Exclusive Interview: Prince Poppycock

It’s not often that San Diego is graced with the presence of royalty. However, Bill Hardt is rolling out the red carpet – a carpet full of sequins, glitter and frills – as Prince Poppycock brings his unique style of musical performance arts to the Zoo Party during Pride weekend.

Prince Poppycock is the alter ego of John Quale. Quale has enjoyed a rich and colorful musical life in the spotlight, even before claiming his royal title. At age 11, he was singing with the Washington Opera children’s choir at the Kennedy Center. He continued performing and touring with musicals and choirs through his high school and college years. He has been the front man for several successful indie bands and has even performed stunning lead roles in off-Broadway musicals.

A range of musical styles has inspired him – and we’re talking a wide range, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, opera, madrigals, Gregorian chants, The Smiths and Gilbert and Sullivan musicals. In 2006, Quale created the character of Prince Poppycock, a roguish operatic dandy with a persona and repertoire that drew on all of his varied musical influences. Poppycock’s look and sound combine elements of glam rock, light opera, synth pop and Western art music in a way that is fresh. He admits it is sometimes startling.

Equally fabulous, Prince Poppycock gained national attention as a finalist on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, where judge Sharon Osbourne dubbed him “the male Lady Gaga.” That spotlight has kept his highness busy ever since, but Prince Poppycock did take a few minutes to answer some questions about his past, present and future reign.

San Diego LGBT Weekly: Your musical repertoire seems to be quite diverse. Did you envision this as a possibility when you were starting to perform as Prince Poppycock?

Prince Poppycock: I’ve always been very passionate about all styles of music, classical to country, hip-hop to rock. The freedom to be uninhibited about exploring these disparate styles has always been a goal of mine.

As Poppycock, I feel that I can interpret a wide range of musical styles in a fun way. As John Quale, I’m able to explore my own personal story.

Music has always been my guiding light in a dark world. The unending manifestation in which these magical dulcet tones can flow forth is a constant source of inspiration.

Prince Poppycock is visually spectacular. Have you found anything particularly challenging as Prince Poppycock?

Creating a theatrical experience for my audience has always been of the utmost importance. Creating a visual display that goes along with the music is essential to pulling the audience into having an experience, rather than simply watching a show. This creative process is what I live for, and thrive on.

It’s a never-ending discussion that I am more than grateful to be a part of. The most difficult aspect of this process is to stay centered and looking effortless while I’m in physical pain. For better or worse, beauty and pain seem to be inextricably intertwined, and certain outfits, wigs, hats and heels can be incredibly uncomfortable to wear for hours on end.

Prince Poppycock has done several performances with a variety of thematic undertones. What can we plan on seeing at San Diego Pride?

It’s always important to me that my performances have an underlying theme or meaning. However, it’s not always possible to bring the full Poppycock extravaganza wherever I go. For this reason, I would really like to translate Poppycock to the dance floor.

Dancing is one of the most essential and primitive expressions of being human, and the sheer joy of losing yourself in the beat is something that I would like to explore.

Prince Poppycock seems to be a contemporary contribution to the rich heritage of great art personas that have developed through the years in different ways. Do you see Prince Poppycock as part of that tradition or as something different?

The human experience can be reduced to the manifestation of source energy into physical reality, through personality and ego. The ability for us to do this consciously, and sculpt these personalities into art forms, is what I believe to be the phenomenon you’re referring to.

I’ve been able to achieve the luxury of compartmentalizing this process, giving me the ability to heighten the attributes of my character, while still maintaining my own personality intact.

Because of this, I’ve been able to do and say things that I would have never had the ability to do or say, as my mere mortal self.

It seems that Prince Poppycock is deceptively frivolous, but underneath addresses strong themes.

I always find it very telling when people take their personal styles very personally. Their style becomes their identity. Rather than being a complement to their lives, it becomes the lens through which they see life.

The material plane is an illusion, and being alive is an agreement to participate in a mass hallucination. Physical objects are no more than props and costumes on a stage.

This is wonderfully fun, but it’s also unfortunately shallow. No meaning will ever be found within the confines of an object, no matter how much you may desire it.

This is frustrating on so many levels, because we still have to deal with these bodies that will break down; the money game; and simply keeping ourselves alive.

Wouldn’t it be much more fun to live in a computer, where we could instantly create the reality we wanted?

However, it’s within these limits that we get to create our own meaning for our lives within the relationships that we develop. It’s through the juxtaposition of things, references, songs, art – and most importantly, the people in our lives – that life becomes meaningful, and doesn’t seem so shallow.

Do you have any goals for Prince Poppycock in the future?

I’m currently working on my theatrical debut in my own show: Prince Poppycock in His Royal Nonsense. It’s a short history of royalty that will take the audience from the beginning of civilization to present day and beyond through song, dance and laughter. It’s an attempt to show us all that absurdity (or Poppycock) has always been with us, and that royalty is not simply something to be worshiped from afar, but something to be cultivated within ourselves.

I’ve also been working on my debut record, which is currently being self-produced. It’s a combination of opera and rock. I’m excited to work with my long time friend and mentor, Kristian Hoffman, known for his incredible work with Klaus Nomi and punk band The Mumps, as well as other talented musicians and producers. We’re creating something accessible, esoteric and insane … with a beat that you can dance to.

Prince Poppycock performs at the Zoo Party. Part of the Pride Parties, the Zoo Party is July 16, 4-11 p.m. at the San Diego Zoo (2920 Zoo Drive in Balboa Park). Tickets are $85 in advance, $100 at the door. For info, log on to billhardtpresents.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6E5kebinoQ