Reviews of Punk Zines
Here's my Zine Review section. Down below, you'll find reviews and info about
a whole bunch of punk zines, which are a huge part of the whole "punk culture" thing.
Zines are an excellent source for reviews, interviews, articles, commentary, fun, humour,
information, and so much more. Make sure you check some of these out! Please send any review material to:
World Wide Punk
C/O Vic Gedris
183 St. Andrew St.
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 5G3
CANADA
So-So-Ciety (The Old Man Chronicles) #8
$2, 32 Pages. Tho Old Man, World Domination Enterprises, 1953 Sunnyside Ave #1, Chicago, IL 60640, USA.
This is one of the best zines I've ever read...honestly. Art
"The Old Man" brings to you the best combination of information,
opinion, reviews, and articles that I've seen in a long time.
Maybe it's because Art has been around in the punk scene forever
(I hope he forgives me for commenting on his age...hehe), but
everything here is written very intelligently and understandably.
These pages contain The Old Man's articles about the way America
functions (both locally and internationally); interviews with
Bristle, Lickety Split, and Jen Angel; show and music reviews
a-plenty, and much more. This one gets my seal of approval!
Write to:
oldman@xsite.net for more info.
Reviewed October 21, 1997
Agree to Disagree #3
$2, 48 Pages newsprint 8.5x11". A2D, PO Box 56057, Vancouver BC, V5L 5E2, CANADA.
You may have previously seen Agree to Disagree, but it used to be
called Xyster. Along with a name change, these guys have also gone to
a really well laid-out newsprint format. A2D has also improved
it's content and especially the writing style. In this issue you'll find
even more personal recollections by Brian and Andy, and this stuff
is actually quite interesting. Articles include stuff about
Mumia Abu Jamal, the current state of punk rock, and lots more in between.
A shitload of reviews round this zine out...and you get some some
pretty darn good toilet-reading. #4 is even better! Review coming
soon.... For more info, write to:
a2d@hotmail.com
Reviewed October 21, 1997
Happy Goat #1
Free; 16 pages B&W; 1706 NW 10th St., Ankeny, IA 50021, USA.
Happy Goat is a home-made, handwritten/cut-n-paste, photocopied zine put out
by some dude in Iowa. This premiere issue is highlighted by the interview with
Minnesota's finest speed-pop-punkers Ferd Mert. You will also find a review
of Ferd Mert's CD, an interview with a local Iowa band called Citizen Slave,
a review of this guy's 10th grade teachers, why Converse All-Stars suck, weather
in Iowa, Yoga pictures with sexual commentary, zine reviews, and some other
kinda juvenile shit. Besides the Interviews and zine reviews, you the zine
was pretty boring. It could use a bit more thought put into it, but then again,
maybe it will improve because this is only issue #1. If you want it, it's free,
but it would probably be nice to send some stamps or something.
Reviewed August 25, 1997
Nine #21
$1 (2 issues), Stamp (1 issue); 20 pages B&W; Nine, 762 Upper James Street, Suite 136, Hamilton Ontario, L9C 3A2, CANADA.
I think I've reviewed Nine more than any other zine, but it's definitely worth it.
No other rag covers the local Sothern-Ontario punk scene as well as Nine does.
This issue includes some rantings by Jay, info about the
Radio Nine cassette comp
(Excellent tape! I'll review it soon in the Music Reviews section!), Melissa's
article about Televangelists, a whole bunch of music reviews, and of course zinereviews too.
The highlights of this issue are the interviews with local Hamilton donut-shop punksters
I Love My Shih-Tzu and Sudbury's punk rock ambasadors The Havocs. As usual,
I read this thing cover-to-cover because it's got so much good stuff. If you need more
info, you can bug Jay at:
kerosene@hwcn.org
Reviewed August 24, 1997
Fragments #1
$2; 36 pages B&W; PO Box 5370-362, Santa Ana, CA 92704, USA.
Fragments...well what can I say? This is really interesting! It's an
extremely personal zine, but unlike most personal zines, it does NOT cover boring
details of some schmuck's life. In his zine, the author takes a close look at his
surroundings, which are familiar to many of us, and presents them in an
interesting way. Alot of it has to do with the decay of cities, hence the title
and the pictures contained within its pages. You will also find the author's
opinions about what is wrong with the world and society in general. The "Decay in LA"
section was fascinating...it's very realistic! I would even go as far as saying that
it has a very "Dead Kennedys" or "Winston Smith" type of theme. You may think
that thousands of zines are exactly like this, but trust me, this one really
stands out above the crowd because it doesn't have that whiney "Smash the State,
I'm such a big rebel" tone to it. There's actually some thought happening here.
You may not agree with all of the ideas presented, but hey, that's what it's all about!
Don't just take my word for it, check it out for
yourself. The
web page
contains basically the entire zine online, so you can get a great preview here.
Also, for more info you can write to:
fragments@mindspring.com.
Reviewed July 10, 1997
Suburban Voice #39 (Plus bonus 7")
$4 US/CAN, $6 World; 120 pages B&W; PO Box 2746, Lynn, MA 01903, USA.
This is another "big" punk zine, not like MRR, but more along the lines of
Ten Things, Jersey Beat, or Rational Inquirer, and it's been around for a long time.
This issue has lots of great stuff packed into its pages, such as interviews
(Blanks 77, NUFAN, Sicko, Parasites, and lots more), the usual articles, a bunch
of zine reviews, an excellent smattering of live show reviews, page after page of
music reviews, and well-done photography. Definitely a well done rag! As a bonus,
this issue comes with a free 7" with one song each by John Cougar Concentration Camp,
Tub, and Fed-Up. The Fed-Up song is a killer balls-out punk rock tune called
"Then They'll Pay". The other two songs are good too. This one comes highly recommended!
For more info, please write to:
alellen@shore.net.
Reviewed July 9, 1997
Rational Inquirer #8
$4.50 US / $5.50 CAN / 6.50DM(Porto) Europe; 130 pages B&W; 2050 W 56 St., STE 32-221, Hialeah FL 33016, USA.
Alright! Another issue of Rational Inquirer! And this one comes with a
37-song CD sampler! The CD is pretty cool, and it has a good variety of music including
some totally kick-ass tunes by the Gotohells, Nobodys, and more. For more about the
sampler CD please read the Music Reviews section.
As for the zine, Issue #8 is another worthwhile read, especially if you're
in Florida. I guess you can say that this is a regional zine with an international
appeal, since there's so much Florida stuff, but the outside world is definitely not
neglected. In this issue you will find: how to make records, how to book shows, zine and
music reviews, a whole shitload of interviews, and much more. Interviews include:
Blanks 77, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Cows, Queers, Dayglo Abortions, Let's Go Bowling, and more!
I've always liked this zine...I'd compare it to Ten Things or Jersey Beat. Just get it already!
For more info, go to the Rational Inquirer Homepage
or send a note to:
rational@gil.net.
Reviewed May 29, 1997
Blah Zine Vol.2 No.1
$Donation/Free, 24 pages. Blah Zine, P.O. Box #6, Syracuse, NY 13210, U.S.A.
Well, what else can I say about this zine? It's ummmm...Fun? Yup, that pretty
much sums it up. This isn't one of those snobby political zines that forces opinion
down your throat. Nor is it completely juvenile. Actually this thing is really well
done, and the layout is killer! Here's what you'll find packed into these 24 pages:
stuff about toys, enviro stuff (in a very positive, non-preachy way), a two-sided
opinion article about same-sex marriages, witchcraft, reviews, and lots of stuff in
between. You will also find interviews with The Mulligans, Girls vs. Boys, and Zeke.
If you want a zine with a different twist, definitely check this out. It's not
100% "Punk Rock ©", and if you're a miserable dreary person this won't appeal
to you too much. But try it anyway....it's entertaining!
For more info, write to Mr. Moo at:
adfrenze@mailbox.syr.edu
or take a peek at the
Blah Zine Homepage.
Reviewed: May 28, 1997
Subversion #3
$2, 36 pages B&W. Subversion, P.O. Box 2881, Pullman, WA 99165-2881, USA.
The third issue of Subversion continues along the same lines as the first
two. The zine leans towards the serious side, and you can tell that the editor,
Mr. Rogers, has alot on his mind. The "fun" parts of this zine are the reviews:
Beer Reviews (I have always liked this section!), zine reviews, and of course the music
reviews section, which is quite large and good in this issue. The rest of the material
isn't exactly the type of stuff that will cheer you up on a rainy day, but its serious
stance is worthy of reading, even if you don't totally agree with everything. You'll
find stuff about environment, the meaning of "underground", political correctness,
anti-sXe-preaching, homophobia, and other stuff. Well done and well laid-out.
For more info, write to:
subvert@wsunix.wsu.edu.
Reviewed May 25, 1997
Glossolalia #6
$2 ppd., 58 pages B&W. Glossolalia, 4470 W. Sunset Bl. #425, Hollywood CA 90027, USA.
Oooooh.....I was so happy to see another issue of Glossolalia in my mailbox. If
you read my review of #5, you will know that this zine impresses me. #6 is another
excellent piece of reading material, almost as good as #5. In these pages you will find:
an interview with Jeff Dahl(!), what it's like to work for a porn production company /
distributor, interviews with The Bell-Rays, Long Gone John and Shane Williams,
Santa Monica scene report, all kinds of good articles, and of course the Record Reviews
section. Now, I'd like to comment on their record reviews. This zine has some
of the best reviews I've read. They are very honest, descriptive, and just plain good.
Anyway, this zine is killer, especially if you like down-and-dirty punk rock, garage-punk,
or any other nasty music. This issue isn't as "offensive" (heehee) as the last one,
but still very good. After issue #7, there zine will cease to exist, so get it while
you can! For more info, write to:
chas@ucla.edu.
Reviewed April 28, 1997
Imminent Collapse #3
$1 or a stamp, 30 pages B&W. P.O. Box 6017, Suite #156, Carolina, Puerto Rico, 00984-6017.
This is the third, and perhaps final issue of Imminent Collapse. The format has changed
just a little bit, with a much more compact and concise style. The political stance of
the editor has also changed slightly, from anarchist to libertarian. This issue contains
an interview with Lopo Drido (local Puerto Rican punk band), some info on Activida Subversa
(another local PR band), record reviews, zine reviews, freedom of speech and drug
legalization articles, and some more stuff. This is much more of a politcal zine than
a music zine, so if you like this sort of stuff, you will probably like reading the
articles in here.
For more info, write to:
william@coqui.net, or go to the
Imminent Collapse home page.
Reviewed April 11, 1997
Nine #20
$1 (2 issues), Stamp (1 issue); 20 pages B&W; Nine, 762 Upper James Street, Suite 136, Hamilton Ontario, L9C 3A2, CANADA.
Hey....Another issue of NINE. This is something I always look forward to picking up
every time I'm back in Hamilton. This zine is a perfect source for all the Southern
Ontario (Canada) punks to keep in touch with what's happening around here. This issue
has a couple of well-done interviews with The Vapids (!!) and The Unnamable, plus
record reviews, show reviews, zine reviews, articles, comics, etc. Definitely get this
if you're from anywhere around Southern Ontario, or even if you just want to read about
what's happening around here. For more info, write to Jay at:
dh.kerosene@sympatico.ca
Reviewed May 6, 1996
Dwgsht #8
$1ppd, 40 pages Full Size B&W Newsprint. Dwgsht, P.O. Box 28, Durham, NC 27702, USA.
It was a pleasure to find Dwgsht in my mailbox again. Here's another cool issue of
this newsprint zine. It's full of political stuff, personal thoughts, letters, reviews,
columns, an interview (Code XIII), and more.....all with anarcho-punk leanings. The
article about "Attica: The Prison Revolt of 1971" was fascinating and very insightful.
I'd recommend this zine just for that. The interview with Felix Havoc of Code XIII
was really well done too, covering more than just the usual interview questions.
If all you like is bubblegum-pop-punk, this zine probably won't appeal to you, but it
might open your eyes at least. Highly recommended reading.
For more info, send email to: dwgsht@aol.com
Reviewed December 16, 1996
Blah Zine #4
$Donation/Free, 24 pages. Blah Zine, P.O. Box #6, Syracuse, NY 13210, U.S.A.
Here's a really refreshing zine. The layout is great, with lots of artwork,
computerized stuff, and pictures. Content-wise, Mr. Moo features lots of cool stuff
in his zine with plenty of variety. In this issue, you can find interviews with
Teen Angels, Misfits (!!), Front Line Assembly, Arcwelder, Cathy of Fizz zine, and
more. Plus, it's filled with a crossword puzzle (you can win prizes!), horoscopes,
witchcraft, and all sorts of columns. Reviews include such things as: music, zines,
toys, books, and movies. Like I already said, there's plenty of variety in here, and it
should appeal to everyone, not just the punks. It's a very fun zine, with plenty of heart
and effort put into it. Read it! For more info, write to Mr. Moo at:
adfrenze@mailbox.syr.edu
or take a peek at the
Blah Zine Homepage.
Reviewed November 30, 1996
Plop Splash Flush #5
$2(US) $3(elsewhere), 40 pages. Jamie Seto, 370 The Fenway, River Edge, NJ 07661, U.S.A.
Judging by the title, this is supposed to be toilet-reading material. Well, it is a
shitty sort of zine...the layout really needs lots more work, especially since this is already
the fifth issue. Most of the pages look the
same with scribbling all over them. At least there are some good pictures, although
almost all of them are Screeching Weasel pics. Actually, most of the content is about
Screeching Weasel. This info is pretty good....history, discography, and other info
about the band. There's also a bunch of highschool angst and some humour, all of
which I've seen before. If you like Screeching Weasel, you might want to see this
issue. Otherwise...Plop, Splash, Flush. You can contact Jamie (aka GreenDayGirl/SuperNerd)
at: nebid@intercall.com
Reviewed November 30, 1996
Pistols Monthly #3
Free e-mail zine. Send email to: ramone@viper.nauticom.net
Pistols Monthly is an e-zine dedicated to the Sex Pistols. This issue has
tour news, lots and lots of quotes (recent and old), merchandise lists, historical stuff,
show reviews, and more. This is pretty cool as a nostalgia piece, and would probably be
very interesting to any Pistols fan. If you don't know the Pistols (!?!?!?!), you
definitely have to check this out to learn about on of the most influential punk bands ever.
Reviewed November 13, 1996
Xyster #2
$2, 44 pages. Xyster, P.O. Box 56057, 1st Ave Market Pl., Vancouver B.C., V5M 4S9, CANADA.
Andy and Brian have improved their zine-making skills, expanding upon their
previous issue. Xyster #2 is bigger, better layed-out, and generally better than their
debut issue. This issue contains a bunch of columns (Andy's column is really interesting
because it's so personal), interviews with Cog and Submission Hold, comics, zine reviews,
music reviews, web site reviews (thanks Andy!), and other stuff. This zine is getting to
be quite good. However, this is the last issue of Xyster. The name and format will be changed
soon, and it will be printed on newsprint. Check it out.
For more info, write to:
a2d@hotmail.com.
Reviewed November 6, 1996
Plastic Spoon #2
$1, 16 pages B&W. Joe Griffo, 1552 E. 34 St., Brooklyn, NY 11234, USA.
Joe Griffo is a collector of underground comics, and Plastic Spoon is his
own publication of these comics. So, yeah, it's a comic zine. Although the zine
is pretty short, the comics in here are pretty witty, dealing with stuff like
consumerism, downsizing, sci-fi, and stuff like that. Definitely check out Plastic
Spoon (and other Joe Griffo/Eyeball Comics stuff)if you like these kinds of zines.
You can write to Joe at:
joegriffo@aol.com.
Reviewed November 5, 1996
Subversion #2
$2, 36 pages B&W. Subversion, P.O. Box 2881, Pullman, WA 99165-2881, USA.
Issue number 2 of Subversion continues right where the debut issue left off.
Again, there are lots of interesting articles to read: Proposition 187,
pointing the blame away from the problem, Jesus the schitzo, anarchy, the Drug War,
having a thrid-party, and more. Quite political and thought-provoking. Of course, there are
also comics, BEER REVIEWS(!), zine reviews, and record reviews. Check this zine
out. Really worthwhile, and definitely improving! For more info, write to:
subvert@wsunix.wsu.edu.
Reviewed October 27, 1996
Rational Inquirer #7
$2 US / $3 CAN / 4DM(Porto) Europe; 130 pages B&W; 2050 W 56 St., STE 32-221, Hialeah FL 33016, USA.
Here's a zine that keeps getting better and better every issue. Rational Inquirer
is one of the biggest and best punk zines around. It's from Florida, so it has quite
a bit of coverage of the local scene down there, plus stuff from all over the USA and
the world. I guess you can call it a mini-MRR, and comparisons can be made to Ten Things
and Jersey Beat. This issue, up to 130 pages now, is packed full of stuff like:
Letters, columns, interviews (Pansy Division, 25 Ta Life, Neurosis, Love Like Blood,
Bloodlet, Mega Smegma, The Fitz Geralds, Damnation, Good Riddance, Los Canadians,
Bad Dreams, Pry, Fugazi, Quit),
an article on Punk Business (How to make a successful zine/band/etc.), stuff about the
"Wave and Gothic Meeting" in Leipzig, Internet geek stuff, REVIEWS GALORE, and much much
more. That's alot of shit! One of the best zines around, and always getting better.
For more info, go to the Rational Inquirer Homepage
or send a note to:
rational@gil.net.
Reviewed October 25, 1996
BulletProof PopeMobile #3
$1 (in person), $2 (ppd. USA), $3 (ppd. World), 40 Pages, B&W. BPPM, C/O Al Andujar Jr., 246 Evers St., Bridgeport CT, 06610-1301, USA.
BulletProof PopeMobile is a hardcore, slightly emo type of zine. All 40 pages are quite
tightly packed full of all kinds of personal anecdotes and stories, interviews (Tony from
Relevence Zine, Richie from Into Another), a list of companies that do animal testing,
Music Reviews, a Wordsearch, a pretty funny thing about Clifford (that big red dog),
zine reviews, recipes, a crossword puzzle, artwork, poetry, and much more. Alot of the stuff
is quite interesting, like Al's story about his 3-day attempt at veganism. But it's
hard to take it all in at once, and at times the printing is hard to read. Nonetheless,
this is a worthwhile rag to read. For more info, you can write to Al at:
BPPope@aol.com.
Reviewed October 8, 1996
I'm Not Afraid #2
$1, 36 pages B&W. I'm Not Afraid, C/O Kyle Ryan, 4422 Cypress Grove Ln., Houston TX 77088, USA.
Issue #1 of I'm Not Afraid was done quite well, and this one continues to grow
where the previous issue left off. The size has grown from 24 to 36 pages, and there's
a little more variety this time around. The first section is Kyle's article about
punk hipsters and punker-than-you's that are wrecking the scene. Next, Kyle gives a
long, descriptive (but not over-done) tale of his trip to Chicago, complete with pictures.
The issue of selling out to a major label appears again in this issue when Kyle interviews
Chris from Jawbreaker. And to continue with the band-centred theme, I'm Not Afraid is
packed with even more interviews: Sicko, Scott Eastman (Horace Pinker), and
Down By Law. All of these interviews are quite long and well-done too. The zine finishes
off with some music reviews, although there is a noticeable lack of any zine reviews.
Overall, a pretty decent zine, and I can see it getting better in future issues.
For more info, I think you can write to:
c638129@showme.missouri.edu
or check out the
I'm Not Afraid Home Page.
Reviewed October 8, 1996
Imminent Collapse #2
$1 or 2 stamps (US) or $2 elsewhere ppd., 30 pages B&W. P.O. Box 6017, Suite #156, Carolina, Puerto Rico, 00984-6017.
If you have read my review or actually have issue number 1 of Imminent Collapse,
you'll notice alot of similarities with this issue. The theme of "Punk, Politics,
and DK" continues, with more Dead Kennedys history, a Jello Biafra interview,
"Right Wing Stuff", local Puerto Rican reviews and interviews, Anarcho News, plus
many more articles and reviews. There's some pretty cool stuff packed into these pages,
even if you don't agree with all of the politics. Issue #3 will be out very shortly.
For more info, write to:
william@coqui.net.
Reviewed October 1, 1996
Do the Pop #1
$6 ppd. 72 pages B&W, 1011 Boren Ave., Suite 114, Seattle, WA 98104-1300, USA.
Alan and Lisa sure put in a great effort to make the debut issue of this zine
into a great source of info! Do The Pop ("The magazine of underrated rock'n'roll") covers
all kinds of great early punk/garage/underground music info. This issue has huge articles
about Radio Birdman, The Alan Milman Sect, Eater, The Stooges, the early Seattle scene,
the MC5 (very well done!), the Viletones (one of my faves!), Toronto 1977-79, The Droogs,
The Hates, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Sham 69, and much more. It's kind of like
a history book about the influences and early days of punk rock. For people who were
a part of the early punk scene, this will be a great piece of nostalgia, and for
people who are newer to punk, this is a great way to find out more about some of
the bands that influenced the music that has evolved into current punk. Issue
number 2 should be out soon! For more info you can write to:
dothepop@ix.netcom.com.
Reviewed August 29, 1996
Slug & Lettuce #44
$0.55(USA)/$1(Canada/Mexico)/$1.50(World). 16 pages B&W, Slug & Lettuce, P.O. Box 2067, Peter Stuy Station, New York, NY 10009-8914, USA.
Awesome zine! Slug & Lettuce is an anarchist punk zine, that's not really big but has
loads of good stuff packed into it. However, this makes the writing a little small and hard
to read sometimes. There's stuff about "The Music Industry & Chemical Dependency", TV,
the reality of careers, and more. The entire back page is a huge article about
"Recycling Tips & Eco-Friendly Advice", which has a whole bunch of ideas and suggestions
for making your lifestyle more enviro-friendly. For a zine of this size, there are MANY
music and zine reviews. I spent at least an hour just going through them. Excellent.
There is also a Classified section, and a really funny comic about an exaggerated drunk-punk.
Get this zine. It's FREE (you only have to pay postage). I got my issue for free when
I ordered stuff from Anok & Peace.
Reviewed August 4, 1996
Tab #4.1 & 4.2
$Free (in Ohio). 48 pages B&W. Tab Magazine, 444 Lodi Street, Akron Ohio 44305-3170, USA.
Tab is a zine from Ohio that mainly covers punk rock, but also goes into other
"alternative" type music, like some surf, garage, and even some pop stuff. I thought
both issues were cool, even though some of the music they covered didn't appeal to me
(but who made me GOD?). Some of the articles that I enjoyed covered topics like:
a conversation with a reverend about SEX, the myths and truths of dating, and a guy
who faked his own death for a highschool reunion (ha!). I also liked the "Sleaze Meals"
section, which gives some good cooking tips for the low-budget punk who still wants to
eat good stuff. There's a ton of show reviews...more than most zines usually have.
Tab also does a bunch of interviews: The Muffs, The Humpers, Wayne Kramer, Dick Dale
(the god of Surf), and much more. Of course, the pages were filled with other stuff, and
these two issues kept me busy reading for quite some time. Pick this zine up for free in
Ohio, or write to tabmag@icgroup.net for more info.
Reviewed August 4, 1996
Imminent Collapse #1
$1+stamp (US) or $2 elsewhere ppd., 24 pages B&W. P.O. Box 6017, Suite #156, Carolina, Puerto Rico, 00984-6017.
Imminent Collapse #1 is a well-done debut for this zine writer. This zine has a sort of
dedication to the Dead Kennedys
and Jello Biafra. Issue #1 includes a history of the DK's, and some news about
Jello Biafra. Definitely some interesting stuff contained in there. There are also
some comic reviews, zine reviews, record reviews, and cool articles. One interesting
article was right from "Interklan Report" about a meeting between the KKK and the
Lost/Found Nation of Islam. There's also a bunch of anarchist stuff (articles and
contact addresses), plus some info about the local Puerto Rico scene. Great stuff,
especially if you like the Dead Kennedys. For more info, write to:
william@coqui.net.
Reviewed July 1, 1996
Besmirched #3
$1+3stamps (or trade), 64 pages B&W. Besmirched, P.O. Box 2961, Vista CA 92085-2961, USA.
Besmirched is a zine that doesn't only cover "punk" topics like most of the other punk
zines do, but it is still quite good. It's good to see people doing something a little
different. The layout is really cool, with plenty of cartoons and artwork that make it
visually appealing and interesting. There's an interview with Jane Weidlin of The GoGo's,
a story of a bike trip along the West Coast (this one was quite interesting), an interview
with Mary Fleener (a comic artist who does some rally neat stuff), an interview with ADZ, an
article about Youth In Asia (a Ska band from California), lots of beer, zine, and record
reviews, and much more. At the risk of sounding sexist, Besmirched may appeal more
to women, but that's just the impression I got. You can E-mail Megan at:
cygar@sdcoe.k12.ca.us
or go to the
Besmirched Home Page!
Reviewed July 1, 1996
Punk Fiction #2
$1, 44 pages B&W. Punk Fiction, 1011 Upper Middle Rd East #1314, Oakville ON, L6H 529, CANADA.
This zine is put out by the same people who run "Punx Against Profits", which is
an organization in Southern Ontario that puts out zines and runs shows for non-profit.
The zine is pretty good, and it has a whole bunch of articles and artwork, that seem
to parallel the Punx Against Profits theme. There's stuff about anarchy, gays, people
who try to be "punker than thou", Sex Pistols, "KKK In Canada", UFO's, an interview with
The Planet Smashers (a cool Ska band), The Importance of a Pit, and more... I guess
the writing is very heart-felt, although it seems a little amateurish at times. It's
a good effort, and is something that deserves support. I think you can still e-mail
PAP at:
gwebber@knowhow.com
Reviewed July 1, 1996
Dwgsht #7
$1.50 ppd (or $1+2 stamps), 40 pages B&W. Dwgsht, P.O. Box 28, Durham, NC 27702, USA.
Excellent zine! Dwgsht is full of insightful articles with a political stance leaning
towards anarchism. There's a really interesting writeup about "The Life and Death of Sacco
and Hanzetti", two Italian immigrant anarchists who were executed for a murder they did
not commit, although it seems they were attacked for political reasons. Another really
interesting part was the interview with Shannon Hammock, who speaks about her association
with Skinheads and socialism. Other articles cover topics such as: the One Life Crew /
Victory Records fallout, things that are wrong with the Hardcore scene, taking advantage
of natural disasters to advertise, and much much more. The record and zine review section
is also quite large and well written. Get this zine. It's good. Very good. For more
info, send email to: dwgsht@aol.com
Reviewed July 1, 1996
Xyster #1
$2, 20 pages. Xyster, P.O. Box 56057, 1st Ave Market Pl., Vancouver B.C., V5M 4S9, CANADA.
Xyster is made by a couple of punks in Vancouver. It's alot like many other zines I've
read, with the usual format of articles and reviews. "Chugging Along With Andy" was
quite interesting, because Andy explains how he had to quit his addiction to beer.
But don't worry, it's not straight-edge propoganda. Other articles are about topics
such as the seal hunts, and a story about a phone-sex prank. For a zine its size,
it has plenty of music reviews, with lots of Canadian and West Coast bands. I guess it's
a decent zine, although some of the writing is pretty bad and repetitive at times.
But it seems to be a good honest effort. For more info, write to:
a2d@hotmail.com.
Reviewed June 9, 1996
Bumpstick #4
$3, 44 pages. P.O. Box 33874, San Diego CA 92163-3874, USA.
This is the second time I've had a chance to review Bumpstick. If you read the
previous review, you'd know this zine covers topics like punkrock and cars. Yes, it's
a bit unusual, but still a cool zine, even if you don't like cars. This issue includes
interviews with The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, Nine Pound Hammer, and The Spent Idols.
All the interviews are well done and cover lots of insightful things. There's also an
article about women in punk rock, although it seems to have omitted some of my favourites.
The section with reviews of live shows is excellent too, featuring reviews of Teengenerate,
Dancing French Liberals of '48, Mr. T. Experience, and much more. Of course, there are
lots of music and zine reviews to keep you busy for a while. One of my favourite things in
this edition is the comic strip "Little Rad", about a kid explaining why a band has
sold out. Hilarious! And what's an issue of Bumpstick without articles about cars.
Did you know that "a 383/400 "B" engine stock type exhaust system will never hook up
to a 400 "RB" engine and vice versa"? Well, now you do. This is a cool zine that's
getting better and better. So even if you don't like musclecars, check it out. You can
get more info by writing to:
bumpstck@aol.com.
Reviewed June 9, 1996
Glossolalia #5
$2 ppd., 70 pages B&W. Glossolalia, 4470 W. Sunset Bl. #425, Hollywood CA 90027, USA.
Depending on what type of person you are, this zine will either make you cry, offend
you, make you laugh hysterically, or make you read with much interest. Well, in my case
I was laughing and I was interested. If you're too punklitically correct, you definitely
won't like this zine because of its in-your-face style. The zine leans mostly towards
wonderful things like trashy garage-punk and older-style punk. I liked it, because it
wasn't full of the same reviews of the same bands that I keep reading. The articles are
quite interesting, and of course humourous. I especially liked the the way the editor
rebutted to a whiney letter that he received. Of course, I really dig the reviews section
which covered alot of music that I had never heard of before. Well, what else can
I say about this...It's great fun to read it while taking a shit, and if you don't like
it you can wipe your ass with it! For more info, yell at:
chas@ucla.edu.
Reviewed June 9, 1996
Subversion #1
$1, 36 pages B&W. Subversion, P.O. Box 1352, Laguna Beach CA 92652, USA.
This zine is well done, and the quality of its contents make it seem like it has
existed for much longer than one issue. These 36 pages are packed full of articles,
most of which are quite serious and political. There's alot of really informative stuff
to read, such as "Decentralization of the Government", religious fascism, "Power", and
very much more. One of the articles that I think alot of people should read is "MTV
Ruined The Pit", which even has instructions on how to mosh. I wonder if they offer
lessons? I also liked the Beer reviews which were an added bonus.
There's also an interview with Jawbreaker, and of course some music and
zine reviews. So, if you want a zine with some damn good articles that will make you
think, check this out. For more info, please send email to:
subvert@wsunix.wsu.edu.
Reviewed June 9, 1996
I'm Not Afraid #1
$1, 24 pages B&W. 4422 Cypress Grove Lane, Houston Texas 77088, USA.
For a debut issue, this is pretty cool stuff. I'm Not Afraid #1 features a bunch of
commentary about "selling out", a comic, and some reviews. Most of the zine is
consumed by a very interesting interview with members from Jawbreaker, Face to Face,
Avail, NOFX, Riverdales, and Schleprock. The interview deals with music lyrics, and
how they are inspired, what they usually mean, etc...etc. There's some great stuff
in this interview, from some of the biggest names in punk rock! This is a good zine.
I hope these guys continue putting it out. For more info, you can email Kyle at:
c638129@showme.missouri.edu.
Reviewed May 6, 1996
Jersey Beat #56 (Spring 1996)
$2, many pages B&W. 418 Gregory Avenue, Weehawken NJ 07087, USA.
In case you haven't read my other review of Jersey Beat, I'll start off by mentioning that
this is one of my favourite zines that I've ever reviewed. It's jam-packed with lots of
cool stuff: an editorial about the Ramones; a very in-depth article about New York's
ABC No Rio punk club; a huge description of the South By Southwest music conference;
interviews with Mike Bullshit, Chisel, Hell No, and more; a whole bunch of other articles,
and a SHITLOAD of reviews (probably even more than MRR)! Reading this zine can take
several days, because there really isn't much stuff that you wouldn't find interesting.
I must HUGELY recommend this zine to everyone. Especially if you're from Jersey or NYC,
where this zine is ESSENTIAL! For more info, check out the new
Jersey Beat Homepage, or send email to
Jim Testa - jimjbeat@aol.com.
Reviewed May 6, 1996
Nine #17
$1 (2 issues), Stamp (1 issue); 16 pages B&W; Nine, 762 Upper James Street, Suite 136, Hamilton Ontario, L9C 3A2, CANADA.
Here's a zine that I've had the pleasure of reading quite a few times now. There's lots
of good stuff to be found here in issue #17. The main feature is the interview with the
Sick Boys, who I just saw a few weeks ago (more about the Sick Boys coming soon in my record
review section!). The interview covers alot of good stuff, about the history of the band,
personal opinions, and some great humour. Of course, this zine has some record reviews,
covering both the local Southern Ontario scene, and bands from all over. The show review
section, affectionately known as "Humanoids From The Deep" was very interesting for me
too, cuz it covered so much local music that I have missed out on since going away to school.
In the continuing saga of punk sellouts, Melissa writes a good article that begins with
the words, "Bad Religion, why hast thou forsaken us?", which is pretty self-explanatory. It's
a good eye-opener. And lastly, a nice chunk of zine reviews, covering mostly Canadian and
some American zines. Since I've last seen 9, they've gone more high-tech and started to
include some cool photos of the shows they review and of the Sick Boys, who were interviewed.
Lots of cool stuff here! It's a must-get if you're in the Hamilton/Southern Ontario area, and
still very worthwhile for everyone else. Zine trades are welcome, and encouraged, so get
a copy. Or else. You can E-mail J. Hickey (also of Tarbelly fame) at:
af684@freenet.hamilton.on.ca
Reviewed May 6, 1996
Son of Skam #5
$1; 28 pages B&W; PO Box 781, Granby CT 06035, USA
Son of Skam (SOS) continues to be a consistently good Ska/Punk (and cereal/horror) zine.
I always enjoy reviewing this one. Issue #5 includes: interesting opinion articles
by Jesse Skam, Bret Van Horn, and Chuck Wood; some news briefs of the latest shit in the
punk and ska scenes; an interview with Out Of Order, a funny (and ooooh scaaary) "Tales From
The Mop Bucket" story; "Flizm Flazms!" (meaning "reviews", in Cosby-speak); a review/story
of a Ramones show (quite well written); a NOFX show review; a letter from Jerry Garcia;
and interview with the Independents; of course, the cereal and horror reviews, and more
stuff in between. It' well worth picking up because of its down-to-earth and humorous
style. Write to Jesse Skam at:
cvanek@ix.netcom.com
Or check out the SOS Homepage!
Reviewed May 2, 1996
Neat Damned Noise #8
$4; 54 pages B&W; Neat Damned Noise, C/O Henrik, PO Box 42850-123, Houston TX 77242-2850, USA.
This issue of Neat Damned Noise comes with a FREE 7" by Alan Lee Shaw. In case you don't
know who he is (I didn't), he wrote alot of tracks on The Damned's latest (Japanese only)
CD release. He's also performed solo, and written music for lots of other bands. His music
is sort of Damned-like, but in my opinion, it's not as good. I can imagine The Damned playing
these songs alot better. Anyway, this free 7" is very limited (500 copies) and is exclusively
available with NDN! If you're a big fan and collector of Damned-related stuff, you should get
this soon. As far as the actual magazine goes, I'm blown away YET AGAIN!! I mean, it's
issue 8 already, and there's SO MUCH more Damned info! There's lots of recent news about
Captain Sensible, Dave Vanian, and all the other boys, a list of compilations that you can find
The Damned's songs on, a list of bands who covered The Damned, interviews, pictures, a
contest to win a free CD, info on "Warfare" (a band with Algy Ward on guitar, who was once the
bassist for The Damned), a discography of Alan Lee Shaw (to go with the 7"), show reviews,
and SO MUCH MORE! I could go on forever. I don't know where they keep getting material from.
They must have people following The Captain around with a video camera. Or maybe they look
through Rat Scabies' garbage...whatever they do, they sure get a hell of a lot of info about
The Damned! There's enough info in all the issues of NDN to write a huge book, and they already
have the next two issues all planned out. So, if you haven't clued in yet, this is the
ULTIMATE resource for all you Damned fan(atic)s. And if this review doesn't convince you
to get the zine, maybe you should get more info from Laurie:
lauriex@aol.com.
Reviewed May 2, 1996
Neat Damned Noise #7
$4; 54 pages B&W; Neat Damned Noise, C/O Henrik, PO Box 42850-123, Houston TX 77242-2850, USA.
This is a special issue of Neat Damned Noise, titled "Songs Touched By The Damned - Part I".
In case you don't know what Neat Damned Noise is, it's the ULTIMATE Damned fanzine. In fact,
I've never seen another fanzine about a band that is packed with as much info. Since this is a
special issue with the topic of songs that The Damned (and other Damned-related bands) have
covered, that's all you'll read about. 54 pages worth! That's a lotta in-depth info! And this
is only the first part of the 2-part special. So, if you're interested in any song that The
Damned have ever covered, this is THE ISSUE to get. Great stuff! For serious DAMNED NUTS!
For more info about the zine, you can email:
lauriex@aol.com.
Reviewed May 2, 1996
Bluebeat Special #1
$0.50 or SASE; 4 pages B&W; The Bluebeat Special, C/O Max, 31 Tamarix Drive, Brewster NY 10509, USA.
This isn't really a zine, it's a newsletter about ska (mostly old-school sound), and some
reggae and northern soul. It has some reviews, a list of upcoming shows in NYC, a show review,
an opinion article, and some info about the band "Dr. Ring-Ding". This newsletter will be
expanding in future issues, and I can see it having some good potential. Pretty cool if you're
interested in recent ska happenings, especially in NYC.
Reviewed May 1, 1996
Upstate #6
$2; 20 pages B&W; Upstate, 283 Betsinger Road, Sherrill New York 13461-1208, USA.
The first thing that you will notice about Upstate is the elegant graphics, design,
and layout. This isn't by accident, or mere luck: David and Tracy are both professional
grpahic designers. As far as content goes, this zine has some pretty cool stuff in it too.
I like the articles that have do do with being a punk, such as "Punk To Be Or Not To Be"
and "What's With Your Green Hair?". There's a sort of interview and a bunch of info
about Jawbreaker, which was pretty interesting. Of course, there are some record and zine
reviews, plus some book reviews. Placed between all of this stuff, there is plenty of poetry
and artwork. Future issues will focus more on the literary and arts side of the zine.
I guess it's an OK zine, with some interesting stuff in it. For more info, please write to:
upstate630@aol.com, or visit the
Upstate Home Page.
Reviewed April 31, 1996
Inverted #2
$2; 26 pages B&W; Inverted Magazine, C/O Michelle Chen, 75 Grand St. #2E, New York NY 10013, USA.
Inverted is a decent zine, with some pretty interesting stuff in it. It has alot of
contributions from fellow Internet-punks. There are a couple of stories related to experiences
on public transit, some info about the band Tonsul, some ska and punk music reviews, poetry, and
more articles. My favourite parts of the zine are the funny ones, especially the Pork & Beans
thing, and S.H.A.P. (SkinHeads Against Pants). What a riot! There's alot of good, heartfelt
writing within these pages, and some great humour to keep you happy between the rants. I guess
2 bucks is a good price for a lifetime subscription. For more info, please send a note to
Michelle at: mailto:voxpop@pipeline.com.
Reviewed April 31, 1996
Rational Inquirer #5 (Anniversary Issue)
$2 US / $3 CAN / 4DM(Porto) Europe; 100 pages B&W; 2050 W 56 St., STE 32-221, Hialeah FL 33016, USA.
This is the second time that I have the pleasure of reviewing a copy of Rational
Inquirer. It's a pretty big zine, and meaning it has room to cover a whole shitload of stuff.
There are letters, lots of contributed articles, scene reports, and LOADS of zine and music
reviews. If you really like to read interviews, this is definitely *the zine* to pick up!
Interviews include: Bouncing Souls, Pet UFO, Seaweed, Levellers, Meatmen, Batallion of Saints,
Antiseen, Against All Authority, Lunachicks, Starcrunch, Sloppy Seconds, and Alissa. That's
a lotta stuff! This is a killer zine. If you didn't get a copy after my last review, you
better get one this time! For more info, you can send email to:
rational@gil.net.
Reviewed April 30, 1996
Spitpocket #1
Free in Portland, $1 elsewhere; 28 pages B&W; 3095 SW 15th Ct., Gresham OR 97080, USA.
Spitpocket is unlike any other zine I have reviewed so far. It does not follow the
typical ads/reviews/interviews/articles format of other zines. This is a self-described
"Punk-Rock-Literary-Arts-Zine", which is very fitting. The editor, Bret Van Horn writes
several good opinionated and personal columns that I'm sure many of us can relate to. There
are also several stories written by Bret and other contributors, my favourite being
"Can Hater" by Bret. There are also a couple of informative articles about how to fix stripped
guitar strap holes, and how to prepare for a recording session. Overall, it's a very well
written and laid-out zine, and it kept me busy reading for quite a while. I hope they
continue to issue more of this. You can email Bret at:
mailto:spitpocket@aol.com.
Reviewed April 30, 1996
Son of Skam #4
$1; 24 pages B&W; PO Box 781, Granby CT 06035, USA
Here's another issue of Son of Skam. The format hasn't changed....it's still a pretty
basic format, with nothing fancy. There's a column by Jesse about why college sucks, and one
by Chuck about proper dental hygiene (is this one a joke, or serious?). Then there's a really
good article about everyone's favourite band, The Misfits! Well written, and it helps you
keep up to date with what's going on with their whole reunion shpiel. The "News" section
is pretty good too, giving some small pieces of information from the punk and ska scenes.
Jesse also writes a really good article about "trendies" in the scene, and how we shouldn't
be too quick to judge who is and who isn't. Of course, Jesse and Chuck have quite a few
record and zine reviews of punk and ska stuff. Their reviews go beyond the all-too-frequent
"this is cool, that sucks" type of thing....they are good at describing the music, and often do
it in a witty manner. There's also a Voodoo Glow Skulls show review, an interview with
Fernando Pinto (proprietor of the Tune Inn in New Haven CT),some humorous stuff, and of course,
the cereal and horror reviews. So, send a buck to Jesse, cuz it's well worth it!
Write to Jesse Skam at:
cvanek@ix.netcom.com
Or check out the SOS Homepage!
Reviewed April 30, 1996
Bumpstick #3
$3; 40 pages B&W; PO Box 33874, San Diego CA 92163-3874, USA
This is one of the more unusual zines I've read lately. On the cover it says,
"Rock-n-roll-n-hotrods-n-cycles-rock....". And yes, it does cover all those topics. There
is plenty of punk rock and music coverage here, including interviews with Lunachicks,
Guzzard, and Cows. The are also quite a few reviews of records, plus live shows. Articles
about other punk topics also fill the pages. I admit I skipped over the parts about
motocycles and drag-racing, cuz I really don't like that stuff. But overall, this is a cool
zine because of all the good coverage does. And so what if they like cars... You can
contact Bumpstick at: mailto:bumpstck@aol.com
Reviewed January 3, 1996
North Winds #2 (The Stranglers Fanzine)
Stranglers Information Service Canada, 484 Church St, Suite 1418, Toronto Ontario, M4Y 2C7, Canada
I don't really know too much about The Stranglers myself, except for one song "I'm Stranded"
(pretty cool!). Anyway, this is the official publication of The Stranglers Information
Service, Canada (available worldwide), so it's full of up-to-date news, info, and just about
everything you want to know about the band. It's very well laid out and professional looking.
This issue has information about live tapes, videos, lots of pictures, SIS parties, interviews,
a crossword puzzle, newspaper clippings, reviews, letters, and a discography. If you are a
true fan of The Stranglers, or someone interested in learning more about them, this is THE
fanzine to get. For more information, you can send email to Adrian Liggins at:
aliggins@julian.uwo.ca.
Reviewed November 29, 1995
Son of Skam #3
$1; 24 pages B&W; PO Box 781, Granby CT 06035, USA
It's always a pleasure to receive new copies of SOS. In case you didn't read my previous
review, this is a ska/punk/hardcore/cereal/horror zine. It follows the same basic format
of the previous issue: Words, Interviews, Reviews, cereal reviews, and te horror corner. I must
say that my favourite parts of this issue were the reviews (got some good info on bands that
I might want to check out), the Interview with Brad Rhetoric of Rhetoric Records (I like to
hear what other people have to say), and of course the nasty letter send to the writers
of SOS. Oh yeah, and there's a subliminal message on the cover.
Write to Jesse Skam at:
cvanek@ix.netcom.com
Or check out the SOS Homepage!
Reviewed November 29, 1995
Rational Inquirer #4
$1.50 ppd (free in Florida). 80 pages, B&W; 2050 W 56 St, Ste 32-221, Hialeah FL 33016, USA
Awesome zine! I thought I'd say that right from the start. The cover art is cool,
the articles are great too (cover lots of topics that you punks would like), and even the
ads are neat. This was supposed to be an all-Florida issue, but that never turned out. But
the Florida scene report is really good (hint: if you live in Florida, look for this zine.
You can get it for free at all places that are punk enough to carry it). There's also
an article on photography, that you camera-happy people can learn from (especially if you
take pictures at shows). The zine is chock-full of interviews and reviews galore. But
don't take my word for it. Seriously, go get this zine! For more info you can send
email to The Man himself: Kenny Inquirer - rational@gil.net
Reviewed October 23, 1995
Son Of Skam #2 (The Bak to Skool Ishoe)
$1; 24 pages B&W; PO Box 781, Granby CT 06035, USA
Son of Skam is a good punk/ska zine in all aspects. The home made DiY look fits in with the
whole feel of the magazine. It looks good without being all flashy. SOS covers a whole
range of things. It starts off with "Wurdz", which are articles covering things like
college life and power. It then continues with a humorous interview with Johnny Too Bad
& The Strikeouts. And what's a zine without reviews? There are several pages of punk
and ska zine and music reviews which are really informative. One of the most inspiring
things in the zine was the review of a Ramones show, because I envy anyone who's seen 'em
play (I have yet to see them). The zine ends with some horror-movie info and a cereal
review (I'm not kidding!). Anyways, to make a long story short, I really like Son of Skam,
and it's fun to read it once in a while to break the monotony of school work. Look
forward to Issue 3, which will have an interview with Dave Thirsty, Brad Rhetoric from
Rhetoric Records, reviews of Psycho, music, zines, and (or course) cereal. This is college
money well spent. Write to Jesse Skam at:
cvanek@ix.netcom.com
Or check out the SOS Homepage!
Reviewed October 23, 1995
Neat Damned Noise #4
54 Pages, B&W, 8.5X11". (There's no address printed in this zine, but I know it's from Texas)
So, you call yourself a fan of The Damned, right? You think you know everything about these
early British punkers? Well, read this zine. It's PACKED full of so much Damned info, that it
takes a few hours to fully digest. The quality of the photography in this fanzine is what struck
me at first. There are some amazing shots taken from 1977, album covers, and various other
pieces of Damned artwork. There's plenty of information about former-Damned members' other
musical ventures (ie. Dave Vanian and the Phantom Chords), listings of compilations with
Damned songs, lists of bootlegs, an interview with Rat Scabies, a recent show review, a very
lengthy Dave Vanian interview, and various other tidbits of Damned info. If you are a big fan
of The Damned, you MUST get this. Send email to:
laurieX@aol.com. It's NEAT NEAT NEAT!
Reviewed September 2, 1995
Bob The Slinky #3
34 Pages, B&W, 8.5X11". Jenslinky, 15 Edgemont Ave., Summit, NJ 07901, USA.
Bob The Slinky is written by a straight-edge girl in New Jersey. It's full of stuff like
articles (TV, isolation, religion, & more), an interview with The Bouncing Souls, letters,
artwork, etc. One neat thing about the zine was the personalized touch...the letter and
drawing that Jenslinky sent with the zine. It's a pretty cool zine...has lots of opinions and
stuff that is interesting to read. For more info, write to:
jenslinky@aol.com
Reviewed September 2, 1995
Pynkophif #2
16 Pages, B&W, half page size. Alone Counter Productions, PO Box 85124, 561 Brant Plaza Postal Outlet, Burlington, Ontario, L7R 4K3, CANADA
Alone Counter Productions' second edition of Pynkophif comes to you in the form of a zine.
Again printed on hemp paper, Pynkophif continues to spread the ideas held by the members of ACP.
Some of the articles include an essay on communism; a reviews/interview of Commodify The Threat
(a hardcore band); rednecks & skids; veganism; music & ideologies; hemp; artwork; and of course
some great one-liners that are funny and deep with meaning. This isn't a music zine, except for
the few parts, but it is definitely worth reading if you actually plan on doing any intellectual
thinking. The topics covered are all relevent to what's happening these days. ACP has plenty to
say, and they're doing a damn find job saying it. Look for other "issues" of Pynkophif in
various forms of media soon. Make sure you check out the Alone WWW page for more info about the
whole ACP concept. And of course, here's the mandatory email link:
Vern Thomas - alone@netaccess.on.ca.
Reviewed August 29, 1995
Pynkophif #1
1 Sheet, B&W, full page size. Free. Alone Counter Productions, PO Box 85124, 561 Brant Plaza Postal Outlet, Burlington, Ontario, L7R 4K3, CANADA
Pynkophif started out as a handout explaining some ideas and opinions that have grown out
of Alone Counter Productions. This is one of their attempts at spreading relevant information.
This is just a short handout, but don't let the size fool you. There is a good (anti-) fashion
article, hemp information, addresses for worthy causes, and info abour ACP. It is quite well
written & designed, and it's printed on hemp paper. Anyone living in the 905 area code is
invited to call Alone BBS (905)639-4968 to find out more about the Alone concept, Or, send
Vern Thomas some email.
Reviewed August 29, 1995
Eternal Jam
Eternal Jam, C/O Lori Powers, 419 Arlington Dr., Romeoville, IL 60441, USA
Eternal Jam is a ROCK newsletter. It's mostly filled with stuff about hard rock and metal,
although there were a few (very few) parts that I found interesting (did ya know Joe Strummer's
birthday is on August 21?). Other than that, there wasn't anything worthwhile for punks.
Reviewed: August 12, 1995
Shtuff! #1
20 Pages, B&W, full page size. Free/$1ppd. Greg Gartland, 4 Santa Anna Drive, Poughkeepsie NY 12603, USA
This is a good, straightforeward zine that I really enjoyed reading. There isn't very much
artwork, but what it lacks in visual art, it makes up in quality reading. Greg's writings are
good to read, because he is so honest, and this honesty might upset some of the more stuck-up
punks (I guess you can say some stuff is non punklitically correct). For the computer-geek punks,
there's a section on hacking. The stories section is kinda interesting too...bizarre, but they
kept my attention. Of course, this zine has its own record reviews section. The real fun is at
the end of the zine: USA Embalming Laws...for each state. I found it quite funny, yet some
might find it useful (I don't want to know about it..). Anyways, this zine is cool, and it sets
itself apart from the others. It's worth the measley $1. Make sure that you send
Greg some email for more info.
Reviewed July 11, 1995
Earquake #40
24 Pages, B&W, 1/2 page, 4FF (French Francs?). 700625.412@compuserve.com
C'est un really cool zine! OK, enough French for now. Yep, this zine is written entirely
in French. I struggled through it though, and altho my French is really poor, I found this to
be a pretty good zine. There's plenty of stuff packed into these 24 pages: concert listings,
lists of new releases, news, zine reviews, and plenty of record reviews. A major
portion of the zine is devoted to Interviews with bands such as Red Power, Sad Society, Kill
the Thrill, and more. Quite a few pictures too. And no ads, which I found unusual (but
that's good, I'd rather read articles). Anyways, if you can read French, get this zine. And
look for the rumoured upcoming electronic version (ok, so *I* started this rumour!).
Reviewed June 26, 1995
2200 DE #1
40 Pages, B&W, 8.5x11", $2. Chris Bishop, 2591 Sandtown Rd, Marietta GA 30060, USA.
2200 DE is a good home-made cut'n'paste type of zine. It has the usual artwork, comics, articles, interviews, ads,
etc. There's a very interesting and informative interview with a guy from Mexico who talks a whole bunch about the
entire punk scene down there. Once you get past the broken english, you can see that this Mexican guy really has
some good stuff to say. The strange articles that were clipped from magazines/newspapers are really neat too. Cluster
Bomb Unit are featured in an interview, and there are some show, record, and zine reviews. The "Vegetarian Shoes"
advertisement is particularly interesting. It's all about "leather" products that aren't made from leather (MOC DOC'S!).
This is definitely a cool zine. Plus, it comes with a tape! It's The Poison Girls live, Sunday July 5th 1981 at the
Laswade Centre Edinburgh. It's great old-style political punk rock that is reminiscent of Crass. Great stuff, this is
only the first issue, and I sure hope Chris keeps putting this zine out. For more info, send him some e-mail:
gs01crb@panther.gsu.eduReviewed: May 30, 1995.
Ten Things Jesus Wants You to Know #10
40 Pages, B&W, 8.5x11", $2US/$3World, 1407 NE 45th St. #17, Seattle WA 98105, USA.
Seatttle: Grunge, Nirvana, grunge, Pearl Jam, grunge, punk. PUNK? Yes folks, Seattle has punk rock too, and
a good zine to help the locals keep in touch with the scene. The very first article, on the inside front cover, has a
good message, and it kept me interested right from the start. It's Dan's commentary, or call to action, on the local
all-ages music scene. The letters were interesting too; not just the usual "Wow, like cool zine dudes"...these letters had some
good stuff to say. Then there's news and scene reports from all over the USA and world. It's always nice to hear from
punks in Slovenia and Anchorage. There's an interesting article about Gun Control that brought out points that I
hadn't considered before, and a strange story about a camel race(??). Interviews take up a big chunk of this zine:
The Dancing French Liberals of '48, Swingin' Utters, Mount Shasta, Alice Donut, Melvins, and CopShootCop. Lots of
reviews of music, zines, and live shows. Great stuff...get it, especially if yer in Seattle. Oh yeah, click on the blue part
up there to go to the Ten Things Home Page! And of course, the email address is: ten@u.washington.edu.
reviewed: May 21, 1995
Jersey Beat #53
80 Pages, B&W, 8.5x11", $2; 418 Gregory Avenue, Weehawken NJ 07087, USA.
Wow. This zine truly impresses me. Not your average cut'n'paste zine, Jersey Beat is well laid-out and very
visually appealing. Now that I've got the appearance out of the way, let's talk Content. This zine is packed FULL
of great info. There are letters, book reviews, music reviews (hundreds of them!), interviews (Mildred Pierce,
Quicksand, Jeff Buckley, Xanax 25, Mike Watt, Ben Weasel, Cletus, Poster Children, ...), zine reviews, and of
course articles. This issue is dedicated to the NYC and East Coast scene, so it's a must-have for anyone in that
general area. I think I know more about New York than I do of my own hometown Hamilton now! If you want to
read reviews of the latest records, this is the zine to get. The interview with Mike Watt (of Minutemen and
fIREHOSE fame) is very interesting, as it gives you the thoughts of someone who's been around the punk scene for
a long time. Jersey Beat covers all types of underground music, with a special emphasis on Punk Rock and Hardcore.
Jim Testa has kept this zine going for almost thirteen years now! I can see many more ahead. For more info, send
Jim Testa some E-mail at: jimjbeat@aol.com
Reviewed: April 12, 1995
Voice of One (Minds of Many) #1
22 Pages, B&W, 8.5x5.5", $2; 57 Warren Ave, Hamilton Ontario, L9A 3C7, CANADA.
Here's a neat zine put out by Nikole and an array of contributors. It covers a whole bunch of topics, such as:
"Drool, Poetry, Silliness, Confusion, anger, Spit, Questions, answers, Beer! Smokes and Puffy hair, hugger jeans,
and Get a Clue!!!" The articles are informative (Far-out facts about cruelty to animals and Why Fur Sucks), funny
(A Day in the Life of My Brain), and philosophical (Skaters are People Too). Between articles you'll find poetry,
comments, comics, and plenty of artwork. That's what I really liked about this zine: you can spend just as much
time looking at all the neat artwork as reading the articles. I especially liked the comic "A Day in the Life of My
Brain" and the article "Why Fur Sucks." This isn't really a music zine, except for the 2 pages of show reviews and
commentary on the local Burlington music scene. It's more of a straight-edge zine, although you won't find the
words "straight-edge" in its pages. Check it out for yourself. Trades are welcome.
Reviewed: April 12, 1995