RETROGRESSION- No. 14
A very political hardcore zine by outspoken David Grenier, among others. This is the first copy I've gotten my hands on.. Alot of the music coverage (hardcore/punk) is beyond my ken, but what really stands out is the critical and challenging attitude towards the hardcore scene and its shortcomings... ie. violence at gigs, blind consumerism, sexism and rape, and the political vacuum in the scene. This issue is thick with informative features and an interview with the altogether awesome band Submission Hold. Contains: chat with Robyn Marasco of "Alice is an Island" zine, Trial tour diary, De-Nuking NATO, and an expose on the International Socialist Organisation. Contact Retrogression Magazine, POBox 815, Norton MA 02766. E-mail: retro@retrogression.com http://www.retrogression.com tel: (508)727 5616 (-em)
SLUG & LETTUCE- No. 56
Self-declared "zine supporting the Do-It-Yourself ethics of the punk community". This zine, besides for being a great resource, is FREE if you pay for the postage. As usual the front page is devoted to the inner workings of editor Chris(tine)'s mind.. there's an interesting piece written by a mother in the anarchist movement and an installment by Sascha in his permaculture retreat.. zine and music reviews in the punk hardcore vein.. and NOW a growing list of INFO SHOPS and COLLECTIVE Internationally.. plus the world famous CLASSIFIED AD section, which is probably S&L's greatest asset. Get single issues in the US for 55 cents, $1 in Canada/Mexico and $1.50 (or 3 IRC's) Overseas. (Slug & Lettuce, POBox 26632, Richmond, VA 23261-6632) (-em)
FRACTURE- No. 4, Oct. 98
"An alternative to everything" this zine looks and reads exactly like its american cousin Maximum Rock n' Roll. It's well produced and has the same hideously long column sections followed by band interviews.. this time with Urko, Cress, Area Effect and an interview with the editors of (drum roll please) Maximum Rock n' Roll. Troubling are the comments concerning advertising rates for MAJOR LABELS which they encourage at double the price. This is in contrast to the distribution of the mag which is via the DIY punk community, so it'll be interesting to see which of these two currents influences the direction of Fracture. Hey.. it's free!! (Fracture, PoBox 623, Cardiff, CF3 9ZA, Wales UK Tel: 01222 339 782 or E-mail: fracturezine@hotmail.com) (-em)
ORGANIC GARDENING, A D.I.Y. GUIDE-
A brief and basic introduction to the practice and principal of organic gardening (from a punk lifestyle perspective). In addition to information for punx (and even people) new to gardening in general, it includes recipes for the great veg and herbs you yield from the land. This somewhat thin but essential publication gets a special place beside Soy Not Oi and the New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook. E.G. Smith Press are putting out some good lifestyle material so check them out. (E.G. Smith Press, POBox 82026, Cols Ohio 43202, USA.) (-em)
GREEDY PIGS- No. 6/7
An A5 zine of punky stuff from someone who obviously has a nice computer. Very clean and easy to read and some really good scanned artwork. It's nice to see art and images taking a strong role in a zine besides just bands and stuff. This issue has Columns, a great piece on radical collage artist John Hearfield (the artist whose art the likes of Discharge have ripped off), interviews with Sad Society, Combat Shock and W.O.R.M., J.P.E., Why zine and distro and Mary Kelly.. plus loads of reviews and all that. Doesn't have a price on the cover. (Greedy Pigs c/o Smegma Art, PoBox 172, Rugby, CV21 4ZU, UK) (-em)
BLACK FLAG- No.
A very informative issue of this long-standing journal of anarchist resistance. Includes intl. news, perspective on Albania's "anarchy", a Chomsky article, and some in-depth articles on Anarchism and Syndicalism. Oh yes, plus the @ quiz which I unwaveringly fail horribly at. This is the real thing. (Black Flag, BM Hurricane, LONDON, WC1N 3XX, England. Bulk orders via AK Press. E-mail: black.flag@qnet.org.uk) (-em)
COUNTER INFORMATION-
Ow, my eyes hurt- more international information on the struggle against capitalism than you can shake a stick at. Get a truck load of sticks and you'll still have an encyclopedia of resistance all condensed onto an A3 sheet of paper. Ow, my brain hurts- CI has been banned from pacifist centres for being too violent. After reading a few articles you can easily note that the violence in CI usually stems from a copper's trudgeon battering some striker or protestor on the head. Not for the middle-class reformists, this is an action-update for total revolution. Contact: Counter Info c/o Transmission, 28 King St, Glasgow G1 5QP, Scotland. (-em)
FASLANIA- Spring Equinox '97
Previously Faslane Focus was the title of Faslane's speedy periodical. This is produced by anti-nuclear activists camping outside Scotland's (read: Britain's) Trident Nuclear Submarine base. This Direct Action zine always retains a sense of humour (if not ouright "the alien super council that's coming to save us" looniness) in the jaws of the beast= The Evil Empires War Machine. This issue has a good insight into the military radioactive waste delema and action reports. Send loads of dosh to: Faslane Peace Camp, Shandon, Helensburgh, Dunbortonshire, Scotland before it gets evicted! (-em)
PROFANE EXISTENCE- 29/30
The anvil of anarcho punk zines returns.. AND with a 7 sond Skuld/PE record included on top of it all. A good buy for £1/$2. As if you would even consider not getting this double issue with its world-wide political reports on squatting, police repression, anti-fascism, and enough anarcho-punk action to make a pig simultaneously explode into a rain of donuts and coffee. Plus interviews with Suffer, Active Minds, Seeing Red, and Diskonto. Loads of Intl. scene reports. Good shit maynerd. (PE, POBox 8722, Mpls, MN 55408, USA. Available in UK from Active Distro.) -(em)