Homosexuality in the music business?

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Hi all, I haven't been around for a while due to work issues. But i was wondering about some info on musicians that have come out. I'm working on an essay for a small paper and any info would be appreciated.

― Simona (Simona), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 18:51 (twenty-three years ago)

Elton John in 1976; He ranked as #2 (#1 was oj simpson) on who young men considered their hero the following year (as reported by pop up video)

― Jonathan Williams (ex machina), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 18:54 (twenty-three years ago)

I hear that Jonsi from Sigur Ros is openly gay. Don't know much about it though.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 18:55 (twenty-three years ago)

David Bowie, but the jury's still out about whether he meant it or not.

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:15 (twenty-three years ago)

Melissa Ethridge, not that anyone was really surprised.

― paul cox (paul cox), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Well, this would be a good place to start...

A True Fairy

― Arthur (Arthur), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:19 (twenty-three years ago)

Bob Mould and Grant Hart of Hüsker Dü I believe.

― Alex Murphy, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:35 (twenty-three years ago)

Stipey

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:36 (twenty-three years ago)

Gentleman Reg's new album Make Me Pretty is too coming out what Dylan's Blood on the Tracks is to divorce.

― Emmet Matheson, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:41 (twenty-three years ago)

Grant's gay too? Never knew that.

― paul cox (paul cox), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:43 (twenty-three years ago)

Rufus Wainwright, Stephin Merritt, Eminem

― Aaron A., Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:44 (twenty-three years ago)

kirk hammet from Metallica. pretty odd one for being in such a homophobic genre

and the lead singer from Judas Priest. but now he's doing industrial stuff in a band called FIGHT (?). a lot more accepting of a genre

― JasonD (JasonD), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:46 (twenty-three years ago)

Erasure, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Village People

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:47 (twenty-three years ago)

Since when is Kirk Hammet gay? Isn't he still married?

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:52 (twenty-three years ago)

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc400/c443/c44385i29ky.jpg

― Curtis Stephens, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:53 (twenty-three years ago)

I've never received any corroboration on this, however;

I seem to recall a story that had Rod Stewart being rushed-off to the hospital were he ultimately had to get his stomach pumped after having ingested an inordinate volume of semen.

― christoff (christoff), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Hadn't heard about Kirk Hammett. I know he played on Pansy Division's cover of "For Those About to Rock" (re-titled, cheekily, "For Those About to Suck Cock"), but that doesn't necessarily make him gay.

Rob Halford is the ex-Judas Priest frontman you spoke of, but Fight pre-dates his coming out, and isn't a going concern anymore. His industrial project was called TWO, I believe, and came out on Trent Reznor's NOTHING label (and subsequently failed). Rob's now back on the metal side of things, fronting his band dubbed Halford.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Fred Durst

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:10 (twenty-three years ago)

maybe i'm making this Hammett thing up. i swear i heard it. i tried googling for it and with the way kids these days talk, all i could find were people saying how "gay" metallica was now. so maybe my sources were wrong.

― JasonD (JasonD), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Is this thread really happening?

"I mean, darling, it's not a rave, it's a HAPPENING!"

― donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Morrisey is gay

― Aaron W, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:16 (twenty-three years ago)

Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks was quite gay, it seemed, back in the day (penning several a Buzzcocks love song without gender role specifics, and -- lest we forget -- writing "Homosapien"), but I've heard that he's since married a woman (!?!?!) and had a critter or two. Not positive of that, but I have seen pics of him pushing a stroller.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:19 (twenty-three years ago)

Isn't the poster girl for queer musicians, Ani DiFranco, married to a m-a-n? But not The Man apparantly.

― Horace Mann, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:35 (twenty-three years ago)

Grant Hart and Kirk Hammett are both bisexual, IIRC.

― Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" Indigo (cindigo), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:36 (twenty-three years ago)

There must be a list of people associated with the apocryphal "stomach pumped after having ingested an inordinate volume of semen" tale.

― stephen. s (yaye), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:55 (twenty-three years ago)

I know! It's really amazing how many times it's happened. You'd think the rockers would learn not to swallow!!!

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Or at least pass around the name/description of the guy who can't help but blast a gallon of cum to better avoid runnig up hospital bills.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 21:03 (twenty-three years ago)

marc almond (soft cell), jimmy somerville (bronski beat), george michael, god is my co-pilot (fronted by a bi couple), cecil taylor, pauline oliveros, annea lockwood, john cage, henry cowell, harry parth (?), larry levan & arthur russell (i think)...a lot of disco people for that matter, maybe someone else can help me out. lou reed "came out" at one point although my understanding is that like bowie he denies it now. what's the main focus of the article? i would be interested in reading it.

― James Annett (jlannett), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 22:22 (twenty-three years ago)

Lou Reed

― , Wednesday, 18 December 2002 22:29 (twenty-three years ago)

The guy that sings in R.E.M

― , Wednesday, 18 December 2002 22:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Ha! George Michael is right! Although, he was sort of forced out of the closet.

― paul cox (paul cox), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 22:39 (twenty-three years ago)

Sylvester.

― Sean (Sean), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 22:39 (twenty-three years ago)

there's gotta be some juicy on some members of the b-52s. what about eminem? hehe... nah, i suppose that's in the pet shop boys' dreams.

dudes in the screamers... what about david byrne? could iggy have had a moment (or sixty) just like lou and bowie? aren't the suicide guys also gay? a bunch of those nyc rockers were bisexual.

what about the depeche mode guys? ??
m.

― msp, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 22:43 (twenty-three years ago)

people also say darby from the germs had a thing for guys but wouldn't openly throw it out there...

boy george...
m.

― msp, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 22:44 (twenty-three years ago)

everyone's bisexual so that doesn't count

― mark s (mark s), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 22:45 (twenty-three years ago)

are once again sistas left to do it mostly themselves on some other thread?

ok, kd lang.
jane siberry too?

― t\'\'t (t''t), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 22:54 (twenty-three years ago)

aren't the suicide guys also gay?

Alan Vega's married, and has a kid.

― Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" Indigo (cindigo), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 22:57 (twenty-three years ago)

Glenn Danzig.

Wasn't it rumoured that Nancy was just a "beard" and Sid Vicious was?

― Sean (Sean), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 23:19 (twenty-three years ago)

wasn't there some flingy stuff going on between some of the notable members of the runaways?

― msp, Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:11 (twenty-three years ago)

Eminem is in the closet

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:17 (twenty-three years ago)

Jonathan Davis (sp?) of Korn.

― Siegbran (eofor), Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh yeah; Joan Jett.

― Sean (Sean), Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:18 (twenty-three years ago)

As for the B52s, Fred Schneider is openly gay - the guy's like a how-to for crying out loud.

Aphex Twin once admitted in an interview to performing fellatio for cash as a young man Then again he could've been just fscking with the reporter as he's known to do. He has a girlfriend now, though, and has his computer write songs about her.

Elton John came out after an attempt at marriage went sour and he contemplated killing himself. Didn't stop him from a thrity+ year chart streak though, I think he's still on it.

Dave Matthews is gay. His fans don't know this, somehow.

Kathleen Hanna - gay? see below.

Can't confirm but Dennis Lyxzen of The International Noise Conspiracy, formerly of the Refused, is gay?

Pink is bi.

― Tom Millar (Millar), Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:23 (twenty-three years ago)

Bob Weir! (Nobody knows this one either.)

― Sean (Sean), Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:28 (twenty-three years ago)

wasn't Dennis going out with the girl member of (I)NC?

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Jonathan in Korn is married to a (female) porn star. He may be many things, but he's not gay.

Didn't know about Bob Weir. True?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:37 (twenty-three years ago)

Both guys in Matmos; they're a couple.

― M Matos (M Matos), Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:39 (twenty-three years ago)

One hates to state the FUCKIN' BLEEDIN' obvious but...surely all rock'n'roll is homosexual, darling. As any fule no.

― Venga, Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:47 (twenty-three years ago)

Andy bell of Erasure is gay, but Vince Clarke is/was married wasnt he?

― brad, Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:50 (twenty-three years ago)

Charlie Daniels! Nobody knows this but me, though. All country rock is homosexual.

― Arthur (Arthur), Thursday, 19 December 2002 02:03 (twenty-three years ago)

Skipping 127 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

the lead singer of Voxtrot seems pretty gay

― boonah (boonah), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 17:26 (twenty years ago)

This thread is four years old and no one has mentioned Little Richard.

― Disco Nihilist (mjt), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 17:28 (twenty years ago)

pisces = Jim O'Rourke?

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 17:31 (twenty years ago)

i think andrew bird is gay

― boonah (boonah), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 17:33 (twenty years ago)

All of you guys.

― everything (everything), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 17:35 (twenty years ago)

Luther Vandross

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 17:37 (twenty years ago)

I read a Miles Davis biography ("So What", I think it was called), which mentioned Miles being a bisexual, but no other book about him I've read has mentioned this. Also, even the said biography didn't say anything about his supposed male partners. Has anyone more info on this?

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 17:41 (twenty years ago)

ah, the Luther Vandross case fascinates me.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 17:41 (twenty years ago)

Ray Davies of the Kinks
The Dicks

― Pete Scholtes (Pete Scholtes), Thursday, 22 June 2006 01:25 (nineteen years ago)

Uh... Ray Davies was more hetero than Dave, and Dave was more hetero than Pete Quaife (the gay Kink, so far as I know).

― js (honestengine), Thursday, 22 June 2006 01:40 (nineteen years ago)

Yes please scratch "Ray Davies of the Kinks"--an unforgivable (and now public) case of me having a mis-impression based on "something I read somewhere" and bolstered by the themes of some Kinks songs...

― Pete Scholtes (Pete Scholtes), Thursday, 22 June 2006 02:53 (nineteen years ago)

From what I understand Vandross was more or less asexual.

― It's Rodney, pimp! (R. J. Greene), Thursday, 22 June 2006 03:33 (nineteen years ago)

Or, after a bit of googling, very much so gay.

― It's Rodney, pimp! (R. J. Greene), Thursday, 22 June 2006 03:35 (nineteen years ago)

He was donutsexual.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 22 June 2006 15:37 (nineteen years ago)

from wiki:
During Vandross's entire career, he was dogged by questions regarding his sexuality. A lifelong bachelor, his name was never romantically linked in the media with women. Although Vandross never explicitly denied being gay, he never publicly acknowledged it either. He generally attempted to steer questioners away from the issue altogether by saying that his "busy lifestyle" made marriage difficult and indicated that, in any case, "it was not what he wanted." It is said he made all his employees sign discretion contracts that prevented them from discussing his personal life without severe financial retribution. After his death an article in Out magazine had several of Vandross' friends, including Bruce Vilanch disclose that Luther was indeed a very unhappily closeted gay man. [1]

― rentboy (rentboy), Thursday, 22 June 2006 15:55 (nineteen years ago)

Also, word around town is P-Diddy is a big 'ol closet case

― rentboy (rentboy), Thursday, 22 June 2006 16:01 (nineteen years ago)

I've heard (unsubstatiated, but really, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest bit) that John Legend is openly gay and everyone in the music industry knows this, but he keeps quiet about it in the general public.

― It's Rodney, pimp! (R. J. Greene), Thursday, 22 June 2006 20:15 (nineteen years ago)

mmmm donutsexual.

― mts (theoreticalgirl), Thursday, 22 June 2006 20:16 (nineteen years ago)

am now picturing Vandross and Vilanch going out on teary-eyed, guilty eating binges together

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 22 June 2006 20:18 (nineteen years ago)

I'm realizing now that it looks like I'm asking if pisces is Jim O'Rourke. What I mean is whether the "certain member of a certain band that has recently quit" is in reference to O'Rourke -- esp. in light of lines like "It's not like I wanna be gay / I can't help myself / It's just that I am."

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 22 June 2006 20:22 (nineteen years ago)

watch out chelsea!!!

http://www.mego.at/images/artist_jimhappy.jpg

― kevin barking (arghargh), Thursday, 22 June 2006 20:55 (nineteen years ago)

I thought he was talking about the dude from Deerhoof. It's kinda a gay-ass band anyway. (In a good way.)

― Eppy (Eppy), Thursday, 22 June 2006 21:08 (nineteen years ago)

Also, I would like to echo something said in 2002 and laught at the question mark on this thread.

― Eppy (Eppy), Thursday, 22 June 2006 21:11 (nineteen years ago)

three weeks pass...

Let's get something straight. Henry Rollins is not gay. That is a fact. I've hung out with him.
Everyone in the music business knew Rob Halford was gay, though if you talked to him it wasn't obvious. I can't believe anyone on the planet was surprised when he came out of the closet. Hell I heard from a reliable source that he was gay in 1983.(I couldn't listen to eat me alive after that, it just wasn't the same) I have heard a rumor that Bon Scott's first wife caught him pounding some other guy's behind, and that's why she left him. Not sure about that, but his replacement, Brian Johnson, may like women more than anyone else I know. Johnson asked one of the female cameramen that shot the STIFF UPPER LIP video if he could wrap her legs around his neck and use them as a scarf. He also got caught with his hand on a womans behind at the end of the SNL show AC/DC was on. Not sure about the rest of the band.
What started the Kirk Hammet rumor? also the Dave Draiman rumor. And what about the Mick Jagger/David Bowie rumor? Hasn't anyone ever heard that one. I've heard the Rod Stewart stomach pumping rumor many times. I always figured if it was true, it would have been confirmed by a reliable source by now. Just because everyone(male) in the choir in high school is gay, doesn't mean everyone that sings in a band is.
There's really no reason for anyone in a band to be in the closet anymore. Being gay hasn't hurt anyone's record sales in a long time. I don't think there are as many musicians in the closet as the press and the idiots that start these rumors would have you believe.

― Larry Reigle (snoopy), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 06:10 (nineteen years ago)

This thread title alone always brings a smile to my face when I see it.

― Cunga (Cunga), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 08:03 (nineteen years ago)

Larry brings the inside scoop!

― Annie Get Your Gin (noodle vague), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 08:05 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I can confirm that Rollins isn't gay. When I had sex with him he had no idea where to put anything. Kiki and Herb, on the other hand...

― Momus (Momus), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 09:19 (nineteen years ago)

Click that link, then hover over the left arrow gives you

"Back to Homosexuality in the music business"

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 13:08 (nineteen years ago)

(sigh) slave to the grind . . .

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Friday, 21 July 2006 04:06 (nineteen years ago)

his replacement, Brian Johnson, may like women more than anyone else I know. Johnson asked one of the female cameramen that shot the STIFF UPPER LIP video if he could wrap her legs around his neck and use them as a scarf. He also got caught with his hand on a womans behind at the end of the SNL show AC/DC was on. Not sure about the rest of the band.

There's something so innocent about the way this is described.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 21 July 2006 04:10 (nineteen years ago)

What about Limp Wrist?

"I love hardcore boys / I love boys hardcore!"

― less-than three's Christiane F. (drowned in milk), Friday, 21 July 2006 04:14 (nineteen years ago)

What started the Kirk Hammet rumor?

The fact that he looks and acts totally gay??

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 21 July 2006 06:04 (nineteen years ago)

expert opinion, folks.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 21 July 2006 06:11 (nineteen years ago)

roffle.

― Marmot 4-Tay (marmotwolof), Friday, 21 July 2006 06:16 (nineteen years ago)

Ray isn't, but Dave Davies is bi.

― Matt Golden (goldmatt), Friday, 21 July 2006 08:01 (nineteen years ago)

Dave "experimented" in the 60s

― Dadaismus (Are we in love like I think we be?) (Dada), Friday, 21 July 2006 08:17 (nineteen years ago)

Billy McKenzie of The Associates was bi, if not gay (source: Tom Doyle's biography quoting an interview).

― stevo (stevo), Friday, 21 July 2006 16:43 (nineteen years ago)

Has Morrissey ever said he's gay? His official word is he's "celibate"? He's never publicly owned up to being gay has he? Though he obviously is to my view.

― Makkada B. (Makkada B.), Saturday, 22 July 2006 10:35 (nineteen years ago)

In the 80s Morrisey was once asked in an interview "Are you virgin?" To which he replied "Yes, in a very profound way."

― jimnaseum - music to make you staga (jimnaseum), Saturday, 22 July 2006 10:38 (nineteen years ago)

He has, for all intents and purposes, come out. I suspect that there's a tacit understanding between reporters and him these days.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Saturday, 22 July 2006 12:29 (nineteen years ago)

Where are teh Kitchens of Distinction?

Also, I wonder about Paul Rodgers...

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Saturday, 22 July 2006 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

o'rouke's not gay.

the lyric is actually "it's not like i wanna be king", according to the official lyrics over at http://tisue.net/orourke

also, he made a pass at my girlfriend at a show once.

― james brooks (j_brooks), Monday, 24 July 2006 02:29 (nineteen years ago)

>>Isn't the poster girl for queer musicians, Ani DiFranco, married to a m-a-n? But not The Man apparantly.

WAS married. Now divorced.

Here are some other people who really are gay and out: Mirah and Neil Gust (of the band No. 2 and Heatmiser, the band he co-fronted with Elliott Smith).

― Adamantly Free (AbsurdistGap), Monday, 24 July 2006 05:02 (nineteen years ago)

Um...

Having sex with (or flirting with, or harassing) somebody of the "opposite" sex does not automatically make you "not homosexual."

Thank you.

― Pete Scholtes (Pete Scholtes), Monday, 24 July 2006 20:30 (nineteen years ago)