2014 SEX SURVEY OUR EXPLOSIVE LOOK AT MODERN GAY SEX EXCLUSIVE RuPaul on Gaga, Piggy and the shade of it all
30
at s thay m g albu pedsic a h s mu
Sex addiction Is getting laid too much ruining your life? ---------
Sex selfies Where do your nudes really end up?
KINGSLAND ROAD X FACTOR’S FINEST ARE READY TO BUST OUT
QUICHE! Ja’mie King’s first ever gay press interview
ETERNAL! The Big Reunion girls speak exclusively to GT
30
OF RS S YEAYTIME GA
MARCH 2014 UK £4.30 THE ORIGINAL GAY MAGAZINE
----------
Cleo Rocos / Tom Rob Smith / Angela Lansbury / Lord Chris Smith / Pete Wentz
©SCI-MX Nutrition LLP 2014
Damian Guest Elite Personal Trainer
Using the latest scientific advances in supplementation, the series is formulated for ultra-lean muscle definition. The series includes a best-selling ultra lean all-in-one, a precision formulated meal replacement, a whey protein with added weight loss ingredients and super-strength weight management capsules.
the
series. @SCIMX
SCI-MX
sci-mx.co.uk
start your engines
[03/14]
Editor DARREN SCOTT Assistant Editor LEE DALLOWAY Staff Writer RYAN BUTCHER Editorial Assistant BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH Design & Art Direction MARK KING Style and Grooming LLOYD-SCOTT TYLER Music BOB HENDERSON Editor-at-large JOHN MARRS Columnists PJ BRENNAN, BENJAMIN COHEN, THE GUYLINER, EDD KIMBER, ALAN ROSENTHAL, PAUL THORN, MICHELLE VISAGE, MIKEY WALSH Contributors JOE MCCORMICK, MATT PEAKE, LUKE SMITH, TIM MITCHELL, MIKE HIRD, MILO WAKELIN, JUSTIN MYERS, TOM JONES, PERRY JUBY, DANIEL RIDING, MARK SINGLETON, CHRIS HITCHINGS, FRAZER LOUGH, PIERS ALLARDYCE, PETER TATCHELL, DAN TICKNER, DAVID ROBINSON, THE RANGDO Pug-at-large TOBY Thanks to DANIEL HINCHCLIFFE (Soundcheck Entertainment), DAVID FLYNN (Little f Management), RICHARD GALPIN and ANTHONY NOGUERA (Chris Lilley), ALI COWE and CHRIS McCLUSKEY (BBC), JOELLE HAWKES (RuCo), STEPHEN BARBER (ITV), NINA KELLY (Human Dignity Trust), LAUREN HALES (Halestorm PR), LUKE MORRISON (BSkyB), CLAIRE USHER (8½ PR) Production & Distribution Manager ALEXANDER SMITH Marketing & Advertising Designer LUKE BENJAMIN IT & Digital Management FERNANDO SAFONT Magazine Marketing Executive LLOYD PHILLIPS Management Accountant ARNAUD SEGUIN GT Advertising Sales KEITH MCDONNELL 020 7424 7406
[email protected] &ODVVLÀHG$GYHUWLVLQJ6DOHV ASH ALLIBHAI 020 7424 7451
[email protected] Escort Advertising Sales RAJ VALENTINO 020 7424 7457
[email protected] Editorial 020 7424 7400 Fax 020 7424 7401 Sales/Distribution 020 7424 7400 Fax 020 7424 7401 Editorial e-mail
[email protected] Advertising e-mail
[email protected] Website gaytimes.co.uk Postal address GT, Spectrum House, Unit M, 32-34 Gordon House Road, London, NW5 1LP
Newstrade distribution: Conde Nast and National Magazine Distributors Limited, Unit 3, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE Tel: 01895 433 600 Newstrade enquiries:
[email protected] Subscriptions UK 0844 856 0637 Subscriptions e-mail
[email protected] Subscriptions Overseas 01795 414 896 Printed in the UK by: Wyndeham Group Disclaimer: All copyrights and trademarks are recognised PUBLISHED BY MILLIVRES PROWLER LTD Non-executive Chairman CHRIS GRAHAM-BELL Managing Director SIMON TOPHAM Media & Marketing Director KIM WATSON Operations Director ROBERT HANWELL
[40]
Financial Director ANTHONY MARTIN
[77] © 2014 GAY TIMES All rights reserved ISSN: 0950-6101 The mention or appearance or likeness of any person or organisation in articles or advertising in GAY TIMES is not to be taken as any indication of the sexual, social or political orientation of such persons or organisations. “Little Miss Kylie ¶WKLQNVVKH·VWRRJRRGIRURXU%XON\.QLWVLVVXH· 0LQRJXH«µ 1R UHVSRQVLELOLW\ can be assumed for any unsolicited materials, and submission is construed as permission to publish without further correspondence and the fee payable (if any) at our usual rates. Advertisers are advised that all copy is their sole responsibility under the Trades Protections Act and must comply with the British Code of Advertising Practice. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publishers.
4
[70] gaytimes.co.uk
[contents] [90]
[84] first
entertainment
06 Fitty at the front 14 Mikey Walsh 22-D·PLH.LQJ 24 Michelle Visage 26 Sweetie, darling?
78 Eternal 84 Fall Out Boy 907RP5RE6PLWK 94 Screen 97 Geek 98 Games and Tech
news 28 Homophobia in football 30 News debate 32 30 Things: Gay albums 35 Benjamin Cohen 36 Heroes: Chris Smith
features 40.LQJVODQG5RDG 545X3DXO 58 2014 GT Sex Survey 66 Sex addiction 706H[VHOÀHV 74 Sex homewreckers
style 100 London Collections: Men 106 Home style
real life 1095HDGHU·VOLYHV 110 The Guyliner 1133-%UHQQDQ 116 Uganda 122(GG.LPEHU 123$ODQ5RVHQWKDO 124 Fitness 127 HIV
travel 129 Letter from... 130.H\:HVW
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Let’s talk about sex, baby. Let’s talk about you and me. Well, let’s not as we’ll be here all day and there’s a magazine to be read. But while I’ve got you, we can certainly talk about sex. More importantly, how people get sex these days. How sex is consumed, if you will. If you’re my sort of age (mid 30s, thanks, we’ll leave it at that) or older, you’ll probably agree that everything’s changed. Sex is, let’s be honest, easy to get. It might not be with the person you want, but it’s there. And that’s reflected in the biggest ever sex survey that we’ve done. It makes for fascinating reading. If you’re younger than me, this sexual playing field may be all you’ve ever known – it may be that you can’t imagine life without an app that can hook you up immediately. I find it fascinating hearing straight people talking about Tinder as though it’s some kind of sexual liberation, when gay people have had their version for years (happy fifth birthday, Grindr!) I also find the way gay men respond to ‘dating’ apps fascinating. “I’ve deleted Grindr and Scruff!” people will declare on Twitter. No-one cares. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with using these apps, as long as you’re playing safe and not cheating on anyone. It’s just what people DO these days. Stop giving a damn about what anyone else may think. It doesn’t make you ‘better’ or ‘worse’ for not having them, just get on with it. Unless, of course, you’re one of those awful people that goes onto these apps to be rude to people, screenshot conversations and post them online with some kind of ‘superiority’. Be nice, we’re all there for the same reason. Talk about sex, baby. Q Darren Scott @darren_scott
[22] SUE T IS LE X E N SA
ON ARCH 19 M
[54] GT430 MAR 2014 Cover image by Joe McCormick Grooming by Evan Huang
gaytimes.co.uk
5
[03/14]
The Book of More Men What’s better than the first issue of glossy photo-mag Menenti? Why, issue two of course! Menenti – produced by our very own brilliant and handsome Joe McCormick – is fit to bursting with sexy men wearing not very much, without many of those pesky words getting in the way. Q The limited edition publication is £25 and available from menenti.co.uk and in Prowler stores.
6
gaytimes.co.uk
[first]
gaytimes.co.uk
7
[first]
splash!
[03/14]
Pegasus does Daley
IX, O R LAC EETIE SW We’re loving these new Maurice Lacroix watches, and we’re loving even more that they’re modelled by the current 100m freestyle world champion James Magnussen. Yum! What do you mean you can barely see the watch? Er... check the website for more beautiful designs. Q
One of our favourite street artists, the London-based Pegasus, has been hard at work adorning numerous landmarks around the capital with his awesome paintings. This one, on infamous South London homo watering hole Royal Vauxhall Tavern, has to be one of our favourites. Tom Daley starkers except for a message of hope and a rainbow love heart painted on the door of a gay pub? Not queer at all, dear. Q facebook.com/pegasusstreetart, @pegasustreet
mauricelacroix.com
No more bowls It’s almost up there with shouting “tickets, money, passport!” as you leave the house (ask an older gay) – that ageold question of “where are my bloody keys?” Of course, now there’s an app for that, with Elgato’s Smart Key sending an alert to your iPhone to let you know you’ve left them behind. It even plays a sound to help you find them. Because yes, there are people like that. Q Available from Amazon and elgato.com from £39.95
8
gaytimes.co.uk
[first]
bonjour, yanis
[03/14]
,I\RXKDYHQ·WFDXJKW3DULVLDQ choreographer and YouTube sensation
10
JD\WLPHVFRXN
follow the yellow brick road
[03/14]
7 O’CLOCK AND WE WANNA ROCK After 41 years and 31 million sales, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is STILL Elton John’s finest album to date. Now, it’s getting the ultimate reissue makeover – like a bit of slap on before a night on the town. Out on 24 March, the new deluxe version comes with a documentary, live concert album and a bonus disc of cover versions from some of our favourite artists – from John Grant and Emeli Sandé through to Fall Out Boy (but more on them and Elton later in the mag). There’s also a 100-page illustrated hardback book packed with rare photos and interviews, including this snap we managed to get our paws on just for you. It’s not hard to see how he became one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, sparkling platform boots and all. Oh, and of course, singles like Bennie and the Jets and Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting. Everybody sing with us now... “Saturday, Saturday... Saturday...” Qeltonjohn.com
12
gaytimes.co.uk
[first] T-Time 8OWDFRROVWUHHWZHDU label Nena & 3DVDGHQDKDYH SUHPLHUHGWKHLU ODWHVWFROOHFWLRQ RIJUDSKLFDQG SKRWRSULQWWVKLUWV 7KLVVHDVRQWKH $XVWUDOLDQEUDQG KDVRSWHGIRUVKRUW VOHHYHGWRSVWKDW FRPHLQDPXWHG palette of mainly monochrome. The GHVLJQVUDQJHIURP VLPSOHORJRPRWLIV WRH\HFDWFKLQJ SKRWRSULQWV 1LQDDQGSDVDGHQD FRXNQ
Open letter to David Beckham Please keep releasing Bodywear pieces for H&M. But only if you keep making the adverts where you’re caught outside in your pants. Oh, and maybe do a jock in the next line. Lots of love, Team GT. Q 7KH6SULQJ'DYLG%HFNKDP%RG\ZHDU&ROOHFWLRQLVDYDLODEOHLQVHOHFW+ 0VWRUHVDQGRQOLQHDWKPFRPQRZ
SPEED DATE
JD\WLPHVFRXN
25 Feb-15 Mar 5DFKDHO·V&DIpLV WKHWUXHVWRU\RID PDUULHGPDQZKR RSHQVDFDIpDQG EHJLQVOLYLQJDVD ZRPDQ7KHSOD\ UXQQLQJDWWKH2OG 5HG/LRQ7KHDWUH LQFOXGHVWRXFKLQJ DQHFGRWHVHYHQ LQFOXGLQJ3UHVLGHQW 2EDPDUDFKDHOV FDIHSOD\FRXNQ
From 27 February 7KHDSWO\WLWOHG QHZPXVLFDO,&DQ·W 6LQJEDVHGRQ UHDOLW\79VKRZ 7KH;)DFWRURSHQV DWWKH/RQGRQ 3DOODGLXPVWDUULQJ 1LJHO+DUPDQDV 6LPRQ&RZHOODQG VFULEEOHGE\WKH OHJHQGDU\+DUU\+LOO LFDQWVLQJWKHPXVL cal.com Q
11 March Straight from the 86WKHKRWWHVW female rapper on WKHVFHQHDQG VHOIODEHOOHG SDQVH[XDO$QJHO +D]HPDNHVDQ appearance at /RQGRQ·V+HDYHQ IROORZLQJWKH UHOHDVHRIKHUGHEXW DOEXP'LUW\*ROG VHHWLFNHWVFRPQ
From 16 March ,WPD\EHWRRODWH WR$SRORJL]HEXWLW LVQ·WWRRODWHWRVHH 2QH5HSXEOLF·V8. WRXUFRPPHQFLQJ 16 March 2014. The ER\VZLOOEHFDOOLQJ LQDW/RQGRQ·V 5RXQGKRXVHDQG WKH5R\DO$OEHUW +DOODPRQJRWKHUV RQHUHSXEOLFFRP HYHQWVQ
20-30 March Looking for the ÀQHVWLQTXHHU FLQHPD"7KLV \HDU·V/RQGRQ*D\ )LOP)HVWLYDOZLOO EHVKRZLQJWKH EHVWRIIHULQJVWKH VLOYHUVFUHHQKDV WRRIIHU+HUH·V hoping for one RUWZRKDSS\ HQGLQJVEÀRUJXN llgff Q
13
[mikey walsh]
It was a late November morning when I got the call. The call that would put a definite end to the best years of my life. My best friend Leigh had been taken on a date to a London nightclub. Only the guy who took him had very different plans of how their night was going to turn out. Within an hour of them meeting, he poisoned Leigh’s drink with a lethal amount of liquid ecstasy while he went to the bathroom. In the early morning Leigh was discovered, and his mum called me from the hospital. I was unaware that within a few hours, I’d be told that I had to say my final goodbyes to him before they switched off his life support. Leigh was 24. I could go on about the pain of losing the greatest friend I ever had. I could go on too about how we all approach the pain of loss in so many different ways. But that’s another story; a long and very tragic, macabre mess. One I’d be better to stay away from right now. During the madness of court 14
THE CONTINUING ADVENTURES OF GYPSY BOY
cases, funeral arrangements and trips to police stations, I came to understand how the struggle of finding the right thing to say can make people disappear from your life altogether. Friends of Leigh’s and mine, both mutual and not, had vanished off the radar, fading into empty answering machine messages and unanswered texts. The days and weeks passed in an ugly flash, and after an eternity of calls, tears, legal battles, revelations and family concerns, there was nothing left but the rubble and ashes of a life lost and a pool of unanswered questions. We were forced to let go while a guilty man walked free, and Leigh was put down as just another statistic in a gay clubbing and drugs ‘mistake’. With nothing left to do, I thought it over in my mind until my heart burst. Then, I closed every blind and curled up on my couch, where I planned to stay for good. A yellow case on the shelf almost lit up in front of me; a box of DVDs that Leigh had lent to me just a few weeks before I got the call. The Golden Girls.
A guilty man walked free, and Leigh was put down as just another statistic in a gay clubbing and drugs mistake
@thatbloodymikey
column
[first]
I remembered sitting with my mum and sister watching this show when I was a little kid. I’d never quite got the humour of it; four old ladies living in Miami, each one with their own different quirks. There was Sophia, a matriarchal biddy with a story for everything, and her razor sharp daughter Dorothy, with a voice like a sack of bricks. Rose was the loveable simpleton, and Blanche, well, she was the whore. I dragged myself over to the DVD player and put it on. I had no idea what to do with myself, or how I was going to ever get by without him in my life. As the weeks went on, these four women, lifted me from the very ground I had sunk into. I found myself laughing with them, crying with them, and feeling every bit of their frustration and pain, throwing my arms up in joy with every success they made and lesson they learned. As the last moments of the last episode played before my eyes, I wept all over again; for the great ladies that had become my surrogate family. And for Leigh, and the part of our lives we could never get back, or relive ever again. My soul mate, my saviour and the greatest friend I ever had was gone. And from here on in, there was only me left to be able to retell all the crazy and wonderful things we did and shared together over the years. I went in to the Apple store and bought my first-ever laptop… on finance, of course. And that night, I started to write what was to become my first book. And of course, I dedicated it to Leigh. I still think of him, every single day. And I’ll always have those Golden Girls he sent to take care of me. Tell your friends just how much you love them. Q gaytimes.co.uk
SUBSCRIBE TO GT TODAY
Celebrating 30 years SAVE 30% OFF THE COVER PRICE ALL YEAR SUBSCRIBER COVERS
Too steamy for the shops ! VISIT WWW.GTSUB.CO.UK
AND ENTER GT 30 Or call 0844 856 0637 always quoting GT30. Or fill in the form below & send to: GT Subscriptions, 800 Guillat Avenue, Kent Science Park, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8GU. Please Mark On Envelope: GT30
YES I would like to subscribe
Please complete in BLOCK CAPITALS YOUR DETAILS.
Title
Forename
Surname Address
Postcode
Country
Mobile No.
Year of birth
Email
Complete section 1. Cheque or 2. Credit/Debit card or 3. Direct Debit
IF YOU ARE GIVING THIS SUBSCRIPTION AS A GIFT
3. DIRECT DEBIT
PLEASE ENTER DELIVERY DETAILS BELOW
INSTRUCTION TO YOUR BANK OR BUILDING SOCIETY TO PAY BY DIRECT DEBIT
Title
Forename
4 2 5 5 1 4
Surname
£39 FOR 13 ISSUES
£9.75 EVERY 3 ISSUES
ULJLQDWRU·V 2 ,GHQWLÀFDWLRQ1XPEHU
Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society
Address To: The Manager
Postcode
Country
Mobile No.
Year of birth
Bank/Building Society name
Address:
Email Postcode:
1. 2.
CHEQUE ENCLOSED FOR £39 3D\DEOHWR0LOOLYUHV3URZOHU/WG PLEASE CHARGE £39 FOR 13 ISSUES to my:
Visa
Amex
MasterCard
1DPH V RI$FFRXQW+ROGHU V
Branch Sort Code
6ZLWFK0DHVWUR LVVXH1R
Bank/Building Society account number
Reference RIÀFHXVHRQO\
CARD NUMBER 9LVD0DVWHU&DUG$PH[6ZLWFK0DHVWUR LVVXH1R Instruction to your Bank or Building Society
EXPIRY DATE
SECURITY CODE Three digit security code EDFNRIFDUG
SIGNED
DATE
RXUGHWDLOVZLOOEHSURFHVVHGE\0LOOLYUHV3URZOHU/WG 3XEOLVKHURI*7 LQIXOODFFRUGDQFHZLWKGDWDSURWHFWLRQOHJLVODWLRQ0LOOLYUHV3URZOHU/WG < may wish to contact you with information of other services and publications we provide that may be of interest. Please tick here if you DO NOT wish to receive such information by Post FPhone For DO want to receive such information by Email For SMS F. From time to time Millivres Prowler Ltd will share your details with other reputable companies who provide products and services that may be of interest to you. Please tick here if you DO NOT wish to receive such information by Post F Phone For DO want to receive such information by Email For SMS F
Please pay Millivres Prowler Ltd Direct Debits from the account detailed in this Instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this Instruction may remain with Millivres Prowler Ltd and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society. Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions for some types of accounts.
6LJQDWXUH V
Date
TERMS & CONDITIONS *PRICES ARE FOR UK SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. OVERSEAS SUBSCRIPTIONS MAY VARY IN PRICE. OFFER ENDS 31ST DECEMBER 2014
GT30
goin’ up, up, up
AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH
If you believe what’s coming out of Russia these days, you’d think gays have no business hitting the slopes. But just ask the thousands of people who attend the European Gay Ski Week every year, and they’ll each tell you they know their way around a pole or two (steady now). Now in its sixth year, the EGSW is making its return to Alpe d’Huez – that’s in France – from 22 March until 29 March. Guests come from all over the world in all shapes, sizes and ages, from the most novice skiers and snowboarders right through to seasoned experts. But even if you wouldn’t dream of sliding down a mountain with a couple of planks strapped to your feet, there’s still plenty to do, with some of the biggest gay club brands, DJs and performers from across Europe and beyond. And that’s before we’ve even started on the pool parties and cabaret line-up. Prices start from £295 per person for seven nights, including shared accommodation, lift pass and event pass. An offer so good, not even Putin could pass it up. We’ll see you there. Q HXURSHDQJD\VNLZHHNQHW
I’m assuming you’ve heard about Up? You mean WKDWNLGVÀOPWKDWPDGH\RXFU\"No! And I didn’t cry, I was just caught up in the drama... It’s a new piece of technology that helps you live a healthier lifestyle. 7KLVLVQ·WOLNHWKHWLPH\RXERXJKWWKDW 3RZHU3ODWH\RXQHYHUXVHLVLW"No, this is much more chic. It tracks your movement, your sleep patterns, what you eat and drink... 6RXQGVOLNHP\ PRWKHU,PXVWPRYHRXWVKH·VGULYLQJPHPHQWDOListen, you could do with this. It advises you on life changes based on the info you input and how to live healthier. 'RHVLWPHDVXUHKRZPDQ\JODVVHVRIZLQH,·YHKDG"I don’t think it’s that advanced. 7KDQN*RGWKDW·VDELWWRRPXFKUHDOLW\IRUP\OLNLQJIt’s important to stay fit and fabulous you know. ,EURXJKWWKDW'DYLQD0F&DOOZRUNRXW'9' There’s even an app for your smart phone! ,·OOVWLFNZLWK*ULQGUWKDQNVQ 8SE\-DZERQHMDZERQHFRP
[trendsetter]
16
JD\WLPHVFRXN
IMAGES&+5,6*($5<
[first]
[03/14]
DJ Line up PAGANO | HILDEGARD STEVEN REDANT PHIL ROMANO | DjCK LEOMEO | OLIVER M. RONY GOLDING DANIEL WHITE MARINGO DJUMELLA SWEDISH DYKE VIBES and more
more & n o i t a pinrcel. a-cscoamle d o € starting from
129
p.P.
may 30th – june 2nd 2014
the party, sports & entertainment festival 4 days for lesbians, gays and their friends
ys t r a 18 P s
than e r o m
ent & Ev
Js D 0 2
Center Parcs Bispinger Heide, germany between hamburg and hanover
ts tion r o p S & Ac cup, ts spor mps a imult boot cture ven & ad
/intoParadiseEvent
live
P -STO SE NON|PARADI into
s t c A ive
Ls
show
nal o i t a n interic stars and m us Info & tickets: www.intoPARADISE.de
step to it
[03/14]
E SHO IN
Spring is just about on the horizon and, to celebrate, artists from all over the world have teamed up to create a dynamic new shoe collection. The project is called BucketFeet. And no, we don’t get the name either. But what we do know is that it’s made up of diverse designs ranging from slip-on options in neonsoaked geometric prints to demure lace-up shoes in monochromatic hues. All proceeds go directly to the artists themselves, which can only be a good thing, and the collection is available in Schuh now. Q schuh.co.uk
Him in the Pinny An all-male production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic HMS Pinafore runs at the Hackney Empire in London until 23 February and then sets off for an eight-week tour around the UK. Hot man-shaped thespians and a classic Gilbert and Sullivan opera. All aboard! Q hmspinaforetour.com, hackneyempire.co.uk
18
gaytimes.co.uk
[first] From being a gay icon to why her role in Blithe Spirit is her best yet, we caught up with Jessica Fletcher herself, aka Dame Angela Lansbury, at the Gielgud Theatre. Her role as Madame Arcati will mark 40 years since she last performed on a British stage
You’ve done Blithe Spirit on Broadway, what is it that made you want to do it again – and in London? I think it’s one of the best parts I’ve ever had in the theatre. Honestly, that’s really the prime reason that I’m here. It’s an extraordinary character and I adore playing it. What better place to do it but London? The place of its origin, and mine. What is it you like so much about Madame Arcati? She embodies all the qualities I used to fool around with as a child. When I was about
seven, me and my sister used to do a sort of seance at Christmas. So I’ve played this part for a long time. Do you think Murder She Wrote will be a driving force for people coming to see Blithe Spirit? Unquestionably. A great proportion of the youngsters who came to see the play in New York came to see me because they knew me as Jessica Fletcher, so it was a bit of a shocker for them. What do you expect and hope for this production? I would love it to be a smash
hit, that’s what I want. We have a wonderful group of producers and if we can’t pull this off then I don’t belong in this business. And finally, what do you think makes you a gay icon? Mame, a part that I played. She was every gay persons idea of glamour and her attitudes coincided with every young mans ideals of beauty and glory. It was lovely and I’m very proud that I’m a gay icon. Q Blithe Spirit is at the Gielgud Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, until 7 June, blithespiritlondon.com
ANGELA LANSBURY THE DAME OF MAME
gaytimes.co.uk
19
dance and sing
[first] The White Party
retro giftage
20
[03/14]
-HIIUH\6DQNHU·V LQIDPRXV:KLWH 3DUW\WXUQV WKLV$SULOLQ 3DOP6SULQJV California. More WKDQ PHQIURPDFURVV WKHJOREHFRPH WRJHWKHUWRHQMR\ FXWWLQJHGJH DXGLRYLVXDOV WKHIUHVKHVW'-V DQGDVXSHUVWDU
KHDGOLQHU:KLWH 3DUW\LVWKH ELJJHVWJD\GDQFH PXVLFIHVWLYDOLQ WKHZRUOGDQGWKLV \HDUDLPVWREH ELJJHUWKDQHYHU 7DOHQWFRPHVLQ WKHIRUPRI'-V $OH[$FRVWD 7RQ\0RUDQDQG &KULV&R[DPRQJ RWKHUV,WDOVR PDUNVWKHGHEXW
RI'-SURGXFHUV 'DQQ\9HUGHDQG 6WHYHQ5HGDQW ZRUNLQJWRJHWKHU DVDGXRXQGHU WKHQDPH%HQW &ROOHFWLYH,W DOOWDNHVSODFH DORQJVLGHGD\ ORQJSRROSDUWLHV VHWDJDLQVW DVFRUFKLQJ GHVHUWEDFNGURS -HIIUH\VDQNHUFRP
GET FREAKY
Homo hip-hop has been making waves in the mainstream press of late, thanks to artists like Zebra Katz, Angel Haze and Mykki Blanco. Now, added to that list are Chicago duo Freaky Boiz, whose unapologetically frank and queer-leaning lyrics are getting them some attention in cyberspace. Prince Charming and Terrance Terrll told us: “We personally believe there’s homophobia in hip-hop because gays are ‘asking’ for acceptance in hip-hop, which is what makes us different. We’re not asking for acceptance – we’re taking it! Everyone wants to know if the world is ready for gay artists. If we leave it up to the world, they would never be ready. You have to take your spot in history!” Quite. Catch their previous single Bounce online, and then check out their latest tune Watch This, which is out now. Q@TheFreakyboiz
Sunday afternoons may no longer be dedicated to recording the Top 40 on to a cassette tape, but Prezzybox have given us an ode to the good old days with their 1GB USB mix tape. This uniquely kitsch gift idea can hold 900 minutes of unadulterated retro cheese (if that’s what you’re into) and is available to buy at a bargain £14.95. Q prezzybox.com JD\WLPHVFRXN
AVAILABLE IN-STORE z LONDON z BRIGHTON z BIRMINGHAM
e i m ’ a J King [QUICHE OFF-THE-SCALE] 22
gaytimes.co.uk
[first]
IMAGES JOHN TSIAVIS
She’s our favourite schoolgirl in, like, ever, and Ja’mie King has granted her first ever gay press interview to Gay Times because we’re way quiche. She’s 17, she’s from Sydney, Australia and her new series, Ja’mie: Private School Girl – on BBC Three now – documents her final year at school... You love your GBF Cody. Now that young gay men have more freedom to express themselves, do you feel there’s still more work to be done? I reckon get a new flag. The rainbow thing is really dumb. And young gay guys need to get better at sport. They’re really uncoordinated. What do you think of gay guys, as opposed to gay girls? Gay guys – funny, cool, some are hot but their voices get really annoying. Gay girls – smell, weird, always check me out in changing rooms, usually ugs. How many girls have you pashed? Not full pashed, just partly pashed. OK. I’m NOT a lesbian, but… I accidentally pashed my bestie Madison at a sleepover once. I was having a dream about a hot guy and I didn’t have my “lesbian prevention guard” – a pillow – between us. It was disgusting. For the uninitiated, explain “quiche” and where it came from? I made it up. It means rootable. Like, hot to the point that guys wanna root you. Like, for example I’m quiche. But you can say it to mean, like, extremely good. “I just did the quichest self portrait in art” or something. What are your thoughts on men dressing up as women? It’s disgusting. I reckon if you’re a man, act like one. I don’t mind Sarah Jessica Parker. That’s a guy right? What advice would you give Gay
gaytimes.co.uk
Times readers if they receive a dick pic? Save it straight to your dick pic album, obvs. I’ve got mine separated into black, white and Asian albums because I get sent heaps. Obvs delete if it’s a gross one. If it’s a really quiche one, use it as your lockscreen pic. Any advice on how to make small things look bigger? You know, even if it was caused by an eating disorder... Are you trying to say that my tits are small? Because they totes are. I’m legit sui – suicidal – about it, so don’t make jokes. Mitchell, Kwami, Lauren. Snog, marry or kill? Snog Kwami – too poor to marry, and black guys lips are really fleshy and amazing. Marry Mitchell – rich, quiche and his dick pics are incredible. Kill Lauren. For obvs reasons. How can we send better Snapchats? I only ever send one second tit shots. That way you can’t screenshot and it’s not long enough to tell how small my tits are, but enough time to get guys aroused. You have a strong rivalry with The Boarders, the girls who board at your school. What can they do to make you change your mind on them? Lose weight, brush their hair for once, use deodorant, and stop fisting other girls in the dorms. What advice would you give to poor people? Get some money and stop going on about being poor. And if you’re hot and homeless, try to use your hotness to your
23
[first] advantage. Hang around private school gates after school hours. I’d definitely chuck a few coins at a young hot homeless guy if he grabbed my eye. Any plans to come and visit your gay fans in Britain? OMFG I defs want too. I’ve got a fake ID so I could get into clubs and stuff. But gay guys can get a bit rapey, so I’d want to bring my GBF Cody to look after me just in case. And so he can pick up. You’re a bit of a gay icon – why do you think this is? I think gays tend to like girls with balls. Like girls that are tough and stand up for themselves and who are not, like, full sluts, but are sort of semi-slutty. And I tick all those boxes. Who would play you in the movie of your life? Miranda Kerr has already said she’s keen if there’s ever a telemovie about me – probs will be. But I’ve got a better body and she looks a bit alieny, so I’m not into it. Q -D·PLH 3ULYDWH6FKRRO*LUOLVRQ%%& 7KUHH7KXUVGD\VDWSP$QVZHUVE\ FUHDWRUDQGZULWHU#FKULVOLOOH\
24
the bitch is back
[03/14]
Question
Which Disney villain would you be and why? From @J_T1988
Answer
e l e h iM cisage V
Well hello my beauties! I trust you kept yourselves busy while I so desperately missed you from over here across the pond? Good. Well, we’re back together and I’m fresh off another successful Battle of The Seasons Tour with a hot mix of the Queens from seasons one to five. The live shows just keep getting bigger and better – much like my tits! It’s like each and every performer challenges themselves to go in harder and stronger than their last show. That and the fact that I’m singing on these tours and they want to somehow try and outdo me, which never happens. I’ll never grow tired of watching my babies go out there and do what they do because I know there are no other shows out there with as much heart and soul as ours. And now for the really fucking exciting bit... I got word and cannot wait to share with you all. I am UK bound this spring! Can you imagine?
Joe my darling, ,·GEH6QRZ :KLWH·V4XHHQIRU PXOWLSOHUHDVRQV )LUVWRIIVKH·V JRWWKHEHVW H\HEURZVRQWKH IDFHRIWKH(DUWK 7KHQWKHUH·V WKDWIDFH VKH·V DOZD\VVHUYLQJ IDFH*UDFH-RQHV VW\OHZLWKD KRRGVQDWFKLQJ HYHU\WKLQJEDFN 6KH·VJRWDJD\ WKHPLUURU ZKR·V DOZD\VWHOOLQJ KHUKRZJRUJH VKHLVEXWPRVW LPSRUWDQWO\VKH·V WKHIDLUHVWLQWKH ODQGVRZHKDYH WKDWLQFRPPRQ no? xxx Q
None of what we do would be possible without our fans from all over the world and ESPECIALLY my UK Glitterazzi! I will forever be grateful for all of the love and support you give to me and, once I land on your shores, I will be werking overtime to give some of that love back to you. TELL YOUR CLUBS! I’m working on some of my fave musical theatre numbers to entertain-t you with. And when I get there? Just you try and stop me from letting you hear my regional accents and buying all of your nommy UK candies and cookies. Oh, sorry, ‘sweeties and biscuits!’ Do you see? I. AM. SO. BRITISH. Go on, ask me anything... With that, it’s time for me to take my leave. I love you all. And for those of you who didn’t get a Valentine’s this year, consider this your belated love note. Until next month, you all know what to do. Come visit me at michellevisage.com and get at me on Twitter: @michellevisage. XXX MV Q
JD\WLPHVFRXN
MAKE THE
SWITCH with
PREMIUM ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES Life is short. Don’t waste it smoking. Try SMOKO Premium Electronic Cigarettes and change your life. No Tar. No bad smell. Healthier. Cheaper. Amazing sensation. So much better than what you are doing now! And who knows, less time smoking, more time in the gym, in the bar, in the club and maybe more guys like this in your life!
Proudly supported by
Use GAYTIMES promo code and get 20% off @ www.smoko.com or call 0800 772 0234
She considered Kenny Everett and Freddie Mercury to be close friends, she won our hearts on Celebrity Big Brother and she could teach a class on how to be the world’s most fabulous fag magnet. Ladies and gentlequeens, the sublime Cleo Rocos *bows down* WORDS LEE DALLOWAY IMAGES LIAM LESLIE
Swe e t Da ie, rling ? 26
gaytimes.co.uk
[first]
You look amazing! What’s the secret to eternal youth? Tequila! Honestly, you know when you drink wines or bad spirits, they make your face clank down around your ankles the next day! I also love being happy. Not stupidly happy, I just think if something bad has happened I just edit it out. What was your first experience of this business we call show? I suppose it was working with Kenny Everett from a young age on his show. It was so throbbingly popular. There was no rehearsal, it was completely natural; life was work. It wasn’t, “oh we’re going to work now.” It meant putting on a costume and a bit more makeup but they were one and the same with Kenny. He was just a lovely, unassuming, but, at the same time, really colourful and divine man. If you were an animal, what would you be? I’m a Leo, but I do actually feel a real affinity with lions. They’re gold and no-one really messes with them. They’re really quite divine. Who’s the most famous person in your phone book? Well it depends who you’d tell! I’ve got Emma Bunton, Robbie Williams, Joan Collins… I adore Joan, she’s a proper icon. She’s ageless too. You go out and it’s one in the morning and she’s not ready for bed. She knows absolutely everything there is to know and anything that’s going on. She’s more than up to date. Celebrity Big Brother… would you ever do it again? They’d have to pay me an awful lot of money [laughs]. No, I wouldn’t do it again. I came from a time when not just anyone could be on television. You had to have an equity card, you had to earn it. Now it’s a different matter. I thought, “oh a house full of showbiz people – or whatever you want to call them – there’ll be a certain amount of discipline and entertainment. We’ll all bring outfits and obviously we’ll have fabulous tales to tell each other. How difficult will that be?” Well, what you don’t see is the wind ups that go on between the production and certain people JD\WLPHVFRXN
in the house. They need to agitate people and you don’t always see that. Sometimes certain people in the house would go to the Big Brother room and push the button and they’d be left waiting for hours or even days, and other people would go in and press the button and be let in immediately and get what they want. That would put in a bit of friction and the general public would never see it. Oh, and the hideous lighting! What’s the campest thing you’ve ever done? Being born! [Laughs]. And what’s the wildest party you’ve ever been to? Going to Mexico last year. The big breakthrough we had was [Cleo’s brand of tequila] AquaRiva going into Virgin clubhouses. We launched with an inaugural flight to Mexico, so Derren Brown, Keith Lemon, Richard Arnold, Richard Branson and I were in the clubhouse at seven in the morning and they’re serving a variety of AquaRiva cocktails. We had two gorgeous bartenders serving us the whole flight, and when we got off at Mexico, there was another party there ‘til 2am! We partied for three days in the end; what a shriek! What scares you? Plastic shoes [laughs]. What’s the biggest lie you’ve ever read about yourself? Oh God, I can’t tell you that! Because I actually sued and won [laughs]. We have to ask about you, Freddie Mercury and Kenny Everett taking Princess Diana to [South London gay pub] the Royal Vauxhall Tavern... Oh, it was just one of those times when you look back and think, “how fabulous”. Princess Diana used to love Kenny’s show and they knew each other. Every few months we’d all get together and swap palace gossip for showbiz gossip. She always wanted to know who was really gay, what was going on, are they really having an affair. It was pre-Heat magazine days and we used to fill her in on everything. One particular day, we were meeting at the Bombay Brasserie to chat over peach bellinis,
Diana’s recommendation, and she would usually go back to the Palace. But Kenny lived on the way to hers and one day she just came back with us. We all got in, kicked off our shoes and danced barefoot to the Gypsy Kings. Kenny and Freddie had become friends over the years and, that night, Freddie, Kenny and I were going out to the Vauxhall Tavern. The reason being, if I went, Freddie wouldn’t bring his security man and I could basically pimp for him! He would say, “I like the look of him over there” and they’d stand in the shadows as I go over and do introductions. So, Kenny phoned Freddie and said, “Darling, Di’s here, you’ve got to come over immediately!” Freddie came over and we all drank champagne while watching The Golden Girls. Diana then said, “where are you going tonight?” and it all started there. I had a camouflage jacket that I’d brought over for Kenny, which Diana put on and tucked her hair under a cap. She looked sensational and suddenly said “I’m coming too!” Kenny said: “You can’t come, it’s a big, hairy gay man’s bar and sometimes there are fights outside. I can just see the headlines now, ‘Future Queen of England Dies in Gay Bar Brawl!’ And it’ll all be my fault!” [Laughs]. To this day, I can see Freddie standing in the doorway, leaning slightly and saying “oh, let the girl have some fun!” Kenny was a nervous wreck about it all in the back of the cab on the way to the Vauxhall Tavern. So we all sidled up to the pub, nudging each other like school kids. People were coming up and saying hello because everyone recognised Kenny and Freddie. But no one recognised Diana with her collar up and wearing aviators; she looked like a beautiful male model. The next day, she sent the clothes back in a car to Kenny’s house with a note saying, “so fabulous, we must do it again soon”. Best. Story. Ever. Q &KHFNRXW&OHR·V$TXD5LYDWHTXLODDWDTXDULYD FRXN+HUERRN7KH3RZHURI3RVLWLYH 'ULQNLQJLVRXWQRZ#FOHRURFRV
27
analysis
[03/14]
WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH IMAGE DAVID DAVIES / PA
FORMER ASTON VILLA FOOTBALLER THOMAS HITZLSPERGER HAS REVEALED HE IS A GAY MAN – BECOMING ONLY THE SECOND PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYER TO DO SO. THE GERMAN MIDFIELDER FELT HE HAD TO WAIT UNTIL RETIRING FROM THE BEAUTIFUL GAME TO GO PUBLIC ABOUT HIS SEXUALITY. NOW GT ASKS: WHY, IN 2014, IS FOOTBALL STILL SO DOGGED BY HOMOPHOBIA?
WHEN GERMAN FOOTBALLER Thomas Hitzlsperger came out last month, he was greeted by a rousing chorus of support: David Cameron, Angela Merkel and Gary Lineker were just three of those ready to congratulate the retired Premier League star. No doubt they were as surprised by the news as the rest of us – there having been a 24 year interval since the last top flight footballer came out. It was 1990 when Justin Fashanu revealed he was gay in a front page exclusive with The Sun. The story was a tabloid’s dream, dominating news and gossip agendas for weeks. But Fashanu couldn’t get a fulltime contract after revealing his sexuality, eventually emigrating 28
to the US. Sadly, Fashanu’s story ended with suicide in 1998. Thomas Hitzlsperger has come out to a very different backdrop. Gay people are far more prevalent in popular culture than in 1990, and many of the myths about a “homosexual lifestyle” have been dispelled. But 24 years later, the news of a gay footballer still made The Sun’s front page. And when Leeds United player Robbie Rogers revealed he was gay in 2011, he, like Fashanu, emigrated to the US, over concern to the reaction. The German ace first considered coming out in 2011, while still playing professionally. But he was warned the news would have serious consequences on
his career. Six years ago, the 31-year-old Bavarian split from his childhood sweetheart, who he had been due to marry. “Where I come from, in rural Bavaria, homosexuality is considered ‘unnormal’”, he told The Guardian. “[But] the important thing for me is to show that being homosexual and a professional footballer player is something that is normal. The perceived contradiction between playing football, the man’s game, and being homosexual is nonsense.” Research for Stonewall’s Kick It Out campaign found that seven in ten football fans have heard homophobic abuse at matches, while more than half of fans said they felt the FA let gay players and supporters down by not doing gaytimes.co.uk
[news] enough to stamp out homophobic abuse at matches. Ed Connell is campaigns officer for the Gay Football Supporters Network (GFSN) and former manager of gay-friendly football team, London Titans. “There is definitely a problem with homophobia in football, that’s clear,” he told GT. “The GFSN was started as a way for gay football supporters to make contact with each other, in the days before the internet. Now we campaign to tackle homophobia, and we organise what we think is the only gay national football league in the world.” The league includes some 20 “gay-friendly” teams. Most of the players are openly gay, but the teams also include a handful of straight friends and family. On top of their own gay league, they compete in the mainstream Sunday league LEFT THOMAS PLAYING championships. FOR ASTON VILLA “We have FOOTBALL CLUB suffered from actual homophobia last season, in the Sunday league,” says Ed. “There were a couple of games when things got pretty unpleasant on the sidelines. We had players spat at, people coming up into players’ faces and being threatening. It was really unpleasant at times; there was some real homophobia. But the bulk of teams out there are not a problem, you don’t get that kind of thing. It’s just been one or two teams where it’s become an issue.” Politicians, commentators and fellow footballers responded supportively to the German player’s news within hours. Meanwhile FIFA, the international governing body for football, took more than a day to comment. When they did, they managed a somewhat non-specific statement of fewer than 100 words. And in the same gaytimes.co.uk
week Hitzlsperger came out, a member of the UK Football Association’s inclusion advisory board had to resign – for calling homosexuality “detestable”. Ed Connell says the footballing world has a long way to go: “If you’d asked me 18 months ago if the FA’s actions were good enough, I would’ve been critical. It took them 20 years in trying to eradicate racism, and homophobia just hasn’t been up there. But now it seems they’ve got the message. “The FA are taking steps to make things better. The football world seems more receptive to the LGBT community now, and they’re putting more money into the issue – but it’s early days. We need to see if they’re true to their word.” Hitzlsperger said he has been encouraged by the response to his news, and the response for the likes of Robbie Rogers and Anton Hysén coming out. He’s under no illusion that attitudes in football will change overnight, though. “It’s good to know, not just for me but for others who are still playing now, that those at the top have no problem, that they support you. When the chancellor comes out in your favour, you know that it’s safe being homosexual in this country, that you won’t be discriminated.” Football has a long way to go in tackling the homophobia rooted in its culture. But it’s clear that for the issue to be resolved, the likes of FIFA and the FA need to get to grips with this thorny issue in the same way they have racism. It’s highly unlikely all of the world’s footballers are 100% straight. But the media speculation over who may or may not be gay isn’t the real issue – their private lives are entitled to be just that. The issue is football’s culture of homophobia that continues. GT says it’s time to kick it out. Q
29
[debate]
[news]
SAFE OR SCARED These days it seems a new sportsman comes out on a weekly basis. But still, football is dogged by rampant homophobia. Should gay and bisexual players feel comfortable to pursue the beautiful game, or is the pitch still an unsafe place to be out? SAFE Dan Tickner
SCARED Peter Tatchell
Dan is an esteemed sports writer and editor of his own gay sports blog, tackle.com. He tweets @dantickner.
Peter is a human rights activist, renowned journalist, and director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation. He tweets @PeterTatchell.
I discovered football as a kid, becoming entranced by the Italia 90 tournament and the England v West Germany semi-final. That night in Turin showed football at its best – operatic and dramatic in equal measure. By the end of the decade though, the uglier aspects of the game were all too apparent. Within a year of each other, Justin Fashanu took his own life and Robbie Fowler publicly taunted Graeme Le Saux over his sexuality. Football dragged its knuckles into the 21st century, while the wider sporting world chipped away at its resistance, with Gareth Thomas (rugby), Steven Davies (cricket) and Tom Daley (diving) all coming out. Now football’s own journey towards a top-flight player coming out – started by Fashanu in 1990 but hugely derailed – is back on track. With Anton Hysén (the Brit abroad), Robbie Rogers (the foreign signing) and Thomas Hitzlsperger (the retired pro) all speaking out, what we have is a series of perfectly timed steps towards a domestic breakthrough. Football has lived inside its own head for so long. It’s lost itself to unfounded fears and myths. The players? The two Robbies’ (Savage and Fowler) recent apology for homophobia on BBC’s Football Focus suggests that isn’t a problem. The fans? Lets not underestimate the football fans sense of both humour and justice – an explayer would be taunted before an out footballer. The authorities are the final piece of the jigsaw, yet their inactivity has only been broken by spectacular misfires on the subject. Besides, selfpolicing has always been a more effective weapon in tackling prejudice. We live in an increasingly fluid society. Boxes and labels belong to yesterday. Yet the right for people to be open about their sexuality cannot be confused, nor the speed at which that happens abated. For football it’s not if, it’s when. It’s not three or four players in a league, its three or four players in a team. And you know what? The beautiful game will be a lot less ugly as a result. Q 30
V
There are currently 5,000 professional footballers in the UK. By statistical averages, there must be around 500 players who are gay or bisexual. Why do they feel unable to come out? What does this say about the state of football? To its credit, the FA is doing some good work: homophobic abuse is against ground regulations, clubs are signed up to ensure equality and a toolkit on how to tackle homophobia was sent to the 92 Premier League and Football League clubs. But these initiatives are below the radar. They are not reaching most players and fans; certainly not the homophobic minority who need them most. The average person in the street is unaware they exist. To vanquish homophobia, the FA needs to up its game, with high-profile campaigns that reach a mass football audience. This could include securing the agreement of clubs to include anti-homophobia messages on tickets, in match programmes and on stadium screens at half-time – thereby ensuring that the FA’s commitment gets high-profile visibility and impacts public attitudes. Another idea is for the FA to fund a MTV-style video challenging homophobia. Featuring top footballers speaking out against homophobia (such as Beckham, Ronaldo and Ferdinand), inter-cut with spectacular goal-scoring images and soundtracked by a big-name pop singer to give it mass appeal. Such a video would be a world first and have a massive UK and global impact. Its launch would get international news coverage, as well as being featured on sport, music and youth TV programmes worldwide. It could reach a global audience of up to a billion people, helping to challenge homophobia among football fans and the wider public. Within the UK, the FA could promote the video to football clubs for broadcast on stadium screens prematch and half-time. It could also be distributed to schools and youth clubs. Why not? It’s about time! Q gaytimes.co.uk
please don’t stop the music
[03/14]
In 30 years of GT, we’ve pumped countless gay anthems through our stereo. Caught up in the glamour and glitz of the Brits, we’ve compiled our list of albums every gay man should own WORDS RYAN BUTCHER
[01]
Mixing drag performance art with painful tales of androgyny and gender dysphoria, Anthony and the Johnsons’ I Am a Bird Now is truly one of a kind. [02] Le Tigre’s debut has been preaching queer activism in gay discos for 15 years. Just one of the countless reasons we love the 90s. [03] Smuggling gay innuendo onto daytime radio and pissing off the Beeb – what’s not to love about Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s Welcome to the Pleasuredome? [04] Classic pop aside, Madge’s Like A Prayer included an insert to promote safe sex and educate on the AIDS epidemic, which was ravaging the gay community at the time. [05] Peaches’ rockier third album Fatherfucker makes our list, if only for the defiant call of “I don’t have to make a choice, I like girls and I like boys.” Well, quite. [06] Even before that touching Grammys gesture, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis were piping up in support of gay marriage and taking a much-needed swipe at hip-hop homophobia with 2012’s The Heist. [07] Queer 70s NYC was brought into the 21st century with Scissor Sisters’ self-titled effort. But it wasn’t just party tunes – Return to Oz warned of the very real dangers of crystal meth abuse. [08] “Have you ever tried it that way?” Suede asked on their debut, inadvertently soundtracking countless teen’s self-questioning of their own sexualities... [09] ...and then Bloc Party did it all over again 14 years later with the sexually-confused themes of A Weekend in the City. 32
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
30 THINGS
gaytimes.co.uk
[news] [10]
IMAGE JOHN KEATLEY
Frank Ocean became the most high-profile rapper to ever open up about his sexuality in 2012, and he did it through the sublime Channel Orange. [11] It’s not just It’s A Sin that makes Pet Shop Boys’ Actually a gay must-have. It Couldn’t Happen Here is a heartbreaking ode to one of Neil Tennant’s friends, who died after AIDS complications. [12] Gossip wrote Standing in the Way of Control to defy those against gay marriage. They ruled the indie queen scene with the belting album of the same name. [13] The ever-androgynous Prince gave us gender-bending, sex-soaked laments of unrequited love with 1984’s Purple Rain. [14] Soft Cell not only became techno pioneers with Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, they gave us an important snapshot of the last days of a pre-AIDS world. [15] Love her or hate her, Lady Gaga is one of the most outspoken activists for LGBT rights. And it all started with The Fame; an undeniably brilliant pop record. [16] Without question, Bronksi Beat saved lives and changed minds with The Age of Consent, the first overtly-political gay album. [17] A transexual rock and roller looking for acceptance and love; we reckon most can relate to the cast recording of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. [18] Sylvester defied every social convention just so he could teach the world to dance with You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real), taken from his 1978 booty-shaker Step II. [19] Untouchable when it comes to same-sex love songs, Patrick Wolf was thrust into the limelight with The Magic Position. He swears the title track isn’t about sex. If only we could believe him. [20] Equal parts avant-garde debauchery and commercial pop, Rufus Wainwright became one of the most important gay artists of our generation with Poses. gaytimes.co.uk
[21]
Against Me! defied the heteronormative punk rock scene with Transgender Dysphoria Blues, a powerful telling of singer Laura Jane Grace’s journey to becoming a transgender woman. [22] From I Am Hated For Loving to Speedway, Morrissey’s Vauxhall and I summed up frustration over sexuality like no other in the 90s, with a few playful nods to his own preferences along the way. [23] Kate Bush created a vibrant, colourful and imaginative world 21 YEARS AGO with 1985’s Hounds of Love; a Issue 174, 1993 place where the oppressed could Pint-sized disco diva Lulu was back screaming for escape. No wonder she has such an independence on the cover. “I want my independence, I want my freedom, right now”. Alright love, we heard ya! We also unrivalled gay fan base. looked at the difference between Brit and American pick-up [24] As well as helping them to lines. “Wanna fuck?” ...I mean, “D’yer come ‘ere often?” conquer the US, Culture Club’s Colour By Numbers taught a generation that gender is not just as simple as “boy” and “girl”... [25] ...while Boy George opened up about his sexuality like never before on Cheapness and Beauty, mixing glam rock bangers with chilling ballads. OF RS S YEAYTIME [26] Patti Smith fought tooth A G and nail with label bosses to keep her moustache on the cover of 1975’s Horses. It’s why she’s still 31 YEARS AGO Issue 15, 1983 an LGBT icon nearly 40 years later. A younger and hunkier Matthew Modine graced the [27] Erasure’s The Innocents cover of our 80s baby sister Gay News for the critically is an album full of subliminal acclaimed movie Streamers. Keeping it classy (as if), we explored promiscuous Piccadilly rent boys and randy messages in favour of LGBT rights. Russian gays. Chains of Love, for example, alluded to the band’s desire for the wider acceptance of gay couples. [28] Cyndi Lauper exploded in a sea of colour and catchy 80s pop with She’s So Unusual. It was Gaga, before Gaga, with ongoing LGBT charity work to match. [29] Made up of androgynous, off-beat disco, Grace Jones brought gay to the world’s stage with 1981’s Nightclubbing. [30] No list would be complete 10 YEARS AGO without the much-missed Freddie Issue 306, 2004 Shopping and fucking – we welcomed gay life on the Mercury. Not only an inspiration to internet in style by exploring what men were doing most millions, but he wrote a timeless while surfing the web. From weekends away to sex on the ode to devotion, regardless of beach; we gays took to the internet like a duck to water. Some things never change, eh? gender, in Somebody to Love, from Queen’s A Day at the Races. Q
GT VAULT
30
33
DOWNLOAD
ONLY
£2.49
WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE
EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS IN THIS ISSUE WWW.GTDIGI.CO.UK DOWNLOAD YOUR FAVOURITE BACK ISSUE
column
[news]
PUBLISHER OF PINKNEWS
Over 25 years, Stonewall has achieved more than anyone could have hoped for. Thanks to its work, we live in a fairer, more equal society. However, as a charity, Stonewall faces justifiable criticisms for some of its actions and policies, and I believe that the departure of its chief executive Ben Summerskill will provide an opportunity for change. If you were to look at Stonewall’s self-congratulatory advertisements after Parliament made same-sex marriage legal, you would have been forgiven for thinking that the change in the law was all Stonewall’s idea. You would be wrong though. In 2009, Summerskill told PinkNews ‘there are quite a lot of gay and lesbian people who wouldn’t want marriage’. Even when we commissioned a poll that showed 98% support for equal marriage rights and secured the support of Nick Clegg, David Cameron and later Ed Miliband to change the law, Summerskill said that he would not be ‘jumped into’ declaring a position. gaytimes.co.uk
[benjamin cohen]
Then, following criticism from founders Sir Ian McKellen and Michael Cashman MEP, Summerskill went on to claim that ‘Stonewall has never pretended to be a democratic member organisation. We have never said we speak for all lesbian, gay and bisexual people’. The problem is that, to many, Stonewall speaks for all gay people, regardless of the democratic deficit in its structure. It needs to take account of what the community actually thinks, wants and needs if it is to be fit for purpose in a post equal marriage Britain. So, to help those who are taking over, here are four ideas that I hope Stonewall takes up:Become an LGBT organisation. It’s odd that in Scotland, where Stonewall has a different boss, the charity fights for trans rights too. In England and Wales, Stonewall limits itself to LGB issues. Perhaps it’s coincidence, but trans campaigners say Scotland’s equal marriage bill is fairer to trans people than the law passed in England and Wales. Equally when Stonewall works with English schools on homophobic bullying, it ignores what happens to trans children.
Stonewall needs to take account of what we actually think, want and need if it is to be fit for purpose in a post equal marriage Britain
@benjamincohen
Work with others. Stonewall needs to accept that it does not have all the answers and should work with others to achieve shared aims. When we launched the Out4Marriage social media campaign for equal marriage, supported by politicians and celebrities like Hugh Grant and Sir Richard Branson, Stonewall refused to participate or help us resource it. More than a year later, just before the final vote, Stonewall launched a replica campaign that was little more than a damp squib. Equally, when the Kaleidoscope Trust was launched to fight for LGBT equality overseas, rather than partnering, Stonewall changed its charitable purpose to include overseas campaigns and compete for the same donations. Focus on Northern Ireland. Stonewall positions itself as the UK’s gay charity but it does not campaign for same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland. It’s odd that the charity has started to campaign for international issues before ensuring equality across our own country. The Northern Ireland community, currently fighting for gay adoption and to repeal the gay blood ban, without Stonewall’s help, could really benefit from the resources of a charity with a £4m annual budget and around £3m in its bank reserves. Realise that many LGBT people work for small businesses. 14.4 million people in the UK work for small and medium sized businesses, yet Stonewall seems preoccupied with major corporates and glitzy champagne receptions for company leaders. A new focus should be given to improve and support LGBT equality within businesses of all sizes, perhaps through training and support programmes for SMEs, funded by the multi-billion pound companies that are members of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions scheme. Doing so could improve life for millions of people. Q
35
CHRIS SMITH HEROES
WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH
36
gaytimes.co.uk
[news]
30 years after he came out, GT talks to Britain’s first openly gay and HIVpositive Member of Parliament
LEFT LORD SMITH PHOTOGRAPHED WITH LORD ALLI FOR GT BY PIERS ALLARDYCE IN 2006
gaytimes.co.uk
TODAY, OPENLY GAY MPS ARE nothing unusual. There are currently about 30 of them – 6% – meaning you’re as likely to find a gay man in the Commons as you are in the general population. But three decades ago Westminster was a very different place – there were no openly gay parliamentarians, and there never had been. A poll in 1984 found that more than half the population didn’t believe it was “acceptable” for a gay person to hold public office. That was when Chris Smith decided to change things. Elected in 1983 as a fresh faced 32-year-old, he’d made it into Westminster by a wafer thin majority of 363 votes. But as he began his political career, he found colleagues believed to be gay facing constant intrusion by tabloids, desperate to out an MP. “I’d seen some of my parliamentary colleagues being hounded by the press, being followed everywhere, having their dustbins ransacked,” he tells GT, “and I knew the only way to remove that sort of press harassment was to remove the story – by being open and upfront and honest about it. The one big question was how and when and where to do it.” It was after one year in Parliament that the opportunity to become Britain’s first openly gay MP was to present itself. Invited to speak to a pro-equality
rally in Rugby, he finally knew the time had come. “I remember walking into the room where the meeting was. It was about ten minutes before I was due to speak, and I remember thinking at that moment, ‘now is the time to do it’.” The newly elected MP found himself in front of an audience of more than a thousand other LGBT people, Labour Party members and trade unionists. “It was a spur of the moment decision that I took literally as I was walking into the room”, he recalls. “For the next ten minutes before I got up to speak I was absolutely terrified. This was something no one had ever done before.” As the preceding speaker wrapped up, Smith walked to the microphone, every part of him terrified. “I can remember it vividly. I stood up, and I began my speech: ‘My name is Chris Smith, I am the Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury, and I’m gay.’” In that one sentence, he did what no Member of Parliament had ever done before, risking his own career and reputation to make a point: sexual orientation has no bearing on a person’s ability to do a job. “The entire room got up and gave me a standing ovation – the only standing ovation in my life I’ve had one minute into a speech. That was that, the die was cast.” The news was covered extensively in Gay Times at the time, while mainstream tabloids ran a host of nasty stories in an attempt to undermine him. But that didn’t bother the groundbreaker. “I began to get letters from all over the country. I was getting letters – quite a lot of letters – saying ‘well
done’, ‘congratulations’. There were a lot that meant the most to me, saying ‘thank you, this has made it easier for me’.” Although many men wrote to him to say thank you, the reality for Chris Smith was that he was still alone in parliament. It was to be another 13 years and three general elections before another openly gay person was elected. “It felt a bit lonely at times. But I had a lot of support from fellow MPs, both straight and gay. I remember one wonderful moment standing in the queue for a cup of tea at the Members’ tea room, and Edwina Currie came marching up to me, and in a very loud voice that resounded around the whole room, she went: ‘Chris! I hear you’ve come out? Well done!’” When Tony Blair became Prime Minister, in 1997, he made the north London MP the country’s first openly gay Secretary of State – putting him in a prominent position to reform anti-gay laws. “I can remember having a number of conversations with him [Tony Blair]. He was in absolutely no doubt that it [gay rights] was the right thing to do. His cautiousness was ‘should we be doing it now, Chris?’ I hope I, and others, like Michael Cashman and Waheed Ali, collectively persuaded him that we should.” But becoming Britain’s first openly gay parliamentarian wasn’t to be his toughest challenge. In 2005, in a front page exclusive with The Times, he became the first MP to publicly acknowledge that he was HIV-positive. “I was even more nervous than
37
[news]
I had been back in 1984 about coming out as gay. Largely because health conditions are a very private thing. It was a decision to be honest about that, and a very difficult one to take.” He had been diagnosed with HIV in 1987, but kept the painful discovery secret for almost 20 years. “When I first found out I was HIV-positive there weren’t any medical responses to it. And I thought I’d been effectively given notification of a death sentence. Now, 25 years or so on, I look back with relief that I’ve managed to survive all that.” For many years he had been against discussing his status. But after Nelson Mandela revealed how his son had died of the disease, he realised the difference speaking out could make. “At that point I thought, ‘well, perhaps what he’s taking about applies to me, not just
38
the people of South Africa’.” The impact of Mandela’s words would soon come full circle. The following morning after going public about his status, Chris Smith arrived to his parliament office to a note: “please ring Mr Mandela”, it read, with a phone number scrawled below. Chris recalls nervously punching the number into his office phone, unsure of what to expect on the other end. The phone rang out for a while. Then a deep, South African accent answered. “I stated who I was, and he said: ‘Ah yes, I want to say congratulations, and thank you. What you’ve done is very, very brave and very good’.” Mandela continued: “‘I wanted to get in touch to say how terrific it is what you’ve done, and we do need to combat a lot of myths about HIV and AIDS’.” The pair spoke for some ten minutes. “We talked
BELOW CHRIS SMITH TALKS TO GAY TIMES, ABOUT COMING OUT IN JANUARY 1985
30
OF RS S YEAYTIME GA
about a whole range of things. Work to combat HIV and AIDS in Africa, what his foundation had done, what he was doing, as well as the fact of public figures being open about their HIV status.” After decades of worry over what effect going public would have on his career, Smith said that Monday morning call from Nelson Mandela, then 87, vindicated the whole experience. “I thought as I put the phone down, ‘I’ve absolutely done the right thing’.” Chris Smith – now Baron Smith of Finsbury – marks 30 years since he made LGBT history, as GT celebrates 30 years in print. In the modern, liberal Britain we enjoy today, it can be easy to forget those who took the very first steps in the long walk to equality. Chris Smith was one such trailblazer, not just once, but twice. For that, he is every bit a living hero. Q
gaytimes.co.uk
“ I have been taking Wellman® for many years now and I just don’t feel the same when I’m not using it. Anyone competing or living a healthy lifestyle should consider Wellman® in their life. I’m a champion and I recommend it.”
Ashley Theophane • British Champion 2011 - 2012 • World Welterweight Champion (GBC) • International Champion (IBO) • Welterweight World Number 4 (IBF)
Wellman® is an advanced range of nutritional products, tailored to the specific requirements of men. It has helped World Champion boxer Ashley Theophane so whether you’re competing or not, why not see what it can do for you?
ADWELMIXATP 16-12-13E
Wellman® Original tablets
Wellman® Sport tablets
www.wellman.co.uk From Boots, Superdrug, supermarkets, Holland & Barrett, GNC, Lloydspharmacy, pharmacies &, health stores Vitamin supplements may benefit those with nutritionally inadequate diets. *(IRI value data. 52 w/e 02 Nov, 13). **UK’s No1 men’s supplement brand.
facebook.com/Vitabiotics
KINGS OF THE ROAD If you think that One Direction are flypaper for girls and gays, then you haven’t met Kingsland Road. The boyband that was robbed of an X Factor finals place make 1D look like eunuchs with their sexploits. Here, they reveal all to GT about having wet dreams over Sharon Osbourne, boozing with Little Mix and recognising each other in a penis parade WORDS JOHN MARRS PHOTOGRAPHS JOE MCCORMICK GROOMING EVAN HUANG USING MAC AND SHU UEMURA UNDERWEAR PROWLER.CO.UK
40
gaytimes.co.uk
[cover]
gaytimes.co.uk
41
Thomps on 42
gaytimes.co.uk
[cover]
IN A WORLD WHERE EVERY GIRL and boyband has been media trained to the point where each word they utter has been vetted, analysed and approved, Kingsland Road are a godsend. Because JJ Thompson, 22, Jay Scott, 19, Josh Zare, 20, Joe ‘Connor’ Conaboy, 19 and Matt Cahill, 23 all have a refreshingly old-school approach to interviews. They believe if they’re being fake, then their collective 484,000 Twitter followers will see straight through them. So instead, it’s honesty all the way – no matter what subject GT throws at them in our sex issue. Formed by college pals Connor and Josh, they discovered the remaining three boys on YouTube and put Kingsland Road together. Months later, they were standing nervously in front of Gary Barlow, Nicole Scherzinger, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh singing Don’t You Worry Child. Mentored by the overlord of all boybands, Take That’s Gary, they should have sailed through to the finals. Instead, a poor choice of songs by producers meant they were booted out by week four. Did you put the group together specifically for The X Factor? Connor: It never actually crossed our minds to enter. Then the opportunity came along and we thought it was too good to miss. Josh: If anything, at the start we were against it, because it wasn’t the route we wanted to take. Well, me and Thompson weren’t fully on it at first. Thompson: I wasn’t sure because I’d auditioned for it previously and I didn’t want to do it again. We wanted to see how far we could get off our own backs. We were getting there but we just needed that extra little exposure… a bit more of a push. Josh: It was a case of let’s do the first audition and see what happens, but we just kept getting through. And the further we went, the more we wanted to make it to the live shows. Did you think you could win? Connor: I don’t think it ever crossed our minds that we could; there were a lot of strong contenders to win. Matt: I think we could have gone gaytimes.co.uk
43
further though. Why didn’t you? Connor: When it’s a solo act, you have one person to connect to. When there are five of you, it’s harder. If we’d had a couple more weeks on our side, people might have got to know us better. Thompson: It’s better to go out early and have people question ‘why’ than to go when you were meant to go out. Connor: The week before we left, one hour before we performed, everything got changed – moves, the lyrics we were singing, and the camera angles. We just had to rise to it. Josh: But we are so grateful for the experience. Everyone knows what they’re entering so it’s silly to come out afterwards and complain. (The producers) are going to change things about you, and you have to go with it and be grateful they’re boosting your profile. What’s your relationship with your mentor Gary like now? Thompson: We haven’t spoken to him since before we left. Connor: He’s a very professional guy, he’s there to do his job and he’s clearly very busy being Gary Barlow. Josh: There were weeks when he went away and did charity gigs and visited Afghanistan and he’s very much about his work and family. Connor: It would’ve been nice if he’d stayed in touch. Josh: He always said we reminded him of Take That and wanted to help us, and we had a really good relationship with him and we felt like he was one of the band. I thought we’d have heard from him a bit more after. Jay: After we left that night, I didn’t see him again. I can’t remember saying bye to him. Thompson: But after we left we didn’t really hang around, we went out and got wankered with Little Mix instead. Union J haven’t exploded, The Wanted split after flagging sales and One Direction rule the roost. Is there any room for Kingsland Road? Josh: We have a great loyal fan base, a good management team behind us and we’re in the studio with McFly’s hit makers. And we have Barry Manilow on our side! 44
gaytimes.co.uk
[cover]
r o n n o C gaytimes.co.uk
45
Jay
46
gaytimes.co.uk
[cover]
Matt: He contacted our management and said he had a song for us. He’s music royalty. But we know One Direction have taken over. Josh: People have tried to emulate them and failed, but we’re going to be ourselves. We all have different voices, some of us rap so our sound is going to be quite different to what other bands do. But we’re not going to move away from the pop element. You all lived together in one flat before X Factor – what was that like? Josh: We were eating, like, nothing. We didn’t have a telly; all we had for entertainment was a ping-pong table and a guitar. Connor: The fridge was full of rice and juice and a couple of beers because we had no money. Thompson: It was a choice – either eat a meal or get a bottle of vodka and go out on a Friday night. The vodka won. Josh: It had two bedrooms, and they weren’t even beds, just mattresses on the floor. What if you wanted to bring back a girl back? Josh: When you’ve had a few drinks, your inhibitions go out the window and you do it wherever. Matt: Then everyone else has to figure out what to do around you. Or you do it in someone else’s bed. We loved doing it in Josh’s bed. We made it a thing - to bring a girl back and have sex in his bed. Thompson: Now we have two flats – we’ve made it! Do you have the same taste in women? Josh: No, just women in general. We love them. Connor: Two of us have slept with the same girl, but at different times. I think there might have been sloppy seconds. Do girls hit on you a lot? Thompson: They just all seem to want to give you a blow job. Connor: There was a girl who Josh added on Twitter who was just filth. She kept sending pictures of her fanny. Josh: Yeah, there were pictures of her in her pants with her legs spread. She was like ‘follow me and I’ll suck you off.’ Connor: You’d pay for the kind of pictures she was sending. Thompson: It ebbs and flows, but at the minute it’s Josh who gets the most gaytimes.co.uk
47
female attention. Who would be better in bed, Nicole Sherzinger or Sharon Osbourne? All: Sharon Osbourne. Jay: Actually, I think Nicole would be better. Josh: I had a wet dream about Sharon once; I’m always having wet dreams. Connor: She has to deal with Ozzy Osbourne, so I bet she’s amazing in bed. Thompson: I reckon Nicole would ride you like a little cowgirl. What about gay attention? Thompson: I get quite a lot. Josh: He gives off a gay vibe so a lot of men want him. Thompson: I’ll flirt with anyone; if a guy doesn’t give me attention I’ll wonder why. Josh: Gay guys find Connor quite cute, they see his blue eyes and think “I want to fuck him”. Thompson: They just want to bend him over and have their way with him. Who has the best body? All: Josh. Thompson: If Josh wasn’t in the band, we’d be a lot more comfortable with our own bodies. Connor: He’s that annoying bloke who came out of the uterus with abs and he hasn’t worked on them, ever. If the rest of us don’t work out we get chubby, but he doesn’t. Who spends the most time manscaping? Connor: I trim my pubes quite a lot and so does Josh. We were having a house party once and for some reason we were comparing pubes and Jay showed us his – I was like “what the fuck?” It was literally an Afro down there. Thompson: He started showing them to my sister; it got a bit weird. Josh: It was like looking in a bird’s nest. Who has the biggest cock? Josh: To be fair, we haven’t seen each other’s erect, but on the flop, it’s probably Thompson. But we’ve all had good reviews. Thompson: I think we’re all pretty similar, there are only a couple of millimetres in it. In a line-up of just dicks, could you identify whose cock belonged to who? All: Yes. Thompson (to Connor): Your dick is quite brown though isn’t it? 48
gaytimes.co.uk
[cover]
t t a M gaytimes.co.uk
49
Josh
50
gaytimes.co.uk
[cover]
Connor: No, mine would be the palest. Jay: Isn’t everyone’s dick darker than the rest of their skin? Josh: Matt’s circumcised so I’d know his. Jay: And Josh has quite stretchy balls that get lower depending on his mood. Thompson: They look like a flying squirrel. Josh: Sometimes you just have to let them hang. Say I jump out a plane and haven’t got a parachute, I’d be sorted. What’s the closest you’ve come to having a gay experience? Connor: We’ve all kissed each other – not snogged – but pecked on the lips. Thompson: Sometimes when we get a bit drunk, we get a bit silly and kiss each other. Sometimes I just act drunk so they’ll kiss me. Are you the most gay-friendly straight band out there? Connor: I think so, because we’re so comfortable with each other. If I get a spot on my dick, I’ll be like “Josh, take a look at this”. Matt: In the X Factor house, I was trying to get to sleep and Josh put a towel over his bed and started masturbating behind it. Josh: We all had wanks on those bunk beds with each other in the room. Jay was sleep wanking one night. And we all bashed one out in the bathroom. Connor: And the WiFi was so bad you had to go downstairs to download the porn, and then go upstairs to watch it. Josh: I had a wet dream one night while sleeping next to Connor. Thompson: But things like that don’t even faze us now. Josh: We’ve had sex with girls while the others guys are in the room. I’ve had a sneaky look but it was too dark to see anything. Sex aside, what are you up to next? Josh: We’re writing vigorously and we’re still gigging, and we’ve made a video for a cover of Ellie Goulding’s song Burn. It won’t be out to buy, just on YouTube, but it’s to keep providing content for the fans. And the rest of the time we’re just trying to keep control of our sex addiction. Two months of being trapped in the X Factor have left us sex addicts. Q Keep up to date with Kingsland Road on Twitter, @KingslandRd
gaytimes.co.uk
51
52
gaytimes.co.uk
[cover]
gaytimes.co.uk
53
RUPAUL y r rb a
i l hTiseopen
WORDS DARREN SCOTT IMAGES MATHU ANDERSON
54
gaytimes.co.uk
[icon]
For such a fierce lady, RuPaul is a true gentleman. A stalwart of entertainment (gay or otherwise), RuPaul Andre Charles is always a delight to speak with. Charming, engaging and brilliantly funny with his oh-so infectious laugh. Always up early – as anyone following him on Twitter will know – RuPaul has a full day’s work ahead of him. Season six of his globally popular reality talent show RuPaul’s Drag Race is about to hit screens in America (and the internet, less than 24 hours later). The soon-to-be-stars of the show are releasing an album of new interpretations of RuPaul’s own musical back catalogue, The Cover Girlz (produced by Ru himself), plus there’s his own tenth studio album, Born Naked, coming out on 25 February. Busy drag queen indeed. “I like to stay busy, it keeps me out of trouble…” he purrs. We’re not buying that for a second, of course. “Well no, the real trouble is ‘me talking in me head’ kinda trouble, you know?” he laughs. “If I stay busy it sort of drowns the voices out…” Quite unexpectedly, and with no fanfare – not even a “Ooooh girl, you got she-mail!” – the entire five seasons of Drag Race appeared on Netflix in the UK in December. Finally, the show (legally) reaches the UK audience it so rightly deserves. “Yes. YES,” he stresses. “Absolutely. I mean, the show is such a natural for the UK. I never understood that but hey, there’s a lot of things that don’t really make sense, but now it’s been rectified.”
gaytimes.co.uk
55
tens across t he board! Ru’s run-down of her ten studio albums
Sex Freak (1985) [Laughs] Confusing! [Laughs] There were a lot of different ideas going on there... -------------------
RuPaul Is: Starbooty! (1986) Randy (Barbato) and Fenton (Bailey) ²WKDW·VZKR,ZRUN with now here at World of Wonder – they produced that DOEXP6RZKHQ, WKLQNRIWKDWDOEXP ,WKLQNRI5DQG\DQG Fenton at World of :RQGHUDQG,·YH EHHQZRUNLQJZLWK them since then. $QGWKDWZDV¶ ----------
Supermodel of the World (1993) %UHDNWKURXJK ÀQDOO\$IWHU\HDUV ,·GEHHQZRUNLQJ for 11 years in the EXVLQHVVDQGUHDOO\ \RXNQRZWKDWZDV P\ÀUVWPDLQVWUHDP exposure. ----------
Foxy Lady (1996) Wow. Eurodance and KTU. Because ,VWDUWHGZRUNLQJLQ WKLVPRUQLQJGULYH UDGLRVWDWLRQDQG, tried to shape the album into what they were playing DWWKHVWDWLRQ which was a lot of La Bouche and Eurodance. ----------
Ho, Ho, Ho (1997) >/DXJKV@0\OLYLQJ
56
room! [Laughs] :H0LFKHOOH 9LVDJHDQG,DQG -RH&DUUDQRWRRN three days in my OLYLQJURRPDQG UHFRUGHGWKDWDQG we had a blast. And you can hear LWRQWKHUHFRUG, KDYHQ·WOLVWHQHG WRLWLQ\HDUVEXW, remember listening WRLW,W·VVRPXFK fun you could hear us laughing and MXVWKDYLQJDJUHDW time. ----------
Red Hot (2004) 7KHFRPHEDFN
Starrbooty! (2007) So much fun. *KHWWRULÀF )UHDNQLN7KDW·V ZKDWWKH\KDYH RYHUKHUHHYHU\ \HDU,KDGVSHQW my career being WKHVSRNHVSHUVRQ RI7UDQV$P WUDQVSRUWHU trans anything. $QG,GHFLGHG rather than EHLQJ$PHULFD·V VZHHWKHDUWWKDW ,GLGQ·WKDYHWR do it anymore. ,FRXOGJREDFN WRP\FOXEURRWV and that was me JRLQJEDFNWRP\ FOXEURRWVZLWKRXW KDYLQJWRPDNHDQ\ DSRORJLHV$QG, ORYHLW ----------
Champion (2009) 1RZWDONDERXW UHDOO\ÀQGLQJKLWWLQJ P\PDUN²WKLVZDV P\UHDOFRPHEDFN This was my real PXVLFDOWULXPSK EHFDXVH,IRXQG a collaborator in Lucian Piane who ZHMXVW:HÀW:H ÀWWRJHWKHUDQGKH DQG,ZULWHVRQJV that really express what RuPaul is all about. ----------
Glamazon (2011) 6XSHUFKLF VXSHUVWDU,W·V JOLVWHQLQJDQGLW·V just pop with heart. ,ORYHORYHORYH that album. ----------
Born Naked (2014) :HOODJDLQ RIFRXUVHLW·V /XFLDQ3LDQHDV Glamazon and &KDPSLRQDUH,W·V VXSHUSRSEXWLW·V actually got more KHDUWDJDLQ,JHWWR JREDFNDQGUHYHDO a little bit more HDFKWLPHEHFDXVH UHYHDOLQJWRRPXFK scares people. My story with drag has DOZD\VEHHQWKDW, wanted to do sort of a Disney – almost a VDQLWLVHG²YHUVLRQ so that grandma and grandpa ZRXOGQ·WEHVFDUHG RIPHDQG,FRXOG actually get some business done as a businessman. But RQFH,KLWDFHUWDLQ place and reHVWDEOLVKHGP\VHOI WKHQ,FRXOGDFWXDOO\ UHYHDOPRUHRI P\VHOIDQG,JHW to do that again RQ%RUQ1DNHG² which is why the record is called %RUQ1DNHGQ
Ru doesn’t seem too perturbed at the lengths British fans previously went to in order to see their favourite show. “I love it. The show, as we’ve talked about before, is really a celebration of the art of drag, which I’ve always loved. Even as a kid I loved it, so to have this show and to have it SO revered around the world, and kids in small villages and towns around the world get to see this, it’s so exciting.” He laughs hard when asked if he thinks there’s now a bit of a mix-up between shade and people just being bitchy. “Well there’s always been that mix up, but most people don’t have the kind of decorum or most people can’t tell the difference between black and white basically. I love Judge Judy and people always say ‘oh she’s mean’ but it’s like, actually she’s not mean, what she is is she’s very direct and she doesn’t take any shit, so people do broad strokes and say she’s mean. It always bothered me when people would say ‘this one’s a diva’ or ‘that one’s a supermodel’. Actually the real definition of diva or supermodel, the people that are saying that don’t really know what that really means because,” he adopts a brilliant ‘old’ voice, “‘in my day’ supermodel meant you did runway, you had editorial work and you had contracts with companies, as in advertising contracts, that’s why they called it a supermodel. But now everybody’s a fucking supermodel.” And there’s the T. “But anyway, we digress. My point is those lines get blurred as time goes on and as there are more blogs. and people take liberties, those lines get really blurred.” Talking of divas – having just appeared with Lady Gaga on her Thanksgiving Muppet special, why didn’t she get to work with Miss Piggy? “Initially the scene I was in was going to be Gaga and Miss Piggy,
but at the last minute it got switched to me doing the song [Fashion]. I think we were always going to do a song – I didn’t know what song we were going to do, but it was going to involve Miss Piggy, but it got changed…” Surely Ru and Piggy have worked together before? “I have not. I have not. But I have always loved Frank Oz who had been Piggy for years. I don’t think he’s Piggy anymore, but he’s a fantastic director and he’s also Yoda in the Star Wars movies. But I gotta tell you – I don’t wanna get choked up talking about it but – the day that Jim Henson died, which was, by the way, the same day that Sammy Davis Jr died – I loved both of them – but it took me so long to recover from Jim Henson dying, because I loved him so much.” And now we’re getting a bit emotional. Because what Jim Henson did goes beyond just The Muppets... “Absolutely,” Ru agrees. “Like a designer. Like Yves Saint Laurent. Or Steve Jobs, who created a whole language, a whole dialogue, a whole aesthetic that cuts really deep into our cores.” So this obviously means that Miss Piggy’s going to make an appearance as a judge on Drag Race? Ru laughs REALLY hard. “You know I would love that. I. Would. LOVE. That. But our show is still very subversive. Us gay folks have always been WAY ahead of the curve and it takes a long time for Betty and Joe Beercan to catch up to what we’re doing. So for that kind of mainstream it may take a couple of years for Piggy to get on the judges panel. But maybe not too many years. Things are changing very fast.” Of course, the other (less porcine) person that’s been vocal about appearing on the show is Ms Gaga herself... “She’s wants to do it,” Ru explains, “but you know what her JD\WLPHVFRXN
[icon]
schedule is like. You know she’s a big fan of the show, she had tonnes of suggestion for what she wanted to do on the show and I’m like ‘yeah, yeah, yeah – put your money where your mouth is’. I know she’s got a tour coming up and it really has to do with if she’s in this part of the world when we’re doing our show.” Enough of potential judges – bring back her girls! Has it been a surprise that so many of the Drag Race contestants have ended up making music? “No. No, no. I taught them – and they’ve used my career as a template – that you brand yourself and you have to dip your toes in lots of different waters and see which one sticks. Because in today’s world, with social media and everybody all up in your business, you have to service your audience, you have to have lots of different meals. It’s like a tapas bar, you have lots of little appetisers and things to keep people interested because there’s so much out there that it’s very easy for people to forget about you. So I tell them all to do music, write books, endorse products, go and think of something new, have a blog, do your social media, but you have to be out there. You have to keep that brand alive.” Speaking of which, with RuPaul currently a make-up line and fragrance, and formerly a shoe line and doll – is there anything left to do? He laughs hard again. “Well, it’s funny that you say that….” Amazing. “Actually as you called I’ve just been drafting a letter to Matthew my collaborator about this chocolate bar that’s coming out,” he laughs for a brilliantly long time. “And it’s gorgeous. Cadbury’s will probably block us in the UK.” Q 5X3DXO·V'UDJ5DFHLVDYDLODEOHRQ1HWÁL[7KH &RYHU*LUO]LVRXWQRZRQL7XQHV%RUQ1DNHGLV UHOHDVHG)HEUXDU\UXSDXOFRP#UXSDXO
gaytimes.co.uk
57
SEX SURVEY 2014 WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH
We asked 1,000 of you lot, our readers, to tell us all about your sex lives. And boy, did you deliver. Now the results are in, and we enlisted our very own sexperts to cast their wandering eyes over the bedroom habits of the modern gay man
sex. . 58
gaytimes.co.uk
[sex]
Sex. It seems just about all of us are at it. And most of us are doing it at least weekly. We don’t always know exactly who we’re doing it with, mind. And lots of it is happening on the first date… These are just some of the findings from GT’s biggest-ever sex survey. This year marks GT’s 30th anniversary, and a lot has changed for gay and bisexual men’s sex lives in that time. Gay sex was a taboo in 1984. Few people spoke about it and, if they did, it was probably in a negative context. Back then you were more likely to try and get your kicks from a backstreet bar in the city or a, ahem, secluded meeting ground. The gay scene now is unrecognisable from that time. Guys are now more likely to say the biggest problem with gay bars is the number of “straight” people wanting to get in on the action than the number of homophobes wanting to shut them down. Those who have found love can now even get married. But now that we’ve won that fight, does that mean we’ve got lifetimes of repetitive sex ahead? One thousand men filled in our 40 question survey, all anonymously; 92.7% said they identify as gay, while 6.1% said they were either bisexual or bi-curious; 1.2% of respondents said they’d slept with men, but consider themselves to be straight, or are unsure. The vast majority – some two thirds – were under 35. Only three readers who dished all were over 75 – we salute you all! But this massive survey wasn’t to fulfill our own voyeuristic fantasies (well, maybe a little bit). It’s so we can build a comprehensive picture of gay sex as part of our busy modern lives. When GT last conducted a sex survey, Grindr hadn’t even been invented. Now most gay men have at least one GPS based “dating” app on their phones and, well, it’s led to us having lots more sex. There have been serious implications from this change in lifestyle, though. The number of men living with HIV is at its highest in history. One in 650 adults are HIV positive among the wider UK population. But that figure rises to an astonishing one in 20 among gay and bisexual men, and as much as one in seven in London and Brighton. It’s clear something has changed. So now, GT is going to reveal the bare facts about your sex lives. How you’re having it, what you’re getting from it, who you’re having it with and if you even know their name… Q Our sexperts Benedict Garrett Sexual health campaigner and former porn actor ----------
Deborah Jack Chief executive for the National AIDS Trust
gaytimes.co.uk
59
15 IN
have slept with 100+ men
Hard to believe? Well, our survey found that: 7.4% have slept with between 100 and 199 men 6.7% with between 200 and 499, and a very keen 3.9% have bedded more than 500 men. That makes a grand total of 18%. You’ve been busy boys, haven’t you?
Benedict says: “None of us can really make any moral or value judgments about this behaviour. It’s personal choice. As someone who has slept with well over 100 people, regularly attends a sexual health clinic and never once been tested positive for any STI, I cannot praise enough the services of the GUM clinics up and down this land. If you have never been, get booked at one now!” Q
TOP 20%
BOTTOM 26%
VERSATILE 49%
70%
have casual sex 20% The number of men who said they exclusively play a dominant role (top) in the bedroom. 26% said they were a bottom, while just short of half – 495 respondents – are happy performing both roles.
60
gaytimes.co.uk
[sex]
Dating Just short of 81% said they were willing to put out on date one, while a further 6% said “it’s a waste if I don’t”. That left a lowly 13% who told us they keep their flies firmly zipped up and their belts fastened until at least the second meet. Casual sex 1/5 say casual sex is a regular occurrence for them. Almost 50% have been dogging, cottaging, used a glory hole, or had another form of anonymous sex. 43% said they’ve had anon sex at least once, while 1/10 said they frequently have sex with strangers. 69% cruise for sex. Whether it’s on a dating website or while out clubbing, the overwhelming majority are seeking out sex, although most of you are arranging your hook ups through phone apps. Benedict says: “Cruising for sex is what men, gay or straight, do every Saturday night in any nightclub or bar across the country. The fact we can now download an app that spells this out and enables us to hunt down and pin-point our prey to within a few metres is a far more direct route to the task. At the very least, it cuts out all the crap and game playing. It has revolutionised the way we interact and encounter our fellow human beings and brought ‘cruising’ to a new wave of people who may be wary of doing so within the more public realm of a club. While the hardcore cruisers will still use the clubs to flirt and pick-up their chosen conquest, more and more of us are using the tool in our pocket (not the one between our legs) to initiate.” Q gaytimes.co.uk
HIV POSITIVE 7.2% DON’T KNOW STATUS 10% HIV NEGATIVE 82%
7.2% of respondents said they were HIV positive, while more than 10% admitted to not knowing their status – meaning more men didn’t know if they had HIV, than knew they were positive. 821 out of 1,000 people said they were negative.
Deborah says: “It’s very worrying that so many gay men are unaware of their HIV status. It is recommended that sexually active gay and bisexual men test at least annually or every three months if having unprotected sex with new or casual partners. For so many to be in the dark, it indicates that this is just not happening. It’s the people who don’t know their status that are unwittingly passing on HIV – we know the majority of new transmissions originate from people who don’t know they have the virus. Especially as when you newly acquire HIV you’re at your most infectious. Knowing you have HIV means you can start treatment which will prolong your health and your life. Being diagnosed late could mean you get very ill and you’re more likely to pass it on to others.” Q
110 IN
don’t know their HIV status
61
13 IN
watch porn every day
WATCH PORN 98.7%
Basically everyone watches porn. This isn’t the shock of the century, and we can only assume the other 1.3% have got so much action going on they don’t need any extra stimulation. 1/3 watch porn daily. Oh boy, it’s no wonder there are more than 220 million results if you Google “gay porn”. 1/10 of those surveyed watch porn more than once a day.
Benedict says: “I spend much of my life defending the right of pornography to exist. We are all far more able, and confident, to explore our sexual fantasies through porn and the internet. Pornography is no longer the domain of a few dirty old men in trench coats slipping into blackened-out shops in Soho: there’s something for all of us out there. We are able to regulate what we watch, how often we watch it and how we let it affect our sex lives. Most of us are also able to recognise that, like any form of entertainment, porn is not a always a reflection of reality. Albeit one that can inspire us into experimenting with our own sexualities.” Q 62
Most men have made a sex video :LWKVPDUWSKRQHVDQG;7XEHLW·VQRZHDVLHUWKDQHYHUWRWDNHDVKRWRI\RX VKRRWLQJ%XWEHFDUHIXOZKDW\RXGRZLWKLW²ZKRNQRZVZKHUHLW·OOHQGXS"
Benedict says: “Technology and sex have always been inextricably linked. The moment cameras were invented they were almost immediately used to take pictures of the naked form. Even the die-hard feminist, Gail Dines, recognises that porn drives technological developments. As this survey reveals, we’re almost all watching pornography, so it makes sense that many of us might like to give it a go. While it can be a fun and enjoyable thing to explore, particularly for couples wishing to spice up their sex lives, always ensure you are doing it with the express knowledge of your partner!” Q
1/3 gay men have slept with a woman. 30% have indulged in an orgy of more than five guys. 1/2 have had sex in their workplace or where they study. 38% admitted to visiting saunas for sex.
51%
admit cheating A quarterRIPHQ VDLGWKH\·YHFKHDWHG DIHZWLPHV 5% admitted to doing LWIUHTXHQWO\12 UDVFDOVVDLGWKH\ KDYHFKHDWHGLQ HYHU\UHODWLRQVKLS WKH\·YHKDG$third HYHQFRQIHVVHGWR VOHHSLQJZLWK DIULHQG·VER\IULHQG :KDWDUH\RXOLNH"
gaytimes.co.uk
[sex]
2/3 LIKE SEX IN PUBLIC Whether it’s in the woods, a field, the local supermarket, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace… You lot have had sex in some intriguing places, that’s for sure. The most popular outside locations were cars and car parks, followed by toilets and locker rooms. Also mentioned…
GRAVEYARD 34 ON THE BUS 11 MOUNTAIN TOP 7 IN MCDONALD’S 4 IN A PORTALOO 2 A TESCO TROLLEY 1 WHILE ELEPHANT TREKKING 1
Most men have had bareback casual sex When asked “Have you ever had bareback casual or anonymous sex?”, 57.4% of you said you had. A third of you have done it bareback with JX\V\RXZHUHQ·WGDWLQJRQPRUHWKDQRQHRFFDVLRQ1/10 of you said you frequently or always go without a condom when with an unknown.
Deborah says: “Condoms remain the best way to protect yourself from HIV and other STIs. However, it’s clear that some men do struggle to consistently use condoms. Therefore it’s important to look at what other prevention options could work alongside condoms. PrEP, a daily HIV regime you can take to avoid getting HIV, is currently being trialled in the UK – this could be one option for men who don’t want to or can’t use condoms. There are correlating factors which make people more likely to have unsafe sex – including drink and drugs, depression and low selfesteem. Are there enough services tailored to gay men’s substance misuse and mental health needs? Are we doing enough to tackle low self-esteem among gay men and giving them the education at school to know enough to look after themselves and others? The answer to these questions is probably no.” Q
gaytimes.co.uk
63
13 IN
have slept with a guy as old as their dad Anyone who’s been on a porn site (which is 98% of you, we now know) will have seen the popularity of the Daddy. With most of our respondents under 35, there must be a fair few 40-somethings wandering around with a cheeky smile. Clearly Tom Daley is a trend-setter.
Benedict says: “While some fine wines do mature with age, there are those that go off. But like most things in life, there are no hard and fast rules. Bearing in mind the fact that the UK has the highest teen pregnancy rate in Europe… fathers aren’t actually so much older than their off-spring. There’s also an increasing trend among men to take greater pride in their appearance – or, as some term it, ‘metrosexualism’ – plus improvements in cosmetic treatment. Not to mention, of course, the cliché that ‘age is just a number’ and ‘you’re just as young as the man you feel’…” Q
We might not admit them to our grandma, or even to many of our friends, but the GT Sex Survey found some apparently ‘out there’ fetishes are really quite popular…
2/3 Sex in public, underwear 1/2 Uniforms 1/3 Tattoos, voyeurism, water sports 1/4 S&M, leather 1/5 Wrestling, fisting 3/4 Fantasies about exes It can be hard to move on, especially if they were particularly good in the sack. Half of guys said they’ve thought about their ex getting it on numerous times. 14 men said they think about an ex boyfriend’s bedroom skills daily. Those guys must have been pretty damn good. Q
64
49%
don’t care about penis size A lot of men worry about their bulge below the belt, but KDOIVDLGVL]HLVQ·W something they care about. 5% said they prefer them smaller.
gaytimes.co.uk
[sex]
WHAT TYPES DO YOU GUYS GO FOR?
gaytimes.co.uk
978 OUT OF 1,000 RESPONDED TO THIS QUESTION
1ST
CLEAN CUT
57.57%
563 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
2ND
JOCKS
53.78%
526 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
3RD
TWINK
43.87%
429 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
4TH
GEEK
39.47%
386 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
5TH
RUGGED
36.50%
357 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
6TH
HIPSTER
29.55%
289 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
7TH
DILF
27.91%
273 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
8TH
OTTER
26.89%
263 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
9TH
BEAR
24.03%
235 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
10TH CUB
20.65%
202 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
11TH
16.16%
158 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
12TH CHUB
4.09%
40 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
13TH QUEENS
3.27%
32 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
14TH TRANS
1.33%
13 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
15TH WALRUS
0.92%
9 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE
MUSCLE MARY
65
ARE YOU ADDICTED TO SEX? WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH
66
gaytimes.co.uk
[sex]
When does a drunken fumble or onenight stand go from being a bit of fun, to a serious health issue? Sex addiction is probably more associated with Russell Brand and rich Hollywood celebs than it is with your average gay guy. But as many as one in ten men are thought to have addiction issues in their sex lives, with the surge of free-to-view porn and sex surfing websites making thrills easier than ever. It’s no secret that most of us enjoy sex; it’s a necessary release that we can’t go too long without. But where do we draw the line from enjoying a healthy, regular sex life, to feeling like we need it just to get by? The truth is, people relying on sex is hugely on the rise. “These issues have really exploded, because it’s all become so easy,” says Rob Watt, a psychotherapist whose Harley Street practice sees sex addicts on a daily basis. “One of the leading experts, Patrick Carney, said about ten years ago that a tsunami is coming – and now it’s certainly landed. “The internet has had a huge effect. It used to be that porn was a magazine under the bed, but now the level of exposure and the availability of sex has driven it out of all proportion.” More than a quarter of men now watch porn during work hours, with a constant need for sexual fulfilment becoming an accepted part of
sex. .
gaytimes.co.uk
modern life. Phone sex apps make it as easy to find another man to sleep with as it is to change the TV channel. “Both with porn,” continues Rob, “and with the availability of anonymous sex, it’s taken the problem to a whole new level. There’s an element of social and recreational activities that are available to urban gay men that reinforces the use of drink and drugs and the pursuit of the perfect body – and sex addiction.” It’s no breaking news that we men who have sex with men tend to get our rocks off more often than heterosexual counterparts. But the sense of shame that many gay teens experience can end up manifesting itself in compulsive sexual behaviours as an adult – recreating that same sense of adolescent shame. “In response to the repression and abuse of gay men over the years, there’s this urban culture that encourages a range of sexual freedoms,” Rob explains. “It’s these exact sexual freedoms – the counter culture of shame-based homophobic culture – that is more of a camouflage: it locks them in. It makes gay male sex addicts can be more difficult to recognise.” The barriers which would usually confront heterosexual sex addicts – marriage, children, the expectation of monogamy – don’t occur for many gay men, leaving issues of sex addiction to spiral in their absence. This was the experience of Anthony*, whose sexual behaviour took a turn for the worse after he started partying on London’s gay scene. “Nothing about it seemed that wrong. My mates would usually be doing the same sort of thing – going out, getting pissed and going home with a guy. But it started to become more of a need than a bit of fun. “It was like I couldn’t go a day without a random shag. Grindr was a joke initially. But then I found myself on
it first thing in the morning, during my breaks at work, every evening. It was really compulsive and habitual.” Anthony originally moved to London for work, and considered his sexual behaviour stable after three years living away from home studying in Wales. “I’d had a few partners at uni,” he says, “but it wasn’t like there were endless reams of guys to get off with there, so it never became an issue. “But London was like being let out in a sweet shop. There are so many guys. Fit guys. Like, I really wanted them, and basically agreed to take any of the fit ones that would have me while I still could. “There was one week – well, two weeks – just before Christmas, and I slept with ten guys in ten days. Most of them were really fucking fit, and I wasn’t ashamed. But with hindsight, it broke down the barrier in my mind of what was acceptable. “Now a couple of guys every weekend isn’t just the norm, it’s what I need, I think, to feel attractive.” Sex addiction manifests itself in three main areas: opportunity, attachment and trauma. Trauma is the most common trigger among gay men, as sex becomes a coping strategy for earlier childhood bullying and insecurities. “I was an outsider at school,” continues Anthony. “I was quite camp – I’m actually a lot less camp as an adult – and I had some bad issues at home. I never had friends until about 15 or 16. The idea of someone fancying me was a joke. One people made regularly. “But when I realised I could walk into a gay club and pick up a guy, it was like I had so much to make up for. Each random shag is a ‘fuck you’ to the school bullies, really.” For an addict, sex can become a form of self-harm, using it to act out and inflict shame on themselves for other flaws. “What it does is reaffirm a set of messages and distorted thinking
67
5
signs of sex addiction ----------
[01]
You use sex to overcome or forget issues ----------
[02]
Sex leaves you feeling empty, flat or guilty ----------
[03]
You can’t perform work or social functions for the need to get sexual thrills ----------
[04]
You visit porn sites compulsively, rather than exclusively for pleasure ----------
[05]
You find yourself prioritising sex over all other aspects of your life ---------For more information or advice on sex addiction, visit saa-recovery.org or robwattlondontherapy.co.uk. To purchase /XNH%R]LHU·VERRN'RQ·W%LWHWKH$SSOH visit dontbiteit.com
68
that has been set from childhood,” Rob Watt explains. “No matter how successfully he may have worked through his negative feelings around being gay, he still feels ashamed of sexually acting out.” One of Rob’s previous clients is Luke Bozier. Luke was a success story: a married father to two, working as an adviser to Prime Minister Tony Blair and residing in a plush central London home. But he had a secret – he was addicted to sex, and would spend up to five hours every day masturbating. “It goes back to when I was about 12 or 13, when I first got the internet at home, and it became a compulsive habit for me early on. Whenever mum was out of the house I would go on and use it for hours. I didn’t realise at the time, but it was addictive. It was compulsive.” He married his first wife at just 19, and the couple had two children together. At the time it looked like love’s young dream. But the compulsive sexual habits of puberty soon came to haunt him, as he strayed from his wife with other women and, eventually, other men too. “The tipping point was going to meet a guy in Vauxhall, and doing whatever. It was such risky behaviour, and it came to a point where there was nothing I could do to stop it. It was like: ‘I need to let go and get all of this off my chest’. But then it became a horrible spiral.” Casual sex is a normal part of many men’s lives. But for Luke, the pursuit of random sex with men wasn’t for pleasure – it often wasn’t very pleasurable – but instead out of emotional compulsion. “Men were just much easier. This was part of the draw for me, you know, it was always much easier to find men for sex than women.” Luke’s sex addiction spiralled out of control, until he was unable to work properly or go out in the
. . x se
evenings. “The worst point was last year. I would spend, on an average day, four or five hours from waking up watching pornography, then by the middle of the afternoon I would be completely bloody exhausted and miserable. “If you masturbate for four or five hours, it hurts. There was a point where I’d masturbated so much I couldn’t walk. I was in so much pain. I wasn’t able to go out in an evening. It was real, physical pain.” Professor Gert Holstege, a Dutch neuroscientist who specialises in sexuality, has claimed porn is a “gateway drug” to sex addiction. Holstege claims the effect on the body of ejaculation is similar to that of a heroin injection – one of the
The effect on the body of ejaculation is similar to that of a heroin injection – one of the most fatal, addictive drugs going most fatal, addictive drugs going. “With sex addiction it’s very complicated. It’s not necessarily about not having sex. It’s about how often you’re having sex and why you’re having it,” Luke says. For Luke, it was Sex Addicts Anonymous, that helped him find reconciliation. Their 12-step plan aided him to health by discussing the realities of sex addiction openly with like-minded others. But sex remains a worry for him. “You can be addicted to anything, but sex is powerful. Society claims to be advanced and liberal, but we still don’t know enough about sex and why we do it. Some of us are doing it even though it makes us unhappy. That’s the reality.” Q *Some names have been changed by request
gaytimes.co.uk
[sex]
gaytimes.co.uk
69
SNAP UNHAPPY It’s never been easier to take a naked selfie on your phone and send it to a prospective partner. But what if that photo ends up in the wrong hands? GT discovers why those spur of the moment cheeky pictures could land you in long-term trouble
sex. . WORDS JOHN MARRS IMAGES ISTOCKPHOTO / APPLE INC / LUKE BENJAMIN
70
gaytimes.co.uk
[sex]
“Hi.” “Hi.” “How r u?” “Good thanks. What u up 2?” “Nothing much. Bored n horny.” “Same. Got any pics?” It’s how most conversations on Grindr and other dating apps begin. The cautious will send a couple of head shots, maybe even a bare torso if they’re feeling brave. But when we’re bored and feeling fruity, within ten minutes of chatting, a total stranger will know exactly what your cock looks like before he’s even decided if he’s going to meet you. Sending naked pictures via any social media platform is de rigueur for many gay men of all ages, and has become an obligatory way to woo. But that quick decision to unleash your kraken could see it remain online for the rest of your life. And in an age where social network platforms are being used by prospective employers as a common background check, your naked selfies could come back to bite you on the arse you’ve just bared. “The internet’s memory is vast,” warns Matthew Hodson of gay men’s health charity GMFA. “You never know when that embarrassing shot may resurface and scupper a job interview or romantic relationship. It’s the kind of thing that you can do in haste but repent at leisure.” In December last year, Mark Shenton, chief theatre critic of the Sunday Express newspaper, claimed he was sacked after bosses discovered naked pictures of him on a gay website. He says the photos were 22-years-old and with the exception of a thumbnail picture of him shirtless, all his naked pictures were hidden behind a paywall. “The paper had been tipped off by a malicious third party that there were some private, personal (but entirely legal) images of me available on a gay website,” Mark gaytimes.co.uk
wrote later on his blog. “I’d never seen or heard of the site myself so it was news to me. “People would have to go looking for them. The Sunday Express’s Head of HR believes that the existence of any such images could bring the company into disrepute. But I’m not embarrassed at all.” There are hundreds of Tumblr microsites dedicated to the gay and straight nudies. But not everyone is who they claim to be. Michael*, 36, admits he trawls apps like Manhunt and Grindr with false profiles, sending out naked pictures that claim to be of him, to gather, save and place on his blog. “I’ve got a set of pictures a guy sent me on Grindr, starting off clothed and then pretty explicit,” he explains. “I pretend they are of me to encourage other people to send me their photos. I’ve got more than 500 pics of other guys now. About three quarters of them include their faces, so they’re easily recognisable. “One of the guys who messaged me, I actually knew – he’s a teacher at my nephew’s school, but he was quite happy to send me pictures of him with an erection and using a dildo. They could have ruined his career. I didn’t put them on my blog though, but God knows how many others he sent them to. I told him I knew who he was, what he did for a living and to be more careful. I
Know Your Rights What are your rights when other people use your pictures? GT asks Chris Ashford, Professor of Law and Society, School of Law, Faculty of Business and Law at Northumbria University. He and Dr Kevin Brown (Newcastle University) recently received funding to work on a small project examining perceptions of privacy on Grindr and similar gay networking apps ----------
I’ve sent a naked picture of myself to someone and now they’re sending it to others. Where do I stand legally? “Assuming you’re aged over 18, you don’t have rights if someone else chooses to distribute an image of you naked. As soon as you put any photograph – naked or otherwise – out there, you never know where it will end up. Over time, privacy rights may evolve in this area.” ----------
71
If my boss discovers naked pictures of me online, can he sack me? “You haven’t committed an offence, however, an employer might deem such images could bring an organisation into disrepute, ie, if people see those images, they might gain a negative impression of your employer and they might then take disciplinary action against you. This is unlikely to affect most jobs but, should you work for a national pizza chain, you may wish to rethink any amateur recreation of a porn-inspired fast food delivery. Check your contract of employment for any specific provisions relating to conduct.” ----------
Now that prospective employers search your Facebook and Twitter posts, what advice would you give? “People make judgments based on a snapshot of your life as you present it online. Think about how you’re presenting yourself. Ensure your Facebook page privacy settings are amended to stop your profile being viewable by the whole world, and you lock your Twitter account to ensure only followers can view your tweets. Assume potential employers will be looking at your online presence.” Q
72
never saw him online again.” When Snapchat launched in 2011, its creators Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy underlined how important it was that the images people share disappear. It wasn’t long before users worked out how to capture pictures they’d been sent. Then the app Snap Save was created to make a record of a picture you’ve sent or received. And website snapchatleaked.com allows anyone to post Snapchat pictures they’ve been sent. “I can’t think how many times I’ve sent pictures of me with no clothes on,” says Snapchat fan Greg Jones. “It’s just how the gay dating world works now. You see a lad you fancy, send him a knob shot, wait for him to send his, and if you like what you see, meet up. I’ve honestly never thought about the consequences and whether the pictures will be saved, sent or seen by other people.” But Gaydar Mobile user Russell* soon regretted sending his naked snaps out willy-nilly without getting to know his fellow recipient first. “He asked me to send some pics, and I told him only after he sent me his first. I was pretty shocked when he sent me four pictures of myself and tried to pass them off as him! Whoever I’d sent mine to before, he’d got hold of, cropped my head off and pretended it was him. It was the first time I realised just how
pictures can do the rounds.” Naked pictures, flippant Facebook posts and tawdry Tweets could end up landing you in hot water when it comes to employment. One in five bosses admit they’ve turned down a job application because of applicants profiles on social networking sites. According to an annual study by Eurocom Worldwide with UK PR agency partner Six Degrees, almost 40% of respondents’ companies look at potential employees’ profiles on social media sites. “The 21st-century human is learning that every action leaves an indelible digital trail,” says Mads Christensen of EW. “In the years ahead, many of us will be challenged by what we are making public in various social forums today. One in five applicants disqualify themselves from an interview because of content in the social media sphere is a warning to job seekers.” However, celebrities caught on camera rarely find it a hindrance to their careers. Ex-TOWIE star Kirk Norcross brushed off webcam pictures of him smoking and wanking with a Tweet saying: “Cooooome oooonnn guys we have all done it I’m just the stupid one that got caught!” In 2003, gay MP Chris Bryant’s Gaydar profile pictures of him in his pants made front page news in The Sun. After a sex tape of Tom Daley’s screenwriter boyfriend Dustin Lance Black having sex with an ex leaked in 2009, he said: “It is unfortunate that individuals are trying to profit from material which is clearly private.” And a 53 second clip allegedly of gay actor Cheyenne Jackson masturbating circled the internet late last year. While embarrassing, none of these “exposes” caused lasting damage. The now-suspended Twitter account @celebritybust posted pictures it claimed were of Lucien Laviscount, Stuart Manning, Philip gaytimes.co.uk
[sex]
Olivier, Olympic diver Nick Baker and others, naked in selfies and images captured from Skype chats. But naked selfies aren’t always just posted for sexual gratification, says Matthew Hodson. “Tweeting or Snapchatting photos of yourself is a great way to get positive feedback from strangers without necessarily having to have abs or muscles,” he explains. “And if you do have a six-pack to die for then it’s hardly surprising if you want the world to appreciate your hard work. It’s superficial, of course. “Sometimes gay men are made to feel they are outside the norm, because we grow up in a world where it’s generally assumed all people are heterosexual until proven otherwise. Feeling like we’re looking at society from the outside can lead some gay men to adopt a ‘fuck it!’ attitude to social conventions. That may result in being more likely to take drugs or get involved in extreme sex scenes. In that context, tweeting a picture of your cock may not be the most harmful thing that you can do. “But don’t send a picture of your cock to someone if you want them to love you for your sunny disposition or kindness to animals. And if you’re going to tweet a pic of your cock, or even just your naked torso, don’t include your face. That way you can always deny it.” Q
. x se
* Names have been changed on request
You never know when that embarrassing shot may resurface and scupper a job interview or romantic relationship. It’s the kind of thing that you can do in haste but repent at leisure gaytimes.co.uk
73
MEET THE HOME WRECKER WORDS ANONYMOUS
74
gay
time
s.co
.uk
[sex]
How much do you trust your boyfriend? Remember, all’s fair in sex and war Engagements are always a time for celebration, aren’t they? Champagne corks popping, streamers, and insincere wellwishing from people whose biological clocks have just been shaken into the forefront of their consciousness. Well, this was one of those times. The, ahem, happy couple – let’s call them John and James – are surrounded by friends, coincidently in the same middle-of-the-road cocktail bar I’m nursing a poorly-mixed Manhattan. There are handshakes, slaps on the back and cooing half-promises about ceremonies and the like. I decide it’s time to make a commemorative gesture of my own. I finish my drink and walk over, placing my hand in James’. He’s actually quite attractive; tall, strapping, with brown locks cascading alongside a relativelydefined jawline. And then the same to John, who’s definitely punching above his weight. But the second I notice his now-fiancé’s attention has been diverted, I squeeze his hand somewhat forcefully and draw him in close. “I suppose for your wedding gift, I could just not tell him about us,” I say, coldly. I draw back and release his grip, as he looks me in the eyes and nods. Slowly. His face has set into an expression of panic, and he glances over to James, terrified he may have overheard the whole thing. He hasn’t. Where would the fun be in that?
sex. .
gaytimes.co.uk
Let’s rewind. Around 48 hours before this tantalising moment, the two grooms-to-be were in some horribly-clichéd European capital, with James on bended knee before John asking for his hand in marriage. But another 48 hours before that, John was on his knees in my apartment; his mouth wrapped around my cock. After that, I bent over my black leather sofa and fucked him, before sending him back to James’ waiting arms, who’d been confined to an evening of solitary fulfilment because John was “working late”. I assume he was running through the forthcoming feeble proposal in his head. To love and to cherish ‘till death do us part, right? At this point, I assume you’re thinking of me as a grade A cock. And, while you’re probably expecting some banal “it takes two to tango” excuse, let me assure you that I’m absolutely fine with your narrow-minded perception. You see, while some people get off on being tied up, whipped, or somehow having a fist slide inside of them, I get off on something a little different. Power. Indulge me on this next part because, although it may sound a little contrite, it was Oscar Wilde who said it best: “Everything in the world is about sex except sex. Sex is about power.” But while Wilde put this into practice by committing acts of thenoutlawed sodomy with the sons of aristocrats, I use it as a justification to live out my own perversions. Judge me all you want, but I relish the fact that when James and John exchange their beloved vows before friends and family, the latter will be thinking of one of our many trysts together, embodying his betrayal and the desiccation of his virtue. Oh, that’s right. The aforementioned encounter wasn’t the first and it certainly wasn’t the last. If I had to choose my favourite time with John, it was probably the
time in their soon-to-be marital bed, with John biting down into his fiancé’s pillow. This wasn’t even the only couple I unwittingly exploiting for my own sexual gain. There’ve been dozens. This is just the first, to my knowledge, to arrange a walk down an aisle before gorging on cheap Buck’s Fizz and substandard canapés. And you always remember your first, don’t you? It might surprise you, but I’m not arrogant enough to consider myself the level of attraction which makes inhibitions and loyalties fly out of the window. But I never ask why these men stray from their partners. I’m just not interested. And don’t get me wrong – this isn’t a case of being unable to maintain a meaningful relationship, or anything to do with jealousy. Quite frankly, what do I have to be jealous of? This is merely a case of finding the ability to control and manipulate one hell of an aphrodisiac. As you lie in bed tonight, with your boyfriend in your arms, I want you to ask yourself one question. How much do you really trust him? I’m not alone, you see. There are others just like me. You might call us “home wreckers”, or “bastards”, but in truth, we’re just people who’ll stop at nothing to get what we want. To some, it might be considered a debauched deviation, or a sickness. But to us? It’s just ambition. A commitment to desire. And before you start, this isn’t just a gay stereotype thing, either. There’s a home wrecker in all of us, regardless of your sexuality. But for the weak and feeble, it’s left dormant. In hibernation; potential unfulfilled. You don’t know what you’re missing. We feed off this control. Why do you think I changed the names of “John” and “James”? Trust me, I’m going to be dining out on this sordid little secret long-after the wedding bells have rung. But until then, here’s to the happy couple. Q
75
IMAGE MICHAEL STUART DALEY
ooooft
[03/14]
[reviews]
JORDAN MORRIS
At just 19-years-old, fresh pop hotness Jordan Morris releases his debut single Taking Your Side on 10 March. Mentored by N-Dubz’s Dappy, expect lashings of Ne-Yo-esque vocals and shirtless photo shoots. His unrestrained falsetto is on pitch to take on the charts and we’re enjoying his fresh sound... and his toned bod of course. Q
gaytimes.co.uk
77
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL WORDS RYAN BUTCHER
78
gaytimes.co.uk
[music]
e i n eV r With more than 10 million records sold, 15 top 20 singles and international acclaim, Eternal were once one of the biggest girl groups on the planet. But, after years of behind-the-scenes spats and more diva strops than an episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the band inevitably fell apart. Now, nearly 21 years after the release of their debut single Stay, they’re back; with sisters Vernie and Easther Bennett reuniting with Kéllé Bryan for the brand new series of ITV’s The Big Reunion. In a gay press exclusive, the girls talk to GT about the love for their gay fans, why they decided to come back, and what happens next. But, take it from us, you don’t want to mention Louise... gaytimes.co.uk
It’s late Friday afternoon in a swish central London theatre when we finally get to sit down with Eternal. And it’s a sight that truly has to be seen to be believed, really. After years of well-documented turmoil from within the band, it seemed impossible that they’d ever take to the stage again. Yet here they are, right in front of our eyes, after a long day of rehearsals for Big Reunion; the show that’s already relaunched the careers of nostalgic pop acts like Blue and 5ive. Well, the core trio of Eternal, anyway. You might remember a fourth member in Louise Redknapp (née Nurding), but she ceremoniously quit the band to pursue a solo career not long after the release of their wildly successful first album Always and Forever. The first album from a girl group to sell more than a million copies, thank you very much.
Anyway, this is the Eternal that toured the world, the Eternal that released the sublime Power of a Woman, the Eternal that was invited to the Vatican to perform for Pope John Paul II in 1995. Remember the single I Wanna Be the Only One? The single you just couldn’t escape in the late 90s? Yep, this is that Eternal. But after years of reported bigmoney offers to get back together, the big question on our lips is, well, why now? “It’s weird, but something that always sticks out in my mind is, well, every time somebody asked us individually, we all shared the same opinions,” explains Kéllé. The other girls are listening closely. “We weren’t speaking at the time, but I’d hear the responses from the other girls and all of us were like ‘no, no, no’. And we all shared the same reasons too. It was
79
r e h t s Ea never the right time for us, or the right opportunity for us, or it wasn’t where we wanted to go musically. For me that was a big surprise because, with so many differences, when it came down to the band, we were all in the same mindset with that one. “But for Big Reunion, it was all about timing. This is the right time for us all.” It was actually Louise who announced the – forgive the pun – big reunion. In an interview with The Times she revealed that she’d been contacted by ITV producers to rejoin the girls, had passed on the opportunity, but wished them well all the same. “She didn’t want to do it, hence it was just left to the three of us to plod along,” says Easther with a nervous laugh. And that’s about all we get from them on Louise; an undeniable elephant in the room. 80
Any further questions we do ask are greeted with chilly silence, a roll of the eyes and one-word answers. “Was there any fear your fans would be divided when Louise left the band?” “No.” And so on and so forth. It doesn’t take a journalism degree to know we’re wasting our time trying to get to the bottom of her departure, on this occasion. But maybe they have a right to be impatient when broached with this subject. It’s been nearly two decades since she left. It’s over. It’s done now. And with a controversial story lingering in Eternal’s history books of Kéllé being sacked from the band via fax back in 1998, it must’ve been hard enough trying to get this incarnation together. “I feel like it’s been quite cathartic actually,” says Kéllé. “This forced us to think about ourselves, our decisions, why we did what we did,
and forced us to face it and deal with it. The interviews for the show have been like counselling sessions. “No stone has been left unturned. I’ve been saying that if we didn’t go on to do anything else after this, that initial chat when we first sat down together again and working through all the stuff that caused the damage in the first place... for me, it was all worth it. Anything that else that comes now is just a bonus.” “This is a reunion and we’ve cleared the air,” adds Vernie. “We’re mature now. The mistakes we made, we made because of who we were then. Nothing’s going to change that. The reason why we’re able to turn things around is because of who we are now. It’s all about moving forward.” But how about the reality TV element of Big Reunion? The girls have always been so guarded with gaytimes.co.uk
[music]
Kel e their private lives, and we can hardly see one of them pulling a Lee Ryan and walking into the Celebrity Big Brother house. “Opening up our doors to this has been really hard,” says Vernie, “because me personally, I’m quite a closed book. Things have changed so much since we were last in the business. When we were all starting, it was all about the music, but today it’s more about what’s happening behind the music, which we’ve never had to do before.” People just want access to their popstars 24/7 now, don’t they? “Well, we’re on Twitter now,” she coos. “But that element, without the cameras, I actually like. I’m really up for speaking with the fans. I love that. I love touching base with the people who have been out and bought our records. At the concerts, when fans were stood outside, I’d go to the doors and sign autographs for gaytimes.co.uk
We’re mature now. The mistakes we made, we made because of who we were then. The reason why we’re able to turn things around is because of who we are now
them. Twitter is just another element of doing that.” And if anyone’s been vocal on Twitter about Eternal’s reformation, it’s been their gay fan base. As soon as the new series of the Big Reunion line-up was announced, the Gay Times Twitter feed was lit up with excited requests for us to get an interview. Which is why we had to ask, for you lot, just what they think about such a devoted following. “Anyone who was ever gay in our team – like hair or make-up – would always tell us directly what the gay community was saying,” says Kéllé. “They love all the hair and snap, snap, snaps. They love a powerful woman. To us, it’s a massive compliment. At the end of the day, Kylie is an icon. So anywhere you land under there is just great.” When we ask the girls to reflect on their favourite moment as
Eternal, it causes a tidal wave of excitement, enthusiastically replying with everything from touring the US to meeting Whitney Houston. But perhaps the biggest thing you need to take from this interview is the invigorating excitement that they have for the future; for making new memories. With or without Louise. “We have no idea what’s going to happen next,” says Easther. “We’re taking it step-by-step.” “We just want to get to Hammersmith and do a good job for our fans,” adds Vernie. “But we’re definitely open to more in the future.” Could that mean a full-blown reunion tour on the horizon? Our reply comes from all three of the girls, in an almost-harmonised union. “Watch this space.” Q Big Reunion airs on ITV2, Thursdays, 9pm. @eternalreunion, @kellebryan, @eastherbennet and @verniebennett
81
albums
[reviews]
Sky Ferreira Night Time, My Time We saw Sky Ferreira play live about a year ago and have been gagging for this album ever since. Our biggest concern was that she was turning away from her glacially cool ice-pop and threatening to burst into a bad Avril Lavigne tribute act. Thankfully, like a rock thrown into the sea, time has softened all her bratty edges into elegant, introspective indie pop with just an aftertaste of bubblegum. Her big hit, Everything Is Embarrassing is cleverly an album closer, a bass-ackwards way of reaching her new sound, showcased by the superlative opening track Boys. Other highs include the soft and cute Love In Stereo and
82
Shit Robot We Got A Love An album that deservedly belongs on DFA records, it plays out like a more extreme and eclectic take on the Hot Chip genre of dance. It starts like an electro disco Avalanches DQGEHIRUHORQJ\RX·UHLQWRIXQNLHU territory that marks the whole album. Parody runs wild as Feels Real is an almighty mish-mash of Sylvester (not surprisingly), Barry Gibb and the Scissor Sisters, whereas tracks like Do It Right go well beyond homage with the whole “Jack Your Body” refrain referencing a million LQÁXHQWLDOVRQJV:H·GUDWKHUWKH Reynolds Girls. QQQQQ
Christina Perri Head Or Heart Four million sales in the States are not to be VQLIIHGDWDQGVKH·V got her sights on Europe, the spiritual homeland to her anthemic big-lunged piano ballads. Perri sounds like a smoother incarnation of Regina Spektor (especially on tracks like I Believe) with the odd Björk intonation. A cheerful duet with Ed Sheeran should ensure her successful invasion. QQQQQ Pillar Point Pillar Point In the middle of the last decade it felt as if Swedish synth pop was going to take over the
ZRUOGDQGLW·VQLFH to know that bands like The Tough Alliance have left a legacy. Whether this American act have even heard of them is an unknown, but if you like your scuzzy electro-indie, Pillar Point are worth a peek. QQQQQ The War On Drugs Lost In The Dream The countless Bruce 6SULQJÀHOGPRPHQWV on this record are uncanny, not just in the vocals. At times LQYRNLQJ+LV¶Q· Hers era Pulp, the lyrics fuzzily echo across Patrick Wolf bassoons, while they have an Arcade Fire knack for instrumentation and driving a song along. QQQQQ
Lea Michelle Louder This is (unsurprisingly) Glee-full and uplifting, a perfectly slick collection of triumphover-adversity, “turn that frown upside down” capital-P pop. Lea mixes her metaphors with reckless abandon; with a heart too drunk to drive, love LVDEDWWOHÀHOG²WKHRQO\FOLFKHVKH GRHVQ·WÀGGOHZLWKLVKDYLQJKHURZQ money. Louder, the obvious next single, is Clarkson and Perry-esque in its brunette ambition, whereas Cue The Rain sounds insincere and plastic by standing so close to Adele. Lea is DWKHUPRVWFRQYLQFLQJZKHQVKH·V GRLQJDOOJXQVEOD]LQJZRR,·PJUHDW pop, rather than trying to reach out to those heartstrings. QQQQQ gaytimes.co.uk
[music] WORDS BOB HENDERSON IMAGES GRANT SINGER
METRONOMY ----------
Going from bedroom producers to future Field Day headliners, it’s about time we had Metronomy on these pages. On the verge of releasing their *counts on fingers* FOURTH album, we’re chatting to lead singer Joseph Mount about the romantically, archaically named record Love Letters. “I guess it’s like Jay Z when he rapped about the Loch Ness monster,” he says, “it’s me showing my age a bit. Hopefully people are still sending letters romantically, but maybe they’ve got no idea…” at which point we revel in a bit of pre-internet nostalgia and half-mourn the death of the CD single and music retail. It’s a fair reflection of the recording process, as Metronomy’s latest album has been recorded the old fashioned way; all analogue sounds, organ driven and she-wop backing vocals. And the thing that really defines the Metronomy
gaytimes.co.uk
sound to us, is their Bossa nova-tinged drum beats that we have the audacity to call “cheap”. “I think in general, the proper drum sounds have got better…” Joe rightfully defends his choices. “I still buy these little drum machines, there’s something about them that I find characterful. But I can’t explain it,” he laughs, “it’s in my bones!” It’s fair to say their signature sound has got them far, having weathered enough fads, trends and line-up changes, they have pretty much made it. But it’s far from an overnight success story. “I remember going to the job centre they were saying ‘oh, what kind of jobs are you after?’ and I was like, ‘well, I’ve just done a degree, I’m a musician, so I’d like production jobs. If you know any people that have come to the Brighton Job Centre needing some pop production, I’m the guy’.” Nowadays, people are knocking on his door. Nicola Roberts asked him to
write a Girls Aloud song (he was too busy on tour, boo!) and the first Lady of Gaga commissioned a remix – not one of her best songs and in need of some reworking. We’re talking You and I. “If I do stuff like that,” says Joe of the remixing process, “I try to turn it into songs that I find exciting. With that one as well, I prefer mine to the original. Which is what I tried to do.” Conversations drifts gaywards and it turns out he’s only done two gay magazine interviews before, and those were in Australia and America. Which is where he is, apparently, taking over the scene. “Anna, our drummer, was in America with Little Boots and she said to me, ‘oh, do you know you’re becoming a gay icon in LA?’ and I was like ‘what are you talking about?!’ But it seems like we’re arriving in that world which is something I’m very happy about.” Q Love Letters is out 10 March, metronomy.co.uk, @metronomy
83
THE FALL GUY WORDS RYAN BUTCHER
84
gaytimes.co.uk
[music]
Love them or hate them, Fall Out Boy are back. Not only that, but they’re coming to the UK for their first major tour in years. We caught up with Pete Wentz – honorary friend-of-the-gays and the man who made guyliner sexy for first time since Boy George – to talk Elton John, equal marriage and whether or not they really are here to save rock and roll Left to right Andy Hurley, Patrick Strump, Pete Wentz and Joe Trohman
gaytimes.co.uk
When your first proper album in five years is called Save Rock and Roll, you’re painting a bit of a bullseye on your back right from the off. But then again, Fall Out Boy have never been the kind of band that holds back. Following on from 2008’s belting, but altogether commerciallydisappointing, Folie à Deux, sugar, they’ve come back swinging. Save Rock and Roll is made up of slick, powerful lust-fuelled punk rock, and collaborations with two of the biggest living LGBT icons – Sir Elton John and Courtney Love. Safe to say, for a band made up of four straight guys, this is far and away their gayest album yet. “It was actually Elton who told us to name it Save Rock and Roll,” laughs the band’s bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz. You can tell he enjoys telling this story. “And when Elton John gives you advice, you kinda have to take it.” It’s not the most obvious pairing in the world – possibly the biggest and most influential gay artist of all time, and a scrappy punk band with an almost cult-like status from Chicago, Illinois. But it works. And it’s a standout track from an absolutely gem-packed album. “It was pretty crazy how that all came out,” explains Pete. “Elton reached out to us about doing something for one of his anniversaries, and it turned out he was a fan of our music. I wasn’t at the sessions myself, but [lead singer] Patrick was, and Elton actually sings the lyric ‘save rock and roll’. “He says to us, ‘You know what’ll piss people off? Call the album Save Rock and Roll’. So we did!” And it worked. Released in the summer of last year, the criticallylauded album spawned some of the catchiest pop-rock singles we’ve heard in quite some time, from The Phoenix to My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark, and will form the basis of their mammoth arena tour coming to the UK in March.
85
the fall guy
[reviews]
be one of those things that in 30 years time, we’re going to be struggling to explain and justify. Like slavery. People will find it hard to believe that we wouldn’t let two people who love each other get married because they were the same sex. “It’s up to the youth, though, to speak up and take this forward. Like with what’s going on in Russia. We were playing shows out there a few months ago and we were speaking to kids after the show, and they were telling us what’s going on isn’t a representation of what they want. They want to embrace and welcome western culture, but people everywhere need to make their voices heard if things are going to change.” You see, there’s always been something about Fall Out Boy and their lyrics that appeals to young, gay teenagers who’re interested in rock and roll, punk and being a little different. It’s not a million miles removed from what The Smiths represented 30-some years ago, who Pete has long withheld are a major influence on his
Their first proper shows on these shores in quite some time. “It’s different for us now, we’re a rock and roll band but we’re being played on pop radio – especially in the UK. It’s awesome. We always wanted to play big arenas, and this record is going to give us the chance to play some of the older stuff in that setting as well. Like stuff from [debut album] Take This To Your Grave. “Everyone is going to have their own favourite song – but luckily for us, our songs aren’t very long, so if they don’t like one, it’s over pretty quickly,” he laughs. “But we’re going to make sure we play some of the old favourites, too.” Despite playing what is commonly deemed your typical rock band’s most-tertiary instrument, Pete was actually the one thrust into the limelight after the band’s commercial breakthrough, as his 86
three million Twitter followers will attest to. In fact, he’s grabbed headlines in the way you’d expect from a frontman – from his infamous spat with The Killers’ Brandon Flowers, to bringing back guyliner, to, ahem, those pictures that leaked on the internet. But perhaps, more importantly, he’s been one of the most outspoken advocates of LGBT rights and same sex marriage in modern American pop culture; a regular attendee of protest rallies against California’s anti-gay Proposition 8 from a few years back, which sought to overturn previously-permitted same-sex marriages. When it comes to gays with an interest in alternative culture, Pete has been one of our biggest allies. “Homophobia, in the United States at least, is really one of the last bastions of hate and prejudice we have left,” Pete tells us. “It’s going to
It’s doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, as long as you’re not prejudice in any way, then you can hang with us
writing process. “For me, the lyrics came from listening to bands from Manchester in the 80s, and they spoke to people who were considered outsiders. I don’t think they were meant to translate all the way to someone over in the midwest United States, but it went that way for us. “The thing with us, though, is it’s about inclusion, you know? It doesn’t matter who you are or where you came from, but as long as you’re not homophobic, racist or sexist then we’d be in your gang, or you could be in our gang, or whatever. As long as you’re not prejudice in any way, then you can hang with us.” A gang that’s all about massive pop-rock tunes, tight jeans, tattoos and equality? Sign us up. We’ll see you on the tour. Q Fall Out Boy kick off their seven-date UK tour at Cardiff Motorpoint Arena on 15 March. falloutboy.com, @petewentz
gaytimes.co.uk
[music] WORDS BOB HENDERSON IMAGES CHARLIE BROPHY
DJ Cassidy ft Robin Thicke and Jessie J Calling All Hearts It has all the class and stamina of an S Club 7 Song, though will undoubtedly be several times more successful. Q Gary Barlow and Elton John Face to Face Our mum used to watch Elton John videos while doing the ironing and, like a passive smoker, we got an earful. Explains a lot. And we had lots of female friends who liked Take That. This song is a provocative Proustian Madeleine of memories. Q DJ Fresh ft Jay Fay & Ms Dynamite Dibby Dibby Sound A surprise hit, and much needed bump to the Ms '\QDPLWH HLHL SURÀOHQ Teeth Eat Spit Queer (well, at least one that we know of) noisy bastards KDYHJRQHSRSLW·VJRWDUHSHDWHG hammering Chez GT. Q Shakira ft Rihanna Can’t Remember To Forget You A ska pop verse tag teamed with a heavy rock chorus gives this the feeling of early No Doubt. Q Pixie Lott Nasty Indeed. Q Paloma Faith Can’t Rely On You Though it sounds like an aborted Blurred Lines demo, the video is hilariously pretentious and we love it. Q Le Youth Dance With Me A pop quiz worth of samples and sounds. Can we please get all gay bars to replace No Scrubs with this? Ta. Q Lily Allen Air Balloon A Paper Planes for the playground, the former GT cover star is back on top form, with her surreal pop formula. Q
[tracklist]
Totes Emosh! Mega Emotion is the name, crush-inducing cute indie pop is the game. This Norwich based tweecore band are in their infancy, having self released just one song through Bandcamp, a mighty debut single called Brains. A glorious mix of noisy guitars and throbbing synths, it’s a private bedroom party where the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were invited and anyone can join in. You’ll be swept up in cute harmonies before you realise the opening lyric is actually the acidic “move motherfucker, ‘cos boy you’re boring me”. Behind the harmonised female backing vocals and the nerdy male one in the middle, there lies a stealthy dance sensibility to everything they do. They have all the charm and fun of the first unsigned band on Top of the Pops (that was lo-fi pioneers Bis), and yet half their songs would sit happily on the latest Kitsuné Maison compilation. This needs to happen. They’re already in with the indie mafiosa of Fortuna Pop, and their live shows are visually fragile and sonically solid. So, best pitch up on their Bandcamp. Here: Q megaemotion.bandcamp.com
glajam m All the T Rex albums you never wanted are being lovingly re-issued to co-incidentally tie in with a UK tour of a new Marc Boland inspired musical called – wait for it – 20th Century %R\6RWKDW·V$ Beard of Stars and T Rex being given the solo treatment while a double CD set comprises of Tanx and Zina Alloy
gaytimes.co.uk
and the Riders of Tomorrow/A Creamed Cage. 7KHUH·VDGRXEOH vinyl available for those looking for the authentic scratchiness, and the obligatory bonus disc of rarities accompany each CD. There are some limited edition 7”s being slung out too, but \RX·OOKDYHWRJR to theboxsetstore.
co.uk to get them. 7KDW·VDZKROH lot of material, tellingly billed as buried treasure, EXWLW·VXVHIXOWR NQRZLI\RX·UH a glam rock obsessive looking to go beyond the greatest hits. Otherwise, you might want to just stick to Get It On, which is 99p on iTunes, off Electric Warrior. Q
87
“COLOURFUL, ASSURED, FIERCE AND SMART” TOTAL FILM
EVENING STANDARD
MAIL ON SUNDAY
Available to buy on DVD
ATTITUDE
FEBRUARY 10
th Pre-order now
Free Super Saver Delivery and Unlimited Free One-Day Delivery with Amazon Prime are available. Terms and Conditions apply. See Amazon.co.uk for details.
) '(&%'+* $+&'+* %(%'+'* + !**") *'( )+'%'*+ +*!#)) ) $*$ ( )+ +*!#))+& &#(*'($ &'!+&+$ ) + %"(+%'+(#&!%(%)'&" $("*+ %( + % +$ * %% &(%)'+&'! )'(* )#&#+!*(&%"%'+ )'*'%*'("+") &(*!+%'+( *+ %""&*+)+&'! #)$$+%'+( *+ *&#(+)+( *+*$(+ $$*+ ) '(#$%!*
""+ ) $*$+') +$)"!+* * (+ ")(+ +&++*!#))+ ) $*+&(
""+& &#(*'($+') +#*$*#*!
')( *#+!**") *'(+#)+
) '(&%'* $ )
) '(&(* #) *#(%*$ ) +
:25'6'$1,(/5,',1*)5$=(5/28*+
[print]
[reviews]
Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More Janet Mock It was in 2011 that Janet Mock publicly came forward as transgender in an article published in Marie Claire. 6LQFHWKHQVKH·VEHHQIRFXVLQJ her efforts on speaking about the struggles, triumphs and portrayals of transgender women. This book is her personal account of how she dealt with – and overcame – life growing XSLQDGLIÀFXOWVLWXDWLRQDQGJRLQJ through the process of transitioning into not only a beautiful woman, but also a spokesperson for the /*%7FRPPXQLW\,W·VDZHOOZULWWHQ ERRNWKDWLVÀOOHGZLWKUDZVHDULQJ emotion and is a wonderful account of survival and resiliency. QQQQQ
Sane New World: Taming the Mind Ruby Wax We all know Ruby Wax; the sassy American who ran around shouting on telly and sprinkled $E)DEVFULSWVZLWKÁRXULVKHVRIVDUFDVWLFMR\ Now a prominent mental health spokesperson, :D[GRHVQ·WMXVWVLWRQWKHVLGHOLQHVZLWKWKLV SXEOLFDWLRQ+HUERRNLVDERQDÀGHEHVWVHOOHU DQGLVÀQDOO\EHLQJUHOHDVHGLQSDSHUEDFN $WLWVFRUHWKHERRNVKRZFDVHVMXVWKRZDQG why our minds can get in the way of our sanity. $UPHGZLWKDPDVWHU·VGHJUHHIURP2[IRUG LQPLQGIXOQHVVEDVHGFRJQLWLYHWKHUDS\:D[ serves up a wry look at how we can control our own minds without forking out for a therapist. 7KLVLVQ·WDFOLQLFDOORRNDWPHQWDOKHDOWKLVVXHV WKRXJK,W·VZULWWHQIURPVRPHRQHZKRNQRZVDOO WRRZHOOMXVWKRZJRLQJDOLWWOHFUD]\FDQIHHO Brilliant in parts and always entertaining, this is an insightful guide into stopping your mind VSLUDOOLQJDOORYHUWKHSODFH$OWKRXJKWKLVLVQ·W DVHOIKHOSERRNZLWK:D[KHUVHOIGHVFULELQJLW as “a comedy about how the brain is”. It means Wax is genuinely insightful and rarely talks down to her audience. Perfect, then, for anyone who wants to take back control before it gets out of hand, and have a little giggle while doing it. Whodathunk! QQQQ Q
gaytimes.co.uk
Remembering Whitney: A 0RWKHU·V6WRU\ RI/LIH/RVVDQG the Night the 0XVLF6WRSSHG &LVV\+RXVWRQ After the worldwide devastation over the loss of a much loved GLYD:KLWQH\·V mother Cissy felt it about time to VKDUHKHUGLIÀFXOW side of the story. The world lost an icon, but a mother lost a daughter; a heartbreaking and honest account of love and loss, and GHÀQLWHO\DPXVW read. QQQQQ 7KH0DQ:KR ,QYHQWHG5RFN +XGVRQ 7KH 3UHWW\%R\VDQG 'LUW\'HDOVRI +HQU\:LOOVRQ 5REHUW+RÁHU This takes a look behind the scenes
RI+ROO\ZRRG·VVWDU making production line, in particular the man who invented Rock Hudson. Henry Willson is the man who took a handsome young man with bad teeth DQGUHGHÀQHG +ROO\ZRRG·V concept of the male heartthrob. QQQQQ 8JDQGD%H .LGGLQJ0H &KHOVHD+DQGOHU Sharp wit and dry humour are an expected trait of Ms Handler; combine it with her misadventures of an Africa safari, her kayak destruction in the Bahamas and other global misdemeanours and the result is a laugh out loud piece of comedic literature. QQQQQ
The AIDS Generation: Stories of Survival and Resilience Perry N Halkitis The AIDS Generation is a remarkable book that brilliantly illuminates a time of great loss and upheaval. As Dr Perry Halkitis informs us, the AIDS epidemic of the 80s was a profound experience of fear, hardship and the ultimate test of humanity. But more importantly, the book is littered with interesting and emotionally breathtaking accounts IURPPHQZKR·YHHQGXUHG+,9DQG AIDS for decades, and the fear and discrimination that comes with it. The authenticity and human emotion ZLWKLQWKHVHSDJHVPDNHWKLVDQH\H opening and wonderfully written work of literature. QQQQQ
89
paperback writer
[reviews]
Award-winning author Tom Rob Smith has sold millions of copies of his trilogy Child 44, The Secret Speech and Agent 6 worldwide. Now he’s back with a very different thriller, The Farm, and a TV series in the works. Rob opens up to GT about how a family tragedy inspired his gripping new novel, and visiting Tom Hardy on set for the movie adaptation of his debut novel WORDS JOHN MARRS
What is The Farm about? It’s a psychological thriller set on a Swedish farm. The premise is simple – Daniel is in London when he gets a phone call from his dad in Sweden to say his mum is very ill and in a psychiatric hospital, and Daniel needs to visit her. Then his mum calls to say everything his dad has said is a lie and he’s involved in a terrible conspiracy. Daniel has to decide whether to believe his mother or his father. Where did you get the idea? This happened to my family three years ago. I got the phone call from my 90
dad and I was going to the airport when my mum called. I met her at Heathrow Airport, brought her back to my flat and she told me in a concentrated four-hour burst a series of allegations about my dad. That must have been worrying? I had no experience of mental health problems, and I was drawing from clichés like One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, thinking as soon as she arrived at the airport, I’d instantly know whether she was ill or not. But she was so convincing, she never said anything implausible. It was like being hit by a wall of brilliant story telling. In the end I came down on the side of probability. How did you mum feel about her breakdown being the inspiration for this story? It would have been impossible to have written it unless my mum got better, which she did after treatment. I told her I wanted her story to be the basis of my novel and I think it’s hard for someone to comprehend what that actually means. It was still hard when she read the first draft but she came around to it. It’s a story about someone who I’m very proud of, although apart from her psychosis, the story is all fiction. Daniel has his own secrets too Yes, because if you have a character – in this case his mother – who is telling you secrets about someone, you want the person listening to have secrets of their own. And who keeps secrets better than a gay person who hasn’t come out? I hid my sexuality from my parents for years and years, so I knew very well how people can hide things and present something to someone so convincingly and even lie to yourself. When did you come out to your family? I was 22. I was writing a lot, and you cannot honestly be a writer and be in the closet. You have to analyse the psychologies of your characters and work out their truths. And if you can’t do that with yourself, what hope is
there for you as a writer? How did they react? I’d love to say they were thrilled and there was champagne. But the problem is I left it till the age of 22, so my parents hadn’t seen it coming. And I’d had very close relationships with girls. So my parents wondered how they didn’t see it. We hadn’t fallen out and no terrible words were said, but a gap opened up and it felt like it was going to be permanent. Then this event happened to my mum and we were thrown back together in a very intimate way. Do you wish you had come out earlier? I don’t have many regrets but I do regret not coming out at university because it wouldn’t have mattered. I’m glad I didn’t come out at school though because it would have been a disaster as it was a very homophobic place. Child 44 is being made into a film, starring Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace and Gary Oldman. Have you been on set? Yes, twice in Prague. There were little ‘pinch yourself’ moments where I’d go into the catering tent and there’d be a menu up with the words ‘Child 44 starter’ over the soup and I’d think ‘God, that’s the title I came up with.’ There’s a scene I watched between Tom and Noomi that I clearly remembered writing on my crappy laptop ten years ago. Watching them play it out was slightly surreal. Have you had any input into it? No, it was strange being divorced from the process but quite pleasant in some ways, because you don’t have to work on it – you sit around, enjoy the catering and watch a bit of filming. I won’t see the rough cut of it though. I am dying to see the film but I’m happy to wait until they’ve ironed out any problems and all the special effects have gone in. Each country your books are published in uses a different cover… Yes, because the cultural differences between countries are enormous. Some of the covers are beautiful and didn’t sell well and gaytimes.co.uk
[print] some are ugly and sold amazingly. Some of them are just plain weird. The Iranian copy of Child 44 has a picture of a dead child on the front. You live with your partner Ben Stephenson, drama commissioner at the BBC. Do you let him read your stories as you’re writing them? No. He’ll read an advanced copy but only once it’s in a good state. And I never read anything he’s working on. The first time I ever see anything he’s commissioned is at a screening. We’re always sharing opinions about stuff, but I have such particular tastes it’s unfair to pick up another writer’s project and start giving my thoughts. How long have you been together? For ten years; we met when I was script editor for Bad Girls and he worked as a development executive for the production company. It was one of the worst jobs I ever had and they hated me, so I only lasted five months; I didn’t even make the end of the series. So Ben was the only remnant that came from that experience! Do you plan to get married? Neither of us are really into ceremonies. Three years ago, it would’ve been a categorical “no”, but now I’m less categorical. It’s a great thing to say, “listen everyone, let’s have a party and celebrate it”, but you need the energy to want to do it because it takes a lot of work. And I don’t quite feel like I have the energy for it yet. What are you working on next? A TV series that will be finished in the summer. It’s five-episodes and a BBC2 and HBO production; a contemporary spy thriller set in London. I knew it had to be for TV because with a gay relationship at the centre of the story, it would have been impossible to fund a movie. Filming begins winter next year and I have one specific actor in mind – but I’ll weep if he doesn’t want to do it! Q The Farm is out now, published by Simon & Schuster UK, @tomrobsmith
gaytimes.co.uk
91
Thinking about parenting? You could be a family for the children who need one Lesbian, gay, bi and trans people oen have just what it takes to be a new family for a child to thrive in. It could be the most fulfilling, surprising, challenging and rewarding thing you have ever done.
More and more LGBT people are making a positve choice to adopt or foster, including many who are single, or over 40. From the 3rd – 9th March 2014, come to an event near you to hear about the children who need families, the process, and how adoption & fostering has changed the lives of other LGBT people in your area. The week is organised by “New Family Social”, a UK-wide social network run by LGBT adopters and foster carers, for families and families-to-be.
For more info, and to find your nearest events:
lgbtadoptfosterweek.org.uk | #lgbtadoptfoster
LGBTadoption &fostering
3rd – 9th March 2014
LONDON KITCHEN SHOP
SEE IN-STORE FOR CURRENT OFFERS Arch 70, Albert Embankment, Vauxhall, London SE1 7TJ Tel: 020 7793 9091
[email protected] Ace of Spades, Hook Rise North, Surrey KT6 5AT Tel: 020 8391 3699
[email protected]
MAKE A STATEMENT
LONDONKITCHENSHOP.COM
WORDS%(1-$0,1%877(5:257+
[stage]
[reviews]
Fame The musical that lives forever! And we just know you’re singing along already. The show is back and revamped for 2014, hitting the New Wimbledon Theatre in London before heading on a national tour. It’s got all the highs and lows that make great entertainment – triumph, heartbreak, romance, rivalry. It’s like a week in the GT office. And judging by this behind-the-scenes shot, it’s gonna be hot. Q )HE²-XQIDPHWKHPXVLFDOFRXN
5 Feb – 1 March That Dry January LQLWLDWLYHLVÀQDOO\ over with (as if anyone did it), DQGLW·VWLPHIRU DJXLOWIUHHWLSSOH again. But be FDUHIXOZKDW\RX have, as Drunk, WKHWKHDWUHGDQFH VKRZWHOOVWKH story of those the PRRGDOWHULQJ OLTXLGFODLPHG 7KHPFRQLHFRP SDQ\FRPQ
JD\WLPHVFRXN
Until 15 March &RPLQJIURPD VPDOOWRZQDQG wanting to head IRUWKHEULJKWOLJKWV LVDIHHOLQJPDQ\ DJD\PDQNQRZV 7KH0\VWDHWHOOV the story of three VFKRROIULHQGV GRLQJMXVWWKDW1RU PDOXQWLOWKH\PHHW in a secret cave to SHUIRUPDQFLHQW ULWXDOV%HDWV*$ <+DPSVWHDGWKHD WUHFRPQ
4-22 March ,W·VDELUG«,W·V DSODQH«,W·V 6XSHUPDQ1R ZHKDYHQ·WJRWWKH saying wrong – WKDW·VWKHQDPHRI
11-28 March ,WVHHPVJD\ DWKOHWHVDUHOLNH buses, and right QRZWKHUH·VSUDFWL FDOO\FRQJHVWLRQ :HUHFNRQ7KRPDV +LW]OVSHUJHU²WKH RXW3UHPLHU/HDJXH SOD\HU²ZRXOG HQMR\$ZD\)URP +RPHWKHVWRU\ RIWZRIRRWEDOOHUV ZUHVWOLQJZLWKWKHLU VH[XDOLW\2KER\V -HUP\QVWUHHWWKHD tre.co.uk Q
Until 10 May >6FRWWLVK$FFHQW@ 7KHUH·VEHHQ DPXUGHU2XU favourite detective saying, by far. Not one Poirot often utters, though. Now WKH$JHWKD&KULVWLH &RPSDQ\ VR PDQ\GHWHFWLYHV are bringing the 3RLURWWDOH%ODFN Coffee, to the stage IRUWKHÀUVWWLPH 7KHDWUHUR\DORUJ uk Q
93
cinema/disc
[reviews]
The Monuments Men George Clooney directs and stars in this quasi-true account of a platoon of art experts tasked with saving priceless treasures from destruction in the last days of WWII. The cast features John Goodman, Bob Balaban, Cate Blanchett and Bill Murray, and they’re a bunch of treasures too. Q Non-Stop Liam Neeson’s “particular set of skills” seem to have changed over time; back in Schindler’s List, they involved rescuing people from the Holocaust and winning Oscars; now, they involve firing a gun straight while on a free-falling aircraft. Q Need for Speed Now that most games are actually better than movies, being based on a video game is no bad thing. If this road race movie is a success, I have my fingers crossed for a Mario Kart trilogy. Q The Rocket Filmed on location in Laos, this is the story of a young boy who is determined to shake his reputation for bad luck by building a winning entry in a local rocket festival. If I had a reputation for bad luck, I might start out with something safer; an egg race, for example. Q
[also out]
Thor: The Dark World Disc0DUYHO·V superhero sequel swaps the New 0H[LFRVHWWLQJIRU/RQGRQDQGLW·VD WUHDWWRVHH&KULV+HPVZRUWK·V1RUVH god sliding down The Gherkin and ÁRXQFLQJDURXQG*UHHQZLFKLQKLVUHG cape. The plot involves Dark Elves, which I think are basically “Black Smurfs”, but mythological racism DVLGHWKHÀOPLVZRUWKZDWFKLQJIRUWKH ZLOOWKH\ZRQ·WWKH\EURPDQFHEHWZHHQ Thor and his effete half-brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston). QQQQQ Blue Jasmine Disc,ZRXOGQ·WOHW Woody Allen date my sister, but he can still be trusted to turn in a decent script, and Cate Blanchett and Sally Hawkins act the hell out of it. The tale of a fallen New York socialite who is forced to bunk with her bohemian DGRSWHGVLVWHULW·VELWWHUO\IXQQ\DQG ZHOOREVHUYHGEXW$OOHQ·VGLUHFWLRQLV uncharacteristically clumsy, and the GHQRXHPHQW·VDOOWRRSUHGLFWDEOH QQQQQ Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 Disc Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who wrote/directed the deliciously unexpected original, have been too busy building The Lego Movie to helm WKLVIROORZXSEXWWKDW·VQRH[FXVHIRU not following their recipe for success. The assortment of sentient food-beasts are beautifully animated, and Barry the Strawberry deserves his own spinoff, but this disappointing sequel keeps dolloping out the puns when all you really wanted was a dash of charm. QQQQQ
300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE One of the highlights of 300 was Rodrigo 6DQWRUR·VQLQHIRRW tall, gold-coated god-king Xerxes, who supposedly hailed from Persia, but had clearly just stepped off the
94
boat from Whore Island. Having dispatched Gerard %XWOHU·V/HRQLGDV in the Battle of Thermopylae, KH·VXSDJDLQVW 6XOOLYDQ6WDSOHWRQ·V Themistocles in this
blood-soaked, barechested sequel. Are a bunch of Athenians up to the challenge of beating him off? If you went to an expensive school, \RX·OODOUHDG\NQRZ the answer. Q
Escape Plan Disc Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone are forced to combine their years of experience to escape the FRQÀQHVRIDIRUPXODLFVFULSWLQWKLV futuristic prison-break adventure. It PD\EHWKHLUÀUVWÀOPWRJHWKHUDVFR stars, but they have the chemistry (and looks) of an old married couple. The action has a neat balance between oldschool nostalgia and inventive thrills, and there are fun turns from Sam Neil and, erm, Vinnie Jones. QQQQQ gaytimes.co.uk
[screen] WORDS MILO WAKELIN / DAVID CUMMINS
The Grand Budapest Hotel Cinema:HV$QGHUVRQ·VH[TXLVLWH QHZÀOPRSHQVXSOLNHDSRZGHUSLQN GROO·VKRXVHWRUHYHDODWDEOHDXYLYDQW of a long-lost, picture-postcard Old Europe. This tale of the friendship between Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), a wet-behind-the-ears lobby boy, and Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes), a fastidious hotel concierge, is whimsical but never twee, and features perfectlypitched performances from a cast of old pros (including Tilda Swinton, Willem Dafoe and the inevitable Bill Murray). With missing paintings, PXUGHUVMDLOEUHDNVDQGVNLFKDVHV LWIHHOVOLNHDQDXWHXUHSLVRGHRI ¶$OOR¶$OORDQGWKDW·VDQLUUHVLVWLEOH combination. QQQQQ
Nymphomaniac / Nymphomaniac Volume II Cinema 6KLD/D%HRXI·VORXV\(QJOLVKDFFHQWLVWKH RQO\OLPSHOHPHQWLQ/DUVYRQ7ULHU·VGHOLFLRXVO\ clever, gleefully provocative ensemble exploration of sex, sexuality and desire. Charlotte Gainsbourg plays Joe, a self-declared Q\PSKRPDQLDFZKRLVIRXQGO\LQJEURNHQLQ DQDOOH\E\6HOLJPDQ 6WHOODQ6NDUVJnUG D self-declared asexual. Recovering in his sparse apartment, she recounts her life story while 6HOLJPDQORRNVRQVHHPLQJO\QRQSOXVVHG 7ROGRYHUWZRÀOPVWKHHSLVRGLFVWUXFWXUH HYRNHVDFRPELQDWLRQRI3LHU3DROR3DVROLQL·V 6DOz 'D\VRI6RGRPDQG:RRG\$OOHQ·V Everything You Always Wanted to Know About 6H[6WDQGRXWVHTXHQFHVLQYROYH8PD7KXUPDQ DQGD´ZKRULQJEHGµ-DPLH%HOODQGDVRIDDQG Stacy Martin and a train carriage. Oh, and you get to see hard ons. Lots and lots of hard ons. 9ROXPH,KDVWKHMDXQW\DLURIDFKHHN\V SRUQREXW9ROXPH,,WDNHVDGDUNHUWXUQPDNLQJ you feel increasingly complicit in the cruelty that ensues. Perhaps being a nymphomaniac LVIXQZKHQ\RX·UH\RXQJEXWWUDJLFZKHQ \RX·UHROGHU",·OOKDYHWRZDLWDQGVHHEXWLQWKH PHDQWLPHYRQ7ULHU·VVH[XDOSROLWLFVPDNHIRU uncomfortable viewing. QQQQ Q / QQQQQ
JD\WLPHVFRXN
Day of the Flowers Disc Ballet legend and living god Carlos Acosta is underexposed and underused in this odd rom-com about mismatched sisters who travel from Scotland to Cuba in search of a family secret. Despite the setting, WKHUH·VQRWKLQJ revolutionary about the plot, but if you have to watch someone go through the motions, it may as well be Carlos. QQQQQ Stalingrad Cinema This mega-budgeted 3D Russian war movie featured over 1,000 extras, VR\RX·GKDYH thought that one of them would have
realised they were PDNLQJDFRPHG\ not the hoped-for SDWULRWLFHSLF/LNH that shirtless photo of President Putin RQKRUVHEDFN\RX have to admire the spectacle, but LW·VKDUGWRNHHSD straight face. QQQQQ Phantom of the Paradise Disc This lavish HD release of De 3DOPD·VGHPHQWHG URFNRSHUDJLYHV 7KH5RFN\+RUURU Picture Show a run for its money in terms of camp excess, cult status, and sing-along SRWHQWLDO/LNH 5RFN\+RUURU\RX·OO either love it to bits, or hate it with the passion of a thousand burning suns. QQQQQ
Under the Skin Cinema Scarlett Johansson plays a space alien who drives around Scotland in a van, FR\O\DVNLQJWKHORFDOVIRUGLUHFWLRQV before tempting them home for an evening of full-frontal nudity DQGDEGXFWLRQ0LFKDHO)DEHU·V novel would have made a fantastic comedy or a lousy horror movie, but Jonathan Glazer has chosen to turn it into a middle-of-the-road art-house meditation instead. There are moments of brilliance, but mostly -RKDQVVRQORRNVEHZLOGHUHGDQG it rains a lot. I suspect they just let KHURXWDORQJWKH$DQGÀOPHG her reactions: “what the FUCK am I doing in this hellhole? And why does HYHU\RQHORRNVRLOO"µQQQQQ
95
HUGE RANGE OF
NEW SEASON JOCKS & PANTS
NOW IN-STORE
WWW.PROWLER.CO.UK SOHO 5-7 Brewer Street, Soho, London, W1F 0RF, 020 7734 4031* BRIGHTON 112-113 St James’s Street, Brighton, BN2 1TH, 01273 683 680* BIRMINGHAM 29-30 Stephenson Street, Birmingham, B2 4BH, 0121 665 6379
WORDS TIM MITCHELL
[geek]
[reviews]
The hammer is my penis Neil Patrick Harris and Joss Whedon. Enough said! The cast RI'U+RUULEOH·V Sing-Along Blog have never looked EHWWHU,I\RXGRQ·W know it already this is the story of one tragic heroine, one swaggering hero, one supervillain and one very bad horse. Q
7KDW·VKRZZH roll Perfect for Dungeons and Dragons night! Now we can all score a critical hit and keep our potions of vitality [booze] chilled at the same time. Also ideal for when your poor bard ends up with an arrow in his/her/ its bum cheek in the middle of a big boss battle! Q
Meth. Not even once We saw it again and again. Whatever you thought Breaking %DG·VUHFXUULQJ appearance of the pink teddy bear and later just its eyeball [sob] represented, this replica keychain is a fantastic way to pay homage to modern chemistry king Walter White. Q
OCEAN’S [LEGS] ELEVEN Sure to hit the sweet spot of any heroine addict. Black Canary. Zatanna Zatara: Bloodspell. Buxom babes, big explosions, fistfights and fishnets. What more can a guy ask for? If you’re not already a dedicated disciple of these femme fatale powerhouses, you can take our word for it. This isn’t going to be your run of the mill comic book hooterfest. Writer Paul Dini, one of the great minds behind Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League, says this stand-alone graphic novel (set outside of the New 52 continuity) is, at its heart, a story exploring the friendship of two incredibly diverse personalities and how they interact over a number of years. Both Zatana and Black Canary are daughters of Golden Age superheroes, this story starts in their childhoods. The meat of the story goes something like this: Black ops babe, Bird of Prey, master of the martial arts and all gaytimes.co.uk
around superhero, Black Canary, infiltrates a gang of female criminals set to pull an Ocean’s Eleven in a famous Las Vegas casino. This girl gang’s leader is a bit of a dark horse, whose passions include brutality and the occult. [Think Dark Willow, if she were in Prisoner Cell Block H]. Things go south when the gang leader refuses to be taken alive and pulls some mad voodoo which sends her screaming into her grave, swearing vengeance from the beyond [all the standard villain threats]. Fast-forward one year and, with a supernatural force punching the dance card of all the remaining gang members, Canary must turn to her friend to help investigate. Enter Zatanna Zatara, the Justice League’s – backwards speaking – heavy artillery when it comes to magic. With words by Paul Dini and art from Joe Quinones this is one original graphic novel that will be ELBASSIMNU! Q
ay, caramba!
LEGO are celebrating the 25th anniversary of America’s animation royalty, The Simpsons. Now you can recreate hilarious scenes in square miniature form with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie and neighbour Ned Flanders. Build the Simpson house, their battered pink car and that famous family couch! Ten additional characters will follow on sale to tie in with an upcoming LEGO episode of the show. But step on one of these bricks with your bare feet and you’ll be shouting more than Doh! Here’s hoping for a Tree House of Horrors Halloween makeover expansion pack! Q
97
idle hands
[reviews]
[apps]
Momondo Places hEHUVW\OLVK city guide for iPads, with great interactivity and design combining to GHOLYHUDVXSHUEO\ SHUVRQDOLVHG H[SHULHQFH²ZLWK guides available RQDQGRIÁLQHRQFH downloaded Q
Pinterest Is Pinterest still a thing? Did it ever really become a thing? Well Pinterest certainly thinks so and its QHZL3DGDSS² bringing the design XSWRVSHHGZLWK L26²FHUWDLQO\ WDONVDJRRGÀJKWQ
ES M A G Thief Game of the Month One of the old guard when it comes WRÀUVWSHUVRQVWHDOWKDWKRQVJHWV DVKLQ\QH[WJHQVSLWDQGSROLVKDV the Thief returns. GT has had an H[FOXVLYHKDQGVRQZLWKWKH36 YHUVLRQRIDQHDUFRPSOHWHEXLOGDQG FDQSURIHVVUHOLHILQÀQDOO\VHHLQJD JDPHWKDWWUXO\IHHOVQH[WJHQ7KH IUHHUXQQLQJDQGFUHHSLQJERWKIHHO ZRQGHUIXOO\RUJDQLFDQGWKHSVHXGRPHGLHYDO ZRUOG\RXVSHQGWLPHLQJHQXLQHO\IHHOVWKH SDUWZLWKFRQYLQFLQJYRLFHDFWLQJDQGD brilliantly layered soundtrack all adding to an LPSUHVVLYHÀUVWSHUVRQH[SHULHQFH6RPHRI WKHFKDUDFWHUPRGHOVPLJKWORRNDOLWWOHODVW JHQFRPSDUHGWRZKDWZHNQRZLVWRFRPHEXW OLJKWLQJDQGDWPRVSKHULFHIIHFWVJHQHUDWHDORW RIJRRGZLOOWRZKDWLVDÀQHORRNLQJDQGFODVV\ JDPLQJH[SHULHQFH7KHVWRU\FRPPHQFHV DPRQJWKHURRIWRSVRIDEXVWOLQJWRZQZLWKD challenge to steal a jewel and intuitive “training” sections that feel like fully formed elements of WKHJDPHUDWKHUWKDQVWUDSSHGRQIRUHIIHFW)DU EHLWIRUXVWRUXLQWKHSORWEXWVXIÀFHWRVD\ things take a turn from there. Essential. Q Available on PS4 and Xbox One, 28 February
Max: The Curse of Brotherhood We’re a bit late to this party but this is quite simply an essential download – a simply beautiful side-scroller following a boy’s quest to reclaim his brother from the monsters he brought into being. Joyous. Q Available to download on Xbox One
Lightning Returns Lightning is one of the heroes of the iconic Final Fantasy series and the subject of some very questionable slash fiction – and here she is in her own Final Fantasy-lite adventure. Look at the size of her sword, etc. Q Available on PS3 and Xbox 360
Rayman Legends Rightly judged to be one of the best platformers of this or any other generation, the former Wii U exclusive comes to PS4 and Xbox One to brighten up even the dreariest of Februarys. A must have. Q Available on PS4 and Xbox One, 21 Feb
98
gaytimes.co.uk
[tech] WORDS MIKE HIRD
Easier On The Wallet
Blow The Budget
)XMLÀOP)LQH3L[ S9400W Wi-Fienabled with 50x optical zoom, a brand new image stabilisation system for movie recording and full HD video capture at a price that ZRQ·WFULSSOH From £269, Fuji.co.uk Q
)XMLÀOP;6 A big month for Fuji – two entries in GT and the debut of its worldbeating X100S with an all-black ÀQLVK3UREDEO\ not an entry-level camera… £999, Fuji.co.uk Q
02
01
HAPPY SNAPPING
Always preferring to champion a delineation between activities – such as not using Grindr during a date – GT this month takes a look at a gadget that forces you to put the smartphone down. While it’s heartening to see that phones haven’t taken over completely when it comes to photography, there’s a wealth of hardware to choose from. Here’s our pick of the new crop Q
gaytimes.co.uk
GT Pick
03
Nikon D3300 Powerful, comfortable to carry and effortless to operate, the small and lightweight Nikon D3300 allows you to enjoy superior DSLR image quality while keeping things simple. From £499, Nikon.co.uk Q
99
essentials
[03/14]
Paul Smith x Woolmark The Woolmark Company and British designer Paul Smith have formed a collaboration that will see Australian Merino wool highlighted across the Paul Smith 0HQ·VFROOHFWLRQ for Autumn Winter 2014. The collection includes four suits shown at LC:M.
Adidas Stan Smith
01
ON TREND THIS MONTH’S MUST HAVE ITEMS 100
With more than 40 million pairs VROGLW·VVDIHWR say this popular piece of footwear is one of the most iconic styles in existence. And, WKDQNIXOO\LW·V back! Originating as a tennis shoe, it boasts a simple style that can be worn daily. Make a IRUPDORXWÀWVXFK as chinos and shirt casual with a pair of Stan Smith, or pop them on with a pair of jeans for that full casual look.
02
Clarks x Patternity Clarks is often thought of as a brand for the older generation, but it really is for everyone. This latest collaboration with London-based pattern specialists Patternity are for those who want a little something different. Patternity have partnered up with Clarks Originals to give a little life into the iconic desert boot, creating an exclusive graphic using a bold lacquered geometric print on suede. These boots certainly reimagine the style so famously created by Nathan Clark all those years ago. Q
03 gaytimes.co.uk
[style] WORDS LLOYD-SCOTT TYLER / DARCY RIVE
LC:MEN THE GT STYLE TEAM SASHAYED DOWN TO THE BI-ANNUAL LONDON COLLECTIONS: MEN TO CHAT TO A COUPLE OF THIS YEAR’S MOVERS AND SHAKERS, AND SEE FIRSTHAND WHAT WE’LL BE WEARING FOR AUTUMN/WINTER 2014 Oliver Spencer, designer In little more than a decade the name of Oliver Spencer has become synonymous with luxury contemporary menswear. A firm favourite among the likes of Michael Fassbender and Simon Amstell, the self-taught artisan consistently delivers clothes that mix traditional tailoring with popular streetwear nuances – successfully creating a wardrobe for the modern masculine man. Taking direct inspiration from hunting and military silhouettes, Spencer gives a contemporary twist with bold colours and an unabashed appreciation for eye-catching patterns, like paint splatter, stripe and plaid ----------
What was the inspiration behind your Autumn/Winter 2014 collection? I was inspired by Le Corbusier, who was an artist and an architect. It’s about urban renewal, so it’s about taking old things and attitudes and bringing them forward into the 21st century, I suppose. What’s your AW14 style tip? Nylon. Wide leg nylon gaytimes.co.uk
trousers. Terrific. We’ve spotted quite a few exposed ankles on your models Yeah, we might need a few more socks. People always accuse me, “Men don’t walk around in the middle of winter with no socks on!” [Laughs] It’s all about socks. Your clothes always bridge the gap between the classic and the contemporary. Where does that influence come from? It’s just the way I dress – in fact, [stylist] William Gilchrist said to me this morning, “this collection more than any other that you’ve done is most like what you would wear” and it really is. I mean, I love it all, I’m really happy with it all. You’ve said that you design clothes for the “modern man”. Who is he? He’s independent. He’s well educated in his taste for clothing. This is a guy who knows what he likes. He doesn’t need to be seen, but he wants to be heard. What do you love about London Collections: Men? Listen, I’m one of the most outspoken people ever, and it’s only my second season showing at LC:M, but menswear in London is brilliant. I think we’re way ahead of the curve. Only the Japanese touch us when it comes to menswear, and they don’t touch us really – they follow us. Q
4 AW1
101
london collections: men
[03/14]
Gordon Richardson Creative Director, Topman Topman Design has given the high street brand a firm fixture in the acclaimed LC:M schedule, showing twice yearly. This year, the show was produced to perfection, with rain to finish off the final walk. The collection had a rock star feel to it, filled with black with reds and blue dotted throughout. ----------
4 1 W A
102
Who is the Topman Design man? A guy who has an interest in fashion and in looking good. What’s your three key items for Autumn/Winter 2014? Next season is all about simple, timeless pieces that have had a fashion “overhaul”. Key pieces would be a bomber in leather or wool, or a combination of the two. What was the inspiration for AW14 collection? The setting and mood came from the idea of
tough northern boys who would’ve worked in the old shipyards. Inspiration came from looking at fisherman’s knits, fishing nets, rusted keels and timeless clothing from duffles to pea coats, interpreted in a modern way with bonded rubber and PVC. Topman Design is so different from the mainline collections. Is that a conscious decision? Do you design the core range with one guy in mind? Topman Design, as well as being for the more fashion forward of our customers, is also the seeding ground for future mainline collections, with ideas featured in the show appearing later in the season across certain products. Why do you think LC:M is becoming bigger and better each season? Menswear was always a neglected part of fashion in the UK, and had never had a platform such as LC:M to parade its wares. Now that it’s firmly established as the event to attend for international buyers to witness the most diverse and exciting designs in the world, it will naturally expand, as more and more global menswear designers and brands jostle for inclusion. If you could only have one piece from the new collection what would it be? Always the hardest question as, naturally, I liked a lot of the collection, but I’m going to say the cropped duffle. Q
gaytimes.co.uk
[style] Finn Donnelly, model When it comes to London Collections: Men, we’ll be honest – it’s the sight of those models on the catwalk, with their razor sharp cheekbones and six pack abs, that makes the rushing from one show to the other so worthwhile. Finn Donnelly from AMCK Models is a prime example of this, walking for the likes of Richard James and Savile Row this season. We caught up with Finn to chat modelling, style and sparkly white hot pants… ----------
How were you scouted to be a model? It was actually my brother Sam who started me off in the modelling world. I was 18 and had decided to take a gap year to try and see the world. It was a lovely idea, but in reality I was just at home in Bournemouth, going out every night. Sam suggested coming to London and doing a test shoot – shortly after, Elite signed and I moved to London full time. Had you considered modelling before? Not really. I come from a performing family – my two oldest brothers are actors and my brother Harvey is an acrobat in Cirque du Soleil. They’re all amazingly talented and have always known what they wanted to do, whereas I was just happy chilling and being the tallest of the four of us. And then one day, being 6’2 suddenly gave me a career! What was the biggest appeal to modelling? If I’m truly honest, it was the idea of the lack of hard work. I’d spent too long on building sites earning next to nothing as a young landscaper, breaking my back all summer. The idea of not doing much for a living thrilled me – until I got into modelling and realised it’s not easy at all.
gaytimes.co.uk
Sometimes I actually miss the building sites! What’s been your career highlight so far? One of my first jobs was the spring Jack Wills campaign and, to date, it’s one of the best jobs I’ve ever done. I was flown out to Cape Town and it was essentially three days of running around on a beach in South Africa half-naked with two other guys and three girls – not bad if you ask me. What’s been your worst job? I wouldn’t say I’ve had a bad job, but I was on a contract in Japan where things got a bit weird. One day I caught my reflection in a mirror and I was wearing sparkly white hot pants that left nothing to the imagination and there were these girls on set giggling hysterically. I started questioning what I was doing, but the more I thought about it, I started to think, “you know what, everyone has their hustle, this is mine and it’s earning me some serious yen!” How has your style changed since you became a model? I’m definitely more fashion conscious. I don’t really think my personal style has changed that much, but I’m more aware of what’s in and what’s not. I’m happiest in jeans and a t-shirt, comfy with a slight rocker edge. I do enjoy dressing up though and for certain occasions, only a three-piece suit will do. Q
103
london collections: men
[03/14]
Joseph Turvey, designer In just a couple of years, London College of Fashion alumnus and Fashion East protégé Joseph Turvey has gone from being the proverbial “one to watch” to the designer that everyone is watching. Season after season, Turvey has delivered a must-have collection, creating a signature style of masculine cuts and silhouettes in beautiful fabrics, perfect colours and daring prints. Like everyone else in the fashion industry, we waited with bated breath to see his latest collection – and true to form, Turvey did not disappoint. ----------
What was the inspiration behind your Autumn/Winter 2014 collection? There wasn’t really a main inspiration for this season. It was more about looking back at what my team and I had achieved so far, then redeveloping existing techniques and fabrics. We explored my prints in different fabrications and embroideries to create new textures and depths. I looked at my favourite William Morris print for this collection’s colour palette, so it includes lots of French blues, pale violet, camel and flashes of kingfisher blue. What’s your AW14 style tip? I think
104
you should always have a bomber jacket – a new one every season. I’ve never not done a bomber jacket. I love them. Who’s the man that you design for? I think it’s someone who appreciates British design and tailoring, but doesn’t necessarily want to stick to the traditional British aesthetic. He wants to wear something a bit special and understands that there’s a story behind the garment, which comes from the hand-drawn illustrations and different techniques that we try to explore every season. Especially in today’s economic climate, when not everyone has a disposable income, he wants to know he’s buying into a garment that has a real luxury to it. What do you love about menswear in London? There’s just such design diversity. You can go through every show in the LC:M schedule and they’re all completely different, which makes it so exciting. What other projects have you got coming up this year? We worked with New Era for a cap collaboration for AW14. We also have a River Island collaboration coming out at the end of February, which we’re launching with a Q&A session at the Marble Arch store. It’s a 16-piece collection that I’m thrilled to have sold in such an iconic high street brand. We’ve got a few more projects that are coming up in 2015 but I can’t discuss those just yet… Q
4 AW1
gaytimes.co.uk
[style] Hair apparent Fudge is a big sponsor of LC:M – and hairstyles are a key trend that naturally go from catwalk to high street, although often diluted versions of the original creations. We’ve listed some of our favourite styles and how to re-create them
LOU DALTON SHOW Hair styled by Naoki Komiya
KTZ SHOW Hair styled by ROKU for Fudge
----------
----------
To sit alongside the bleached out denim and washed out cords, the models were following through with a 90s vibe when it came to their hair. Sleek styles with off-centre partings and messy ends were the order of the day for longer haired models, pulled forward and textured, almost like a bouffant. Messy at the bottom, sleek at the top.
The monochromatic show from KTZ features metallic shades with an urban vibe and liberally spruced with embellishments. The hair is slick and no-nonsense. ----------
Step by step [01] Brush hair back with Fudge Hair Gum and a wide tooth comb to create VOHHNOLQHVDQGDZHWÀQLVK [02] Follow with Hair Cement for extreme hold.
----------
Step by step
[03] Place a hair net over the whole head and set the hair using a hair dryer to push down the hair so it is DVÁDWDVSRVVLEOH
[01] Spritz Fudge Urban Sea Salt on dry hair to create a dusty look. [02] Run through Fudge Urban 3In1 Miracle Moisture Stuff to make the hair look a little dirtier and greasier.
[04] Finish with Head Shine Q
[03] Finish by spraying lightly with the Fudge Urban Iced Raspberry & Vanilla Hair Spray. Q
All FudgeUrban products available at Superdrug or Superdrug.com, Fudge. com or call 020 7845 6333
KENT & CURWEN SHOW Hair styled by Stephen Low from Neville for Fudge ----------
The Kent & Curwen show took inspiration from British Naval dress uniform, representing a military look through quintessentially English preppy hairstyles. ----------
Step by step [01] Mist hair with Push It Up Blow Dry Spray to provide a natural hold and direction to the hair. [02] Create side parting and comb behind the ears. [03] Blow-dry using a round brush to direct the hair to the sides and back of the head. [03] )LQLVKE\UXQQLQJÀQJHUV through hair to give it a modern feel and apply a small amount of Fudge Skyscraper. Q
gaytimes.co.uk
105
interiors
[style]
The shows are over and the designers have revealed the looks to inspire us this season. Yes, this happens in furniture as well as fashion. Here are the stand-out products that caught our eye
The bowl
5LÁHVVLERZOJODVV
KDELWDWFRXN ----------
WORDS0$5..,1*
THE WANT LIST
The storage
3DOOHW7DOO'UDZHU 6\VWHPE\ -RLQHG-RLQWHG
joinedandjointed.com ----------
The lampshade
&DUW2Q&E\7DELWKD %DUJKOD\HUHG FDUGERDUG
WDELWKDEDUJKFRXN ----------
The armchair .XVWRP$UPFKDLU E\%DUNIXUQLWXUH PDGHWRRUGHU EDUNIXUQLWXUHFRP ----------
106
gaytimes.co.uk
[home] The chair Cowrie chair by Made in Ratio, shaped plywood, £2,000, madeinratio.com ----------
HT LIG INE &L
The print Ice by Howard Hodgkin, edition of 350, £1,000, countereditions.com ----------
The floor lamp %REE\ÁRRUODPS £60, habitat.co.uk ----------
Although only built in the 90s, Skywood House has become an architectural icon. All clean surfaces and long lines reflected lake-side in woodland, it has come to represent the idealised contemporary living space. You may not have heard of it, but you’ve certainly seen it, as it’s constantly used as a location for advertising and film. Quite an achievement for a four-bed in Uxbridge. This 272 page love letter documents Skywood’s life from sketch to build along with its impact on modern design and popular culture. Definitive coverage of a definitive building. Q Skywood House: The Architecture of Graham Phillips by Phyllis Richardson, £42, thamesandhudson.com
The fragrance Cut grass candle by The White Company, £16, thewhitecompany.com ----------
gaytimes.co.uk
! z t i spr It may be necessary to our diet, but overuse of salt can be hugely harmful to health. A quick spritz of this liquid salt instead is a healthier alternative as it contains 75% less sodium than table salt. Those creative French gourmands DW$·5RPKDYHDOVR gone a step further by adding the zest of citrus for chicken or salads and fresh mint for lamb. 0HUYHLOOHX[$·5RP Liquid Salt Spray, £11, roullierwhite.com Q
107
AVAILABLE IN-STORE z LONDON z BRIGHTON z BIRMINGHAM
IMAGE JOE MCCORMICK GROOMING EVAN HUANG USING MAC, SHU UEMERA AND MAKEUP STORE WORDS BENJAMIN BUTTERWORTH
[03/14]
[life]
Ross Williams Essex, 20, barman I work in Ku Bar, and you have to get your top off in there VR,ZDVQ·WQHUYRXV IRUWKLV3OXV,·YH been caught running WKURXJKÀHOGV naked at home in Essex, drunk, a few times. Oh, and I got caught having sex on Southend Beach – classy right? There were CCTV cameras, and it was in front of where I used to work. They must have been like ´2KWKDW·V5RVVµ 0\ERG\KDVQ·W always looked this way. I went to dance college and worked really hard there, trained all the time, and now I go to the gym every day SUHWW\PXFK LW·V one of those things where you have to constantly work DWLW%XW,·PUHDOO\ comfortable in how ,ORRNQRZ²WKHUH·V WKLQJV,·GFKDQJHEXW LW·VMXVWKRZ,ORRN ,ÀQGWKDWJX\V² guys following me on Instagram – seem to like my arse. So PD\EH,·GKDYHVH[ with myself, but then ,·PMXVWDERWWRP VR,·PQRWVXUHKRZ that would work… As for who I fancy in other people, well, LW·VLQWKHH\HVDQG IDFH²EHDXW\LVQ·W MXVWDERXWZKR·V been down the gym all day. Q
gaytimes.co.uk
readers’ lives
109
readers’ dilemmas
[life]
I’ve been with my boyfriend for about a year. It’s going great and he might be the one. There’s just one problem. He always holds back when it comes to public displays of affection – he shrinks away if I go in for a kiss when we’re out and about, and he never holds hands in the street. Why shouldn’t he want to hold hands when we’re out for dinner? What’s wrong with a peck on the lips when we meet up? It’s never been an issue with any other boyfriend. How do I get him to stop being such a cold fish? Simon, via email
@theguyliner
need advice?
110
The Guyliner replies PDAs – DOZD\VDWULFN\DUHD7KH\·UHUHDOO\ QRWIRUPH,GRQ·WUHDOO\QHHGDQ audience to tell me how much my relationship means to me. But I NQRZVRPHSHRSOHORYHWKHP²,·YH spent many a miserable hour on public transport watching a lovedup couple attempt to turn each other inside out using only their tongues. The fact that you have managed to get a year down the road into your relationship with this “problem” suggests you may be ORRNLQJIRUFRQÁLFWZKHUHRWKHUZLVH there is none, OR there is another ODWHQWLVVXHDQG\RX·UHODWFKLQJRQ to this hand-holding nonsense to avoid addressing it.
Are your needs for affection being met elsewhere? Is he only D´FROGÀVKµZKHQ\RX·UHRXWDQG DERXW"
Got something to get off your chest? Need some good old-fashioned advice on matters of love, life or relationships? E-mail The Guyliner (and his panel of experts) on
[email protected]. We can’t respond individually and emails may be edited for use in the magazine.
gaytimes.co.uk
THE GUYLINER LENDS AN EAR TO YOUR LIFE DILEMMAS AND DISHES THE DIRT ON THE UNDATEABLES
The Calorie Counter Salad is good. But let’s not kid ourselves: all lettuce and no lasagne makes Jack a very, very dull boy who is probably secretly starving. The pros of having a boyfriend who watches what he eats are fairly straightforward. He’ll probably be on the buff side, or, if he’s chunkier, heading for a slimmer frame (if that floats your boat, of course – you may like your pillows plumper). He’ll look after himself and you won’t have to watch him slurp his way through macaroni cheese or a McDonald’s. So far, so good. But the trouble with some healthy eaters is their fanatical side. We all know you should balance out the burgers with a broad bean if you don’t want to be the size of a house, but your Calorie Counter will back away from carbs like they’re a wet kiss from grandma, and he’ll probably expect the same of you too. Look forward to a lifetime of eye-rolling while you eat pizza, checking the back of packets for RDA stats in the supermarket, tapping in everything you’ve eaten into whichever calorie-counting “app de jour” he uses and listening to how guilty he feels for eating a Krispy Kreme back in 2011.
WORDS THE GUYLINER IMAGES ISTOCKPHOTO
[01]
ALL THE MEN YOU SHOULD NEVER DATE gaytimes.co.uk
The solution Join in for a while, and get healthy – but introduce a guilt-free treat night when the apps are turned off. Nobody cares about the calorie count and you can eat what you want. If he’s worried about the extra calories, there’s a really easy way to work them off. I’m sure you won’t have to spell it out to him – especially if you cover your naked torso in salad. ---------The Outdoer “Something really similar happened to me, actually. There was this one time…” We’ve all met men like this. Whatever
[02]
[advice] you’ve done, they’ve done it a) first b) better c) bigger d) more often or e) just the once because it was rubbish. He’s a more extreme, exciting version of you – or so he’d have you believe. But this king of one-upmanship is usually pretty insecure. Whether he’s trying to impress you or merely trying to convince himself his boring existence has meaning, he makes for painful company. Conversation dries up pretty sharpish because you know anything you say is going to get dismissed and rewritten as an amazing Choose Your Own Adventure starring him. The solution If you’re already dating this guy, my sympathies. Maybe focus on the future rather than harking on about your former glories. Concentrate on things you can do together – kick off some new shared experiences you can reminisce about. That way, you know he didn’t do it bigger and better; you were there all along. Alternatively, call him out on his bragging and enjoy days of silent treatment and puppy-dog eyes. ---------The Ex Guys do make passes at boys who wear glasses – and yours are rosetinted. You’re back in familiar territory with the man who broke your heart more times than you care to admit. “He’s changed this time, he really has.” We believe you. You’ve let bygones be bygones. And yet, very quickly, old arguments rise from the grave and you find all the things that used to annoy you never really went away. You’re back where you were: sexy old square one. He’s the comfy old sweater you hate to throw out, those much loved trainers you wear absolutely everywhere.
[03]
The solution That sweater has holes in; those trainers let in water. Bin them and start anew. Q
111
R FOR
FFE IAL O
SPEC
ERS!
AD GT RE
5
F F O 0%
TS
N ATME
I-LIPO
TRE RONA
E
OR Z
IN EAS LOSS BACK AR T H IG & R WE HEST CT FO ACH & C E F R £900 PE STOM FROM T Q R A 3M 6B ST n, EC ALLY U Londo t, S e e U tr SES urch S Fench COUR – 152 50
linic, 1
um C
pectr alth S
7 ic.com mclin 7 801 07 37 lthspectru 2 0 l: Te ea log our b www.h ter & Web: k, Twit He
Follow
us on
oo
Faceb
IMAGE LIMEHOUSE PICTURES
column
[life]
One Thursday evening, I found myself entertaining the idea of some midweek drinks. You see, a co-worker of mine (let’s call her Claire) had text me suggesting we have a drink together nearby. I quickly took her up on the offer, as I’d not left my flat all day, and was feeling a bit desperate and sad for myself. After several hours and several drinks I found myself still in the pub with Claire and her two friends, Paul and Mike. The two lads both worked with us, though I only really knew their faces, both fresh and ebullient. Anyway, Claire and Paul began to talk intently which left Mike and I to strike up a conversation. Now, I knew nothing about Mike other than the fact that he was very cute, which is something all of the gay men at work knew. The conversation was nice. We exchanged numbers to arrange to meet up at a party the next night, and I said my goodbyes. I arrived home to a text from Mike asking for an address that Claire needed. Right, I thought to myself. gaytimes.co.uk
THE GAY PREDATOR
She could have easily text me herself. I responded politely with the address, and decided to up the ante, UK style: I ended the text with a kiss (‘x’). He responded with, ‘They’ve just gotten into a taxi and left me. Ha. X’ Hmm. He had taken the time to text me to let me know that they’d left him on his own, so, logically, I invited him over to my place to hang out a little bit longer. Physical proximity didn’t seem to bother him that much and he appeared quite comfortable, not at all nervous of being alone in the same room as me, the Gay Predator, the alien beast who attacks unknowing and naïve straight men. And like the Predator, I knew when the time to strike was nigh, so after about 20 minutes I summoned my courage, and like that monster I attacked, asking, ‘Can I kiss you?’ ‘Where?’ he replied. Success, I thought! ‘Where’ is basically, ‘Yes, but I would like further clarification’. I moved in and kissed him (on the mouth, by the way, perverts), which lasted all of two seconds. He pulled away and apologised. I quickly
[pj brennan]
Not at all nervous of being alone in the same room as me, the Gay Predator; the alien beast who attacks naïve straight men
@peejaybrennan
returned the favour, saying I was ‘too forward’. We continued to hang out for another 20 minutes or so, until he made his escape, covering himself in mud so I couldn’t track his heat signature. Foiled again, I prepared myself for bed. As I brushed my teeth, I felt the familiar twinge of embarrassment and shame. I reached for my phone, pulsating toothbrush hanging out of my mouth, and text him again, ‘I’m sorry for being so forward. Way to ruin a night! I’m really sorry.x’ Bing! New message received. ‘No it’s okay. I led you on. It’s fine. Are you coming to the party tomorrow? x’ ‘Yeah I should be there. And if anything, take it as a compliment. It just means I think you’re fit. x’ ‘Thanks! [Insert huge emoji toothy smiley face] Are you coming tomorrow? x’ Jesus, I thought. ‘Yes. x’, I replied. All in all, it was an odd encounter. Truthfully, I was relieved because I’ve left out one major fact that changes the whole story: He had a girlfriend and she worked with us. I had drunk quite a bit that night so obviously the sort of reasonable judgment that includes remembering that vital fact went right out of the window. I awoke the next morning realising that had it gone any further, I would have been a home wrecker x1000. The next day I nursed a pretty dear hangover until close to midnight. Solution: I simply slept until I was somewhat prepared to go back into the night and drink again. So, my fragile stomach and I made our way to the work party that was happening in town. Upon arrival, I realised I had waited too long, as most people were in various states of intoxication. I made my way to the bar, picked up a drink (to hold as a prop, like a good cast member of Real Housewives would), and sidled over to a group of friends on the dance floor.
113
[pj brennan] I was speaking to a friend when I felt two discreet taps to the shoulder. I knew. I knew immediately they were bad taps. I turned to see Amelia, my co-worker and Mike’s girlfriend. As I processed her face and remembered the infamous phrase, ‘I have a girlfriend’ escaping Mike’s lips the night before, I realised I had to fortify myself for the verbal ass whooping that was about to take place. ‘Can I speak to you for a second?’ she asked in her typical soft northern lilt, blonde curls falling down either shoulder, framing a round and feminine face. I nodded. ‘Sure!’ I said. Far too enthusiastically. We made our way into the corner and it began. She informed me that
his girlfriend. I obviously was omitting the most telling part of the evening: his reply of ‘Where?’ to ‘Can I kiss you?’ Nor did I mention the fact that he text me. Nor the more potent fact that I only learned later on: he told Sam and Paul to leave without him in the taxi, opening up the possibility of coming over to my place. Now, while this is the only time I’ve ever been confronted by the girlfriend after the fact, I can certainly say it’s not the only time I’ve fooled around with a ‘straight’ guy. In these situations, I feel the normal rules of dating go out the window. This isn’t just a case of a guy getting tired of his girlfriend and trying to get pleasure somewhere else; this is a case of a man still struggling to admit who
She must’ve been under the impression that I was some sort of witch doctor or supervillain Mike had told her ‘everything’, which is always an interesting phrase because I knew from her demeanour that he had, in fact, not told her ‘everything’ but rather, ‘all the facts that make me look innocent and PJ like the creepy Gay Predator’. I decided to ‘kill ‘em with kindness’ as they say. I apologised and told the truth: Right now, I’m not making the best decisions in general, and this whole situation was par for the course. That more than anything else, I was deeply ashamed and embarrassed. It was clear she wanted an argument, but my contrite attitude seemed to diffuse any anger she could muster. I told her that Mike was a gentleman, that he pulled away and immediately mentioned 114
he fundamentally is. Selfishly, because it taps into my own insecurities about being accepted by that ‘masculine’ sort of guy, I’m always available to ‘help’ these guys understand. Look at me, I’m writing this and still trying to be diplomatic, still trying to exonerate the defendant. The conversation took a turn. ‘It’s fine PJ, but I’m just warning you: If he changes in any way later on, if he tells me anything, I’ll know it’s because of last night and because of you.’ As she walked away I realised that she must have been under the impression that I was some sort of witch doctor or supervillain; that I had injected Mike with a slow moving toxin containing ‘gayness’ that wouldn’t set in for maybe a
column
[life]
week? A month? Who knows? All she knew was that it was my fault. This is the moment that links this story to countless more in my past. Once again, I had become a rejected name for a 90s alternative rock band: The Gay Third Wheel. I remember looking over at Mike while me and Amelia spoke. He kept his head down, deliberately avoiding eye contact. ‘You owe Mike an apology’, Amelia said, bringing my attention back to her. ‘I know’, I lied. My guess is Mike was petrified that I would tell everyone at work that contrary to popular belief, he was in fact gay. This led him to act swiftly, to come clean to Amelia (with amendments, obviously), and hope she would believe him. They were both young, just 20, and so they did believe each other, because it’s easy to trust people at 20, if you want to. I finished my drink in the corner of the room, placed it on a table, and unsteadily made my way out of the club, with blinders on either side of my eyes. I had been in there for all of ten minutes and I felt terrible. My Oprah moment came later that night when I finally arrived back home in a taxi. I sat on my couch, picked up the remote and waited in silence. ‘I’m sorry, PJ’, I said. I was apologising because I let myself down. I chose to be the Gay Predator. Maybe not to the extent that Mike wanted Amelia to believe, but I was a Gay Predator nonetheless. I preyed on his weakness, his uncertainty in who he was, to find validation within myself. I would have been briefly satisfied that I didn’t just snag a gay, I snagged the best type of gay: a gay that no one else realises is gay. They’re still together. I’m still alone. I’ve learned my lesson, I suppose. Oh, and I never apologised to Mike. Q gaytimes.co.uk
DATE
FREE TO JOIN LOGIN WITH FACEBOOK
WWW.GTDATE.CO.UK
T a w n y P h i ll i p s J e w e ll e r y
Let me help you create the most important pieces of jewellery you’ll ever wear! Affordable bespoke wedding rings hand-made to commission in central London studio to suit your budget using all precious metals and stones View designs at www.tawnyphillips.com or call 020 7401 3737 or 07814 677589 for an informal chat
REAL LIFE
WORDS LEE DALLOWAY IMAGES PRIDE PHOTOS BY D DAVID ROBINSON / LANDSCAPE BY ISTOCKPHOTO
UGANDA MARCHES ON 116
gaytimes.co.uk
[life]
While the UK prepares for equal marriage, with the LGBT community here finally receiving full equality in the eyes of the law, the story is completely different for our brothers and sisters in Uganda. It’s undoubtedly one of the worst places in the world in terms of gay rights, but there are a number of brave Ugandans providing rays of hope against very significant odds WHETHER YOU THINK IT’S RIGHT or wrong, the media often coin sensationalist or buzzworthy catchphrases for big news events, and the Uganda anti-homosexuality bill has, rather chillingly, been dubbed the “kill the gays” bill, due to its proposed death penalty clause. Same-sex relationships between both men and women were already illegal in this deeply conservative, Christian country. But this bill, first proposed in 2009, pushed state sponsored homophobia even further. It would strengthen the criminalisation of same-sex relations, and expand its scope to include citizens who engage in homosexual acts even outside Uganda, with offenders extradited back to the country for punishment. The bill would also punish individuals and organisations who have knowledge of or tolerate LGBT individuals, those who support LGBT rights or simply know of homosexual activity they haven’t reported. Effectively giving signed government approval not just for fear, ignorance and discrimination, but for nationwide witch hunts. This bill was passed through parliament at the end of 2013, albeit with the death penalty dropped in favour of life imprisonment, largely due to pressure from the international community. The temporary saving grace for Uganda’s LGBT citizens, which activists estimate to be around 500,000 people, although it’s impossible to know for sure, was President Yoweri Museveni. He refused to approve the controversial bill, saying that gay people should be “rescued” rather than killed gaytimes.co.uk
and criticised his parliament for rushing through legislation before the facts were studied in-depth. Don’t be fooled into thinking Museveni has any sympathy for his rainbow flag-waving citizens, however. He refused to recognise being gay as a sexual orientation, and was quoted as describing gay people as “abnormal”. “It could be that the Western societies, on account of random breeding, have generated many abnormal people,” Museveni charmingly commented. He also believes that women are only lesbians because they “fail to marry”. Add to this the threat of overseas aid being withdrawn thanks to Uganda’s stance on LGBT rights, Museveni finds himself in a rather difficult position. Particularly when his government can overrule him and push the bill through if two thirds of parliament approve it. As with the recent homophobic bill in Russia, many of the recommendations for shoehorning such discrimination into law arrive under the guise of “protecting children”. Links between homosexuality and pedophilia started to surface in increasingly aggressive ways, complete with manufactured “facts and figures” on how gay people are much more likely to abuse children than their heterosexual counterparts. Of course, religion has played a pivotal role in the anti-gay sentiment that permeates life in Uganda, both as a hangover from British colonial rule, when acts of sodomy were criminalised and, more recently, through a small number of US evangelical church
groups, which are currently one of the major driving forces of homophobia in the country. So much so that it was a series of talks by US anti-homosexual activists that acted as the catalyst for the original “kill the gays” bill back in 2009, with one of the main activists, Scott Lively, acknowledging that he spoke with Ugandan lawmakers about the bill. For good measure, you can also throw in some distinctly dirty journalism from local newspapers, most notoriously from the now defunct Rolling Stone publication (unaffiliated with the American magazine), which listed 100 prominent gay and lesbian individuals and their home addresses, along with the headline “Hang Them”. It was not long after this that Ugandan LGBT activist David Kato was murdered by a man who bludgeoned him in the head with a hammer. To this day, the details surrounding the case remain mysterious, with local authorities insisting that his death was nothing to do with Kato’s work as an activist, but rather a personal matter, with the trial finding that Sidney Nsubuga Enoch, a male prostitute, was responsible for his death. Kato was a man who was liked and admired in his village and worked tirelessly to help his entire community. Coupled with a hasty conclusion to the case by police, many friends, colleagues and family members were suspicious of a cover-up. Regarding the alleged involvement of the Rolling Stone newspaper in Kato’s death, the editor responsible for the “Hang Them” list, Giles Muhame, stated, “I have no regrets about the story.
117
survey. Where meetings, even just with friends, have to be carefully arranged, and sometimes using code, even via emails or instant messaging, because of the repercussions individuals face if suspected of being gay. “I cannot say that every person who is gay would lead the same life,” says Frank Mugisha, chief executive of SMUG. “For activists like myself it is different, because I have a high profile in Uganda, so I will rarely get problems from government or law enforcers. But that doesn’t mean I’m immune from getting arrested or attacked. It puts me at a greater risk because I’m very public. “I don’t know where an attack
lives in an upscale business area or neighbourhood to have as much trouble as you would in the poorer suburbs.” Unfortunately, it’s difficult for openly gay people to reach a place where they can reside in more affluent areas, as just admitting it can provide limitations on employment opportunities, as well as making daily life difficult. With the anti-homosexual bill creating a charged atmosphere in Uganda, a few LGBT activists and some brave citizens held its first gay pride parade on the outskirts of capital city Kampala in 2012. Around 300 people turned out for the event, and police constantly tried to intervene by breaking up the march or arresting people. Individuals also reported being beaten up by police, but the parade marched on and proud participants, undeterred, partied on into the night. Buoyed by this expression of freedom, activists and those involved were determined to repeat the pride celebrations in 2013, and did so with five days of activities and a theme of “still here, still going strong”. This time around, police gave permission for the Pride event to go ahead and, while they were in the vicinity of the main festivities, they neglected to intervene and the celebrations continued peacefully. There are also glimmers of hope from a few more forward thinking people in Uganda’s heterosexual population too. Toward the end of last year, Magembe Norman, who is straight, filed a complaint to the International Criminal Court against three Ugandans, David Bahati, a politician, Giles Muhame and Martin Ssempa, an anti-gay pastor. He started a petition which calls for the three to be investigated for “crimes against humanity”. For his trouble, he was kicked out of his home by his father and accused of “betraying Uganda”. The progress of the petition remains unknown at the time of going to print. The media in Uganda continue
IMAGES D DAVID ROBINSON
We were just exposing people who were doing wrong.” Kato and two others listed took the newspaper to court and won 1.5 million Ugandan Shillings (around £300) for violating their fundamental rights. David Kato worked for one of Uganda’s few LGBT charities, Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), founded in 2004 by female-to-male transgender activist Victor Mukasa. If there was one positive thing to come out of the tragic death of Kato, it was the recognition it brought both the charity and the plight of LGBT Ugandans to an international audience. Sadly, it also increased fear, tension and paranoia within the gay community there, added to
[ ] I DON’T KNOW WHERE AN ATTACK IS GOING TO COME FROM. IT COULD BE NEIGHBOURS OR FRIENDS
by American evangelical Christian groups who continue to spread hate and untruths about gay people to the mass populace. When you live in a country where the government, authorities, church and media are all vehemently, and often violently, against a natural element of your being that you can’t control, it’s up to charities like SMUG to provide hope and a sense of community. To fight for the rights, freedoms and liberty that your country’s lawmakers refuse to grant you. For a gay man reading this in the UK, it’s difficult to imagine what daily life is like in a country where 96% of people are opposed to same sex relationships, according to a Pew Global Attitudes Project 118
is going to come from; it could be neighbours or it could come from friends. For gay people trying to live their normal lives, it’s very different. If a person who happens to be gay is just walking down the street, particularly a transgender, if someone says, ‘that’s a gay person’ they could get arrested just for looking gay, or they could get attacked.” Because of this, a large number of people remain in the closet. “No one knows they’re gay,” continues Frank. “They could get outed by the media, disowned by their families, lose their jobs or there’s a high risk of physical harassment. “It varies where you live too. You wouldn’t expect someone who
gaytimes.co.uk
[life]
to publish lists of gay people, often stylised as “gay recruiters” with photos of the “accused” still served up for all to see. “Journalists have been known to infiltrate gay people,” says Frank. “Homosexuality is a big issue and it will sell newspapers.” Undeterred, activists like Frank, Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera and many others continue to fight against the odds, rather than flee in fear. Organisations such as SMUG and its many umbrella charities, Freedom and Roam Uganda, plus others working underground, provide hope for those who reside in the closet, live in fear or don’t have a voice. We in the Western world have fought, and largely won, many rights and freedoms that LGBT Ugandans can currently only dream of. It’s not just our responsibility to help our brothers and sisters there, and in the 83 other countries where it’s still illegal to be gay, it’s our duty. Online petitions and correspondence to your local Members of Parliament can add pressure to international world leaders, and donating to charities like SMUG can help them gain resources to spread their message of hope and assist others currently living in the shadows of fear. Frank Mugisha, and many others, will continue to fight. We mustn’t let them do it alone. Q
Frank Mugisha spoke with us thanks to the Human Dignity Trust (humandignitytrust. org). Find out more information about SMUG (smug.4t.com) and Freedom and Roam Uganda (faruganda.org)
gaytimes.co.uk
119
Meet new people to enjoy your city with.
Join group nights out with GT readers and other likeminded people and enjoy the social life that suits you.
gtsocializer.com
small things
[parents]
[life]
Children growing up with two dads are going to be asking questions you might never have thought of. The real important stuff, like “Which dad is going to make me eggs and toast”. Thankfully, the adorably-charming A Tale of Two Daddies is a great way to teach the kids about their life with gay parents from an early age. Q Available now at amazon.co.uk.
SYD AND FAMILY DAD, I LOVE THE GAYS Like many people, we had concerns when we decided to become parents. Initially, we were worried that being a gay couple would be something that would result in an immediate no-no when it came to adopting. Thankfully, we were wrong. The assessment to adopt is a lengthy and intrusive process, and it will send you back to places in your past you thought you’d buried deep, deep underground. But it has to be this way, because the life of a child is at stake and, surely, there couldn’t be anything more important than that. Visits are planned and interviews are arranged. You’ll be questioned about the past, present and future. But not once will you be made to feel that being gay is an issue when it comes to raising kids. The whole assessment process can take at least six months, but once you’re approved as an adopter, the search for your child begins. For the past 18 months, we have been the very proud parents of our beautiful eight-year-old gaytimes.co.uk
daughter and our loveable sixyear-old son. They’re both from different background, but both equally a part of us. We’re a true family in ever sense. Our life couldn’t be more different. It’s busy, enriched and it never stops. But most of all – we love it. Our family and our true friends are still here. They adore our two kids and that love is mutual. I now work from home. I do the school runs, the food shop and take care of the house. I organise the holidays, their homework and the after-school clubs. I thrive being here for my family and I am, as the kids say, their “mummy bear”. Our home is filled with laughter and every day is ended with a kiss goodnight and a hug. Yes, that even includes those days that are a struggle for us as well. So, can lesbians and gay men be good parents? Let me end with something our daughter said to us the other day. Cuddled up on the sofa, she looked up in my eyes and said: “Dad, I do love the gays”. Q beingdadanddaddy.blogspot.co.uk
Did you know there are thousands of children in the UK waiting for new parents? 7KDW·VZK\ events like LGBT Adoption and Fostering Week
are so important. 7KHUH·VQR greater gift than being able to give a youngster a second chance at family life. Log on to lgbtadoptfosterweek.org. XNWRÀQGRXWPRUH
about events and workshops in your area, which can help you take WKRVHÀUVWVWHSV to fatherhood. Adoption and Fostering Week runs from 3 March to 9 March. Q
121
sweet tooth
[life]
Making candy at home has a bad rep; most people assume it’s hard and even possibly dangerous, boiling pots of sugar and all! Yes, the sugar cooks to 148C, which is pretty damn hot. But as long as you’re sensible it’s perfectly safe. To make this properly you do need a little bit of kit – a sugar thermometer. But you can use a cheap £5 jam thermometer, so no excuses! This is a classic toffee recipe and it’s rather addictive. You may want to share this stuff around, or even give as gifts.
D D E BER KIM W BOY S E H IS T BAKE
HO
English toffee 200g unsalted butter 150g caster sugar 3 tbsp glucose (available on the baking aisle in supermarkets) 1 tsp vanilla extract Pinch flaked sea salt 75g dark chocolate, roughly chopped 65g almonds (skin on), roughly chopped Place the butter, caster sugar and glucose into a large saucepan set over medium heat and cook,
122
stirring occasionally until the butter and sugar have dissolved. At that point, stop stirring and cook until the mixture reaches 148C on a jam/sugar thermometer. Take the pan off the heat and add the vanilla and sea salt, stirring to combine. Pour this into your prepared pan and set aside for a couple of minutes. Scatter the chocolate over the still hot toffee and allow to melt for a couple of minutes, before spreading into an even layer, finishing by sprinkling over the almonds. Allow the toffee to cool fully, at least two hours, before breaking up into pieces. This will keep for a week if stored in an airtight container. Q Author of The Boy Who Bakes and Say It With Cake, @TheBoyWhoBakes
gaytimes.co.uk
[food]
A SIDE ORDER OF ALAN ROSENTHAL That’s the nuts! If you’re a fan of eating peanut butter from the jar – we know you do it – then you’re probably the person that’s going to lap up Peanut Hottie. As in actually lap it up – it’s the world’s first peanut butter hot drink and it’s available exclusively from Sainsbury’s. Go nuts. Q 3HDQXWKRWWLHFRP
Last month, I boldly shared my
for three or four minutes until just
impetuous decision not to join
FRRNHG8VLQJDVORWWHGVSRRQ
WKHPDVVHVRQ1HZ
under cold running water in a
scales sometime mid January
sieve; drain and put to one side
meant a speedy bit of back peddling
(keep the boiling water in the pan
was required; calorie counting is
IRUWKHSDVWD
EDFNZLWKDYHQJHDQFH
,ÀQGDEVWHQWLRQWKRURXJKO\
Next, heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the crushed chillies
GHPRUDOLVLQJ+RZHYHULQUHFRUGLQJ
DQGJDUOLF&RRNRQDPRGHUDWH
each morsel that enters my mouth,
heat for a couple of minutes until the
,·YHEHFRPHDFXWHO\DZDUHRIZKDW,
JDUOLFKDVMXVWVWDUWHGWRWXUQJROGHQ
should be eating to avoid becoming
7KHQDGGWKHUHGSHSSHUDQGRQLRQ
DFRPSOHWHSRUNHU LW·VDPD]LQJ
Season with salt and black pepper
6R,·PWUHDWLQJWKLVSHULRGDVDELW
VWLUULQJIURPWLPHWRWLPH
KRZHDV\LWLVWRSLFNXSEDGKDELWV
DQGFRRNJHQWO\RQDORZÁDPH
of re-education, reminding myself
&RRNWKHSDVWDLQWKHERLOLQJ
that a whole block of feta is a tad
water, following the guidelines on
excessive in a pasta dish for two (see below) and that a banana really FDQÀOODQLJJOLQJUXPEOLQJKROH
Oh Amour Valentine’s Day may have been and gone, but you can still indulge yourself with the UK’s first alcoholic yoghurt. Yes, you read correctly. The limited edition Raspberry and Amaretto pot is back as – ahem – Raspberry and AMOURetto. Q
remove the broccoli and refresh
However, a hop on the bathroom
(Healthy) penne with feta, lemon & chard JEURFFROLÁRUHWV WEVSH[WUDYLUJLQROLYHRLO WVSFUXVKHGGULHGFKLOOL FORYHVJDUOLFÀQHO\VOLFHG RQLRQÀQHO\VOLFHG 5RPDQRUHGSHSSHUFXWLQWR PPVOLFHV =HVWRIOHPRQVDQGMXLFHIURP JSHQQH JFKDUGVWDONVUHPRYHGDQGWRUQ LQWRURXJKSLHFHV JIHWDFKHHVH WRUQEDVLOOHDYHV 6DOWDQGEODFNSHSSHU
In a large saucepan, cook the broccoli in boiling salted water
WKHSDFNHW Once the onion and red pepper has softened, add the cooked EURFFROL8VLQJDZRRGHQVSRRQ EUHDNWKHEURFFROLXSDOLWWOH
1H[WDGGOHPRQ]HVWDQGFKDUG XQWLOMXVWZLOWHG
Once cooked, drain the pasta, keeping back a little bit of the boiling OLTXRU0L[WKHSDVWDDQGOLTXRUZLWK the cooked vegetables and lemon MXLFH6WLUWKURXJKWKHEDVLODQG RIWKHIHWD6HUYHLQERZOVDQGWRS with the rest of the cheese, and GUL]]OHRYHUDOLWWOHROLYHRLOQ Alan Rosenthal is the author of Stewed! 80 Stews and One Pot Wonders, DYDLODEOHRQ$PD]RQ#DODQURVHQWKDO
$YDLODEOHXQWLO$SULOLQVHOHFWHGVXSHUPDUNHWVWKHFROOHFWLYHGDLU\FRP
JD\WLPHVFRXN
123
with Tom Jones
[life]
HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT GYM SUPPLEMENT FOR YOU IMAGE JOE MCCORMICK
Choosing the right supplements for any gymgoer can be a pretty daunting task. With so many brands and so many options, where do you start? For an experienced athlete, supplements are a great way to get that extra edge – an extra bit of nutrition into an already crammed diet. For someone new to working out, supplements can also help you get on the right path and make dieting that little bit easier, but choosing the right one for you can be an incredibly daunting task. When it boils down, supplements are just a great way of adding extra nutrients, proteins and vitamins to your diet and to maximise your results from the gym. The sports supplement 124
gaytimes.co.uk
[get fit] industry boomed in the early 90s, becoming more popular and widely spread as time progressed. Supplements are now readily available in supermarkets like Asda and Tesco, and even on the high street in stores like GNC. On top of that, there’s an ever-growing online market. But while there are more supplements available in the marketplace, it hasn’t helped us narrow down which are best for our bodies and our work outs. Protein is something we all hear a lot about. But what is it? In simple terms – protein helps your muscles to recover and repair more quickly after exercise. Foods high in protein include whey, fish, chicken, eggs, dairy produce (milk, cheese, yoghurt, etc), beef and soya. To gain muscle, we should be aiming for around 1.5g of protein per pound of body weight. Then we come to which protein works best? Well, there are faster-releasing proteins, like whey, which get to the muscles as quickly as possible. Whey is the most commonly found protein in leading supplements due to its ability to reach the muscles faster than food alone. Then there are slower-released proteins, like casein. This is most commonly used before bed and in the evenings. With casein being a much slower releasing protein, it stays in your body for longer. Professional athletes, for example, will try to consume casein protein before bed so, as he sleeps, the protein continues to release and aid muscle growth and recovery. Some shakes can simply contain just protein. Others will come high in calories, while others will be used as a meal replacement. This is the part where your body comes into play. If you’re naturally skinny, gaytimes.co.uk
or tall, you may find that holding on to weight is quite difficult. In which case, choosing a shake with carbs and calories is your best bet to bulking up. Those of you who find you have to keep your fat levels down to gain weight will need to read the labels extra carefully and stick to the lower calorie shakes – often called “lean shakes”, which normally means low in carbs, calories and fat. A good protein shake should be the foundation of any supplement use, as this is the building block for your muscles. I’ve trained in the fitness industry for more than 10 years now, and have tried and tested a whole range of supplements to find out what works best for me and my body. If you’re asking, I’m currently using Oats and Whey by Optimum Nutrition, blended with peanut butter and banana as soon as I wake up. I’ll take another serving right after my work out, followed by BCAAs – that’s branch chain amino acids – which helps deliver proteins to the muscles. Lastly, before bed, I use Pro Release by Kinetica Nutrition, which is a mixture of both slow and fast releasing proteins for maximum results. I also take multivitamins to keep my immune system high and prevent me from getting ill, which would of course have negative effects on my training and weight. And we don’t want that, now. There are thousands of supplements readily available, but don’t always go for the cheapest, or even the most expensive. Try to have a bit of knowledge about your body and what works best for you. So whether you gain weight fast or slow – use supplements to point you in the right direction. Then, it’s just as simple as reading the labels. Q
[ask tom] I’m trying to grow and be strict on my diet – but can I ever cheat? Of course! You can’t realistically starve yourself of the things you love for the rest of your life, or even the rest of your gym going. This is the thing that makes people stray from their training the
most. It might be hard ot believe, but one bar of chocolate or a bag of crisps won’t hurt. Or another, or another. Having a cheat day once a week, or even just one or two naughty meals a week, will keep you on track. It gives you something to focus on and a reason to stay strict, knowing that your treat day is right around the corner. Try planning one in and counting down the days – it really gives you something to aim for. Q
Need advice? Ask Tom on Twitter @tomgt1
This month I tried Complete by Kinetica Nutrition – an all-in-one supplement. Not only does it contain 35g of protein and 24g of carbs, but it’s also filled with those vital BCAAs, creatine for cell volumisation, glutamine to aid recovery, and is free from all artificial flavours and colourings. This is easily one of the best all-in-ones on the market – I highly recommend
125
IMAGE CHRIS GILES PHOTOGRAPHY
column
[life]
Something good can come out of even the most trying situations – and being HIV-positive is no different. It can be used as a catalyst to build the kind of future you want for yourself. For most of us, being HIV-positive is no longer a hopeless affair. Quite the opposite. If you don’t know your own HIV status then having a test is an opportunity to take control. For those who’re newly diagnosed when the time is right, there is treatment available to manage the condition. For those who are HIV-positive and are already on treatment, they too can take control. Treatment offers a future and hope where not so many years ago there was seemingly none. So there is hope, but what if you deep-down don’t believe that you can change your life, or don’t have high enough self-esteem to believe that you’re even worth the effort to make the difference? Maybe you are HIV-positive and have the sort of life that you want already? But, many of us do not. A gaytimes.co.uk
HIV: RECIPES FOR LIFE
lot of people who are HIV-positive feel stuck in a rut, especially if they have had the virus for a long time. For everyone, at the very least, there is always something that could be a bit better. We human beings can get trapped in the monotony of routine and just accept it. For some reason there comes a point where we just seem to settle for what we have instead of trying to go the extra mile to get what we really want. To me, it’s the saddest thing when someone gets a second chance and future offered by anti-retroviral treatment, and they don’t grasp it with both hands and attempt to make a difference. It’s as if they’ve become too tired to try. I have said in a previous column that often the hardest part is making a choice for change for something better. But what if, on some deep level, we don’t think we deserve it or just can’t see an alternative? This kind of thinking and poor self-esteem is one of the biggest factors that holds HIVpositive people back, I know. I’ve been there. There’s still stigma around HIV
[paul thorn]
It’s the saddest thing when someone gets a second chance and future offered by treatment, and they don’t grasp it with both hands. It’s as if they’ve become too tired to try
@paul_thorn
and we can be our worst enemies when we internalise it and consciously or sub-consciously turn the guns on ourselves. This has to be sorted out before there can be any progression into a bright new future. Poor selfesteem and those nagging voices in the back of our heads that tell us that we’re not worth it are the most undermining aspect of trying to move forward. Speaking from experience, if you really can’t find it in yourself to believe you’re worth the kind of life you want... then fake it to make it! One day it will all click into place; you’ll not be able to help but believe your own propaganda. It will become the tangible reality. Start with the small things. For example; be kind to yourself (very important), take your tablets (even more important), try and eat well, treat yourself to something nice at least once a day, do seemingly insignificant, but productive things at home such as cleaning out a drawer or clear out the clothes you don’t wear anymore. Most importantly, allow yourself time to daydream. It isn’t something wrong or pointless as our teachers would tell us in the classroom. Quite the contrary, it’s the time when on a deeper level we can find clarity as to what we really want out of life. If you don’t think you’re capable of making sweeping changes to your life, then see it as making tiny refinements and adjustments to what you already have. These refinements build up in time to become a bigger kind of change. Try and ‘refine’ something once a day. Change starts with the small things we do on a daily basis. None of us know what is around the corner. It’s about preparing the ground to ensure that when the opportunity for a big change does come along, everything is set for it to take root. Q
127
IMHPG'HK@
KEY W EST
BIG PINE KEY & THE LOWER KEYS
RG
LA
Y
KE
With everything from authentic coastal sailing ships to gay tours, water sports, drag shows and even clothing-optional resorts, no other gay destination measures up to fabulous Key West. fla-keys.com/gaykeywest 0208 686 2600
O
Okay, it is the size of the ship.
ISL
MARA
THO
N
AM
OR
AD
A
WORDS MATT PEAKE IMAGES ISTOCKPHOTO
[rights]
[life]
LETTER FROM NEPAL WE LOOK AT THE RIGHTS OF GAY MEN LIVING AROUND THE GLOBE
Roshan Mahato explains: Nepal is a gay friendly and progressive country in south Asia. Socially and culturally, men and women are allowed to walk, sit and live together, which means many gay couples are safe and living comfortable lives without being harassed by mainstream society. It makes Nepal one of the safest and most desired destinations among LGBT tourists. Nepal is also legally gay friendly, and there are a number of organisations working for the rights of LGBT people in Nepal. The Federation of Sexual and Gender Minorities (FSGMN) is receiving good support from the Nepalese government, as well as different national and international organisations, supporting them to create an environment to pursue rights in Nepal. Gay marriage is acceptable in Nepalese society, but it is still not legalised. However, the government of Nepal has already started to issue citizenship with the ¶RWKHUV·FDWHJRU\WRUHSUHVHQWJD\ gaytimes.co.uk
YES
Same-sex sexual activity legal Equal age of consent Anti-discrimination laws in employment, the provision of goods and services and in all other areas (inc. indirect discrimination, hate speech) Gays allowed to serve in military Right to change legal gender
NO Same-sex marriage Recognition of same-sex couples Joint and step adoption by same-sex couples Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples MSMs allowed to donate blood
lesbian and transgender people. Academically-speaking, Nepal is a fertile land for LGBT students. Under guidance of the FSGMN, the LGBT Student Forum has already formed and actively been working since 2009. It is continuously raising awareness and creating programmes among the professors, IDFXOW\DQGVWXGHQW·VXQLRQLQ universities and campuses. Every \HDUWKHUH·VDQLQFUHDVHLQVWXGHQWV doing their dissertation on issues of sexuality and gender studies. In some campuses and universities, there are gay lecturers who are
directly supporting these issues. In places like Thamel, Kathmandu, there are a number of gay friendly bars where LGBT people and activists can gather to discuss issues without fear. As a result, Kathmandu is developing as a major tourist destination for LGBT people. Even though gay people are legally DFFHSWHGLW·VVWLOOYHU\KDUGWRFRPH out as gay in Nepalese society. Most of the general population believe WKDWEHLQJJD\PHDQV\RX·UHDFURVV dresser, therefore leading them into forced marriages and the risk of HIV and other STIs. But still, Nepal has never been colonised and Hinduism has always been supportive towards homosexuality. But before its legalisation by the Supreme Court in 2007, there were widespread negative attitudes towards homosexuality. Discrimination and stigmatisation of known homosexuals was blatant, and violence and police harassment of individuals was commonplace. When a policeman slit the throat of a young transgendered girl, it generated little publicity and little public sympathy. However, it gathered considerable support from international agencies, many of whom increased their funding and public support. After the legalisation, public understanding and acceptance of homosexuality and the acceptance increased slowly. Police harassment and interference showed a marked decrease. Sunil Babu Pant has been largely responsible for the progress of LGBT rights in Nepal for more than \HDUV+HLVWKHÀUVWRSHQO\JD\ politician in Nepal and head of the %OXH'LDPRQG6RFLHW\:KLOHKH·V widely respected at every level RIVRFLHW\DQGJRYHUQPHQWKH·V almost universally-held in the very highest esteem throughout the LGBT community, who see him as the most important person to ever be involved in the improvement of the LGBT lifestyle in Nepal. Q
129
KEY WEST
UNITED STATES WORDS MARK CHESNUT
130
gaytimes.co.uk
[travel]
A
t one point or another, you’ll see the bits of nearly every guest at Island House. After all, it’s a men-only gay hotel with a clothing-optional policy designed to free you of that tacky tropical wear you thought would be the norm in Florida. So while you won’t necessarily get lucky with anyone, you’ll definitely be treated to some eye candy. As one regular visitor told me, “you’ll attract more attention if you aren’t naked at Island House.” Island House is an icon of Key West’s popularity as a gay men’s destination; its clothesfree attitude is a reflection of the similarly relaxed vibe at some bars on and around Duvall Street, and proof that this oncesecessionist little island is one of the most permissive gay destinations in the United States. Since flights into Key West’s airport are limited, my partner Angel and I flew into Miami International Airport and rented a car, making the nearly 130 mile scenic drive south along the Overseas Highway, with a couple quick stops for gas, photo opportunities and refreshments. Upon arrival, a friendly reception clerk checked us in and gave us a quick tour of the hotel while two guys took our bags to the room. Open since 1976, Island House bills itself as the longest continuously-operating men’s guesthouse, and the current owners — a gay couple who bought the property in 1999 — have spent an estimated $2.5 million on renovations over the past decade, introducing highgaytimes.co.uk
131
key west
[03/14]
quality mattresses, flat-screen televisions, digital cable service (which includes three free porn channels), free WiFi and custommade furniture. The adult video lounge — which has a back room and a hall of mirrors — is the most recent to undergo renovation. All guest rooms are air-conditioned and equipped with rather upscale amenities. The architecture of the property is classic 1890s Key West style. Over the years, the buildings that make up this compound-like property have served as private residences, a boarding house, a laundromat and even a cigar factory — a nod
KEY WEST FLORIDA, USA POPULATION 24,649 SIZE 7.4 SQUARE MILES TIME ZONE (EST) (UTC-5) GAY LEGAL
“Be sure to go to the bar at happy hour,” the clerk advised as he dropped us off at our room. Our accommodations were in the KP2 Pool category — a deluxe poolside room with private bath, two queen beds, a desk and a wet bar/kitchenette with mini-fridge, microwave and coffee maker. The earth-toned décor was soothing and tasteful, with lots of throw pillows. Compared to my last clothingoptional hotel experience, this was like staying at the Westin. A pair of artistically coiled sarongs lay on one bed, ready to become our resort wear while on the property. We grabbed the hotel’s Aveda bath
We took a dip in the pool and spoke with a guy we’d seen the night before receiving a blow job at a bar. He was nude again, but solitary, relaxing to the island’s once-tight cultural links with nearby Cuba. Today, the hotel is home to a variety of modern features, including a small but wellequipped gym with shower area and indoor Jacuzzi, with vaguely Greco-Roman wall murals as well as a sauna and steam room. Near our room, men of various ages — in various stages of dress — bobbed about the large, palmfringed swimming pool, chatting and making quick dashes to the poolside bar and restaurant, which is open 24 hours a day. The disco ball hanging innocuously above the pool was another unsubtle hint that this was a gay hotel. 132
amenities and took quick showers before changing clothes and heading downstairs for the first of the nightly happy hours — Angel in sexy Speedo-style swimwear, and I in my puffy Walmart finest and an unflattering aquatic shirt, to protect my pasty, redheaded-vampire skin from the sun. Happy hours are big draws for many bars and hotels, and at Island House it’s an especially attractive proposition, since it includes an open bar with a variety of alcoholic beverages for both hotel guests and visitors who’ve paid for a daily or weekly pass. From 5:30 to 7pm every night, the bar, café
and pool area are packed with happy, socialising vacationers and locals. That first day, we divided our time between the bar area and the bathtub-warm waters of the swimming pool, where blue noodle flotation devices and floating lounge chairs made it easier to stay in the deep end while imbibing. We quickly noticed that Island House attracts a variety of gay men — for the most part, a mishmash of US types from around the nation, with some visitors from other countries as well. Ages varied widely, and the ambiance was more jovial and festive than cruise-y (although several repeat visitors advised us that the video lounge, as well as the hot tub in the other courtyard, were the cruising areas of the hotel). We spoke with a variety of friendly types: a South Asian guy in a red, box-cut bikini who was raised in Scotland, taught college in Ithaca and now served as a professor of religion and sex in south Florida. “I needed to get away alone, get away from work,” he explained as he sipped a cocktail. “I was a bit nervous when I arrived, so I said to myself, ‘let me have a drink,’ and now I feel fine.” Indeed, Key West’s friendliness and randiness is fuelled to a certain extent by booze, and its nudist leanings are part hippiestyle freedom of expression and acceptance and part cruise-y, inyour-face sexuality, as evidenced by the guy at the bar who enjoyed pulling my boyfriend’s Speedos down every time he walked by. We also spoke with a trio of transplants from Syracuse, Buffalo and somewhere in Michigan, whose stories I honestly can’t remember due to the two and a half hour open bar. I do recall, however, that they explained why locals love Island House: the membership and day passes. “You can pay one fee and use the gym, the pool and even enjoy the happy hour with free gaytimes.co.uk
[travel] drinks,” one guy explained. Happy hour at Island House also serves as an opportunity to find out about local nightlife; just after our conversation, two tall drag queens teetered in to distribute flyers, promoting a drag show that night at a nearby gay bar. Happy hour segued into dinner, and I nursed a giant Kahlua with milk, accompanied by a tasty Angus beef burger while Angel guzzled a Red Stripe and nibbled at a plate of Buffalo wings. The food was better than we expected, and the strong (and free) WiFi allowed me to catch up with some work just steps away from cavorting nudists. That night, we took a 15-minute walk to go bar-hopping, and came back to find the after-dark pool scene considerably quieter, with the disco ball glistening over the warm waters as a few men quietly chatted. We changed in our room and went to the pool for a nightcap, while striking up conversations with several guys, including a couple visiting from the northeast who’d never been to a gay hotel before. “I’ve been working out for months just so I could go naked while I’m here,” he told us. The following night, we’d join them for dinner onsite, with two members of our party dining in the nude. On our final day, we took one last dip in the pool and spoke with a guy we’d seen the night before receiving a blow job at a bar called Saloon. He was nude again today, but solitary, relaxing in the pool and wearing a hat he told us he’d fashioned after one worn by a homeless guy with whom he used to have an ongoing sexual relationship. When we told him we were about to drive back to the airport in Miami, he advised us: “You MUST come back for Fantasy Fest. It makes Mardi Gras in New Orleans look like kid stuff.” Q GT stayed Island House, Fleming Street, Key West, Florida, islandhousekeywest.com
gaytimes.co.uk
133
HOLIDAYS
HOLIDAYS To advertise in this section contact Ash Allibhai Tel 020 7424 7434 E-mail
[email protected] Deadline for next issue 25 February CL ASSIFIED FEATURE
GITES LE SUD - FRANCE JOIN TOM AND JÉRÔME FOR A WEEK OF EUROVISION FUN Tom Jordan and Jérôme Dubois, the Owners of Gites “Le Sud” would like to welcome you for a week of fun and extravaganza. From the 4th-11th May 2014, we will be hosting our very own Eurovision Song Contest Theme Week, at Le Sud. We are big Eurovision fans ourselves and it would be a great opportunity to party and meet with other like minded fans. This will be a jam packed week of Euro fun, quizzes, karaoke and much much more. For full details of this and booking enquiries;- Contact us at
[email protected] /H6XG·LVVLWXDWHGRQWKHQRUWKHUQERXQGDU\RIWKH/RW department close to the River Dordogne (500 meters) with a variety of interesting countryside in all directions. ¶/H6XG·LVDGHOLJKWIXO WKFHQWXU\4XHUF\IDUPKRXVHDQG EDUQVVHWLQDFUHVRIJDUGHQVPHDGRZVDQGÀHOGVZKLFKDUH DERXQGZLWKZLOGÁRZHUVELUGVDQGDQLPDOVVXFKDVURHGHHU The well-maintained cultivated gardens are a colourful blaze against the attractive stone buildings and from the earliest snowdrops to the autumnal hues of the woodlands there is plenty to delight the avid nature lover or those just wishing to relax in solitude. Whichever season you choose to visit there is so much to offer. Spring, summer and autumn bring glorious days in which to explore the landscape and the hot days of summer are forever popular with sun-worshippers and water– lovers. We will also be offering Baking Courses lead by ex Master Baker of Harrods Jérôme Dubois(Contact us for dates) We are DOVRKDYLQJD%HH*HH·V7KHPH:HHNIURPWK0D\WR the 17th May 2014.(Contact us for full details) We usually rent our Gites from Saturday to Saturday but could propose alternative days, depending on the season and time of year. For Gay marriage or Honeymoon, or just to relax and see beautiful sites, “Le Sud” is the perfect site! Telephone 0033 (0) 565 40 97 36 or email
[email protected] Or visit our web site www.giteslesuddordogne.com gaytimes.co.uk
135
To advertise in this section contact Ash Allibhai Tel 020 7424 7434 Email
[email protected]
Amsterdam / Netherlands
Greece
ADVERTISE YOUR HOLIDAY DESTINATION HERE ! Reach gay men internationally with a classified advert.
Different box sizes available Spain
ADVERTISE YOUR HOLIDAY DESTINATION HERE ! Reach gay men internationally with a classified advert.
Call Ash Allibhai on: 020 7424 7434
Discounts with multiple bookings!
We’ve been matching our readers with their ideal holiday destination for over 23 years. Call Ash Allibhai on: 020 7424 7434
FOR ALL YOUR SUMMER, SPORT & SWIMWEAR VISIT US IN-STORE SOHO 5-7 Brewer St, W1F 0RF, 020 7734 4031 BRIGHTON 112 St James St, BN2 1TH, 01273 683 680 BIRMINGHAM 29 Stephenson St, B2 4BH, 0121 665 6379
OR ONLINE WWW.PROWLER.CO.UK
136
gaytimes.co.uk
HOLIDAYS USA California
South Africa
USA California
Bath
gaytimes.co.uk
Bournemouth
137
To advertise in this section contact Ash Allibhai Tel 020 7424 7434 Email
[email protected]
Brighton
Dorset
138
Edinburgh
Highlands
gaytimes.co.uk
HOLIDAYS North Oxfordshire
Miscellaneous
&58,6,1*,167
All gay cruises & gay groups Á\HUVRQUHTXHVW (PDLO EXR\V#QWOZRUOGFRP Tel: 01273 708 484
July 20th Copenhagen to Stockholm
LQ6W\OH7UDYHO*UDQG&UHVFHQW 5RWWLQJGHDQ%ULJKWRQ6XVVH[%1*/
ZZZFUXLVLQJLQVW\OHFRP
August 2nd Med Cruise Barcelona
ADVERTISE YOUR HOLIDAY DESTINATION HERE !
*D\*URXSV&UXLVHV Several for the whole of 2013/14
Reach gay men internationally with a classified advert.
Call Ash Allibhai on: 020 7424 7434 Torquay
ZZZ.H\:HVW7RUTXD\FRXN
,CW8CQR5MPOS?W
ZZZ.H\:HVW7RUTXD\FRXN
.H\:HVWLVDSULYDWHPHPEHUVFOXE VWULFWO\IRU*D\0HQDJHGRURYHU
%CTML
%RRNRQOLQHDQGJHWXSWRGLVFRXQW RQOLQHERRNLQJVRQO\ Torquay
Winchester
ADVERTISE YOUR HOLIDAY DESTINATION HERE ! Reach gay men internationally with a classified advert. Different box sizes available Discounts with multiple bookings
Call Ash Allibhai on: 020 7424 7434 gaytimes.co.uk
139
To advertise in this section contact Ash Allibhai Tel 020 7424 7434 Email
[email protected]
A TO Z To advertise in this section contact Ash Allibhai Tel 020 7424 7434 E-mail
[email protected] Deadline for next issue 25 February CL ASSIFIED FEATURE
GAY HOT MOVIES LOG ONTO THE AWARD WINNING GAYHOTMOVIES.COM FOR ALL THE LATEST ADULT FILM RELEASES 2014 is shaping up to be even more exciting than 2013 here at GayHotMovies.com. As always we are bringing more and more of the best content available, to our already ridiculously massive collection!
Intense Interrogation
Users are getting the most out of searching our easy to navigate site to find “Exactly What You’re Looking For”. That’s our motto at GayHotMovies.com. With new releases daily, the highest quality pictures and a fiery inferno of content, we’ve made the gay adult entertainment our users crave, instantly available to them on all of their devices.
140
Intense Interrogation
So the new year is looking to be a good one already! There is so much going on at GayHotMovies.com – you just have to see it for yourself. Our team is passionate about what we bring to our users, and we will continue to make the GayHotMovies.com experience the best there is!
Undressed & Undercover
GayHotMovies.com and C1R have teamed up and produced a new web series directed by the one and only Chi Chi LaRue, exclusively for GayHotMovies.com. Starring Mike DeMarko in the leading role, “Sentenced” is going to take viewers on a journey down one crazy road of sexually explicit adventures. The first three webisodes, “Cruising & Boozing”, “Undressed & Undercover” and “Intense Interrogation” are available now on GayHotMovies. com. This is one series you do not want to miss out on! Thus far the stars of this production have included Alessandro Del Toro, Trenton Ducati and Billy Santoro. We’re not about to give up the rest of the series cast, but we can tell you that there are more coming – and they’re incredible!
Crusing & Boozing
There’s no excuse not to log onto GayHotMovies.com in 2014. Our incredible website has been honoured with a nomination by Cybersocket for best VOD site of 2014. What’s more, we have got something (well actually, several things) that you are not going to find anywhere else!
gaytimes.co.uk
A TO Z Accounting & Legal
WESLEYSOLICITORS GRYK LLP LEADERS IN IMMIGRATION
DAVID CLARK & CO SOLICITORS
London’s longest established gay firm specialising in:
– Family – Civil Partnership, Divorce, Relationship breakdown, Children, Property, Prenuptial and cohabitation agreements.
– Conveyancing – Purchase and sale of residential property, re-mortgages, lease extensions and Deeds of Trust.
– Wills & Probate – Wills, administration of estates, lasting powers of attorney and contentious probate.
– Crime – Expert in sexual offence and indecent material.
To discuss your needs without obligation Telephone: 020 7433 1562 Fax: 020 7433 1625
No case too complex. Specialities include:
O "/"% )+-' +,!"), O)("'-, , ,2,- & O .+() ' %0 O'-"('%"-2 O(/ +,-2 +, O,.++( 2
E-mail: offi
[email protected] www.davidclarkandco.co.uk 38 Heath St, Hampstead, London, NW3 6TE Nearest Tube: Hampstead
Fixed fees available for your peace of mind
call
020 7401 6887
Recognised again by the 2011 Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession as equal first amongst immigration firms in London: “Absolutely exceptional individuals who are devoted to advancing the law in this area”. Our gay solicitors have played a key role in guaranteeing the immigration rights of lesbians and gay men.
www.gryklaw.com Wesley Gryk Solicitors LLP. 140 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7AE
ADVERTISE YOUR SERVICES HERE ! Reach gay men internationally with a classified advert.
Call Ash Allibhai on: 020 7424 7434 gaytimes.co.uk
141
To advertise in this section contact Ash Allibhai Tel 020 7424 7434 Email
[email protected]
Accounting & Legal
Bagpiper
Celebrant
Counselling
Blessings
www.pacehealth.org.uk
COUNSELLING Individual & online, telephone or face to face about you and your relationship
ADVERTISE YOUR SERVICES HERE !
FREE GROUPS FOR GAY/BI MEN Black Connection - Monthly drop in. Network with other black guys every 3rd Sunday of the month. Friend or Foe – Be a better friend to yourself and develop relationships further. 7th-9th of March.
Reach gay men internationally with a classified advert.
20 Something – Face 2 Face with guys your own age. Every 3rd Monday of the month at St Anne’s Church Dean St. Soho. Positive Meets Negative – Do Opposites Attract? How to develop and maintain Positive/Negative relationships further. 28th–30th March.
COUPLE COUNSELLING AND RELATIONSHIP GROUP COACHING Come together to talk it through.
Call Ash Allibhai on: 020 7424 7434
www.pacehealth.org.uk Info and enquiries: 0207 7001 323 Email:
[email protected] or
[email protected]
Funded by Department for Education/London Councils/Hackney Council.
ADVERTISE HERE ! Call Ash Allibhai on: 020 7424 7434 142
gaytimes.co.uk
A TO Z CL ASSIFIED FEATURE
SUPREMELY LUXURIOUS NIGHTWEAR YOU WILL LOVE THEM SO MUCH, YOU WON’T WANT TO TAKE THEM OFF! Do you want fun and sophistication, even whilst your man sleeps? Does the man in your life deserve something unique and luxurious for a birthday, anniversary or even a wedding? Are you VWUXJJOLQJWRÀQGDPHDQLQJIXODQGGLIIHUHQWSUHVHQW on the high street or within a myriad of catalogues? BonCoeur London have the solution at the click of a mouse. Visit their website and order a SHUIHFWO\ÀWWHGPDGHWRPHDVXUHSDLURIKLJK quality, 2-fold, pure cotton poplin, short or long pyjamas, complete with a loving or cheeky message or classic monogram. For as little as £99 (plus P&P) you can select from a broad range of classic and adventurous patterns, all with a choice of tonal or contrast piping. A simple PHDVXULQJJXLGHKHOSV\RXDFKLHYHWKHSHUIHFWÀW Delivery for this individually cut and sewn garment is 4 weeks. A free card which includes a cutting of the cotton and a description of the pyjamas can be supplied, to be given to your partner. Alternatively, a gift voucher can be purchased if the intended would wish to place the order himself. BonCoeur is a truly international business, FRPELQLQJJUHDW%ULWLVKGHVLJQDQGÁDLUZLWK luxurious Swiss sourced cotton, cutting and sewing. BonCoeur delivers luxurious, uniquely SHUVRQDOLVHGFXVWRPÀWWHGQLJKWZHDU²GLUHFWWRWKH discerning. With years of experience in bespoke and made-to-measure garments, we know how important it is to combine the highest quality fabric DQGWULPZLWKDQH[FHOOHQWÀW:HGHOLYHUDOLIHWLPH of comfort and performance, presented with a twist RISHUVRQDOLVDWLRQ²ZKLFKFDQEHDVLPSOHQDPH a memory of a special date or anniversary, or a cheeky and/or loving message. %RQ&RHXU·VDWWHQWLRQWRGHWDLOZLOOOHDYHWKHZHDUHU sleeping comfortably, happy in the knowledge that his pyjamas are sassy, smart and unique. www.boncoeurlondon.co.uk For more information contact: Susan Rodger: 07860 708520 / 020 7323 7402
[email protected] 17 B Riding House Street, London. W1W 7DS gaytimes.co.uk
143
To advertise in this section contact Ash Allibhai Tel 020 7424 7434 Email
[email protected]
Electrician
For Sale
Health Massage
Personals
L O NDO N MA RYL E B ON E Wonderfully relaxing Massage from friendly ITEC qualified therapist. Hotel visits.
B ill: 0 7 7 6 3 764 8 69 w w w . m in d a ndbo dy.o rg .uk MANCHESTER M60, J17 - ITEC TXDOLÀHGPDVVHXURIIHULQJ min relaxing sensual full-body massage. Naturists welcome. IN/OUT calls. Contact Chris 07955 544 446 EDINBURGH Relaxing, sensual, nurturing massage for men - £20. Jim: 07503 446534
MATURE MAN looks for stocky man. Short in stature but solid build. For friendship, likes cinema and walking. Age immaterial. Share expenses. GT189186
Removals
BOX REPLIES Send each reply in a blank envelope and write the Box Number of the ad you are replying to IN PENCIL in the top right-hand corner. Place this envelope in a larger one addressed to Gay Times, Millivres Prowler Ltd, Unit M, Spectrum House, 32-34 Gordon House Road, London NW5 1LP, together with two loose ÀUVWFODVVVWDPSV You may reply to more than one box number at a time in the larger nvelope, but each reply must be accompanied by WZRÀUVWFODVVVWDPSVRULQWHUQDWLRQDO reply coupons if you live overseas, one per issue. Replies to Box Numbers will only be forwarded for two issues inclusive of the current issue on sale. $OO0HQ·V3HUVRQDODGYHUWLVHPHQWVDUH published on the understanding that they are placed by and aimed at men aged 16 or over. 16 is now the legal age of consent for homosexual activity, providing it is consensual and in private. (Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000). Please read the Terms and Conditions carefully, before placing your advertisement. The Editors reserve the right to refuse or amend any advertisement without giving a reason. No advert intending or appearing to intend to solicit for sexual purposes will be accepted.
144
Health Massage
We have been moving... Everything, Everywhere... For lesbians and gay men for 25 years.
Erotic Films
GAY EROTIC FILMS FOR SALE
LIGHT/MEDIUM & HEAVY DUTY LONG/SHORT HAUL FREE ESTIMATES WITHOUT OBLIGATION DSS WELCOME
A plethora of titles available.
020 7254 5580
BOX NUMBER gt135048
FAST, EFFICIENT FRIENDLY & RELIABLE
www.shirleysremovals.co.uk
[email protected]
Publishing
Erotic Publishing
ARE you lonely tonight. Make new friends on your telephone. Contact magazine with mobile numbers, ring for free brochure 0125 748 2201 or write to DIRECT CONTACTS, E.49, CHORLEY, PR7 4BS.
CORPORAL CONTACTS the CP magazine that stings! Stories, letters, photos, ads. SAE for illustrated details. Bend over boy! www.corporalcontacts. co.uk BCM/CORPCO. London WC1N 3XX
gaytimes.co.uk
Hot ’n horny hookups.
Join for FREE
Get 5 Days Unlimited access
LAPTOP OR MOBILE
WE’RE VERSATILE
Free Super Saver Delivery and Unlimited One-Day Delivery with Amazon Prime are available. Terms and Conditions apply. See Amazon.co.uk for details.
