Dave Weinthal Editor/Publisher of Enigma Magazine Plagiarizes Cover Article

NOVEMBER 18, 2004
Take a Walk on the Wild Side

BY DAVE WEINTHAL

Upon entering Loca Luna, I was somewhat apprehensive. I had seen the marketing, heard numerous stories, so I decided the check the place out for myself.

The last time I was in the space occupied by this exotic clothing store at the foot of the Market Street Bridge was over a dozen years ago. Back then it was occupied by 37 Targets, Chattanooga’s biggest claim to almost fame. The rockers at that time were still basking in their victory in MTV’s Basemen Tapes.

The space now has a storefront, and on this particular day there was a mannequin in the window adorned in the same outfit Uma Thurman wore in the Kill Bill movie series, complete with nun chucks. Thoughts of Uma raced through my mind as did the prospect of having to sleep on my back for thinking such thoughts.

As I opened the door I realized this place no longer resembled a band practice space as in years past. It was very different. Very different. When I entered I was met by a piercing glance by a man with a cleanly shaven head dressed in black. This strong stare was soon eased as the gentleman with a friendly voice welcomed me to his store with a warm smile. Dressed in black, Cameron, or Mr. Cameron as many people call him, welcomed to his store and offered to show me around.

The store was stocked with the kinds of apparel that are a part of every man’s fantasy, and probably women’s. There were plenty of outfits seen only in some of the most bizarre adult magazines and MTV videos. There was imported latex, handmade corsets of many fabric choices, shoes and boots that I’ve only seen in places like the Masquerade or maybe Alan Gold’s.

During my visit many characters came and went. Many were curiosity seekers like myself, others were part of what is referred to as a fetish scene. Some pretty, some normal looking, some like something out of a Rob Zombie or Ed Wood movie.

Another day I enter to see Mr. Cameron and he’s talking with a man dressed very preppy, almost out of the L.L. Bean catalog or from a local private school. The man is with a woman who is breathtakingly beautiful, almost an odd couple. Mr. Cameron is explaining to the man about marital aid devices and how to have fun with them. I almost lose it and go into the corner until after the sales pitch is completed.

I have since met Cameron in many occasions some at his place of business and others socially. One night I met him at the North Shore Grill, a trendy hangout on the North Shore. At the bar he is holding court with three attractive professional women. They are hanging on his every word. In a way he seems to be their liberator, or savior. He invites them to visit him at his store. They assure him they will, as a lot of the conversation was about his apparel and toys he has for sale there. Chattanooga may finally be growing up.

Since opening on the North Shore seven months ago, Cameron turned many heads. There were a lot of curiosity seekers, others wondering what he’s all about. Many still wonder to this date. One thing that is clear is that this man knows his business.

This is not Cameron’s first store of this type, in fact he not only sells fashion and accessories dealing with fetish, he lives the lifestyle. Therefore he speaks from experience, not what a retailer’s catalog tells him. The Loca Luna proprietor got in the business almost five years ago. A little over a year ago he sold that shop, and chose Chattanooga as his next destination.

The clothes available at the store are nothing that you would see at J.C. Penney or for that matter Victoria’s Secret. While a lot of it is popular clubwear and intimate wear, it is considered goth and fetish by many.

Goth is basically indefinable, because "Goth" means different things to each follower. Many adopt unusual fashions in order to separate themselves from other youth. Gordon A. Crews, associate dean of the School of Justice Studies at Roger Williams University in Bristol, CT is an investigator of what he calls the "occult" which-- in his opinion -- includes the Goth culture. He said: "It is up to the individual to define what Goth is for themselves ... The mentality is, 'I want to be left alone but I want to be seen. I want to see the shock on other peoples' faces."

The use of extreme black clothing, light colored makeup, unusual hair styles, body piercing, bondage items, etc. are some stereotypical classifications of the style. There is also a fascination with medieval, Victorian and Edwardian history. Wearing of symbols such as a Christian cross; an Egyptian ankh or "Eye of Ra," or "Eye of Horus;" a Wiccan pentacle, a Satanic inverted pentacle, etc. is also considered part of the style. Goths tend to be non-violent, pacifistic, passive, and tolerant. Many in the media have mistakenly associated Goth with extreme violence and hatred of minorities, white supremacy, etc. but by and whole that’s not the case.

Goth also took on a revival in style and substance during the post-punk days of 1979-1983. Influences on goth stretch far further back, to Bowie, the Doors and the Velvet Underground, but the punk explosion of the mid/late 70s created the essential background for goth, in both music and fashion.

In the aftermath of punk in the late 70s and early 80s a bewildering variety of new and re-invented musical styles began to crop up, and around 1978-79 a style began to appear which the press had by late 1979 started to call "gothic".

The creators of this musical style (who were themselves influenced by the likes of the Velvet Underground and Bowie) were essentially Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus and UK Decay.

The first Banshees album ("The Scream", November 1978) and the first Joy Division album ("Unknown Pleasures", June 1979) laid much of the template for goth, with a notable absence of loud punk guitars and the emphasis on the rhythm section instead, along with a stark, hollow sound.

However, the first band who cannot be comfortably classified as anything other than goth were Bauhaus, who released their first single, "Bela Lugosi's Dead", in September 1979. The Banshees could be considered punk, The Cure could be considered New Wave, Joy Division could be considered post-punk, but Bauhaus were unmistakably goth in music, looks, lyrics, art and style right from their first single. In many ways they were the archetypal goth band. Needless to say, music and fashion go hand in hand.

Cameron, himself has been a part of the goth/fetish community for over 15 years. The storeowner says he enjoyed the parties and the lifestyle and enjoyed it as part of his personality. “I decided to make it my livelihood five years ago,” he says. “I enjoy art, fashion, as well as music – just being creative in life. It was a natural extension of my personality.” Having been a successful businessman, he decided to take that next step and make it his livelihood.

Getting into the lifestyle is quite a jump for a lot of people. Many are cast upon as outsiders or even freaks. The initiation can be quite eye opening, if not exuberant. Cameron became involved in the scene 15 years ago when he dated an older woman. “She expanded my horizons in the bedroom,” he says. This, he found fascinating, and sees no harm in having fun and being creative as it will, when it comes to lovemaking. He says people work hard and deal with a lot of stress in their life. “Normal sex is wonderful, but there’s another dimension, another part of it that you can actually have a lot of fun with – being creative and theatrical,” he continues. “It’s not the sum of me, but it’s a part of me.”

Another word used to describe Cameron’s fashion offerings and lifestyle is fetish. The term fetish is causally thrown around in our society. When we hear the word, many picture someone dressed provocatively or outrageous, definitely out of the norm. And we definitely think sex. According to Cameron it doesn’t necessarily correlate, even though it’s taken for granted that it does. “It can be anything,” he says. Women who like buying shoes are commonly referred to as having a shoe fetish. If you like cars a lot it can be called a fetish too, but the term has generally been used to described sexual desires. “I think it’s just what you like and enjoy in life.”

But more often than not the term fetish usually thought of in a sexual manner. When it comes to the bedroom, generally fetish is the word used to describe it says Cameron. “Look at it like a buffet,” he says. “You get up on Monday and go back to work and you work your butt off. There’s got to be some time for you to devote to yourself. It’s about your own mental health.”

Opening the store in the still conservative town of Chattanooga took some serious thought for Cameron. He wanted to open an upscale store that he could be proud of, as well as respectful to his neighbors and the community. And by every indication he’s well accepted. Walking down the street one day everyone one we meet smiles and says hello to Cameron. Granted, the women smile more broadly, but the guys give him a sly dog grin. To date there have been no protests, bomb threats or street preachers in or around the store. The man is well liked.

Cameron admits the store is geared towards women, although couples are very welcome and do frequent the establishment. He plans to further his clothing line to include more items for men. “I wanted it to be a nice, clean, upscale place you could come in and feel comfortable,” he says. “Women don’t have to worry about men leering at them,” he adds. The store does not sell videos or magazines. “I have a store that caters to exotic, esoteric tastes.”

The stores specialty is Victorian handmade corsets, historically tied to the Renaissance era in history and the Victorian era. The corsets come in a wide variety of materials including silk, leather, and rubber, just to name a few. The store also offers a brand of latex apparel that can only be found at Loca Luna. No one else in North America carries it. The clothes are definitely not mall dweller items. “There’s no Abercrombie & Fitch here,” he says laughing.

People that come into the store are generally looking for clothes for a few reasons. They’re either clubbing, wanting to draw attention to themselves when they walk into a room, or they want to look sexy for their partner or lover. It is a way to treat themselves. “A woman will come in here and put on a corset, see herself in the mirror and realize she is a very beautiful woman,” Cameron says. He says he relishes being able to take a few minutes with a woman who may be a little self conscious of her looks, and with say, a lower self-esteem and transfer them into a swan through corsetry. “All of a sudden their chest is up and they have this beautiful shell. Their hips are in, and they have this hourglass figure they didn’t think they did,” he says. Their eyes tend to light up, and that’s a wonderful feeling for Cameron. “Believe me, most men benefit from their women shopping here, too,” he says with a devilish grin.

The store has definitely been an eye opener since opening seven months ago. Initially the store got mixed reviews by the locals, but finally realized it wasn’t a sex shop. “The perception is not always the reality,” Cameron says. The store owner is a huge fan of Amsterdam’s culture and styles, visiting the country many times both socially and for business. He patterned his storefront similarly, keeping them very subtle and classy. In his short time here he says he has made many good friends. “I found the town to be very sophisticated. People here are very friendly, and have treated me very well.”

Over the course of the seven months he’s had all kinds of curiosity seekers. “I’ve had a few run out the door,” he says. The women he says are ecstatic once in there, having a good time, while their boyfriend or husband may seem apprehensive. He’s also had couples in their sixties come in the store together and have a total blast. No matter what your preference, whether it’s a corset, dressing like Batman, a Renaissance fantasy or being a whip-cracking fetish diva Loca Luna prides itself as being the destination for fulfilling these fantasies. “I guess I’m just a maritime supplier for whatever floats your boat,” Cameron laughs.

While a man of many varied tastes, and for the most part flying underneath everyone’s radar for the first five months, Cameron made a big splash in town in September when he hosted the first of many planned fetish/fashion shows. The first event was held in September at the Voodoo Lounge downtown. Response was overwhelmingly positive. Expecting maybe 200 or so at most optimistically, the attendance was well over 400, some saying closer to 500. With doors opening at 7:00 pm, the catered affair ran out of food within 30 minutes. By 8:00 pm there was a line out the door. “I was very pleased with the turnout ad the feedback I got,” Cameron says. Things were so hectic for the club that by midnight they ran completely out of liquor.

The goal of the party according to Cameron was to show that something like this was not out of the norm. In his words it’s no different than going to a sports bar and watching a football game. “For one night I planned to show that you can change your attitude,” he says. The reason for the party was multi-fold. It was to showcase Loca Luna to the community, and what he’s about, and create an event where people could dress up and have a good time. Anyone that was at Jack’s Alley that night got an eyeful as patrons to the party wore their party, formal, and fetish gear. One couple walked by the Big Chill leading his date around literally on a leash. A customer sitting on the porch that night commented, “I need one of those for my wife!” referring to the leash. Cameron succeeded in his attempt to showcase the store, and getting people to have a good time for a few hours.

Attendees as you could imagine were not your run of the mill folks. “I wouldn’t say the clientele here frequents tractor pulls,” Cameron laughs. Parked on both sides of Market Street were new BMWs, Jaguars, and a Mercedes Benz or two, just to name a few of the high end automobiles that carried many of the patrons to the event. A strict dress code was enforced and nearly 100 people turned away because of it. This obviously was not a night for Dockers. “I wanted to give people a reason to take the time to put on something special, and when you do that you change your mindset and feel special,” he says. “Get kinky, get wild,” he says. “Monday’s coming.”

The evening looked like something out of one of those European experimental films. There was a DJ and plenty of dancing. Also included in the festivities were a fashion show, a drag show, as well as skits performed by a few members of the fetish community. There was even a grinder girl. In case you don’t know what one of those is, think of the David Letterman skit and intro for his segment of “Will it Float?” The grinder girl is grasping a handheld grinder in what appears to be cutting a metal chastity belt. Needless to say there was never a dull moment. Before the party was over people were already asking the host when the nest party would take place.

The party, as well as the sequel that’s planned for Saturday, November 20, didn’t just appear out of thin air. Cameron says he’s been putting on these fetish/fashion shows for over three years. The first one here was a little more difficult seeing he didn’t really know anyone. Since the party and through the store he has made many valuable contacts as well as friends, and expects the next one to be a lot less stressful.

While the parties are getting easier to coordinate, Cameron says there still remains a great deal of pressure in hosting the event. He is continually trying to make each one a little better. “Chattanooga deserves that,” he says. While Saturday will be the second party of it’s type that he’s hosted here, a third, fourth and fifth are in the works.

There are a few that are a little put off by the show and the store. Some believe the parties are too overtly mature in nature. To that, Cameron concedes. “It’s overt, and it’s sexual,” he says. “But then again it’s a lot like TV. If you don’t like it, turn it off.”

In defending these parties, Cameron only asks for the same respect he gives the religious community. “I have nothing but admiration and respect for them,” he says. He only asks that the same respect is given him. “I don’t throw rocks at them, and I hope they don’t throw rocks at me.” It’s his belief that in a free society that one should be able to wear what fashion they desire. “People have been wearing leather for thousands of years.”

And while it makes strange bedfellows to some, more than just good times are being created at the parties. Various events at the parties such as a “slave” auction will take the money raised and donate it to the Community Kitchen. By having people come together for a good time and raise money for a worthy cause is a good thing, and Cameron believes his parties can help achieve that. “We’re all very blessed in this country, and it doesn’t hurt to help out,” he says. “And you feel really good about it when you’re done,” He adds. “It’s a win-win-win situation.” Others that he hopes to raise money for with these events are children. Not only children, but the children of veterans that have been wounded or killed in combat. “I just want them to know Loca Luna supports what they do and respects what they do.”

Love him, hate him, intimidated by him, it looks like Mr. Cameron and his store are here to stay. Whether you agree with his lifestyle or fashions is only your opinion. Some say it’s only fair to have a place like Loca Luna, as it only helps balance out the city that has more churches per capita than any other city its size. And as badly as many in this town may object or turn a curious eye towards it, it’s about time the city was dragged, be it kicking and screaming, into the 21st century. And it looks like out host is prepared for the task.

I didn't even know the enigma was still around.

Josiah,

According to this link (bottom of the 8th paragraph,) it appears to me that the Enigma is plagiarizing the Newport Daily News ahead of the site you linked to. Meaning...Perhaps someone should inform the editor. Or I am "off my rocker," so-to-speak?

My point is that if I, a mere blogger, have determined to avoid plagiarizing, shouldn't those who are paid for their writing do the same? What do you think? (I mean this question seriously, not rhetorically.)

Carl

A quick Copyscape search reveals that there are several other sites that use the exact same text. Hmmm. He could have lifted it from any number of places, I guess.

Josiah,

I only meant this: Wendy M. Fontaine wrote an Article for the Newport Daily News. She properly cited the work of Gordon A. Crews. The article she wrote is copyrighted by the Newport Daily News. Mr. Crews probably maintains his copyright. So to me it appears that the Enigma is ultimately violating the copyright of Mr. Crews. Relevance? If any, I'm not sure. (Maybe: Should the people whose copyright has been violated be informed of this plagiarizing?)

Carl

I don't have the energy to read the whole story, but the mere fact that he would consider an article beginning with the words "Goth is basically indefinable . . ." as a suitable shortcut indicates that he probably shouldn't be in the writing field.

I was the original author of this text.

Sometimes, we will take a long phrase or a sentence from our web site and submit it to Google.com surrounded by quotation marks. It is not unusual to find five or more other web sites that have stolen our text.

On one hand, we are pleased that our material is so widely distributed. On the other hand, we are working so close to the line financially that we regret the loss of copyright.

Regards

Bruce Robinson
Coordinator
ReligiousTolerance.org