WITH EVERY INCH AND EVERY BREATH #?
Emily
601 Willow Av.
Ithaca, NY 14850
($1, 2 stamps, or trade)
I like what Emily has to say. She’s really young, like 14 or 15, and I
think what she has says tells alot about girls in that age bracket
these days. She has some thoughts on her zine and her writing - a
self-analysis, if you will, a really long rant on her mother’s
hypocrisies, which I honestly had alot of trouble being sympathetic
towards - I hated my mom when I was 14 and 15, too, so maybe it
is an age thing, but something just seems off when she is saying
that her mother is not a real feminist (whatever that is), while calling
her stupid and saying she should “shut the hell up”... I guess I just
didn’t understand it because I thought her mom sounded like a
decent person who sometimes does corny stuff to her daughter,
like all moms do... Anyway, there are some introspective pieces on
finding contradictions in herself on being honest and a liar, a
feminist and submissive, etc., a look at jedgemental attitudes in the
punk/alternative scene, observations on school hierarchy, a really
long piece on riot grrrl and queer issues, that I think is really
important to read, especially for straight grrrls. I think its totally rad
that Emily is analyzing herself like this, I know its not easy... I
noticed that Emily really gets down on herself in her writing, and I
found it to be troubling (even though I do it alot, too) because I
think Emily seems like a swell gal. 4 1/2” x 5 1/2”, 68 pages.
X-DRESS
34 Knights Hill
West Norwood, London SE27 OHY
England
($1?)
This is a rad attack on gender roles, especially male roles. Most of
it is pro-cross-dressing stuff, a debate on cross-dressing, Also
included are bits on gender and seperatism. Too short, but I love
the angle of perspective. 6” x 8 1/2”, 16 pages.
YOU MIGHT AS WELL LIVE #4 / SUPERETTE#12
Sandi Ward
PO Box 125
Bridgeport, WV 26330-0125
($2 + 2 stamps)
or Pander distro
(write for price)
Unfortunately, Lauren had to quit printing this opus, but she said
you might be able to order from Sandi or Pander distro. YMAWL
#4 is the most upbeat issue I think I've seen from Lauren. She
starts out with a really good analyzation of racism and classism in
riot grrrl zines. She points out racist/classist generalizations, the
abundance of skinny, white girl clip art in riot grrrl zines, and
indie/punk kids dissing rap and r&b. Go Lauren! She has a sharp
mind, for sure. She also lists and describes satisfying little acts in
everyday life - pumping your own gas and getting a haircut, in
particular in this way that I rarely see in zines, it's almost reserved
for novels and such. I think her descriptions are kind of erotic, too.
There's meloncholy prose on blackouts, an almost panicky piece on
being afraid of the unknown while she goes out to the mailbox at
night, "random musings" on a variety of subjects that all seem to fit
together really well under the fitting theme of fluidity, thinking about
her roots as an American from Staten Island, a huge list of zines
and projects similar to this thingy here you're reading, part 2 of
Lauren's "Girl Terror" fiction series - kind of pulpy, but I loved
reading it anyway, an open letter to us
enlightened-liberal-punk-rock-sxe-riot grrrl-etc. types who are being
really exclusionary when it comes to that "revolution" we value so
much, and finally a music section that starts with the best photo of
a kiddie record player playing on top of a milk crate. Interviews with
Fuzzy and The 6ths, a reader poll about music, record reviews in
the now-popular style of putting it on and printing the first reaction
from your friends - it didn't tell me much about some of the music,
but was fun to read anyway, then record reviews that were more
analytical, but better than what you find in any other zine because
Lauren did them (How can you resist her reviews - she compares
Chisel to "Richie Cunningham...They just seem so
clean-cut-all-american-boy-next-door-hot-apple-pie"). And that's it
on the YMAWL side. My God, this review is so long! Anyway, now
Superette. Gosh, Sandi is so indie-rock.. I got a little lost in her
zine since I don't really buy new records anymore and all the mix
tapes I've been getting lately have been punk and hardcore. But
anyway, there's a good personal piece about musical snobbery, an
long interview with the Vehicle Flips - its like 6 pages long, so VF
fans, take note!, a page by guest writer Emily that is fun and cute
with tiny type, which you all know I am quite partial to, interviews
with her friends Allison and Denise, who do the zines I Can't Stop
Smiling and Scruffy. Also, Sandi has writing on her thoughts and
experiences in high school, stuff on the annual indie rock flea
market, tons of record reviews, a long piece on documentation and
zines' influence on her that I really related to. A pretty even mix of
good music coverage and personal writing. A must-read. 8 1/2" x
11", 50 pages.
YOU MIGHT AS WELL LIVE #5
Lauren Martin
Bard College
Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504
e-mail: lm549@bard.edu
($1 + 2 stamps or equal trade)
This issue is mostly fiction, but don’t
let that deter you because duh, it’s by Lauren, and we all know that
Lauren’s fiction is rad! “Audrey” is about girl-girl relationships and
stylish, sexy Audrey, the main character’s roommate, thoughts in
exclusion in revolution and thinking about gender, class, race, etc.,
part 3 or the “Girl Terror” series, thoughts on how she becomes
depressed when she is at her parent’s house, homage to
clementines, “Truth or Consequences” about the dynamics
between a girl and a boy, funny and intense (although simply
drawn) comix about insomnia, and tons of project listings. 5 1/2” x
8 1/2”, 28 pages.
VIOLETS ARE BLUE
Ariana Banias
1 Mead Way
Bronxville, NY 10708
e-mail:abanias@mail.slc.edu
(50 cents + 2 stamps)
This issue opens up with a really lonely, sad piece that was vague
enough where I wasn’t sure what it was about - my guess is either
college or a mental hospital, also writing on running into an old
friend after 6 years and finding out that both of you are queer,
jealousy over an ex-girlfriend/true love’s (?) new love interest, a
letter to a rock star, and tons of the most beautiful, amazing,
dream-like prose. The writing is sometimes abstract, but the
meanings never get lost. Violets are Blue almost made me cry
because it is so real to me. I don’t think a zine has done that to me
in years. This is so gorgeous, words fail to describe it. 4 1/2” x 5
1/2”, 32 pages.
