Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Zine Review: Velocitylab #2



Velocitylab #2: The Revival
26 pages / $4
velocitylab.net

I stumbled across Velocitylab while browsing on etsy & editor Johnny Tsokos graciously mailed a review copy. Velocitylab #2 is boldly refreshing & unabashedly retro at the same time, creating a continuous wave / loop in time – it’s like reading a zine from 1980 in 2012. Old guys like me appreciate that.  Imagine a world where vinyl records matter, songs matter, local music & gigs matter, creative process matters & flesh and blood wins out over virtual social networking. Velocitylab #2 celebrates that world – the one we are creating and recreating. This issue starts out with a compelling intro (This is Not a Review, This is a Revival) & quickly launches into discussing “shit that still matters”. 

Juxtaposed between interviews with musicians (Kristin Thomson, The Axe & The Oak, Sirs) is some incredibly vivid fiction written by the editor. A few things I could have lived without, like some of the graphic sketches, but that’s simply a matter of personal taste. I have intentionally not visited the zine website, happy to enjoy Velocitylab in its paper incarnation. Variety zines are alive & well. Welcome to the revival. 

No comments: