THE SPOTLIGHT IS CLOSING!

this is so incredibly sad.. i don't want to accept it....

after 48 years in business- THE SPOTLIGHT, the oldest and last remaining gay bar, (besides antebellum!) in hollywood is closing it's doors?!! supposedly on january 3rd, 2011.

THE SPOTLIGHT BAR
1601 Cahuenga Blvd. @ Selma
Hollywood, Ca.
this was the cryptic posting left on spotlight's facebook page
-" Spotlight Bar ‎...an official statement will be posted soon. Thank You to all our friends over the years, It's been a fucking blast! (Serving Stiff Ones...Since 1963) Cheers!"

(the now infamous portrait of the spotlight bar- hollywood-
courtesy- peter palladino)

I have so many personal memories and events that took place @ the spotlight, it's like a part of me will end with the closing of this bar.

when the spotlight opened in 1963, there were over 15 gay bars on selma ave, (from vine st to highland ave) this is more gay bars than west hollywood in the present day. back then selma ave was the weho of it's day, perhaps a bit more sleazy, and more for "hire" if you know what i mean.


(owner since 1963- don)


fave bartender- gerry)



(fave bartender- benji)






i vaguely remember having a birthday party there sometime around 1994.
it was very crowded. everyone was very drunk. there was a black trannie in a wheelchair, and a guy with ill-fitting faux-leather chaps with a bowie knife tied to his leg. two guys were fighting and there was a german shepherd, (as in dogs, not sheepherders) in a brawl as well. the paramedics came in with a gurney, passing the two guys and dogs fighting, and collected a guy in the back who had passed out. my group of friends were dancing on the table. michele mills went into a personal rendition dance when Madonna's lucky star came on the jukebox. we got kicked out for being unruly.. the two guys fighting and the dogs did not.

i organized the premiere party for HUSTLER WHITE during june 1996. i had my photo taken with tony ward on one arm and joe dallesandro on the other.

to pay tribute to the end of another era, i am posting photos i took @ the spotlight for ATTITUDE MAGAZINE- UK for designer
andrew mackinze, featuring TONY WARD, and a cast of others. the shoot was called-
"HUSTLER RED," 2OO5.









all photos- rick castro

TOFURKY

just what the vegan wants for thanksgiving.

DUMBO OF THE MONTH

TONY PERKINS of "FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL gets raked over the coals, over and over again!
check out the best of- "owning tony perkins," dumbo of the month






FYI, here's a little info about TONY PERKINS-

Anthony Richard "Tony" Perkins (born March 20, 1963) is an American political activist.
Perkins is president of the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian think-tank and public policy foundation based in Washington, D.C. Perkins formerly resided in Baker in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, when he served two terms as a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives.
Perkins was raised in Cleveland, Oklahoma and graduated from Cleveland High School in 1981 and went on to receive his Bachelor of Science degree from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia and later earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Louisiana State University. After college, he entered the United States Marine Corps. Following his tour of duty, he entered the law enforcement arena, working for the Baton Rouge city police. During this time, he also worked with the U.S. State Department's Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program.

After leaving the law enforcement field, Perkins worked at WBTR-TV, an independent Baton Rouge television station as a reporter and later as news director.
He stayed there until his election to the legislature. He was elected on a "traditional" conservative platform of strong families and limited government. Four years later, he was reelected without opposition.
Perkins is married to the former Lawana Lee. He has been affiliated with the National Rifle Association, and the Christian Coalition.
In 1996, Tony Perkins worked as the campaign manager for Louis E. "Woody" Jenkins, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Louisiana. In that capacity, Perkins signed a contract with a company run by former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke. Duke's company was paid $82,000 in exchange for the use of its mailing list.

Perkins became the President of the conservative Christian Family Research Council, a political offshoot of James Dobson's Focus on the Family, in September 2003.

Perkins has urged Congress to pass the Federal Marriage Amendment which would define marriage as the union between one man and one woman in the United States. He has also criticized civil unions.
In Perkins' own words, from a July 21, 2006, column in the publication Human Events:
The definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman is rooted in the order of nature itself. It promotes the continuation of the human race and the cooperation of a mother and a father in raising the children they produce. This union can only be protected through amending the United States Constitution. If it's not, activists will continue using the courts to sell a five-legged dog. But as we say where I'm from in Louisiana, 'that dog won't hunt.'

Perkins June 3, 2010 "Washington Update" email described the gay civil rights movement as "a movement dedicated to destroying marriage, free speech, public health, religious liberty, and (after the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal) national security"

In November 2009, Perkins signed a statement known as the Manhattan Declaration calling on Evangelicals, Catholics and Orthodox not to comply with rules and laws permitting abortion, same-sex marriage and other matters that go against their religious consciences.

THE COLD SONG

here's rare live footage of antebellum hero- KLAUS NOMI performing THE COLD SONG live in paris, circa- 1981.


klaus nomi's bday is coming up on january, 24th, 2011, who will attend the KLAUS NOMI TEA PARTY?

PIN UP

photos courtesy- C.k. Jocks, NakedBudd Hiker & Simranjeet Singh

PETER "SLEAZY" CHRISTOPHERSON

it is with great sadness that i repost this news-

The initial announcement came roughly an hour ago, at around 4 AM EST, when Throbbing Gristle members Cosey Fanni Tutti and Chris Carter tweeted the same message:

Our dearest beautiful Sleazy left this mortal coil as he slept in peace last night.words cannot express our grief.

Throbbing Gristle's official website has also been updated with the simple message,

Peter 'Sleazy' Christopherson
1955 - 2010

Christopherson's passing comes soon after news that Genesis P-Orridge is no longer performing with the band live, which resulted in a last-minute name change to X-TG during their recent tour.

Needless to say, Peter Christopherson's influence on what we listen to here at Tiny Mix Tapes is immeasurable. We consider ourselves lucky to have interviewed him a couple years back. This is a hard loss to swallow. We send our deepest condolences to Christopherson's friends and family.

(throbbing gristle)

Peter Christopherson, a.k.a. Sleazy, member of such seminal groups as Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV, and Coil. He reportedly died in his sleep yesterday, November 24, at the age of 55.

READ MORE-


(coil)

on a personal note-
i first met PETER CHRISTOPHERSON back in the late 90s.
he contacted me directly as a fan of my photography, and ask to view my work. we met @ swingers diner on beverly blvd,
(he was staying @ the hotel) and had a nice chat & lunch. we hit it off immediately and he asked that i call him, "sleazy."
all his friends did so.
the nickname came from his usual demeanor and pursuit of happiness.

SLEAZY was enamored with one of my models in my book-
"CARMILLA CALIBAN COCK", AKA "PIERCE," and asked that i please put him in contact. this became a creative collaboration that lasted many years.
meanwhile, sleazy and i keep in contact throughout the years and he always contacted me when he visited LA.
years later he gave me some invaluable information as to how to deal with a certain production company in making sure
i retained my rights as the creator of a project.
i will remember always remember peter "sleazy" christopherson, with fond admiration.




(carmilla caliban cock aka pierce performing with coil)

sleazy moved to thailand after the death of his longtime lover and collaborator-
JOHN BALANCE, who died from a fall at home in the UK on
november 13th, 2004.

(john balance)

here are just a few of the acomplishments of "sleazy"-

Solo as Peter Christopherson-

"In My Head A Crystal Sphere Of Heavy Fluid" on Foxtrot (1998)
"All Possible Numbers" on Autumn Blood (Constructions) (2009)

With Psychic TV-

Force The Hand Of Chance
Just Drifting
Dreams Less Sweet
Berlin Atonal Vol. 1
Berlin Atonal Vol. 2
N.Y. Scum
Thee City Ov Tokyo/Thee City Ov New York
Mein-Goett-In-Gen


(Coil - Live in Berlin -2001 - Anarcadia - All Horned Animals)

Music video as director
Marc Almond - "Waifs and Strays", "Tainted Love '91", and "Say Hello Wave Goodbye '91"
Björn Again - "A Little Respect"
Coil - "The Wheel", "Tainted Love", "Windowpane", "The Snow (Answers Come In Dreams II)", "Love's Secret Domain"
The Crystal Method - "Comin' Back"
Erasure - "Chains of Love", "A Little Respect", "Stop"
Diamanda Galás - "Double Barrel Prayer"
Barry Gibb - "Now Voyager" (long form made-for-television music film)
Hanson - "I Will Come to You"
Nona Hendryx - (track unknown)
Paul McCartney - "Going Home (From Rio to Liverpool)"
Ministry - "N.W.O.", "Just One Fix", "Over the Shoulder"
Nine Inch Nails - The Broken Movie ("Pinion", "Wish", "Help Me I Am in Hell", "Gave Up"), "March of the Pigs"
Robert Plant - "Tall Cool One"
Rage Against the Machine - "Freedom", "Killing in the Name", "Bombtrack", "Bulls on Parade", "People of the Sun"
Rollins Band - "Illumination"
Sepultura - "Refuse/Resist"
10cc - (track unknown)
The The - "Infected", "The Mercy Beat", "Heartland"
The Threshold HouseBoy's Choir - "Mahil Athal Nadrach", "So Young It Known No Maturing",
Van Halen - "Don't Tell Me", "Can't Stop Lovin' You"
Yes - "Owner of a Lonely Heart"


(tainted love- coil)


(NIN- march of the pigs- directed by "sleazy")


(Diamanda Galas - Double Barrel Prayer- directed by "sleazy")


(Ministry - Just One Fix- directed by "sleazy")


(Rollins Band - Illumination)


(Yes "Owner Of A Lonely Heart"- directed by "sleazy")


(Hanson - I Will Come To You- directed by "sleazy")

AWWW LOVERS!

photo courtesy- nick hunt

PIN UP

photo courtesy- nick hunt

SKINTIGHT

for all you tactophiles out there

photo courtesy- j. smith

MEMORIES OF BRASSAI

one of the greatest photographers of all time~



photos courtesy~ brassai

ANTEBELLUM

this is the first in a series of films of ANTEBELLUM.
the mood, the ideas the style, the views, directed by ISAIAH GAINES.

co-directed by isaiah gaines
produced & co-directed by rick castro
clothing by rick owens and architectural clothes
masks by raymond sandoval and JT's stockroom
location- antebellum gallery- hollywood, ca, 

ANTEBELLUM ON FILM

antebellum artist- ISAIAH GAINES & i
shot our first film for antebellum the other day...
our film is a tribute~homage~tableau of ANTEBELLUM...
here's a few sneak peek- outtakes-





photos of isaiah gaines- courtesy- rick castro

THE DUMB BLONDE

1967 performance on the "Porter Wagoner Show". Dolly Parton's first appearance on television.

PIN UPS

justin & chip- photo courtesy- starrfucker

THE CAT & FIDDLE

the breakfast club met @ THE CAT & FIDDLE on saturday morning.. we have been meeting every saturday morning for over 2 years!
here's a photo of me and the cat window..

(photo courtesy~ lawrence elbert)

btw, we will never go back to THE MERCANTILE. they don't know how to treat their customers.

PIN UP

danny parker- photo courtesy- starrfucker