The Hunter’s Full Moon was at its peak this week which means we’re officially in spooky season. The October episode of Queery focuses on all those queer musicians who lean into the spooky, witchy, goth, synth-heavy vibes. This month's queer hero is Wendy Carlos, composer, inventor, and a pioneer of synthesized music!
Wendy Carlos (years active: 1964-2005) built a home computer in the 60s. She studied physics and music. She became involved with the first electronic music center and worked with Robert Moog, providing technical advice in his creation of the Moog synthesizer. She pioneered synthesizer music and really demonstrated the power of the Moog Synthesizer with her first album, Switched on Bach, in 1968. Notes had to be recorded one at a time on an eight track recorder Carlos built because she couldn’t afford one, and then all the notes had to be layered over each other. She originally wanted to record her own album, but was convinced to record works of Bach as a familiar sound to introduce people to the new synth sound.
The success of Switched on Bach led her to collaborate with filmmaker Stanley Kubric. She scored two of his films using the trailblazing synth techniques she invented: A Clockwork Orange and the Shining. Wendy knew she was transgender from an early age, and was able to transition with the success of Switched-On Bach, but still appeared publicly as a man for several years before feeling comfortable enough to come out publicly. A true trailblazer and a true synth artist.
Other artists featured this month:
Blk Wiccan by queer hip hop artist Zebra Katz
Wolf by Sylvan Esso
Haunting by Halsey
Voices by Motionless in White
Dirty by Amiture
Prada by nonbinary Venezuelan DJ Arca
Train by LA punk band La Pregunta?
Damaged Girls by LA post punk band Agender
We Fell in Love in October by Norwegian lesbian, girl in red
Canary by the Queen, Liz Phair.
Girl I Left Behind Me by Clover-Lynn and the Hellfires
Demons by lesbian jesus Hayley Kiyoko
The Liminal from 2024’s She Reaches Out to She by goth folk musician Chelsea Wolfe.
Veneficium by experimental band Xiu Xiu
You’re Dead by lesbian folk legend Norma Tanega
Hot On Heels of Love by queer industrial band Throbbing Gristle
Angels in Tibet by Amaarae
Witchy (featuring Childish Gambino) by KAYTRANADA
The Wolf by gender fluid artist Fever Ray
The Maze by queer Belgium Mustii
Heart of Dust by queer band Light Asylum
Eudaemonia by queer femme darkwave band Them Are Us Too
Faceshopping by SOPHIE
Ghosts by PVRIS
Die Young by Chappell Roan
GUY.exe by Superfruit
WATER by Black Dresses
Have a queer artist recommendation? Send it to queery@kboo.org
- KBOO