Take Five with Marital Streep

Published October 21, 2026 by biggayhorrorfan

Over the past couple years, my brilliantly fun friend Wendi Freeman has began producing music as the delightfully monikered Marital Steep. In the months since her debut release, her electro clash rhythms have definitely brightened many a dance enthusiast’s ear buds. This is especially true with her latest offering, Hunting for a Beautiful Accident. On the eve of her performance at Bezazian Library’s Gay Fright Fest – because what self respecting queer doesn’t love a lively set from a self produced pop princess?!?! – Freeman took a moment to chat with me about the horror influences in her music and to let us know what she is currently listening to, as well.

Big Gay Horror Fan: What inspired you to create music as Marital Streep?

Marital Streep: Marital Streep sprung from a desire to be allowed to dance. I had been playing drums in punk bands for so many years and wanted to just admit to myself that I like classic 80s synth pop.

BGH: I love the cinematic nature of your sound. Is that something you’ve worked purposefully towards?

MS: I’ve always loved artists like Tangerine Dream, and how horror films specifically use synth scores, like John Carpenter. I aspire to that level of versatility to construct a mood.

In the song, Diagetic I play with how I wish my music could be something a character pops on in the background. I want someone to tune in a radio or put in a cassette and you hear my song in the background. That’s one of my favorite tropes- when a character puts a song on and it’s tinny and distorted and then they pop it in as the main soundtrack and you suddenly hear it clearly.

BGHF: You recently released a new EP, Hunting for a Beautiful Accident. Is there a song on that new collection that you found was truly exhilarating to work on?

MS: This entire ep was exciting to work on because I really learned new skills about chopping and sampling. I’d find a glockenspiel loop and get excited to distort and warp it.

BGHF: That is so cool! What Marital Streep song do you think would fit perfectly in one of your favorite horror films?

MS: I want to be the musical act at a prom! I want someone getting killed or bullied while I’m singing something bright and bubbly like Used to Dance.

BGHF: You’d be like EG Daily meets Devo!! As a huge music fan yourself, what current dance acts have been getting your pulse to race to the BPM?

MS: This year in particular has been a great time for women producing their own music. I’m inspired by Ninajirachi and Pink Pantheress creating their own beats and my favorite album recently has been underscores’ U.

Be sure to find Marital Streep on all your favorite streaming devices. You can also follow her at http://www.maritalstreep.bandcamp.com and http://www.facebook.com/p/maritalstreep-61574760700991/.

Marital Streep will be performing at Gay Fright Fest at the Bezazian Library branch, 1226 W Ainslie, in Chicago on Saturday, October 24th at 1PM. It’s a free event with candy, prizes, screenings and (obviously!!) great tunes…so please join us!

https://chicagolocalevents.com/events/gay-fright-fest-2026-10-24-bezazian

Gay Fright Fest

Published October 17, 2026 by biggayhorrorfan

As someone who loves physical media, I don’t think I have always reaped the full benefits of my local libraries. Innately, I want to own the books I read and to have copies of the films I love on the ready at any given moment in time. That being said, budget issues and the space limitations of city living have often compelled me to make glorious use of the three libraries that mark the boundaries of my neighborhood. What fantastic spaces they are!

Those who don’t ever visit their own branch may also not realize the amazing services that these institutions provide for the community, as well. They offer free computer use and job resources, after school activities for teens and a warm space for the homeless to gather during winter months. They also provide amazing and inclusive programming.

In fact, this fall I’ve been happily co-programming an upcoming Halloween event at the Bezazian Library Branch in the Uptown neighborhood in Chicago. Gay Fright Fest will highlight how queer genre cinema has changed over the years, with modern short Family for Christmas playing alongside 1940’s The Mad Doctor. Christmas‘ director Nick Pospisil will even be on hand for a panel discussion on how the openly gay couple of his work compares with the queer coded partnering, supplied by the ever elegant Basil Rathbone and the always mysterious Martin Kosleck, at the heart of Doctor.

To make the afternoon even more spook-tacular, electroclash artist Marital Streep will be performing songs from Hunting for a Beautiful Accident, her latest EP. Free candy, coloring contests and photo ops – perhaps even with The Mad Doctor himself!!! – will also round out this eclectic celebration.

We hope all you rainbow-hugging Midwest fiends can join us!

The Friends of the Bezazian Library present Gay Fright Fest on Saturday October 24th – 1 pm at the Bezazian Library, 1226 W Ainslie – Free Admission.

Dagger Cast: Jaime Adrian

Published September 21, 2022 by biggayhorrorfan

Madonna was Into the Groove. Ariana Grande, meanwhile, was only Into You…while The Psychedelic Furs were, dramatically, Into You Like A Train. Now Dagger Cast, happily, gets Into the Mix with amazing gay dance music artist Jaime Adrian. Jaime’s latest song What Were You Drinking? has reached close to 80,000 streams…but more importantly, on this latest episode, Jaime focuses on the screams! He fills listeners in on his favorite horror film queens (including Buffy) & describes how a childhood with a genre loving father has shaped his world. So, save up all your tears for Charisma and dive into the show at:

Until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Music to Make Horror Movies By: Kurtis Mantronik

Published August 30, 2020 by biggayhorrorfan

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At 6’6”, Kurtis Mantronik could certainly qualify, via physical stats alone, as one of the Kings of Hip-Hop and Dance music. But his supreme talents as a producer, DJ and writer, including a stint as the founder of the legendary Mantronix, place him fully in that category, as well.

The inclusion of his Big Band B-Boy on the Return of the Living Dead II soundtrack has also earned him a place in horror movie history, but this Jamaican-Arabian wonder is continually reinventing himself (as a lifetime honoree in the arts) at http://www.kurtismantronik.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/KurtisMantronixOfficial.

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Until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Music to Make Horror Movies By: Apollonia

Published July 12, 2020 by biggayhorrorfan

Apollonia

After winning Prince’s heart in Purple Rain, the magnificent Apollonia (Kotera) went onto terrorize genre veterans Mark Hamill and Amanda Wyss with her supernatural ways in Black Magic Woman.

Before this occult take on Fatal Attraction, though, this always striking entertainer showed her sweeter side with the fun and energetic Since I Fell For You from her underrated debut album.

A humanitarian who has devoted time to such organizations as GLAAD, Apollonia is working on her memoir and can be followed at https://www.apolloniakotero.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/ApolloniaKoteroOfficial.

Black Magic Woman

Until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Music to Make Horror Movies By: Joyce Sims

Published March 22, 2020 by biggayhorrorfan

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With its Phantom of the Opera style opening, Joyce Sims’ Come Into My Life burned up the dance floors in the late ‘80s and seemed the perfect song to be featured in a horror film. A few years later the producers of Species did include the popular track in a significant scene with Natasha Henstridge’s deadly Sil.

Sims caressed the keyboards with such dance legends as Mantronix, who produced a number of her most popular tunes, and is still creating new music and performing at nostalgia fests. More information on her activity is available at https://www.joycesimsonline.com/.

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Until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Music to Make Horror Movies By: Mario Martz

Published November 10, 2019 by biggayhorrorfan

Thinking you’ve been needing a little queer, horror inspired dance music in your life? Well, look no further. The delightful Mario Martz has you covered – in blood and beats per minute. His very fun EP Slasher will get you happily moving in a variety of thrill centric ways. It’s perfect music for the club, gym or for whatever you dream up while either wearing a sheet or gyrating beneath one!

Check it out on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/album/4b0xKouW7yFo13R8SYvT58?si=z0foFXMu.

Until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Music to Make Horror Movies By – Little Boots

Published September 29, 2019 by biggayhorrorfan

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Tenth anniversary analysis articles on Jennifer’s Body, the feminist horror buddy flick scripted by Diablo Cody, have focused on the much renewed appreciation brewing for this initially maligned exercise in fright making. (For the record…I loved it from the get go and saw it twice in the theater before it quickly disappeared from the screens.)

Besides its energetic performances and enthusiastic direction, the film also featured a killer soundtrack. One of the most notable numbers was the perky yet strangely ominous New in Town, sassily essayed by the unforgettable Little Boots.

Perfectly capturing the film’s essence with that song, Little Boots is now winning over fans’ hearts anew while touring in celebration of Hands, the album that initially featured this tune.

https://www.facebook.com/littleboots https://www.littlebootsmusic.co.uk/

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Until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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Music to Make Horror Movies By: Debbie Deb and Ma

Published June 23, 2019 by biggayhorrorfan

Debbie Deb

The classic freestyle fun maker Lookout Weekend has been covered and/or sampled by everyone from Kelis to Janet Jackson. Nicely, it has also recently been given a glorious nod in Ma, this summer’s fun, twisted horror joy ride.

The inclusion is especially important as Debbie Deb, the song’s jubilant vocalist, along with many other of her dance music contemporaries, was rarely given the credit she deserved. Fans of this life filled musical style will surely recall how Deb was often replaced by models on the covers of her singles and lip syncing actresses at live music events.

But she is taking the world by command now. You can help celebrate her soundtrack success at https://www.facebook.com/therealdebbiedeb/ and at a series of concert dates throughout the rest of the year!

Until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

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