Esoteric Press
- The History of Esoteric Press
- By Mistress Michelle Peters
Screw Magazine was really a newspaper started by Al Goldstein 1968, and was called a rag sheet. The paper of these rag sheets were made out rags and were very cheap to make. Screw Newspaper sold millions with each printing and was known a sexual tabloid. Your first B&D newspaper was Fetish Times published by Marvin X in 1974, where is was easy to produce , there was more profit in these newspapers. A magazine would cost , lets say $5.00. Two dollars went to the printer, two dollars to the distributer , leaving the publisher one dollar, from each magazine. A newspaper could be laid out at the office and printed at the printer VERY cheap , thus giving the published a greater profit. Any magazine printed east of the Mississippi was printed by Star Printing , located ....... Teddy Rothstein over saw Star and Nat decided what stories, ads or what photos would go into any pulication.
In the early to mid 1970's Janice Rainer and Richard Spadafora became partners in Matriarch Press, 87 Nassau St , Suite 519, New York, Ny. this was in conjunction with Aradia Enterprises , 200 Park Ave., Suite 303E , New York, NY and Delta Enterprises, P.O. Box 237, Bronx, New York 10462. Their primary magazines were Obey My Command and Dominatrix Domain. Matriarch Press published The Corporal News. Vol. 1 Number 1 featured Miss Vickie (Vickie Varnari) on the front cover. Star Printed Corporal Magazine for Lenny Burtman , Richie and Janus took over that magazine and along with, " The Corporal News," formed a company called Esoteric Press , P.O. Box 162 , Great Neck , NY. 11022. Months later Richie and Janus parted , Richie formed a partnership with Sandy York. Sandy invested 5000 dollars with Richie and the Esoteric , started publishing Corporal Newspaper and was billed as..........." The Largest Fetish Newspaper in the World!" I was one of the first cololist to have a colunm printed in any of Esoteric Presses publications. My first column after the first few Corporal Newpapers appeared on the newstands, it was called, " Mistress Michelle Speaks Out! " Mistress Michelle Peters
- AN INTERVIEW WITH SANDY YORK, EDITOR OF ESOTERIC PRESS
- by BILL JAMES
Business was again taking back to New York City. This time instead of visiting my brother and his family, or blowing my expense account on a Broadway Show, I was having dinner with Sandy York, Editor of ESOTERIC press.
Esoteric publishes two major fetish newspapers, Corporal and Dominant Mistique and over a dozen magazines. I've been a contributing writer to Esoteric for quite a while, but on my trips to New York either my schedule or Sandy's conflicted so that we couldn't get together.
When I found my travel plans were again heading east, I offered to buy Sandy dinner and interview her at the same time. Somehow our schedules were not conflicting. She agreed, and we set up the time and place.
I checked into my hotel, ran up the phone bill setting the next day's appointments, and managed to get in a few miles jogging before I began the wild goose chase of finding the restuarant.
Only getting lost twice and finally parking about a half mile away, I counted myself lucky. I'd probably have to sell the car to pay the parking, but I now know why people use cabs in the city. The restuarant was a quiet little affair with small tables set off so that you could talk to eachother but not be overheard by anyone else. The waiter was a pleasant little man who knew his job and came to our table quietly and politely doing his job and being descrete.
When we set up our dinner date I asked how I'd recognize her. She told me she had blond hair and would be wearing a red dress. I figured it would be about as noticable as my blue pinstripe three-piece. That meant she'd get to choose from the four other men that were wearing blue pin stripes and I'd get to choose from probably six blonds with red dresses. Not so.
I was in the resturant no more than ten minutes before Sandy came in. She has a "sense" about her that radiates into a room. Somehow we immediately recognized eachother and she came to the table.
Within a minute the wine arrived and we ordered dinner. As the waiter was clearing the table, I pulled out my mini-recorder, put in a cassette, and began the interview.
With the exception of a few gigles and some fascinating side comments here it is:
BILL JAMES: Somehow, I had an image of you that was totally different than you are.
SANDY YORK: How so??
BILL JAMES:I didn't expect (and God only knows why) someone as attractive as you. Tell me about yourself, besides the fact that you have blond hair.
SANDY YORK: Let's see.... I'm 5'3", over twentyone, less than forty, divorced but involved.
BILL JAMES:Yes?
SANDY YORK:meltdown.
BILL JAMES: You look like you're in .... your late twenties..Kids?
SANDY YORK:Close. Two teenagers, both in the middle of hormone
BILL JAMES:Sounds a lot like my two kids. You said `invloved'?
SANDY YORK: I'm currently seeing someone with intentions towards marriage...
BILL JAMES: Let's get back to your work. Did you start with ESOTERIC or work somewhere else before becoming an editor?
SANDY YORK: To start with ..... I have a degree from Brooklyn College in Sociology. Like anybody else, I've worked a variety of jobs from bank teller to insurance agent. I worked for a while with a CPA.
It's odd but life has this habit of giving you experiences and bringing out talents you never thought you had; but you can use all those talents later on. All of these jobs have helped me at ESOTERIC.
BILL JAMES: How did you get into publishing?
SANDY YORK: I guess you can say I was in the right place at the right time.
BILL JAMES: How? Somehow I don't think an opportunity like this, simply comes up and bites you in the bottom,does it?
SANDY YORK: I was best friends with Richie's girlfriend. She was complaining that his business partners were pot heads and he wanted to replace them. Well, I said "If you need someone with alot of talent and a little money call me."
BILL JAMES:"They" called?
SANDY YORK:Yup! and the rest is history.
BILL JAMES:You said "Richie"?
SANDY YORK: Yes, that's Richie Shore. Publisher, Photographer, and general nice person at ESOTERIC.
BILL JAMES: By the success of your publications, it's obvious you are not only good at what you do, but you also enjoy it. What kind of stories do you enjoy personally?
SANDY YORK: Almost anything that shows imagination. However, I must confess I'm more of a romantic at heart, and therefore prefer romantic stories.
BILL JAMES: Romantic? As in Pulpy Novels like we see in the supermarket?
SANDY YORK: No, I like stories where the characters are human and open minded. While a story that simply jumps right into the action can be fun, I enjoy getting to know the characters before they do their thing.
BILL JAMES: I met a lady once who told me that New York City is a "B&D" town. Care to comment on that?
SANDY YORK: B&D or whatever else you'd like to call it, has been around forever. In some cities, the climate is open enough for people to freely explore this side of sexuality. In other communities it's an underground industry. New York, Boston, L.A., and San Francisco have a tolerant enough attitude to even allow S&M clubs to operate. If you read the ads in CORPORAL or DOMINANT MISTIQUE you'll find there are people all over the country who are into this Scene.
Is New York a "B&D" town? Probably not. However, the clubs and Mistresses who advertise in our publications apparently think the aptniosphere is open enough to make a living at it.... A "lady"??...Here?? Bill, have you been naughty?
BILL JAMES: ME!!?? I've been to the Statue of liberty,seen Bloomies, and been to the UN. I might as well enjoy all that your city has to offer. Speaking of Mistresses...There are several who are are regular contributors to ESOTERIC. Do you know them personally?
SANDY YORK: I didn't think we were talking about Mistresses, But since you ask, I do know some personally such as Hildegarde, Michelle, Nicole and Cristal. They are regulars in our magazines and newspapers.
BILL JAMES: Are you friends with any of them?
SANDY YORK: Not on a personal basis. I prefer to keep my professional life professional, and my private life private.
BILL JAMES: Are WE friends?
SANDY YORK: Of course, sweetie!
(We both begin to laugh. The waiter comes over and pours the last of the wine into our glasses. I order another bottle, put a new cassette in the recorder and begin again.)
BILL JAMES: What are the main themes of ESOTERIC's magazines?
SANDY YORK: Currently we`re into Spanking, Fetishes,Foot Worship, Bondage, Swinging, TVism etc. We cover almost any fetish or topic having to do with human sexuality.
BILL JAMES: Do you try to specialize your publications to a certain segment of readers, or try to get a large group of people by publishing a magazine that would appeal to everyone?
SANDY YORK: A little of both. I feel most people aren't entirely into only one thing. However, for example, people who are interested in spanking may not be into TVism. Thus, our magazines have a general theme of Spanking, Dominance or whatever.
BILL JAMES: In general, what kind of stories do your readers like?
SANDY YORK: Foot worship seems to be the `in' thing now. However, Spanking and TVism are very much in demand. Spanking has been around forever, and has a strong following that will probably never be `out'.
BILL JAMES: Most of the publications in the Adult market tend to have a lot of pictures and drawings. Which to you think your readers enjoy?
SANDY YORK: Photo's are always better than drawings, they give the feeling of realism that drawings can't. That's probably why videos are now so popular.
BILL JAMES: You guys have recently entered the Video business selling, from what I've seen, some of the best B&D videos in the market. Can you tell me about them?
SANDY YORK: With the introduction of video recording equipment almost anyone can make a video. But the quarter-a-peek movies you see on 42nd street always seemed to be staged. All our videos are of real mistresses and submisses who actually live a great part of their lives in these roles.
BILL JAMES: So we're not seeing actors in the sense of people who are simply in it for the cash?
SANDY YORK: Absolutely not! You can spot the phonys a mile away. Some of our mistresses are professionals, and you are actually witnessing a sesson. Others may not make their living being a mistress, but the action is real.
BILL JAMES: Do you see videos and tape recordings replacing publications?
SANDY YORK: No! A VCR is an expensive piece of equipment and there are still many people who don't own one or don't want to spend the money on video cassettes. Although now with clubs and book stores carrying full lines of all kinds of tapes, you can rent tapes and VCRs for practically nothing.
BILL JAMES: What new things such as videos, tapes or books are in the works for ESOTERIC?
SANDY YORK: We are planning a new magazine (that even you contributed an article) which will have the format of a PENTHOUSE LETTERS magazine. It will contain special articles as well as many, many letters.
BILL JAMES: Many people think Domination means violence.What do you think?
SANDY YORK: Absolutely not! Many a marriage has been saved by virtue of the fact that one partner is dominant. In such a relationship the partners compliment one another, and there need be no violence at all. Violence is not what people should be about.
Domination in the sense of human sexuality is a fantasy that partners play out. It really only means one partner is in control and the other agrees to it. It can be coupled with B&D or any one of a million forms of sex play.
BILL JAMES: You've already told me what topics ESOTERIC publishes, are there any in the realm of human sexuality you will not publish?
SANDY YORK: We stay away from anything that has to do with children (kiddy-porn), but aside from that, we'll publish any sexual pecularity including taboos, incest etc.
BILL JAMES: Some of the articles I've read are heavily sadistic while others are more the erotic side of B&D. Which do you enjoy and which do your readers prefer?
SANDY YORK: You already know I like erotic stories. However,some readers are truly sadistic or masochistic and are not interested in erotic stories. Others, who I think are the majority, enjoy a combination of S&M and eroticism.
BILL JAMES: Some say Adult publications satisfy a need. Other's say it promotes things like rape or child molesting. What do you think?
SANDY YORK: Knowledge can never be harmful, while ignorance is. Therefore, just because a person reads about something he may or may not fantasize about, will not transform him into a child molester or rapist. Knowledge of Karate does not mean a person will go around beating people up.
If anything, I think the more knowledge one has, the less prejudical they will be. It is prejudice which leads to violence, not from reading S&M material.
BILL JAMES: With the Moral Majority trying to convince the world even the READERS DIGEST is pornographic, do you think ESOTERIC will come under fire?
SANDY YORK: We have been and will continue to be attacked, but we're only small fish in the ocean. All those people who voted for Ronald Reagan can thank him for the conservatism which will ultimately show up in the supreme court. A lot of people will wonder what happened when he tries to take away their freedom of speech.
I know you didn't vote for him.
BILL JAMES: Your re right, I voted for Donald Duck. I figured if we were going to have a quack in the White House, I might as well vote for a real one.
Let's get back to the interview .... Many people have a "Walter Mitty" fantasy going through life secretly wanting to be a dominant or submissive. Simply coming home with a whip in your hand and announcing you'd like to "try something a little different!!!" could put a large crimp in a relationship. Do you have any advice to give to the readers on how they might approach this topic with the people they love?
SANDY YORK: Second guessing people and tastes is one of the hardest things we tend to do in life .... I don't know. Sometimes the direct approach works while at other times it has a devistating effect. I think in general, it is easiest when both partners are sexually active, liberal, and desirous of experimentation. People who generally tend to be close-minded will never explore any aspects of socalled deviant sexual behavior.
BILL JAMES: What would you suggest?
SANDY YORK: Sex is perhaps the most fun two adults can share. No matter what the behavior is, if it is done with both partners' consent, with an open and non-judgemental attitude, and enough constraints so that it is possible for one partner to stop (if things get too heavy), there is really no such thing a `deviant' behavior. Things only turn into a fetish or deviant when the behavior takes over your life. If it does you need a shrink, not a cooperative partner.
If a man (or woman) knows he has S&M fantasies that he'd like to explore; he should look for a partner who will try differnt things. The partner should be an unrigid type of person. It is my opinion that people should test for this quality (liberalness, open mindedness, sexual experimentation, etc.) before they consider life long partners. If S&M role playing is a large part of your fantasy life, you must be able to share it with your partner.
BILL JAMES: Can I ask a personal question?
SANDY YORK: Depends on the question .... Go ahead.
BILL JAMES: It would be almost funny, if it wasn't true, to say sex is your business. Does this enter into your personal life?
SANDY YORK: As part of my work, I go to many S&M clubs and know many people who are heavily into the scene. Generally,I don't date people I meet at the S&M clubs or through the business. I have found that people who go to the clubs are usually very selfish and are only interested in fulfilling their own needs.
BILL JAMES: What kind of a person do you date?
SANDY YORK: I look for a man who would not admit to being a sex maniac; but who in fact, had it on his mind most of the time.
BILL JAMES: Being an editor allows you to read everything submitted for publication. It must certianly expand your own fantasy life.
SANDY YORK: One of the job benefits of being editor is the amount of reading you do will certianly expose you exposes you to every variation of human sexuality..... The stories I could tell you
BILL JAMES: I read them all the time. Do you use any of these scenes in your personal life?
SANDY YORK: I don't personally feel the need to always act out S&M fantasies, though I do enjoy them on occasion. I would never tolerate a man who needed a continuous diet of domination, bondage, etc. I want to do it, when I want to do it. S&M is the frosting on the cake but not the cake itself.
BILL JAMES: Who do you think is more dominant ... Men or women?
SANDY YORK: In general I think it is men. However, I say that because most of it is probably cultural upbringing (for example Jewish women seem to be more dominant than their men) although it may vary.
BILL JAMES: Erotic pleasure is as varied as each individual. Do you think men enjoy S&M in a different way than women?
SANDY YORK: I suppose so. However, I believe that if two people enjoy the roles they are playing in the S&M fantasy, or relationship, or whatever, there is a merging of enjoyment.
BILL JAMES: Where do you see the future of S&M? Do you see it as becoming as a normal part of human sexuality?
SANDY YORK: It's hard to say, since I became Editor for ESOTERIC, I've seen alot of people come `out of the closet' However, I've also seen many more who either can't or won't.
BILL JAMES: ESOTERIC's publications are heavily illustrated with drawings and photos. Do you think the readers enjoy the visual stimulation of pictures or their own fantasy, created by a story?
SANDY YORK: Probably both, If they didn't they wouldn't be reading girlie magazines.
BILL JAMES: While I realize you make your living doing this, if you none of it mattered, and you could do anything you wanted for the rest of your life, what would you do?
SANDY YORK: It would still be sexually oriented material. Why work when you can get paid to do something that is onsidered play?
BILL JAMES: Do you want to add anything to this interview?
SANDY YORK: Not really, you've asked me more questions about my life and my work than anyone else ever has. It was fun! So was dinner!
BILL JAMES: Great! We'll do it again sometime?
SANDY YORK: You bet. Thanks for dinner.
I was well past midnight, and by this time they weren't going to serve us any more wine. If the truth be told they would have turned on the vacuum cleaner and closed the restuarant. However, both Sandy and I had a full schedule the next day and we knew the evening was over. I helped her flag down a cab, we hugged like old friends saying goodbye, then I watched her waving to me as the cab pulled away.
Sandy York is a bright, sensative, sensuous person. At first, she seems shy and almost vulnurable, however underneath is a warm, curious, fun loving person. She takes people for what they are; never passing judgement on them, and expecting you in return, to reciprocate. She is a lady of broad experience and diverse talents. In short, she's my kind of lady.
Esoteric is not the largest publisher of adult magazines, but it seems the people who work there are all having fun and publishing some of the best stuff in the industry. If Sandy is typical of the rest of the people at Esoteric, we can look foreward to the other guys failing only because they were out classed.
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