Queer

About Queer

"Queer" is a song written and produced by alternative rock band Garbage for the band's self-titled debut album (1995). The song started as a demo during sessions between band members Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, and Steve Marker, and finished after singer Shirley Manson joined the band. Manson rewrote the sexualized lyrics to be more ambiguous, and rearranged the song into a subdued trip hop and rock crossover composition. In 1995, "Queer" was released as the band's second international single (fourth in the United Kingdom). The song quickly became a modern rock success for the fledgling band, with positive reviews from music journalists, and was Garbage's first top twenty hit in both the American alternative radio airplay chart and on the UK Singles Chart. "Queer" also earned attention for its music video by Stéphane Sednaoui, which featured Manson detaining, stripping and shaving a man from a first-person perspective. The video clip gained significant airplay on MTV, was credited with presenting Garbage as a new, credible act with strong focus on visuals, and the following year was nominated for Breakthrough Video at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards. more »