I'm currently re-reading Simon Reynolds' book 'Rip it up and start again: postpunk 1978-1984' and when he's discussing synthpop bands he says: "Since Bowie, if not earlier, there's a real sense in which England has connotated 'gay' in the American rock imagination. Which explains both Anglophobia and Anglophilia: for those alienated from the overbearing heterosexism of mainstream American rock, 'England' beckons as an imaginary haven, a utopia of androgyny. In the early eighties, gay or sexually ambiguous boys, plus a good number of smart girls, were attracted to British electropop - not least because the bands were generally full of pretty boys wearing make-up." I'm just curious about whether anybody would agree with his assessment, or has any thoughts.
I know very little about modern rock music, however there is one thing I need to say... My Hampshire is newer than yours.
I can't say I know too much about that era of music, but my first instinct is to say it's pure BS. I would say that Americans often look to Britain and Europe in general for inspiration for their counter-culture, and let's face it, the gay population overall is trendy and into counter-culture. If you want to see the utopia of androgyny, look no further than the American 80s hair bands. By the time androgyny had come into style in American rock, the counter culture people (likely including a good portion of gay people) were getting into grunge and alternative rock. That's my theory at least.
If that ever was true, it hasn't been true since grunge came around. =p Ask someone to name five British rock acts that were mainstream in America after 1990. You'd be hard pressed to get an answer. I'm sorry to say, but rock in general has been dead. I haven't heard any good, new rock artists in five years. It's all cheap pop and R&B crap on the radio now.
I'm not sure if the hair metal bands were androgynous in quite the same way, and I'd say they presented themselves as being aggressively masculine and heterosexual and were certainly regarded in that way, whereas the synthpop bands were generally more fey and ambiguous, but I can see where you're coming from. I'd definitely disagree with you saying rock is dead (how many times has that line been trotted out in the past?), you just need to dig deeper to find interesting music, which is why I never listen to the radio, as there's no point for me. Arguably the era of genuine innovation has ended, replaced with either a retro or a more eclectic, mash-lot's-of-different-genres-together approach, but there's still a great deal of amazing music being produced IMO. Anyway, I was more wondering whether the author was right and that Britain is (or was) perceived as 'gayer' than America, but thanks for the replies.