'A Lot Of Gay Men Were Kind Of Rude' - with Matthew Hays

'A Lot Of Gay Men Were Kind Of Rude' - with Matthew Hays

Author: lost queer spaces December 11, 2024 Duration: 32:58

I've been getting increasingly sappy with you recently, and I'm not sure whether that's because I'm just getting softer in my older years, or if there's just an accumulation of gratitude that's bubbling to the surface, but... well, either way, just giving you the heads up that this intro is a bit sappy!


So, what am I sappy about? Well, I just love the network of stories that this podcast is building and how there's an overlap between experiences, perspectives, and memories.


And, I love that I'm able to have these conversations and form a real sense about cities that I've never been to and decades that I wasn't alive for all thanks to the stories that my guests share and how they navigated and responded to what was going on for them at the time. And I also love how one conversation can lead to another, which then leads to another.


Which brings me to the city of Edmonton, Canada.


A few weeks ago, I spoke with singer-songwriter D’orjay about The Roost, and during that conversation, they told me about another legendary space in the city—Flashback. It was dubbed the Studio 54 of the Prairies and recently became the subject of a documentary.


So, of course I needed to go and find out more!


That’s how I found Matthew Hays, who, along with his brother, made the documentary. We caught up to talk about sneaking into Flashback when he was underage, what it was like to revisit the past while making the film, and, of course, his favourite hobby at the time—husband hunting!


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Website: https://www.flashbackdocumentary.ca/



Lost Spaces: Memories from Gay Bars, Lesbian Clubs, and LGBTQ+ Parties is a series of intimate conversations about the venues and parties that have served as crucial backdrops for queer life. Host K Anderson guides each episode with a gentle curiosity, focusing on a single guest’s personal connection to a place that no longer exists in the same way. These are not dry historical accounts, but vivid, emotional recollections. You’ll hear about the specific bar where someone first felt seen, the underground club that provided a sanctuary, or the party where a community solidified. The discussions naturally delve into how these environments fostered identity, provided safety, and built the networks that define so many LGBTQ+ lives. This podcast operates on the understanding that a physical space is often the container for our most formative experiences-first kisses, political awakenings, chosen families. By documenting these lost spaces through personal narrative, the show archives a living history of queer culture that exists beyond official records. The tone is reflective and often poignant, as guests explore not just what these places were, but what their absence means. It’s about the lingering impact of a closed door, and how the memories forged in those rooms continue to resonate. Listening feels like being part of a necessary preservation project, one story at a time, highlighting why these communal hubs were, and remain, vital to health and well-being. Each episode is a specific journey into a memory, making the broader point about collective loss and resilience without ever needing to state it outright.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Lost Spaces: Memories from Gay Bars, Lesbian Clubs, and LGBTQ+ Parties
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