He was Meant to Be Bigger than Bowie



Jobriath was a glam rock star of the '70s you've probably never heard of. He had the looks, the talent, and the work ethic required, plus the luck to have been "discovered" by impresario Jerry Brandt, who managed Carly Simon. That led to an unbelievably lucrative record contract for its time, and a pathway to stardom.

He was the first openly gay rock musician to be signed to a major record label, declaring himself “glam rock’s truest fairy” to slack-jawed media critics and listeners alike. Touted as America’s successor to David Bowie, he was signed to Elektra Records for $500K and for a brief New York minute in the early 1970s, became the most visible homosexual figure in popular music. Everything about Jobriath screamed glam rock: the outfits, the theatrics, the vocal range, but in the end, he was destined to be the greatest glam rock star that never was. In celebration of his lost legacy, we’re revisiting his story – and finding some choice holiday tribute looks along the way…

Read about the spectacular rise and fall of Jobriath at Messy Messy Chic.


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