"II a man does not keeppace with his companions.perhaps it IS because hehears a different drummer.Let him step to the musicwhich he hears, howevermeasured or tar away. "

Henry David Thoreau‘

l _6 MALECALL/DEAR SIR

8 THE TRUCKER 8: THE CYCLISTRobert Payne tells us about the day an old friend called to ask a favor.You see, there was this trucker. . .

14 MR. DRUMMER '83: THEY'RE AT THE GATEAs we go to press, the hottest studs in the country are converging onSan Francisco to compete in America's most coveted leather title,Mr. Drummer 1983. One final preview before the main event.

16 FORESKIN UPDATEThe Sarge shares his mail on voluntary circumcision, and we lookfor some more famous overhang.

18 SPECIAL REPORT:SOME OF US ARE DYING BY IOHN PRESTONThe noted novelist looks at the national panic in a rare examinationof things too many of us would rather ignore. Followed byDrummer's guide to grassroots action.

24 DRUMBEATS Our resident puzzler offers an anacrostic ofa slightlydifferent persuasion.

25 FOUR BY FOUR: SPECIAL NEW FICTION COLLECTIONFour new writers take on four variations on familiar themes in thissummer one-hand reader; from the everyday to the closeencounter.

41 TONY BRONTE: ZEUS BEEF TRUST From the studio that spendsmore time looking at biceps than the Mr. Olympia judges comes atower of physical power named Tony. Pure beef, no filler.

49 DRUMBEATS Drummer's consumer guide to top quality, lean men.Squeeze these charmers, if you dare.

65 DRUM Hot time in the city and Bill Ward's creature of sensualhabits looks for a cool place to dip his. . .wick.

73 DRUMMER DADDIES More macho men to make a bad boybehave.

73 DRUMMEDIA VIDEO A triple feature: Clones with thunderthighs, elegant English dinosaurs, something to warm the backside.

75 LEATHER BULLETIN BOARD News from the farest outposts ofleather and SM.

77 DRUMMEDIA FILM Arthur 1. Bressan's most controversialproject:a gay youth and the man who saved his life.

B0 SWEDEN FOR LEATHERMEN Robert Nichols tell you all: where togo, what to expect, how to make a trip to Sweden well worthconsidering.

84 DRUMMEDIA BOOKS john Preston and Daniel Curzon, two giantswaiting at your bookstore.

B6 IN PASSING

Cover: Another hunk from the 1983 Mr. Southern California Drummer Contest(and this isn't even the winnerl). Photo by Rose de Castro.Opposite page: We don't know why Tony Bronte isn't in our Mr. DrummerContest. We may have to create a category just for him! Photo by Zeus.

‘ biitiliifliil’We want to draw your attention to the

article that starts on page 18 of this issue,"Some of Us Are Dying," by lohn Preston.We'll wait for the mail to come in on thisone; we already know that, unfortu-nately, a number of people are going toget on our case for printing anythingthatcould infringe on the intense sexual com-munication that Drummer strives to bringyou each issue. But Mr. Preston's pers-pective of the holocaust that threatens usall is one that needs to be in this magazineat this time. You can't arm yourself bysimply closing your eyes.

Some updating is in order. Since Mr.Preston spoke these words—this is atranscript of a speech he gave to theMaine State Gay Association—there havebeen developments, Foremost, morepeople have died than indicated. That'simportant. Secondly, the President hasmade a big deal out ol the fact that heallocated $12 million for AIDS research.That's odious and despicable; especiallywhen this piddling amount is spread over1‘/2 years. It's less than a crumb. Billionsare to be spent on such ‘worthwhile’ pro-jects as the MX missile and military aid topuppet dictatorships in other countries.The government's response to the AIDScrisis is one that can not be tolerated. Andno one is going to change that responseexcept us. That is our obligation, to our-

-selves, to the gay men who have alreadybeen killed by AIDS, and to the still-livingAIDS victims. Research and cure is notour obligation, and we don't think thatcan be stressed strongly enough—it isclearly the duty of the federal govern-ment and all the means at its disposal.

Following Mr. Preston's article is a smallfile of information and suggestions. Weurge you to read and consider it carefully.There is always more that can be knownand more that can be done. Wejust wantyou to start somewhere. . . for your ownsake.

—lohn W. Rowberry

PUBLISHER . . . . . . . . . . . ..JOIIIIH.EIlBRYGEIIERALMANAGER .....................IdARIOSINDNEASSOCIATE PUBLISHER RDWBERRYEDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . .....................ROBERTPAYIIEARTDIRECTOR ..........................DIRKDYKSTRAPRODUCTION MANAGER . . . . . ..JlM VIIGLERTYPESETTING .......................THEPRINTEDWDRDCIRCULATION L. CHARLES IIASSARSKYREADER SERVICES............ . . . . . . . . .. RICK LEATHERS

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(opyttght T961 by Al TIRNAII PUBLISHING All rightsreserved. N0 part oi this magazine may be reprndutedwithout prior written permission trom the publisher Pub-lished monthly by Alternate Publishing, IS Harriet Street,San Irantisto, (alilornia 9410! A stamped, sell-adddressed return envelope must auompany all manus-tripts. photos and artwork that are to be returnedAlternate Publishin n rn r ihilit tor

VQILUMIE SEVEN/NUIMJEFS 65/JUNE T193_ J

g ta asssi e no espons ymaterial damaged or lost through the mail Any similarity

i between tharatters ap rearing in URUMMIR and realpersons is r oinudental. lhe H'pH‘\l'I‘\IdIIl)I\ or appearanteof any person in DRIJMMIR is not to be taken as repre-sentative ot his or her seiiual prelerente. All inquiries(tII\(Q'II\lI'\$ the leather Iraternity should he addressed toAlternate ulilishing at the above stated address

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DRUMMER 5