QueerFM Featured Guests : Renée Muzquiz, lead singer and guitarist for Major Tomboys/ Gabe Calderón an author, poet, mixed media artist, act

RENEE MUZQUIZ (she/they) Where Trees Once Made a Sound is the third album from Renée Muzquiz, lead singer and guitarist for Major Tomboys, Portland’s all-woman David Bowie cover band. Muzquiz claims that playing with the Tomboys, as well as in many Portland tribute shows over the past decade, helped shape her as a lead guitarist. This inspired her to “rock out” more while also digging deeper into her vulnerability than on her previous folk-jazz records.An indie-pop/rock album at its core, Where Trees Once Made a Sound is brimming with popular music influences that span from the late ‘60s through the ‘90s. From a disco-funk song about the perils of climate change (Warning Signs) to a dirty-pop fantasy about waiting for a lover to come home from work (All Night for You), Muzquiz, along with her brother Ramon Muzquiz and producer Sean Flora (The Shins, Beth Ditto), crafted each song with its own distinct palette. Throughout the record, Muzquiz yearns for something just out of her reach, whether it’s a lover, bittersweet moments from her past, or how to exist in a world she perceives as falling apart.****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************Gabe Calderón (they/them) currently lives in Treaty 6 territory's Amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton) as an author, poet, mixed media artist, activist and educator. Gabe has achieved several literary and poetry awards, namely a Lambda Literary Award in 2021 for the LGBTQ+ Anthology Love After the End.Gabe’s work is described as “poignant, elaborating on heartfelt descriptions of inner struggles with the current world we live in. From poetry to sci-fi, Gabe builds worlds where radical love for the people dismantles the greed and corruption we witness daily.”Màgòdiz published by Arsenal Pulp Press is their first novel, being released in October of 2022 by Arsenal Pulp Press. Check out their website at gabecalderon.com for more on the artist.Muzquiz has released three singles from the forthcoming album so far: Gay Kids, All Night for You, and Warning Signs. Currently, these singles, as well as the album can be heard at reneemuzquiz.com and all major streaming services.