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An enormous number of images from gay porn magazines of the 1970s and ’80s have recently become available on the Internet, due to the generosity of collectors who scan and post huge caches of magazines. I’d like to share some with you … on Dennis’ blog, as I work my way through the stuff. I think the selections represent a lot of the codes and conventions of male homoerotic images in the days when I was developing my tastes and fixations and responses to men. Even though I’m inclined to smile at a lot of this stuff, I’m sort of shocked to realize that it defines the nostalgic power of photography for me a lot more than any family pictures. (Probably something about me and my family more than the era, I think.)
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p.s. Hey. Some years back on my late, murdered blog Bernard Welt guest-hosted a series of posts that showcased and celebrated what constituted legal gay porn-in-print and imaginative gay porn magazine design in the mists of long ago aka the 1970s and early 1980s. This weekend I’ve culled a kind of ‘greatest hits’ from those posts, and you are asked to do something with them on your end. The particulars of your related experiences are of course entirely up to you. And there you have it. Enjoy, and thank you again from the future aka now, Bernard. ** Armando, I hope it was a good b’day. I definitely need to watch ‘The Silence’ again. Maybe I can find a way this weekend even. I’ll check. I guess I don’t really have any feelings one way or another about Green Day so your pleasure thereby seems totally understandable. Plans, me? See some art, I think, and work, blabla, as usual, and maybe a film. There’s some Chinese documentary whose title and subject matter I can’t remember playing here that Zac says looks great, so maybe that. And you? ** David Ehrenstein, He is one of America’s very greatest fiction writers for sure, I totally agree. Everyone, FaBlog takes on that guy in the White House here. ** Quinn R, Hi, Quinn. Oh, I’m not sure about the ticket prices. I can ask Gisele if her company can you get comps or discounted tickets, but she’s in Berlin for the film festival until next week. I’ll find out when she’s back. That your ex- works at France Culture and makes films is very interesting, of course. Well, even if your trip over to these parts is short due to possible new job starting, you won’t regret it, duh. Or, well, seemingly ‘duh’ because how do I know? Yes, I of course want to read Lonely Christopher’s new poetry collection. In fact I need to order it. I’ll be happy to read your take in LARB. I think the prospect of writing about poetry is needlessly intimidating. I don’t know why poetry has that kind of highfalutin vibe/rep. I wouldn’t worry, in other words. There are some upcoming poetry books I’m really looking forward to, although I’m blanking on the titles. Elaine Equi’s new one, for sure. Poetry releases are hard to keep up with. I kind of rely on SPD and certain exciting/reliable presses like Roof and Ugly Duckling and so on. I’ll try to remember titles, if you want. Yes, let me know your Paris itinerary when you know it, and I’ll check into the ‘TIHYWD’ tickets. Take care! ** _Black_Acrylic, Hi. Every single one of Rudy Wurlitzer’s books is great, in my opinion. The novel I spotlit yesterday is my favorite of them, I think. ** Bill, Ha ha, that is quite the mix-up. I am a big Henry Cow fan, yes, and Frith in general, and that great Slapp Happy/Henry Cow album, and more, and I heard that that book existed and then I forgot about it. I’ll order it. Wow, I haven’t a peep about Steven in a very long time. I think he’s way hiding out online if he’s on. Good to hear he’s out and about. I’ll listen to Junior Mint Prince. They’re totally new to me. Thanks, pal! ** Steve Erickson, I remember being very disappointed by ‘The Coca-Cola Kid’, but it’s been ages since I saw it, and I can barely remember it. That is depressing news, and, sadly, yes, understandable. Well, I hardly think complaining about or being saddened by the serious film programming lack is a privileged thing here where such things are the bread and butter. ** Okay. You are fully aware of what’s in store for you between now and Monday, so I will take my leave and see you again on Monday.
Now available in North America 
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Ah Memory Lane! Merci Bernard. I recall this era of gay porn as if it were yesterday. Note the lack of muscle emphasis. This is all about guys you could imagine actually trick with. Quite a contrast with the physical “Perfection” of Jim French pictures of Ideal Adonis types. Looking at them brings back memories of the gay porn stores in which I frst saw them.
This is so awesome and inspiring. Gives me ideas for short stories and stuff. Thanks Dennis. There’s a place in Castro that still sells these old gay mags. Luckily a lot are online these days and you can just download them.
“Pornography is just another word.” Sounds like the title to a power electronics album.
Interesting, size of dick is average, when did big one become a “must”…
I recommend strongly watching “The Deuce ” it also gives quite an interesting angle on gay porn.
Great to see Bernard’s treasure trove again. Those karate boys, haha. They seem to have so much fun back in the day.
Just saw “The Man with the Magic Box”, a Polish film with time travel elements. Not perfect, but lots of visual details to enjoy.
Steven hard to find online, but these days he’s behind https://www.wastedbooks.org
Enjoy your weekend…
Bill
With only a couple of exceptions most of these photos are boring. We had a lot more than this shit in the 60s and into the very early 70s. There were some real beauties pouring out of great studios and produced by fantastic photographers.
I’m doing some homework for the Writing Short Stories class, and the task is to write about something scary. I thought about HP Lovecraft and the “thing that is unknown” stuff. Dunno, so far I’ve written something about a thieving bank manager being followed by a haunted mannequin. I’m fairly happy with it so far but these are early days.
My laptop has had to have its screen replaced. A tiny crack means hundreds of pounds’ worth of damage, what a drag. It also means that the various stickers I had on the old model now need to be replaced, including the treasured Jeremy Deller “Fuck Brexit” logo, but it’s nice making a new start and this official Frank Sidebottom test card sticker is now taking pride of place.
Thanks Bernard, I enjoyed this and was inspired me to find something to contribute. Here’s an ad in a gay porn magazine for the Malibu Hydro Spa, an inflatable pool for grown-ups. “Simply turn it on and let the HYDRO PUMP jet action circulate the water, creating a gentle massaging action. Enjoy hours of pleasure alone or with friends. Holds four adults comfortably.” (Link is NSFW.)
https://archive.org/details/BlueboyVol10No6/page/n5/mode/2up
Dennis, have you seen “Sleep Furiously” (Gideon Koppel, 2008)? If you haven’t, I super highly recommend.
Filmed a documentary exercise at Tel Aviv’s maker space. There’s definitely a film to be made there: a variety of obsessive characters working on bizarre DIY projects in an anarchist space full of all sorts of tools and parts. Easy to spend a lot of time there to “research” what goes on there and the group dynamic.
I’m starting to scout people out around town as actors. When I saw this guy’s standup performance I was unimpressed, but when two weeks later I saw him shooting the shit with his friends outside a movie theater I was very impressed.
Do you like Grimes? I’m not a huge fan, but MISS ANTHROPOCENE is interesting. So much of the discourse around it has been dominated by her relationship with Elon Musk – which turned her into a mainstream celebrity, although her music has never sold beyond a cult audience – and what this means for her political views. I don’t really care if she expresses a consistent, coherent ideology across her interviews, social media posts and lyrics and don’t think judging women for their taste in partners is the height of feminism, although she and 4AD have done some really tone deaf promo for this album (like advertising it with “Climate Change Is Good” billboards.) For an artist who’s supposedly making pop music, her tendency to sing at the very top of the range and swallow her lyrics has grated on me, but MISS ANTHROPOCENE stuck with me more than I expected from the early singles.
I finally finished my music article for the Brooklyn Rail and turned it in! Tomorrow I am seeing the Polish film CORPUS CHRISTI for a Nashville Scene review.
Hey,
Hope you had a good weekend. Didn’t really do shit. Well, watched ‘The Silence’ again at like 3:00AM and listened to *NICO* and LEONARD COHEN.
Good day, good luck,
a.
Hey,
Hope you had a good weekend. I didn’t really do shit. Well, watched ‘The Silence’ again at like 3:00AM and listened to *NICO* and LEONARD COHEN.
Good day, good luck,
a.
Is Laurence Viallet the one who introduced you to *Madame Florence Delay* Herself?