Rock

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

Introspection has been the theme for a couple of female music powerhouses of late, producing two of 2015’s best recordings, thus far. Indie country artist (and Academy Award nominee) Allison Moorer explores her recent divorce and her son’s autism on the beautifully emotional, ultimately hopefully Down to Believing.

Cherie Currie, meanwhile, deals with her wild-child past in The Runaways and her current state of well fought for grace on the uniformly excellent Reverie. Combining glittery rockers with well combed pop ballads, Reverie finds Currie sounding better than ever, vocally, while also allowing her to serve as a well traveled life guide for listeners, as well.

The opening track swells with psychedelic dreamscapes while positively asserting that “There is nothing I can’t be inside my reverie!” Further hope is expressed in such vibrant numbers as I’m Happy and Another Dream. But the orchestral beauty of Believe makes it the one of the most resonant numbers here, ensuring it will serve as an inspiring track to anyone whose doubts trickle down their bed sleeves in those early morning hours.

Currie’s collaborators are significant, as well. This recording marks famed producer Kim Fowley’s last (and truly heartfelt) work while fellow Runaway Lita Ford adds raucous energy to joyful reboots of American Nights and Is It Day or Night? Currie’s son Jake Hays, also, proves to be an excellent foil to his mother, contributing deeply powerful vocals to their duet, Shades of Me, ultimately, making it another one of this collection’s stand-out tracks. This song, also, emphasizes what seems to be Currie’s prime theme here. Everything changes, including traits of your own personality and, while occasionally traumatizing, it is, also, a necessary and, ultimately, beautiful thing.

A duet with an undead Ozzy!

Nicely, Currie, who co-starred in such genre offerings as Parasite, Wavelength and Twilight Zone: The Movie, appeases her terror loving fans with a couple of fun lyrical references, as well. In the breezily compelling Inner You, she describes herself as the “she wolf creature from the black lagoon” and the truly propulsive Queen of the Asphalt Jungle mentions “zombies” who are “riding the vampire road”.

All in all, it’s a deeply satisfying recording, one that makes her fans, worldwide, hope that it is far from her last.

You can purchase Reverie via ITunes at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/reverie/id976269503.

You can, also, keep tabs on Currie at http://www.cheriecurrie.com and https://www.facebook.com/CherieCurrieOfficial.

The divine Currie and BGHF!

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

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

Big Gay Horror Fan

All posts tagged Rock

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