June 25, 2022

S5E232 - The Motels 'All Four One' with Shelley Novak

S5E232 - The Motels 'All Four One' with Shelley Novak

We put the AA batteries into our Sony Walkman and fired up Berkeley California's The Motels 1982 New Wave classic 'All Four One'. Our special guest, retired drag queen and bon vivant Shelley Novak a.k.a. Tommy Strangie, brings the passion AND the...

We put the AA batteries into our Sony Walkman and fired up Berkeley California's The Motels 1982 New Wave classic 'All Four One'. Our special guest, retired drag queen and bon vivant Shelley Novak a.k.a. Tommy Strangie, brings the passion AND the knowledge as we explore the life, songs and stylings of Martha Davis and Co. Along the way we bump into Mark McGrath, Diane Warren and Wink Martindale, among others.
Join us, won't you?

Songs featured in this episode: You Don't Own Me - Lesley Gore; Talk Of The Town - The Pretenders; Love Is A Stranger - Eurythmics; Total Control, Danger, Mission Of Mercy, Celia, Take The L - The Motels; Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles; Only The Lonely - The Motels; Tonight - Tina Turner with David Bowie; Working For The Weekend - Loverboy; It's My Life - No Doubt; Art Fails, Change My Mind, So L.A., Tragic Surf, Apocalypso - The Motels; I Don't Want To Miss A Thing - Aerosmith; He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss) - The Motels; He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss) - The Crystals; Suddenly Last Summer, Forever Mine - The Motels; You'll Never Walk Alone - Tom Jones

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tommy strangie AKA shelley novakProfile Photo

tommy strangie AKA shelley novak

executive transvestite

Where did you grow up? In a little town called Saugus, which is just south of Boston. I think the name is Native-American for “I have to move the fuck out of here.” But it was the perfect Currier-and-Ives-type childhood. How long have you lived in South Florida? Since 1992. Why did you move here? After my first long-term relationship broke up, I had to reinvent myself. All of my friends from home had moved to South Beach, and they told me that if I had to start all over, that Miami Beach was the place to do it. When I first moved here, we all ended up living in the same building, and we joked that it was our very own little Melrose Place. New England is a great place to be a kid, but Miami is a great place to be an adult. What part of South Florida do you live in? South Beach—I’ve always lived in South Beach. What do you like most about living here? I love being immersed in the diverse culture, and I love the weather. I also love the gay community in South Beach. It’s really just a small town, since it’s only a few blocks long. We all have each other’s backs. What South Florida venue do you miss that’s gone? Well, I’ve watched them all come and go. Off the top of my head, it would have to be Crobar. I worked at the door there for the run of the club; it was seven years. Where do you hang out in South Florida, and why? when I want some down and “me” time, I sneak away to Twist. What’s something that’s unique about South Florida? I’ve lived in LA and Boston, and Miami, to me, has the perfect balance. It has the weather, interesting people, the be… Read More