Matson on Music
Music news, concert reviews, analysis and opinion by music writer Andrew Matson.
Comments (1)
E-mail article
Print view
Share
Why didn't Rufus Wainwright do what Antony Hegarty did?
Posted by Andrew Matson
Rufus Wainwright—pictured to the right of musical collaborator Antony Hegarty—plays solo with piano at Benaroya Hall Sunday, Nov 8th.
When interviewing the God-gifted vocalist and piano-man, I ran out of time before asking Wainwright, "Why don't you lend your vocals to a whole album of dance music?"
Understanding the tragedy of not asking this question and how I could have reasonably asked it in the first place requires some background.
Wainwright's got one notable dance track, the 2007 remix of his song "Tiergarten." German team Supermayer turned the sashaying, music-box tune into 13 minutes of rainy-day minimal house music.
The "Tiergarten" remix was a triumph, but easy enough to accept as an isolated experiment. In 2007, Wainwright was making evermore orchestral pop and covering Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall.
Then Wainwright's billowy-voiced buddy Hegarty dropped an unexpected disco masterpiece, and now I'll always want Wainwright to do the same.
Once upon a time, nobody associated either artist with dance music. They were just great singers who played piano and sometimes sang together (see Antony and the Johnsons' "What Can I Do?").
But Hegarty's unexpected involvement with the group Hercules and Love Affair made a big splash in 2008, resulting in a self-titled album that was one of the year's best, and an arty, catwalk-ready lead single ("Blind") that ended up a club hit.
As Hegarty moved from theater to nightclub in 2008, Wainwright moved from theater to opera house, composing an opera called "Prima Donna" which was put on in Manchester July of 2009.
But in the middle of writing his opera, didn't Wainwright listen to Hercules and Love Affair? (Of course he did.)
Didn't he love it? (How could he not?)
Didn't it make him recall the "Tiergarten" remix and think to himself, "Hm, maybe I should've pursued that sound"?
Feb 9, 10 - 10:43 AM
Head Like an Espresso Truck concert blends three Seattle groups, captures local pop music zeitgeist, prioritizes live experience
Feb 9, 10 - 8:37 AM
Late notice: Van Dyke Parks at Triple Door Tuesday, Feb. 9
Feb 8, 10 - 10:18 AM
Music Monday: Sabzi (Blue Scholars) vs. Tay Sean (Helladope) in the curious case of "Just So You Know"
Feb 5, 10 - 10:34 AM
Late notice: songs from Miles Davis' electric period performed tonight (Friday, Feb. 5) at the Electric Tea Garden in Cap Hill
Feb 5, 10 - 8:37 AM
Friday Favorites: Four Tet, Zomby, THEESatisfaction, KiD CuDi


- Alaska Air dropping Jones Soda beverages, going back to Coca-Cola
- Man found shot dead in pickup truck in Seattle
- Seattle is first U.S. stop for Picasso exhibit
- Husky Football Blog | Pac-10 expansion to get consideration over next year
- State Senate votes to clear way for tax increases
- Idol Confessions | "American Idol" hopeful from Seattle didn't make it to Hollywood afterall
- Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
- Nicole Brodeur | Chrisceda Clemmons' house wasn't the only casualty
- Brier Dudley's Blog | Google rolls its own Facebook & Twitter with Gmail "Buzz"
- Sex, drug rumors swirl about N.Y. Gov. Paterson
- Republicans may be no-shows at health-plan summit
279 - State Senate votes to clear way for tax increases
253 - Pac-10 expansion to get consideration over next year
249 - Lee undergoes foot surgery
231 - Obama: GOP and Dems together can spur job growth
212 - Fort Lewis soldier charged with abusing 4-year-old, holding her head in water
193 - Rivals names Martin one of Pac-10's best recruiters
143 - Bus-tunnel attack while guards watched prompts review of Metro security
129 - Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
128 - White House mocks Sarah Palin from podium
93
- Seattle is first U.S. stop for Picasso exhibit
- Belltown boulevard could be completed by early next year
- 747-8 soars smoothly on first outing
- Wine Adviser | Oregon's quality pinots join the bargain ranks
- Alaska Air dropping Jones Soda beverages, going back to Coca-Cola
- Snap out of your photo funk: How to make sense of all those piles of images
- How clean are those pre-washed salad greens?
- Answers to biggest Olympic TV questions
- Rick Steves' Europe | What's new in Rome and Venice for 2010
- Brier Dudley's Blog | Google rolls its own Facebook & Twitter with Gmail "Buzz"






