More Information

More information can be found out about Paul Southwell in the following:

Listen to Paul on the Podcast: Tracks of our Queers

In 1975, a very young and very gay trio of musicians were signed to Jet Records, a London label headed up by, well, Sharon Osbourne's dad. Handbag regaled audiences with outrageous on-stage simulated sex and snogging, before recording their debut album... which sadly remained unreleased, due to the stifling and fearful climate of the time. Earlier this year, frontman Paul Southwell dusted off his copies of the album, digitised them, and uploaded them to streaming services. A flurry of global interest ensued, including this article from The Guardian that I was shared. Paul now lives in Australia with his husband, and joins me to discuss his fascinating career, alongside music by Aretha Franklin, David Bowie, and Steely Dan.

Tracks of Our Queers is produced, presented and edited by Andy Gott.

David Bowie Made me Gay by Darryl W Bullock ISBN: 9780715652992
David Bowie Made me Gay by Darryl W Bullock ISBN: 9780715652992
Breaking Down the Walls of Heartache: How Music Came Out by Martin Aston ISBN-10 1617136522
Breaking Down the Walls of Heartache: How Music Came Out by Martin Aston ISBN-10 1617136522
Glam! an Eyewitness Account  by Mick Rock ISBN-10 1780388810
Glam! an Eyewitness Account by Mick Rock ISBN-10 1780388810
Pride, Pop and Politics: Music, Theatre and LGBT Activism, 1970–2022  by Darryl W Bullock ISBN-10 191317221X
Pride, Pop and Politics: Music, Theatre and LGBT Activism, 1970–2022 by Darryl W Bullock ISBN-10 191317221X
Howes, K. Outspoken: "Gay News" Interviews, 1976-83, Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.1995 ISBN-10 0304333972
Howes, K. Outspoken: "Gay News" Interviews, 1976-83, Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.1995 ISBN-10 0304333972
Marco, P. The Roxy London WC2: A Punk History, Punk 77 books, 2007. ISBN-10 0955658306
Marco, P. The Roxy London WC2: A Punk History, Punk 77 books, 2007. ISBN-10 0955658306

Bullock, D.W. ‘We’d kiss each other on stage and simulate sex’: The pioneering Gay Power Pop of Handbag. The Guardian, 2022 https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/dec/16/wed-kiss-each-other-on-stage-and-simulate-sex-the-pioneering-gay-powerpop-of-handbag

Flyn, P. Glad to be gay: the story of the filming of David Is Homosexual, The Guardian, 2017

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2017/jun/18/glad-to-be-gay-the-story-of-the-filming-of-david-is-homosexual

Aston M, Homo Superior; Handbag Snatchin; Mojo 2017