The Dicks from Texas

At the dawn of the 1980s, a time when punk revolved around wiry heterosexuals, Gary Floyd stood out from the crowd. Cindy Marabito's scrappy documentary recounts the history of his short-lived outfit, the Dicks. Floyd explains that a fat gay kid growing up in Austin had his work cut out for him, but once punk arrived, he found his salvation. Floyd knew that he would be able to come out at some point, but decided not to rush it. Friends remember Floyd in those early days as a character who tacked pictures of Chairman Mao on his walls, wore lingerie on stage, and threw detergent at concertgoers. In some photographs, Floyd looks like Divine with his theatrical makeup and polyester dresses. In 1979, he formed the Dicks with guitarist Glen Taylor, bassist Buxf Parrot, and drummer Pat Deason, and they released their first single "Hate the Police" in 1980, following up with the album Kill from the Heart in 1983. Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat) says the Dicks were “a force to be reckoned with,” while Henry Rollins recalls, “They were always great, but they were always kind of shambolic.” Just as the band was gaining a national following, Floyd suggested a move to San Francisco, but his band mates eventually returned to Austin, and the Dicks came to an end. Floyd would move on to Sister Double Happiness, but the occasional Dicks reunion ensures that their flame lives on. Extras include never-before-seen footage of the Dicks in performance. Presented in stereo, this solid music documentary with added LGBT interest is recommended. (K. Fennessy)