Zine reviews! Warning: reading will make you weird. Try these small press publications and you may be infected to either write and produce one yourself...or start to talk to yourself in public places. Met me at the donut shop with a sharpie.
Voices of the Lucasville Uprising Volume 1lucasvilleamnesty.org
The Lucasville Uprising was a prison rebellion against oppression and racism at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility (SOCF) just outside of the village of Lucasville. Nine inmates and one guard were killed in what was the longest prison rebellion in which lives were lost in U$ history. I find it remarkable primarily for how it brought African American and white inmates together.
This ‘zine contains essays by and one about people who were incarcerated in the SOCF during the 1993 uprising. There is also a few very well drawn pictures, done by one of the ex-Lucasville inmates who is on death row for his alleged role in the uprising. This ‘zine is a good place to start for those who want to learn more about the uprising, prisons, and the complexity of prisoners and their alliances whether one agrees with their politics or perhaps even oppose them. Includes prisoners’ contact info. (A. Iwasa)
functionally ill #17
functionallyill.blogspot.com
This is a ‘zine done by Laura-Marie, a 37 year old diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. This particular issue deals with therapy and Laura-Marie’s feelings for her therapist, experiencing rapid cycling of depression and mania’s ups and downs, body image, navigating through the process of trying to get on disability and dreams. Most of the stories are short but punchy, nicely formatted and the binding is hand stitched. (A. Iwasa)
Destroy the Scene: BROS FALL BACKantieverythingshows@gmail.com poczineproject.tumblr.com This was my first experience reading a PDF zine, but I feel like I appreciated it more because it looks like scans of the originals. Bros Fall Back has been out for almost a year, but it is very timely in light of what seems like a cycle of people not being accountable for shit that makes other community members feel unsafe or disrespected. What is the ‘scene’ really accomplishing when certain people feel excluded and unwanted? Is the scene simply another cis/white centric metric of capitalism? I feel like this Zine addresses these questions (and more) with a bullet. If you haven’t read it, you really should. Contribute to the death of your ‘inner bro.’ (torn)
Assume Nothing #1 ($3)
edited by Ess Elle
assumenothingzine.tumblr.com
Judging from the cover, Assume Nothing looked like just another generic political zine with very little focus, but in actuality it was full of history, personal narratives, critical theory, poetry, and musical lyrics about a very specific subject: living with herpes. (Of course, the title insists that we refuse to make assumptions based on external appearances; lesson learned!) Clocking in at a generous 47 pages, Assume Nothing #1 speaks forcefully about the stigmatization of STDs (or is it STIs? STAs?), and fundamentally changed some of my perspective on herpes, safer sex, and even consent. The chapter on STI disclosure is also available as a wallet-sized stand-alone zine! etsy.com/shop/polycultures (x.lenc)
100 Year Rip-Off: The Real History of British Colombia, ($5)
by Bob Simms and Bob Altwein
adastracomix.com
Like a lot of people in the United States, I know even less about Canadian history than I do about South African, Russian, or even Croatian history, and this well-made folio (which was really more of a history with graphic accompaniment than a ‘comic’) seemed like a great place to start. It’s a re-release of a 1971 comic (‘remastered’ by N. M. Guiniling) that, despite a 40+ year content gap since its original publication and some frustrating oversimplifications (i.e. the assertion that WWI was nothing more than a dedicated industrialist conspiracy to increase product demand), still manages to enlighten capture attention with its Rocky & Bullwinkle-esque cartoons and refreshing attention to a slice of labor history I’d never heard of. http://adastracomix.com/ (x.lenc)
The Stowaways #15($2)
by Christopher Gordon
5082 Wendover Rd
Yorba Linda,CA 92886
fuckthestowaways.blogspot.com
The Stowaways is a great punk zine because it’s written by someone who goes to a fuckload of shows, so almost any DIY-minded (not necessarily just punk) band that passes through the Orange County/Los Angeles area has at least a passing chance at getting a show review. Unfortunately, the reviews aren’t always very comprehensive (one act, for example, is acerbically dismissed as a ‘fucking stupid band’ with no further explanation), but the author’s enthusiasm about the bands he loves often makes up for it. The zine also includes interviews with Elliot Babin (Dad Punchers, DNF, Touche Amore) and Kris Westreich (Collosal Wrecks) which was totally readable but sometimes suffered from Awkward-First-Date-itis (e.g. “Do you have any other siblings?”) and a pleasantly incisive editorial about racism in the punk scene. I’ll definitely be around for #16.(x.lenc)
Music We Hate #2 $3+$1 postage (trades OK) c/o Fractured Noise 3124 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley, CA. 94705 www.musicwehate.com The lyrics to the song "The Internationale" were written while a revolutionary was fleeing from the destruction of the Paris Commune. Likewise the author of this zine fled a brief spark of revolution — this time in 2009 on the campus of UC Berkeley. Shifting his focus from upheaval of the classroom (and all of reality) to sonic disruption is what he's resigned to do these days. This issue uses interviews and show reviews to capture a bit of what is done at noise events. Though the form has been developing for a few decades it remains cutting edge by emphasizing free thought, improvisation and provocation. The conversations captured here are pretty cool and readable. They only briefly relate on other performers (which will mainly interest those in the know) and spend quite a bit on contemplating ideas. The two musicians documented seem like smart people who attest to how the genre is staunchly DIY yet is often treated as an annoying little brother by rock/punk/metal enthusiasts. The editor Joey Refugio also is interested in giving space to artists who are politically inspired (as opposed to reactionary). (egg) rabbit, Rabbit, rabbit #2 $2 or trade 654 Highlandview dr. West Bend, WI. 53095 colinquackpack@live.com Covering the sublime moments of a small town punk existence. Mostly it documents various bands using photos and hand scrawled notes that are dripping with enthusiasm. Throw in some meditations that aim to inject a new world onto their land of routine. This issue also has a recipe for iced coffee. Some of the hand writing is hard to read and most of the descriptions are so brief you can blink and miss the point. I get the impression that the author is trying to condense his experiences and say much in very little space. Each page has a cut and paste approach which gives extra life to a "sleepy place need(ing) a wake up call." (egg) Tat Rat Comix #4 Cameron Forsley Po Box 720283 S.F. CA 94172 Sick looking underground art. Half-size format good to sneak peaks at (in class? during interrogation?) with lots of hidden content worth staring at. Proof that LSD hasn't left the Bay Area with the cancerous yuppiefication.(egg) Cheap Toys #4 Fall 2013 2 Euros ppd or a cool trade 19, Montee du Caroubier 06240 Beausoleil, France xtramedium@laposte.net The editor is a former small town punk turned activist turned academic researcher who's really excited about library studies. This issue seems to be travel logs of the international DIY/punk scene of North America. My 8th grade studies couldn't help me with the passages written in French--which the cursive typewriter didn't help any. There are other pages written by hand or a computer, overall it has a promising feel to it.(egg) Gallery Noctem 1557 Spring Creek Dr. Lafayette, CO 80026 Art and poetry from Brian "Mugshot". I tried to read the poetry but it seemed pretty dense. If you have the time you might have a transcendental moment. I was just confused. (egg)