Bash Compactor: Spank It!

By the time we showed up at the [Spank] first anniversary loft party, not an unsoiled copy of the ‘zine could be found. The sixth floor space was crowded with boys (and a few women) dancing and drinking and the flimsy periodical suffered under the revelry. We did discover a few soaked or scuffed copies near [Spank](http://www.popnography.com/2008/06/critics-pick-sp.html) stalwart (and Scissor Sister) Del Marquis—but were more interested in why there wasn’t more nudity.

A nearly naked Dazzle Dancer calling himself Negro Noir (aka Willie Mullins) danced at one end of the room, near a red-frocked Viva Ruiz whose other pal, Desi Monster (aka Desi Santiago), was more intimidating in his leather outfit with straps and a brown cowl that covered his head. We asked them why there weren’t more bare asses for spanking, “I don’t know, I wish there were,” Ruiz replied. Asked the same question, author and book critic Dale Peck, a friend of Spank founder Jason Roe, tried to remedy the situation by ordering one of his young friends to drop trou.

Thanks, Dale!

Soon enough, we found one bare bottom. A man calling himself Naked Tony wandered amongst the merriment absent of a stitch of stitchery. He had his own thoughts on the overly clothed crowd. “It’s a little early, and they haven’t had cocktails yet,” he said. And did he benefit from being naked? “Of course. I get free drinks. I don’t pay to get into parties.”

One-Half Nelson, who had recently been dyed black for the [Grace Jones tribute earlier in the week](/blog-3045-jonesing-for-attention-grace-jones-tribute-at-the-.html), was the most flamboyant attendee, dressed in a black suit with white fringe and a black chapeau with jaunty white feather.

We decided to get photographed in [Billy Beyond]’s corner, where he was documenting many in a very Warholian manner with a BigShot Polaroid camera. It only got us thinking more about the purpose of the fete. Was it all a bit of inhibited exhibitionism? Maybe the magazine's moniker wasn’t some misinterpreted euphemism for light bondage, but simply a provocative title for a monthly party that has migrated through various venues to end up in a more private zone. Or they were just saving the spanking for later.

[Photos by Matthew LeBaron]