The Secret Public by John Savage: 

This is a high concept book, discussing LGBTQ in culture.  It’s as enriching as any of his previous books, even with such a high concept as Sylvester being the last gay pop star and Little Richard as the first.  

You can’t argue with near 700 pages of book, with another 100 of notes.  We move from Richard, through the sixties with Joe Meek and Epstein.  The 70’s see Bowie declare his gayness, and backtrack whilst Jobriath crashes and burns. 

It’s a book that admits it’s own failings (the lack of lesbians, those who chose not to come out). Plus vinyl nerds will debate whether ‘Soul Makossa’ was the first disco record. 

But as music journalism becomes more what Zappa said, Savage is the exception that proves the rule.  It’s published by Faber And Faber.