Jobriath

Widely acclaimed today as the first ever openly (and genuinely) gay rock star, an iconic status which only seems to harden as time passes, Jobriath can also be described among the saddest casualties in modern musical history. The two albums he cut during 1973-1975 are collectors items today and deservedly so. But for at least two decades after their release, their maker's name was more likely to be evoked as an example of the dangers of hype, than anything else, with the actual quality of both his music and his performance deeply buried beneath the avalanche of scorn which knowing critics still pour on his head. However, both Morrissey and the Pet Shop Boys have talked openly of their admiration for Jobriath, Jayne County has described him as America's premier glam rock idol and Mark Stewart is an unlikely, but equally loyal fan. So, too, are the generation of young glam rock fans who were curious enough to look beyond the record company hype (and the music industry hatred) to investigate the intriguingly packaged, deliciously delivered records which bore the singer's name. Neither has been scarred by time, neither has been overtaken by age. In 1973-1975, Jobriath records were regarded as a waste of time. Today, they are simply timeless. A veteran of the original Los Angeles run of Hair, Jobriath then relocated to New York, where he recorded one album with progressive rock hopefuls Pidgeon. The record went nowhere and Jobriath split for a solo career, managed by former Jimi Hendrix associate Mike Jefferies. They parted company soon after and Jobriath soldiered on alone, beating his head against what was rapidly becoming a wall of unmitigated hostility towards his music. One of the most popular of the manifold legends surrounding Jobriath is the reaction which a set of...