With a gift for self-invention, this fiercest of drag divas constructs the myth and legend of Pussy Tourette while simultaneously deconstructing queer misconceptions. From the New Orleans Dr. John camp of "If I Can't Sell It..." to the gritty Led Zeppelin-influenced heavy blues of "Free Pussy," it's clear that Ms. Tourette is not the girl next door. Tourette has a streetwise, gritty gift for blues-rock. "French Bitch" is an instant queer classic (the video has more slaps per minute than any other music video in history). ~ Will Grega, All Music Guide. Pussy Tourette's dangerous, hard-driving and bluesy debut release, "Pussy Tourette in Hi-Fi!" has garnered rave reviews nationwide. Pussy's first video release, "French Bitch", which BABBLE magazine says has redefined the concept of male drag, has bean included by all major video pools. According to Street Sounds Magazine, the video "French Bitch"(which kicked off Telegenics' progressive reel) stifled conversations from coast to coast. The RockAmerica dance remix also hit the club scene hard.
Touring clubs nationally, Pussy Tourette developed a fanatical following which kicked into hyperdrive after his appearance before literally millions on C-SPAN and live at the National March on Washington for Gay & Lesbian Rights. Of the D.C. performance, Cliff Bostock declared: "Pussy made the last year worth living!"
Beginning as a go-go dancer at San Francisco's teeming underground clubs, Pussy was acclaimed the hottest and sauciest act on the city's cabaret scene" by The City Magazine, when he started singing his original compositions live. No lip-synching impersonator, San Francisco Bay Times cheered "One true star who will not compromise art...true, over-the-top brilliant. In 1993 Pussy won the coveted Entertainer of the Year at San Franciscos Cable Car Awards.
In Florida, David Magazine called the show "Incomparable". Babble Magazine in Chicago shouted, "I've been waiting for someone like PUSSY TOURETTE for a long long time. His songs will become underground classics. Goldy Van De water in Near York's QW said "when they sang 'Fuck My Pussy' ('Pussy's Boogie), they were saying it for me!"
Continuing his multi-media conquest, five Pussy Tourette songs were featured in SEX IS, which won the "Best Day Film" Award at Berlins International Film festival and his song 'Bridget' appeared on the TJ Martel Foundation's "Rock n Dream DISCovery CD compilation.
PUSSY TOURETTE originated during the spring of 1990 at a club in San Francisco called Dekadence. Working as a go-go dancer to support his music lessons and college, he developed an act which involved elements of striptease and drag. Soon dancers and club goers were congregating to watch.
Over the months Pussy refined his performance and began looking for other venues to perform. He began writing his own music and added two female backup singers to the act. With the help of a friend, who happened to be a prominent professional audio equipment designer, Pussy composed and produced music to sing to on stage at Dekadence. His first real performance occurred at a fund-raiser for C.O.Y.O.T.E. in October of 1990.
Pussy Tourette knew the act was going to be a hit when just three months later he performed at the Strand Theater's New Year's Eve Bash. In the following months he performed over 40 shows at various clubs, street fairs and cable TV programs around San Francisco. He became a regular at clubs like Faster Pussycat, Klubstitute and the DNA Lounge to name a few. And, as Pussy says, performed "every fund-raiser on the planet."
Pussy's big break came as local newspapers began writing favorable reviews about his music. In the summer of '92 he performed for a sell-out crowd at S.F. club promoter Gus Beans sell out night club, Empire Ballroom, at the Warfield Theater. Excitement and fan support continued to build as Pussy performed on stage at the Folsom Street Fair, S.F.'s Gay Pride Celebration and the Castro Street Fair and later in Los Angeles.
"In Hi-Fi" a cassette compilation of eight Pussy Tourette songs was released in September of '92. Local record and book stores such as Tower Records and A Different Light Books carried the cassette and in the ensuing three months 1,000 copies were sold.
Pussy took some time off at the beginning of 1993 to finish recording, remixing and mastering 'In Hi-Fi!" for release on CD. He also completed a music video for the song 'French Bitch' which got national club exposure on the reels of Telegenics, ET/Video Link and Rock America as well as MTV
