Zine Review: P.A.N.

from the etsy listing: 

A 22 page collection of Panoramic Analogue Photographs, by Dandy Denial of Of Course You Can! Art and Craft. All images were taken with a panoramic "toy camera" and were hand developed by the photographer, before being scanned onto a computer for the purpose of reproduction. This zine features pictures of abandoned buildings, graffiti, and urban landscapes of the sort that are often found in the dead of winter, in the dead of the city, all caught in the act of slowly falling to pieces.

DJ Frederick's brief review: Stellar visuals chronicle the decay of urban living, the timelessness of railroad yards, buildings and doorways with mysterious, storied pasts. These photographs are stunning and make me want to beg, borrow, or steal a camera. The photographer is an artist with an exceptional eye. Highly recommended

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Zine Review: Biblio Curiosa #4

Biblio Curiosa #4

by Chris Mikul

44 pages / half letter

PO Box K546

Haymarket NSW 1240

Australia

Part of me revels in what is sometimes termed “outsider” music – music made by people with no connection whatsoever to the music “industry” and whose curious works are creations of their own design. Biblio-Curiosa documents what I might coin “outsider literature” though some of these books were published by well-known commercial publishers and were by writers known at least within their literary circle. In this issue, Chris delves into the works of supernatural author Tiffany Thayer, and reviews The Werewolf vs. Vampire Woman by Arthur N. Scarm and The Joss: A Reversion by Richard Marsh. There is also an in-depth investigation into the mysterious author known as Mark Hansom. Biblio-Curiosa is always on my must-read list! 

Zine Review: Rain Crow Rain Crow Sing Us a Shower

Rain Crow Rain Crow Sing Us a Shower

by Sean Stewart

36 pages / half-letter / $4 US

lostgander.wordpress.com 

I love writing that surprises. Rain Crow Rain Crow Sing Us a Shower is a zine that draws readers into the word meditations of Sean Stewart, and we begin to look through his eyes.

The nature of Rain Crow Rain Crow Sing Us a Shower might seem straightforward to some, and slightly baffling to others. Is this prose stream of consciousness journaling or meticulously crafted wordsmithing? Will any of these prose pieces linger in my mind or dissipate like clouds in a windblown sky?

Two vignettes definitely resonate and echo in the windtunnels that are my thoughts: one about a proposed rocket trip to Mars, the other about a brief visit to a bookshop. Sean Stewart writes like an alchemist. At times you are drawn to the smallest of details, at others, you slip into the mood that he has painted with ink on the page.

Rain Crow Rain Crow Sing Us a Shower veers from the melodious to the monotonous with quiet grace infused with everyday rhythms. There are slugs, birds (lots of birds), and rain. There are mysterious cigar smoking men and lunchbreaks. There are dreams There are interludes that feel like a timeless conversation between the one and the other..

I suspect I will be revisiting this zine again when in the bliss of some alone time. 

Zine Review: X-Rayer #97

X-Rayer Issue #97
Boxholder
PO Box 2
Plattsburg NY 12901-0002

Ray marches on with more papernet goodness ... issue #97 discusses podcasters who believe they are being mind controlled by aliens (sorry folks, you're really being mind controlled by mainstream media & a culture in decline).There's also an insomnia infused review of Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Sky by Carl Jung, and some nifty info on Ted Rodgers, inventor of AC powered radio back in the mid 1920's. This is great content for inquiring minds.

Obsolete #8

Obsolete #8
large newsprint magazine
obsolete-press.com

Photographs! Articles! Graphics! Poetry! Obsolete is a joy to behold, harkening back to the emergence of the underground press in the 1960's. Issue number 8 includes two essays that are intriguing for radio geeks like myself - "New World Radio - Seize the Airwaves" by Gregory Strokesberry which relates the odyssey of folks organizing low power community station KNOB in Iowa and "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" by Rich Dana that explores the mysterious world of shortwave numbers stations. Obsolete needs funds to continue publishing - check out their website & kickstarter campaign and if you are able financially, be as generous as you can to support their efforts.

Zine Review: Forever Falling Sideways

Forever Falling Sideways 

half letter / 72 pages / $5

https://www.etsy.com/listing/150589334/forever-falling-sideways-a-zine-on

Mental health is one of the most important concerns of our time, and possibly the most neglected. We live in a culture that devalues and pathologizes everything that transcends some invisible and unspoken “norm”. We are stressed by work, lack of work, families, interpersonal relationships, daily events, the list is endless. And we are not taught how to deal with that stress. Many people turn to numbing out with alcohol, drugs, and other substances or addictive activities. Pharmaceutical companies have spent billions peddling happy pills and psychoactive drugs. Over 10% of children aged 6 to 18 are on some kind of behavioral medication.

And … we’re not getting any better. Some days it feels like our culture itself has become bipolar or schizophrenic. How do we stay balanced in an unbalanced world? How do we do the hard inner growth work while coping with outer realities that trigger us?

This is why zines like Forever Falling Sideways are essential. Self help and peer support are the antidote to pressure from the medical community and pharma industry to push drugs. There are times when medication is important but it is not the magic cure. Medications only mask symptoms, they do not remove them. Symptom management is something people need to do for themselves, learning what works best for the individual.

Forever Falling Sideways includes graphics, poetry, and essays. There is a wonderful piece by Tender exploring the uses of St. Johns Wort. Tender also writes in depth about ways to take care of yourself like finding movements, taking responsibility for your actions, harnessing your energy, self advocacy and more. This is extremely useful information. There’s an article about happy fats and good mood foods and a primer on sexual consent. And this is just scratching the surface of one of the most resourceful zines I’ve discovered in years. Even if you don’t struggle with emotional issues or a mental “illness”, reading Forever Falling Sideways is worth your time and energy. 

Zine Review: Five Easy Ways to Bind a Book

https://www.etsy.com/listing/112430483/zine-five-easy-ways-to-bind-a-book

Five Ways to Bind a Book is a small (less than quarter sized!) though highly useful beginner's guide to bookbinding. The methods described are: 8-in1, 16-in-1, saddle stitching, pamphlet sewing and perfect binding. This zine is a clear, concise, well illustrated resource.

Mixt Media Audio Zine Summer 2013

Follow this link to the new installment of my DIY radio podcast & let me know what you think! Feedback appreciated. 

http://radio4all.net/index.php/program/68705

Zine Review: Half Gifts 4

Lately I've been reading zines that really inspire me in some way - to take care of myself, to spend less time on the internet, to connect with art, or discover new music. Half Gifts is a rare gift indeed and a reminder why music zines are so important, even in the digital age. Jude is a young man who demonstrates zest & zeal for writing. His enthusiasm for music and musicians flows from every page. The music he reviews is mostly DIY & independently released - the good stuff. In addition to reviews, issue four includes interviews with Ratburn, Tripping the Light Fantastic, and PURE Prediction.

I appreciate that much of the content in the paper zine does not appear on Jude's blog
(www.half-gifts.blogspot.com)

Click on the link & enjoy.

Zine Review: Thrifty Times #1

Thrifty Times #1

http://thriftyzine.com

Full disclosure: I produce a weekly radio show called Radio Thrift Shop & some of the music I play is from LPs, cds and tapes I’ve stumbled upon in … yes, thrift shops! My only regret is there are damned few thrift shops within my typical travel range here in New Hampshire - the only city within a 25 mile radius is Concord NH and there are precious few thrift shops in Concord.

Before I read Thrifty Times #1, I knew I’d enjoy this zine & I was not disappointed. Sarah starts off the premier issue describing a Garfield (the comic strip cat) telephone. She also muses about why there is an abundance of cassette tapes at thrift stores (note: cassettes are slowly becoming my music medium of choice – again!). We learn what a tanuki is & are treated to a selection of Better Homes & Gardens Cookbooks from the 1960s, plus a record review of Herb Alpert’s Going Places (a classic!). Completely delightful. Thrifty Times is currently on its eighth issue and going strong. My advice: subscribe now, and happy thrifting.