Punk Footnotes #8 The Homosexuals

I should have gone to the shop myself. It was probably a bit unfair making my Brother go to Virgin in Croydon in 1984 and buys an album called ‘The Homosexuals Record’ for my Christmas present.

Most footnotes deserve their status, a single great song produced on the monkey and type writer principle, or being there at a key moment or somehow for a moment capturing a mood. The closer inspection of these bands work normally explains why they remained on the margins. However exhilarating ‘Cranked up Really High’ was Slaughter and the Dogs other material tapered off pretty sharply. Few bands, with the benefit of hindsight hint at a greater talent.

One of the few that do was The Homosexuals. The arrival of iTunes has made this band's work accessible in a way it never was when they appeared in the late 70’s. They gigged infrequently, released a couple of singles on tiny labels and broke up. They did leave a body of unreleased recorded work, often rough and unfinished. These recordings flashed briefly into public view in the mid 80’s with the release of ‘The Homosexuals’ record. This is where I encountered them following John Peel playing the thrilling ‘Neutron Lover’, a song that featured the wonderful line ‘like robots falling over, in their hungry search for love.’

The line-up revolved around Bruno Wizard. His original band ‘The Rejects’ were amongst the first wave Punks that played at The Roxy. This band mutated into The Homosexuals when he felt constrained by how punk was changing. I recently read a rather convoluted explanation for why they chose the name, but I suspect that is all bollocks. Wizard was known for his confrontational approach, and I guess the name was chosen to provoke and annoy.

But unlike many of the early punk bands the provocation was backed by a genuine musical gift. If I had to categorise them they fit best alongside the arty arch punk of Wire and Magazine. But it’s not a perfect fit. Their musical palate was much broader and more adventurous. Many of the recordings feel like the unfinished rough mixes but The Homosexuals Record was packed with great songs. Hearts in Exile, Technique Street, Vociferous Slam, False Sentiments and the above mentioned Neutron Lover are strange, beautiful and exhilarating. Sometimes there is a sudden unexpected change, but you always feel they know what they are doing.

At the time The Homosexuals record came out they were dormant, and apart some staggeringly opaque liner notes there was nothing to help the listener to learn more. There is more info out there now. Wikipedia suggests that maybe Bruno wasn’t the easiest person to work with and very much at odds with the mainstream music industry.  They do appear to have enjoyed a level of rediscovery with a more widely available ‘The Homosexuals CD’ coming out in the early 2000’s. There does appear to be a version of the group that has reformed, and they seem to have an audience in the States.

What is clearly visible from the songs they recorded over thirty years ago is a band that had a musical vision way beyond the miniscule recognition they received. So, thanks Bro, I appreciate it.