In a Billboard article titled “Trans Artist-Activist Ryan Cassata Shares Summer of Pride Mix & Talks Escaping Queer-Phobia” Ryan Cassata digs deep into his upbringing in the music industry, starting with his classic rock heroes and diving into current queer music.
He writes “Before I was old enough to actually escape I found myself immersed in rock n’ roll. I would lay on my bedroom floor and only move to flip the record to the next side. It felt like an act of rebellion because my peers were listening to Top 40 Radio. I refused to at the time. Not wanting to conform, I refused to get an iPod. I had a walkman, a portable cassette player, and a record player. My peers teased me for being “behind the times” but I loved the warm sound of vinyl and I loved classic rock. Being able to hold the actual record in my hands made me feel even more connected to the music.”
Read the full story here.
The playlist is up on Spotify: