THE JEREMY LUCIDO INTERVIEW FOR THE FIGHT MAGAZINE
I recently interviewed erotic artist, photographer, director, producer, club promoter, writer, publisher and pornographer Jeremy Lucido for the cover story of The Fight Magazine.
Lucido’s love for print media inspired him to publish “Starrfucker Magazine” — a sexy quarterly artzine, a throwback to vintage male pinup homo erotica. I too have a … um … deep seeded love for print media. I reckon I’m old school like that, however print has its limitations where space is concerned. Word count comes at the price of content and you have no choice but to compromise your shiiieeettt. You have to edit yourself, which can be a good thing, but I don’t have to compromise my shiiieeettt in this here Hiss Fit.
IT’S MY WAY!!!
Jeremy Lucido moved to Los Angeles in 1999 to further his education in photography with dreams of creating art. Of course, headshots turned into cock shots and photography led to pornography. Lucido is currently a production manager for Randy Blue, but unlike most directors and photographers who simply shoot porn with a bang for the buck in mind, he utilizes his resources to shoot hot men for his self-published “Starrfucker Magazine,” which has led to the “Starrfucker Photobook”–a celebration of sexy men with hair down there and everywhere. Lucido is definitely a man of many trades, but at the end of the day, when the used condom wrappers are thrown away, it’s all about art.
Below is the complete Jeremy Lucido interview.
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What best describe you?
Quiet, passionate, generative, podgy, amorous, and calm.
I mean, what is the one trade that you value the most?
Artist.
How does a little boy from the Midwest grow up to do what you do?
That I couldn’t answer. None of what I do was planned and a younger me would never have even foreseen this life. When I was 18 I halfheartedly decided that I would go to college for photography because it really was the only thing that sparked an interest at the time. Besides isn’t most of Los Angeles full of thousands of little boys from the Midwest doing stuff they would have never done if they stayed back home?
What does your family say about your work?
My family is very supportive of what I do. Not to say that my mother wouldn’t rather I do more mainstream work and photography just so she’d be more free to brag about me to others. Other than that it’s a real non-issue for my family and friends.
You mention that you have a lack of enthusiasm to the way you look at porn, which gives you a new perspective on the industry. What does that mean?
I often feel like an outsider when it comes to people’s enthusiasm and excitement towards the adult industry. When you tell someone that your job is to basically watch guys fuck all day you normally get the same reaction that really doesn’t go along the reality of it. I am not aporn fan or even a consumer really so, I’m looking at the industry through a purely objective lens. It’s not just two guys fucking to me, it is film, art, colors, video, sound, consumption, business and the creation of a product.
What kind of gay porn do you like?
I get asked that question a lot. The truth is I don’t really watch gay porn for recreational reasons and never really have. When I was young, I just really didn’t have much access to it and then later, never used porn as a tool for masturbation. I need a little more of a connection with someone. I would have to say I’d like porn that gives you that same intimate connection of a true real private moment (and with lots of deep throating and ass slapping).
How do you make what you perceive as uninteresting in porn, look interesting to others?
Just substitute the word uninteresting for mainstream and you can see that the porn industry is not too different from the music and film industry. Instead of just relying on what will sell to the masses, we could enhance the adult art form with good quality visuals, film making and beautiful cinematography. The problem is of course my idea of an interesting, art-full, gritty, sexual, hardcore film probably wouldn’t be a huge mainstream money maker. So, the best way is to just find that middle ground while moving forward to a more modern and younger approach to the adult film.
Tell us about Starrfucker Magazine?
Eight years ago I launched a blog about gay porn called Starrfucker. It was your typical porn blog that featured the latest internet porn updates and models. I worked on set as a photographer and director for RandyBlue.com so I used Starrfucker to show off hot behind the scenes photos and videos I took. The Starrfucker blog was popular for many years, but I wanted to evolve it into something more reflective of me. In 2010 I launched Starrfucker Magazine as way to bring together two parts of my life together as one. Fine Art Photography and Gay Porn. I was a huge fan of printed zines like Pisszine, Kink and Pinups- The idea of helping to keep printed media alive really appealed to me. Having the magazine also gives me a reason to shoot more hot men with complete creative control. Starrfucker Magazine continues to grow and improve with each issue and that is something I am really proud of.
I’m familiar with Rodrigo, your first cover model. How has Starrfucker evolved since that first issue?
The magazine has evolved. I feel that Starrfucker Magazine is only now in it’s early teen years and still finding its self. With each new issue, I like it better than previous one. It was Issue 6 when I decided that i’d be the sole photographer featured and it just has made it much more personal of a project for me. Oh, and speaking of Rodrigo… he really was the perfect model for my premier issue, in fact I just shot him again recently and he will appear again in Issue 8, coming soon.
Why do you find print media appealing?
Everything I have done in the past seems to be more of a service, from photography, production, graphic design, event planning and so on… Although everything I am drawn to in life is creative and in a sense I’m creating something. I’ve always been envious of people like product designers, toy makers, sculptors and even painters because there is a physical medium you are working with. Something you can hold in your hands and say, “I made this.” It’s a deep rooted desire I have that I can’t really put into words. I think it’s the same desire that propels my love for Polaroids and instant film. When you hold a Polaroid print in your hand, you know that this same physicalthing witnessed to its own creation. The idea for Starrfucker Magazine was to find a way for me to have that same feeling that other artists have while still staying true to my first true love, photography. I made this. This magazine that I package, sign, wrap and shipped all over the world, I made it.
How do people respond to Starrfucker?
The response has be overwhelmingly positive to which I am truly grateful. Because of Starrfucker Magazine, I have met and worked with several great artists, writers, zinesters and models. It really has been a wonderful journey that I hope continues. Collectors of the Starrfucker have also shared with me that they too have seen the growth and changes that each new issue brings and it’s nice to know that you are on the same page with the core audience you are creating work for. Of course there will always be people who just want more penetration or an easy downloadable version, but those aren’t the people who I created Starrfucker for.
I noticed some past issues are sold out on your website, should people hold on to their Starrfucker issues?
Yes, each issue is a limited edition and when they are gone, they are gone. It’s definitely something people hold on to, collect and show off.
So what projects are you currently working on right now?
I’m currently shooting for Issue 8 of Starrfucker Magazine which will be my Fashion Issue. And I do use the word Fashionloosely. This month I am also celebrating the release of my first published photo book entitled Starrfucker which features the best of Starrfucker Magazine. The Starrfucker photo book is available now at Amazon, StarrfuckerMagazine.com and retail stores world-wide. I am also working on a solo art show for mid-October at the Lacen Project in Silver Lake. The show will highlight my portraits of local men as well as never before seen photographs from Starrfucker Magazine.
What club events or parties are you promoting?
I currently throw two monthly parties at Faultline with my co-host, Gabe Ayala. Raunch is the third Friday of every month and John, a leather fueled edwardian themed party is the first Saturday of the month. I’ve also teamed up with artist and model Benjamin Godfre to produce a reoccurring event, calledSkin LA which is a private nude art making and live Polaroid shoot event. All images produced from Skin LA events will appear in a zine of the same name.
Last question: Are you a starrfucker?
Only the hot ones.
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Pick up the latest issue of The Fight Magazine in all its physical print glory, which is out, like RIGHT NOW!!! The Starrfucker photo book is available on amazon.com, starrfuckermagazine.com and retail stores worldwide. For more on Jeremy Lucido, visit jeremylucido.com
