19 Facts About Jobriath

Bruce Wayne Campbell, known by his stage name Jobriath, was an American rock musician and actor.

Jobriath was the first openly gay rock musician to be signed to a major record label and one of the first internationally famous musicians to die of AIDS.

Jobriath wrote the first two movements of his first symphony by his senior year in high school, but for reasons unknown chose not to complete it.

Jobriath briefly formed a folk group with the help of his music teacher who arranged for identical twins Marty and Grace to join him.

Jobriath was drafted into the US Army in the mid-1960s and went AWOL within months.

Jobriath was cast by the director Tom O'Horgan into the leading role of Woof, a character implied to be gay.

Jobriath appeared in the legendary West Coast production at the Aquarius Theater on Sunset Boulevard.

Brandt signed Jobriath, now calling himself Jobriath Boone, to Elektra Records for a reported $500,000, in what was allegedly the most lucrative recording contract of its time.

All featured the forthcoming debut album sleeve design by noted photographer Shig Ikeda, which featured a nude Jobriath, made to resemble an ancient Roman statue.

Amidst this barrage of promotion, the debut album Jobriath was released on June 15,1973, garnering mostly positive reviews.

The album was co-produced by Eddie Kramer and Jobriath, featuring string arrangements by Jobriath, recorded at Olympic Studios with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Jobriath wanted orchestrations like old film music, though he knew nothing about scoring.

Meanwhile, Jobriath declared himself "rock's truest fairy", a comment that did little to increase his popularity at the time but has since confirmed his status as the first openly gay rock singer to be signed to a major record label.

In January 1975, Jobriath announced his retirement from the music industry and moved into a pyramid-topped rooftop apartment at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City.

Jobriath attempted to resume his acting career, and was invited to audition for the role of Al Pacino's lover in the film Dog Day Afternoon.

Jobriath began to feel ill in late 1981 but still contributed to the Chelsea Hotel's 100th birthday celebrations in November 1982 and continued to perform cabaret until shortly before his death.

Jobriath died at his residence at The Chelsea in 1983.

Jobriath is referenced using his legal name by the indie-folk band Okkervil River on the final song of their 2008 album The Stand Ins, entitled "Bruce Wayne Campbell Interviewed on the Roof of the Chelsea Hotel, 1979".

Jobriath was embarrassingly effeminate in an era of leather and handlebar moustaches.