Author: Jake Hook
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INTERVIEW | FAB
You may have seen their cheeky ads all over the place and find yourself falling in love with their product range, but make no mistake FAB is an internet shopping phenomenon.
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GROOMING REVIEW | Close Shave Society
It’s the bane of man’s life. Shaving – and what’s more it just gets more and more expensive. Step in our new grooming heroes Close Shave Society – a brand new company that will change the way you shave.
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AUDIO REVIEW | Musical Fidelity EB-50
Ever since the dreaded little ubiquitous white ear buds from a certain brand were being popped into the nations’ ears, we’ve been duped into believing that the quality of music just doesn’t matter.
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GROOMING TOP 10: Aftershaves
The holidays often bring new fragrances into our lives as our Christmas stockings are filled with last minute present ideas in the form of aftershaves and EDTs, tasked with finding my favourites I’ve scoured the scene for good smelling men. Here are my findings. (more…)
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GROOMING REVIEW | Top 10 Aftershaves For Winter
The holidays often bring new fragrances into our lives as our Christmas stockings are filled with last minute present ideas in the form of aftershaves and EDTs, tasked with finding my favourites I’ve scoured the scene for good smelling men. Here are my findings.
‘Higher’ by Dior, It’s a classic fragrance, designed for the ‘modern urban man’. It smells cool and energetic with notes of pear, citrus and spice. £59 100ml Amazon
Emporio Armani ‘Diamonds For Men’ Eau De Toilette. I just love this smell. Masculine, sexy and slightly smoky. This is always a request on my Christmas list. £48.60 75ml Amazon
Jean Paul Gaultier ‘Le Male’ – no Top 10 aftershave list could be complete without this perennial of the fragrance world. There is hardly a gay man who hasn’t worn this aroma at some point in his life – plus the bottle makes me want to be a better man. £49.50 125ml Amazon‘Cool Water’ by Davidoff – again another aftershave that has stood the test of time and is revered by many. Cool Water – also had those amazing television ads, which may have caused me some stirrings. £49.50 125ml Amazon
‘Declaration’ by Cartier. If you can’t have jewellery by Cartier this Christmas then push for this gorgeous woody scent. Plus the bottle is pretty beautiful. £70 100ml Amazon‘Prada for Men’ by Prada, a real grown up scent for the man about town. If you want to smack of money, but not actually of money, then Prada For Men is the fragrance for you. Distinctive and reacts well to body heat. £52.20 100ml Amazon
Emporio Armani ‘He’. I love this smell. It feels every bit as classic as Chanel No. 5 is for women. It strong, long lasting and perfect for evening wear. £51.30 100ml AmazonComme Des Garcons ‘MAN’. The name itself put this fragrance on our Top 10. Uniquely packaged, with a woody, musky scent. £64 100ml Amazon
Acqua De Parma, ‘Mirto di Panarea’ Eau De Toilette, a fragrance that is divine and suspended in time. Floral and fruity. Distinctive as it is lingering. £70 Amazon150ml‘Eau Du Verdon’, by L’Occitane. I discovered this amazing fragrance almost by accident this year – and have been lusting after a bottle since using the shaving cream. It’s fresh, sporty and herby. A definite daytime fragrance – you have to hold me back when I smell it. £29 50ml
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MUSIC REVIEW: This Christmas
Set aside the cringey music video for the album’s lead single ‘I Think You Might Like It’ and you’ll find one of the best holiday albums released in a while, filled with classic, classy and expertly produced Christmas favourites including ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ (with Cliff Richard), ‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas’ (with Barbra Streisand) and a beautiful rendition of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ to boot. (more…)
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COMMENT | New Rights But Illegal
I don’t know what just happened but the words ‘illegal’ and ‘banned’ have once again united themselves with homosexuality, thanks to this government’s expediency in changing marriage laws. It feels as though we’ve moved one step forward towards equality and ten steps back as gays and lesbians still can’t call themselves equal under the law.
You have the right to get married… Just not where the heterosexuals do itYes, even in 2012 as the world came to town to watch our spectacular, all-inclusive Olympic extravaganza and marvelled at our strident moves towards fairness and equality – homosexuals are still ‘locked’ out of the legal system.Culture Secretary Maria Miller outlined a proposal of “quadruple locks” to keep homosexuals still very much distinct from our heterosexual brothers and sisters, and within these locks we also lose some of our equality rights as well. Does this sound like a step forward to you? Does this sound like something you want done in your name?When Prime Minister David Cameron announced that “gay” marriage would become legal in this government’s term, the gay community had never felt so welcomed by a Tory premier, but it came with caveats. These four get-out clauses were outlined yesterday and in her statement Mrs Miller promised a “quadruple lock” to protect religious freedoms involving:1) No religious organisation or individual minister can be compelled to marry same-sex couples or to permit this to happen on their premises
2) Making it unlawful for religious organisations or their ministers to marry same-sex couples unless their organisation’s governing body has expressly opted in to provisions for doing so
3) Amending the 2010 Equality Act to ensure no discrimination claim can be brought against religious organisations or individual ministers for refusing to marry a same-sex couple
4) The legislation explicitly stating that it will be illegal for the Church of England and the Church in Wales to marry same-sex couples and that Canon Law, which bans same-sex weddings, will continue to applyIn essence, anti-gay sentiment can still rear its ugly head from the pews and altars of un-’opted in’ churches, bigots can still hide behind their bibles and an amendment to the Equalities Act 2010 which leaves us with less rights than before – and of course we’re still illegal in the Church Of England – an organisation which has been developed and presided over for centuries, with some remarkably ‘godless’ acts including divorce, to suit. Lest we forget.So you can now have your gay sex with your same sex partner in the houses of Christian B&Bs but you definitely can’t tell a congregation of loved ones, that you love, cherish and adore your same-sex partner in the eyes of your God or a un-‘opted in’ priest.For me the question of marriage equality has never been about whether a man and a man or a woman and a woman should get married in a Church – it was about the naming rights for the partnership between two people. I don’t want to get civilly partnered, nor do I want to be dissolved should the need arise. Firstly, anything with the word ‘civilly’ in it sounds dreadfully 70’s and like a council initiative; secondly, the other is best left for the Solpadeine plunked in ice cool water for the day after our marriage.In a perfect world couples regardless of the orientation of sexuality should have a partnership that suits them. Civil or Marriage. Heterosexual or Homosexual.This current fudging of the law has once again brought religion in to marriage and put the words illegal and gay in the same sentence. Marriage – has always been a contract. Contracts are legal. Legal is politics and people. Again the gay community find themselves in the bright and unfaltering light of religious judgement and I for one am fed up of it. I want subdued backlit lighting, from John Lewis and the right to call my relationship to my partner a marriage. Isn’t it time we separated Marriage and religion for everyone?Apparently, we’re still not good enough for God(s), and his/her various places of worship. Just who is getting God’s messages on this issue? We’re not still using that dusty old book introduced in the current vernacular in 1538 to base our judgements on equality for every man, woman and beast on it, are we? If so we’d better start untangling our entire legal system.
And incase you’re wondering on what grounds you can separate from your newly wedded husband – adultery isn’t one of them. The government says it has no plans to change the definition of adultery or non-consummation of your marriage. That’s right, the sex or the affairs we may have as homosexuals aren’t even equal in the eyes of the law. By process of elimination does this mean that gay marriages will be recognised by law anyway if we can’t consummate, even if we bugger in front of Christian B&B owners? This means that neither can be cited as grounds for divorce.We’re still very much on the periphery. Always the bridesmaid – never the husband in the eyes of the congregation.Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.
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CABARET REVIEW | Shaken And Stirred
‘Shaken and Stirred’, the newest cabaret night to hit the Soho Scene is the brainchild of Samantha Renke and Zak Black, also known as ‘Verve Couture’. Their bespoke entertainment company, established in 2006 is holding the event to raise money in aid of the Brittle Bone Society. This evening of music, burlesque and Brazilian Dance takes place at Floridita, one of London’s finest live venues. The bar has a Latin American feel with a delicious A La Carte menu. (more…)
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THEATRE REVIEW | Julian Clary Tour: Position Vacant Apply Within
Julian Clary is on fire. The penultimate date of his gruelling 2012 tour of the UK including Dorking, sees the King of campery, winner of Celebrity Big Brother in fine fettle at The o2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. ★★★★★ (more…)
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ALBUM REVIEW | Frankie Said
As a babe of the 80s my knowledge of Frankie Goes To Hollywood isn’t just limited to that Virgin Atlantic ad. Although admittedly my childhood music taste was mainly limited to one perfectly formed Aussie Pop Temptress.