Please note this is not a full complete transcript but a detailed summary of the recording

Session one: 23 October 2012] Gary Butler [GF], born Bristol, 1971. Comments on being born in South Bristol and attending Sixth Form in Brislington. Comments on realising he was gay aged around 14-15 [00:01:18]. Mentions coming out as gay to friend at 16. Description of beginning to find men attractive and self-realisation of sexuality. Mention of social stigma attached to gay people. Mention of absent or negative media portrayals [00:03:48]. Comments on Section 28 and Conservatives. Remarks on not having heard of the gay scene until aged 19. Mentions rumours of gay pubs, remarks on Bunch of Grapes in Bristol. Remarks on average childhood. Comments on being technical and enjoying building things. Fuller description of coming out as gay to friend at Brislington Sixth Form College at age 16. Remarks on coming out to other friends towards end of Sixth Form [00:07:49]. Comments on later finding out that others at school were gay. Remarks on finishing A Levels and going to Bristol Polytechnic. Description of friend Rose realising he was gay. Detailed description of going to 49 Club at bottom of Christmas Steps, Bristol for first time. Comment on £1.50 door charge. Comment on decor and environment. Mention of male DJ Alice. Comment on floor carpet. Remarks on friendly atmosphere. Mention of doorman Linford [00:12:42].

[12.42] Description of attraction to man Dave Shattuck. Comments on starting to work behind bar. Mention of Alan working behind bar. Mention of man Aaron. Mention of songs Black Box ‘Ride on Time’ and Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’. Remarks on mixed crowd. Story about straight couple in bar. Remarks on age of consent being 21. Remarks on Section 28. Mention of Oasis club at 12-14 Park Row. Comment on clubs not being visible on street. Discussion about people being out as gay or not. Comment on some people’s fears of losing their job [17.35]. Comment on attending Rainbow Cafe in Bath. Description of Oasis club environment. Story about seeing school French teacher in Oasis. Mention of the Griffin pub. Mention of Oasis club being men-only. Story about someone trying to set him up with a ‘rent-boy’ [20.35]. Story about kiss on the cheek from Dave Shattuck. Story about friends Vincent, Zak and Aaron. Mention of friend Kevin. Detailed description of later deaths of Kevin, Aaron and Zak. Mention of owners of 49 Club Mike Perry and Ken. Story about Alan teasing him and joke backfiring [25.09]. Discussion about whether or not people were out. Comments on social attitudes. Mention of straight couple John and Ruth. Mention of Baroness Young and Section 28 campaign. Comments on homophobes. Remark on persecuted groups. Remark on legislative change under Labour from 1997. Comment on gay character in Eastenders. Mention of Queenshilling opening on Frogmore Street. Short story about membership card for Queenshilling. Mention of Vibes opening. Discussion about shifting social attitudes. Comment on seeing people with black eyes in 49 Club. Comment on police occasionally visiting 49 Club. Mention of AIDS tombstone adverts. Comment on knowing of people with HIV. Remark on HIV tests and safe sex messages. Mention of attending Terence Higgins Trust (THT) group on Old Market for under 21s [00:34:00]. Comment on THT group Mention of Out magazine. Mention of Gay Times. Description of Out magazine. Mention of Pink Paper. Mention of Now magazine. Comment on depression and leaving degree course. [00:37:37] RECORDING SUPPOSED TO HAVE STOPPED FOR CAT COMING INTO ROOM – PLEASE IGNORE [00:44:11].

V04_Butler_2.wav [00:38:21] [Session two: 23 October 2012] Mention of friends Vincent, Bernard, Mike, Alan, Zak, Aaron and Dave at 49 Club. Mention of short relationship with Zak. Description of relationship with Aaron. Mention of being under-age at 20. Comment on on-off nature of relationship with Aaron. Story about renting a room with Aaron in friend Bernard’s house. Story about renting a flat with Aaron through friend Linford. Mention of one-night stands. Description of coming out to both parents. Mention of possibility of being gay as a phase. Mention of dad not liking Aaron for being mixed race. Description of dad’s changing attitudes towards gay people. Comment on parents attitudes reflecting those of wider society [00:07:13]. Mention meeting boyfriend Gerry at Rainbow Cafe and moving to Bridgwater. Story about friend John in Bristol. Comment on 49 Club and Oasis being closed. Description of working at company Circo and being out at work. Story about having male calendar up at work. Comment on going to Queenshilling (nightclub) [00:12:48]. Description of Rainbow Cafe in Bath. Discussion about role of Rainbow Cafe. Mention of Watershed (arts centre/venue) in Bristol. Comment on older age of people at Rainbow Cafe. Mention of brief relationship. Mention of clubs Leos and The Elephant on St Nicholas Street, Bristol. Mention of nightclub Flamingos in Bristol. Mention of Club Just near Galleries in Bristol. Mention of starting to enjoy dancing at clubs. Comment on going to Castro’s on Old Market, Bristol. Description of meeting boyfriend Russell at Castro’s [00:18:01]. Comment on selling house and moving into flat on Coronation Road. Comment on returning to university. Story about being a mystery customer at Vibes. Story about meeting friend Mike and establishing Saturday routine of going to the Elephant, Griffin and Vibes. Story about going to quiz at Pineapple (pub) as part of team called Silver Sluts. Description of pubs Griffin on Colston Street and The Elephant. Story about demise of The Elephant [00:25:35].

[00:25:35] Story about relationship with James. Description of meeting current boyfriend Drew. Comment on unplanned nature of his relationships. Remark on his dad’s approval of Drew. Comment on Bristol buses. Story about cost of going out. Comment on pets. Mention of Old Market Tavern. Mention of giving up smoking. Comment on joining Cycle Out Bristol, gay cycling group [00:32:34]. Story about company anti-discrimination policies referring to sexual orientation. Remark on having photo of Drew on his desk at work. Story about river cruise at work. Comment on public affection. Comment on TV programme Queer as Folk. Comment on comic book character coming out. Story about drinking in 49 Club.



Notable quotations “There was no such thing as Eastenders back then and there were no gay characters on TV” [00:03:15].

“Other people were more careful. You didn’t advertise you were gay at that time” [00:17:10].

“Clubs like the 49 Club they were the old generation, then places like the Queenshilling started to open up” [00:28:30] (regarding physical visibility of gay venues). “It was on Frogmore Street in the middle of straight Bristol” [00:29:28] (on Queenshilling opening).

(about being on away day at work with colleagues and attitudes becoming more liberal) “Everybody knows he’s gay, everybody knows I’m gay, but no-one’s commented, no-one’s even said ‘oh, I didn’t even realise you were gay, that level of... you’re all just people, which is really nice in a way” [00:34:10].

“You still don’t see people walking around hand in hand but that will come at some point” [00:34:38].

“I know I’ve talked a lot about the 49 Club but that was the main thing I think, looking back that was when I came out and that was when my world started in a way; when I first realised there was an urban gay community out there. And yes, some of the best times were at the 49 Club. I had other good times at other places, but the 49 Club is that extra fondness of memory because it was the first place. It was a small old-fashioned place with all the bottles lined up above the bar; they invariably tasted of turps and sugar but it was just always there, a very traditional pub, you don’t really get to see that now... they were the best days I think” [00:36:52].