Everyone’s favorite East Bay queerdos, Middle-Aged Queers, have returned with a queer vengeance for their triumphant third album, Theatre of Shame, which is being co-released by Sell the Heart Records and Engineer Records this Friday. From the homoerotic glory of banging “glizzies” to the catharsis of a punk rock pajama pizza party to a stinging critique of rainbow capitalism, the new album is a veritable smorgasbord of queer joys and queer grievances, all the while maintaining the band’s talent for catchy hooks and powerful energy.
The album comes out on Friday, but the band were kind enough to give our listeners not only an early listen to the album, but a bit of behind-the-scenes content as well, with a track-by-track description of each song on the album. Dive into the full experience of the new album below.
1.
“It started at a show in Sacramento with a pair of friends in coordinated hot dog and mustard costumes, joined by a spattering of young people in clown makeup. A local tradition, perhaps? No. The phenomenon followed us from coast to coast. And while the occasional banana or other food costume will make an appearance, a hot dog in the pit seems to be the most frequent sighting. We have no idea why. We prefer it to remain a mystery.”
2. PSYCHIC DOLLARS
“Former California Governor Jerry Brown once declared that workers in education or non-profits didn’t need to be fairly compensated because they are paid in ‘psychic dollars.’ I still have not found a grocery store accepting this payment type.”
3. PAJAMA PARTY
“Based on the true events of our drummer Niki’s worst year ever, ‘Pajama Party’ is a love letter to your friends who are going through it. Sometimes, the only thing you as a friend are capable of is inflicting your toxic positivity as a distraction. And sometimes that manifests in showing up to someone’s house uninvited with a box of pizza.”
4. BIG SISTERS
“This song encapsulates our gratitude for the lesbians who cared for queer people dying of AIDS in the 1980s. Anna Joy Springer seemed the obvious choice to deliver a spoken word piece at the end of the song, as she was in the early conversations of potential band members when we were forming Middle-Aged Queers.”
5. THIS SONG IS SPONSORED BY ABSOLUT VODKA
“Rainbow capitalism, baby! This song is about the “pinkwashing” done by corporations during the month of June. The timing for this song is comical, as many corporations are removing their support for pride parades across the country in response to the current president. Fair weather friends, indeed. While an earlier version of this song was released for the Punk Rock Saves Lives benefit album, this 2025 version contains a little more pizzazz in the vocals and guitaring.”
6. NOBODY WANTS
“Inspired by attacks on queer and trans people in major so-called ‘safe” metropolis areas, this song is a reminder to take care of your more vulnerable friends. Jeff Suffering (Ninety Pound Wuss, Raft of Dead Monkeys) makes a cameo appearance on this track.”
7. QUEERDO
“An older song that debuted on the 2022 Say-10 compilation ‘Never Erased’ benefiting the National Center for Transgender Equality, this updated version contains new leads and beefier rhythm guitars. An old crowd favorite about growing up in the East Bay as an out teenage, we’re stoked on this new and improved rendition.”
8. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE KINK?
“‘What’s Your Favorite Kink?’ celebrates the LGBTQ+ tradition of hanky codes, the system of color-coded bandanas for nonverbally communicating one’s interests in sexual activities and fetishes.”
9. ANAL BEADS
“Josh came into practice one day with the music for this one flushed out (no douching pun intended), and the lyrics came to us immediately. Because this marks our first and possibly only “love song,” adding acoustic guitars to capture the perfect “power ballad” vibes felt appropriate.
10. CASUAL ENCOUNTERS
“This is an improvisational jam we recorded in one take while I read old hookup ads from Craigslist. The song won’t be on streaming services or CD; it’s the ‘hidden’ bonus track on the album’s vinyl version.”
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