Readers,
One of my adventurous playmates, who’s had his fair share of spanking experience over the years, was kind enough to gift me some of his prized spanking materials collection – several pristine magazines which I hadn’t previously seen. These are classic spanko periodicals, and I am tickled by his generous gesture. So tickled, in fact, that I had to share a couple snapshots here:
He said he’d brought me ‘a couple things’, so I was surprised when he pulled out this stack of awesome spanko history –
with titles like Strictly Woman to Woman Spanking, Over Her Knee!,
I Remember When, and Firm Forceful Femmes:
This one stuck out immediately, as it features my spanking shero,
Dana Specht:
These magazines are, well….cool….and are full of reminders of our recent spanko past – video previews for the stunning Rebecca Brooks, photos of famous tops such as Christine Justice and Simone Devon, and chock full of dozens of spanking personal ads (WAY before the internet made it easy to hook up with spankos everywhere, anywhere).
Naturally, we started talking about the pre-internet era – ordering VHS tapes through the mail with money orders (those early spanking tapes were $90 apiece!), scanning printed personals for like minds, and the excitement of seeing a Spanking Story in the Playboy magazine or Penthouse Forum.
As I wasn’t even aware of the larger spanko community back then, listening to his stories was a real eye-opener, and I’m curious how many other spanking fetishists have similar tales of cashing the weekly paycheck ASAP, in order to rush out and mail that money order for Nu-West’s latest VHS release…
Were those the Good Old Days, or is this – internet, social media, short-attention-span – the Golden Era?
– Dana
This is a ‘golden age’. My problem with today is people taking other peoples work and trying to profit from it. But the trump card for today is the ability to interact with like minded folks on what ever level you chose.
If you are interested in past magazines, I have quite a few, some dating back to the 60’s. They are not in pristine shape. On a scale of 1-10, 50% are H-9, 15% are 10’s,25% are 5-6. The rest are in bad shape, but readable. Not looking for money, just can’t bring myself throw them away.
Also have quite a few video tapes you can have.
I have some old super ‘8mm’. If you would like these, you can also have my old film projecter. It needs a new bulb, but I am sure it works. Really don’t know what kind of shape the films are in.
RFH
RFH,
It sounds as though you have quite the extensive collection yourself! I wonder if there’s anyone attempting to build and maintain a spanko archive? It’s an interesting concept, but I doubt that I have the space to undertake such an endeavor.
– Dana
Compared to “way back then” I think we are at a MUCH greater advantage to find spanking styles tailor made for our individual tastes. Whether that consists of internet friends, spanking stories, videos or actual spankings received.
Although I used to read the Penthouse spanking stories sections, I was somewhat thrilled but still felt something lacking-maybe it was the need for hands on treatment of MY own. :)
But it’s really cool to see old publications as a reminder of who the first people were brave enough to literally expose themselves to the public.
Dana S is also amazing. I would love to see you two co-top in a video. I’d be a willing “victim.” :)
Alexis,
It’s certainly easier to get what one wants today, but I wonder whether there was something positive about the ‘struggle’…
In my experience, a very big NO, there was nothing positive about the struggle. It was mostly frustration. The one good thing was that there were girls that wanted it and could go about asking for it in a joking way. Birthday parties were almost always a very good time. Still are, I imagine. But boys on the bottom, no way.
back in the day ,the only way to get mags,8mm films etc with spanking in them was either visiting the local adult store or ordering thru the mail . Many of the mags shown above i have had and read and i do have some still as well as videos ,i also have some mags from the 60’s which are in fair condition . I used to have a movie projector for the 8mm film ( which i bought a lot of with a trip to Times square in 79 ) wish i still had them along with mags .It wasn’t until the late 90’s when the internet changed things b4 then it was flyers sent in the mail .I still have some old material ,most of my collection is F/F or F/m .Dana if you would like to know what mags etc i have i will let you know .The early 70’s most spanking films were soft core .Most of my collection i had i sold to a collector years ago but i did make a list of what i still have recently .Foxie124 .I wish i still had the old stuff
Foxie,
I’ve heard stories about Times Square in the 70’s and 80’s – apparently, it was a sex/kink mecca back then and one could purchase spanking materials in a number of establishments.
I’m sorry I missed that.
HI Dana, when i went to Times square back then i spent the entire day going up one side of the street and down the other ,there was so many stores and many movie theatres . Everything was 8mm film and there where several places that just sold fetish material .I went back in 93 and 94( school reunion) and it was ruined ,all movie theatres had been closed and most adult video stores had shut down ( thanks to the mayor) ,i wanted to cry ,a piece of american history was gone . There was a few places left that sold spanking material- the biggest was kinematics which seemed to stock every spanking companies material and other fetishes .I haven’t been back since then .back in the 70’s it was one wild place ,these days its more Disney .
I have a folder of old Nu west leda stuff from 1995 forward, I had a whole bunch of VHS tapes but I got rid of them trying to save my last marraige. i sent this to Ed Lee and he told me I was stupid and should have gotten rid of my spouse instead. Smart man he was right. My current top ( and I hope last) never knew they were vhs tapes. I used to love to get there catalogs and when the tapes arrived they were great. I still love Leda Ladies who love to cane #10. Vanna and Debbie,wish it had been me. The best or hardest tape i ever had was a Jennifer Brooks Tape and a Leda Tape. Hardest ass whoppings I have ever seen. Now it is more generic, easy to download and not as special. Nu west Leda was special, you felt like you were part of something, now it is generic there is a lot of crap out there. To me Ed and Leon put out the best stuff, but I grew up on it so maybe i am biased. As a bottom I always wanted to serve a Leda lady, not sure I ever will but I am topped by a lady who did a few Nu west films as a bottom. Guess that will have to do, but would love to get an ass whopping from Julia Jameson :) or Debbie or Vanna or….
rokkman,
NuWest was some of the first film footage I saw, but even then it was on dialup internet. Something about the intensity of their scenes still stays with me, even after all these years.
It was a different time, certainly. I came in at the onset of the Internet age, so I saw the tail end (no pun intended) of the old-style stuff — magazines, VHS, paper ads. It certainly was possible to meet a partner from a paper ad (that’s how I met John, after all), but the Net certainly made things less complicated.
I have a few of those old magazines from Scarlet Hill Enterprises. Good cheesy fun! Shadow Lane’s full-color “Stand Corrected” magazine was a classic.
Videos were quite the production then. Nowadays, people do lots and lots of short clips. When I shot my first video in 2000, the shoot took 9 1/2 hours.
Erica,
Things certainly seem less structured now, but that’s our short attention spans at work, isn’t it?
I wonder how many would still be interested in actual paper periodicals nowadays? And does anyone still produce them?
I think the time before the Internet it was a bit more romantic, one had to take the time to find a magazine, find an adult paper from a street side newspaper stand, go to an adult establishment and pick up a local adult entertainment directory. There was the thrill of the hunt, a gradual building of anticipation, a eagerness to receive the product. The thrill of finally getting the package in the mail. I remember driving to LA to find a newspaper, buying the paper as people walked by, eagerly looking for a place where I could scan the three or four pages of fetish ads to find the few spanking ads that looked promising. There was the thrill of making a phone call on a land line and trying to set up an appointment. It was an in-depth process that finally ended with the excitement of getting a spanking. Now days its more instant, one can view a web page and within a short amount of time make the contact. In some cases within 24 hours or even less you can have an appointment and be across the lap of a Dom. While there are a lot of advantages to what the Internet brings to TTWD. I think the time before the Internet was the golden age.
VBB,
This is what I was thinking about when my friend was talking about all the excitement and preparation involved ‘back in the day’. It did seem romantic (excellent choice of words there), and I think we could all always use a bit more romance..
Wow! I also have an extensive collection from the sixties on. Magazines, VHS, BETA, other stuff. I got most of mine in downtown L.A.
To answer the question, today is tons better. I have had a pretty good spanking life, but nothing like people do today. I went around ashamed and embarrassed for a long time. If it had not been for girls bringing it up I would have never done anything. Went to my first Shadow Lane party, with the woman that spanked me regularly, in ’90. What a thrill. When we left we had made lots of friends that we partied with for years.
What I can’t figure out is why spankos still get into relationships with vanillas.
Eric,
Many of my friends and playmates have credited Shadow Lane, too, for some of their earliest exposure to Other Spankos…thank goodness for the pioneers.
It just occurred to me some of you may not know Ed Lee and Leon Dalmon are the same man and he is deceased as of early this year. If you want to read a nice little tribute Eve Howard has one on Shadow Lane’s site.
Dana, yes the intesity of those videos has always amazed me. I always thought it was odd the a domme wanted 250 an hour when a Leda whipping rarely lasted more than 5 minutes. lol! I remember on tape were I think Joanne caned this guy till he was solid black and blue in about 5-7 minutes, never seen someone cane that hard that fast nonstop. The other one was were Julia whipped this dude till his back was bleeding again all of about 5 minutes. Nu West Leda was all about punishment
Eric, I did not know Ed and Leon were the same guy. Pretty amazing since I conversed with them through email many times.
rokkman,
The one which will always stay with me was where the top (female, I can’t even remember her face now) caned the male bottom – over his white underwear – repeatedly and FAST, until the underwear were literally blood-soaked. I remember thinking at the time that this must be ‘fake’…I’ve learned since, through my own experience and watching lots more video, that it was likely VERY real. Yikes.