Oh My Goth! Backstage with the Queens of 'RuPaul's Drag Race'

"Drag queens don't work well outside," Sharon Needles explains, dabbing at the beads of sweat on her otherwise flawless contour in the glow of her trailer mirror. "We're designed for spotlights, not sunlight…Behind all this Duncan Hines is a lot of man that relies on a nighttime setting."

If anyone knows about making it work, it's Needles and her RuPaul's Drag Race co-stars Adore Delano, Ginger Minj, and newly-crowned Drag Race: All Stars season two winner Alaska Thunderfuck 5000, all of whom were on hand at Beach Goth to deliver some of the weekend's most sickening performances to the screaming crowd.

An indie- and punk-centric outdoor music festival curated by local surf-garage brats The Growlers seems like an unexpected setting for the highly-stylized glam of Drag Race, but the queens—all musicians with albums in their own rights—were right at home. If Beach Goth was plagued with logistical and security issues, its spirit remained a haven for letting your freak flag fly, whether that meant swathing on some face paint, playing with gender identity, or wearing next to nothing at all. The only way you didn't fit in is if you didn't arrive as some hyperbolized or bizarro version of yourself. And when you start being that self—or at least, someone you can't be otherwise—that's when the fun starts. That's the very essence of drag, and why its history is inextricably bound with that of punk rock.

"Some people say, 'Oh you're a weird queen. You're a punk queen.' All queens are weird!" Needles says, kicking off her patent leather stilettos. "I don't care if you're in a sickening gown or dressed as an octopus. You are treating every day as if it were Halloween. You are donning a character and a persona that isn't real."

We hung out with the Drag Race queens backstage at their Beach Goth performance to talk their music careers, festival fashion, and the joys and drags of drag. Photographer Steven DeTray was on hand to capture it all.

Sharon Needles: I'm sorry I'm just in my dead cat shirt right now! I hope that's fine with you.

Noisey: Of course. You look great.
The Millennials allow a drag queen just to wear a T-shirt now. Thanks to Adore, and just in general. You know, when I heard someone say that they borrowed their grandma's Nirvana T-shirt to come to my show—I really thought age was never coming. I truly thought it couldn't happen to me. And here I am. Bitter at these little brats. Saying, "You don't know what it used to be like when it was gooood." Or, "I invented that." Or, "You kids think you made up the flannel!" Im my mother. I remember when I wore UFO raver jeans in the 90s. Or my JNCOs! I miss my JNCOs. I had the cool raver ones with the plastic pockets that you could fill with things to express yourself. I was good at molesting all the sub-genres at some point in my youth. I wanted to be them all. I'm every woman, they're all in me. I'm a fuckin' street punk, train-hoppin', raving goth, grunge girl-boy-man-prostitute.

How does preparing for and performing at a festival like Beach Goth compare to more traditional drag performance venues? 
Drag queens don't work well outside. We're designed for spotlights, not sunlight. The things we're made of, we're a juxtaposition. In some settings, it can look very refined and beautiful. In others, people can see through the smoke and mirrors. Even for us just to look naked takes so much padding and pantyhose. Not all of us, but most of us rely on such a strong foundation under what we're wearing that sunlight and heat aren't forgiving. Plus, we're not only vocalists, we're also completely corseted. Our bodies have been manipulated from mid-30-year-old drunk men to Jessica Rabbit. And that takes a toll on your oxygen, and the way you breathe, and the way you dictate your lyrics and your musicality.

But at the same time, by being a drag queen, fans are always forgiving. Sometimes you never know if your performance was truly good. But since it's this visual cartoon, they accept it for whatever it is. Which is great for the ego! But bad for artistic growth. You really never know when you've done a good or a bad job.

What defines a good performance?
A good performance is being a visual terrorist. A good performance is creating exciting individual, and never-before-heard music. What's great as a drag queen is that not only can we be pop stars, but we can mock the pop theorem. Kind of the way old Gaga used to be. It's like, we are a pop star, but we're also poking fun at the entire industry at the same time. So it's a great time to be alive as a professional drag queen, but it's kind of a sad time for the concept of drag being an underground, midnight, smokey bar, transgressive, anti-political, button-pushing vaudeville. Drag has become so mainstream. Which is great for the bank account. Not so great for the art world.

It's a complicated shift to reconcile. People talk a lot about Gaga in the same way. Have you heard Joanne yet? 
I have! It's gonna be one of those records that I have to let cook for awhile. I'm not one of those fags that doesn't hold any artistic standard to my pop stars. But I also have judged certain albums in the past that have turned out to be some of my favorite pop albums. But unlike, say, Fame Monster, I wasn't bashed over the head by a sledgehammer into synthesized pop goth perfection that I really respond to in pop music. I love pop music because it's a no-rule formula with secret rules. Does that make sense? I love genres of all music, but when it comes to that Top 40 pop sound, my ear has been going more towards like Carly Rae Jepsen's Emotion, and [Joanne] would be more like a gem I would find in my record shop that I might be surprised by.

But hey, the world's changing. I can't expect the world to stay on my tired ass. I'm 35 years old, and that's the age when you start noticing everything changing around you. And you realize that you're not young. You know? Like this dress you're wearing reminds me of my childhood, like Blossom. But to younger kids, this is highly in fashion. But it's also inspiring to know that I can continue to make records in a way that I'm not being asked to, but the way that I wan't to make them. If Gaga wanted to make that record because that's how she wanted to write a record, then more fuckin' power to her. I just want some makeup and some rhinestones and some crazy-ass shoes! She's so known for being not only a musical but a visual icon. And side-boob just wasn't enough for me, this time, visually.

What does "goth" mean to you? 
I've always said that punk is a time and money thing. You can only be punk if you're poor and you're young. It's for the poor, it's for the young. Goth is much more visual than any other subgenre, I would think. I'm known as the most goth drag queen in the world. I consider myself more "macabre." I'm not pulling spider webs and listening to Siouxsie Sioux records. No, I'm listening to GG Allin records. But what goth personally means to me is an obsession with the macabre, and the understanding that the only thing that binds the human condition is death. It's the only thing we all have in common, and I think that's ridiculously romantic, and makes death not seem so scary. And Elvira!

What are you gonna be for Halloween?
One of them is a high-bred, very 1920s-inspired It-Girl, Clara Bow, ammonia-drinking, fringe-dress-wearing flapper girl. But that's just because I have this fantasy for it. I'm also going as Gozer, the final demon in Ghostbusters on the top of the building. I don't know about you, but when I was a kid, she was the tits. And I'm going as Lily Munster. I mean, every day is Halloween to me, so I like to rely on the classics.

Does it feel like an extra challenge, in that way?
Halloween used to be my favorite day. Now, it's like working on Christmas. If I ever win a reality television show again, I'm gonna say "Happy Arbor Day" so I can still work on there. No tree, no shade.

Noisey: What did you perform today?
Ginger Minj: Today I performed two tracks off my brand new album Sweet T—the letter 'T,' for truth—because that album is my truth… Something like that.

Tell me about your shirt.
It's my I'm With Her Hillary shirt I found at a little store called Beatniks in Chicago when I was performing there about a month ago, and I had to have it. Of course I'm With Her, obviously. Because she represents a lot of the values that I hold near and dear to my heart. But I just thought the shirt was cute too! Even if I hated her, I'd be with her now.

What do you make of the festival so far?
This festival is amazing! I've done several music festivals over the last couple of years, and this one has been the most relaxed. The most fun. Everybody is here to have a good time, and you can tell that there's no hidden agenda. There is no favoritism between one band or the other. Everyone is here to have a good time and be entertained. And that's what we're doing.

Whom are you a fan of here? 
The Violent Femmes! I'm 32, I was born in 1984, and the Violent Femmes were the one thing that my sister and I—my sister is ten years older than me, almost to the day—found as common ground when we were growing up. When we were ready to throttle each other and kill each other, it was "One, one, one 'cause you left me"—that's what would stop it.

What is it about their music specifically that you guys loved?
It's fun! Every single song that they do has a great message, but it's all done in such an incredibly lighthearted way, that it really appeals to me, and I think that it appeals to most people. It has for years.

Give me a quick critique of the fashion you're seeing here. 
Oh my god, it's so much fun! Everybody is definitely expressing themselves while staying comfortable. That is exactly what I'm about. I've never been a "fashion" girl, I never will be. I'm all about comfort over couture. But everbody looks good in their own unique way, and I really, really love that.

What are some festival fashion pro-tips? Faux pas? 
Bring some flats to wear with you. You're walking a long way and standing for a long time. You can be fashionable in flats! And get you a good foundations with a nice SPF in it so you can stay beautiful and porcelain underneath it all. Just be comfortable. Literally, just be you in the most comfortable way possible. Nobody's here judging you.

As far as faux pas, I saw a couple of those girls out there who looked absolutely beautiful—in high heels! Like six-inch spike stilletos and a bustier. Mama, I can't breathe wearing flats and a T-shirt, so I don't know how the hell they're doing it. Unless you're taking Boniva girl, you're gonna go down.

What are you gonna be for Halloween?
I'm gonna be a boy for Halloween! It's something new and different for me. I'm actually gonna be Chuckie. On Season 7, especially, when I had the long red hair, everybody thought that I looked like a Chuckie doll when I was out of drag, so I thought I would just own that and embrace it!

Photo by Frank Mojica

Noisey: Tell me about your Beach Goth performance. How do you prep for something like this?
Adore Delano: I hadn't heard of it until my friend was telling me about how cool and free-spirited it was. So when they told me I'd be performing I was super down. Hopefully a couple people know who I am!

You left the second season of All Stars after dealing with some difficult personal struggles, but you're back out here performing. How do you look back on your experience with the show? What has it meant for your career?
RuPaul's show has opened all of our careers.  It's been amazing. It's basically like, look, she gives you a career, and is like "If you work hard enough, good will come out of it, yeah?"

[A jet roars overhead] Excuse me! I had tacos.

Anyway, the thing is, you have to work hard enough. I focus all of my energy on my music. I think I've respectfully earned the right to be called a drag musician rather than a drag queen. The focus is more on my music and the psirit that I put into my work and how I connect with my audience rather than what is on my waist. That's the beauty of what I do, and people have been really kind and receptive.

Photo by Frank Mojica

How did you pick your tracks for Beach Goth?
What I'm singing here today is what I always sing in my underwear to, which is Neil Diamond's "Tonight." [Laughs] I'm such a fan of the music that came before us, I naturally connect with old souls and the past. I know that's super hipster to say, but… Neil Diamond is one of my favorite artists, and this is one of my favorite songs. So I was like, why not. It was either this or Nancy Sinatra.

How does your own music compare?
I'm working on a lot of projects right now [towards] my third record. Well, in my brain. I'm just writing a lot of poetry and stuff like that and putting it into perspective. I found this really amazing guitarist who's been working out songs with me and we're going for like a bluesy feel. I've been watching a lot of documentaries and refreshing my memory, because my dad was a really big fan of Led Zeppelin and I'm focusing on the influence blues had on that kind of music.

Who are you excited to see play here?
Um, hello! I'm super excited to hear that Melanie Martinez is gonna be here. Low key, I'm just a little gay boy fan. I'm super obsessed with her visuals. She's just such an artist and she's so beautiful to look at and listen to. She's like a little angel. Just stunning. And TLC!

What do you make of the style you're seeing at the festival?
I love it! It feels like I'm just at one of my shows. Everybody's just like, my vibe. I'm obsessed.

What are you gonna be for Halloween?
I think I'm gonna be a cat. Duh! Meow!

Noisey: What do you make of Beach Goth? How did the performance go? 
Alaska Thunderfuck 5000: I loved it! Everybody was there having a great time, and hopefully smoking weed. They were lovely. Our trailer is right next to Eric Andre. We just saw him in our golf cart as we were driving past! I think he's so fucking weird and funny. I love him.

Give a quick critique of the style here. Do you have any festival style pro-tips?
I mean, we look great! I haven't seen anyone else though. We were like on stage and then we were in the trailer, so I haven't seen anybody yet. But flats. Wear flats. Don't wear nails. And don't be afraid of fake hair.

What are you gonna be for Halloween? Are you a big Halloween girl?
Yes, I have a bunch of shows coming up. But because of a miscommunication with my dress designer friend, I have no costumes! So I literally have to go to the store tomorrow and just buy some things. So I don't know what I'm gonna be for Halloween! I was thinking The Devil, I was thinking a snake, I was thinking Elvira. So yeah, who knows? Keep an eye out.

Photo by Frank Mojica

Andrea Domanick is Noisey's West Coast Editor. Follow her on Twitter. 
Stephen DeTray is a photographer based in LA. Follow him on Instagram. 
Frank Mojica is a writer and photographer based in LA. Follow him on Instagram.