Zine Review: Half-Gifts

Half Gifts

full letter

www.half-gifts.blogspot.com 

I’ve received three issues of this zine and they are all exceptional guides to homemade non-mainstream music, mostly released on cassette tape. The editor's note in issue 3 (titled Why Cassettes?) perfectly expresses why some of us still embrace lo-fi tapes in the digital age. All three issues of Half Gifts feature interviews with musicians and well conceived reviews. The writing in Half Gifts is engaging, even the zine title itself refers to a Cocteau Twins song (my 80's & 90's dreampop heroes - I miraculously got to see them live in concert once!) & the music reviewed drifts from shoegaze to pop, from indie to experimental. One in-depth article explores the evolving discography of The Softie's Rose Melberg. With one eye on the past yet firmly rooted in the present, there’s a lot of great new music to be discovered within the pages of Half-Gifts. Half-Gifts is a prime example of why music zines are still relevant. Highly recommended for us tapeheads and indie explorers.   

Zine Review: Write More Letters

Write More Letters

The Radical Uprise Zine #030

PO Box 20233

Seattle WA 98102

Since the advent of the age of technology, it appears that the art of letter writing has become a fading practice. I've actually had numerous people defend the act of not writing letters, that “snail mail” is passé and that email / text / Facebook / instant messaging are far superior methods of communication.

But you can’t hold a Facebook post in your hands.

Emails are easily deleted.

What you wrote in that text will be forgotten in ten minutes.

Sometimes the easiest path isn’t the healthiest.

To convey the wonder of the heart and human connection, pen and paper letters are like manna from the gods and goddesses. In Write More Letters, Jetta guides you through the process seamlessly. Why write, how to calculate postage, fun things you can include with a letter to spice up your correspondence, and comments from letter writers about why they prefer letters to electronic communication.

Zine Review: Bookstores and Baseball: The First Inning

Bookstores and Baseball: The First Inning

32 pages / full color

http://www.davidlabounty.com/bookstores_and_baseball.htm

I’ll admit to having once been obsessed with the Boston Red Sox and magical realism books like W.P. Kinsella’s The Iowa Baseball Confederacy & I have always been obsessed with bookstores. David Labounty generously sent me five issues of this zine & I've just finished devouring the first one: Bookstores and Baseball: The First Inning. Part travelogue, part perzine, Bookstores and Baseball: The First Inning beautifully maps the journeys of David and his family as they go on zine selling (and zine buying) tours and visit numerous bookshops and baseball fields, including the Field of Dreams in Iowa. David vividly narrates experiences at Quimby’s Books, The Texas Book Festival, Wrigley Field & more. I wish I could have just one hour at Quimby’s to browse the zine selection! This zine is a solid read and a lot of fun. I’ll be slowly savoring the next four issues. Thank you David! 

Zine Review: No No No This is Not a Zine #5

No No No (This is Not a Zine) #5

by Kim R. Cody

half letter / ? / try kcody@columbus.rr.com

Try thinking of all of the elements that combine to create a lovely zine – personal insights from the zine creator, artwork, something involving music, a poem or two … No No No (This is Not a Zine) #5 has all of it in spades. Kim gives us a glimpse of her musings as she sorts through collected flotsam and decides which is worth keeping and which items may be parted with. In a healthy life we are always sorting through our possessions, relationships, and perceptions, evaluating which serve us well and which make no sense to keep within our orbit. For those of us who grow attachments easily this can be a painstaking, bordering on anguishing process. Kim also shares some dada, a poem for Lawrence Ferlinghetti (who is now in his 90’s!), and some reasons why she is ending her zine. I’m not sure that I understand those reasons, other than sometimes creativity shifts and pulls us in other directions. For vivid writing, presentation, and substance you will find no finer read than No No No (This is Not a Zine).

Zine Review: Decades of Confusion Feed the Insect #65

Decades of Confusion Feed the Insect #65

November 2012

full sized / $3

Justin Duerr

PO Box 13312

Philadelphia PA 19101

This issue is dedicated to the late artist Renee Leshner whose work appears in the zine along with Mandy Katz, Aja Donovan, David A. Kime and Justin Duerr. Decades of Confusion Feed the Insect is best experienced rather than described. One might think that statement is a cop-out, this is a review, after all! Here’s some of the styles you will find within the pages: Zentangle. Dada. Outsider. Surrealism. Pen & Ink. There’s also some creative writing. Decades of Confusion Feed the Insect comes with my highest recommendation & will open your eyes to art. Trust me.

Zine Review: Shoe & Tail #11

Shoe & Tail #11

by Rachel Lee-Carman

40 pages / half letter / $3

Available from msvalerieparkdistro.com

For whatever reason, I didn’t care all that much for the previous issue. Maybe I was in a weird mood when I read it. Shoe & Tail #11 lifted my spirits even though parts of this issue feel mired in the neighborhood of depression. Formerly titled Show & Tell (I wonder if this is a lasting permutation), Rachel’s zine is brilliantly handwritten and drawn with occasional photography. It is presented in diary / autobiographical form wherein Rachel reveals the nuances of her friendships, philosophies, life events and even sneezing! There’s also a thought-provoking section called “Greetings From Elk Lake” about nudity and how messed up our culture is regarding our human bodies.

Shoe & Tail is an exquisite publication. My moods as a reader are prone to fluctuation. 

Before the Hollywood Backlot: Television's Worst Broadcasts You'll Never See

Before the Hollywood Backlot: Televisions Worst Broadcasts You'll Never See

a zine by Daniel Berman

full size / full color / bound

filmfanatic9966@yahoo.com

Wow. Ask and you shall receive? Be grateful for what you wish for? I recently read an issue of this zine and voila! a new issue arrived in my mailbox. I love good mail days.

This edition of Before the Hollywood Backlot focuses on the backwater of television. Sometimes it feels like something is missing from this issue because articles toward the back of the zine don't feel complete (like description of the Golden Turkey Awards films and unproduced Star Trek episodes). Despite potential omissions, for oddball media fans, this zine is a complete joy to read - we get a guided tour through the worst tv series spin-offs of all time ... what were they thinking? There's a trivia quiz, an article revisiting the Razzie awards from 1980, TV advertising hall of shame, a consideration of movie posters, and more. Plus full-color reproductions of some of my favorite films of all time - Red Zone Cuba and Manos: Hands of Fate!

Let's hope there's a sequel. 

Zine Review: How Mystery Science Theater 3000 Changed My Life

How Mystery Science Theater 3000 Changed My Life

Or, 13 Lessons I learned from the Best TV Show Ever

by Tyler Hauck

available from msvalerieparkdistro.com

How could I resist reading a zine with a title like that?

In the not too distant past there used to be a TV show called Mystery Science Theater 3000, or MST3K, which debuted back in the murky 1980’s on a backwater UHF station called KTMA in Minnesota. The early episodes featured Joel Hodgdon, Trace Beaulieu and J. Elvis Weinstein and a cast of creaky robots made from styrofoam and gawd only knows what. Joel would watch cheesy b-movies with the bots and make ironic & sarcastic comments. Sometimes there would be a stretch of several minutes with no commentary at all. I watched some of these episodes and they barely hinted at the sheer genius that was to evolve on Comedy Central and the Sci-Fi Channel (now known as syfy, I believe).

This zine speaks to the converted (I’m a card carrying MSTie) but would be a fun read for novitiates to the series. The “lessons” are definitely there to be found if you’ve even watched just a handful of episodes of MST3K and are well thought out and explained by Tyler. There’s also plenty of other snippets and glimpses into the world of MST3K – the invention exchanges, the skits and songs, the worst movies of all time. I am grateful to have been introduced to the films The Creeping Terror, Red Zone Cuba and Manos Hands of Fate which inspired my radio shows Mystery Science Radio and Night Train to Mundo Fine.

Bottom line: every aspect of this zine is excellent. There may have been better “series” on television over the years, but in the spirit of DIY fun, obscure pop references and clever writing, this was the best “TV show” ever. Read this zine and find out why.

May the Satellite of Love rust in pieces.

Zine Review: Self Care for Zinesters

Self Care for Zinesters
by Maranda Elizabeth
quarter size / $3.50 to US
PO Box 1689 Guleph Ontario
N1H 6Z9 Canada

You might think we should know this stuff by now. We're all adults, right? Some of us rocketing toward our senior years, even! Yet self-care is, in my opinion, frequently overlooked and under practiced in our crazy post millennial lives. Whether you are a zinester or not, it's a good idea to check out the slow lane once in a while.

Maranda's zine shares concrete, practical advice for touring zinesters and stay at home zinesters. This is advice gleaned from lived experience, and it's like hearing an old friend share their wisdom with you. There is also some advice for first-time zinesters, some thoughts about writing for friendship, and more. Self Care for Zinesters is absolutely compelling reading.

Mixt Media Audio Zine Spring 2013

which includes some new One Minute Zine Reviews!
download it here:

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/67719

Zine Review: An East Coast Girl's Guide to Record Stores in the Pacific Northwest

Taryn Hipp
16 pages / mini zine / $1
try sweetcandydistro.weebly.com

Every town, city, county, region, and state should have a guide like this - a guide to record stores that lists names, addresses, and something about the shop. This guide is enjoyable but slightly lacking in information. I would have appreciated reading more about each shop's diversity of selections and overall character / atmosphere. However, An East Coast Girl's Guide to Record Stores in the Pacific Northwest works as a cool introduction to a handful of shops, for people hunting for elusive vinyl in Portland, Olympia and Seattle.

Pioneers Press

A sermon from Reverend Ye Olde Zinester:

If you love independent publications, if you prefer reading "offline", if the fragrance of ink and paper bring you joy, if zines mean anything to you at all ... then it is time to put your money where your mouth is. There are some folks at PioneersPress who are doing amazing work in the field (and on the farm!) of indie publishing and zine distribution. They are one of the two online distros that bring my heart joy when I see new titles on offer. Joni Mitchell said "you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone" ... now is the time to support paper publishing efforts before we all end up behind the constant iridescent glow of a computer screen for generations to come.

This is a new book by Oliver Matthon chronicling the wild mushroom trade. I've only read a couple of dozen pages and will write a fuller review in the future ... however "Under the Radar" is the sort of personal journalism that opens into a new world where you can learn about people, cultures, and practices that you may not be familiar with. We need to step outside of our insular cocoons & spend some time in the literary (and literal) woods. Zine distros are our doorways.

Peace.

Zine non-review: Xrisville #5

Xrisville Magazine
817-40 High Park Avenue
Toronto Ontario M6P 2S1
xrisville@yahoo.ca

theme to xrisville:
http://xrisville.bandcamp.com/track/xrisville-theme

When people send me their zines, and friendly, informative letters I feel compelled to write a decent review. Unfortunately, my time for zine reading / reviewing is limited so I tend to review zines that surprise me in enjoyable ways, so - not this time. I'll just say that free copies are supposedly available from the above addresses - read this zine for yourself! Xrisville states it is "a humor magazine of no fixed boundaries". I found the last half of that tagline to be true. As for humor? I'm off to watch Red Dwarf ...

Zine Review: Cometbus 55

I’ve never been sure what all the fuss is about, really, but when Aaron Cometbus publishes a title, it rockets around the zine world like a meteorite over Siberia, all brightness & vapor trails. Cometbus 55: Pen Pals takes a while to get going, but when it does, the narrative reveals itself like a drunkard staggering out to surprise you from a piss scented alley. Perhaps it is the second coming of Charles Bukowski.

Ok, I’ll dispense with the metaphors. If you have ever been touched by someone who simultaneously saw through your bullshit defenses and still connected with you deeply, this zine is a captivating journey. Whether you are from Berkeley or Boston, Cometbus 55 reads like a personal history of a specific time and place, one that we've either have remembered, half dreamt, or glimpsed from a distance. The postcards, letters, and philosophical ramblings are just a bonus. 

Mixt Media Review: Rough Ride of Crafts: Traintracker cassette tape

Jessy Kendall of Letterfounder & other artistic endeavors sent me this cassette tape which sent my ears into lo-fi bliss. This is aurally a domain somewhere between folk & noise, with creative flourishes and catchy rhythms throughout. Thank you Jessy!

free download:
http://letterfounder.bandcamp.com/album/rough-ride-of-crafts-traintracker

Review: A Place In Time

A Place In Time – Two Paths to a Television Broadcast

by Kevin Hamilton

half letter / 24 pages / $5

available from Quimby’s Books

I love it when a graphic (comic?) zine takes you on a journey you don’t expect. Kevin Hamilton’s A Place In Time – Two Paths to a Television Broadcast shares a unique perspective on historical development and brings you to a place in time in 1968 and a live broadcast of a student fueled discussion / debate at the University of Illinois. Wonderful format & diverse narrative that is refreshing and surprising. Long live the obscurities. 

Zine Review: Sprouted Ink

Sprouted Ink

56 pages / half letter / $4

sproutedink@gmail.com

 Sprouted Ink is a bona-fide variety zine, they type I crave to read because there is so much content to absorb & enjoy. This issue is packed with everything from poetry to recipes (TVY chili!), lots of art & cut & paste graphics. Self expression in abundance from a number of contributors. The heart & soul of the zine from my perspective are some of the mental health essays, one having to do with PTSD and the other with being an empath. There is also an extensive article about dream interpretation. Essential information for personal awareness. 

Zine Review: That's Not Okay

That’s Not Ok

Boundaries for the Conflict Avoidant

by Breanne Boland

5.5 x 5.5 / 32 pages / $4

Our entire culture suffers from a lack of personal boundaries and as a result, we are resentful, angry, passive-aggressive, overworked, and overextended doing things that inwardly we really don’t want to. We don’t know how to talk with one another, assert ourselves effectively, and get our needs met. That’s Not Ok is a clear, direct, understandable and immediately useful guide to how to create and sustain boundaries that work.

This zine explains what boundaries are, why they are necessary, how to be honest, how to say no, and how to practice making boundaries. None of us are perfect but we need to start somewhere. Making boundaries will help you regain a sense of self, a sense of clarity, and inner authority. That’s Not Ok also includes information on chakras, unspoken boundaries, and how to accept constructive criticism. This is all essential learning if we’re going to live more harmonious lives.

Look for this zine on etsy, I’m not sure of where else to find it. 

Zine Review: Les Carnets de Rastapopoulos #9

Les Carnets de Rastapopoulos #9

2-7 Larch Street

Ottawa, Ontario

Canada K1R 6W4

The world has changed a lot in the past three decades. Heck, the world has changed a lot in the three seconds that it took you to read these sentences. Once upon a time, in a world somewhat but not entirely unlike our own, people placed pen to paper in an attempt to communicate with the rest of the world. Affixing postage to envelopes, these missives were sent out with hopes that our intended recipients would read them & reciprocate. It was called correspondence. Some called it “pen pals”.

Les Carnets de Rastapopolous #9 continues the story that Rob began in issue #8, of finding pen-pals behind the iron curtain of the cold war, one of the few ways (other than ham / shortwave radio) that people could learn about the lives of other people in communist countries during that era. In this issue, Rob tries to follow up with and reconnect with his former pen pals to see what has changed or developed in their lives. Les Carnets de Rastapopolous #9 is a chronicle of Rob’s process. This zine is a work of art and a labor of love and thoroughly absorbing. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates letter writing.

Zine Review: Before the Hollywood Backlot

Before the Hollywood Backlot

a zine by Daniel Berman

full size / full color / bound

filmfanatic9966@yahoo.com

Zines like Before the Hollywood Backlot renew my faith that print is still alive. Then again, it’s been an amazing month here at DJ Frederick’s Zine Cottage, I’ve read Cheer the Eff Up by Jonas, two issues of Hootenanny & several issues of Something For Nothing – zine life is on the upswing!

Before the Hollywood Backlot is a fanzine celebrating (you guessed it) – film. It’s full color, and contains articles on unfinished Orson Welles projects, art deco style, Manhattan in film history (with an emphasis on Woody Allen), World War II propaganda films, a list of lost (presumed forever) films, & tons more. Before the Hollywood Backlot is full of exceptional content presented in an accessible style. Even the “coming attractions” blurb at the end makes me want to read the next issue – television’s worst broadcasts you’ll never see. Right up my alley!

Mixt Media Review: The Space -Junior

Now that the vinyl renaissance has become a cultural force to be reckoned with, cassette tapes are enjoying a resurgence and re-emergence into our consciousness. The Space -Junior was released in an edition of 25 copies, no case, no downloads, no info - and is a compelling audio artifact that feels like it was buried a few decades ago in a time capsule. Lo-fi, monaural, ethereal are just a few adjectives that hint at what is to be discovered on this tape. Long, monotonous passages from sci-fi flicks. Snippets of answering machine recordings. An LSD trip. Ambient music weaving in and out of the mix, along with silences that take root and stretch out. Hunt for this tape on bandcamp, and if you're at all inclined to obtain a copy - don't hesitate, they'll be gone in an instamatic flash.

Zine Review: Cheer the Eff Up

Cheer the Eff Up #4

half legal / lotsa dollars

Jonas

PO Box 633

Chicago, IL 60690

The oldest sage advice for writers is “write what you know” … and Jonas writes about his circle of friends, and his inner thoughts, feelings and perceptions with clarity and candor. Jonas is writing Cheer the Eff Up to his child, like a message in a bottle that may ripple back to shore when his child grows up. One can only hope – not to be cynical but my adult children don’t give a fuck about any of the zines that I write.

What can we write to honor our children, past, present and future? The truth. Jonas relates his struggles with depression, which in some ways echo my own. Every day is an opportunity to do something different to get through the day, to find a path onto the brighter side of the road, to shake off the shackles of the day jobs that we cling to for economic survival – to remember why we are surviving. 

This is the type of zine I can read in one sitting & return to again and again because it is so well presented. Cheer the Eff Up is moody and real and arrived in my mailbox at just the right moment. Send some bucks to Jonas & hopefully this zine will end up in your mailbox too. 

Grunted Warning #16 & #17

Grunted Warning #16 & #17

Stratu

PO Box 35

Marrickville NSW 2204

Australia

Outrageous / outlandish news clippings are my kryptonite. Grunted Warning is a delight for those of us who enjoy reading about realities that are stranger than fiction. It’s like chicken salad for the soul, served with a twist of lime. Ok … I’m getting weird now … must … read … next … issue …  

Zine Review: Elizabeth Rust

Elizabeth Rust

16 pages / half letter / screen printed covers

available from Pioneers Press

When we lay down our pretenses, and speak our truth, true connection can happen. Elizabeth Rust is a persona (maybe) and a zine (definitely) and a creation of utter beauty and authenticity. The author’s quiet voice sings from the pages, discussing gender issues and identity. Reading this zine was like reading a letter from an old and trusted friend. There is even an envelop included to respond to the author. Elizabeth Rust is one more reason why I love zines.  

Audio Review: Operations Manual

Status Update from DJ Frederick

An announcement regarding the audio program "One Minute Zine Reviews" ...

http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/67231

Zine review: Ker-bloom! #99

Ker-bloom! #99

$3.50 from artnoose

1200 Boyle Street

Pittsburgh PA 15212

I don’t subscribe to Ker-bloom! Yet every time I buy a miscellaneous issue, I thoroughly enjoy reading this zine. Ker-bloom! Issue #99 is gorgeous in its presentation – gold and silver lettering set against a chocolate brown cover, with gold and green ink typeface within. This is an essay about celebrating Fellowship Day (December 25) from Lord of the Rings, and a meditation on the connections that have heart, meaning, and courage in our lives. Full disclosure: Since my reading initial reading of Tolkien’s trilogy in 1976 I have felt that his novels the finest works of literature I have read in my lifetime. It’s wonderful to see that people are creating new traditions inspired by Lord of the Rings and that Tolkien’s spirit lives on, not just in big budget films. 

Zine Review: Glass Orchid #4 & #5

Glass Orchid #4 & #5

¼ size

PO Box 99792

Pittsburgh PA 15233

I suggest sending $7 minimum for both issues

Rarely do I find a zine where so much exceptional content is packed into so few pages. Glass Orchid is a panacea for those of us inflicted with crate digging fever & a love of vinyl. Both issues include a wealth of record related articles including an in-depth essay about finding the David & Anthony LP “Walnut Street” and an extensive interview with David Detillo. There are also film reviews for Mystery Train and Harold and Maude; and a well researched primer on 1960’s blues. This is the perfect zine for those of us who hunt for the dusty grooves and the holy grails.  

Zine Review: Harsh Barge

Harsh Barge

photography by Tanner Ballengee

$3 / 48 pages / half letter

http://tannerballengee.bigcartel.com

Tanner and his friend Connor spent the summer of 2012 motorbiking through Nepal, Cambodia, Thailand, VietNam and India. Harsh Barge is the photographic document of that journey. Early on, I was wishing that there were captions to some of these pictures but learned at the back of the zine that the pictures are also available to view on Tanner’s blog with details on each photograph. I enjoyed the sheer variety posted on the blog but prefer the black & white photos in the zine for their stark otherworldly beauty and mystery. Maybe next time we’ll get a zine that combines both visuals and narrative.

Zine Review: Galatea's Pants 2000-2010

Galatea’s Pants 2000-2010

Lauren has been publishing Galatea’s Pants for over a decade. Previous issues that I’ve read were brimming with progressive thought, a panacea for consumerist / capitalist / fucked up culture. This issue, not so much.

Much of this issue is taken up with interviews. First, Lauren interviews Nishta Mehra about her food oriented blog. Then Aisha Sloan discusses her Detroit based artists colony. Here’s an except from Lauren’s interview with Melanie Cervantes, an artist / activist / printmaker: “…from 6:30 pm until about midnight we read and respond to email, do some social networking, write blogs, read multiple online newspapers, websites … on a good day we’ll get some time to draw or work on a design.” . This is followed up with an interview with Anna Pulley who, when asked about her writing process, explains “Usually I’ll write a few sentences then go check Facebook. Then I’ll read a blog post …and write another sentence before deciding to browse OK Cupid…”

It feels like what is being celebrated here is the shallow end of the pool … not what unites us in any real, tangible way. I’m unconvinced that the internet and social networking are contributing to the social well-being of community, in fact, Facebook, etc may be fracturing our attention and our relationships. As we become more insular, we actually communicate less and create less change … we become hypnotized by screens, complacent and comfortable with our cliques and cocoons. Even you are reading this blog, I am always considering unplugging completely from the internet to focus on reality – not virtual reality. These interviews didn't speak to me in any way, though I’m sure that my “demographic” is not the intended audience.

The opening and closing articles are the real substance and heart of Galatea’s Pants 2000-2010 in which Lauren not only bares her process of approaching this anniversary interview, but also has a dialogue with her wise and inspired 16 year old self. It’s these moments that make Lauren’s zine a joy to read, and the rest found me yawning. 

Zine Review: Alphabet Soup #2

Alphabet Soup #2

20 pages / full size / $6 or 7 donation appreciated

2601 Old Quarry Road

Missoula MT 59808

By the time I reached page three of Alphabet Soup #2, my thoughts were deeply immersed in philosophical reflection, preoccupied with themes of awakening, conscious awareness, and allowing the light into our lives. Alphabet Soup is something fresh and refreshing, a collective project woven with poetry, drawings, and even recipes (I definitely look forward to making rosemary blackberry burgers).

Twenty pages feels like two hundred given the numerous delights within. A crossword poem! Answers to the editor! A lo-fi music cd! My personal favorite music on the cd were the folk psych meanderings of  the Redball Orchestra, the baroque pop of Mendelssohn and the piano interludes of Jake Whitecar. The cd is like a community pot-luck of sounds – something for everyone to explore. 

Full disclosure: I have a prose piece in this issue. It is truly an affirmation to be included with this talented group of creative people. 

Music sampling from the cd: Locally Grown by Whole 

Zine Review: X-Rayer #94

Ray X X-Rayer #94

Boxholder

PO Box 2

Plattsburgh NY 12901-0002

www.x-rayer.com

This issue of the stalwart X-Rayer is several pages long & recounts Ray X’s past couple of months. He says the year got off to a rough start and I know the feeling. There is some discussion about a new neighbor with mental illness & Ray X’s concerns about their behavior. This is a tough one for me, being in the mental health field, also because I've known plenty of people who are not labelled mentally ill but who are scary as hell. Regardless, people have to live somewhere, yet community treatment is underfunded and so co-opted by the medical / insurance model that some mental health clinics now treat mental illness (when they provide treatment at all) like it is treating a cold – that you prescribe some remedy (psychotropic meds) and hope for the best. Sometimes, they turn people into zombie and other times, usually due to self motivation and peer support groups, people find a path of recovery and learn how to manage their symptoms.

Ray X updates us on the Peter Gersten 12/21/12 end of the world leap of faith – it appears Mr. Gersten didn’t find galactic center, but possibly made it to the moon. There’s an update on the LibertyNet (did someone mention mental illness?) and an article about tinfoil sideshows, Sandy Hook conspiracy madness and more. This zine is always a fantastic read. Will he make it to 100 issues? Damn, I hope so.

Booklet review: Living Cooperatively in Intentional Community

Living Cooperatively in Intentional Community

by Dan Copulsky

20 pages / half letter

The American Dream has become the American Nightmare. We’ve been sold a cultural image of nuclear families and neighbors living in isolation – each with our own mortgages, possessions, and mountains of debt. It is a vision of our culture that no longer works, and a nightmare that we need to wake up from.

Communes and alternatives to the consumerist culture have been an intriguing topic from me since college, when I was assigned books to read about historical cooperatives and communities from the 19^th century. Dan Copulsky’s Living Cooperatively in Intentional Community is a solid introduction to the world of cooperatives, co-housing, and other shared living experiences. Dan writes about why he lives in community, the economic and social benefits, starting or joining intentional communities, and the process of consensus. This is an excellent resource for anyone considering making choices about living in a cooperative situation with others. I think the operant word here is intentional – creating situations in which there is emphasis on quality communication, clear expectations, sharing resources and valuing relationships.

For more information email Dan at dcopulsy@gmail.com 

Zine Review: Something for Nothing #65

Something for Nothing #65

36 pages / half letter

free but DJ Frederick suggests sending a donation of cash or stamps

516 Third Street NE

Massillon OH 44646

Now THIS is cool. Forget the semi-objective review that you typically get from me, I’m going to sing the praises of this zine like a soprano in a Sunday choir. Something For Nothing (the tape issue) is a hybrid between a perzine and a review zine. Billy/Idy reviews cassettes that were released in the late 1980s / early 90s that haven’t made their way into digital formats. There is a wealth of lesser known music described here in detail – most of it DIY and indie in nature, including several issues of an intriguing zine on tape / radio show called “New Generation” which featured underground Xian music. Most of the cassettes in the zine are reviewed in depth, with a thorough knowledge of and appreciation for bands and musicians and analogue culture. Something For Nothing also features discussions about various Kinko shops, some beverage reviews, great graphics & cut n paste design and a vibe that feels time-warped right out of classic zines from the 1980s, and I mean that in the best possible sense. This is solid joy in paper form. 

Zine Review: Adventures in the Land of Greasecars and Fireflies

Adventures in the Land of Greasecars and Fireflies

By Sascha Scatter

PO Box 18

Spring Glen NY 12483

This slim zine is a reprint from Slug & Lettuce c. 2004 and had me nodding and smiling from first page to last. In Adventures in the Land of Greasecars and Fireflies, Sascha writes about personal world view, cultural and economic considerations that led to the decision to convert an old diesel vehicle into one that runs alternatively on vegetable oil. A kit was purchased, a workshop and party thrown for the community, and willing hands showed up to help with the process. Sascha’s writing is engaging and informative and this zine just might be an inspiration for your next mechanical project. 

Zine Review: Psionic Plastic Joy #17

Psionic Plastic Joy

digest / $2

Jason Rodgers

PO Box 62

Lawrence MA 01842

So now we come to it – the absurdity of writing paper zine reviews within an online blog called One Minute Zine Reviews. I’m plagued by this dichotomy all of the time, and often teeter on the edge of abandoning the digital world altogether. I use the internet as a tool, I remind myself. But what is the tool and who is the user? Or who is the tool and what is the user?

Jason Rodgers has released Psionic Plastic Joy, issue number 17, a compendium of articles, imagery, semi-dadism, anarchy, and beautiful nonsense. The two primary essays in this issue are thematically linked by references to the domestication of humans, which I suspect allows for our enslavement by consumerist culture: Jason delves into concepts of psychic nomadism as a means to remove our shackles, and John Zerzan stares into the eyes of what we call happiness, and doesn’t blink. These articles are both well written and articulate thoughts beyond the typical curve of acceptable discourse in this frenzied and distracted culture. Psionic Plastic Joy also includes a fantastic allegory (parable?) titled “The Tale of One Thousand and One Words” which describes an encounter between The Cook, the Waitress, the Dishwasher and Trickster.

Psionic Plastic Joy is unapologetic about being suspicious of technology, which I am grateful to read for a change. Every email we send, skype call we make, google search we do, etc is monitored by someone, and we just don’t care anymore. We have met Big Brother and he (and she) is us. At least paper mail has to be opened and resealed, and yes that happens too (witnessed by my own receipt of a QSL card from Radio Havana).

By questioning our domestication and creating actions that bring us one step closer to freedom, we can reimagine our lives. Psionic Plastic Joy is a zine about that journey of reimagining and re-creation.

King Cat No. 73

King-Cat Comics and Stories No. 73

$4 ppd

John Porcellino

PO Box 142

So. Beloit IL 61080

johnporcellino.blogspot.com

I have to admire anyone who has released 73 issues of a comic or a zine. The centerpiece of this comic is the hunt for the elusive cuckoo bird (no… really!). There are some other short stories, a top 40 list, and a primer on the 13 lined ground squirrel if you’re into wildlife & natural history. Cool variety.