Jobriath: Glam's Lost Icon
Posthumous appreciation for a man who died before his time.
Jobriath didn't get credit during his lifetime for all that he influenced in the world of glam rock.
In the '70s, glam rock acts came and went, but despite his status as a virtual unknown, Jobriath influenced more in the glam rock scene than he ever received credit for in his lifetime.
But Jobriath's talent (he's influenced everyone from David Bowie to Pulp) only boiled down to his sometimes-glittery theatrics for some. Which was unfortunate in more than than one way, because his music (unfortunately still largely unavailable) stands the test of time.
Morrissey set about to change this. Noted as one of Morrissey's favorite artists, he set about getting Jobriath's music to the masses, culminating in the Lonely Planet Boy CD release in 2005, which is selected songs from Jobriath's first and second albums.
Jobriath was also one of the very first -- if not <i>the</i> very first -- openly gay musicians in a era that either largely unrecognized homosexuality or turned a blind eye to the lifestyle. Music historians frequently note that while many musicians in the glam rock scene in the U.K. and the U.S. affected a pose of ambiguity regarding their sexuality in order to stir up controversy and sell records, Jobriath was straightforward about his sexuality--which ultimately, some note, may have been a detriment to those who weren't ready for such forthrightness.
Jobriath ultimately died in the Hotel Chelsea in 1983. Several stories continue to circulate about the circumstances surrounding his death, but the consensus says that Jobriath was unfortunately music's first AIDS-related casualty.
You can read more about his life at <a href="http://www.jobriath.org">jobriath.org</a>.
