Page 497 - Gay San Francisco: Eyewitness Drummer - Vol. 1

Gay San Francisco: Eyewitness Drummer 477
since 1969. I knew him “when”: before he met DeBlase. My first
lover David Sparrow and I, and then Mark Hemry and I, were their
friends. It saddens me to remember that as an eyewitness on the
inside track at Drummer and at their home, I watched as their
personal modesty turned to the same kind of prehensile hubris
that infected John Embry.

In closing I ran into Rex last night who was about to return
to San Francisco. I told him of my intended letter on the article
that never happened. He said, “what did I expect from the laxi-
dasical [sic] world of the porn publishing world.” Somehow,
from you, Tony, or rather Master DeBlase, I did expect some-
thing more.
(Signed) Wally

Acting as apologist for Drummer and DeBlase, I wrote to Wally Wal-
lace on October 20, 1992:

Dear Wally,

You’ve heard of all the changes at Drummer, I’m sure, since
it’s been sold. Tony stays on [so I was told], which is good, because
he’s a calming influence; Joseph Bean remains editor, which is also
good. Now with a new publisher perhaps a solid new direction
will pump some life into the magazine — life that was lacking
mostly due to censorship. Drummer always gets picked on for
things that aren’t Drummer’s fault. Once this presidential election
is over — and decides things somewhat about what the gay media
can expect [to print] — the pace of publishing will pick up.
As I mentioned to you [on the telephone], I have worked
on your interview. . .and so it will happen, but not, of course,
without your reading it and updating or changing whatever you
like. That’s not just a courtesy to you for all the courtesy you
showed me the day I drove from the country to the City to see
you; it’s a courtesy and more. I want the interview to be accurate
and to reflect how you want to see yourself presented in print.
So again, thank you, for meeting with me and for being so
open and fresh in the stories you told and how you told them.
History will be all the more exact for your testimony to the
Golden Age of the Mineshaft.

©Jack Fritscher, Ph.D., All Rights Reserved—posted 05-05-2017
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