In mainstream entertainment, stars who enjoy success in both acting and music  are pretty rare. For every Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Lopez, or Beyonce Knowles there are many more failed crossover attempts by folks such as Tina Yothers, Louise Robey, or Don Johnson. Just like mainstream Hollywood, Gay porn has its share of stars who are trying to cross over into music. But whereas being a successful mainstream actor can spell doom for one’s musical aspirations, having a porn past can occasionally be a PR asset. The shelf life of the typical porn star is usually brief, so most adult performers can successfully reinvent themselves post-porn. This month we look at some of the more recent porn-to-music crossovers.

Zeb Atlas recently became a bit of a YouTube sensation thanks to the music video for his cover of Diana Ross’ Love Hangover. Some people may have been sharing the link in mockery, but you know what they say – there’s no such thing as bad PR. Some of those who expected to be mortified actually ended up becoming fans, and that alone makes Love Hangover a success. Born and raised in Oregon, Zeb was first scouted as a fitness model at a bodybuilding show. He was named “Man of the Year” by Men Magazine in both 2003 and 2006, and after becoming a pornstar he made his pop music debut in the Stop For Love music video by Pearly Gates (the same band featured on Love Hangover.)

As a vocalist, Zeb Atlas is still finding his wings. In contrast, Colton Ford is now a seasoned professional. Although he was initially a crossover act, Colton has since left adult entertainment to focus exclusively on mainstream music and acting. This singer/songwriter has had a number of popular hits, including his cover of Stevie Wonder’s Signed, Sealed, Delivered and collaborations with Pepper Mashay and Cazwell. Colton’s debut album Tug of War was released in 2008 (the same year he participated in the True Colors Tour). Under the Covers is his second release, with 18 cover versions of songs by well-known artists. Colton is now signed to the ultra-hip Peace Bisquit label, which also represents Amanda Lepore, Cazwell, The Ones, Ultra Nate, Crystal Waters, and the Dazzle Dancers.

Carsten Anderson is another former adult performer who gave up porn to focus on mainstream work. His song Fun has been charting in Scandinavia, and Carsten now has the London-based Zebra1 production team behind him (the same team that produced hits for Sugababes and HearSay.) And did we mention that Carsten performs in glamorous drag?

Next up is Brodie Newport, a performance artist who writes and performs his own music and lyrics. Rather than keeping his adult work and music separate, Brodie allows them to intermingle freely. He describes his music as “Hypno Porn House” and he’s been keeping fans fascinated with his playful use of devil-inspired imagery. His experience with stripping and modeling for Channel 1 Releasing and Titan comes in handy during his live shows, and you can see him performing his new dance single Motel 666 at Jeffrey Sanker’s Nocturnal/Afterhours party this year.

Speaking of the devil, Greek porn star Dean Monroe actually portrayed that pitchfork-toting tempter in Heaven To Hell. Like Brodie, he’s also pursuing a music career, and you can listen to his song Closer To You on YouTube.

The list of gay porn stars who have dabbled in music grows every year, and it even includes Johnny Hazzard – one of gay porn’s most recognizable names. His song Deeper Into You continues to garner positive praise on YouTube, and his fans are hoping to hear more of Johnny’s music.

To read about more porn-to-music crossover artists, check out the online version of this article at cybersocket.com.

ONLINE BONUS CONTENT

JEFF STRYKER
Still coy about his sexuality, Jeff Stryker describes his sexuality as being “universal.” That said, he’s probably best known for his work in gay adult porn films. He received numerous awards and has become a gay porn legend, but he also went on to appear in straight porn films as well. In fact, the film Jamie Loves Jeff was one of Vivid Entertainment’s best-selling straight titles of all time. Maybe “universal” is actually a good way to describe Jeff Stryker, because he definitely has universal appeal. He’s dabbled in mainstream acting, and John Waters once described him as “the Cary Grant of porno.” From 1998-1999 Jeff appeared in a stage show called tage show called Jeff Stryker Does Hard Time. Although he hasn’t gotten as much press for it, Jeff Stryker is also an experienced musician who has released a number of singles and done countless live shows. On YouTube, you can sample songs such as Pop You In the Pooper and Bigger Than Life.

FREDRICK FORD
Fredrick Ford has been many things in his lifetime – including a corporate employee, a dancer, a porn star, and a musician. His music work actually started before he ever did any porn. In fact, he only decided to do porn after he was signed to OMC Records in 2003 and decided he needed a job that would free him from the corporate grind and leave him more free time to work on his music in the studio. Since then, Fredrick has had a successful career as a porn star, won numerous awards, and been nominated for even more. But his music has always remained a constant labor of love. You can check out the music video for Too Funky (which also features porn star and musician Johnny Hazzard) at his website, along with the videos for Turn My World Around and Out of The Dark.