Larry-bob's Mailbox: October and November 1999 archive

The point of this page is to have up-to date information about queer zines and music as I get it. Sometimes in the past I've built up a backlog - this way you find out about it as soon as I get it. These little mini-blurbs are short by necessity - I will probably expand on things in the next Queer Zine Explosion.

OK, I'm back from a trip to Los Angeles. As usual, I found a full box of stuff when I got back...

I got a batch of five small publications from Joe Pop - one on being a childhood of being a fan of Slade and other glam music, one on seeing a Pete Burns performance, a retrospective on the Runaways, a piece about being in New York, and reflections on trying on different identities. Joe may not have those particular pieces in print, but write him and he'll send some interesting stuff. Send $1/trade/request to Joe, BCM 5524, London WC1 3XX. email: joepopmag@hotmail.com

I picked this one up at the Creating Change conference: Able-Together magazine is a by and about disabled gay men. Contents include a piece about going to the gym; an article on disabled performers; an interview with writer Walt Itrich; a poem by Chris Hewitt; contact ads. web: www.well.com/user/blaine/abletog.html. 60 pages, digest. Write POB 460053, SF CA 94146. Voice mail: 415-552-9091.

The former editor of Able-Together, Bob Guter, is working on a new publication called Bent: A Journal of Cripgay Voices. Their webpage is at www.bentvoices.org. Contact mystory@bentvoices.com for more information.

Got a newsletter, Pride Center News, from the Pride Center of New Jersey. They have a website at www.pridecenter.org.

Got a copy of Angry Thoreauan in the mail - the trade a result of seeing the editor read last week when I was in L.A. This is the "coprology" issue, and includes an articles on colonoscopy, Mozart's scatological sense of humor, and other shit-related topics. Plus band interviews, zine and music reviews, and more. Ordering info can be found on the website, www.angrythoreauan.com

Girlfriends December 1999 issue has Rain Pryor on the cover, and an interview with her..

There's a new issue of Emigre Magazine, from the folks who make those cool fonts. Stuff in this issue on Las Vegas, and a new typeface based on a phonetic alphabet created by Brigham Young. Visit emigre.com.

Here's a combo of what I got in the mail today with some stuff I got last weekend. Just wanted to get caught up, so some info may be brief.

Teaching Through Trauma is the new comic collection starring bi-dyke Liliane, drawn by Leanne Franson. In this book (and book it is, with a spine and full-color cover) Leanne's character Liliane explores trying to get pregnant, the perils of phantom relationships, and the fun of wearing wigs. Plus a childhood memory of death-prone hamsters, and more. Published by Slab-O-Concrete.

She-Devils are a band from Argentina who have just put out a CD called "La Piel Dura." They're a hard-rocking trio - Patricia sings and plays bass, Pilar (who's holding a pink triangle button in her picture) plays guitar, and Lucio drums. Lyrics are in Spanish. Definitely recommended.
email the band at sdvs@mundo.wamani.apc.org
$13 para latinoamérica (incluye envío), $15 world wide (post paid) to
C.C. 16 Suc 27 B
(1427) Cap. Fed.
Argentina

Elegies is a CD by Robert Urban. At times moving into prog territory, it's a smoothly produced melodic rock album with openly queer lyrics. For more information, visit the artist's website.

Vol VI, #11 of Batteries Not Included, which does include an autobiographical piece by a former British film censor, David Steinberg on getting his suitcase full of sex toys searched at the airport x-ray machine, and an excerpt from Lisa Falour's autobiography. Plus porn reviews and more. $3 to BNI, 130 W. Limestone St., Yellow Springs, OH 45387, or BNI@aol.com

OK, I'm getting a little out of order here. I got some stuff on the weekend in the mail but I haven't enetered it yet. But I have with me today only what I plucked out of the P.O. Box today. So here it is.

The tenth issue of King of the Fairies, the Ashley Macisaac fanzine, has lots of goodies, not the least of which is an official 100% cotton King of the Fairies Come Rag. In this issue, our editor Glendon visits Toronto's lesbian and gay pride day and has a bathroom assignation with a skinhead. There's a transcript of Muchmusic's pride day broadcast interview with Ashley; an article on what the kids are listening to in Blighty (slang for England); concert review of Ashley; interview with writer Derek McCormack, author of Dark Rides, Wish Book, and Halloween Suite; Glendon's diaries of his trip to England -- not some dry record of events, but a deeply emotional recording of interpersonal moments. Here is a link to some writing from a previous issue. 56 pages, digest. $3 to King of the Fairies, 91 Sackville St, Toronto, Ont M5A 3E6 Canada.

The Quiet One has published its second issue. Still focused on movies, this one points out more art/indie films than the first issue. A photo of Lorca and Dali with a ransom-note caption saying they both agree Tucson sucks; Maya Deren's Meshes of the Afternoon; Kafka answers letters; Gamera: cooler than Godzilla; horror movie reviews; presidential candidates try to be hip; The Bicycle Thief as a film about what it means to be a man; an interpretation of Darth Vader as being gay; Passolini's El Decameron. 24 pages, digest. $1 or trade to Permanent Press, 1150 E 8th St #310, Tucson, AZ 85719. email: sabin1@hotmail.com

Celebrate The Self: The Magazine of Solo Sex is a magazine for men about masturbation. It includes writing on techniques, reader mail, news items, a survey, and more. $4.50 to Factor Press, PO Box 8888, Mobile, Alabama 36689. web: www.solosex.com

I also got a couple of pieces of mail for the National Coalition to Stop Food Irradiation. They used to have my P.O. Box, but the organization is apparently now defunct. Poeple keep getting their address out of books and magazines. I usually return the mail with "Organization defunct" written on it. I have sometimes accidentally opened their letters. People never send so much as a stamp - they expect free information. No wonder they went out of business.

There's a new French-language queer anarchist zine called Bangbang which came out of a twice-yearly gathering of French speaking fags called The Croisière. The contributors are from Switzerland, Belgium, Brittany and France. For more information, send email to bangbang1969@hotmail.com

Got a collection of postcards from Agitart. Some of their political graphics are also available for printout on their website. Postcard slogans include "Sodomy Laws Suck," "How to build a war machine," "White men can't count" (about how statistics still show that whites are much better off), and more.

Not from my PO Box but worth noting is Magnus, a new free publication in San Francisco. There's an article by Michael Petrelis examining the political contributions of famous homosexuals (surprisingly, they don't often support gay and lesbian candidates); Shawn O'Hearn on contact tracing; Questioning AIDS by Christin Maggiore of Alive & Well Los Angeles; the CDC and the supposed Syphilis outbreak; the Millennium March and the Commitee for an Open Process; movie, music, book, and video reviews. Look around town for a copy if you live here, or contact them at 2215-R Market St, #495, San Francisco, CA 94114. website: http://www.magnusnews.com">www.magnusnews.com

Got a card from Dischord records announcing the release of a CD of recordings by One Last Wish, which, like Happy Go Licky, was a late-80s band with nearly the same membership as Rites of Spring.

I got a couple of books from Painted Leaf Press -- a new novel by Emanuel Xavier and the anthology Besame Mucho: New Gay Latino Fiction edited by Jaime Manrique with Jesse Dorris. Obviously, I haven't had a chance to read the books yet, but I thought you should know.

The band Paxton sent me their new four-song EP, Ginger's Dish. The first two songs throw some drum loops into the mix of their power-pop sound. Sample lyric from the first track, "What's it like to be you?" -- "all the homos want to be beside you on the dancefloor" -- the song is about one of the beautiful club people who always jumps to the head of the line. "How the Love Turns Around" is a drinkin' ballad with a gorgeous multi-tracked vocal intro. "Closing," a solo acoustic guitar number, is about going through the belongings of a friend who has died, inspired by the passing of Paxton's bass player. Paxton's got a great rust-edged voice, and with his band creates great pop rock. Check the review of their full-length in QZE. Visit Paxton's website for more info.

Scavengers (of which I just received issue 188) is a newsletter listing Science Fiction publications and is aimed at people who want to have their writing published in such publications. Note the new address. Half legal-size, 24 pages. $2.50 to Janet Fox, 833 Main, Osage City, KS 66523. web page: http://www.cza.com/scav

OK, I'm attempting to catch up here... sorry if descriptions are brief...

Invaders From a Forbidden Planet's new CD Queen City includes interviews with gay and lesbian teenagers, and then the content of the interviews is used as the inspiration for the songs. The music is guitar-based pop; the bass-playing is active and melodic and reminds me of Mike Watt at times. The band has a website and there's also info about this CD on the site of the youth group whose interviews appear on the CD.

Flying Buttress is a zine by John Sanchez, who used to do "I wrote a letter" (a series of letters to corporations about how their product has improved the writer's homosexual lifestyle) and various other zine projects. There's a big ol' interview with Billy Miller of sex-zine Straight to Hell; making fun of publicity photos; stories of revenge; "Journey: Gay?"; lumps on the testes; pix from a BlairMag.Com party; meals; and more. Laughs out loud are guaranteed by me. 36 pages, digest. John Sanchez, PO Box 150663, Brooklyn, NY 11215. Email: johnsanchez@earthlink.net

Oh Boy was one of the zines I picked up at Queeruption in New York (so was Flying Buttress). This one has a lot of writing on personal topics, like having had to deal with overly agressive guys as a teenage girl; an open letter to another woman - "I don't like how I feel stuck in a box labeled "straight girl" when I am with you... I always thought it would be easier for me to be open with someone else who is queer... But instead I feel like you take me at face value." 48 pages, mini. Barbie, 76 E. 1st St #1B, NY NY 10009.

Can't Stop the World: another Queeruption zine. Comic about working in a coffeeshop; glamour tips; traveling and wanting to go where the locals go, not tourist traps; true love always comic; fiction about a girl's best friend leaving town for summer vacation. Theresa's also in the band The Pill, who have a single coming out on Heartcore. website: Go Teen Go 20 pages, mini. $1 to Theresa E. Motter, PO Box 829, Hampshire College, Amherst MA 01002-5001.

New copy of the glossy lesbian mag Girlfriends. Cover story is Margaret Cho, and there's also a feature on the best Lesbian places to live.

New catalog from Bottlenekk distribution, who distro various indie rock music. I guess I got the catalog because I ordered a Witchknot LP from them, when no record stores in San Francisco had it.

Here's stuff I got in the mail yesterday:

Number 15 of Black Sheets is the second "Sex Pioneers" issues. Articles on the bar Ambush; filmmaker Fred Halstead; interview with Pat Califia; an article on Chuck Arnett, who did the Tool Box Mural - the article also includes an anecdote of getting a tattoo from Sam Steward (aka Phil Sparrow and Phil Andros); an article on Bob Opel, who streaked at the Oscars; review of Samuel R. Delany's Times Square Red, Times Square Blue.

Scutter #5 includes interviews with the bands Rizzo, Third Grade Teacher, Peel, El Vez, Cadallaca, and Dance Hall Crashers. Rudy usually makes sure to ask the bands about their feelings about homophobia. Plus this issue has pieces on the Scutter record release party, Vaginal Davis' Club Sucker 4 year anniversary; Rudy sees Bis shows all over California; guy's underwear pictures; starbright Girl and Boy of the issue; a piece on getting dumped by a boyfriend. Rudy, PO Box 3247, Alhambra, CA 91803. email: scutterzine@aol.com

Feedback #42 has a lengthy review of a Jazz Butcher show, and a short review of a disappointing Jonathan Richman show. Plus this issue includes a list of best albums of the 90s, puncuated with a question mark. C.A. Schneck, 16A Webster Ave, Somerville MA 02143.

Wendell Rickets is requesting contributions for "Everything I have is blue: short fiction by working-class men about mor-or-less gay life." The deadline is Nov 30, 1999. Contact Wendell Ricketts, 3508 Tulane Drive NE, Apt C, Albuquerque, NM, 97107 or email uur@earthlink.net for more information.

Jon Gilbert Leavitt's song "Pride", which he sent to me on a CD, is sort of like Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire," only about gay subject matter, with a long string of historical items over a synth background. Jon Gilbert Leavitt, 117-01 Park Lane South, #D4G, Kew Gardens, NY 11418-1014. email: jgleavitt@aol.com

Mail from the Edmonton Small Press Association, which includes information about an exhibition of zines and small press publications they're planning for the summer of 2000. Plus articles on distribution, postering ordinances, the San Diego Comic Con, and more. Send in materials for the exhibition by November 30, 1999. PO Box 75086, Ritchie Postal Outlet, Edmonton, AB, T6E 6K1, Canada. email: jonno@compusmart.ab.ca

A CD of torch song standards by Gypsy and Reno. You can check out their sound from the MP3s linked to from their website. Really, everyone who's doing cabaret performance needs to get to New York and see Kiki and Herb's post-modern cabaret act.

A catalog of old books on Gay and Lesbian topics from Bolerium Books. Not for bargain-hunters, but there's some very rare stuff here that's otherwise unavailable.

OK, here's finally some more New York stuff. This isn't everything yet... plus I'll be putting up new stuff I get in the mail this weekend.

Homopunk World is the zine done by cartoonist Anonymous Boy. This issue features an extensive and exhaustive interview with G.B. Jones, who was co-editor of JDs, a member of the band Fifth Column, and is a filmmaker of such works as the Yo-yo Gang. Plus a page on homopunk pioneer Faebhean Kwest of the Raped; interview with cartoonist Abby Denson; interview with Joe Butcher of Ludichrist; another candidate for the most homophobic punk record; interview with Rick, who put out Stop Homophobia 2 on Turkey Baster Records; letter from Chris Freeman of Pansy Division. Plus also available is collection #7 of Anonymous Boy's comics, including besides his usual naked guys, dykes! 34 pages, standard. c/o Tony Arena, PO Box 1502, Old Chelsea Stn, NY NY 10011

Sorry folks, that's all I have time for now...

Well, I still don't think I'll get to doing the rest of the New York loot entered today. Stay tuned for that. In the meantime, here's what was in the p.o. box today:

A new issue of Androzine, the french language zine that's the longest-running Queer zine. This 1999 issue is #22. Contents include a piece on rapper Cyryus, as well as other musicans; zine listings, including European zines that I've never heard about like the Belgian "Queerzazouzine"; a piece on the first Queeruption gathering in England; a paper entitled "Del' Alienation Del' Individual a la Revolution Sociale"; international news from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe; articles on art. 36 pages, standard. 16 Francs to Androzine, BP 192, 75623 Paris Cedex 13, France.

Batteries Not Included vol VI #10 starts off with a feature titled "Fags on Film," which is mostly about images of gays in film, and the way that gay activists seek politically correct images in film - the article is anomalous though, in that it is not about pornography, which is the main focus of the publication. The zine always delivers thoughtful writing on the subject of pornography. This issue also includes an memoir by Lisa B. Falour about her best trick, who recently died. $3 to BNI, 130 W. Limestone St., Yellow Springs, OH 45387, or BNI@aol.com

The new issue of Angelbaby is divided into two mini-booklets. Angelina is a very prolific writer. There's an amusing and insightful piece about four different brands of "different" people - the counterculture, the dramatics, the isolationists, and the traditionalists. There's an examination of three guys named Jason. A piece I can totally identify about always being five minutes late for work. Plus sleeping with an ex-girlfriend; the disasterous Woodstock '99, and much more. Now for the 2nd volume: "An open letter to the girl of my dreams"; hearing that a cheerleader type from highschool is now queer; fashion tips; zine reviews, and more. 36 and 20 pages, mini. Send $2 for both volumes to PO Box 3024, Fayetteville, NC 28302-3024.

Plus I got a letter from G.B. Jones, a tape from Tim of Noise Queen, and an order for Holy Titclamps.

Man, I'm so behind on this... I still have a lot of zines from Queeruption to type in. I think I'll do that later - for now, here's what was in my mailbox when I got back to San Francisco.

Girl Cult Girlkulturezine vol 3 #1: Comix by Rachael House; an erotic story about a man and a woman stuck in an elevator; answer to the question "How does a girl stash vol 3 #1: Comix by Rachael House; an erotic story about a man and a woman stuck in an elevatorome emergency cash when naked or nearly so?"; prospective essay topics for the employed; makeup tips; a woman finds a connection with her dead father by looking at books he owned; "Dear Amy" comix. 32 pages, half-legal. $2 to Joan Brennan (not Girl Cult) 48 Craig St., London Ont Canda N6C 1E8.

New Baby Sue zine -- your source for politically incorrect humor and comics, including an expose of the suffering that can result from pursuing homosexuality -- and (separate publication) Baby Sue review - full of music reviews, fake and real. Check the website for ordering info.

The Quiet One is a first issue of a zine. There's movie reviews (3 Kings, Austin Powers 2, Afterlife, Philadelphia, Dreamlife of Angels and Velvet Goldmine) and more. 24 pages, digest. $1 or trade to Permanent Press, 1150 E 8th St #310, Tucson, AZ 85719. email: sabin 1@hotmail.com

I Hate Valentine's Day #7.5 is a zine with a diary of a trip, including a visit to Olympia, Washington. 32 pages, mini. $?/trade to Jesse, 41 Watchung Plaza #124, Montclair, NJ 07042. email: skeletor@metallica.com

New issue of MSRRT Newsletter - the organ of the Minnesota Library Association Social Responsibility Round Table. Includes reviews of non-mainstream books and zines that libraries ought to have. 12 pages, standard. Subscriptions: $15 to 4645 Columbus Ave S, Mpls, MN 55407. web: http://www.cs.unca.edu/~edmiston/msrry email: cdodge@sun.hennepin.lib.mn.us

An announcement of Paradox in Oz, a new Oz book, and a new issue of Oz-story magazine. Write to 1516 Cypress Ave., San Diego, CA, 92103. email: tigerbooks@aol.com

Also: A poetry submission (please do not send these at this time.) QZE and Holy Titclamps orders (keep 'em coming, folks!)

Sorry it's been a while since the last update - I'm still in New York for Queeruption. Today's the last day. Tonight I'm doing a reading as part of C. Bard Cole's reading series (follow link for details.)

So, I haven't been able to check my mailbox because of being out here, but here's some stuff I've picked up at various places on my trip, including yesterday's Queeruption zine workshop.

New Pink Schicks is a zine that includes an article about smoking, both on the personal level of having a father who died of it, and on a broader societal level; an article about Sadie Benning which brings up the issue of accesibility of her videos to young women who aren't rich; interview with Madigan; the dangers of tampons; comics about worrying about coming out to mom and other topics; article on class issues. 56 pages, digest. Send email to meeow@chickmail.com

loves the man is a zine of a bunch of handwritten thoughts with drawings, from a queer male perspective. It tends to be first-person and I can't do it justice by summarizing. There's a piece called "Stonewall was a brand name not a riot" which critiques the focus on Stonewall. There's also a nice full-color poster with the words "don't be a part of the lack of interesting queer culture. speak for/about yourself." 36 pages, digest. Send email to pbandjayr@aol.com

Arrowed 7: First off, I'm really blown away by a technical aspect of this zine's production - some of it is printed in silver ink and I just can't figure out how that was done. Looks like maybe each one is individually hand-written? There's a piece about leaving a part of oneself behind in New York; a second-person piece about being apart; feeling like a cliche; listening to hard rock radio; on the Greyhound in Bakersfield, CA; zinester pictures; Brooklyn word search; a friend leaving school; books to read; doing touristy things in the place where you live; an autobiographical comic; androgyny; zine reviews. 40 pages, mini. Lauren M. Fardig, 31 Union Square West #8b, NY NY 10003. Email: arrowzine@aol.com

I got a lyric sheet for Limp Wrist which is a new queer hardcore band whose singer is Martin of Los Crudos. I met Andrew from Philly who's also in the band, and the various members live in different cities. But hopefully they will record soon.

OK, I picked up more stuff but I gotta go now. More later... and just wait till I get back to my mailbox full of stuff in S.F.

Larry-bob
larrybob@io.com