Meet Danny Corvini. Local Canberra Italian stallion who is a Dj and Magazine Founder.

Danny Corvini is the publisher of an independent queer magazine (STUN Magazine), a DJ (DJ Raydar), and events organiser (these include YesFest! and Italian Festival, both in Canberra), and currently is the Vice President of SpringOUT Canberra. He would-be an Amsterdam resident if he could (except he lives in Canberra).

Let’s find out what makes this bear roar!

Luka Musicki (L.M.): Is your surname Italian? Tell me about your heritage? Any Italian queers to give a shout-out to?

Danny Corvini (D.C.): My dad migrated from Italy to Australia in 1965 and met my Aussie mum-to-be in Bondi a few years later. I’ve still got a few relatives in Italy who I love to visit, and I love the country, but I don’t find the culture very queer, unfortunately. It’s very hetero, unlike, say, Spain.

L.M.: You used to live in Sydney but moved to Canberra. Why?

D.C.: I was born and raised in Canberra, and I moved to Sydney as soon as I turned 18 – literally as soon as I could! Sydney was amazing in the ‘90s. I moved to Melbourne for uni in the 2000’s and found myself back in Canberra in 2016 to help my parents out. Lots of single gays end up getting roped back into our parents’ lives when we’re older because we don’t have kids of our own! My mum had dementia and passed away a few years ago, and I’ll never regret being there for her in her time of need, but I do miss the big city.

L.M.: What’s it like to be gay in Canberra?

D.C.: The ACT is one of the most progressive places in Australia. We had the highest ‘yes’ vote of any state or territory for marriage equality, and it was the only state or territory that voted ‘yes’ for a Voice to Parliament. I’m not gonna lie, it’s not always the most exciting place, but there are dednitely plenty of LGBTIQA+ sporting clubs, events and groups, and if hot public servants are your type, this is the place to be! There are a couple of annual events that are dednitely worth visiting Canberra for, including the Bush Dance in November and the National Portrait Gallery’s annual queer party, which is happening in February. A new gay bar, ChiChiz, has just opened too! I DJ’d at the grand opening.

L.M.: How do you identify in the queer community?  

D.C.: I’m a bit more of a shapeshifter and not completely comfortable labelling myself – and that extends to my Grindr profile. There’s always this pressure to sell yourself and conform, which I find restrictive. My lesbians think I’m a ‘fabulous gay’, but I like to have the freedom to change my taste and style whenever it suits me. 

L.M.: When did you start performing behind the decks as a DJ and why? 

D.C.: I was a dance music journalist from the age of 21 and and started DJing a few years later, first on community radio and then to actual people on dancefloors in the mid-2000s in Melbourne. It was the dying years of vinyl though so I switched to CDJs a few years later and then finally to Serato, which I love and makes DJing extremely easy!

L.M.: How did you get the DJ name, DJ Raydar? 

D.C.: Gaydar was the big hook-up site of the mid-2000’s when I needed a name. I liked the name ‘Radar’ and thought it would be terribly clever to give it a ‘y’. 

L.M.: Who are some of your DJ influences or motivations?

D.C.: I first got into dance music in high school when acid house was exploding, and then into rave, but I liked hip hop as a kid, too. For me, getting into dance music was very linked to coming out as all the straights were into heavy metal then, which I hated, and being a raver was an identity that no-one could fuck with, it was so ‘new’ and ‘out there’. I moved in with my first partner, Paul Holden, when I moved to Sydney when I was 18. He was an absolute DJ legend who ultimately had a very tragic life as a result of a bashing that happened when we were together. I’ve been fortunate to meet a lot of my DJ heroes through being a music journalist and through organising parties but I still think that he was a genius who I was extremely fortunate to have had a personal relationship with.

L.M.: What is your favourite type of genre of music? 

D.C.: It’s quite a mix and I get completely immersed in whatever I’m working on at the time! I’m currently planning a ‘90s rave night so I’m completely immersed in that music at the moment. Then I’m playing at ChUrch in Amsterdam in March, so that will be more melodic house and techno. Whereas at my 50th birthday last March, I only had ‘50s and ‘60s music, so I only listened to music from those decades for about six months prior! 

L.M.: Why do you think you love music so much?

D.C.: You can instantly change your vibration with music – feeling good is literally only ever just one good song away!

L.M.: Tell me about STUN Magazine.  

D.C.: I created STUN Magazine three years ago partly as a response to the passing of my sister; it felt like if ever there was a time to “go for it”, then this was it. I describe the magazine as covering LGBTIQA+ culture and community and we also throw parties in Canberra, Sydney, Newcastle and on the Central Coast, which I think is something unique. You can check out the magazine at stunmagazine.com.au

L.M.: So you do a bit travelling around the world, any favourites, and are the travels DJ related and/or leisure? 

D.C.: I spent quite a bit of time in Amsterdam in my 40’s, which is an amazing place to be queer. I joined up with some American performer friends for some events there in 2018 as their DJ, which was just incredible. I always dream of living in Amsterdam one day!

L.M.: Would you say being a bear has helped or hindered your career? Is your audience primarily bears?

D.C.: Nightlife is, of course, a young person’s world but I think there is also a large number of GenX and Boomer queers & bears who are still looking for places to party. Dancing is good for your health and we should never stop! Especially when there’s so much good music, new and old… and let’s face it, dancing is such a big part of queer culture.

L.M.: Is there any advice that you would give someone who is interested in starting in the DJ career or in magazines?

D.C.: My approach has always been that if no-one else is doing things that I’d like, I feel compelled to create it. For instance, the parties I create are the kind of events I’d like to go to and the kind of magazines I publish are the kinds of things I’d like to read. My advice is to find your own niche and go for it: be unique, do the work, network hard and share your talents generously. 

L.M.: What are your career goals for the future? 

D.C.: I’d just to keep publishing great stories on stunmagazine.com.au and to keep throwing great events. What else is there to life?! 

L.M.: Thank you for sitting down with me for the interview in your busy schedule. If you are happy, let’s jump into some quick-fire questions.

• Location: Canberra
• Pronouns: He/Him  
• Relationship status: Single
• Favorite Drink: Negroni out, red wine at home
• What type of guy are you into? Fit, funny, musical, reliable, at least somewhat educated and worldly!
• Favorite Cities/Vacation Spots: The Netherlands, Mexico, London
• Favorite Hobby or Pastime: Can’t go past a day at the beach. It’s just a dream though, living in Canberra! Cycling in Amsterdam is also AAA+.
• Idea of a good date and what do you look for in a guy? Passionate sex, good conversation, great food/drinks/movie.
• Where can we find you?
  • Instagram (DJ): @dj_raydar
    Instagram (STUN): @stun_magazine     
  • Facebook (STUN Magazine): https://www.facebook.com/STUNqueermag
  • Magazine: https://stunmagazine.com.au/

Picture: Deputy-Editor for Bear World Magazine, Luka Musicki, and Danny Corvini.