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Justin Tranter, Out Rocker


Interview by Ernest Barteldes

Openly-gay rock and roll musician Justin Tranter
Photo By: Krista Davies
Chicago-born Justin Tranter is an openly gay rock and roll musician with some theater background, which has served to some advantage to him during his recent participation in the off-Broadway show Rockstars NYC when he moved to New York from Boston.

He has a new album, Tear Me Together, which features several photos of the singer depicted as a corpse, reflecting the theme of an album whose songs all revolve around the idea of death.

Apart from his musical work, Tranter has been an activist in his own way. Whilst a student at Berklee College in Boston (where he earned a degree in songwriting), he set up and helped fund Musicians With A Mission, a scholarship fund intended for GLBT youth education.

Upon his graduation, he released his first album, Scratched, which Justin promoted from his Boston apartment - an effort that resulted in 300 people lining up at the release party in Boston.

The sound in his new album varies from soft to heavy - some songs are punctuated by shrieks and heavy guitars while others have an unique softness which makes you wonder if it is actually the same performer playing them!

Justin Tranter granted us an interview during the week of May 17th:

Ernest Barteldes: Where do you come from, musically?

Justin Tranter: I went to an Arts high school in Chicago where I study everything from Classical to Pop, but then I got a Degree in Songwriting from Berklee College of Music. So for the last six years I have studied and been obsessed with basic pop/rock song forms and how to mess with them, however I don't think I will ever lose the "drama" I got from my high school training.

Ernest Barteldes: There is a lot of theater in the way you sing. Do you have any background on that (apart from the musical you did here?)

Justin Tranter's Tear Me Together Justin Tranter: I did musical theater stuff in high school and they always told me I sounded too much like Mariah trying to sing Lloyd Webber and now that I sing rock people say I sound like Josh Groban trying to sing Bowie. Well not exactly but you get the idea. However, to answer your question, yes there is some chorus boy training deep down inside me!

Ernest Barteldes: I hear from your sound some influence from early Queen, but I can't put my finger on anything else. What influences have helped form your style?

Justin Tranter: Actually, I have never owned a Queen album. The stuff I have heard I love, but never really got into them. I have been influenced by two very different styles of music, hardcore bands and female country singers like Tool, Patty Larkin, Kasey Chambers and Marilyn Manson. I know that sounds a little ridiculous, but its true.

Ernest Barteldes: How is your music writing process? Where do your ideas come from?

Justin Tranter: It normally starts one of two ways. I either think of a great line or image that I want to use and build the song from there or something is going on emotionally in my life that I want to vent about. Either way I always try to write as honest as I possibly can, even if I lose a friend or six.

Ernest Barteldes: "Losing a friend or six." Mmm. That means that you have actually targeted real friends with your songs... how did (does) that work?

Justin Tranter: Well, I didn't actually lose that many friends, but I have run the risk. Most of them have been boyfriends, which is really strange. I once wrote a song about breaking up with a guy a month before I actually did it. That was weird.

Ernest Barteldes: The cover of your new album has you dead in various ways. Don't you think that might drive potential buyers away (as in the famous Beatles' " Butcher Shot" in the 60s?). If not, how do you feel about it?

Justin Tranter: I knew that it might not be the best marketing plan, but I wanted to do something artistic that matched the music on the CD. I think it is just sad when musicians use their CD packaging as just packaging. Especially when people like Hillary, Jessica, Beyonce and now their sisters and poodles are making most of the artistic statements for America. I just feel that us "indies" should really be pushing some serious buttons.

Ernest Barteldes: Your press release tells us of your activism. How did you decide to add that to your musical career, and what do you feel you have accomplished with that?

Justin Tranter: The activism is just something I have always done since I was a wee boy. When I was in high school I did shows to raise money for HIV and AIDS and then in Boston I started a GLTB scholarship fund and here in NYC I have made it my mission to create a music series with faggots, dykes an breeders on the same bill.

Ernest Barteldes: How has the GLBT scholarship fund worked, and what results have you seen from it so far?

Justin Tranter: I put together a series of concerts in Boston over a year time, and then we awarded that money to one student in Boston. However that was before I began to release records and since then I have not had the time to do both. But I hope to start it up again here in NYC.

Ernest Barteldes: Same-sex couples can now marry in Massachusetts, but there is a huge legal battle over rights ahead. What are your views on the subject, especially with cowboy George trying to end the party by pushing the infamous constitutional amendment?

Justin Tranter: I have such a hard time believing that someone as disgusting as George W. even fucking exists, that it is almost impossible for me to process what he is doing. See my thing is this, if they aren't going to give me and the rest of the homos equal rights then I don't want to pay equal taxes. You know? You no give rights, me no pay taxes!

Ernest Barteldes: Incidentally, do you plan to join the Gay Pride parade this year?

Justin Tranter: Hopefully I will go. I am putting together a show of about 5 different artists and musicians for that night, so I am not sure if I will have time to take part in the actual Parade, but I will try. Although sometimes the parades just make me sad because most of the time the main image being portrayed is sexual, and people trying to sell things instead of Pride.
Justin Tranter's promotional images on his Web site, justintranter.com
Photo By: Anna Drozdowski

Ernest Barteldes: How do you see the GLBT music scene today? Do you feel a mainstream appeal (i.e. straight people also listening and joining a following) or not?

Justin Tranter: The GLTB music scene is in a strange place. It feels like so many of the artists have nothing to say. There are all of these GLTB artists who are just trying too hard to imitate the straight pop stars, which is really sad to me. I think art is in a scary place when the underground artists are trying to be like the mainstream. But then there are still some amazing people like Lisa Jackson who play the fuck out of their instruments and say something. The other amazing thing is that when Lisa and I have done shows together, we get all sorts of people to show up. Straight boy musicians, theater boys, hardcore lesbos, and drunk straight girls who are looking for a night with the freaks, all have been coming out to the shows.

Ernest Barteldes: You have a new album out and live performances. What are (if any) your future projects?

Justin Tranter: I started a record label and I am in the process of talking with two other singer/songwriters, Stephanie Delk and Lisa Jackson, about producing and releasing their records. But for me I want to release a live album next summer, and create some sort of music experience that involves intense performance art with girls drowning each other on stage and painting themselves or something visual like that. But the definite plans are just to play in other cities and try to take over NYC.
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