Who Needs Love (Like That)?

‘Only suitable for the gay market’ or ‘not gay enough’? Simon Grainger aka Graingerboy writes about his experience of homophobia in the music industry.

“In a bizarre twist to the story, when the album was finally promoted, a particular gay radio station announced that they wouldn’t be supporting me as my music didn’t sound “gay enough”. By that point the whole situation became laughable.”

Celebrating LGBT History Month 2014 with an exclusive Graingerboy track.

Graingerboy celebrates LGBT History Month with Polari by sharing with us an exclusive remix of ‘I Love You (But I’ve Chosen Disco)’.

Photography of Jamie Stewart.

Xiu Xiu, frontman Jamie Stewart has contributed a selection of his never seen before photography to Polari Magazine for LGBT History Month.

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Grace Jones’ 1981 album Nightclubbing was a defining moment in the history of pop music. John Preston celebrates the passion, fire and pure subversion that is Grace.

” She is the explosion. Give Jones an electric fan or a spinning chair, an Issey Miyake cape and a pair of cymbals, and you’ll feel as though you’re witnessing other worldly, artistic genius.”

The Nude EP Trilogy.

Jamie McDermott talks about his musical influences, playing live in Russia, and YouTube slapping an inappropriate age restriction on one of their videos.

“I made this video because there are kids out there who kill themselves for being gay and I wanted to make something that would communicate directly to those kids and tell them ‘it’s ok to love’.”

Greased Lightning.

Colin Ginks talks to Joey Arias and Kristian Hoffman about bringing the legend of Klaus Nomi to life once more. Polari Magazine celebrates music for LGBT History 2014.

“Punk was ‘hate everything’. Klaus said, ‘No, you can be this rebellious revolutionary or outsider, by creating the most beautiful noise ever heard in the world.’ “

For Laura Jane Grace: LGBT History Month 2014.

Chase Garrett celebrates her trans hero for LGBT History Month in a cover of Black Me Out by Against Me!, recorded exclusively for Polari Magazine.

The One and Only BRM.

To start the Polari Magazine celebration of LGBT History Month 2014, John Preston talked to Billie Ray Martin about her upcoming single with trans artist Aerea Negrot..

“There will always be naysayers who want to block progress and equality, but there was a huge surge of positivity and change last year with gay marriage becoming ‘normal’ in many cities and countries. I do believe more good things will come.”

Jimmy Sommerville, by Andi Fraggs.

To end LGBT History Month, 2013, singer-songwriter Andi Fraggs rounds out the LGBT Heroes series.

“I was frantically searching for something I could relate to. There was nothing until one day I ventured into a second hand shop and there was a big pink triangle on the front of the Bronski Beat album.”

Ani DiFranco, ‘Both Hands’.

To end LGBT History Month, 2013, Polari asked the singer-songwriter Sabrina Chap to recall a song important to her.

“I knew that Ani sometimes slept with girls, but part of the thrill of the song was that there was no gender to the person she was talking about – it could have been anyone.”