Music

This compilation documents the evolution of gay-influenced music from the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1961 to the first official out hit (Sylvester’s ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)’). Compiled by pop historian Jon Savage, it’s a fascinating historical document, with a wealth of detail in the accompanying booklet explaining the origins and significance of tunes as disparate as ‘Ain’t Nobody Straight In LA’ by Smokey Robinson and Peter Grudzien’s country-fried ‘White Trash Hillbilly Trick’.

However, it’s worth noting that the tracklisting stops dead just at the point where gay culture began having the massive influence on popular music that it enjoys today. There’s nothing in the way of disco, house, boy bands, or anything else you may have enjoyed listening to over the last 30 years.

Although t here are plenty of gems for the ‘outsider music’` fan, such as The Kinks’ psych-out ‘See My Friend’ or Curt Boettcher’s excellent ‘Astral Cowboy’, this assortment is really aimed more at the collector of curiosities who might best appreciate how the likes of Byrd E Bath & Rodney Dangerfield’s not-terribly-amusing ‘Florence Of Arabia’ reflect the sea change of attitude over the last generation.