Editor-in-chief Jack Fritscher Final issue 1999 | First issue 1975 Country United States | |
Categories Leather subculture, LGBT Founder John H. Embry
Jeanne Barney | ||
Drummer was an American magazine targeted at gay men with an interest in the leather subculture founded by John H. Embry and Jeanne Barney in Los Angeles, 1975. Because of police harassment, the magazine moved to San Francisco in 1977, with Jack Fritscher as new editor-in-chief (1977–1979). The last number of the magazine, issue 214, was published in April 1999.
Drummer was the most successful of the American leather magazines and was also sold overseas. The publication had a major impact of spreading gay leather as a lifestyle and masculinity as a gay ideal. The magazine was originally focused on quality writings about leather but gradually changed into more of a photo magazine. Among the published writers and artists were Phil Andros, Tim Barrus, Scott Masters, Tom of Finland, Robert Opel, Fred Halsted, David Hurles, Rex (artist), British artist Bill Ward and Larry Townsend. It featured comic strips starring buff gay secret agent Harry Chess by Al Shapiro (under the name "A. Jay"). The photographer Robert Mapplethorpe contributed a photograph for the cover of issue 24, September 1978.
The magazine arranged yearly International Mr. Drummer contests in San Francisco, 1981–1999 (ca).
Manga artist Gengoroh Tagame has pointed to the magazines illustrated strips as a major influence on his own work.