Crotch Issue 4

Crotch

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There’s no point in pretending that the world isn’t reeling from a pandemic that has knocked us all for six. My own lockdown situation has meant I’m writing this at 3am, having just cycled home from working in a supermarket.com fulfilment warehouse, wearing high-vis and steel toe-cap boots (just call me Key Worker).

Making a magazine in this moment is a bit trickier than usual. Shoots are harder to arrange and when we do meet our men for Crotch issue 4, we have been social distancing. We can’t ignore the current circumstances. So, for this issue, we wanted to reflect on that while doing our level best to feel the fantasy.

For our opening spreads, we asked three guys to take self-portraits of themselves doing what they can in lockdown, whether that be solo clubbing or crochet. We’ve also been reflecting on the things we can’t do this year, which is why we’ve dedicated a section of the magazine to Pride and what it means when we can come together.

More than anything, we wanted this issue of Crotch to keep giving. To celebrate the vitality and beauty of summer, to feel the heat of sun on skin. To do so wearing as little as possible, feeling alive. You may have noticed this issue is girthier than previously; we’ve added 48 pages to give you even more.

And there’s plenty more where that comes from. You’ll find up to date news and even more men over on crotchmagazine.com, where you can also fly the flag with our new neon Crotch tees. See you soon with issue 5. Maybe by then I’ll have bitten the bullet and asked some of the supermarket warehouse lads to get involved...

Frank

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Shake it like a polaroid picture!

Clockwise from top left; Trunks by Project Claude, trunks by Rufskin, trunks by Modus Vivendi with vintage sunglasses, trunks by Kvrt Stvff

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Clockwise from top left; Trunks by Kvrt Stvff, trunks by Rufksin, rear of trunks by Rufskin, trunks by TOF Paris

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Strip Demetrius Lakakis aka Little Rascal let off some steam in lockdown at home in Berlin, recreating their clubbing routine in these self-portraits

Self-portrait Demetrius Lakakis

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@LttlRzcl

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Wild Flower Antwaun Wright is starting to blossom

Antwaun blackness

Wright’s and

art

is

a

wild

homosexuality.

trip

bodies,

Antwaun’s

interest

in

art

began

as

early

as

27-year-old

preschool; these days he puts his thoughts about

artist from Connecticut, who also goes by the name

#BlackLivesMatter, body positivity and masculinity on

Antsinyopants, embraces a bold palette of purples and

t-shirts, canvas and colouring books. He even wears

pinks for paintings entitled ‘Homo Life’ and ‘Black

his art on his sleeve. ‘I’m currently wearing it as I

Jesus’. ‘My themes are always fantasy and colours,’

express this,’ he says. ‘I look at it as a brand and if I

Antwaun explains. ‘I really like things that are bold

want others to wear it and represent everything that

but make an interesting statement. I like mixing

it stands for then of course, I’m always in it. My art

reality and fantasy. It makes a really bizarre story but

represents my personality and so should my attire.’

it’s also very pretty.’

@Antsinyopants

Photography Antwaun Wright

The

of

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Strip Chris McCrudden, a novelist and brand planner in London, took up needlework in lockdown in a bid to occupy mind and body, as these self-portraits amply demonstrate

Self-portrait Chris McCrudden

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@WindowSausage

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Pin ups Josh McKenna and Ramon Christian are the guys behind NSFW Studio and a certain much-loved emoji

How did you decide to make pin badges?

NSFW name was born.

Ramon: NSFW Studio came about when Josh moved to

Best bits of your career so far?

Los Angeles and into my apartment just as COVID-19

Ramon: Being an ex-professional dancer has helped

lockdown began. As a photographer, I wanted to

mould me as a photographer in terms of shapes,

create pins of my work and Josh is an illustrator, so he

silhouettes and directing models. Calvin Klein taking

adapted the photographs into graphics. We focused on

notice of my image of Kelechi (the pink pin) and Crotch

selling the pins for charities helping black trans folk

giving me a cover last year was a real indication I’m

with housing and medical aid.

on the right path and I’m doing something that I love.

Do you have a favourite pin?

Josh: I’ve worked with brands like Apple and Google

Josh: We, like the majority of our customers, love the

as an illustrator. My highlight has to be creating the

white socks pin. There’s something very sexy about

iconic Instagram sticker of the man in heels and blue

a pair of white Nike socks and this image has easily

jeans snapping his fingers in IG Stories. Michelle

been the most popular and likely to continue into the

Obama used it!

next collection.

What’s next for NSFW?

How did you choose the images?

We’re

Josh: We selected from Ramon’s portfolio images that

collection which will bear a strong resemblance to

best captured masculinity in different forms and I

the previous illustrations but pushing the design

interpreted these into illustration to add an element

element even further and we will be moving from

of tongue-in-cheek with the colours and bold imagery.

pins,

This simple, graphic interpretation was how the

@NSFW.Studio

currently

applying

finishing

them

Photography: Main image by Ramon Christian Portrait by Filippo Calvagno

to

designs

apparel

for

and

our

new

accessories.

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Strip Kyle Michael Kuhlman, a performer from Michigan, took these self-portraits in lockdown, in between lounging around with his partner and watching Netflix

Self-portrait Kyle Michael Kuhlman

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@KymKuhlman

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Just Peachy Artist REN, aka Jack Reynolds, tells us about his new zine, Bummer

How did the zine come about?

The word ‘bummer’ has always been seen as a

It was the beginning of lockdown and the guys over

negative, and also as a derogatory word to describe a

at publishers Side Orders reached out. It was perfect

homosexual man. I wanted to take ownership of that

as work was on pause. I was wondering what all of

word and turn it into a celebration.

the men around the globe were secretly doing behind

Why the back-cover question: are you man enough?

closed doors. I created the entire zine in under three

Being ‘enough’ of anything; this is something that I

weeks. It explores masculinity, body positivity, love,

feel people ask themselves regardless of gender or

lust and pride.

sexual orientation. I remember when I came out at 23

What did you want to explore about masculinity?

that people would somehow question my masculinity.

It’s pretty evident in my drawings that I’m attracted to

Seven years later the idea feels absurd, but it’s never

big hairy men, but the idea that masculinity is related

really left the back of my mind.

to a body type is something completely different.

What was the idea behind the colour palette?

Masculinity is more of an expression that people ooze

I picked colours that felt slightly older and could

within the way they carry themselves. People feel a lot

almost allude to the idea of my characters living in

of pressure to assert themselves and act in a particular

80s LA. I’m also colour-blind, and really try to find a

way, myself included. The point of BUMMER is to

balance of tones that I can personally see clearly.

show that you can act as you please and still retain

And tell us about the charity aspect, please!

your masculinity, because it’s about how you feel in

100% of profits from the sale of Bummer go to All Out,

yourself.

which supports LGBTQ+ people around the world. It

Where did that title come from?

felt like a no-brainer. @DrawRen @Side.Orders

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Maintenance Man Gardener Ben needs help to fix his thatch

When some of us move home, we take the TV, the sofa, and dump the Billy bookcase from IKEA. When Ben Hamilton Anderson and his husband Mark flitted from one side of Dorset to another, they had quite a few additional items in their removal van. ‘We lived in a small village called Puddletown,’ Ben explains, ‘that’s where we collected together our animal family.

So when we had to leave that property abruptly we dug up 640 plants, packed up our geese, our chickens and the dog and scoured three counties for a suitable property within our price range.’

If the tale of a gay couple, Ethel the labradoodle and a place called Puddletown sounds quaint, hold up for the second chapter in the story. The couple ended up buying North Lodge Cottage in April 2018, only the third legal owners of the storybook thatched house in its 320-year history (three generations of the same family having lived and died in the house). Ben, who works as a landscape gardener with his father, turned the gardens into an Instagram star, posting updates on leafy wonders and dreamy selfies at @northlodgecottagegarden.

Not everything about life in North Lodge Cottage has been a fairy tale. The house was in a state of disrepair when the men moved in (‘There was a squirrel living inside of our bedroom wall,’ says Ben) but it is the beautiful thatched roof which had the potential to turn the whole thing into a horror story. The roof was nearing the end of its lifespan when they moved in, explains Ben but then a rise in temperature to over 35 degrees hastened its demise. ‘The first rain storm after that saw water pouring through the kitchen ceiling and down the walls in the hallway and lounge,’ he laments.

The couple, having exhausted ways of making it work, have turned to GoFundMe to raise the £30,000 necessary to fix the roof and guarantee their stay at North Lodge. There’s still a long way to go on the financial front but Ben has been heartened by the response. ‘We had no idea how many people were rooting for us,’ says Ben. ‘We get dozens of messages from people who find what we do inspirational and from so many young people aspiring to what we have as a couple, which is a beautiful thing.’ @northlodgecottagegarden Photography Stuart Cox

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www.gofundme.com/f/va59yu-north-lodge-300-yr-old-thatch-needs-a-new-thatch

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Grow bro, grow!

DJ Tommy Hart is nurturing new sides to himself

Tommy Hart knows how to cultivate a following. His

on producing my own music, develop a workflow, and

party Cornucopia, at Dumbo House in Brooklyn, has

take better care of my body.’

grown into one of New York’s finest, the formula for

In

between

flexing

his

Spanish

and

exploring

which is quite simple. ‘It’s basically a big celebration

Mexican culture, Tommy’s taken time to create an

of all the fabulous queer artists and creatives in

exclusive mixtape for Crotch. ‘It starts off reflective

Brooklyn,’ Tommy tells us. ‘We hijack the guest list

and hopeful before it gets cheeky and fun,’ Tommy says

and try to get as many folks in as possible. The crowd

about the music. ‘You have to be a little introspective

that shows up is such an eclectic group of people. Last

before you’re allowed to shake your ass.’ He’s still

time we hired a tattoo artist who gave people free

working in New York, and has found the distance

tattoos. It was really cute.’

between him and his home city has been helpful for

Now the DJ has made a break for the border and

his own development. ‘Taking a step back from life

divides his time between the Big Apple and Mexico

in the states and asking, “How will I be part of the

City. Is life there growing on him? ‘It’s been such a

solution? What will my contribution be?” has been

gamechanger,’ he says. ‘I’m renting a house in Juarez

pivotal for my own personal growth and as an artist.’

that has a studio and a roof with a garden and some

@Tommy_hart

vintage gym equipment. It’s the perfect retreat to focus Photography Oscar Ch

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Please head to crotchmagazine.com for an exclusive mixtape by Tommy Hart

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Pride Prid marc mar on... on...

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de rches

The Stonewall riots were a pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ politics. A police raid on a queer bar in New York’s Greenwich Village on 28 June 1969 turned into three nights of defiance from queer people. The violence experienced by LGBTQ+ people then was

not new. Nor was the oppression they faced in wider society. The anger that sparked a riot at Stonewall was not unprecedented either, with instances of

queer people rising up against police violence in the US in San Francisco, L.A. and Philadelphia, up to a decade before.

Yet Stonewall has become, in the history books

and at the movies, the only show in town. It’s a

neat origin story but as we are learning, who tells it and how can have profound effects on queer lives. It is now well established that it was trans

women, lesbians and queer people of colour who

were at the very heart of the rioting in New York.

Yet until recently, their stories had been erased.

In the Hollywood version of events, for example, a

handsome young white cis gay man threw the first brick at Stonewall.

Pride marches began in June 1970 on the first anniversary of Stonewall. Just as work has been done to reinstate those who were actually there, so too we have had to keep reminding ourselves that the reason we march is not a celebration of our corporate sponsors. It is about a fight, and some of us are very much still in it. This year, Pride has been suspended due to COVID-19. But the pursuit of justice has not stopped. The Black Lives Matter flag has flown in the face of police brutality. Our trans brothers and sisters continued to rise up against assaults in the media and on the streets. These civilrights movements are a reminder of who fought for us and who we still have to fight for. As the late, great, and self-described ‘black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet’ Audre Lorde said: ‘I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from mine.’ We march on.

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Post Stonewall celebrations, 1969. The bar remains a key part of NYC’s nightlife now.

Photo by Fred W. McDarrah/Getty Images

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Gay Pride March London 1976. The first official UK Gay Pride Rally took place in 1972.

Photo from Robert Workman Archive, Bishopsgate Institute

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One for the family album? Newly weds and their adopted son do Gay Pride in New York, 1998 Photo by Misha Erwitt/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

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Category is If You Don’t Love Yourself, at UK Black Pride at Haggerston Park in London, July 7th, 2019.

Photo by Quintina Valero/Getty Images

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Bosnia-Herzegovina’s first-ever Gay Pride Parade in Sarajevo September 8 2019.

The city has no openly gay friendly spaces.

Photo by Elvis Barukcic/AFP via Getty Images

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Hundreds of LGBTQ+ people and their supporters attend the ninth annual Delhi Queer Pride Parade, November 2016 Photo by Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

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Taste the rainbow at LA Pride, 2017 Photo by David Vassalli

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An early #freethenipple protest at the annual Pride Parade in London, July 7, 2018 Photo by Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images

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L O NG I NG Photography Steeve Beckouet

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Opposite & this page: Josh wears briefs by Tom Ford

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Opposite: Mesh brief by ASOS. This page: Briefs by Gregg Homme

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Boxer shorts by Bang and Strike

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Trunks by Andrew Christian

ot

Ph

y

ph ra og

il

s nt

ai iP

of K

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Previous page left: Daniel wears briefs by Box Menswear. Right: Briefs by ES Collection.

Opposite & this page: Jockstrap by Box Menswear

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Opposite: Briefs by ES Collection.

This page: Vintage vest

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Opposite & this page: Jockbrief by Box Menswear.

Model Daniel Shoneye @DanielShoneye

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SPICE SPICE BABY

Photography Ivan Nacar

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Thomas wears gym shorts by Adidas and socks from Topman

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This page & opposite: Gym shorts by Adidas

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Opposite: Briefs by Versace with socks from Topman.

Model Thomas Wade Nicholls @ThomasWadeNicholls

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Photography Johnny Louis

BEACH BLOND

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Christopher wears trunks

by Speedo throughout.

Model Christopher Marrs @Marrs_The_Martian

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Accessorize

Chain reaction

Star of Elizabeth Duke jewellers, the chain has long since been a men’s style staple. But this year, interest in the necklace rocketed when it became the hottest aspect of the BBC TV series Normal People. A gold necklace sported by main character Connell Waldron became a lust object in its own right, sparking an online shopping frenzy and a dedicated Instagram page (@connellwaldronschain, 187K followers and counting).

A barrage of think pieces followed, linking the chain to the TV show character, who in the capable hands of actor Paul Mescal was a walking, talking study of new masculinity. A psychologist was roped in (sorry) to explain the way a chain draws attention to the neck, an area of vulnerability on the body, reflective of the character’s sensitivity. Others wrote about the men’s necklace as a class signifier, like Sally Rooney, author of the book from which the TV show was adapted.

Sally – who also co-wrote the TV series - referred to it simply as, ‘Argos chic’.

Everyone agreed that, whatever else Connell’s chain said about him, it was pure sex. In Normal People, Connell discards everything from his insecurities to his clothes, all the while keeping his chain on. For Crotch, model Thomas is similarly inclined. He wears his chain in all circumstances, from shooting hoops to showering. Wherever it goes, the chain gets the same reaction. It is just hot. @Kafre974Soldia Photography Marc-Antoine Serra

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Clothing throughout model’s own

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Accessorize

Keep ringing

Much of the fuss about men’s jewellery has zeroed-in on ‘above the nipple line’. From catwalk to catalogue, it’s been a world of brooches, necklaces and earrings.

The humble hand rarely gets this much attention, even though plenty has been going on these digits too.

The rings on our fingers have stories to tell. Our model Jacob, who is a performer and actor based in London, has many stored in his hand jewellery. ‘I’ve got two gold rings and seven silver ones,’ he tells us.

‘The gold rings are very sentimental. One is my mum’s engagement ring and the other belonged to my great grandad. The rest I collected over the years, which are all quite personal, relating to different moments and relationships. Some are just from people I love.’

Rings are forever so associated with love, given that they are an essential part of tying the knot. They can also be useful for haters too; beware those with a clenched fist and a knuckleduster. That’s the worst thing about rings, besides the moment you lose them.

‘I did lose one for a long time,’ says Jacob. ‘That was annoying. It was a bit like only realising you missed something when it was gone. But then I found it. It was under my couch.’ @Maynard__ Photography Christian Vermaak

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Jacob wears briefs

by N2N Bodywear

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Opposite & this page: Briefs by Aussiebum, with coat by ASOS and boots stylists own

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Opposite: Briefs by N2N Bodywear. This page: Coat by ASOS

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Opposite: Briefs by Calvin Klein. Boots and hat stylists own. This page: Trunks by Schiesser

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Denim running shorts by ASOS

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Opposite & this page: Shirt and trunks co-ord

by ASOS Design

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Accessorize

Pearl stud

Like most things from the 80s, the single dangly earring is back. Rob Lowe put a ring in it for St Elmo’s Fire. George Michael wore a single cross earring for his 1987 smash, Faith. And it was an article of faith among certain queer men that a single earring in the right ear lobe signified belonging to the brotherhood.

In re-emergence, the single-earring wearer takes a more fluid approach. 2019’s breakthrough star, Lil Nas X, wears a variety in each ear. Kang Daniel, formerly of K-Pop band Wanna One, wears one and sometimes two. Harry Styles wore a single pearl earring to the Met Gala, when that was still a thing. The spirit is queerness, even if the wearer is sometimes only performing.

Francesco, a dancer and performance artist who lives in London, received his pearl earring as a Christmas gift from his mother.

‘I have a hate/love

relationship with it,’ he says. ‘People seemed to dig it. I don’t use it every day anymore, but I still use it for special occasions.’ Like the celebrity wearers, the single dangly earring is rarely the only accessory in town. ‘I recently got a pet; an orchid mantis called Chanel,’ says Francesco. ‘She’s tiny, pink and fierce.’ @Fram94 Photography Steeve Beckouet

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Francesco wears sweater by Crotch.

Shorts model’s own

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This page: Striped t-shirt by Comme des Garçons SHIRT. Vintage shorts.

Opposite: Big Bird shorts by Frank Strachan

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Colour block long sleeve t-shirt by Aime Leon Dore

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This page: Shorts by Anonymous Ism. Opposite: Big Bird shorts by Frank Strachan

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Shorts model’s own

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Briefs by N2N Bodywear

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Opposite: Shorts by Columbia available from ASOS. This page: Sweater by Crotch, shorts model’s own.

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The Waiting Game Photography Attila Kiss

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Beto wears briefs throughout by Woxuan.

Black side-tie trunks from Wish. Model Beto @BetoAParis

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It’s gettin’ hot in herre Photography Ramon Christian

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Opposite & above: Howin wears pink trunks by Patrick Church.

Opposite: Jockstrap by Charlie by Matthew Zink

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This page & opposite: Boots from a selection at Wild Western Wear Clothing. Opposite: trainers by Salomon, socks by Nike. Photographer assisted by John Arthur Hill.

Grooming Daniel Martinez. Model Howin Wong @HowinWong.

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T U O E N O POUR Photography and Styling Torian Lewin

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Opposite: Jordan wears briefs model’s own This page: Swim brief by Patrick Church

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Opposite: Bandana by Yeah, I Work Out, shorts and socks by Adidas.

This page: Shorts by Yeah, I Work Out

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This page: Trousers by Marshell Goodluck.

Opposite: Swim brief and top by Nike

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Opposite: Swim brief by Nike

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.

Opposite: Trousers by Asos, trainers by Nike. This page: Underwear by Calvin Klein, trainers by Converse X Comme Des Garcons PLAY. Hair by Danielle Waterma, for My Darling Ivy. Model Jordan Torres @ Next Models @OfficialJT

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o un c t

r

He s i my

Photography Jonas Huckstorf Styling Valerie Oster

y

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Christopher wears trousers by Rufskin

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Opposite: Briefs by Emporio Armani. This page: Vest by Schiesser, vintage jeans by Mustang, vintage belt

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This page & opposite: Vintage jeans by Mustang

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Opposite: Swimming briefs by Rufskin. This page: Briefs by Emporio Armani, socks by Vetements, with boots by Dr Martens

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Opposite: Sweater by Acne Studios, slip by Rufskin, boots by Dr Martens

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Opposite: Jacket by Y-3, shorts by Rufskin. This page: Denim briefs by Rufskin, with boots by Dr Martens. Grooming Sabine Szekely. Model Christopher @ TWO Management @Christopher_TPR Please head to crotchmagazine.com for exclusive video content by Ashton Carlisle Green

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P

ho

tog

d raphy Wa

y le

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Corey wears trunks by Mr Turk

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Opposite & this page: Trunks by EX-SL

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Opposite & this page: Trunks by Mr Turk

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Opposite: Trunks

by Mr Turk

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Trunks by Mr Turk.

Model Corey Collins @Coreh

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STRE IT O

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ETCH ETCH P

ho

tography

H ub

Pouch ert es

OUT OUT

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All clothing throughout from the Ruf-erized collection by Rufskin

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All clothing by Rufskin available from Rufskin.com

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All clothing by Rufskin available from Rufskin.com

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All clothing by Rufskin available from Rufskin.com Model Morgxn Thicke @MorgxnThicke

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Issam wears swim shorts

by Samsoe Samsoe, silver necklace by Ina Lazarov

NEW HORIZONS Styling Nicholas Galletti Photography Nicolas Aristidou

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This page: Tank by Ron Dorff, swim shorts by Samsoe Samsoe, glasses by Lesca, silver necklace by Ina Lazarov.

Opposite: Organic cotton hoodie by Tricot, boxer briefs by Nicholas Paris

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Vintage knit vest by Missoni, briefs by Meus

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This page: Long sleeve top, organic denim vest, jeans and belt by GmbH. Opposite: Upcycled printed shirt by Occhii, shorts by Ron Dorff, silver necklace by Ina Lazarov

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Hand-knit jumper by Occhii

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Opposite: Coat, tank and shorts

by Davi Paris, silver necklace by Ina Lazarov. This page: Recycled polyester tank and shorts by CAUR, cotton army jacket by 8 by YOOX

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Hand-knit cotton cardigan

by Tricot, recycled polyester trousers by GmbH

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Opposite: Organic denim vest and jeans by GmbH, silver necklace by Ina Lazarov. This page: Sunglasses

by Lesca, shirt and shorts by Meus, socks by Champion, biodegradable thermoplastic sneaker boots by Rombaut, silver necklace by Ina Lazarov

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Knit vest by Weer, shorts

by Stone Island. Model: Issam Remmaz @ Select @Issamousse

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A Bigger Splash Photography Marc-Antoine Serr

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Clothing throughout model’s own. Model Mehdi Milad @IamMehdi

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Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.

Photography Normandy Europa Styling Thomas Rodehuth

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Téo wears t-shirt by Chris Heart

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Opposite: Bodysuit stylist’s own with boots by Dr. Martens.

This page: Jockstrap by Kvrt Stvff, belt stylist’s own

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Opposite: Bodysuit and jockstrap by Kvrt Stvff.

This page: Kilt by Kilt Society, socks model’s own, with boots by Dr. Martens

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Opposite: Shorts by Adidas, trainers and necklace model’s own.

This page: Bodysuit stylist’s own with boots by Dr. Martens

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Opposite: Bodysuit by Kvrt Stvff. This page: Top stylist’s own, jockstrap by Kvrt Stvff..

Necklace model’s own. Model Téo Chapelier @TeoChapelier

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together

Photography Ramon Christian

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Previous page: John and Kyle wear vintage shorts from a selection available from Depop. All denim worn throughout by Levis

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Models @JohnEast87 @KyleKupres

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Please be upstanding for Mike Arlen The legendary purveyor of male nude photography speaks

‘People wanking in Wigan want an image. I’d get

go straight up, I gave them a bootlace to wrap around

letters from people saying, “I hope you don’t mind I use

the base of their erection to pull it down.’

your magazines for masturbation,” and I would say,

Mike was not the only one concerned about erections.

“you can use them for what you like dear, as long as

‘My audience likes to see when the model gets erect,

you buy them!”’

for the foreskin to come all the way back, so they can

Mike Arlen’s shoots have been helping others unload since he started out in male nude photography in 1979.

see all of the helmet’, he explains. ‘A nd they like to see a bit of shine on the helmet.’

A journalist and photographer for celebrity magazines,

Other publishers took a shine to Mike’s work, which

Arlen (not his real name) moved into explicit images

has appeared in New York-based magazine INCHES

after a German publisher saw potential for more in

and filled 25 pages of Taschen’s The Big Penis Book.

his photographs of swimwear. He began contributing

Even now, in an age of an excess of flesh in digital

male nudes to magazines for gay men – his first a

form, he has admirers who get in touch from across

farm-hand fantasy – and the pursuit proved so popular

the globe. ‘From time to time, somebody materializes

it evolved into Mike Arlen’s Guys, a series of 15 glossy

who is totally obsessed with my past. And currently

magazines of men, usually in uniform, always getting

it is a 23-year-old German called Lars; he pays money

out of it.

into my bank account. Recently, it was an Australian

Mike found the hit formula because readers told him

living in the outback. I suppose there’s not much to do

what they liked. ‘About eighty per cent of my models

in the outback. But I’ve had this kind of thing happen

are masculine men in their twenties and thirties

every couple of years, people living in obscure places

undressing out of uniform of one kind or another,’ says

suddenly find out about me and write.’

Mike. ‘In the early days, I got a lot of letters saying,

Mike sourced his models from ads in other gay

“we enjoy your pictures, but our fantasy is guys

publications, recommendations and, as his reputation

undressing from any kind of uniform.” Fortunately, I

grew, from men themselves who wanted a shot. New

knew someone who was a militaria collector, which

recruits still come knocking from, ‘a very determined

opened that world to me. He didn’t have anything in

bodybuilder,’ to a recent exhibitionist, who expected

white, so I had to hire a white naval officer or Roman-

more than just a photoshoot. ‘This one walked in,

soldier

ripped the clothes off and stood here for the following

outfit,

with

breastplate

and

helmet

with

plumes.’

hour, with an erection that was fighting the air,

Whatever Mike’s models were wearing, he also

bouncing up and down in front of me,’ explains Mike.

made sure they came with an erection. And whether

‘He didn’t understand why I didn’t want to swing from

it was artfully avoiding a brush with obscenity laws

it. I have seen so many, and I only fancy one or two per

or making his models rise to the occasion, Mike was

cent . What he didn’t realise is I think of erections as

the man for the job. ‘I never had any trouble from

work. I’m so level headed that even with an erection

the police as the law was based on the angle of an

that I fancy, I keep the camera still and take the shots.

erection,’ he explains. ‘I was training models to get

I’m obsessed with making them look better than

a prominent semi-erection and twist it round, so it

anyone has ever done before.’ mikearlensguys.co.uk

pointed down. The few who couldn’t do that, it would Selection of images from Mike Arlen’s archive Still life photography Tom Lawrence

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Editor-In-Chief Frank Strachan / Art Director Chris Williams / Editorial Director Colin Crummy / Editorial Consultant Jamie Hakim / Junior Fashion Editor: Jessica Johnston / Editorial Assistant: Tom Lawrence.

Contributing

Photographers;

Steeve

Beckouet,

Christian

Vermaak,

Ramon

Christian, Hubert Pouches, Oscar Ch, Stuart Cox, Torian Lewin, Attila Kiss, Nicolas Aristidou, Wadley, Mike Arlen, David Vassalli, Jonas Huckstorf, Kofi Paintsil, Ivan Nacar, Normandy Europa, Marc-Antoine Serra, Johnny Louis.

Special thanks to: James Probert, Gregory Vaughan, Christopher Shannon, David Roberts, Kay Barron, Simon Lyne, Steven Moore, Fascination Management, A&P Management, Massive Management, Ben Furnival & David Skelton, Annabel Caley.

Theresa, Angela, Linda, Brenda, George & Harold, Richard Willbreham, Cesare Polini, Jamie Golunski, Zack Tate, Jonathan Wheatley, Lauren Jones, Johann Andersson, Gavin Myall, Shane Jenek, Wendy Richards, Francisco Vargas, Mollie, Louise, Kylie, Pull The Pin Out, Cindy and Wanda. crotchmagazine.com Socials: @crotchmagazine Crotch, Studio 51, Make Space Studios, Newnham Terrace, London SE1 7DR Advertising and wholesale enquiries: editor@crotchmagazine.com

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