levasseur@morgan.DEC (12/18/84)
I've been chatting with <_Jym_> internally about Bronski Beat. He
suggested I post this regarding a bit of *ignorant*,*slimy* censor-
ship I encountered in a record store in Beautiful Downtown Maynard,
Mass. Wonderful Maynuhd is a little sleepy town that would dry up
like a zit if it weren't for DEC. The local shops serve DECburgers,
VAXfrappes, TOPS20records, etc. I walked in during lunch to get some
Christmas shopping done at a record store. I had about $100 worth of
records under my arm and asked the shop owner if he had "Age of Consent"
by Bronski Beat" He had never heard of it and another customer joined
in the conversation,"Oh! they're hot they're a British gay group" The
salesman then said,"I won't carry no mudda fukkin queer records in my
shop", to which I replied as I put the potential purchase down on the
counter,"Fine! I won't do any business with a mudda fukkin ignorant
jerk like you either!" As I was walking out I noticed a display of the
Frankie Goes to Hollywood album. I told the shopkeeper as I walked out
,"Ya better get rid of that one too, they're a bunch of queers also.
I was also looking for it in a local department store. The salesgirl,
a gum popping teenie-bopper snickered as she groped the record bins for
the BB album. She handed me the album and said, "Here you are thweetie"
Needless to say I walked out. I should ahve got her manager but what
the hell, it's Christmas.
I can't see why this album isn't a chart buster like the ones done by
guys who bite the heads off bats on stage or Van Halen who prances around
on stage in a jockstrap worn over his spandex pants in his videos. the
music produced by BB is performed professionally. The musicians know
how to use synthesizers (some other groups could stand to take lessons).
They can also evoke emotions (a hard thing to come by in pop/rock). I
guess the only reason this group won't make it in the U.S. is homophobia.
I also told <_Jym_> about some humorous homophobe antics while I was
in college. I'll post these at a later date. I'de like to know if anyone
else has seen similar.
Today's Trade is Tomorrow's Competition
Ray