Print zines are coming back in an interesting way, partly because of the accelerated decay of digital spaces and the aggressive censorship of our existing ones. I'm really excited to get to go to shows and trade zines with people but it's bitter sweet that it's partially in the wake of the instability of something as ubiquitous as the internet.
Regardless, I think the amount of work that goes into current anti matter really shines through in its care and insight. Thanks so much for it, its become a fixture of my morning commute.
I think the recent vinyl boom is in connection with (as opposed to in opposition to) almost all music being available for (essentially) free digitally. I am well aware that I can listen to (insert LP I recently mail-ordered here) on Spotify, and I do that most often, but because the artists receive very little in the way of compensation for those digital streams I want to show my support by also buying (and listening to when I have a moment to myself) the physical copy. I've been buying physical records for over 20 years at this point, but, to me, it means a bit more to do it these days.
Same. I don't currently have a turntable, but it feels like a way to directly support the band and have a nice physical copy for when I finally do get another turntable. Band shirts serve a similar purpose for me as well.
One thing that I appreciate about Substack as a platform in contrast to email newsletters is having the option to replicate the zine (and magazine) experience. When I open anti-matter on a Tuesday or Thursday morning (I’m in the morning ritual camp) in the Substack app on my iPad, it’s close enough to opening a zine or a physical newsletter.
There is an attraction to “one thing that does it all” of the email inbox, but this kind of writing asks and encourages the reader to engage fully. A separate application gives the chance to engage with greater focus.
I dunno man, we’re living in a world we never lived in before. It’s nice when living in the future isn’t entirely a hellscape.
Before I get to what I initially intended to start with, I just want to add that the simple notification I get has indeed become something I look forward to. It hasn't really gotten Pavlovian yet and still surprises me, especially the AM playlists (I REALLY look forward to those). It's not the same as walking up to a merch table or getting a copy in the mail but, pretty damn close.
That said, I can absolutely relate to the apprehension of asking for payment and have found myself in similar waters, purely due to my own wiring (I have had to keep track of how many "promo" records I've given away to someone that really needed the $25 that would've covered it, but I honestly would rather they go without having to worry about it and it doesn't impact us). However, when it comes to supporting creative endeavors, my approach is purely based on gratitude and the various levels involved in expressing it - financial support definitely being one of them. While that level of support now is something I can do without even thinking about it, there were definitely times, especially '89-'95 or so, I would gladly pull the trigger and go home loaded with records, shirts, zines, and deal with the financial impact afterwards because, to me, it meant the people that were pouring themselves into the art I was fortunate enough to be exposed to could continue doing so... at least I hoped it would.
It's hard for me not to think in tangible terms, but I do pretty much feel like I'm publishing a new "issue" every month. It just comes out, piece by piece, every week!
Absolutely! I have definitely caught myself going back and reading through from the first article of the month straight through to the last and it feels exactly like that.
It's an interesting tradeoff to me - on the one hand, I can have all kinds of music at my fingertips wherever I go, which is especially nice at work. And I can finally explore all kinds of bands and discographies that space and money would have made difficult. But at the same time, there was something to coming home to a 12" cardboard mailer from Dischord leaning up against the front door or seeing a new issue of MRR or Punk Planet show up. Especially when I lived somewhere where mail order was the only way to hear things, that felt really special. I don't know that one is "better" than the other, just that it's a tradeoff.
When it comes to this resurgence of interest in vinyl it reminds me of a quote from Kevin Kelly the founding editor of Wired magazine: “A universal law of economics says the moment something becomes free and ubiquitous, its position in the economic equation suddenly inverts. When nighttime electrical lighting was new and scarce, it was the poor who burned common candles. Later, when electricity became easily accessible and practically free, our preference flipped and candles at dinner became a sign of luxury. In.”
Plus when it comes to independent labels like alternative tentacles didn’t they do themselves in? I clearly remember reading a article in spin in 1998 about how jello Biafra was being sued by the other members of the Dead Kennedys for unpaid royalties. Plus what I always found interesting is dischord records is distributed by Southern in Europe. That must be a strange business relationship.
K and Lookout certainly imploded because of poor money management and left a lot of bands unpaid.
I think the generational factor to hardcore is part of it too - a lot of anniversary reissues of records, sometimes remastered, or discography collections so people can get physical copies of records that until then went for sarcastic amounts of money. People who missed out the first time can get copies now, and some bands are finally getting proper treatment. I was so happy to see the collection of Samuel's early stuff released alongside their new album, for example.
Cliff, I hope you don’t mind me calling by your first name and you make a lot of valid points and I call tell by your tone of your writing you aren’t looking for a fight. I was reading this great book called “metaphors we live by” and the author said we should view discussion of dissenting opinions not terms of war but think of disagreement in terms of a dancing. But I remember when I was in high school I was very influenced by the lyrics of shelter especially the lyrics for the song for “quest for certainty” that went , “so many people preach some many teach and might a claim to authority but I see in their lives they comprise so why should they be teaching me,” and punk planet is an example of that. I remember one particular issue where punk planet interviewed Steve Albini and he criticized punk planet for having a publicist which he claimed was very unpunk. But punk planet included that segment of the interview but excluded the name of their publicist whose is Jessica hopper. Which I thought was a weird choice of editing. When it comes to dischord I was disappointed to find out that even dischord compromised with the trade off business relationship with southern. I hope my explanation are helpful and I look forward to your response. All the best John.
Print zines are coming back in an interesting way, partly because of the accelerated decay of digital spaces and the aggressive censorship of our existing ones. I'm really excited to get to go to shows and trade zines with people but it's bitter sweet that it's partially in the wake of the instability of something as ubiquitous as the internet.
Regardless, I think the amount of work that goes into current anti matter really shines through in its care and insight. Thanks so much for it, its become a fixture of my morning commute.
I think the recent vinyl boom is in connection with (as opposed to in opposition to) almost all music being available for (essentially) free digitally. I am well aware that I can listen to (insert LP I recently mail-ordered here) on Spotify, and I do that most often, but because the artists receive very little in the way of compensation for those digital streams I want to show my support by also buying (and listening to when I have a moment to myself) the physical copy. I've been buying physical records for over 20 years at this point, but, to me, it means a bit more to do it these days.
Same! Twenty years ago, I would buy a record to hear it. Now I can hear it anyway and buy it to support the band. It’s more purposeful support.
Same. I don't currently have a turntable, but it feels like a way to directly support the band and have a nice physical copy for when I finally do get another turntable. Band shirts serve a similar purpose for me as well.
One thing that I appreciate about Substack as a platform in contrast to email newsletters is having the option to replicate the zine (and magazine) experience. When I open anti-matter on a Tuesday or Thursday morning (I’m in the morning ritual camp) in the Substack app on my iPad, it’s close enough to opening a zine or a physical newsletter.
There is an attraction to “one thing that does it all” of the email inbox, but this kind of writing asks and encourages the reader to engage fully. A separate application gives the chance to engage with greater focus.
I dunno man, we’re living in a world we never lived in before. It’s nice when living in the future isn’t entirely a hellscape.
I will say the Substack app is the thing that sold me. I do like the experience and interface of it. Somehow, I find myself wanting to open it.
Before I get to what I initially intended to start with, I just want to add that the simple notification I get has indeed become something I look forward to. It hasn't really gotten Pavlovian yet and still surprises me, especially the AM playlists (I REALLY look forward to those). It's not the same as walking up to a merch table or getting a copy in the mail but, pretty damn close.
That said, I can absolutely relate to the apprehension of asking for payment and have found myself in similar waters, purely due to my own wiring (I have had to keep track of how many "promo" records I've given away to someone that really needed the $25 that would've covered it, but I honestly would rather they go without having to worry about it and it doesn't impact us). However, when it comes to supporting creative endeavors, my approach is purely based on gratitude and the various levels involved in expressing it - financial support definitely being one of them. While that level of support now is something I can do without even thinking about it, there were definitely times, especially '89-'95 or so, I would gladly pull the trigger and go home loaded with records, shirts, zines, and deal with the financial impact afterwards because, to me, it meant the people that were pouring themselves into the art I was fortunate enough to be exposed to could continue doing so... at least I hoped it would.
Until the next notification,...
It's hard for me not to think in tangible terms, but I do pretty much feel like I'm publishing a new "issue" every month. It just comes out, piece by piece, every week!
Absolutely! I have definitely caught myself going back and reading through from the first article of the month straight through to the last and it feels exactly like that.
It's an interesting tradeoff to me - on the one hand, I can have all kinds of music at my fingertips wherever I go, which is especially nice at work. And I can finally explore all kinds of bands and discographies that space and money would have made difficult. But at the same time, there was something to coming home to a 12" cardboard mailer from Dischord leaning up against the front door or seeing a new issue of MRR or Punk Planet show up. Especially when I lived somewhere where mail order was the only way to hear things, that felt really special. I don't know that one is "better" than the other, just that it's a tradeoff.
When it comes to this resurgence of interest in vinyl it reminds me of a quote from Kevin Kelly the founding editor of Wired magazine: “A universal law of economics says the moment something becomes free and ubiquitous, its position in the economic equation suddenly inverts. When nighttime electrical lighting was new and scarce, it was the poor who burned common candles. Later, when electricity became easily accessible and practically free, our preference flipped and candles at dinner became a sign of luxury. In.”
Plus when it comes to independent labels like alternative tentacles didn’t they do themselves in? I clearly remember reading a article in spin in 1998 about how jello Biafra was being sued by the other members of the Dead Kennedys for unpaid royalties. Plus what I always found interesting is dischord records is distributed by Southern in Europe. That must be a strange business relationship.
K and Lookout certainly imploded because of poor money management and left a lot of bands unpaid.
I think the generational factor to hardcore is part of it too - a lot of anniversary reissues of records, sometimes remastered, or discography collections so people can get physical copies of records that until then went for sarcastic amounts of money. People who missed out the first time can get copies now, and some bands are finally getting proper treatment. I was so happy to see the collection of Samuel's early stuff released alongside their new album, for example.
Cliff, I hope you don’t mind me calling by your first name and you make a lot of valid points and I call tell by your tone of your writing you aren’t looking for a fight. I was reading this great book called “metaphors we live by” and the author said we should view discussion of dissenting opinions not terms of war but think of disagreement in terms of a dancing. But I remember when I was in high school I was very influenced by the lyrics of shelter especially the lyrics for the song for “quest for certainty” that went , “so many people preach some many teach and might a claim to authority but I see in their lives they comprise so why should they be teaching me,” and punk planet is an example of that. I remember one particular issue where punk planet interviewed Steve Albini and he criticized punk planet for having a publicist which he claimed was very unpunk. But punk planet included that segment of the interview but excluded the name of their publicist whose is Jessica hopper. Which I thought was a weird choice of editing. When it comes to dischord I was disappointed to find out that even dischord compromised with the trade off business relationship with southern. I hope my explanation are helpful and I look forward to your response. All the best John.