Ronke Osinowo (pronounced ron-key) is a hip London dyke, but her latest works will speak to any fag who’s ever been stuck in a depressing rainy port town – literally or figuratively. I Bring You Tilbury Town is a collection of her poems, lists, and verbiage, with illustrations by Damilola Odusote, that conjure images of breaking free from societal and familial entrapments alike. Being born to Nigerian parents and raised by Romany gypsies, Ronke’s experience in this place may just be unique.

Joe Eardly: What did you do over the weekend?

Ronke Osinowo: I was supposed to get out of London and head down to Rye for the weekend, but it was pissing with rain. I didn’t fancy tussling with soaked old dears at the bric-a-brac shops so I had a clear out at home instead. Some shocking stuff came to light - judging by the clothes I threw out, I’m not as stylish as i’d like to think.

JE: Is anyone really? Where do you hang out in London, when you are stuck there?

RO: Well, I live quite close to Vauxhall but rarely hang out there. It’s queer heaven apparently, Fire, QN, Hoist, The Tavern, Chariots. I do like popping by Horse Meat Disco once in a while. Otherwise I’m over in the east-end since most of my friends live there. I was born in Hackney and it’s changed so much demographically. Being brought up in a council house, I see no charm living in the inner-city. Some VERY interesting people walking the streets though.

JE: Ah, our mates from Horse Meat were over here in the East Village recently. Always a good time! So where exactly is Tilbury? I imagine it’s one of those depressing minor towns where the drizzle only stops for one hour a year and everyone rushes away from their pint to have a picnic of cold roast beef sandwiches, only to find that when they arrive at the park it starts drizzling again.

RO: You’re right about depressing, for sure! It’s about 25 miles east of London and it’s a dock town. It had chronic unemployment in the ’70s and ’80s which fuelled petty and violent crime. As for being born in Hackney it was a case of out of the frying pan into the fire. There used to be huge cruiseliners docked at the port every couple of months - that’s about as close to glamor as it got. The trade sailors often got robbed and beaten by the skins whilst on shore leave and there was a safe house (knocking shop) called the Stella Maris where the sailors could stay. There were no gays in Tilbury - far too much machismo - but there were quite a few sailors and a fair share of working men’s clubs. You decide.

JE: I’m starting to understand where you got your inspiration! Did you start writing as a kid?

OR: I recently found some old letters and cards and stuff from school. Amongst the crap and the gold I found a short story I’d written about a boy who got his heart broken. It was just short of one page - I’d dated it September 1981 so I guess that’s when I started.

JE: Still into boys then, eh? How did you come about putting your book together?

OR: From the outset I always knew my family set-up was unusual but not necessarily in a good way. Growing up it was a massive hindrance because there was so much negativity thrown at you on a daily bases - whether through physical or verbal abuse, being singled out as trouble or less intelligent, being poor, being black in a white town, being black in a white town with Romany parents, not accepting what the overwhelming majority thought. It can lead you down a very rocky road and put you in a very vulnerable position.

When one of my foster brothers came up to London to study illustration I was really inspired by his work. I dug out some things I had written in Tilbury and wrote a few new things. I thought Dami’s illustrations would enhance the words I had written and give them a greater sense of atmosphere, so I showed him a few lines and he came back to me with what he thought I was trying to get across.

JE: It makes sense that the poems and illustrations were conceived and created together – they’re beautifully interwoven throughout the book. I especially like ‘Woodland’ – it’s something everyone can relate to, but especially growing up a poof!

RO: It’s true what they say: you can’t escape your past - but I’ve found this expression applies largely to people who have experienced something in their past that was particularly unpleasant – people with pasts they want to escape from. If your memories of the past are rosy, this kind of phrase wouldn’t necessarily be in your consciousness. My past haunts me because the things that happened shaped me, but they were not things that I would ever like to experience again. The thought of returning to that state has not been fully exorcised from my mind.

JE: What is your relationship like now with Tilbury Town? Do you visit there often? What is it like?

RO: My relationship with Tilbury stopped when my foster parents died in 2006. They did an amazing job with such little resource or support. Tilbury is unique and an Everytown at the same time. Seeing some pictures recently, it was difficult to distinguish when they were taken – it could have been the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s or ’90s – turned out they were taken just a few weeks prior. That pretty much sums up Tilbury for me – its insularity makes for slow progress. There are some pictures at damilolaa.com - you can see for yourself.

JE: Are you reaching out to other kids in towns like Tilbury?

RO: I think some of the stuff is very personal yet at the same time very accessible to anyone who has felt like an outsider. I wrote the book to try and make sense of things that were going on in my life at the time and to prove that something creative can come from a rubbish situation. What I’ve been hearing from people who have read the book is that they can relate to what is being expressed even though their situations may be very far removed.

JE: I’d say that’s accurate – there is a real sense of trying to break free or escape throughout the book, and who hasn’t felt that when growing up? I got a kick out ‘Rules’ – it pretty much sums it all up.

RO: ‘Rules’ originated because I had to have some kind of mantra for surviving (that wasn’t drug or alcohol related). I tried to fit in (impossible), tried to be “good”, tried to be what I was told I should be and none of it worked. I was despairing and felt like I was being slowly crushed. We learned to fend for ourselves at a very early age and ultimately for me, things became easier to deal with when I followed rule 1.

JE: So speaking of all this escape, is there somewhere you would like to go?

RO: Space would be nice, but I’d prefer to be teleported than sit on a shuttle going stir crazy. That’s outer space by the way, not the club in Ibiza – though that would be a laugh as well. That was a random question!

JE: Are you a poet? Do you know it?

RO: I wouldn’t be so bold as to call myself a poet. Maybe one day. I’m more of an observer. I’m particularly fascinated by what motivates people. I always want to see behind the veil.

JE: Or through the glory hole?

RO: Well everybody loves cock, don’t they?

JE: What does cock culture mean to you?

RO: As far as cock culture goes, I think it’s in a period of transition. In my world, cocks are not synonymous with men, though I do have friends who would (and do) bend over backwards for it.

JE: For an East Village boy?

RO: Hot hot hot!

Twink Life is a new zine by young London artists Simon Leahy and Richard John Jones, for twinks and the men that love them, shoved into my hands outside a late night gallery opening. I got in touch with Richard and found out a bit more - sort of.

Elias Redstone: What is Twink Life all about?

Richard John Jones: Twink power!

What is the true power and beauty of a twink?

When you’re a twink you can do anything, you’re the brightest jewel in the crown of gay life. Twink is kinda derogatory but it’s up to twinks to claim their sovereignty.

Why did you start the zine?

Babes, because being a twink is hard, all the time.

What’s so hard about it?

It’s a gift given by time, which often seems like a hard fuck up the ass, bad and good. It’s turbulent, and your hormones are totally fucked up, but you so frsh.

What’s in a typical twink’s life?

Partying, getting drunk, having fun, meeting people, passing the time and learning how to take hella cock.

Where did the term twink come from - do you know?

Hostess Twinkies, commonly regarded as the quintessential junk food - “little nutritional value, sweet to the taste and cream-filled.” A twink is memorable for his outer packaging, not his inner depth.

What’s the future for Twink Life?

The future is so awsome and beautiful. When I grow up I want to look back at my time as a twink as a time of discovery and power. Not as a time of confusion and objectification. We want Twink Life to grow all over the world, uniting twinks, forever, in this moment of time. Empowering them to realize the true power and beauty of twink.

Finally! UK-based Topshop and Topman are coming to SoHo, New York City! We got a preview of the clothes earlier this week and they’re fucking fantastic! Watch this space for much more, but until then we wanted to at least leak the new store news, and be the first to give you a tease of the ‘Black Trouser Project’ - Topman’s third in a series of ongoing projects where invited designers interpret a specific product. In this case, the classic black wool trouser, interpreted by Patrik Ervell, Todd Lynn, Anne-Sofie Back, Aitor Throup, and East Village Boy friend Tim Hamilton.

As some of you know, EVB just got back from a fantastic time in Hong Kong (big thanks to everyone who showed us the real HK), and Tim’s clothes were in every hot store on both sides of the harbor (or is it harbour). So, come on New York - WTF?

Anyway, check out our preview from Topman, and our chat with Tim.
Richard: What makes for the quintessential black trouser?
Tim Hamilton: Black is timeless and it’s hard to go wrong with a black trouser. More of
a drop crotch and tapered leg look cut will hold up for awhile.

What’s best worn under a black trouser?
Nothing.

What would you most like to put in your black trouser?
A giant black dildo of course.

What would you most like to take out of your black trouser?
You, with an open briefcase of 50 million dollars.

What is your No.1 essential item of clothing this summer?
Trouser shorts in black.

Should flip flops be banned from New York?
FUCK YES!

Should linen suits be banned from everywhere?
HELL YEAH!

There are many grossly overrated DJs who jet from one continent to the other lugging their ‘anthemic’ tunes with them, and then there are those DJs who are more interested in developing a style, reputation and atmosphere in front of a weekly audience. Luke Howard is one such DJ. He began DJing in the late 80s and was the resident at London’s infamous Brixton-based QUEER NATION for over ten sweaty years. We caught up with him on his return from a long, hot trip to Rio De Janeiro…

Richard: Hey Luke, what have you been up to tonight?

Filthy Luka: I went to The Joiners Arms for a night called Macho City, a night of Hi-NRG. It was a lot of fun, just like being in a gay bar in 1985.

R: How did you come by the name Filthy Luka and when did she hit the scene?

FL: Well, I was working at another gay night on a Sunday and then Horse Meat Disco started and the other club didn’t want me to play at two gay things on the same night so I decided to have an alias and came up with Filthy Luka. So she’s been around since Horse Meat Disco began really.

R: How long have you been DJing? How did you get into it?

FL: I have been DJing since 1989. I started doing squat parties in London and then I got a warm up slot at a night at Dingwalls, and then Patrick Lilley gave me a try out when he opened Queer Nation in December 1990. He liked me, so I got the job and was resident there for 14 years.

R: Describe your DJ style in five words.

FL: Jumping groovy disco dancing songs.

R: And you also produce music and perform?

FL: I’ve done a few tunes over the years, mostly for Afro Art which used to be Ashely Beedle’s label, I had an electro pop project with Princess Julia called The Most, and we did a ton of stuff and had a record out on German label Beauty Case - one of our songs was used on the soundtrack of John Maybury’s feature film The Jacket. I haven’t been in the studio for ages but I’m just about to start a new project with Foolish Felix of Cynic records, so I’m looking forward to that.

R: You play at London’s Horse Meat Disco, which is at a boozer called The Eagle in Vauxhall. Over the last few years Vauxhall has become a new gay ghetto in London. What’s that all about, and how do you find it?

FL: Vauxhall is really a massive after hours scene, which I’m not really into. Currently most of the clubs down there are quite generic and I can’t do that up all night thing. However, boozers like The Eagle and the Royal Vauxhall Tavern are a lot of fun and add a bit of variety to things.

R: We hear you have spent the last six months in Brazil (lucky Luka!). Why Brazil?

FL: I just love it. I first went in 2003 and I’ve been back every year for a month but this time I decided to stay longer so I could improve my Portuguese. I really like the way things are down there. People are super friendly and know how to live in the moment and just enjoy life. I love samba and carnival and of course the weather is wonderful compared to winter in London.

R: Where were you? What did you do?

FL: I was living in Rio and I worked for a while making outfits for a children’s samba school. I had to make 120 outfits for the bateria (the drummers) of the school which took about ten weeks to finish. When they paraded there was a mighty thunderstorm and all the outfits were ruined in about ten seconds - feathers don’t like rain!

R: Tell us your finest daytime story and nighttime story from your Rio adventures.

FL: Daytime: One day I was jogging on Flamengo Beach and I met a Brazilian man who was my physical ideal - older, broad shoulders, salt and pepper hair, rugged-looking. We struck up a conversation and learned that we had the same taste in American female soul singers. He started singing songs by Alcione - this female Brazilian singer with a deep voice - which was very romantic. I was just about ready to marry him. I gave him my number but sadly never heard from him. His name was Eros, so if you’re out there reading this, I’ve got my wedding dress out of the dry cleaners…

Nighttime: After I had watched the carnival parade all night I walked down to this place called Elite which is a samba gafiera dancehall that goes gay at carnival. On the way there, down a darkened street, I could see a large group of guys standing at the side of the road. As I got closer I realized it was about forty guys, all having sex. Even I was stunned, as it was just a regular street with quite a lot of cars and people passing by. Needless to say I didn’t join in as I had a lot of money in my pocket, but it was quite a thrill stumbling across and outdoor group sex scene like that.

R: Nice! Very different than your home in London. How does gay culture differ in Brazil from the rest of Europe?

FL: Rio doesn’t have as much gay nightlife as São Paolo as it’s more of a beach culture. There are quite a lot of saunas though. In some areas of life gay people are very integrated into the mainstream, like samba, carnival and Candomblé (Afro-Brazilian religion). In samba school rehearsals there will be quite a lot of gay people and some trannies - they belong there as much as anyone else. In Candomblé most of the priests are gay, the participants are a mixture of straight and gay, and everyone is given equal respect.

R: what clubs or bars do you think an east village boy might find… rewarding?

FL: Unidos da Tijuca samba school have rehearsals every Saturday in the months leading up to carnival and it’s very gay there. Dama de Ferro, a club in Ipanema, is good for afterhours on Saturdays. And there’s a bear party called Encontro dos Ursos (Bear Meet Up) twice a month at Espaço Marun in Catete which is quite fun.

R: I hear Rio is all about the cruising - any hot tips?

FL: Parque do Flamengo at Flamengo Beach is quite cruisy once the sun has gone down, but I hear it can be dangerous. Rio can be quite cruisy everywhere and there are love motels where you can rent rooms by the hour if you get lucky - they’re better, and safer, than taking someone back to your apartment.

R: Name your three all time favorite tracks and why they mean so much to you?

FL: Not wanting to sound morbid, but I’d like these three played at my funeral:

1. Chaka Khan, ‘Love Has Fallen On Me’. I listen to this everyday and it always gives me a lift. Her vocal performance is stunning and the production by Arif Mardin is gorgeous.

2. First Choice, ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’. This is pure Philly Disco perfection. It has quite a melancholy feel, but is uplifting at the same time.

3. Labelle, ‘I Believe That I Finally Made It Home’. Nona Hendrix wrote the lyrics - they’re really powerful. It’s one of Labelle’s finest moments as they all take turns with the lead vocals.

R: Any tips for the future?

FL: Don’t try too hard to be anything in this over-competitive world. We all end up as dust anyway.

R: Are you a Speedo or short shorts boy?

FL: I love Speedos. I have a bit of a fetish for them. It’s great in Rio as all the men wear them at the beach so I’m in heaven.

R: Prove it! ->

London’s Horse Meat Disco is dedicated, simply, to “the industry of human happiness”. It’s the queer party for everyone - homos and heteros, club kids, bears, fashionistas, naturists, guerilla drag queens and ladies who munch. Musically it’s a disco behemoth of classics, Italo-disco, oddities and punk funk, spun in the friendliest venue south of the river (the Thames that is). East Village Boys caught up with one of the co-founders, and resident DJ, James Hillard and milked him for a few answers and an incredible mix.

Richard: Hi James, how’s it going?

James: Very well, thank you. The weather is being vile so I’ve pulled down the blinds, put the mirror ball on and I’m dancing around the living room in my pyjamas listening to Voyage… It’s 3:00 in the afternoon!

R: Please introduce us to the HMD team?

J: That would be myself and Jim Stanton. Hiya!

R: What did you do today?

J: I did the mix you can hear on your website, and drank a shed load of coffee.

R: What’s the Horse Meat Disco story?

J: Horse Meat started back in 2004. It rose from the ashes of a previous party. We just wanted to do a gay party where music was crucial, and one that drew on various tribes to make the crowd more interesting. The gay scene in London had become so stale and commercial. We just wanted to shake things up a bit… and play music we loved. All at the behest of Adam Goldstone. A resident of your parts until he sadly passed away a couple of years ago. He was the one who got me and Jim together to throw parties in the first place. I miss him.

R: Where did the name come from?

J: I was cleaning the flat one day and went to chuck out a pile of newspapers, and one of the headlines was “horse meat discovered in salami” although it was partially covered to reveal “horse meat disco”. I thought it was a genius name, Jim agreed and the rest is history.

R: Who designed your wonderful logo?

J: Adrian Fillary does all our artwork and he is a genius. He always gets it spot on and the logo is proof of that.

R: Who are your resident djs?

J: Myself, Jim Stanton who I co-promote with, Severino who hails from Mantova in Italy, really is one of the most underrated DJs in London - I’m always in awe - and Luke Howard AKA Filthly Luka. He’s currently sojourning in Rio De Janiero and we miss him so much. Luckily he sold me a load of his records before he left so his music lives on… even if that makes me a toon teef.

R: Speaking of music, what’s the HMD music policy?

J: Disco across the spectrum and in all its metronomic glory.

R: Many gay clubs are simply about the chase or cruise but HMD feels more like a social. There is a very friendly atmosphere there. How do you make it happen?

J: I think the music first and foremost, plus mine and Jim’s ability to reach across the tribal divisions in gay clubbing and bring together a great mix of people, gay and straight, who love the music. Being on a Sunday and in a South London boozer helps too.

R: What is the wildest thing you have seen at the club?

J: We did a Mexico inspired party after I visited there a few years ago. We got some piñatas and filled them with bottles of poppers. Didn’t think for a second that when people began to whack the piñata the vials would break. Needless to say they did, and for a while the dancefloor (including myself who was djing at the time) seemed to fall in on itself. The place smelled like a swimming pool for a week!

R: Does it often get out of control? Have you ever had to throw anyone out?

J: I can’t think of any club that hasn’t thrown someone out at some point, but bad attitude and blatent drug taking would do it.

R: At the club you often have some amazing performance artists - which have been your favorites.

J: It’s not so much the case that we plan anything they just come down. Our resident naked guy Ernesto is a poet and performer. He’s lovely and always raises a smile to the uninitiated. We miss Booby Tuesday who moved back to New Zealand earlier this year. She ruled the roost as far as I was concerned. Also the gang from the NYC Downlow our traveling gay club that we did at Glastonbury last year. Too numerous to mention but off the top of my head, Le Gateaux Chocolat, Jonny Woo, Janette, and Holestar were my favourites, and always bring the party when they’re down at Horse Meat Disco.

R: Last year you did a tent at Glastonbury - are you the first gay club to host a tent there? What was it like?

J: We were indeed the first gay space at a UK festival. It was amazing! For me it was even more special as it’s my home village, so coming back and doing what we did had special resonance. The concept came from our friend and regular down at the club, Giddeon Berger, who is an amazing set designer. His idea was to recreate a bombed-out New York tenement terrace with a gay club down a back alley. The effect was incredible, populated with crazy trannies and leather men. It looked like a cross between the film Cruising and Priscilla Queen of the Desert in knee-deep mud. I can honestly say that it was the best week of my life!

R: Who are your fave djs and who would you most like to have perform at the club?

J: I’d have to say Daniele Baldelli. The man is a legend both technically and musically. He’s always an inspiration. When he plays at the club I lose a few pounds because I dance like a loon all night long. We’ve had so many great DJs play at the club I can’t think of anyone else I’d like to have play down there. Danny Krivit, Carl Craig and DJ Spinna would be great at some point.

R: Do you have any celebrities frequent the club… any good gossip?

J: We get a few, but I wouldn’t like to say who. In the ethos of the club’s egalitarian policy, everyone who comes down is a celebrity in my eyes.

R: I hear you are a foodie? What are your special recipes?

J: Well I guess being the son of a butcher and an Italian cook I couldn’t not be. I lived in Italy for a year and picked up a few recipes along the way. I can now make an amazing ragu, but I have to start it in the morning and cook it all day. Also I do make a great roast dinner. You can’t do much better than a well hung piece of British beef! I’m all about great British food at the moment and I’m quite into offal.

R: Have you ever eaten horse?

J: I have indeed. Air-cured is my favorite way of eating it, but a good horse steak is gert lush (a little Westcountry expression for you).

R: When can we expect to see some horse meat on the menu in the East Village?

J: Whenever a promoter sticks their neck out and books us - we’ll be there with wigs on!

James Hillard Live at Horse Meat Disco

Queen Samantha - Sweet San Francisco
Lovefingers - Mexico (Barrio Edit)
DC Larue - Cathedrals
Gepy & Gepy - Body to Body
Dennis Parker - Like An Eagle
Andrea True Connection - Party Line
Wilton Street Band - Don’t You Even Know Who You Are
Dolly Parton - I Wanna Fall in Love
Gregg Diamond & Bionic Boogie - Fess Up to the Boogie
K.I.D - Don’t Stop
Gordon’s War - The Rock is Gonna Get You
Lipps Inc - Funkytown
TC Curtis - Body Shake (Instrumental)
The Mike Theodore Orchestra - High On Mad Mountain
Barry Mason - Body, Get Your Body (Faze Action Edit)
Biddu Orchestra - Voodoo Man (Remix)
Sphinx - Collision (1982 Remix)
Vivienne Vee - Give Me A Break
The Beach Boys - Here Comes the Night
Faze Action - Stratus Energy (Disco Mix)
Cerrone - Supernature
Tantra - Hills of Katmandu
Vivienne Vee - Remember
Patrick Cowley and Sylvester - Do You Wanna Funk
Stephanie Mills - You Can Get Over
Baby O - In the Forrest
Wilton Street Band - Disco Lucy
The Richard Hewson Orchestra - What Shall We Do When the Disco’s Over

I first met Patrick Lilley when I was writing a piece on gay ragga clubs for the Observer Music Monthly Magazine in the UK. He was fixing me up with the right people and driving me around London’s beautifully quiet night streets to the best clubs in town. But most importantly, he was filling me in on a whole history of gay clubland through stories, jokes and gossip. As an organiser of events, screenings and festivals, as well as being behind London’s longest-running gay night Queer Nation, he’s been involved in the movings and shakings of the capital for a long time now. Back in the 80s he was a publicist for Divine and Sinead O’Connor and when he went home after a long day’s work or a long night’s parties, it was to an infamous squat he shared with pre-Culture Club Boy George and a host of the city’s underground creatives. This is clearly a man with tales to tell, so read on for a taste of the juice, an epic tale in two parts, and listen to the soundtrack along the way.

Stuart Brumfitt: You had red hair back then?

Patrick Lilley: I had reddy-blonde hair I guess. It’s very difficult to remember what hair was like to be honest. It’s been a while.

SB: When did you start losing your hair?

PL: Going for the jugular there! My mum warned me that I would go bald if I continued to dye my hair every colour every different day and never a truer word was told to me.

SB: Did you dye it every colour under the sun?

PL: Well in the school holidays I’d dye it. In 1977 when I was 17 my mum had a small jewellery factory in the jewellery quarter in Birmingham. I’d go in at the weekend and do the cleaning. While I was there, I dyed my hair David Bowie red. I would go to the kitchen area and do some cleaning and I would stick some bleach on and then some colour. My mum said, “Well you can’t work for me with that colour”, so I went and had to bleach it. I had to go back to boarding school and it was meant to go back to its normal colour. My sister was a hairdresser and we tried to make it go back, but it didn’t. It went a muddy green-brown, which was worse than ever.

SB: So you experimented with your hair when you were on your school? Which school were you at?

PL: I went to a junior seminary called Cotton College I boarded from 11 to 18. They had a reputation for producing conservative bishops.

SB: So you were meant to be heading towards that?

PL: We were poor children who were sent there to have a better education with the help of the local authority and the local priest.

SB: Was there lots of hanky panky in the boarding school?

PL: None whatsoever. I was viciously bullied for being a poof. I remember being 13 and 14 - me and my best friends at school had just got into Bowie at the time. We used to act camp quite deliberately. There were three of us – me, Billy and John Flanagan. We used to do a Dick Emery “Oh you are awful, but I like you” line on each other continuously. Then one day one of them turned round and said, “You’re not pretending.”

SB: Oh shit

PL: You’re not kidding. The shit hit the fan then. And no sooner had that happened and stocks and shares in Patrick Lilley plummeted.

SB: So they were totally straight but were just playing along?

PL: We were all just acting camp. It wasn’t about sex, it was about acting camp. The idea of a practicing homosexual or a practicing heterosexual didn’t exist at this school. There was no sex, just an awful lot of paranoia. And the priests were more paranoid than anybody. (more…)

Stuart Sandford is an artist from the UK working internationally. His work has been described as “like Nan Goldin meets MySpace” and “a queer-Brit Terry Richardson”. As well as hot boys, his practice is concerned with modes of representation, public/private dualities, authorship and the role of the image-maker. We caught up with Stuart and posed him with some probing questions.

You are from Sheffield England, what’s that like? How are the boys there? Is there a “scene” is it mixed, gay etc?
Well, I have a lot of love for Sheffield, it’s my hometown. It used to be world-famous for it’s steel but more recently it’s trying to redefine itself as a city of culture, like most post-industrial UK cities. It has a pretty good music scene, the art scene is interesting and, yeah, some of the boys are hot because it’s quite a big university city but, for the fifth biggest city in the UK, the scene is pretty much non-existent. I think there’s maybe three gay bars now and one on-off club. Pretty poor.

What’s your story… so far?
I was born, I grew up. I discovered cocks and asses and started to take pictures and make videos about them… I also studied fine art, politics, philosophy and psychology, did some acting, wrote some scripts and books and stories, co-edited a gay zine, made some short films, travelled as much as possible and have lived in Finland, the Netherlands and Germany.

Where are you at the moment, and what are you wearing?
Right now I’m at my lovely mum’s place looking out of the window at a very grey and rainy day and wearing some comfy old clothes.

You have been spending time in Berlin, is this because of the boys, the bratwurst?
Oh the boys AND the bratwurst. Actually my Polish friend Lukasz and I have this idea that Berlin is the final frontier, anything goes there. Where else can you see a bunch of hot international boys sticking their dicks through glory holes onstage with Vaginal Davies singing along? And in agallery too.

Who are your photographic idols?
Robert Mapplethorpe would be the first one. Wolfgang Tillmans, Terry Richardson and the Bechers too.

How important an issue is sexuality in your work?
Sexuality is important in my work and specifically gay stories do need to be told. However, I don’t look at my work as gay, I don’t even look at myself as a gay man. I identify more with queer and with all the connotations that word holds and like to think of the work as omnisexual rather than homosexual.

Do you think there is an alternative gay culture emerging, that rejects some of the traditional gay stereotypes?
Sure and it’s been emerging for a number of years. Taking Berlin as an example, there’s a huge scene there of the scruffy gay guy, you know the kind, stubble, messy hair, the kind of gay man that would never dream of dancing with their tops off to Madonna, the kind that drinks 10 beers and gets a kebab on the way. My kind of guy.

Digital or film, which do you prefer?
Well, it’s whatever’ s right for the job at hand. I use film for my photographic work and digital for my video work. Both have their benefits.

Who would you most like to photograph, and why?
Right now, Patrick Wolf. I’m a fan of his music, especially his last album, The Magic Position. I think we could come up with something interesting together so, Patrick, if you’re reading this, get in touch. Oh yeah and he’s pretty damn hot too.

In your recent publication ‘Cumfaces’, (which we love!) How did you select your subjects? Are they ex’s or on your ‘wish list’?
They were all selected via good ol’ MySpace. Most of them were either linked to me already as friends or came to me through other friends. I asked them to take a photo of themselves, or get someone to give them a hand, and then on the brink of orgasm take the photo. There were three requirements. 1) the final image had to be landscape 2) it had to take place on your bed and 3) it had to be just head and shoulders. In a way I wanted to have this distance from them and, even though I asked a few close friends to do it as well as my boyfriend, and even did one myself, they didn’t really work as well.

What’s your favorite band at the moment?
Fave bands of the moment (and always) are The Knife and Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine.

What’s your new year’s resolution for 2008?
I didn’t make one, I never do. I always think that if there’s something you want to do or need to do, you should go out and do it now. Why wait another year you lazy bastard?

To get a copy of Stuart Sandford’s limited edition publication ‘Cumfaces’ visit the EVB store.