1994

1994

The Leather Journal

Undoubtedly one of the most popular and classiest men to embrace the Leather scene was Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather 1993 Frank Nowicki from Washington, DC. Frank was the coverman for Issue #54. Frank became the emcee of demand over the years.
Dave Rhodes covered the Mr. New York Leather Contest that was won by GMS/MA member Orlando Diaz. Six pages of coverage went to the Leather scene in New York including Empire MC's Sunday Bikers' brunch and GMS/MA's Leather market. The Trusted Servants sent photos from Trudge III held at a campground outside San Francisco. Otter attended the Castaways (Milwaukee) 14th anniversary run and Dallas MC's Rosebud 13 run. Patrick Gibbons of Los Angeles in his CHP uniform was Hunk of the Month. George Cameron lost his boy Doug Maandac recently and wrote an article to help people deal with the loss of a significant other or close friend titled, "When A Loved One Dies." "There are 15 lamps on the path, lights to walk by. If we walk by these lights, this journey will help heal our sorrow..." George explained each of the lights.
International Mr. Bear 1993 Steve Heyl was on the cover of Issue #55.
Feature articles: IML Henri ten Have submitted photos of Motor Sport Amsterdam's Leather Knights Party at Assumburg Castle. Four pages describe the fun that a bike club run can be in the Netherlands. Barry Gagliardi sent photos of The Gathering of the Clans in Saskatoon, Canada. Chuck Higgins wrote about the NLA's involvement in the Spanner Case. A cowboy/sheriff from NLA: Austin's Texas Leather Pride II was Hunk of the Month.
Mr. Indiana Leather 1993 Joe Jean was the coverman for Issue #56.
 Portland Uniform Weekend II was a big hit for the AUA.  Oedipus MC held their Coronation of Oedipus Rex and installation of club officers at the Park Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles and The Leather Journal was there. The Hunk of the Month photo taken at that event led to legal action that crippled the magazine for several years. NLA: Houston submitted photos of their third anniversary. Gary Taylor's photo essay of Mark the Punk, buzz cut hair with a foot-long Mohawk, was a hit. Chicago Hellfire Club's Tim Zenner explained in detail the DSM Project.
The photo of Joseph Bean on the cover of Issue #57 raised controversy because of its quality. Many felt that there were plenty of better photos of Joseph that could have been used.
Feature articles: Bear Expo '94, sponsored by Bear FAX Magazine was held at the Holiday Inn Golden Gate in San Francisco. Over 350 bears and their admirers were on hand for the weekend that featured Michael Myhand winning the International Mr. Bear Contest. The Inter-Club Fund's Motorcycle Awards were featured. Mike Miller sent photos of the BULL/Mike's Men fourth anniversary party. Shawn from Las Vegas was Hunk of the Month.
Issue #58 featured The Leather Journal's first full color cover featured International Mr. Leather 1993 Henri ten Have. Dave Rhodes took the photo after the Bikers' brunch hosted by Empire MC in New York City in November..
Pantheon of Leather held in Houston, TX was featured along with the International Masters and Slaves Contest. The Leather Journal was in Seattle when George Morton won the Washington State Mr. Leather Contest in Seattle and Lenny Broberg won the National Emerald Award presented by the Washington State Mr. Leather Organization. Omikron of Indianapolis hosted Omikron 500 - Lap I. Andy Rose was crowned King of Leather and Randy Wright became Crown Prince of Leather at Bal Masque IV in San Francisco sponsored by the Celestial Krewe de Cuir. Michael Cooper of Indianapolis was Hunk of the Month. The Top N' Bottom cartoon panel by Teddy first appeared.
The Gay Games IV float in New York City's 1993 pride parade made the cover of Issue #59. Luke Owens took the photo that has Bill Miranda Salzman and another hot man aboard the float.
Several Leather contests led up to IML are in this issue. A fire accident during one of the fantasies in the Oklahoma Leather Daddy and Daddy's Boy titles in Oklahoma City was one of several such disasters to hit the title circuit in a one-year span. Internal Injuries: Domestic Violence Within the SM/Leather Community was written by Ms NLA: International Artemis Silverowl. Mama Ucci was at her rudest.  NLA: Austin's Texas Leather Pride II was featured. Otter attended Pittsburgh MC's Three Rivers 10 run. CLUB Calgary held Eating at the Box. Faultline bartender Don was Hunk of the Month.
Chuck Renslow, executive producer of the International Mr. Leather Contest and founder of the Leather Archives and Museum was the Issue #60 coverman. Photo taken by Dave Rhodes at Fantasy '89.
Feature articles: Jeff Tucker from San Jose won the IML Contest in front of 2,000 cheering onlookers at the Congress Theater. Dave Rhodes and Luke Owens cornered IML 1993 Henri ten Have for an interview. Otter covered Tsarus' 17th anniversary in Memphis, TN. Frank Nowicki brought back photos of the Queensday Celebration in Amsterdam. Mama Ucci got in her two cents worth. The Hunk of the Month was Bob; photo taken at IML by Luke Owens.
American Cowboy 1993 Gary Schwartz and American Leatherman 1993 Len Chiofolo were the coverman for Issue #61.
Feature articles: Cuban immigrant Jose Granda won the International Mr. Deaf Leather Contest in New York during the International Leather/SM/Fetish Celebration. John Benevides became Mr. Texas Drummer. Atlanta SM Solidarity (ASS) presented SM 102: An Adventure Beyond that attracted 65 Leatherfolk to a weekend of workshops and dungeon play. The 15 Association held Bootcamp VI. The Oberons' Acorn VII was covered by Otter. The text of the DSM revisions appears in this edition. Kai from San Diego was Hunk of the Month.
What would San Francisco do if it never had Lurch? It was inevitable that he would be on the Issue #62 cover of The Leather Journal sometime; September was his turn as Dave Rhodes caught him with his pet boa constrictor, Cuddles.
Feature articles: A plethora of new books and publications hit the newsstands:  were two new books that became "required reading." Dave Rhodes' Editorial, Fire Scenes and Contestants Flambe, dealt with the recent rash of fires that occurred during staged fantasies at Leather functions. People were getting burned and establishments were suffering damage as the result of a combination lack of preparation and experience. Otter covered the Unicorns of Madison's Host Liberty Quest Run in Wisconsin.  San Francisco has had some sizzling calendars for fundraisers over the years. The Great Buns Calendar for 1995 was no exception.  The Hunk of the Month was Sparky from Portland, OR.
Mr. Leather New York 1993 Orlando Diaz was on the cover of Issue #63. Hot body and brains combined in this man who worked hard in helping produce Gay Games IV.
Bob Fifield became The Leather Journal office manager filling the spot left by John Topping who married a lover and moved to New York City.
Feature articles: Fantasy '94 in Omaha was a success. Dustin Logan presented a panel for the AIDS Quilt organized by MCC Omaha. Amy Marie Meek announced from the stage that she would be taking over the rights to the International Ms Leather Contest. Otter attended Centaur MC's Olympia XIII. The Louisiana Mr. Leather Contest produced by the Lords of Leather in New Orleans has been one of the best productions of the year for a preliminary contest. Frank Nowicki sent photos of the 1994 version won by John Taylor. Chris Zimmerman sent coverage of Menamore LLC's Summer Fun Leather Run in North Carolina. Andy Anderson wrote a Leather And Politics article "On the State of Alternative Families in Canada." Master Ron K. had been with The Leather Journal for about a year. His "Master and Slaves: Working Relationships" was quite informative.  Bearded Hennes Fink from Berlin, Germany was Hunk of the Month. He had two pages of photos including three hot cigar shots. Daddy Bob's The Wearin' O' The Hides was called The Whole Damn Family.
The Leather Journal Man of the Year 1990 and Fantasy weekend cofounder and coproducer Dustin Logan was captured by Dave Rhodes during the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco for the cover of Issue #64.
Feature articles: San Francisco's Leather Pride Week which included the Folsom Street Fair, Fetish and Fantasy Ball, club parties and the International Mr. Drummer Contest got 12 pages dedicated to it.
Peter Fiske wrote a short story on his experience at the Chicago Hellfire Club's Inferno XXIII. Brenda Broberg was to star in a new Hollywood movie, Prisoner of Brenda, according to Title Holder Times. A real Hollywood movie, Exit To Eden, was reviewed by Luke Owens. Colleen Carrigan wrote the Leather And Politics column, Yours, Mine, and Ours: The Differences Within Our Community Making Us Strong. Erotic illustrator and comedic cartoonist Sean Martin had one of his Doc & Raider panels appear in The Leather Journal. Hunk of the Month was Omaha's Dustin Logan.
One of the rubbermen from Boston, Bill Timmins, caught the eye of Dave Rhodes' camera at American Brotherhood Weekend and became the coverman for Issue #65.
Feature articles: Living In Leather IX made the National Leather Association: International an international organization when it was held in Toronto, Ontario. Sean Martin's spoof of the Mr. Drummer contest was hilarious, but heavy. American Brotherhood Weekend in Washington, DC part deux was a rousing success. Dave Rhodes' Annual Christmas List had mostly kind words. George Cameron attended the first annual Master, Crew, and Mates Weekend in Provincetown, MA. Otter covered Hot Air hosted by the Motorcyclemen of New Mexico MC in Albuquerque. COMMAND's Boot Camp..ing VI covered by Frank Nowicki included photos of the new Mr. Maryland Leather Tom Laughman. Mama Ucci poked fun at "Lisping In Leather." The beefy, bearded motorcycleman was one of the best Dade illustrations in some time.

Clubs

Omikron of Indianapolis hosted Omikron 500 - Lap I. Andy Rose was crowned King of Leather and Randy Wright became Crown Prince of Leather at Bal Masque IV in San Francisco sponsored by the Celestial Krewe de Cuir.

The Bear History Project was started as a result of a workshop at Bear Expo III.

The Air Latex - Lexicons of Love: Leather and Latex show was held in Oakland, CA.

NLA: Austin's Texas Leather Pride II was featured. There were several workshops and a vendor fair. A traditional silent auction netted $1,200 for AIDS Services of Austin and Christopher House. The boat ride to Hippie Hollow was a blast.

Bears from all over the Great Lakes Region attended Spearhead of Toronto's Bar Weekend.

The Hot Ash parties in San Francisco have become big as cigars have gained popularity in the mid-90s.

The Cascade Bears of Portland, OR held Prowl '94. Spanner Mart, a vendor/auction sponsored by The 15 Association of San Francisco raised $9,000 for the Spanner Defense Fund.

Hot Ash is an international cigar correspondence club that holds get togethers in several cities.

SludgeMaster was the new name for the mud fetishists club in Houston, TX formerly known as Mudmen.

40 people sat through two hours of poetry reading at NLA: LA's SM for the Mind.

Living In Leather IX made the National Leather Association: International an international organization when it was held in Toronto, Ontario. Canadian hospitality was great, but some of the organizational infighting was not. Lifetime Achievement honors went to John Preston and Nan Burrows.

 Los Angeles produced one of LA's better events, a Halloween Party that included an electric pendulum that swung from the rafters about 25 feet above the floor. Kent Arnwolt crafted several interesting pieces of dungeon equipment over the years and many in the area rate this pendulum to be his best.

On his trip to the Republic of South Africa Trident: LA member Norman McClelland found out that the country had a nondiscrimination policy for gays and lesbians.

There could hardly be a friendlier club than ICON Detroit. Their first Leather Carnival was a "huge success" according to ICON vice president Buck.

Leather Titles

 Mr. Central Canada Drummer Sean Martin hosted a Drummer Tough Customers party in Toronto.

Richard Benoit won the Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather Contest. Bob Michaels won the Mr. Las Vegas Drummer title and Chris Reynolds won Las Vegas Drummer Boy. Southern California Master and Slave 1994 were James Maupin and Jason.

Aubrey Hart Sparks was chosen Seattle Mr. Leather. Renfield and Suzy Q became Mr. and Ms Nebraska Leather.

Michael Myhand won the International Mr. Bear Contest in San Francisco.

Zak Topor won the Mr. San Diego Leather Contest and became a Leather columnist for Update in San Diego.

Paul Smith won Mr. Portland Leather.

The Leather Journal's Jeff Watson won the Mr. San Fernando Valley Leather title. Randy Carlisle was named Mr. Sacramento Valley Leather.

John Birch and Beau won the International Masters and Slaves Contest while Northwind got stuck with the International Mr. Saliva sash.

Ann Bergstedt won the International Ms Leather title in its last year in San Francisco. Ten contestants went for the title. First runner-up Cindy Bookout would eventually take over the title when Bergstedt resigned.

George Morton won the Washington State Mr. Leather Contest in Seattle.

Lance Bray won the Mr. Indiana Leather title. Ken Heuer won the Mr. Eagle LA Leather title; Randy Carlisle was the new Mr. Sacramento Valley Leather.

Ms and Mr. Philadelphia Leather Pride were Clare Waterman-Storer and Ed Briggs. Mr. Floyd's Leather was Brent Sweer. Bill McBean became Mr. Badlands Leather in Toronto. Mark Touchstone and T.J. McKinsey won the Oklahoma Leather Daddy and Daddy's Boy titles in Oklahoma City.

Calvin Buckley and Cheryl McColum were Mr. and Ms Texas Leather Pride.

Ryan Johnson of Chicago was named Mr. Vulcan Rubber in a contest sponsored by the Leather Knights of Boston. The new Mr. New Mexico Drummer was Dominick Zurlo; Mr. Connecticut Drummer was Rick Gonyo.

George Paul won the Mr. Barn Contest and Rob Meawasige became Mr. Deco's Leather in Toronto; Kim Airs and David Frigon won the Mr. and Ms East Coast Leather titles; Tom Laughman became Mr. Baltimore Eagle; Brad "Bearilla" Bonifield was Mr. Big and Bear in Chicago.

Jeff Tucker from San Jose became IML and William Steele from Chicago won the International Bootblack title.

Sheila Wahsquonaidezhik was named Ms. Leather Toronto.

The new Mr. Great Plains Drummer was Michael Cox from St. Louis, MO; Carl Wilcox won the Mr. New Mexico Leather Pride sash; Paul Jaques was picked Mr. Oklahoma Drummer.

The Drummer regional contests were in full swing. Regional winners were: Northern California Mr. Drummer Leo Lawhorn, Mr. Western Canada Drummer Kelly Regis, Mr. Southern California Drummer Don Roberts, Mr. Mid-Atlantic Drummer Gary Weltner, Mr. Florida Drummer Dennis Moniz.

Terry Myers won the Mr. Alaska Leather title. Glen McClintock was chosen Mr. Russian River Bear.

The new Mr. and Ms NLA: Portland were Brent Capps and AJ.

Anne Bergstedt resigned the International Ms Leather 1994 title. First runner-up Cindy Bookout from Oklahoma picked up the torch.

The new San Francisco Daddy's Boy was Jim Gibson. Bill Byrne was named Mr. San Francisco Bear.

Keith Hunt of Denver walked away with the International Mr. Drummer title and Mark Colter from Seattle was selected International Drummer Boy.

The new Mr. Upstate New York Leather was Randy Calkins from Albany.

The Washington State Ms Leather Contest slated for November 5 was cancelled.

The new Mr. and Ms NLA: International were Don Bastian from Calgary, Alberta and Mary Dante from Toronto.

American Leatherwoman (the first) was Sarah Humble from Baltimore, MD, American Leatherman was Victor Magide from Rochester, NY, American Cowboy was David Carlin. Jose Ucles' Dungeon Dance drew about 2,500 people. Dave Rhodes was presented the first American Brotherhood Community Service Award by producer Mike Miller. Jose Ucles' Dungeon Dance drew about 2,500 people.

Jeremy Zeltzer won the Mr. Detroit Eagle Contest.

John Morehart was Mr. Connecticut Leather; Buck Franc became Mr. CC Construction Leather in Palm Springs, CA; Ms and Mr. Leather Idaho were Andi Williams and Bill Brinkley.

IML 1994 Jeff Tucker had a "home game" at Leatherfest '94 in San Jose which had workshops and a Sunday brunch as well as a Leather contest. Ms and Mr. San Jose Leather Masters were pat baillie and Kevin Roche. pat baillie's fame started here as did IML 1995 Larry Everett's when he became Mr. Oklahoma Leather.

The new Mr. Florida Leather was Ed Ivey; Magik won the Ms Rocky Mountain Leather sash; Mr. Philadelphia Deaf Leather was William Conley.

Books and Publications

 A book signing for On The Safe Edge with its authors Trevor Jacques, Dr. Dale McCarthy, Mike Hamilton and Sniffer took place in Toronto.

Aubrey Hart Sparks of Seattle, WA began marketing the Doomed Rabbit Cookbook and sales went to benefit Hands Off Washington.

The Leather History Timeline by Tony DeBlase went as far back as 2355 BC and up to 1969.

Joseph Bean's A Guide For the Curious Outsider and Ivo Dominguez' Beneath The Skins: The New Spirit and Politics of the Kink Community were two books that were to debut at the International Leather/SM/Fetish Celebration in New York City.

The latest DSM (DSM-IV, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) was published and the new criteria for sexual sadism, sexual masochism and fetishism no longer required mental health professionals to classify Leather/SM/fetish people as disturbed solely based on their erotic activities.

In Uniform Magazine, published by TLJ contributor Andy Mangels.

Fetish was a somewhat monthly free distribution magazine for Southern California.

The Master's Manual by Jack Rinella and the Complete S/M Guide by Joseph Bean.

Tom of Finland's latest film, The Wild Ones, screened at Hollywood Moguls.

The Hollywood movie Exit To Eden starred Dan Akroyd and Rosie O'Donnell and was about an SM/fetish fantasy Island.

Melissa Murphy became the new publisher of On Our Backs Magazine.

New on the Scene

The Last Frontier, Anchorage, AK; Valley Bears, Sacrament, CA; FIST, Houston, TX; Northwest Bondage Club, Seattle, WA; Trident: Metro Toronto, Toronto, Ontario; Show Me Bears, St. Louis, MO; Tri-State Bears, Ironton, OH; Black Eagle Leather Klub, Los Angeles, CA; Kinky Couples, Seattle, WA; AUA: Atlanta Brigade, Atlanta, GA; Defenders: Boston, Boston, MA; Northeast Ursamen, New Preston, CT; Mates, Provincetown, MA; Bears of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; 4-L Women's Club, San Francisco, CA; Trident Knights, Charleston, SC; The Ring, Hayward, CA; Escape, Las Vegas, NV; Trident: Windy City, Chicago, IL; NLA: Florida, Sunrise, FL; Demons MC, East Meadow, NY; Inter-Bike, Copenhagen, Denmark; SandMen, San Diego, CA; Cascade Handballers, Seattle, WA; Rubber Corps, San Francisco, CA; FIST (Females In Search of Trouble) Bethany, OK; Desert Brotherhood MC, Las Vegas, NV; Steel City Centurions, Pelham, AL; Bears San Diego, San Diego, CA; Brothers In Leather, New York, NY; Black Jack Bears, Las Vegas, NV

Milestones

30 Years: Empire City MC, New York, NY

25 Years: Vanguards MC, Philadelphia, PA

20 Years: Shipmates, Baltimore, MD; SFGDIs (San Francisco God Damned Independents), San Francisco, CA; Knights d Orleans, New Orleans, LA; Philadelphians MC, Philadelphia, PA

15 Years: Castaways MC, Milwaukee, WI

10 Years: California Eagles MC, San Francisco, CA; Leatherfest X weekend, Copperstate Leathermen, Phoenix, AZ; 10th Anniversary run, SigMa, Washington, DC; Lonestar X, Texas Conference of Clubs, Buzzards Peak, TX; Pittsburgh MC, Pittsburgh, PA; Gauntlet II, Los Angeles, CA; Falcon Flight X and 10th Anniversary, Wasatch Leathermen MC, Salt Lake City, UT

Five Years: Lion's Pride V and Fifth Anniversary, Menamore LLC, Wilmington, NC; Silver Dolphin LLC, Corpus Christi, TX

Gone, But Not Forgotten

Mr. San Francisco Leather 1991 Mitch Johnson, San Francisco, CA; Mr. Sacramento Leather 1991 Randy Gray, Sacramento, CA died from AIDS.

Leather activist Jeff Britton passed away in New York, NY.

AIDS took International Mr. Drummer 1992 Emerson Briney, Omaha, NE.

Past chairman of GMS/MA and president of the Leather Pride Committee David Weinbaum, New York, NY died.

Community activist Warren West, San Francisco passed on.

Paul "Papa Bear" Sehm, Rope Rap columnist for The Leather Journal, North Hollywood, CA died.

Conquistadors MC cofounder Tom Clark, Orlando, FL; Conquistadors MC cofounder Chris Galm, Orlando, FL passed away.

Erotic model and Leather activist Peter Morrison, Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA passed on.

Stud Works owner and Pantheon of Leather's Business/Business Person of the Year 1991 Lee Willis, Seattle, WA died due to AIDS related complications.

San Francisco Eagle bar manager Terry Thompson, San Francisco, CA.

Leather community activist John Bodis, Toronto, Ontario died due to AIDS related complications.

Forge Studios Calendar producer Craig Lawrence, Toronto, Ontario.

Leather activist Andrew Graub, Los Angeles, CA.

Daddy Bob's life mate George Fiske, North Hollywood, CA.

MAST (Masters And Slaves Together) founder Michel de la Roche, San Francisco, CA.

The Leather Journal coverman for Issue #40 Armand Primeaux, Houston, TX.

Southwest Drummer Boy 1992 Allen Gates, Albuquerque, NM.

Leather friendly physician Dr. Paul Keith, Los Angeles, CA.