Figjam Celebrates What's The Name Of The Dame's Successful Film Festival Run With An EP Of Julian Marsh Remixes Of ABBA Classics Performed By The Lovely Drag Queens

Online, January 17, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Drag and ABBA have intertwined in the popular imagination for decades, featured in movies and musicals such as "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" and "Muriel's Wedding," and, most recently, in the independent musical documentary, "What's the Name of the Dame?" directed by Allan Neuwirth from Figjam Productions.

"What's the Name of the Dame" features music from the album ABBAlicious, in which New York City's top drag queens such as Edie, Hedda Lettuce, Cashetta, Sade Pendarvis, Yolanda, Joie Starr and many others cover ABBA classics in a way you've never heard before. The tunes include "Dancing Queen" performed as a country western, "Knowing Me Knowing You" as an R&B song, and "Super Trouper" as a Broadway torch song.

The movie recently finished a highly successful film festival run starting with its world premiere at the Atlanta Film Festival, followed by appearances at Philadelphia's Qfest, NYC's NewFest, Park City Film Music Festival, Toronto's Inside Out Festival, Montreal's image+nation Festival, and many others.

To celebrate, Figjam Records collaborated with world-renowned DJ and Producer Julian Marsh to release an EP of remixes featuring songs from the movie.

As with many of the artists interviewed in the film, Julian was influenced and touched by ABBA's music. For him it all started with "Waterloo," then "Fernando" and then every song ABBA ever put out. Julian was hooked. He was in love with the harmonies created by the group members and the feel-good songs they wrote. If you happened to be in Provincetown during Carnival Weekend back in the 1990's and early 2000's you would have definitely joined in at one of Julian's famous ABBA T-Dances: three hours of non-stop ABBA dancing. To say Julian is a fan of ABBA's music is an understatement.

When introduced to ABBAlicious, Julian was asked to remix one song, but the fever had taken over him. He kept asking for more and more songs to remix. Julian prides himself in sticking to the original interpretation of the ABBA songs, but adding his own trademark Happy & Upbeat style. The final product is here for the world to enjoy.

The EP is available for purchase as a digital download on iTunes, Amazon and other music websites worldwide.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Allan Neuwirth is a prolific writer, producer, director and designer of TV, film, and print productions, with a strong emphasis on comedy. He has written for and/or story edited many television series, including "Speed Racer: The Next Generation," "The Octonauts," "Arthur," "Word World," "Cyberchase," "Between the Lions," "Jungle Junction," "Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies," "Courage the Cowardly Dog," "The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss," "Big Bag," "Fix and Foxi," and "Dragon Tales," written books ("Makin' Toons" and "They'll Never Put That on the Air"), illustrated others ("Where in America Is Carmen Sandiego?"), penned comic book series ("The Flintstones & The Jetsons") and graphic novels ("Wonder Woman Vs. The Red Menace"), and co-created the popular long-running syndicated comic strip "Chelsea Boys." Neuwirth is making his feature film directorial debut with the musical documentary, "What's The Name of the Dame?"

ABOUT THE MOVIE

"What's the Name of the Dame" from director Allan Neuwirth is a hilarious and heartfelt documentary and performance film that follows nine beloved top drag divas, each of them a gifted vocalist and performer, including Hedda Lettuce, Edie, Cashetta, Sade Pendarvis, and Yolanda, as they reinterpret some of ABBA's greatest songs with humor and style in distinctly different genres ranging from rhythm and blues to rock to Broadway ballad to country western. Through their new interpretations, they reinforce the versatility of the songwriting by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and occasionally Stig Anderson. That "Dancing Queen" sounds great as a pop tune and as a country western only demonstrates the power of the songcraft.
The film also features revealing interviews with the performers and special guests, including Benny Andersson, Bruce Vilanch, Joan Rivers, Christine Baranski, Graham Norton, Frank DeCaro, Carson Kressley, Ari Gold, Heather Leigh West, Esther Newton & a host of others.

ABOUT JULIAN MARSH

Welsh born, Canadian Raised and American by choice, Julian Marsh has been an icon in the music industry since 1995: First as a world renowned DJ and then as a highly sought after music producer. DJing such New York clubs as The Limelight, The Roxy, Twilo and Palladium in New York City, Julian went on to DJ all over the USA, and in countries such as Brazil, Canada, Holland, Italy, Greece and Mexico. The roster of singers he has remixed includes Dolly Parton, Whitney Houston, Leann Rimes, Lonnie Gordon, Charo and Boy George. There is rarely a time where one of his mixes is not on a dance chart somewhere in the world. Julian produces a weekly Podcast. For more information please visit www.julianmarsh.com.

PRESS INQUIRIES

For more information about the Julian Marsh EP or about the movie you can visit our website at www.figjamrecords.com or please contact us at:
Phone: +1.646.580.9372 Email: [email protected]