The boys are joined by artist, photographer, DJ, and Andy&apos;s mate from uni, Matthew Arthur Williams, to discuss the legendary Joni Mitchell and her 1975 album, The Hissing of Summer Lawns. An unrivalled figure in pop culture, Joni loves the queers and the queers love Joni but her icon status isn&apos;t as obvious or surface level as most of our usual Aural Fixation subjects. Matthew takes us on a memory lane trip back to the mid-00s, when Joni was the soundtrack of his blossoming queerhood. You can find Matthew on Instagram here, and follow his DJing here. Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare and Drew on @with.all.drew.respect. And don&apos;t forget to check out this episode&apos;s playlist .Finally, we would like to acknowledge both the Gadigal of the Eora Nation and the Ngarigo, the traditional custodians of the lands this podcast episode was recorded on, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Aural Fixation

We could drink a case of Joni Mitchell with Matthew Arthur Williams

Christina Aguilera&apos;s masterpiece &apos;Stripped&apos; has been cited as inspiration by countless pop sensations including Rihanna, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande. From self love, to feminism, to sex positivity, the music gave gals, gays and theys permission to roar when it hit the shelves in 2002.Nearly two decades later, &apos;Stripped&apos; still gets our temperatures up. What better way to kick off our eighth cycle than with a full strip-search of the album that made us fighters and taught us to trust the voice within. So here it is – no hype, no glass, no pretence. Just Andy and Drew. And a lawsuit with the Sugababes.Want more from the boys? Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare and Drew on @with.all.drew.respect. And don&apos;t forget to check out this episode&apos;s playlist which will NOT bring you down today.Our big gay thanks to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney. Finally, we would like to acknowledge both the Gadigal of the Eora Nation and the Ngarigo, the traditional custodians of the lands this podcast episode was recorded on, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

On Christina Aguilera's 'Stripped’, an avalanche of empowerment that is beautiful in every single way

After over seventy episodes and several many bottles of chilled Semillon (send me home), we&apos;ve reached our Cycle 7 finale! As is tradition (of which there are many!) this ep sees us tackling a subject that&apos;s a little... left of the usual format.Second only to Madonna (welcome to her fempire), RuPaul&apos;s Drag Race is the cultural touchstone of Aural Fixation. We&apos;re hard-pressed to find an episode of the podcast that doesn&apos;t in some way reference the show (Tamar, have you ever watched the show?) or its contestants. Beyond the pod, we&apos;d go so far as to say that Drag Race is THE defining piece of queer iconography of the last decade, and there ain&apos;t no signs of it stopping any time soon. As such, we felt it important – nay necessawry – to dedicate our Cycle 7 finale to the show that launched a thousand wig lines.But we couldn&apos;t do it alone! We&apos;ve enlisted Entertainment Weekly reporter and Drag Race herstorian Joey Nolfi to weigh in on his experience of the show&apos;s impact and spill the tea on where the franchise might be heading. You ready, girl? This episode will Curl. Your. Hair. Want more from the boys? Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare and Drew on @with.all.drew.respect. And don&apos;t forget to check out this episode&apos;s playlist!Our big gay thanks to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney. Finally, we would like to acknowledge both the Gadigal of the Eora Nation and the Ngarigo, the traditional custodians of the lands this podcast episode was recorded on, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Drag Race Double Dip Pt. 2: We're all born naked and the rest is Drag Race with Entertainment Weekly's Joey Nolfi

We&apos;re in for a treat this fortnight with our first of two very special Drag Race episodes. First up, superstar of RuPaul&apos;s Drag Race Down Under, Maxi Shield, regales us with her long and very personal history with... Madonna. Yes, we know, every Aural Fixation episode is essentially about Madonna, but this topic was Maxi&apos;s choice and for good reason. Our album of focus is the incomparable Immaculate Collection, but it was her brush with a diamanté banana on the Rebel Heart Tour that will prick up your ears.  Want more from the boys? Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare and Drew on @with.all.drew.respect. And don&apos;t forget to check out this episode&apos;s playlist! Our big gay thanks to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney.  Finally, we would like to acknowledge both the Gadigal of the Eora Nation and the Ngarigo, the traditional custodians of the lands this podcast episode was recorded on, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Drag Race Double Dip Pt. 1: Maxi Shield took a shot from Madonna's diamanté banana

April 2020 was a rough time to release new music, but that didn&apos;t stop Rina Sawayama from having one of the strongest pop albums of last year. The eponymous Sawayama was an eclectic mash-up of Y2K nostalgia, paying homage to early 2000&apos;s manufactured pop, nu-metal and R&B.The album went on to feature on several best of lists, and Sawayama herself made history after criticising major British music awards such as the Mercury Prize and the BRITs who deemed her illegible to be nominated as a British artist, despite having lived in the UK since she was five.Join Andy and Drew for a good old fashioned kiki on all things Rina, from her take on chosen family to her relationship with deep pop godfather of the pod, Elton John.Like the boys? Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare and Drew on @with.all.drew.respect. And don&apos;t forget to check out this episode&apos;s playlist!Our big gay thanks to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney.  Finally, we would like to acknowledge both the Gadigal of the Eora Nation and the Ngarigo, the traditional custodians of the lands this podcast episode was recorded on, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

STFU! and listen to this episode about Rina Sawayama

A mere 18 years old and mother of a three week old baby when her debut album, The Lion and the Cobra, was released, Sinéad O’Connor shot to stratospheric success off of her haunting vocals, powerful songwriting and give-no-fucks visuals. In this episode, we use Sinéad&apos;s blistering debut as a starting point for an exploration of her distilled queerness, her massive appeal to queer listeners, and exactly why is she so... very... O&apos;Conic? We also touch on the Prince Thing, the Pope Thing, and the Madonna Thing (spoiler alert, we&apos;re Team Sinéad on all). Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare and Drew on @with.all.drew.respect. Don&apos;t forget to check out this episode&apos;s playlist.Our big gay thanks to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney.  Finally, we would like to acknowledge both the Gadigal of the Eora Nation and the Ngarigo, the traditional custodians of the lands this podcast episode was recorded on, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Sinéad O'Connor wearing a rainbow hijab on Good Morning Britain is queer

When it comes to sweeping romance, earnest lyrics and – let&apos;s face it, songs that last six minutes MINIMUM – there really is no topping Ms. Céline Marie Claudette Dion.From humble beginnings in Charlemagne, Quebec (which is queer) to becoming the best-selling Canadian recording artist in history, Queen Céline has dominated the music industry for over three decades. In 1996, her star was in full ascendence when she unleashed Falling Into You on the unsuspecting masses. Playing host to career-defining tracks such as "Because You Loved Me", "All By Myself" and, importantly, the first single Drew ever bought ("It&apos;s All Coming Back to Me Now"), the album went on to become one of the best-selling albums of all time, with sales of over 32 million copies worldwide.We did not have to think twice when recruiting our guest for this episode. The enigmatic and addictive Gwynne is not only a pop historian (and soon to be doctor in his field!) but a Céline stan of titanic proportions.Are you ready to learn of the power of Falling Into You? Well you&apos;re in luck – because a new day has come. Get ready for an episode that is all beauty, no beast, and guaranteed to make you feel... alive.Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare, Drew on @with.all.drew.respect, and Gwynne... nowhere! He&apos;s off-grid. Ooh, and don&apos;t forget to check out this episode&apos;s playlist, which slaps all night.As always, our big gay thanks to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney.Finally, we would like to acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the land this podcast episode was recorded on, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

It all comes back to Céline Dion – 'Falling Into You' with Gwynne

This fortnight, we&apos;re joined by Jared Richards,  a cultural critic living on Gadigal land, and writer for NME, The Guardian, The Big Issue, Sissy Screens and more. Last year, Jared wrote a beautiful article on the evolution of Sufjan Stevens that caught our queer eye, so we welcomed him into the studio (pre-second Sydney lockdown) to unpack the mystery and intrigue surrounding a long-awaited Aural Fixation topic. We talk grief and catharsis (or lack there of), Lady Gaga&apos;s aunt, and the romance wank of Call Me By Your Name. It&apos;s all queer.Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare, Drew on @with.all.drew.respect, and Jared on @jrdjms. And don&apos;t forget to check out this episode&apos;s playlist.Our big gay thanks to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney.  Finally, we would like to acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the land this podcast episode was recorded on, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

All of us wants all of Sufjan Stevens: 'Carrie & Lowell' with Jared Richards

It&apos;s a Bad Queers double dip as we welcome on Kris Chesson, the podcasting partner of Shana Sumers from our Beyonce episode, to explore why her queer icon is... Drake. Just hold on, we&apos;re going homo.In this episode we use Drake&apos;s 2011 album Take Care to centre a discussion on the dos and don&apos;ts of &apos;dirty macking&apos;, what it means to be a stud, and why his disdain for toxic masculinity is just one of the things that make Drake queer. We also close off Pride Month with a deep dive into the minefield that is corporate endorsements of queerness.Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare, Drew on @with.all.drew.respect, and Kris on @kris.chess. And don&apos;t forget to check out this episode&apos;s playlist.Our big gay thanks to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney.  Finally, we would like to acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the land this podcast episode was recorded on, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Drake-ing the binary with Kris Chesson from Bad Queers

Start spreading the news because this is one for the ages, Mein Herr. In an ep that might as well be titled "Legends on Legends" we welcome Australian stage actor and drag superstar Trevor Ashley to tackle Liza Minelli&apos;s groundbreaking Live from Radio City Music Hall album. The show was directed for television in 1992, around the time of Liza&apos;s third divorce, and features a concoction of her hits and jukebox standards, as well as original compositions by long-term collaborators Kander and Ebb. There&apos;s no queen better qualified to dish on the performance than Trevor. His Liza cabaret act has taken him across the world, from sea to shining sea, headlining sell-out shows such as "Liza&apos;s Back! (is broken)" and "Liza (on an E)". They-dies and gentle-them, strap in for a discussion on Sex and the City 2&apos;s breakout star, the daughter of THE original gay icon. The one, the only, Ms Liza Minelli. Thank you, mama! Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare, Drew on @with.all.drew.respect, and Trevor on @trevor_ashley. And don&apos;t forget to check out this episode&apos;s playlist. Our big gay thanks to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney.   Finally, we would like to acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the land this podcast episode was recorded on, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Sex, Liza and Videotape – Live from Radio City Music Hall with Trevor Ashley

No matter what hemisphere you’re in, a solstice is upon us. And what better way to ring it in than with a heart-to-rabbit heart on British pop music’s sacred moon child, Florence Welsh (and, of course, her Machine).In Cycle 7’s premiere episode, Andy and Drew are accompanied by Sydney drag monarch Peach Fuzz (aka Anthony Severino) to tackle the band’s debut offering ‘Lungs’. From the celestial rapture of Cosmic Love to the vigorous uproar of Kiss With a Fist, the trio share their elemental experiences of the album and examine why us queer folks are so attracted to the esoteric.Light a candle, drape yourself in chiffon and get ready to howl at the night sky because, bitch, the dog days ain’t over. Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare, Drew on @with.all.drew.respect, and Peach at @peachykween_. And don&apos;t forget to check out this episode&apos;s big, blue, beautiful playlist.Our big gay thanks to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney.  Finally, we would like to acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the land this podcast episode was recorded on, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Breathing new life into Florence and the Machine's 'Lungs' with Peach Fuzz

Icons are a dime a dozen here at Aural Fixation (that&apos;s what we do... it&apos;s what we live for) but heroes are a different kettle of sea-witch – and they don&apos;t get more queer-oic than Howard Ashman. For better and for worse, the animated motion pictures produced by the Walt Disney Animation Studios have profoundly shaped the media consumed by children since 1928. Like any entertainment behemoth, quality and fortune has ebbed and flowed, but it was the sheer and singular talent of one queer man who steered Disney’s legacy from their lowest trough to their highest peak. Through a kaleidoscope of Broadway magic and animation mastery, Howard&apos;s indelible fingerprints on The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin now reveal, in adulthood, tropes of the queer experience we can all understand. The ostracisation of the &apos;other&apos;...  turning that otherness into a superpower... and wanting to be part of that world. To help us navigate Howard&apos;s legacy across mermaids, beasts and magic carpets, we&apos;re joined by Daniel Lammin, a theatre director, writer and producer of Ink + Paint, a joyous podcast deep-dive into Disney&apos;s animation history. We also want to acknowledge Don Hahn, the producer of The Lion King and Hunchback of Notre Dame, who created the two documentaries that have revived the current interest in Howard and his work – Waking Sleeping Beauty (2010) and Howard (2018).  Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare, Drew on @with.all.drew.respect, and Daniel at @dlammin.Our big gay thanks to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney.  Finally, we would like to acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the land this podcast episode was recorded on, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Howard Ashman's queer Disney legacy with Daniel Lammin

Over the past six cycles of Aural Fixation, we have discussed many artists who have either eluded to their queerness without directly acknowledging it, or generated a vast queer fanbase without actually being qard qarrrying queers themselves. However sometimes there are artists that we deeply revere who just so happen to be out and proud, which makes our hearts burst because it means that we can fast track them straight to the front of the queue.Enter stage left, Kelela whose debut album &apos;Take Me Apart&apos; is a delicious blend of R&B, electronic and garage music. Scroll down to the Personal Life section on her Wikipedia and... BINGO! "Kelela openly identifies as queer." You&apos;re in, toots! In this episode, Andy and Drew discuss not only Kelela&apos;s 2017 debut but also the follow up &apos;TAKE ME A_PART, THE REMIXES&apos; and pontificate on post break-up enlightenment, the loaded pressure of "black excellence" and the sound of high heels click-clacking through a multi-story car park.Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare and Drew on @with.all.drew.respect.Our big gay thanks to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney. Don&apos;t forget our companion playlist on Spotify. Finally, we would like to acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the land this podcast episode was recorded on, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Taking apart 'Take Me Apart' by Kelela

There&apos;s a lot to cover off when it comes to Tori Amos when it&apos;s just Tori Amos – but when your  guest star is a former TV producer, current radio DJ and the singular driving force behind the bid to save Sydney&apos;s nightlife scene, we somehow filled 90 minutes of your precious time!  Fear not, we&apos;ve made it worth your while. Tyson Koh joins the Aural Fixation-ers to discuss the myriad of mysteries and treats on Tori&apos;s 1996 critical masterpiece Boys for Pele, including Courtney Love, Janice Dickinson and of course, a bit o&apos; (Kate) Bush. If you’re in Sydney, you can listen to Tyson’s exquisite radio show, Loose Joints, on FBI Radio 94.5 each Sunday from 3-5pm. If you’re not in Sydney, you can play back previous shows here. Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare and Drew on @with.all.drew.respect. Our big gay thanks to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney. Don&apos;t forget our companion playlist on Spotify. Finally, we would like to acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the land this podcast episode was recorded on, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Never kissed a Tori (Amos) – 'Boys for Pele' with Tyson Koh

Perfume Genius has long been synonymous with gay angst but in his fifth and most recent album Set My Heart On Fire IMMEDIATELY, he takes steps towards acceptance. The album&apos;s opener "Whole Life" speaks to a reckoning of self that seems to have taken half a lifetime and sets the stage for the personal examination of a gay man approaching middle age.Recorded and released just before the onslaught of the pandemic, PG followed up SMHOFI with companion album IMMEDIATELY Remixes in March 2021 – arguably one of the more satisfying outcomes of lockdown. Join Andy and Drew as they discuss both the original and remix offerings, wax queer-ical on a post-Covid Mardi Gras and take a deep dive into relationships past.Visit our online home at auralfixationpodcast.com, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, or go old school and email us at auralfixationpodcast@gmail.com. You can follow Andy on @andrewdoyouthinkyouare and Drew on @with.all.drew.respect.Our big gay thanks to Anthony Garvin and the team at Forbes Street Studios in Sydney. Finally, enjoy our companion playlist on Spotify.

The agony and the ecstasy of Perfume Genius' 'Set My Heart On Fire IMMEDIATELY'

Drew and Andy host Aural Fixation, a fortnightly podcast about music within the queer experience. Each episode, we dissect a different album which might be loved by queers, made by queers, or simply deemed as being queer. It could be an album that we both adore or one that we're discovering together – either way, we have a gay old time while we do it. For over a decade, Drew and Andy had crossed paths at shindigs and soirees across the UK, but when Drew moved down under to Andy's current home of Sydney, a 'frienaissance' and Aural Fixation were both born. This podcast is recorded and produced by two card-carrying queers with a burning passion for aural pursuits, @drew_down_under and @andrewdoyouthinkyouare. You can also follow us at @auralfixationpodcast – and if you like us, please give us a rating and review.

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Aural Fixation

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