The book’s editors, Jean Garnett at Little, Brown and Ka Bradley at Granta, approached this beast unflinchingly, then took it dancing. Laura Macdougall at United Agents made it happen. I’m very glad they were my trusty companions.
My gratitude also to Olivia Davies at United Agents; copyeditor Trent Duffy; everyone at Little, Brown, including Betsy Uhrig, Karen Landry, Marie Mundaca, Lucy Kim, Lena Little, and Ira Boudah; everyone at Granta, including Pru Rowlandson and Simon Heafield.
Thank you: Ben Walters, Andy Campbell, Shaun Cole, Josh Cheon, Olivia Laing, Sean Hart, Anh Do, Farika Holden, John Thomson, Ian Giles, Euan MacDonald, Colter Jacobsen, Don Kilhefner, Richard Dyer, Rictor Norton, Joe Parslow, Jack Fritscher, Rocco Kayiatos, Jasleen Kaur, Bobby McCole, Adrian Rifkin, Martin Meeker, Gayle Rubin, Jim Gleeson, Jay McCauley Bowstead, Bob Skiba, Jack Clarke and Ruth Pilston at Arcadia Missa, Hannah Quinlan and Rosie Hastings, Hal Fischer, Bus Station John, David Ghee, Gavin Watson, Marc Vallée, Jenny Hoyston, Wayne Koestenbaum, Eileen Myles, Michelle Tea, the Friends of the Joiners Arms, Jack Rollo, Elaine Tierney, Laurie and everyone at the Chateau, Paul Burston, Kirk Read, Fitzcarraldo Editions, Liz Ohanesian, Karen Ocamb, Jeff Moen, PJ Mark, Russell Garnett and Chloe Gott at KBJ Management, Simon Amstell, Stuart Comer, Matt Connors, Travis Elborough, Isaac Fellman at the GLBT Historical Society, Sinead Evans, Bryony Quinn, Jeremy Millar and all my friends from Writing at the Royal College of Art, Ellis Moore at Bolinda and Elisa M. Rivlin.
There are several journalists, historians and critics who cleared the paths I decided to saunter down; their foundational work gave direction to my rambling. I’m compelled to mention Matt Houlbrook; Johan Andersson; Ben Campkin and the Urban Lab at UCL; Mark Simpson; Murray Healy on gay skins; Nan Alamilla Boyd on San Francisco queer history; Martin Meeker; Gayle Rubin for her brilliance generally and specifically ‘The Temple of the Butthole,’ where I first encountered many of the colorful details about the Catacombs; Simon Watney, whose papers in the nineties proposed a reaffirmation of gay when the challenges faced by the population were more urgent than quibbling over the identity’s shortcomings. When I’d find myself down a rabbit hole of infighting and invective, such constructive thinkers shone a light.
Thank you to the staff of Rare Books & Music at the British Library, who brought me stacks of gay daily. Shout out to LAGNA at Bishopsgate Institute, Hackney Archives and the National Archives. Much appreciation to Loni Shibuyama, Jeanne Vaccaro and everyone at the ONE Archives in Los Angeles.
The title page photo is of Sundowners in Margate, England. The chapter photographs are of Vauxhall, London; the Factory Building before dismantling, West Hollywood; Lower Robert Street, London; Twin Peaks Tavern, San Francisco; Wild Side West, San Francisco; the London Apprentice pub sign, London; The Flying Handbag, Blackpool.
At the time of going to print, the Nelsons Head crew runs the Cock Tavern on Kennington Road, and the G&D team heads up the Queen Adelaide on Hackney Road. Long live the Triangle.
Much respect to the Phone Booth and El Rio in San Francisco, which must be my spirit bars.
Visit Blackpool!
Famous was named after ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ by Leonard Cohen. That song and those by the Velvet Underground are entwined with how we’ve moved through the world, especially chapters 2 through 5.
Big hugs to those who were there making the memories (and blurring them), including Anh, Teebs, Stooves, Boobs, Ralpharoo, Jesse, Niki, Matt, Carl, Dawn, Richard, Steph, Carrie, Jeff, Ginny, Kyle, Warwick, Paul, Chandra, Markie, the MH crew, all the Sams. To the twinks, buddies, strangers, queens, bar staff, DJs and performers—cheers.
Love to Jenny for being a disco ball, Mom for ‘Having a Coke with You,’ Dad for the integrity.
Jamie Atherton was there each step of the way, then back over and again. He helped shape my notions into some semblance of reason, and gave this book a reason.