Acquired Tastes XLIII: Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 207 - Club Series Books, Part 3 of 3

Acquired Tastes XLIII:

Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 207

Club Series Books

Part 3 of 3

Today we take a final look at the Club Series imprint.

Brought to you by the good people at Star Distributors, LTD., the Club Series imprint lasted a whole two years, from 1973-1974, publishing 36 titles in all. Star Distributors, LTD. operated out of a P.O. Box at the Canal Street Station in New York City.

The books covers feature a solid colored background with a half-dome window ion the lower left side containing an erotic pen and ink illustration, typically having something to do with the subject of the book. The illustrations are of high-quality, depicting masculine, manly middle-age men, sometimes in the company of 'softer' younger men with feminine features.

In the upper left hand corner, you will find the distinctive Club Series logo - opposite, in the upper right hand corner, the price. Across the upper expanse, the title, in a bold, modern white font. The authors names are most likely all pseudonyms. 

On-line, these books can be found for $25.00 - $45.00.

Here are the last 12 titles.

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 The Teenage Boyfriend

Author: Earl Lowry

 Club Series 

1973

 CLUB-124 

According to Hommi Publishing's Big Ass List, this one is about when a "teenage buddy initiates Jeff who heads to college to practice what he has learned".

Available as a downloadable PDF or ebook at Hommi Publishing.

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The Sophisticated

 Stud Author: 

Roger Ericson

 Club Series 

1973

 CLUB-125

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 Boy-Hungry Aristocrats

 Author: San Falzar  

Club Series

 1973 

CLUB-126

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Schoolmaster’s Lust

 Author: Paul Stevenson 

The Club Series

 1973 

CLUB-127

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Rough Reamers

 Author: James Marcus 

Club Series

 1974 

CLUB-128

Available as a downloadable PDF or ebook at Hommi Publishing.

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Marine Meat Eater

 Author: Jack Evans 

Club Series

 1974 

CLUB-129

Available as a downloadable PDF or ebook at Hommi Publishing.

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The Willing Young Guests

 Author: Petrie Warthan 

Club Series

 1974 

CLUB-130 

According to Hommi Publishing's Big Ass List, this one is about a "movie star who throws an orgy".

Available as a downloadable PDF or ebook at Hommi Publishing.

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The Butt Branders

 Author: George Ferren 

Club Series

 1974 

CLUB-131

Available as a downloadable PDF or ebook at Hommi Publishing.

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Ten Inches to Paradise

 Author: Jack Evans 

Club Series

 1974 

CLUB-132

According to Hommi Publishing's Big Ass List, this one is about "boys given a European trip by their fathers".

Available as a downloadable PDF or ebook at Hommi Publishing.

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The Cocksure Rockstar

  Author: John Platt 

 Club Series 

1974

CLUB-133 

According to Hommi Publishing's Big Ass List, this one is about a "young man who goes to NY hoping to become a rock star".

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Dude Ranch Suckers

 Author: George Ferren

 Club Series

 1974 

CLUB-134 

According to Hommi Publishing's Big Ass List, this one is about "Bob & Marty, who start a dude ranch".

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The Giant Lover

 Author: James Marcus 

Club Series

 1974 

CLUB-135

Available as a downloadable PDF or ebook at Hommi Publishing.

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And that's the end of the Club Series imprint.

Next week: Another tantalizing vintage gay pulp fiction imprint.

Until then...

Thanks for reading!

Idiot Boyfriend - Jimmy Fallon

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: Michael Stipe

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip:

Michael Stipe

In my big gay church there is a wing dedicated to The Divas Who Represent. They're not all flashy or cocks of the walk - in fact, some never officially came out of the closet during their lifetime - but they are all extraordinarily gifted, sharing their songs, music, and insights, allowing the world at large to learn, in the most subtle of ways, what it's like 'being green'. Thanks to their gifts and their bravery, they help make the world a little more gay every time their voices are heard. And that's been their true super power all along... their voice; they were heard. They mattered. And, whether they liked it or not, they represented!

One such self-described solemn poet?

Michael Stipe.

In his way, he's the blueprint for the modern artist - always exploring new means of expressing himself. 

For the longest time, his art was brought to the world via the band, R.E.M. But since, like a cocoon, that sheltering wrap was shed and he's gone on to redefine himself as an artist. 

His lyrics have always offered glimpses into the private development of this musical icon.

And just as his definition of himself as an artist has always been fluid, so has his definition of his sexuality - a subject which has always intrigued the media and public alike. 

He's a queer artist. That's how he describes himself. And his affection is based on attraction, be it intellectual, emotional or physical. 

The lovely thing about him - there's a secret part of him no one else has access to, a part he's kept for himself which the world will never be privy to. And that's what keeps us fascinated. That's what keeps us engaged in his development. 

He's gone from brash young thing to maturing artist in the span of an honorable, successful career few have achieved. To have the world, but lose your soul? Not an option for him. That was never part of his playbook. 

He's always played for keeps, protecting what is salient, because he recognized early on what was going to be important. At the age of twenty-seven, he took a good hard look at himself and ceased being careless with people. Since that time, he's grown leaps and bounds as both an artist and a person. 

With his focus now more  than ever on the visual, via conceptional art and photography, he remains as vital and fascinating as ever.

The world awaits. Another transformation. Another great reveal.

The gospel according to him?

Well, here's three from the hip, dropping from his lips.

The topics? Sexuality, The Band, and Music Lovers

"There are people that very strongly identify themselves as gay and then lesbian, and then I think there are a lot of people who are kind of some percentage or some version of that."

"I've always felt that sexuality is a really slippery thing. In this day and age, it tends to get categorized and labeled, and I think labels are for food. Canned food."

"My feeling is that labels are for canned food... I am what I am - and I know what I am."

"I'm not homosexual, I'm not heterosexual, I'm just sexual."

"When I get really hammered I take my clothes off. That's a sure sign. It's been a long time since the last time I did that. Probably a year."

"When we first started, we were a band from Athens and that was so off the map."

"I think there were early critics who wanted us to change the world because the Sex Pistols failed."

"We toured that record for a year, which turned out to be the culmination of ten years of being constantly on the road. We were sick to death of touring."

"There was a point in the '80s when I looked out at my audience and I saw people that - were I not on the stage - they'd sooner slug me as they walked by me on the sidewalk. And I realized that I was way beyond the choir."

"We're absolutely American and distinctly so, I think. That's part of what people respond to outside of this country, part of the reason that we're such a huge band outside of the U.S., where we're not so popular now as we were 10 or 12 years ago."

"So, we went from being an Athens band to being a Georgia band to being a Southern band to being an American band from the East Coast to being an American band and now we're kind of an international phenomenon."

"But we're very much an American band and that's that. I think that's part of the appeal outside of this country and it might be part of the reason people turned away from us within this country, because familiarity breeds contempt."

"But I think the one thing that I can say about us is that we're very consistent about certain things and part of that is our desire to do the very best work that we can and not rest on our laurels, or not allow formula to come into what we do."

"So, when you divide the world into music lovers, music fans and then those people who are just very casual about their music, it's wallpaper to them, it's elevator music, it's just the thing that's playing in the background that helps them through their day."

"Because the casual music listeners are the ones who turn on the radio and they don't really care what's playing, they just know that they kinda like it or it's easy to drive to or it's easy to sing along to or whatever."

"Super casual music listeners. That's most of the people in the world. And you have to understand, that's why Top 40 radio exists. It's not there for people who seek out music and who love music."

"There was never a golden era of American radio as far as I can tell."

"If you disagree with me, fine! Because that's the great thing about America, we can disagree!"

Stand - R.E.M.

Losing My Religion - R.E.M.

Your Capricious Soul - Michael Stipe

And one last parting shot...

"I went through a period where I was really tired of seeing and reading about myself."

"I'm tired of being this solemn poet of the masses, the enigma shrouded in a mystery."

"If I'm tired of me, I'm sure the public is as well."

"I'm just not that fascinating a person to have had all those lives that I've written about."

Weekend Onesie: The Magic Of Burton Rice - Part V

Weekend Onesie:

The Magic Of Burton Rice

Part V

As you may know, on Thursdays, Wonderland Burlesque does a series of posts about old movies, featuring movie posters. During the course of research, I fell in love with a particular type of poster art, enough so that I wanted to learn a bit more about the artist.

That's what I'll be sharing with you the next few Saturdays, as part of the Weekend Onesie series (which is rarely about a single image, so, not sure why I cling to that title).

I remain in awe of this man and his work; the sheer volume and quality is astounding. He must have slaved over his drawing table like a madman. His movie posters for Bluebird and Pathé are not all he did... he also created book covers, advertisements, and sheet music art. For this series, I've chosen to group them according to visual type.

I find his use of color and white space quite amazing and far ahead of his time. 

Here's a bit of information (all cribbed from various sites) about the artist and samples of his work.

The Magic Of Burton Rice

American designer, illustrator, photographer, and poster artist Burton Rice is best known for his work creating posters for the Bluebird Photoplays division of Universal Pictures between 1916 and 1919. Little else is known about him.

He was an American native born in a Chicago suburb on April 15, 1894. Records show that he returned from France in 1917, when he was 23 years old, and again in 1924, aged 30. In 1943 his draft registration card showed him living in New York city, and self-employed. 

Burton designed a wide range of products, but you might know him under a different name. When designing fashion pieces, he often used the pseudonym of Dynevor Rhys. No one knows why Rice did this. Some believe he wished to save his real name for fine art, but this was never confirmed. This change happened after his New York studio burned down in November of 1923. After the fire, Rice began submitting magazine covers as Dynevor Rhys.

In 1959, he returned to Chicago.

He died in Paris on April 4, 1977.

Through his years as a designer, Burton Rice produced many impressive pieces. His posters help capture an era. Through his work, we can better experience the time period.

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Cheer Up Baby - Inhaler

Friday Fun: Happy National Toasted Marshmallow Day!

Friday Fun: 

Happy National Toasted Marshmallow Day!

Here's some golden brown yumminess to bright your day.

Yes, it's National Toasted Marshmallow Day!

Coincidentally, it also happens to be National Beach Day. So? You know me. I love a good two-for-one (in oh, so many ways).

Here's a convenient way to celebrate both. 

Ah, yes... those sexy, sexy tan lines. So spank-able!

Just be sure to play it smart and use plenty of sunblock. 

Sunblock! Yes! That's the golden rule when it comes to staying young and pretty in the sun.

Ah, summer.

The season is so fleeting.

Be sure to toast your mallows, today!

- uptonking from Wonderland Burlesque

Naked In The Sun - The Jordan

The Naked Sun - Pandora