, handing them to anyone with ears, and three people without (bless their hearts). People slowly converted, but the true love was Equinox and McCue's. They listened non-stop, right up until the Poses release. Then, they listened double-non-stop and started buying concert tickets. The songs have become such significant portions of McCue and Equinox's (separate) lives, that McCue was recently asked on good old FACEBOOK how he could rank Bowie over Rufus. Right now, that question seems almost rhetorical...it's David Bowie, for Ravi Shanakar's sake. But, recently I wonder if that question should be given "time will tell" status... perhaps Ruf will win-out. Christ I hope there's a Labyrinth remake in there! So enjoy this little tribute... we'll be tending to it.

Ah, the one that began it all. From the opening croony-ness of "I DON'T WANNA HOLD YOU..." straight through "... AN IMAGINARY LOVE TO START WITH BAY-BAY..." Rufus jumped headlong into the end of the dirty 90s, where, if you recall, music really sucked. Yes, I was a fan of the Boy Band revolution as well as Ricky Martin and his Latin explosion -- both of which were cresting in 1998/1999... but otherwise things were pretty dead. The only ones doing anything even close to Rufus were Ben Folds -- who was still about 4 people too heavy at that point -- and David Gray -- who I playfully refer to as "The Singing Goat Boy." Rufus unleashed an album that was piano and acoustic based, lushed out with Gershwin-esque orchestrations and lyrics rife with references from James Dean to E.M. Forster novels. Not to be missed. I loved it. It was better than Cats.

Poses supposes its toeses are roses, but Poses supposes erroneously. This sophomore effort showed us Rufus could rock with tunes like "California." It showed he could party and that he felt bad about it... and that frankly, that many of us have the same taste for "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk." And he hinted to us all that things were getting a little difficult in his life and that the romantic world of the young educated gay artist isn't all fun and games, "Ain't it shame that at the top still those soft skinned boys can bruise you." Well, of course that's a shame. And who hasn't mopely, drunkenly moseyed, flip-flop-shod down Fifth Avenue on a hot summer afternoon. This wasn't just a cad at a piano, this was a man with a voice, and he had something to say. And best of all, he was starting say it.

The Want albums were supposed to come out as a double disc. I still have the Paper magazine claiming that would happen. But they were split into two single discs. And that fall I headed down to the 23rd Street Barnes and Noble to snag my copy, get it signed, and meet the man. All of which is such an emotionally overwhelming experience it would exceed time and decorum to go into it. I have a feeling Want One will go down in history as the gold-standard of Rufus Wainwright recording. Though McCue wonders if he agrees. He in no way undermines the album and its greatness, he more questions why the world went for this one so ferociously. Perhapss because it was such an explosion from the moment one presses play. "Oh What a World," is an opening track unlike any other. It started the Rufus Wainwright "call to war" track, as I'll call it. Each album since has begun with an overwhelming, monstrous piece, summoning the gods straight out of heaven and the woodlands, calling them to the music. "Vibrate," "Natasha," "14th Street," every song on this album (save one) is unbelievable. "Go or Go Ahead," is one of the most daring, soul bearing songs of our entire generation. This is the album the Rufus haters have to admit is solid. If you have musical savvy, you cannot turn away from this one. The boy was now a man.

Coming swift on the heels of Want One, Want Two is the abused sophomore album -- though it's Rufus' fourth. Want One was such a jump from Poses, that Two was stuck in a terrible position and unjustly beaten upon. Truth be told it is a wonderful album. If we're going to look at Rufus' career as a straight trajectory -- which is simply an unkind thing to do to any artist -- this was the album where Rufus upped his lyric game. I look at it like tennis. Okay, now he's got a 140 mph serve, folks say, but he never comes to net. Well, Rufus comes to net with Want Two. "Little Sister," "Crumb by Crumb," "The Art Teacher," "Under the Peach Trees..." Well done, my boy.

I am just going to tell you, very frankly, that if it weren't for RELEASE THE STARS, I might be dead. It's that simple. This album pulled me through one of the most difficult summer and autumns of my life. And yet, this beautiful album hoisted me and dragged me through. In fact, the only criticism I would have of the album is that the call to war track seems out of place. Release the Stars is unquestionably Rufus' most album-ish album. He gets tired of being here, goes through Europe, comes back... criticizes Hollywood. Perfect. "Do I Disappoint" you seems out of place as the lead-off hitter of this track list. Somewhere in there, Rufus sings "Leaving for Paris, 2" and "Slideshow" the two tracks I refuse to listen to since having stopped dead in my tracks this summer in Central Park and almost keeled over due to their profoud emotion. But this album is near basically perfect. I simply can't believe the man still has this many tricks up his sleeve. "Going to a Town" and "Release the Stars" are the perfect bookend tracks by a gay man who doesn't understand what is happening to the country he loves and why other countries we've long (collectively) criticized are blowing us away when it comes to human rights. A far cry from the endless whiny ballads about why a certain girl doesn't like you, eh alternarock?

I'll get into it a bit more in the "CONCERT" section of this page, but yes, ladies and germs, I was at The Rufus Carnegie Hall show and at the Hollywood Bowl when he relived the magic. Thank you, Ste. Anyone who listens to the original Judy album endlessly, or uses an elliptical anywhere within earshot of me at the various Manhattan Crunch Gym sites, knows this particular collection of standards is second to none. True, it could be blasphemous to have tried to do it over. But this was a homage and it was also for the gay community. It was ballsy, just plain ballsy, and he pulled it off. No, he's not Judy and there some tracks that waver and wobble. And he knows that. But all you need is "San Fransisco" or "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart!" and you're over that rainbow, my friend.

Now how do we go about this, Seb? Chronologically or order of preference?
Fine, let's first go with the best concert we witnessed and scale it on back from there...
Fine?
Fine.

Now, if Seb and I aren't wrong -- and we've got guests to help us out... Annie, Oona, Jed, Jordan, and Laura -- This was basically our perspective of the very rainy Rufus in the park concert last summer. Eh... maybe we were a little more to the left... we were true edgers at this thing, nudging our way through, umbrellas and all. It was the third time we'd seen him in the park. And the second time that it rained uncontrollably. This Release the Stars concert was outstanding. I loathe the expression "in good voice" but Seb's nudging me... and it's true... the man was in good voice. It poured and poured and he just kept going. It was remarkable. He opened with a very rocking version of "Release the Stars" I hope he'll release at some point, perhaps in an EP as he did with Alright, Already. This was a great night. Period. It's burned on my brain, from start to finish. You're a showman, Ruf. A true showman. Thank you.

My mother was lucky enough to be at the Judy Garland Carnegie Hall concert. Thus, I dragged her to the Rufus. Having recently seen him struggle his way through a concert at the Beacon where the best spectacle of all was his crucifixion as the "Gay Messiah." It seemed Rufus had been going through this phase where he would sing "Go or Go Ahead" and would have a difficult time with much of the rest of the set. However, with Judy, the man was remarkable. If you don't believe me, simply listen to "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart!" listen to the thunderous applause afterward... and remember, folks, this wasn't Wembley... it was Carnegie Hall. Needless to say, Joanne was not disappointed.

To come...

Rufus Wows Tarrytown

Rufus on Conan

Rufus on Carson Daly

Wainwright Family Christmas

Rufus at the Highline Ballroom

Rufus at the Beacon

Rufus at Town Hall

Rufus at Town Hall (again)

Rufus and Ben Folds

Rufus on Canada Day

Rufus in Barnes and Noble

Rufus Times Talks...