THE MIDNIGHT _,I! INTERVIEW When Play with •t1 .again, • -5 am.I By Diane Maskell 00: So where did your idea for a personal lubricant for men begin? you ' re Robb Carr: Probably in the bedroom, but it wound up in the kitchen! 00: Just like Mrs. Fields ... RC: The only difference is my product tastes better. ready to 00: How is it that a concert pianist can design a personal lubricant? Do you have a background in chemistry? RC: No, but I have a bachelor's degree in masturbation. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. A few years ago, I was in the throes of an ending relationship. Not only was I not ''h ow,I '' emotionally ready to be with someone else, but I wasn't wild about the risk factors either. For me, it was appropriate to make the most of solo sex. I wasn't impressed with the lubricants on the market, so I made my own. Over a period of time, I managed to come up with one in particu­ talk to us ... lar that I really got off on ... so to speak. For advertising information contact: Diane Maskell 804-625-0700 voice 804-625-6024 fax Robb Carr, a concert pianist, resides in California. Call 1-800-828-6367 to place your order for MEN"S CREAM! 00: Was it your intention to market this lubricant? RC: At first, no. But after receiving positive feedback and encouragement from friends who tested my culinary exploits, the suggestion to market the lube hit me as being a wonderfully bizarre and amusing idea. Also the timing seemed right since-there are many men in my situa­ tion. 00: It wasn't all that long ago that people were unwilling to talk about masturbation. How do you think AIDS has changed this? RC: Many men have made a decision to make the most of their personal sexual pleasure. We were always doing it anyway, but now it has become one acceptable way of protecting yourself THE MIDNIGHT against HIV. Even if there were no health threat, I find it curious how hard we've worked as a culture to ignore and deny something so basic and pleasurable as masturbation. 00: At one time, for a man to acknowledge masturbation was like admitting he wasn't desir­ able. RC: That' s all changing. Men are more forthright and honest about who they are these days. They view masturbation as just one aspect of their sexuality. I wouldn't be surprised if one day there is evidence that masturbation actually extends life! Think about it..it's a temporary, reju­ venating respite from stress. Adult Entertainment Guide 00: You mean like every time you do it you add a couple days to your life? RC: I know people who add a week to their life everyday. · _00: I have heard that.some doctors recommend it for people who have headaches ... RC: ... Or for hair loss. But it only grows on your palms. 00: I notice that, more and more, masturbation is referred tQ as solo sex. RC: Yes, it reflects a new comfort level. The term solo sex tends to give the act a sense of credibility, rather than one of derogation like our parents knew. See MEN'S CREAM, page GA 2A Cl) THE MIDNIGHT HOWLER Cl) JULY 1994 ,,.,,( ·.FEATURE NOW IT'S ··.·,:,:,:;:- EASY TO Chris Xefos FIND THE by Rob Mills May 29, 1994 Since 1986, alternative rockers King Mis­ sile have been winning over the ears and BEST IN minds of both listeners and music critics . alike, with their eclectic fusion of witty prose and feverish sound. Currently touring the states in support of their sixth release, "King Missile", I spoke with their openly ADULT gay keyboardist/bass player Chris Xefos at Hampton's 'Nsect Club. "The tour's been pretty good so far" explains Chris, "I think that people are final­ ly beginning to realize that we do have a new LITERATURE record out, because the crowds have been growing over the past couple of weeks. Last night's show in Chapel Hill was kind of Check Out weird, but I feel like we 're on this certain NORFOLK level now where even when a show is a little Admirality Books off like last night's show, then it's really Any One Of great. Some of these shows have just blown 8210 Hampton Blvd my mind!" In fact, the show in Chapel Hill was the Our Stores Shore Drive Books four year anniversary of the first time Chris played there. "It was a pretty far out trip from Chris Xefos. 8146 Shore Drive New York, and it was just John and I without For The Best the rest of the band. It was really a lot of fun, Lead singer/lyricist John S. Hall recalls and I can remember the experience very well. the first time he and Chris spoke: "I can still VIRGINIA BEACH That whole area has become a second or third remember the first phone conversation that In Fantasy home for me, and I'm finding that the circle took place, and Chris made a definite point 17th Street Books is growing all the time. I really love it of it (his sexuality) three or four times .. " "I there." did?!" Laughs Chris, "Yeah, and I thought it And Pleasure Between Arctic & Pacific The band's new album was an attempt to was really cool. It's really weird because seize their unique live sound in the studio. growing up where I did, people just didn't Chris' artistry and imagination are of para­ come out like that. I mean, you just general­ mount importance to King Missile's signa­ ly knew. I think that Chris also wanted to ture style. Some of their strongest material is make sure that I knew, just in case I wasn't credited to wordsmith John S. Hall and Chris. comfortable with it, to avoid dropping a On the new album, however, there is less bomb on me later." Chris material than on earlier albums. Chris has become an important figure in "Because of the way we wrote for this al­ the gay community to many people for vari­ bum, it just kind of happened that way. I had ous reasons. Not only do gay kids and musi­ a lot to do with the melodies and stuff, but cians admire him, but the bear community is the basic root of the songs wasn't mine. I quite proud of him as well. really do want to get more into that side of it. "I don't ever consider myself as being a I'm always wanting to push this band some­ role model. I just pretty much do what I do, where else, regardless of where we are at that but being in a band does put me in a certain time. I'm always 'pushing the envelope' as it kind of profile. I don't ever let it change my If you only date hunky models, we were." actions or ideas. Sometimes I feel like if I The failure of most artists to come out of just lived in San Francisco and wasn't in a may not be your best bet. We the closet and join in the fight is quite appall­ band, then suddenly I would not have such a ing, yet when someone does find the high profile and I wouldn't be any different don't do fantasy, We do offer strength to come out publicly, they only than anyone else." have to do it once. Chris recalls his unique High profile or not, Chris has a wide circle experience. "In the summer of '89 before I of friends in almost every town coast to hundreds of ·,alking joined King Missile, I had what I like to refer coast, and their admiration and warm friend­ 11 to as my 'second coming out'. It was related ship is very much a part of their bear personals from REAL to finding out about "Bear" magazine, and comraderie. Keeping in touch with such a therefore discovering the bear and leather wide family can take a lot of effort, and I guys of all ages, races, communities, and a lot of other things. It found Chris writing several postcards and really blew my mind wide open! Actually, it letters. "I really want to buy a personal com­ physical -types and ended up putting a lot of things into place for puter so I can communicate more easily. me, things that never felt like they were in John has a computer and I am very jealous. place before that. When I was able to put all (John later insists on giving Chris his preferences. If you're of that stuff out of the way, and joined King laptop). The modes of communication are Missile, I was freed from so much. I didn't expanding so rapidly, and everybody needs realistic about have to worry about being in the closet, or to be a part of it. It's really important about having a lover, or whatever. It just because it's playing such a big role in the meeting men, freed so much energy for me. People that are whole global identity, which I hope will be in the closet spend so much of their energy very soon. The faster we all get involved being closeted. Now that I'm not wasting my with it, then the better off the world will be then give energy in the closet, I use it in King Missile and the better off we will be as human beings and focus it on that.