Get to know musician Lance Horne, composer of Amandine, an upcoming love story about a 19th century intersex person who was raised a girl and died a man.
By Brandon Voss
1. What turns you on, creatively or otherwise?
Lance Horne: Collaborative discovery. I’m an only child, so whenever someone is around to play in the sandbox, I’m the first to break out the Star Wars action figures! I still have the collectable glassware from Burger King. “Dual pointing,” which sounds dirty, is my favorite kind of creative expression right now — a guy this summer was headed out on the town donning a riding crop and fresh water pearls, calling his drag “dual pointing,” alluding to two simultaneous opposites. I like walking the fine line between opposites — I’m a Libra. Our opening number for Amandine says, “It’s now and not now, it’s then and not then.”
2. What’s a good tip for someone who wants to be you for Halloween?
White tube socks.
3. Which celebrity’s hair do you covet most?
Alan Cumming. I have no idea how he can be such a chameleon. We’re each other’s musical husbands, and he is constantly changing out his look — shaved sides, salt and pepper, Tintin blond. As a bonus, he looks better in wigs than any man or woman I know.
4. What would your death-row last meal be?
I’m vague-an — vaguely vegan — but I would break it on my last day. Grandma’s peanut butter cookies. Oysters. Lapsang tea. Twice-baked truffle potatoes. Kale reduced in olive oil. Black-eyed peas with lava salt and a bay leaf. Grapefruit juice. Hard-boiled eggs with the hand-drawn mustard Meow Meow and I fetch for each other from Paris!
5. What’s your juiciest vice or guiltiest pleasure?
I’m trying to kick the habit of slamming a Coca Cola before going on stage. It’s my last standout of high fructose corn syrup and I’m not proud of it.
6. What extravagant purchase should probably make you feel guiltier?
Airline tickets. I’m really a part-time travel agent disguised as a composer on the keys.
7. When’s the last time you wanted to slap someone?
I just had a 60-day stand-off with my condo association over the installation of my dishwasher. My roomie Lea DeLaria was in the lobby trying to rectify the situation, and a board member called her “stupid.” No one puts Lea in the corner! But seriously, when you look up “brouhaha” on wiki, my condo association is the first listed example. In the world.
8. What most likely made that stain on your outfit?
Probably Playa dust. Burning Man is impossible to wash off. I am constantly brushing white chalky bits from my boots and pants with a smile.
9. Describe your favorite undergarment.
A jock that’s a kilt. A kilty pleasure. A close second would be the aforementioned tube socks — my favorite pair bear “Who’s Your Daddy?” on the top.
10. What’s a lie you’ve told more than once?
“I know where I’m sleeping tonight.”
BONUS: Where do you see yourself in five minutes?
Booking the flight for Our Lady J, our music director, to join us at Amandine in January! She, our music supervisor Brian Nash, and Al Silber who plays Charlotte all went to Interlochen and have known each other for years. This is a dream cast, dream team, and dream project!
DLNQNT, December 2012.
Photo: Christian Campbell