off: GYBE, SR etc...

[Doug Pearson]

On Thu, 6 Apr 2000 07:40:12 EDT, "Ted Jackson jr."
<tojackso at LIBRARY.SYR.EDU> wrote:
>On 5 Apr 00, at 11:25, bart wrote:
>
>> Re: Rob Halford from a while back, I always figured the JP split was
>> resultant to his affirmation of an  'alternate lifestyle'. Could be
>> wrong though.
>
>I may be an old cynic <!> but I thought that Rob's coming out was a
>publicity ploy.  How could he play in a band with 4 other guys for 15
>years and nobody could figure out he's gay?

I don't think it was exactly a big secret at the time.  I'd heard
"friend-of-friend" rumors from people who allegedly knew arena security
workers (of the fratboy/college athelete variety) who had been the
recipients of personal interest from mr. Halford.  Certainly the rest of
the band must have known, it's just something that wasn't publicized (sort
of the way teen idol pop stars have to keep their marriages secret so not
to disappoint their teenybopper fans).  I could easily believe, though,
that the split came as a result of his *public* affirmation of said lifestyle.

>Now I know, judging
>from the post-Halford lyrics, that the JP guys aren't rocket scientists
>[relax die-hards, I've already praised Glenn's guitar playing and
>songwriting apart from the lyrics] but they must have known that Rob
>was, uh, different...

*Especially* judging from his lyrics!  Lots of very blatant innuendo there
(certainly in retrospect), and isn't the whole tough-biker-in-leather
schtick (remember the guy in the Village People?) sort of homoerotic to
begin with ... ?  I'll have to ask some of my gay friends if they ever had
a boyhood crush on Eric Bloom!

        -Doug
         ceres at sirius.com