free, 100 pgs, full- size, offset newsprint w/ glossy cover, out of stock

"I am an international homeless. And it's awesome, I couldn't wait to return to the red, white, and blue. But some folks warned me, that going back to America isn't all lollipops and ice cream sundaes. They've cautioned me about reverse clture shock, the anxiety from returning to your native nation after you've lived in a developing country that's been slowly exporting poisoned goods as a scheme for world dominance." -from Amy Adoyzie's column

One of the few medium- size punk fanzines still standing, Razorcake covers whatever's new and notable in with punk rock music and culture. Mitch Clem and Ben Snakepit each contribute classic columns in comic format and two columnists write about travelling out of the country. Features include: a call for punks to start exercising, interviews with Italian pop-punk band The Manges, an interview with Joey Shithead from 80s hardcore band DOA., and tons of record reviews. Very diverse subject matter. Very cool.

free, 100 pages, full-size, offset newsprint w/ glossy cover, out of stock

 There's so many types of music covered and so much other content in every issue of Razorcake, I feel like pretty much everyone, even if they are only casually interested in the independent music scene, will find it worth reading. Highlights from this issue of Razorcake: "Stereotypes of Stupidity" by Maddy Tight Pants, an interview with Christian Parenti (author of Lockdown America), and my personal fave from this issue: "How to Fight for a Skate Park," an article about all the beauracracy and red tape Todd Tayor faced while he tried to help convince the local government to build a skate park that would be useful to area skaters.

free, 100 pages, full-size, offset newsprint w/ glossy cover, out of stock

 "Craig's fancy new move involved jumping over onto the balcony, pulling out a glass bottle he'd somehow hidden over there, and smashing it over his head. I'm told William Ocean did the exact same routine last year: a somersault onto a beer can (only he uses two cans this year instead of one)." from the "US Air Guitar Championships" by Joe Evans III

Between the glossy black and blue covers of the latest issue of Razorcake, we find hours of reading material and a hundred pages dedicated to the punk subculture. Features several standout columns: Ben Snakepit immortalizes his memory of the late J Church vocalist Lance Hahn in his comic column, Maddy Tight Pants contemplates what her high school peers and fellow former grunge fanatics are doing with their lives, and Nardwuar's interview with Hilary Duff (?!) The most memorable articles were an interview with the owner of indie record label Geykido Comet and an account of one contributor's trip to the US Air Guitar Championship.

$3, 100 pgs., offset newsprint w/ glossy cover, 1 in stock

"It would be ridiculous for me to spend seven and a half years of my life on a zine and not be a huge fan of what we cover. I'm a so- so smart dude, and if my main concerns were being self- employed and making money, doing a zine on DIY punk would be a stupid financial decision. But I love this culture; have interviewed hundreds of bands, reviewed thousands." from "Bring Ear Plugs" by Todd Taylor

"So that was the big difference between Libra and me: she was at the beginning of her twenties when we danced and waited for the new year. I was at the end of my twenties. Just a few months from thirty. And, with less than a minute left in the millenium, I flashed back to those days of being that awkward adolescent, hanging out with my buddy Bart at a school dance, taking tiny tiny sips off of stolen whiskey..." from "Pink Parkas and Black Eyes" by Sean Carswell

 "It was like the first time I'd ever heard the record. It just detonated. It became thick and real and jagged. I felt like I was able to touch the music and the music was sticking to me. Forthright. Literate. Unpretentious. Hard- bitten without bravado. Guitars that swarmed like bees around a hidden hive of melody. How hadn't I heard it that way, listening to the same notes all of those times before? I have no idea" - from the Leatherface interview by Todd Taylor

This isssue of Razorcake features the first big article I've written for the zine about Infoshops in the US. There's an overview, which talks about the connection between punk rock and anarchism, how infoshops put radical ideals into practice, and some insight as to how an infoshop is run. It's beautifully illustrated by Steve Larder too. My other favorites in this issue are the "Something Great" comics by Mitch Clem and Ben Snakepit's "Party Garbage UK Tour Report" column. Plus, Maddy Tight Pants ranting about religion, the first chapter of Sean Carswell's new book, and some election- year poliical commentary. Also had interviews with Leatherface, Bad Reaction, and Rich Kids on LSD, and of course, a heaping pile of zine, record, book and DVD reviews.

$3, 100 pgs., full- size, offset newsprint w/ glossy cover, 4 in stock

 This issue features the first installment of Todd Taylor's "One Punk's Guide To..." where he talks about his history with punk rock and how he eventually began branching out and listening to other genres as well. An interview with Steel Tigers Of Death from Seattle showcases some of the band's riduculous antics, a politically charged conversation with the New Model Army, and some long interviews where you can also get to know the members of Killer Dreamer and Dead To Me. The columns make this issue great; all the usual contributors are at their best. Sean Carswell writes about pitching a screenplay, the cops don't believe that Designated Dale is sober, the Rhythm Chicken bangs his drums on a local bridge, and Ben Snakepit discovers plenty of cool stuff in the trash. This is such a great zine; if you haven't read an issue yet, I don't know what you're waiting for!

$3, 80 pgs., half- size, photocopied, 8 in stock

"Every fall as winter is approaching, I take a look at my current bike. It will have nestled itself into a soft spot in my heart, and it will be my favorite thing in the whole world. Everything about it is perfect, or at least perfect enough. It's most likely spent the spring and summer being my steady ride. It might have been my steady ride for two or three summers. It might have accompanied me on long trips, or late night shin digs. I know it's willing to brave the long winter ahead."

 Matte has been putting out this Minneapolis- based DIY bike punk zine for ten years now. This issue is about riding in the rain, a cross- city bike race, riding 45 miles to a campsite with his friends for the weekend, building tall bikes and bike trailers, gardening, and parenting. It's really thick and text heavy. The writing is very intelligent; he definitely knows what he's talking about in the DIY articles, but it sounds like he also has a postitive, fun attitude about his life.

free, 8 pgs., half- size, photocopied, out of stock

An excellent critique of consumerism within the hardcore community. Points out the paralells between mainstream advertising techniques and recent ads that punk record companies have run. Also includes very thought- provoking looks at "How Buying Affects the Buyer," and "How Selling Affects the Seller" and suggests some alternatives to punk consumerism to keep yourself from getting caught up in it. I think this is very relevant and important reading material for anybody who is into punk rock or zines. 

$5, 48 pgs., half- legal, photocopied w/ full-color cover, 1 in stock

 This badass comic zine about skateboarding features nine different contributors. I was impressed by the full-color cover: a watercolor painting of a night time skater which has a striking effect. Inside, the well-done contributions include stories about first skateboards, people the artists have skated with, and the adventures they’ve had skating in different places.

I wanted to make sure that Sidewalk Bump #2 wasn’t overly romanticizing skateboard culture, so I showed it to a friend (who has been a real skate rat his whole life and wouldn’t tolerate any cutesy shit) and he echoed the same thing that me and everyone else (skaters and non-skaters alike) said after reading it: “This is really cool. It makes me want to go skateboard now!” Overall, this zine has a really young, excited, adventurous spirit, and is really easy to get into whether or not you skate.