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Johnny and I were at the premiere of the new Squeezebox movie last night as part of the Tribeca Film Festival. It was great to see this film actually come out, another part of our herstory emerges with some wonderful footage of show moments from the seven years of Friday nights, 1994-2001.

For me, the best thing about the film was the homage paid to one Miss Jayne County (who happened to be sitting right across the aisle from us.) Jayne's place in history as an inspirator and paver has now really been articulated - she was referenced throughout as the First trans rocker, and a key to the Squeezebox gestalt.

It is always wonderful to see one's friends get their rightful due, and this made me incredibly happy. There are great performance moments in this film, among them Jimmy James as Marilyn in footage from the club's beginnings, and an astounding Formika performance with two go-go boys in Giuliani masks pooping fake blood on to her onstage.

Congrats to Lyle and Michael and all those who worked so hard for another seven years to get this thing made, and out there..
Original Post
I agree, Jayne was the "Dorian Corey" ("Paris Is Burning") of the movie if you know what I mean.
I don't know how many people have read Jayne's autobiography Man Enough To Be Woman: The Autobiography of Jayne County but I HIGHLY recommend it!
Jayne's story is big and it really gives the movie depth and direction.

But...
I wish her DJing was mentioned.
A lot of people don't consider "Rock DJs" to be "real" DJs.

When I was interviewed for the book "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey" (BTW Another fab book that I highly recommend. Click on it from my website -I think I get half a penny or something.)
Anyway, the book chronicles the entire history of the DJ from Thomas Edison's invention of the phonograph needle to Techno and Hip Hop.
But as good and accurate as this book is (and it is) they would NOT consider adding Rock DJs.
Because Rock DJs don't really beat match or mix the music and a lot of it is retro they were described to me as...
(Jayne, Miss Guy and Lily Of The Valley please hold your ears)
"Juke Boxes!"
I of course disagreed and tried to persuade them that people like Jayne County DJing upstairs at Max's Kansas City in the early 1970's was revolutionary. That her granddaughters Miss Guy and Lily Of The Valley were carrying on that tradition at Squeeze Box and it was important.
From Danceteria to the Pyramid to many East Village clubs today, crashing rock records together is a dance reality. It has been a part of NY clubbing since, well, Jayne County did it in the 1970's at Max's.
Hearing The New York Dolls or Hole in a dance club in 1994 was new.
People forget.
They were not included in the book.

There is a nice DJ section in the movie with Guy & Lily but Miss Jayne's DJing is not mentioned by those egomaniacal bitches.
(Just kidding. They pay the most homage -especially Guy).

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