Know Your LGBT History - Billy Squier and the 'Rock Me Tonite' video

If you don't know who Billy Squier is, blame the video below.

In the early 80s, Squier was a hard rocker with several hits and he was on the verge of superstardom. Until the video for his song, Rock Me Tonite premiered.

The song itself was a huge hit, but the video has been called one of the worst, if not the worst music video ever for a number of reasons. Personally, I think his dancing was a hot mess. But others cited the homoerotic subtext in the video, i.e. the satin sheets, the pink clothing he put on, as well as him writhing on the floor. Nowadays, that's old hat, but in the 80s homoeroticism was a huge no-no in rock videos. Even singers like Prince and Mick Jagger "butched it up" a bit back then. And while Boy George of Culture Club was wild, he walked a very tight line between bizarre and gay.

Many, including Squier himself, said that the video totally destroyed his career by alienating a huge part of his fan base. Whatever the case may be, take a look and judge for yourself:



Wikipedia has a huge entry on the Rock Me Tonite video and the havoc it wrecked on Squier's career.

Past Know Your LGBT History Posts:

'Right-wing FURIOUS that courts won't let them discriminate against gays' and other Friday midday news briefs

Right-Wing Media Cry "Tyranny" Over Enforcement Of New Mexico's Non-Discrimination Law - Sorry guys, but you have the follow the rules just like everyone else. If you let photographers discriminate on the basis of "religious beliefs" today, tomorrow it may be apartment complex owners, or restaurants, or maybe even pharmacies. It's neither fair nor right.

5 most absurd, self-pitying gripes of the Christian Right - I'm amazed that the author found just five.

Senator Claims Pentagon Policy Allowing Gays To Marry Harms Straight Couples - Tell you what. Give us the right to be legally married in all 50 states (like straight couples have) and we wouldn't need a policy like this one.  

Daily Beast Publishes Piece Suggesting Prison Is Pretty Great For Transgender People - I read that piece and it was a HOT MESS! Whatever happened to standards a publication should follow when publishing material?  

Center for Marriage Policy Worries Lesbians Will Trick Gay Men Into Fathering Their Children And Become Their Slaves - Ooo Lawd!

Bryan Fischer anoints Christians as the ‘new Black’ after court ruling

The New Mexico Supreme Court just ruled against a wedding photographer who refused to service a gay couple, saying that “personal religious beliefs” is not grounds for discrimination.

Naturally,  Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association is all broken up over the ruling:

Cry me a river, Fischer.