The Velvet Mafia: the gay men who helped shape mic the 60s | Mic | The Guardian

Contents:

• THE VELVET MAFIA: THE GAY MEN WHO HELPED SHAPE MIC THE 60S
• THE VELVET RAGE: OVERG THE PA OF GROWG UP GAY A STRAIGHT MAN'S WORLD
• PRI AND PREJUDICE FOR GAY MEN
• WISNS MIDDLE SCHOOL FEATUR 'THIS BOOK IS GAY' LIBRARY, STIRRG ONLE OUTRAGE

THE VELVET MAFIA: THE GAY MEN WHO HELPED SHAPE MIC THE 60S

But the people who shaped and advised those artists – the on who managed the stars of the classic rock age – were, by an outsized marg, gay terwoven muny clud Brian Epste (who brought the world the Beatl), K Lambert (who -managed the Who), Simon Napier-Bell (the Yardbirds, and a young Marc Bolan), Robert Stigwood (Cream, the Bee Ge), Billy Gaff (Rod Stewart), Ken Pt (David Bowie), Barry Krost (Cat Stevens), as well as Tony Stratton-Smh (who formed the visnary label Charisma for bands like Genis). In fact, was a gay man, Larry Parn, who svengali-d Bra’s very first rockers, om Tommy Steele to Billy Fury to Marty Wil.

A new book tled The Velvet Mafia: the Gay Men who Ran the Swgg Sixti aims to tell the Brish si of this story by focg on several key players the scene, cludg a few of the aforementned nam along wh the novative producer Joe Meek and the head of the UK’s most powerful label at the time, Sir Joseph Lockwood. ”At the same time, the rich, powerful and fluential men faced the nsirable nsequenc of beg gay at a time when homosexual acts were still outlawed the UK.

THE VELVET RAGE: OVERG THE PA OF GROWG UP GAY A STRAIGHT MAN'S WORLD

”There were, fact, a few powerful gay women the Brish rock scene at the time as well, cludg Vicki Wickham, who booked the acts on the semal TV show Ready Steady Go and who later managed Dty Sprgfield and LaBelle. ”Bullock’s book don’t lve to the eper cultural and psychologil issu volved the relatnships between the gay and straight men.

Still, ’s clear to any stunt of the era that the edgy liv of gay men at the time fascated the straight artists they worked wh. They weren’t jt gay but also Jewish. ”In some ways, managers like Epste and other others uld sulate themselv om the everyday life of gay men at the time – throwg their own exclive parti and circulatg elevated circl where they uld do as they pleased.

Ironilly, after the law agast homosexual acts changed Bra 1967 – crimalizg them certa circumstanc and for those of a certa age – the harassment of LGBTQ people actually tensified.

PRI AND PREJUDICE FOR GAY MEN

“But post-67, and wh the formatn of the Gay Liberatn Front 1970 Bra and wh gay people beg more outspoken, the raids and the psdo-polil attacks started to happen more. The Velvet Mafia: The Gay Men Who Ran the Swgg Sixti is out now.

The are the exact words my gay son wrote to me after readg this book, The Velvet Rage: "I fally opened up and read the book you bought me, "The Velvet Rage". It touched on subjects a way I have never seen before, issu that are unique to gay men. " Parents, fay or iends of troubled gay men should all buy this book ASAP and send to them.

WISNS MIDDLE SCHOOL FEATUR 'THIS BOOK IS GAY' LIBRARY, STIRRG ONLE OUTRAGE

A Mt for any Clician workg wh Gay Men! Downs has wrten an hont and straight forward book that speaks to the direct effects of homophobia on the psychologil velopment of gay men.

He has been willg to expose the tth about how the validatn of this culture has rulted self-loathg, over-pensatn, and high-risk behavrs the gay muny.

It giv the rear a wdow to the potential "whys" of the behavrs which turn validat the experience of the gay man. I look forward to sharg this book wh my gay male clients both adult and adolcent as well as parents and fay members who are tryg to unrstand their loved one.