QUEERPHONIC

Jobriath A.D., a new documentary about ill-fated career on Glam Rock artist Jobriath. Marc Almond stated on Guardian “Jobriath (born Bruce Wayne Campbell) was a readymade entity with no big backstory, yet to those in the know he was thrilling and seductive, a guilty secret. I remember, before hearing a note, taking a journey to the big city to buy his first album, the eponymous Jobriath, on import. Its striking cover showed him with porcelain skin and film-star ruby lips, a fallen, broken, beautiful statue. On a first listening, the music is a baffling mix of glam, musical theatre and 1970s rock. At a time when we craved simple guitar chords and a Starman chorus, Jobriath seemed just too musical, too clever – not pop enough. His voice had a touch of Mick Jagger at his most sluttish (like that other wonderful US glam import, David Johansen of the New York Dolls). He was a mix of wide-eyed innocent and world-weary punk. And though there was a nod to Ziggy in the vowels, Bowie he was not.

For me, above all else, he was a sexual hero: truly the first gay pop star. How extreme that was to the US at the time. His outrageous appearances on the hallowed US rock show The Midnight Special prompted shock, bewilderment and disgust. Everyone hated Jobriath – even, and especially, gay people. He was embarrassingly effeminate in an era of leather and handlebar moustaches.”

Wayne County “Queenage Baby” Wayne County at the Tracks 1974 MainMan Artistes

In 1974 MainMan Artistes, David Bowie’s management firm, spent $200,000 in a theatrical stage show for Wayne County that later became the inspiration for Bowie’s Diamond Dog tour. Though the show was filmed, MainMan has never released the footage. So far only eight songs were released on a CD in 2006. Jayne County claims tracks from this show were the proto-type to Bowie’s Rebel, Rebel. Which can be heard when listening to the song Queenage Baby - but the same can be said for Jayne County’s more punk version cover of The Barbarians “Are you a Boy or Are you a Girl.”

a short documentary about the short career of Jobriath. 

Jobriath “L’Maman” Jorbriath 1973 Elektra

During the height of Glam Rock, Jobriath was signed to Elektra records for a unheard of $500,000 ten year contract and with this price tag came a media blitz. Full-pages ads in magazines and 250 billboards around New York City. During the marketing campaign Jobriath labeled himself “Rock’s Truest Fairy” making him the first openly gay rock singer to be signed to a major record label. This statement did little to help his career and even with positive reviews, his albums were not able to find an audience and Jobriath was dropped from his label in 1974. He spent the remaining years of his life as a Lounge singer for Chelsea Hotel before becoming the first musical casualties to AIDS in 1983.

Iggy Pop “Nightclubbing” was a part of ‘the Idiot’ released 1977 RCA. Which was the first of two LPs which Pop did with David Bowie. Though released after David Bowie’s ‘Low,’ work began on the album in ‘76, it has been claimed unofficially the first part to David Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy period.