Smalltown Boy tells the tale of a young gay man who packs up and heads for London in response to homophobic violence in his (un-named) home town. It’s supposedly based on the experiences of lead singer Jimmy (Jimi/Jimmi) Somerville, who … Continue reading →
OK, I admit this song was originally released in 1978 but with the advent of HIV/AIDS it became the rallying cry of the 80’s. The first person with AIDS that I ever met was Bobbi Campbell (the so-called ‘AIDS Poster … Continue reading →
Divine (born Harris Glenn Milstead) was the only son of wealthy, conservative Baptist parents.To say he rebelled against this background would be an understatement. He enjoyed hosting lavish parties (at his parents expense, since he didn’t see the point of … Continue reading →
I still wince when I think about the title and timing of this song. Upon it’s release it was adopted by the gay male community as an anthem for the sexual freedom of that time. Within a matter of months … Continue reading →
Grace Jones’ extraordinary combination of glamour and androgyny made her a big favourite with the gay community. Never one for understatement, she mixed with the likes of Andy Warhol and Robert Mapplethorpe. Every performance, album cover and video was – … Continue reading →