Josh Cheon (Dark Entries)

BOOKSTORE: THE MAGAZINE
 www.themagazinesf.com

I had been meaning to check out THE MAGAZINE for years. It came highly recommended from many friends and I finally paid a visit during Gay Pride this past June. The shop is located in the Tenderloin neighbourhood of San Francisco, across the street and one block up from my office. Upon walking in I was immediately drawn to the ‘adult gay male’ section. I felt the gay history oozing out from the racks of vintage magazines, books, pamphlets, calendars and videos. I spent hours sifting through a generation of men lost too soon to AIDS. My eyes flased from page to page, stimulated by and absorbing images and designs, aware of the rich history these articles, photos and ads provided. I left that day with issues of Drummer, Honcho, Physique Pictorial, Mattachine Review and an issue of Playgirl from 1974, featuring the owner of Fox Studio, John Colleti, who sought out Patrick Cowley and used his music to soundtrack gay porn films. Since then, I’ve spent countless hours revisiting the store every week, talking to the encyclopaedic owners about the past and making connections to the gay porn soundtracks I reissued last year. THE MAGAZINE is a library full of rare treasures I will continually use for reference and guidance to navigate the lost underground world of bathhouses, cinemas and all things seedy.