In one of the more creative stay-at-home projects, gay singer-songwriter Eric Himan offers a sweet tribute to the collective history of our "Local Gay Bookstore."
The simply-composed song explains how, before the Internet and social media (and even after their arrival), LGBT people have relied on bookstores for decades to find more than books, but community and a sense of our identity and collective history.
Cutaway shots display an adorable miniature bookstore by Himan's husband, Ryan Nichols, complete with tiny issues of Deneuve, OutWeek and other magazines.
"With Pride month coming to close and the world devoid of many Pride festivities this year, I was extremely nostalgic for the gay bookstores I grew up with and grew up performing at as I was becoming a singer/songwriter,"�said Himan, who is based in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
"These stores educated me on what it meant to be gay. They taught me about others within my own community that I wasn't aware of when I came out. They provided me a safe space to share my music and perform as an out artist. I am forever grateful to them and wanted to show my respect for them with this song."
The music video was shot at Eric's home by Nick Whitaker and centers on the artistic work of Nichols, who created a small gay bookstore book nook/shelf insert specifically for the video.
The structure, less than a foot tall, includes miniature books by LGBT authors such as
Augusten Burroughs, James Baldwin, Alice Walker, and Langston Hughes. Many fun surprises are throughout with covers of popular LGBTQ+ magazines, movie posters, and newspapers. Artwork on the walls are also an homage to past LGBTQ+ visual artists.
Catch Himan's live set Tuesday June 30, 8pm PST at https://www.facebook.com/erichimanmusic
For more music, visit https://www.erichiman.com/