Podcast

Tracks of Our Queers

Music, Music Interviews

Fascinating LGBTQ+ people explore the soundtracks to their queer journeys through one track, one album, and one artist. Activists, trailblazers, and icons help Andy Gott piece together the precious relationship that queer people have with music.

Episodes
76
Releases
Weekly
Typical length
53 min
On air since
2023
Latest episode
3 weeks ago

Episodes

76 episodes, newest first

  1. The Huxleys on our queer musical bloodlines

    Season 7, Episode 9

    Show notes

    Garrett and Will Huxley, or The Huxleys, are my final conversation of 2026.

    Divine queer deities making art in every form imaginable, their striking costumes, multi-media exhibitions, and powerful tributes to other queer artists create profoundly moving responses.

    In my first chat with a couple (!), we cover everything from teenage communing with the Velvet Underground, to making pilgrimage to see Kate Bush live in London, and much, much more in between.

    You can find the Huxleys' iconic Bloodlines exhibition in Brisbane in October and November 2026.

    We recorded this chat in two parts between June and October 2026, on Wurundjuri and Wiradjuri land.

    Tracks of Our Queers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is an entirely independent production, which you can support by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buying me a coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. All contributions directly support the costs of this project.

    Email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com.

    1 hr 4 min
  2. [Full video] David Hoyle on the right to live in a perpetual state of ecstasy Bonus

    Season 7

    Show notes

    Full video version now available on Spotify

    David Hoyle is a performance artist, comedian, film director, cabaret legend, and British queer icon.

    David’s long running residency at London’s Royal Vauxhall Tavern continues throughout the rest of the year.

    This episode was recorded live in Manchester in August 2026.

    ⁠Tracks of Our Queers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is an entirely independent production, which you can support by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buying me a coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. All contributions directly support the costs of this project.

    Email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com.

    53 min
  3. 20 Years of Loose Ends · A Tracks of Our Queers Special Bonus

    Season 7

    Show notes

    Loose Ends, one of Australia's finest queer parties, turns 20 years old this weekend.

    To celebrate this incredible milestone, I asked the party's den mother and my very good friend Matt Vaughan about his own partying history, it's outrageous longevity, and why queers need the dancefloor now more than ever - while iconic Australian performers share their own musings on what makes Loose Ends so special.

    Whether you're a long-time Loose Ends attendee or you're a Tracks of Our Queers listener with an interest in queer nightlife, there's something here for you.

    Thank you to Matt Vaughan, Mic Simeoni, Ayebatonye, Aunty Jonny, Betty Grumble, Megana, and Hip Hop Hoe.

    This episode was produced and recorded by me, Andy Gott, on Gadigal and Wiradjuri land.

    49 min
  4. David Hoyle on the right to live in a perpetual state of ecstasy

    Season 7, Episode 8

    Show notes

    David Hoyle is a performance artist, comedian, film director, cabaret legend, and British queer icon.

    David’s long running residency at London’s Royal Vauxhall Tavern continues throughout the rest of the year.

    This episode was recorded live in Manchester in August 2026.

    Tracks of Our Queers⁠⁠⁠⁠ is an entirely independent production, which you can support by ⁠⁠⁠⁠buying me a coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠. All contributions directly support the costs of this project.

    Email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com.

    59 min
  5. Jackie Kay on the throughline from Bessie Smith to Nina Simone and beyond

    Season 7, Episode 1

    Show notes

    Jackie Kay is a poet, writer, and former Makar: The National Poet for Scotland.

    I first heard Jackie on my own favourite podcast Desert Island Discs, which lead me to her own works: Trumpet, the story of a mixed race trans musician; and her wonderful memoir Red Dust Road.

    This episode is exactly why I continue to make this podcast - I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed talking to Jackie.

    Tracks of Our Queers⁠⁠⁠⁠ is an entirely independent production, which you can support by ⁠⁠⁠⁠buying me a coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠. All contributions directly support the costs of this project.

    Email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com.

    46 min
  6. Malaya Bayanihan (@babydilfx) on George Michael, the Spice Girls, and a queer utopian future

    Season 7, Episode 5

    Show notes

    Malaya Bayanihan (he/she/they), also known as Emil Cañita or @babydilfx online, is an artist, advocate for those living with HIV, sex worker, and spectacular human.

    Incredible musical selections and blissful meanderings on a queer utopian future await listeners.

    Tracks of Our Queers⁠⁠⁠ is an entirely independent production, which you can support by ⁠⁠⁠buying me a coffee⁠⁠⁠. All contributions directly support the costs of this project.

    Email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com.

    55 min
  7. Lea DeLaria on scatting (the jazz sort)

    Season 7, Episode 4

    Show notes

    Lea DeLaria is a multi-hyphenate of the unapologetically queer kind.

    Whether you met her on Arsenio Hall, Orange is the New Black, Edge of Seventeen, through her own music career or elsewhere, Lea has been there and done that.

    If you're in the Provincetown surrounds right now,check out Lea's tour dates here.

    Tracks of Our Queers⁠⁠ is an entirely independent production, which you can support by ⁠⁠buying me a coffee⁠⁠. All contributions directly support the costs of this project.

    Email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com.

    44 min
  8. Bruce Vilanch on his half-century partnership with Bette Midler

    Season 7, Episode 3

    Show notes

    Bruce Vilanch is a legendary writer and actor across Hollywood, Broadway, television, and most recently, memoir, with the release of his autobiography It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time!

    I first encountered Bruce as a guest judge in the early seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race, but his pivotal partnership in Bette Midler's career from her shows in gay bathhouses up to the writers room for Hocus Pocus 3 (!) is his ultimate qualifier for this very show.

    You actually can't find Bruce online on Instagram or X, which I kind of love.

    Tracks of Our Queers⁠⁠ is an entirely independent production, which you can support by ⁠⁠buying me a coffee⁠⁠. All contributions directly support the costs of this project.

    Email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com.

    48 min
  9. Daniel Nour on Aladdin's bare chest, progressive Christianity, and Rahim Redcar

    Season 7, Episode 2

    Show notes

    Daniel Nour is an Egyptian-Australian writer and journalist based in Sydney.

    Last year, he released the memoir How to Dodge Flying Sandals, a collection of stories documenting his journey from a conservative young adult in a colourful, religious family, through to embracing his identity and finding love.

    You can find Daniel on Instagram here.

    Tracks of Our Queers⁠ is an entirely independent production, which you can support by ⁠buying me a coffee⁠. All contributions directly support the costs of this project.

    Email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com.

    48 min
  10. Sister Roma on finding queer solace in San Francisco, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show

    Season 7, Episode 1

    Show notes

    Sister Roma is perhaps the best known member of the Order of Perpetual Indulgence, the charitable, protest, and street performance movement founded in 1979 in San Francisco.

    Roma currently stars in the Hunky Jesus documentary, making it's way around global queer film festivals after premiering at the BFI Flare in London earlier this year.

    Tracks of Our Queers is an entirely independent production, which you can support by buying me a coffee. All contributions directly support the costs of this project.

    Email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com.

    58 min
  11. It's an Aural Fixation Love Sensation: Madonna's 'Confessions II' with Drew Tweddle Bonus

    Show notes

    Long before Tracks of Our Queers was birthed, Andy co-hosted the show Aural Fixation with his bestie Drew Tweds. Much like the Spice Girls in 2000, the show never officially called it quits, but has been on hiatus since 2022... until now.

    Only Motha's return could muster the show back from the Internet's dusty podcast archives, and Drew and Andy were determined to Get Together on the mic to discuss the triumphant Confessions II.

    Enjoy this rare Aural Fixation x Tracks of Our Queers collaboration as we dive deep into a comeback twenty years in the making.

    Email us your thoughts at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com, and follow the boys at @with.all.drew.respect and @tracksofourqueers.

    This episode of Aural Fixation x Tracks of Our Queers was recorded on Wiradjuri and Larrakia land.

    PS apologies for the crusty audio on Andy's part -- AirPods are a vibe kill!

    54 min
  12. Laura Wilkinson, managing director of the LGBT Foundation

    Show notes

    Laura Wilkinson is the managing director of the LGBT Foundation, the UK's largest health and wellbeing charity for LGBTQIA+ people.

    She's also one of my best friends.

    I met Laura in our first month at Manchester University, and we've stayed close as queer siblings ever since. Not only am I enormously proud of her professional achievements and contributions to queer life in the UK, but she's also got an excellent music taste.

    Find Laura online here, and the LGBT Foundation here.

    Support the show

    • Follow the pod on Insta at @tracksofourqueers, or email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com
    • Help keep the show ad-free by shouting me a coffee right here
    • Enjoy the Selections from Tracks of Our Queers Spotify playlist

    Thanks besties.

    48 min
  13. Pete Crighton, author

    Show notes

    Pete Crighton is an author from Toronto.

    Last year, he published The Vinyl Diaries: Sex Deep Cuts and My Soundtrack to Queer Joy, a memoir of his life through vinyl, and 33 1/3: Cosmic Thing, a tribute tour de force to the B-52s' legendary album.

    Find Pete online here.

    Support the show

    • Follow the pod on Insta at @tracksofourqueers, or email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com
    • Help keep the show ad-free by shouting me a coffee right here
    • Enjoy the Selections from Tracks of Our Queers Spotify playlist

    Thanks besties.

    53 min
  14. Willis Chimano, singer songwriter

    Show notes

    Willis Chimano is a singer-songwriter, author, and performer from Kenya.

    A member of one of Kenya's most successful musical acts ever, Sauti Sol, Chimano has branched out in recent years to create his own solo musical ventures informed by his experience as Kenya's first, and only, openly gay popstar.

    Outed in 2018 by the press, Chimano was supported by his bandmates who went to release the most successful work of their career. His EP, Heavy is the Crown, tells the story of his journey, as does his recent memoir of the same name.

    Sydney listeners: Chimano arrives with his one-man show, from 24-28 March, at Qtopia in Darlinghurst. Get your tickets here.

    Support the show

    • Follow the pod on Insta at @tracksofourqueers, or email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com
    • Help keep the show ad-free by shouting me a coffee right here
    • Enjoy the Selections from Tracks of Our Queers Spotify playlist

    Thanks besties.

    51 min
  15. Mardi Pieronek, trans elder and content creator

    Show notes

    Over 600,000 queers and non-queers alike follow content creator and activist Mardi P for her gripping testimonials on a long, and fabulous, life lived trans.

    Born to a Polish-Canadian Catholic family, Mardi escaped across the Rockies in the 1970s to the bright lights of Calgary and Vancouver, where she began shaping her life as a trans woman.

    Decades later and outraged by the tsunami of misinformation online regarding trans people, Mardi decided to pick up her phone and start sharing her testimonials to TikTok. Her intention: To document a fascinating, challenging, fulfilling life lived for many years.

    Mardi presents and produces her own podcast, A Life Lived Trans, with her fellow presenter Lenny Z. I follow her on Instagram here.

    In Canada, creators cannot make ad revenue from their videos. You can support Mardi's testimony and work through donating to her on PayPal here, or celebrating her birthday by covering some of her bills on Gofundme. Worth every penny.

    Tracks of Our Queers is produced and presented by Andy Gott on Ngarigo land.

    Support the show

    • Follow the pod on Insta at @tracksofourqueers, or email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com
    • Help keep the show ad-free by shouting me a coffee right here
    • Enjoy the Selections from Tracks of Our Queers Spotify playlist

    Thanks besties.

    59 min
  16. Mitch Brown, former AFL player

    Show notes

    Mitch Brown is an advocate, father, and a former AFL player.

    Last August, Mitch came out publicly as bisexual in an interview with The Daily Aus, sparking a tsunami of conversations in Australia around queerness and masculinity in sport. Mitch is the only player in the AFL's 130 year history to come out.

    Mitch is also my first sportsperson on the pod, and we have so much fun!

    Follow Mitch online here, and watch his coming out interview here. It's beautiful.

    Tracks of Our Queers is produced and presented by Andy Gott on Ngarigo land.

    Support the show

    • Follow the pod on Insta at @tracksofourqueers, or email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com
    • Help keep the show ad-free by shouting me a coffee right here
    • Enjoy the Selections from Tracks of Our Queers Spotify playlist

    Thanks besties.

    53 min
  17. Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner

    Show notes

    Peter Tatchell is an activist and human rights campaigner.

    Not long after leaving Australia for the UK, Peter joined the Gay Liberation Front and became one of the co-organisers of the UK's first Pride march. He hasn't missed a London Pride since.

    After a brief but violently homophobic parliamentary career in the 80s, Peter co-founded OutRage! in 1990 and helped spearhead the campaign for same-sex marriage.

    Today, he's the director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, and shares a weekly newsletter with updates on human rights campaigns around the world.

    Follow Peter online here.

    Tracks of Our Queers is produced and presented by Andy Gott on Ngarigo land.

    Support the show

    • Follow the pod on Insta at @tracksofourqueers, or email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com
    • Help keep the show ad-free by shouting me a coffee right here
    • Enjoy the Selections from Tracks of Our Queers Spotify playlist

    Thanks besties.

    53 min
  18. Travis Alabanza, writer

    Show notes

    Welcome back to Tracks of Our Queers.

    Travis Alabanza is an award-winning writer, playwright, and theatre maker from Bristol. They've sold out the Southbank Centre, toured their writing globally, and their Edinburgh Fringe-award-winning play BURGERZ is currently on it's return visit to Australia.

    You can catch Travis performing BURGERZ in:

    • Sydney at the Carriageworks from January 7-18
    • Melbourne at the Malthouse Theatre from January 21-31

    We recorded this episode live in Sydney – and it was so good! Travis came with some brilliant musical selections, and I hope you enjoy hearing about them.

    Follow Travis on Instagram, or at their website.

    Tracks of Our Queers is produced and presented by Andy Gott on Ngarigo land.

    Support the show

    • Follow the pod on Insta at @tracksofourqueers, or email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com
    • Help keep the show ad-free by shouting me a coffee right here
    • Enjoy the Selections from Tracks of Our Queers Spotify playlist

    Thanks besties.

    56 min
  19. Tracks of Our Queers is back

    Show notes

    Trailblazers, queeroes, and fascinating folk feature in Season 6, launching in early January.

    Support the show

    • Follow the pod on Insta at @tracksofourqueers, or email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com
    • Help keep the show ad-free by shouting me a coffee right here
    • Enjoy the Selections from Tracks of Our Queers Spotify playlist

    Thanks besties.

    2 min
  20. John Benjamin Hickey, actor and director

    Show notes

    Tony Award-winning actor and director John Benjamin Hickey joins me on Tracks of Our Queers.

    From his breakout role in Terrence McNally's Love! Valour! Compassion! to his devastating turn in Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart, John has been at the heart of some of theatre's most important queer work. Far from being typecast, John has appeared in hundreds of roles across TV, film, and theatre (I loved him in The Big C, and of course, the dad in Pitch Perfect).

    Outside of acting and directing, John once presented his own music interview series on SiriusXM, My Favorite Song. It's a thrill to turn the interviewing tables on him and hear about some of his most cherished music, through a queer lense.

    The other bits:

    • Tracks of Our Queers is recorded and edited between Gadigal and Ngarigo land in Australia, by me, Andy Gott
    • Listen to all of the music discussed in the pod with the Selections from Tracks of Our Queers playlist
    • You can email me your own queer tracks or guest recommendations at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com
    • Our beautiful artwork is illustrated by Luke Tribe.

    Support the show

    • Follow the pod on Insta at @tracksofourqueers, or email me at tracksofourqueers@gmail.com
    • Help keep the show ad-free by shouting me a coffee right here
    • Enjoy the Selections from Tracks of Our Queers Spotify playlist

    Thanks besties.

    58 min