Jack Fritscher’s role in the development of Drummer magazine was pivotal, particularly after the magazine relocated to San Francisco in 1977. Here’s a breakdown of his key contributions:
- Editor-in-Chief: Fritscher became the founding San Francisco editor-in-chief of Drummer in March 1977 and held this position until December 1979. He was one of only two editors-in-chief in the magazine’s history.
- Shaping the Magazine’s Identity: Working with art director Al Shapiro, Fritscher transformed Drummer from what was described as a “bar rag” into a prominent leather magazine for national and international consumption. He emphasized a “masculine-identified gay magazine” that reflected its grassroots readership and the emerging gay pop culture of the 1970s.
- Extensive Contributions as Writer and Photographer: Fritscher was the magazine’s most frequent contributor, authoring nearly 160 pieces and shooting approximately 500 photographs, including covers and centerfolds.
- Introducing Artists and Showcasing Talent: He used his editorial role to introduce and highlight the work of significant artists and personalities in the gay community, including Robert Mapplethorpe, David Hurles (Old Reliable), Robert Opel, Arthur Tress, and Samuel Steward (Phil Andros), among others.
- Framing Gay Linguistics: Fritscher played a key role in the development of language within the emerging gay culture. He coined the term “homomasculinity” and redefined S&M as “Sensuality and Mutuality”.
- Documenting Gay Subcultures: He documented the rise of the “Daddy” and “Bear” movements within the gay community, becoming the first editor to feature “older men” in the gay press in a 1978 issue of Drummer.
- Capturing an Era: His work at Drummer captured the vibrant and sometimes hedonistic atmosphere of the 1970s gay liberation era in San Francisco, which he described as “wild” and beyond anything previously experienced, notes Lambda Literary.
In essence, Jack Fritscher was not a co-founder in the sense of establishing the magazine in Los Angeles, but his influence as the founding San Francisco editor-in-chief was instrumental in shaping Drummer into a significant publication for the gay leather community and a chronicler of a pivotal time in gay history.
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