If there’s one thing GayC/DC has perfected, it’s the art of taking the high-voltage rock of AC/DC and reimagining it through a queer lens. This all-gay tribute band has built a reputation not only for their wild stage presence, but also for their deep musical chops and unapologetic point of view. Now, just in time for Pride Month 2025, they’re turning up the volume with their latest release, “Gay Boy Boogie.”
A reinterpretation of AC/DC’s 1977 track “Bad Boy Boogie,” the new song is a fan-favorite from their live shows, and it finally gets the full studio and video treatment this month. While the original song was a raucous ode to rock ‘n’ roll mischief and heterosexual bravado, a statement from the company discloses that this adaptation is a “homoerotic reinterpretation” of the original, complete with lyrics that singer Christopher Freeman admits might catch some by surprise.
“On this one, I really let it loose. Some lines are a bit shocking,” Freeman says with a laugh.
Freeman, who is also the founding bassist of queercore pioneers Pansy Division, brings a deep understanding of subversive rock history to the project. But even with the tongue-in-cheek edge, the new video also serves as a sincere tribute—not just to AC/DC, but to another pillar of glam-fueled rebellion: Twisted Sister.
The video for “Gay Boy Boogie,” directed by Frank Meyer (The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs), is a stylized homage to Twisted Sister’s iconic “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” Returning to the screen is the character of Waldo, who first appeared in GayC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” video, played once again by Johnny Martin of L.A. Guns. The latest video acts as a kind of prequel, tracing Waldo’s journey through a very different kind of rock awakening.
A statement from drummer Brian Welch reveals that “It’s one of the raunchier songs lyrically that we do live, and I thought ‘Why don't we do something fun for this?’ After all, people come to our shows expecting an R-rated show, so let’s give 'em an R-rated video too!”
Freeman and Welch took great care in crafting this new visual, pulling in collaborators with ties to both the punk and film worlds. Joanie Pimentel (of No Small Children) appears as Waldo’s mother, while actor and screenwriter Don Speziale plays his father—both helping to reimagine Twisted Sister’s classic suburban conflict through a more inclusive, queer-positive lens.
“This was our love letter to Twisted Sister and homage to director Marty Callner—but with a GayC/DC twist,” says Welch.
Callner, who directed some of the most iconic rock videos of the 1980s for artists like Bon Jovi, KISS, and Whitesnake, passed away earlier this year. His influence is felt throughout the visual language of “Gay Boy Boogie,” and the tribute is handled with care and reverence.
“We love Twisted Sister, who took rock and drag further than anybody at the time,” Welch adds. “This is our homage and ‘thank you’ for giving us as young gay kids the opportunity to see fully grown men in drag every day on MTV—decades before RuPaul’s Drag Race was a thing.”
The video’s premiere on American Songwriter was met with enthusiasm, with the outlet praising the release as “full-on GayC/DC glam metal queer rock.” Even Dee Snider, Twisted Sister’s frontman, has given it his nod of approval.
A statement from the band quotes Snider: “I think this is great!”
Behind the glitter, GayC/DC remains a band firmly grounded in musicianship. Their past covers—including “Dirty Dudes (Done Dirt Cheap)” and “It’s A Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’n’ Roll)”—demonstrate not just clever wordplay, but a genuine respect for the genre’s legacy. With “Gay Boy Boogie,” they continue that tradition while carving out space for queer identity in the hard rock world.
As Pride Month kicks off, the message behind GayC/DC’s work is clear: reimagining rock history isn’t about rewriting it—it’s about expanding it to include stories and voices that have always been there.
