You mean '21 Gay Street' went through more than one edition? That's astounding!
I've been collecting these covers for a while--two good sources are Trash Fiction and Pulp of the Day(linked in the sidebar), and others come from places like 'If Charley parker Were a Gunslinger There'd be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats' (tsutpen.blogspot.com/), a site in which you can lose yourself for hours, as well as www.vintagepbks.com, www.strangesisters.com and www.gayontherange.com
Glorious stuff, JRSM. I knew Kerouac belonged among that lot. I particularly like Abnormals Anonymous and I seem to remember that Guy N. Smith was an inspiration (along with Shaun Hutson and the like) for Garth Marenghi.
I'd not heard of Gareth Marenghi before: thanks for the link. This is a show I'd like to see. From 'Night of the Crabs': 'He wasn't going to leave Pat Benson on her own, crabs or no crabs.' A true gentleman.
A less lurid cover for '21 Gay Street'? That seems a wasted opportunity!
Weren't the 50s fantastic? I wonder if it was part of the same McCarthy syndrome that produced "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and was terrified that SOCIETY WAS GOING TO HELL IN A HANDCART - DRUGS, HOMOSEXUALITY, PROMISCUITY, THOSE COMMIES ARE POISED TO JUST WALK IN AND TAKE OVER!!!!!! However I LOVE the look of "Homo Hill". Absolutely nothing there to offend even my gayest friends. I will be buying them all copies to remind them what a menace to society they are...
I love the way ephemeral trash like 'Homo Hill' gets seriously catalogued in libraries: in this case, for example, it comes under the following helpful sections: Cruising. Hustlers. Rough trade. Gays and the police. Gay community - Los Angeles. Psychiatry and homosexuality. Medical constructions of homosexuality.
It really was. I made the mistake of doing a Google Image search for "69 gay street" to see what that book might look like. It was not successful, and the images I DID get back have damaged my brain. I do not recommend it!
My pleasure. I love the way the artist for the 'Abnormals Anonymous' cover was obviously struggling to show just how abnormal the characters were: the man is... KNITTING! (Gasp!) The woman is smoking... A CIGAR! (Scream!)
I own a copy of 21 Gay Street, but with a different cover. If I remember, I'll dig it up and scan it.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you find these? Superb!
ReplyDeleteYou mean '21 Gay Street' went through more than one edition? That's astounding!
ReplyDeleteI've been collecting these covers for a while--two good sources are Trash Fiction and Pulp of the Day(linked in the sidebar), and others come from places like 'If Charley parker Were a Gunslinger There'd be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats' (tsutpen.blogspot.com/), a site in which you can lose yourself for hours, as well as www.vintagepbks.com, www.strangesisters.com and www.gayontherange.com
Glorious stuff, JRSM. I knew Kerouac belonged among that lot. I particularly like Abnormals Anonymous and I seem to remember that Guy N. Smith was an inspiration (along with Shaun Hutson and the like) for Garth Marenghi.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to look for it last night - but yes, it had a slightly less lurid cover. I picked it up at the flea market a few months ago.
ReplyDeleteI'd not heard of Gareth Marenghi before: thanks for the link. This is a show I'd like to see. From 'Night of the Crabs': 'He wasn't going to leave Pat Benson on her own, crabs or no crabs.' A true gentleman.
ReplyDeleteA less lurid cover for '21 Gay Street'? That seems a wasted opportunity!
Weren't the 50s fantastic? I wonder if it was part of the same McCarthy syndrome that produced "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and was terrified that SOCIETY WAS GOING TO HELL IN A HANDCART - DRUGS, HOMOSEXUALITY, PROMISCUITY, THOSE COMMIES ARE POISED TO JUST WALK IN AND TAKE OVER!!!!!! However I LOVE the look of "Homo Hill". Absolutely nothing there to offend even my gayest friends. I will be buying them all copies to remind them what a menace to society they are...
ReplyDeleteI love the way ephemeral trash like 'Homo Hill' gets seriously catalogued in libraries: in this case, for example, it comes under the following helpful sections:
ReplyDeleteCruising.
Hustlers.
Rough trade.
Gays and the police.
Gay community - Los Angeles.
Psychiatry and homosexuality.
Medical constructions of homosexuality.
More than Matt Bradley ever intended, I suspect.
Okay, I found my book, but I was wrong. It's actually a copy of 69 Gay Street. My, Gay Street was a lively place.
ReplyDeleteIt really was. I made the mistake of doing a Google Image search for "69 gay street" to see what that book might look like. It was not successful, and the images I DID get back have damaged my brain. I do not recommend it!
ReplyDeleteI would love to read some of those! I loved 'Abnormals Anonymous' as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the links to those websites; I love vintage covers.
My pleasure. I love the way the artist for the 'Abnormals Anonymous' cover was obviously struggling to show just how abnormal the characters were: the man is... KNITTING! (Gasp!) The woman is smoking... A CIGAR! (Scream!)
ReplyDelete