James Maker first trod the boards in 1982 as a dancer and backing vocalist with The Smiths, and was erroneously known as 'The Fifth Smith'. He subsequently became lyricist and lead singer with the 1980s indie group, Raymonde, and 1990s 'gay' Hard rock group RPLA, releasing the albums Babelogue and Metal Queen Hijack respectively. In 2004, he supported the New York Dolls on their comeback show at the Royal Festival Hall. He also appeared opposite Ian Dury and Billy Connolly in the feature film Middleton’s Changeling. AutoFellatio won the inaugural Polari First Book Prize in 2011.

"Glitteringly epigrammatic, it's a glam-rock Naked Civil Servant in court shoes. But funnier. And tougher." - Mark Simpson; "Pistol sharp, loaded with witty one-liners and peppered with Maker's scatter gun observations on life, music and the meaning of good hair." - Paul Burston

James Maker first trod the boards in 1982 as a dancer and backing vocalist with The Smiths, and was erroneously known as 'The Fifth Smith'. He subsequently became lyricist and lead singer with the 1980s indie group, Raymonde, and 1990s 'gay' Hard rock group RPLA, releasing the albums Babelogue and Metal Queen Hijack respectively. In 2004, he supported the New York Dolls on their comeback show at the Royal Festival Hall. He also appeared opposite Ian Dury and Billy Connolly in the feature film Middleton’s Changeling. AutoFellatio won the inaugural Polari First Book Prize in 2011.

"Glitteringly epigrammatic, it's a glam-rock Naked Civil Servant in court shoes. But funnier. And tougher." - Mark Simpson; "Pistol sharp, loaded with witty one-liners and peppered with Maker's scatter gun observations on life, music and the meaning of good hair." - Paul Burston