Gay Literature

Coincidentally, I have just read two biographies of two very different, but very similar, icons of the pop world. 'ELTON', by Philip Norman, and 'BRIAN EPSTEIN' by Ray Coleman are about two very well respected gays who, although never working together, were forerunners in the late sixties. Just as the boy Reg Dwight was coming out of every closet imaginable, Epstein was peaking and starting to fall toward his ignominious end. But this didn't stop either of them giving the listening public untold treasures.
The main thing they had in common, apart from their sexuality and common propensity to dramatic outbursts, was their talent for what they did. Elton John was/is a very gifted composer/pianist who can put music to someone else's words in minutes. Brian Epstein was, by virtue of his obsessional nature, the ideal person to take a raw talent like the Beatles and, Svengali-like, mould them to an acceptable public persona.
Both these books debunk several scurrilous rumours have done the rounds over the years. For instance, Epstein's interest in the Beatles, and especially John Lennon, was devoid of any sexual connotation. True, he appreciated that Paul McCartney's prettiness would be a great draw but his interest was on a business level and, the secret of his success with them, a paternal level. A closeted gay, Epstein realized that children of his own were not a reasonable expectation and vicariously parented the four musicians in a way never before experienced by any singer or group.
Elton, on the other hand, could have done with a little of Epstein's obsessive attention. Never a self confident person, the emergent Reg Dwight had to be pushed and shoved into every opportunity that shook his career. Reading his story, one wonders how one person could have such luck in being in the right place at the right time.
What comes across in these books is that both of these talents were privately very unhappy, and not because they were gay, although the pressures on them in the sixties added to their problems. No, both suffered from interminable mood swings that made them very difficult to get on with. But, both were very lucky in that they engendered a fierce loyalty and love from people around them. Elton, in particular, provoked, again and again the remark 'Well, you had to forgive him his "little moments" because he was such a nice guy', and this after he had called someone all the shits under the sun. Epstein was very similar in that his apologies were invariably accepted after his outbursts
Elton's tantrums were/are completely attributable to his insecurity. But, his professionalism was such that he was never satisfied with his public offerings and frequently refused to go on stage until reminded that his public were waiting. And then he would give the performance of his life, every night!
Epstein's moods were symptoms, again, of his insecurity. But in his case the insecurity was of not being in total control. He was quite willing to take the blame for any mistakes he made but he could not stand anyone interfering. His constant nightmare was of someone trying to take the Beatles away from him.
Neither of the men seemed to 'bitterly regret' not being straight, but both made public and private efforts to embrace the heterosexual norm. In neither case did it work, understandably.
What warmed me to both these tomes, apart from their fascinating subjects, was that neither was blaming their homosexuality for personal failings and, in both cases, their sexuality was a rather minor issue, much as the colour of their hair.
Although 'BRIAN EPSTEIN' was published in 1990 and 'ELTON' in 1991, both are still widely available -and I would recommend both for bedtime reading.

First published on Gay UK Net
(c) Paul Towers January 2000