Stapled and Xeroxed Paper #2

Stapled and Xeroxed Paper #2.

Zine: Stapled and Xeroxed Paper

Issue: 2

Created by: Spike Jonze

Format: 8 1/2" x 11"

Where: Torrance, CA

When: 1989

Even more impressive than the first issue. The cover sucks you in. This one is still photo heavy, but the layouts are far better and with a great editorial bent. More poesy, with an emotional centerfold text piece by yours truly. Go figure. 

Notes: Were there more than two issues of this? Who's got copies of Bend and Chariot of the Ninja?

Stapled and Xeroxed Paper #1

Stapled and Xeroxed Paper #1.

Zine: Stapled and Xeroxed Paper
Issue: 1
Created by: Spike Jonze
Format: 8 1/2" x 11"
Where: Torrance, CA
When: 1989

When Freestylin' Magazine master cluster members put out a zine, it's like the fucking Beatles putting out limited edition, unpublicized  solo albums right alongside Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Andy had Bend, Lew had Chariot of the Ninja, Spike had Stapled and Xeroxed Paper. Thankfully, no one at Wiz Pubs was Ringo. Spike Jonze did this one probably not too long after joining the staff, and I base that on the background images of the (likely) Nikon FM or FM2 with the MD-12 motor drive. The zine is image heavy, loaded with outtakes from Freestylin' and very little text. Shots of Hadji, Mad Dog, Rich Sigur, Marty Schlesinger, Brett Downs, Andy Jenkins, Mike Dominguez, Dino DeLuca, Brett Hernandez and Eddie Fiola. Visually, it's one of my favorite zines, like a little art installation that arrived in my mailbox in 1989.

Notes: The sideways stack of cardboard as a background usage is brilliant. 

Monkey Meets the Blowtorch #2

Monkey Meets the Blowtorch #2.

Zine: Monkey Meets the Blowtorch
Issue: 2
Created by: Eric Heins, Ryan Schierling
Format: 8 1/2" x 14"
Where: Emporia, KS
When: 1989

The second issue of MMTB. I wish I could find the first issue, which has a ton of interviews. Oh well, in this one there's a letter and some heavy stories from Nor-Cal Swami, an interview with Spike Jonze, Eric's recollection of the Austin 2-HIP King of Vert contest (with photos by Jonze), a couple shots of Dead Milkmen, photos of Rick Allison, Lee Ralph, and a ripped-off photo of Swank.

Notes: Legal-size paper, folded in half. The name for this zine came up in a phone conversation with Spike and Lew. Eric and I used to call Wizard Publications from time to time and ask for Spike or Lew, or Andy, or whoever was around. 

Death Of Bruce Lee

Death of Bruce Lee.

Zine: Death of Bruce Lee
Issue: unknown
Created by: Matt Bennett
Where: Whitby, Ontario
When: 1990

"You have. I'll bet you've sold fucking tickets!" Another Matt Bennett creation that pushes all the right buttons. High contrast, highly interesting content. If anyone knows what Bennett is up to now, let me know. I'd love to get in touch with him.

Notes: I still have a photo, sent to me by Mark Lewman, from the same session and same banks  as the photo of Lew on the last page of this zine. 

Zipper Full of Scrotum

Zipper Full of Scrotum.

Zine: Zipper Full of Scrotum
Issue: unknown
Created by: Duncan Scott Davidson
Format: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Where: Fremont, CA
When: 1990

It was always such a pleasure to get a Nor-Cal Swami zine in the mail. Even his one-offs, like this micro zine Zipper Full of Scrotum, were packed with the kind of shit that potentially-college-bound art-school students wished they could come up with. It was counterculture in a way that graffiti and wheat-paste posters and stickers could never be. "A phallic symbol" or "How I met Country Bob at 7-11 one fine morning" hits home for this kid from Emporia, Kansas. 

Notes: This was printed on yellow paper. I have additional, Swami micro-zine pages in green and pink paper that were not stapled into this issue... they were loose. I don't remember if they were a separate one-off (Shithump?) from The Swami or if I cut and pasted some things from here and have misplaced the pages. I've included what I have here. Burn Victim and Electrician are fantastic stories. 

Marcel Marceau's Speach Therapist

Marcel Marceau's Speach Therapist.

Zine: Marcel Marceau's Speach Therapist
Issue: unknown
Created by: Duncan Scott Davidson
Where: Fremont, CA
When: 1990

Is speech misspelled in this title? Who cares? Marcel Marceau couldn't speak anyway, and The Swami knew that when he created this one-off from his regular zine Gus. It IS kind of an art thing, and you probably wouldn't understand.

Notes: Most people don't know who Marcel Marceau was.

Rip Zine

Rip Zine.

Zine: Rip Zine
Issue: unknown
Created by: Terry Nourse
Format: 8 1/2" x 14"
Where: Oakdale, MN
When: 1989

This one starts with a letters section to Terry, a good zine review piece, and then busts right into a multi-page piece on a street contest at Rampage, an indoor park. There are some great images in here, but that halftone screen makes the photos look like they were shot with a Sony Mavica circa 1981. 

Notes: Such weird halftone use in this issue. Sometimes chunkier than others, and sometimes not used at all.

Rip Zine

Rip Zine.

Zine: Rip Zine
Issue: unknown
Created by: Terry Nourse
Format: 8 1/2" x 14"
Where: Oakdale, MN
When: 1990

Canada scene review! Well, actually, it's just about Winnipeg, Manitoba, but a great piece by Ken Paul. There's a weird ad for Cafe Racer Sportswear, available at most local motorcycle shops. Anyone? Super photo heavy ending to this issue, it's a fantastic visual to the end of the 80s and the beginning of the 90s freestyle scene.

Notes: Pretty sure there's one scooter freestyle photo in here.

Rip Zine

Rip Zine.

Zine: Rip Zine
Issue: unknown
Created by: Terry Nourse
Format: 8 1/2" x 14"
Where: Oakdale, MN
When: 1990

The crazy halftone is gone, and I have to say it makes the whole zine feel a lot less frantic. There's a cohesiveness that was lacking in the previous issue and Nourse pulled some nice layouts in this issue. There's a lot of great freestyle shots and a few street skating photos at the back. 

Notes: What's Terry up to nowadays?

Redrum

Redrum.

Zine: Redrum
Issue: unknown
Created by: Mike Mamrosh, Aaron Pfendler
Format: 8 1/2" x 11"
Where: Forestport, NY
When: 1990

This one is a collaboration from Aaron Pfendler (Anarchist Monthly) and Mike Mamrosh (Nonconformist). It's unstapled and is 8 1/2" x 11" full pages, no half-fold. Reach Out interview, a California scene review by a guy named Dale from Disobey zine in Newbury Park, CA, an interview with Holocaust by A.P., a hefty vinyl fix music review section, Sons of Ishmael interview, and a photo of Chemical People at The Outhouse in Lawrence, KS by me. 

Notes: 45-cent stamp of Harvey Cushing, MD on this one. 

Aggro Rag #9

Aggro Rag #9.

Zine: Aggro Rag
Issue: 9
Created by: Mike Daily
Format: 8 1/2" x 11"
Where: York, PA
When: 1989

There are only a few zines in the skateboard and bmx freestyle worlds that are legendary. Aggro Rag is one of them. Mike Daily and the Plywood Hoods defied all of the small town odds with an expertly-documented scene and riders that were so ahead of their time it was unbelievable. Daily's editorial sensibility and style was as dialed in as Kevin Jones' rolling flatland trickery. This issue is toward the end of Aggro Rag's run, and it is one of the most prized zines in my shoebox. It's thicker than any other zine I have, and there's so much freestyle goodness it's incredible.

Notes: I met Daily in 2007 and worked on the art and graphics for his book and double CD audio compilation Alarm. Daily released a compendium of Aggro Rag from 1984-1989 that is still available. Pick up a copy if you can.

Nonconformist #2

Nonconformist #2.

Zine: Nonconformist
Issue: 2
Created by: Mike Mamrosh
Format: 8 1/2" x 11"
Where: Boonville, NY
When: 1989

This one has a crazy cover drawn by Mamrosh, an article about a General show in Liverpool, NY, a recipe for apple crisp that somehow does not include apples, and the phrase "lofting a massive gut lever."

Notes: Aaron Pfendler of Anarchist Monthly also contributed to Nonconformist.

Nonconformist #1

Nonconformist #3.

Zine: Nonconformist

Issue: 1

Created by: Mike Mamrosh

Format: 8 1/2" x 11"

Where: Boonville, NY

When: 1989

Mike Daily interview, 2-HIP King of Vert contest, Nude Bowl article with lots of photos, and Mamrosh's crazy artistic handwritten text.

Notes: This zine was so thick it took at 65-cent stamp to mail it. 

Rampage

Rampage.

Zine: Rampage
Issue: Unknown
Created by: Terry Nourse
Format: 4 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Where: Oakdale, MN
When: 1989

This is a weird little photo-heavy mini-zine advert for Rampage – an indoor ramp park – by Terry Nourse who normally whips out thick Rip zines. I think this was an insert to one of the last copies of Rip I got.

Notes: I don't know what the copy method was for this publication, but the halftone for photos is chunkier than cheap-ass bulk window screen from the hardware store.

Drivel

Drivel.

Zine: Drivel
Issue: Unknown
Created by: Unknown
Format: 8 1/2" x 11"
Where: Unknown
When: Unknown

I don't know a thing about this zine. There's a reference to Foster City. There's a reference to the Door Stop banks. An interview with The Mummies? Hmm.

Notes: There was a certain style to this that made me think it might have been an insert zine to something else. The handwritten text reminds me of Matt Bennett's scrawl, but the layout isn't his style. Does anyone know who created this one?

Forever Stoked

Forever Stoked.

Zine: Forever Stoked

Issue: April '88

Created by: Paridy

Format: 8 1/2" x 11"

Where: Kansas City, MO

When: 1988

Kansas City represent! How many professional bmx freestyle riders came out of the midwest? The west and upper-east coasts had far more notables than the middle of the middle of nowhere, but Dennis "DMC" McCoy showed up and turned all us Emporia, Kansas kids onto Haro Masters, Adidas and swap rock. DMC was hyperspastic? Yes, also hyperlocal. 

While Paridy's production is a little on the nose since she was apparently dating DMC at the time (fanzine created by your biggest fan) and it's a bare-bones magazine-style layout, it's still a great piece of history from the midwest bmx scene, small as it was. Paridy did justice in representing KC. This issue has a Leo "Animal" Chen interview, a ton of Kansas City local news, contest run reviews from AFA Oregon and Florida comps, and some familiar local names - Tom Raniolo and Ben Mahoney. Look 'em up. 

Notes: "We do shows, make money, go to contests, and rogue up." -Leo "Animal" Chen

Stuntwood #1

Stuntwood #1.

Zine: Stuntwood
Issue: 1
Created by: Dave D'Andrea
Format: 8 1/2" x 11"
Where: 
When: 1990

Dave keeps changing up the names of his zines, but the content and layout is consistently great. This one has a Bryan Pennington interview and  good zine and music review sections.

Notes: Maybe Sudden Impact #2 was actually the second issue of Stundwood? Who knows?

Sudden Impact #2

Sudden Impact #2.

Zine: Sudden Impact
Issue: 2
Created by: Dave D'Andrea
Format: 8 1/2" x 11"
Where: Bristol, CT
When: 1990

I want to say this is highlight-reel Dave D'Andrea for overall zine content and creation. I've got the copies of Cold Turkey to see where he's come from, and while I somehow missed Sudden Impact's inaugural issue, number two is a proper how-do-you-do. 

Notes: Cover photo... do you know how hard it is/was to kick flip that high on an era-appropriate setup? The trucks and wheels alone weigh 50 pounds.

The Twilight Zine

The Twilight Zine.

Zine: The Twilight Zine
Issue: Unknown
Created by: Esmann
Format: 8 1/2" x 11"
Where: Due West, SC
When: Unknown

A cool rag that I don't know much about. The one copy I have is an art-heavy, high-contrast, great-layout prototypical skate zine with some Andy Zalan and Alberto Kroeger art and a few good stories. 

Notes: The pigs on the cover remind me of something else, another piece of art, but I can't place it.

Just Another Stupid Zine

Just Another Stupid Zine.

Zine: Just Another Stupid Zine
Issue: Unknown
Created by: Unknown
Format: 8 1/2" x 11" full-page
Where: Fort Worth, TX
When: 1991

I remember absolutely nothing about this zine. I have no idea who created it, but it's from 1991, so I can imagine it was created by someone I'd corresponded with or traded zines with in the few prior years. There's a full-on Alberto Kroeger page with some of his usual artistic brilliance. The Robert Brown: A Man Of Few Words page is gold. 

Notes: This zine was copied with full 8 1/2" x 11" pages, stapled at the far left side. No half-fold letter paper here. 

Disobedience #7/8

Disobedience #7/8.

Zine: Disobedience
Issue: 7/8
Created by: Alberto Kroeger, Bryan Wendzel
Format: 8 1/2" x 11"
Where: Boulder, CO
When: 1989

An underused concept in making zines, this issue of Disobedience is like a split 7" by your two favorite bands. Kroeger does issue seven as the first half of the zine, Wendzel does the flip side as issue eight. I only have issue five and this one... I wish I had more.

Notes: I did rotate the second half of the zine in Photoshop so you wouldn't have to turn your computer upside-down. Kroeger's current work and zine Girl Greaser are available at Backward Messages.

Disobedience #5

Disobedience #5.

Zine: Disobedience
Issue: 5
Created by: Alberto Kroeger, Bryan Wendzel
Format: 8 1/2" x 11"
Where: Boulder, CO
When: 1989

Disobedience was one of those prototypical zines that everyone wanted to make, that everyone wanted to look like, that everyone wanted to feel like. It's some serious badass cut-and-paste. Great layouts, incredible use of type and a cool handwriting style – not to mention Kroeger's artistic stylings – made Disobedience one of the legendary zines of the late 80s. This issue has a cool opening contents page and it just gets better. 

Notes: This was my first introduction to Alberto Kroeger. Who knew that 25 years later, we'd meet up for Mexican food in Austin, Texas and swap boxes of old zines?