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Cyndi Still Wants To Have Fun

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By CURTIS ROSS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 12, 2008

Cyndi Lauper is adamant about the message behind her True Colors tour, now in its second year. But she's just as adamant about the show's entertainment value.

"It's kind of like, do something good while you're having a good time," Lauper says by telephone from her home in New York.

"When you do this [tour] you literally get to choose the groups," Lauper says, sounding excited about the bill's lineup, which includes veteran new-wavers such as The B-52s and R&B singer Deborah Cox, as well as comedian Rosie O'Donnell (see accompanying story).

"Honestly, I really adore the music. I love it so much," Lauper says in here near-stereotypical Gotham accent.

"I'm really rocking The Cliks," Lauper says of another, younger band on the True Colors bill. "I love music that has that sense of urgency."

The tour, though, has a more serious purpose than entertainment.

The concerts support the Human Rights Campaign, an organization dedicated to the civil rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens.

That community has made "True Colors," the title track to Lauper's 1986 album, something of an anthem. The community also has taken some hits in recent years, Lauper believes.

"All human rights have dropped off recently," Lauper says. The gay and lesbian community, she says, "is so discriminated against. They're sometimes threatened life and limb."

HRC will be focusing on voter registration, Lauper says, adding that she's already acquired her absentee ballot.

Lauper also has a new album to promote as well, this year's "Bring Ya to the Brink." It follows a pair of unusual projects: 2003's "At Last," a collection of standards, and 2005's "The Body Acoustic," on which Lauper revisited her hits in stripped-down settings with guests such as Sarah McLachlan and Ani DiFranco.

"Bring Ya to the Brink" features Lauper's collaborations with dance producers such as Basement Jaxx, Richard Morel and Digital Dog.

"It came out exactly like I hoped it would," Lauper says of the album. "I was thrilled to reach out to the dance community, but it's not only dance stuff, it's kind of alternative music.

"'The Body Acoustic' and 'At Last' were wonderful but they're not what I normally do," Lauper says. "I wanted to spend time making modern music."

ON TOUR
True Colors
WITH: Cyndi Lauper, The B-52s, Rosie O'Donnell, Deborah Cox, The Cliks and Carson Kressley
WHEN: 7 p.m. Wednesday
WHERE: Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater; (727) 791-7400
COST: $85 and $145

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