Drag Bands

A Guide to Drag Queens of the Music Scene

New York Dolls - The New York Dolls were formed in 1973. Precursors to the New York Punk movement that later spawned such notables as Blondie and the Ramones, the Dolls combined drag and glam styles, though it was for performances only. It was a rebellion as much as punk was a rebellion three years later. In 1975 they were managed briefly by Malcom McLaren, who then returned to England and took what he learned in New York to put together the Sex Pistols. In 1977 lead singer David Johansen formed the David Johansen Group along with ex-Dolls Syl Sylvian and Johnny Thunders.


Wayne/Jayne County and the Electric Chairs - Like the New York Dolls, County was also a bastion of the New York music scene in the early Seventies. In 1977 he moved to England just as the punk scene was emerging there. With his band the Electric Chairs, he released an eponymous album in 1978. A year later Wayne became Jayne as he underwent a sex-change operation. With song titles like "Transgender Rock and Roll" and "Man Enough To Be a Woman," County was popular music's first transsexual.


Boy George - The sexual ambiguity of Boy George's appearance led to the universality of the term "Gender Bender" in the early 1980s. The look was neither male nor female, but rather a unisexual look, with long braids and baggy shirts and pants that could be worn by men or women. With his band Culture Club, Boy George released four albums and had several hit singles before inner squabbling led to the breakup of the band. Boy George then went solo, but personal problems, including drug addiction, led to the fall of Boy George. By the early Nineties he seems to have bounced back, with the hit title track to the film "The Crying Game" and a new solo album.


Marilyn - Ne Peter Robinson in England, Marilyn is better known as Boy George's cross-dressing friend rather than for her music career, and for good reason. Her first single, "Calling Your Name", released in 1983, didn't do well, and her brief career in music ended soon after that. Marilyn was riding the "gender bending" trend in music started by her friend Boy George, but she lacked the talent to succeed. Later on, she and Boy George had a falling-out.


Dead or Alive - Remember Pete Burns and Dead or Alive? They had several dance hits back in the early-to-mid 80s, including such smash hits as "You Spin Me Round" and "In Too Deep." Dead or Alive became popular as part of the gender-blending scene in alternative music started by Culture Club. Dead or Alive also consisted of Mrs. Burns, who looked exactly like her husband. Though Dead or Alive were riding high in the dance music scene, by the late 80s they had dropped out of sight. Now Dead or Alive are back, and Pete Burns is looking more like a drag queen than ever. Where in the 80s his look was similar to Boy George's in that he was sort of unisex, with long hair, makeup and baggy clothing, now Pete has a Betty Page hairdo, supermodel makeup, and more feminine clothes. I think he looks really fab! There is no sign of Mrs. Burns however, so I guess they got divorced. Dead or Alive are currently rehashing their greatest hits of the 80s on such shows as VH1's "Pointer Sisters' Dance Dance Dance."


RuPaul - RuPaul is the first proper drag performer to become a major commercial success. After moving to New York from Atlanta, GA, RuPaul was a regular at Woodstock before being signed to Tommy Boy records. She released her first album "Supermodel of the World" in 1992. It spawned two hit singles, "Supermodel" and "Back To My Roots." The next four years were busy ones for RuPaul. She made numerous television and film appearances, including a brief appearance in To Wong Foo. Thanks For Everything, Love Julie Newmar. She even taped a Christmas special for British television in 1993 which has yet to be shown in the U.S. RuPaul also became the first spokesperson for MAC cosmetics. In late 1996 she became the host of her very own talk show on VH1, as well as releasing her second album "Foxy Lady" on Rhino Records. The single from that album, "Snapshot," became a huge club hit. Besides taping her weekly talk show, RuPaul can also be heard every weekday morning as a disc jockey on New York's WKTU radio.


Miss Guy and the Toilet Boys - Miss Guy, sometimes bartender, sometimes MAC makeup salesperson, also fronts a band, Miss Guy and the Toilet Boys. The son of a rock star of the '60's (her father was a member of The Centurions), Miss Guy has become one of the staples of the New York City drag music scene. Miss Guy and the Toilet Boys play regularly at New York's Squeeze Box. It was there that, on midnight on Halloween 1996, they released their first CD, a 6-song EP. To learn more about Miss Guy and the boys, click here.


The Misstress Formika - The Misstress Formika is a hard-rockin' drag queen from New York City. She and her band play many of the drag clubs in New York. She also serves as hostess and emcee at the Squeeze Box. To learn more about The Misstress Formika, click here.


Girlina - Following in the footsteps of Miss Guy and Mistress Formika, Girlina is the newest drag queen to enter the music biz. Hailing from New York, Girlina released a record in 1995 with Paul Alexander called "Queen of Soul" (great double entendre) on Freeze Records. To learn more about Girlina click here.


Space Pussy - I am still looking for info on them, but in the meantime find out about them from Ginger Vitas, who knows them.


Marilyn Manson -


Six-Inch Killaz - Looking like a drag version of the Spice Girls, Six-Inch Killas hail from London. These drag queen punks have played the club circuit in Britain, and have their own web site: www.pHreak.co.uk/killaz


God Shave the Queen - a fabulous compilation CD featuring such drag luminaries as Varla Jean Merman, Raven-O,and even Lady Bunny, all singing (not lip-synching!)

"There's No Place Like Home"