If It's Too Loud...

Photo by John van Hamersveld Having been considered "too gay" back in the 70s and 80s, Proto-punk icon Smokey is finally getting a proper reissue later this month. I wrote about "How Far Will You Go...?" earlier , and now you can hear another track off How Far Will You Go?: The S&M Recordings 1973-81. "Leather" reminds me a lot of David Bowie's "Suffragette City" and Iggy Pop's The Idiot, which was produced by David Bowie. It has the same feel that Bowie, Iggy, and Lou Reed all have when they're showing their R&B influences. Considering the time and scenes Smokey was a part of, the sound makes perfect sense. How Far Will You Go?: The S&M Recordings 1973-81 is due out June 23rd on Chapter Music. You can listen to "Leather" below. You can pre-order the album on Amazon . For more information on Smokey, head on over to their official Facebook page .

Photo courtesy of John Condon Smokey should have been huge. In 1973, John "Smokey" Condon moved from Baltimore (where he partied with John Waters as a teenager) to Los Angeles. There he met with EJ Emmons, who was just starting out as a record producer. Together they formed Smokey. In 1974, they released their first single, "Leather." While most record company executives agreed that it was really, they felt that it couldn't be released since it was exuberantly openly gay. Since Condon had marched after the Stonewall Riots, he wasn't about to change for anyone, so they formed S&M Records to self release their music. Their single "How Far Will You Go...?" features James Williamson right after recording Raw Power  with Iggy & the Stooges. The live band featured Randy Rhoads (yes, that Randy Rhoads from Quiet Riot and Ozzy Osbourne). With that kind of pedigree, you should know this. And finally, 40 years after the fact, you will get a chanc...