Riding Bikes for AIDS and the Sexist Band in San Francisco: Candy from Strangers
June 4-June 11th, 2000 cyclists from 9 countries, age 18 to 77, will be riding from San Francisco to L.A. as the AIDS Life Cycle. And I should think many of them are looking forward to being pandered to with water and snacks by The Lovely Ladies of Rest Stop 4. Ruby, the scintillating singer of Candy for Strangers is regularly very involved in this, and she promises to do her pandering in heals.
The goal of the event, and its producers, is to increase awareness about the services offered, and to increase activism, and provide a positive experience for people with HIV. Each cyclist must raise 2,500 dollars to be able to participate in the Life Cycle. The Life Cycle involves nearly 2000 cyclists, over 400 roadies, and is expected to raise over five million dollars for the AIDS serves of the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.
Pauli Gray, lead guitarist, and song writer, for Candy from Strangers, has put on benefits regularly for AIDS Life Cycle, and the recent benefit raised a lot of money for the event. April 27th, 2006 was the AIDS Lifecycle benefit, at San Francisco’s self professed dive, Thee Parkside, at 17th and Wisconsin. There was a lovely mobile kissing booth with a girl sporting it whose sexy punk outfit included a fetching gashed mesh top. Sponsors had donated goodies such as tickets to Burning Man and a guitar, for the silent auction. A large contingency of the crowd was creatively gender bending, and they felt freer to express themselves more as the music warmed their blood during the course of the evening. Many people involved in this show have passionate ties to the cause of fighting AIDS. Pauli supervises the California AIDS Hotline, and works with the Needle Exchange, trains and speaks on the subject of AIDS.
Headlining for the benefit was what I have decreed San Francisco’s Sexiest Band, Candy From Strangers, a hard pop rock, glam punk assault on ennui if there ever was one. Pauli’s searing sounds would wake anyone up to a more in depth participation in life. His appearance is something like Ron Wood but he has the dynamism and sex appeal of Mick. His moves are classic, exaggerated, and he sometimes carries them out with a sense of irony, grinning at dancers, making the audience feel included as he sees them get what the song is about, and appreciate his moves.
There is sparky chemistry between him and Ruby, the tough, gutsy, pleasure-lovin singer. She playfully projects her immersion in life, her oneness with her feelings, her openness to what is around her, and her willingness to share her self in a way that picks up the excitement level of living itself. While wearing stiletto black boots, she manages to come across as strong and stable, a force to be reckoned with, as powerful as any man. She is no trembling flower of a girl, but full of beautiful testosterone and panache, appealing to all sexes, bringing out their own desire to release inhibitions, to accept their hedonism, to celebrate the power of woman. Her moves are intimate, as she crouches on the floor, writhes and bends across the stage, accentuating not so much just her undeniable beauty as her own love for sexual freedom of expression, confidence, and range. When she moves into the crowd, coming close to audience members, her eyes are wickedly impish, her smile conspiratorial, her energy scintillating.
Jaimie Muntner plays guitar primarily, wearing his signature black cowboy hat and matching boots, an excellent pure musician more than showman, just like Ricky Ross, the drummer, as they both dispense of ego clashes and let Ruby and Pauli take center state. Jamie and Ricky are solid team members, providing a long term cohesiveness for the band that keeps it drama free and able to tour from coast to coast, record new CD’s, their latest being CatButt Tattoo. At Thee Parkside last night, they were joined for awhile by Paula, their bassist who moved on, and Chumley, who may join as their new member. Pauli often expressed great excitement about that potential.
They are recording a new CD, called Bad Girlfriend, with Chris Dugan, who works with Green Day. This should lead to even more popularity for this, San Francisco’s Sexiest Band.
So, check out this band at shows, and if you are riding in the Life Cycle, be sure to save some extra time for Rest Stop 4.
