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\centerline{\hl Zines, Music, all that stuff}

These aren't meant to be ``reviews'', where we tell you what's
``good'' and ``bad'', but descriptions of things we think are
worth looking at from a homo-punk perspective. If you see
anything you think others should know about, either send it in or
write it up and tell us! There's a lot of things that should be
in here and aren't. We get lots of zines here, especially, and
many SHOULD be reviewed, but there simply isn't time or space.
Doing these ``reviews'' always holds up HC production.

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{\bf ANGRY KIDS/CABAL} Split LP {\bf INNOCENCE IS BLISS}
Compilation tape (Wasted Effort Productions, Box 2095, Quincy MA
02269) LP:\$4.50, Tape:\$3.25. There's no address on the record,
sleeve, tape, or insert! OOPS!! ANGRY KIDS is a fag-punk band --
or at least an honorary one. Their side of the record is black
with a red (?) triangle and SILENCE=DEATH and ACTION=LIFE on it.
Caught my eye, kinda. They don't write ``WE'RE GAY'' on it,
but\dots songs are A LIE, reminds me of a punk equivalent of THE
SMITHS ``What Difference Does it Make'' (I deem that a good
thing); HATE IN NUMBERS, just what it sounds like, about getting
shit from gangs of idiots; LAST DANCE and LET ME KNOW are more
personal, why-won't-you-be-honest-with-me stuff. Good punk music,
a metal-sounding guitar but DEFINITELY NOT metal-like music.
Songs are all copyright \copyright\ 1987. Why haven't we heard of
these guys before this?! Absolutely write these guys c/o above,
get this record, support bands like this!!! They're all hot boys
too!

CABAL is more one/two thrash sounding, with eight songs on their
side. Are they gay? Does it matter? (Yes goddamn it it does --
its GOOD that there might be queer people in bands. There
frequently are -- it's usually a secret though.) Definitely more
sophisticated than the usual peace-punk nonsense. OPEN THE DOOR
``You'll never know how it feels/ not to be able to kiss your
lover in a public place/ You'll never fear getting beaten up/
because your sexuality's not in place/'' These bands are totally
new to me -- am I just in the dark or something?

INNOCENCE IS BLISS compilation: 16 songs/16 bands. Proceeds go to
International Society for Animal Rights. BORSCHT, ANGRY KIDS,
VONNY BRATCH\-NIES, STI\-NKING BAD\-GES, NUCLEAR ANTS, CRASH
COURSE, CHRONIC DISORDER, TOXIC SHO\-CK, COFFIN CASE, THE BLACK
PROBLEM, THE CREEPS, RISE, MOUTH, SCREECHING WEASEL, MI\-MI \&
THE SCREACHIN' CHINCHILLAS, and EGG. I love punk compilations! I
got a booklet that contained band contact info, lyrics, a
sensible page on AIDS, and some animal rights info. Printed on
recycled paper -- I mean they xeroxed onto the back of used
paper, and stapled the sheets together! Works just fine\dots 

Rusty N. at Wasted Effort sez they really need distributors. If
you wanna sell their stuff contact him. If you write tell 'em
where you read about it. ALWAYS DO THIS WITH EVERYTHING 
NON-MAINSTREAM AND HOMEMADE! We need to support each other and
that's how it works\dots \by{tj}

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{\bf ASHTRAY (aka JDs \#7)} New Lavender Panthers, Box 1110,
Adelaide St. Station, Toronto Ontario M5C 2K5, CANADA) \$4US.
Another issue of that infamous fag street trash sex rag by G.B.
Jones and BLaB. ``Softcore zine for hardcore kids''. Almost 60
pages this time, even has a table of contents! Oh no! Not to
worry -- there's no page numbers. More of the same good stuff --
Top 20 Hit Parade (\#1 is Nikki Parasite's MALE CALL), JDs IS/IS
NOT list. The official TOP TEN HITS TAPE song lyric sheet. Story
about cruising the pit. (Pits are for groping.) Great story about
picking someone up at his boyfriends funeral. (Hot story!) More
drawings by G.B. Jones. Confessions of a gay skinhead. An
interview with Peter Berlin, world famous Professional
Homosexual. A family tree of First Punk bands. Letters, including
one from Vaginal Davis of FERTILE LATOYAH JACKSON zine fame, that
tells a lot about that zine, indirectly. (And now I like F.L.J.
even more!) Far more actual girl content than the last issue. (So
there.) Maybe the best issue ever. \by{tj}

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{\bf PUBLIC ENEMY Fear Of A Black Planet} (CBS Records -- P.E.
Merchandise, Asiatic Dept A-1,, 510 S. Franklin St, Hempstead NY
11550; see text) Yeah, no shit. Why did it take me so long to
hear this record? This is one of the best fucking records I've
heard almost ever. 

This record is ``radical'' in a way that makes most ``punk''
peace-punk stuff seem as boring and insipid as it really is. A
lot of criticism of PE and this record in particular I've seen in
white-culture -- Anarcho/Liberal/Leftist; let's call it ``{\it
ALL}'' for short -- has included low-level racism -- the style,
content and delivery is very different, and there's this
assumption that unless someone embraces ``{\it ALL}'' (sic)
people's \ae sthetic style it must be suspect. 

There's no getting around the sexism and homophobia though. It's
not the hateful kind, but more the dumb ``traditional values''
crap -- 

{\tenpointsanserif\obeylines\indent\parskip=0pt
It takes a man to make a stand
understand it takes a 
woman to make a stronger man
\dots
}

And in ``Meet the G{\ninepointsanserif (erm)} That Killed Me'' -- 

{\tenpointsanserif\obeylines\indent\parskip=0pt
Man to man,
I don't know if they can 
From what I know
The parts don't fit
(Ahh shit)
\dots
}

Now I think in this particular department they got a severe lack
of imagination. I don't know about you, but this is the age of
interchangeable parts. Whatever. Get a clue guys. There's nothing
unusual here -- just the usual ignorance about sex. What else is
new?

I don't subscribe to this ``if it's not perfect I reject it''
silliness. Mostly I wanted to know what everyone complains about.
I can take a few flaws with the good. And this is an fucken
amazing record. You have to hear to believe -- nonstop amazing
insight and even great bad jokes. Life sucks, and these guys are
building something real. I also feel a little funny criticizing
black-radical stuff -- it's not our party, and we usually are
part of the problem even if we think nice peace-punk thoughts.
We're allies though, at worst, and the same fuckers are trying to
kill us all and keep us separate and at each others throats. 

Also, I think a lot of people don't like it cuz the energy is
very, very male -- something out of fashion amongst ``{\it ALL}''
people. There's the unavoidable fact that there really {\it is}
blatant genocide against young black males going on. The issues
are a little more raw. I think {\it ALL} people (sic) are jealous
that they aren't so oppressed.

OK, enough of that shit. The music is really tight and fast. It's
mostly original music, definitely studio music -- I wonder what
they do live. Lots of great audio-collage, racist crap from radio
talk shows, etc that fit really well. An audio version of good
punkzine collages. The cassette I bought came with a large 
fold-out lyric sheet, but unlike most stuff I listen to I can
make out the words without it. BROTHERS GONNA WORK IT OUT, 911 IS
A JOKE, WELCOME TO THE TERRORDOME, FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET, and
FIGHT THE POWER; these songs alone make it worth the price. And
shit was it expensive -- \$10! For a tape!! At least it was a
looong tape. And you might have trouble finding it if you're not
in a big city. It's labeled ``EXPLICIT LYRICS'' which means that
most chicken-shit stores are scared shitless of getting busted by
the feds. Oh well. I included the P.E. address above; write 'em
if you can't find it. \by{tj}

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{\bf FERTILE LATOYAH JACKSON} (7850 Sunset Blvd Penthouse Suite
110, Los Angeles CA 90046) \$4 CASH ONLY. At first a totally
puzzling and bizarre definitely FAG, QUEER not oh so gay zine.
From a punk grunge anti-fashion point of view, it's at first
kinda bothersome\dots until you sorta work out where they are
coming from. As she puts it -- ``Fertile La Toyah and the Afro
Sisters are black teen drag queens, who are the taboo love dream
of every lily white punque rock boy in America.''

Fertile is a sensible girl. I liked her immediately upon reading
WHAT MAKES FERTILE MAD. She also has a dirty mouth, and is not
afraid to use it. Lucky for me, there's WHAT FERTILE SEZ PEOPLE
COPY -- a Fertile glossary: MOTO-BUTT: Ugly suburban trash that
come into town riding their stupid Ninja motorcycles and who wear
pleated pants (you have them too?). FAYE BOY: Very young, usually
wealthy boy whose mannerisms are extremely irritating. Fertile
trashes what needs to be trashed (dumfuck famous people) and
praises what needs it (phranc, F.Y.C, etc). There's lots of dirt
on nearly everybody -- revealing photos included. Thank god she
doesn't have mine. There's also ads for lots of local stores and
such that look worth checking out.

This is unapologetically from Los Angeles so it ain't
MAXIMUMROCKNROLL. Peace punks might wither and die in here.
There's lots of hot photos, and also more funny stuff than in any
zine I can remember. \by{tj}

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{\bf Puddle \#3} (Chris Applecore/PO Box 381/Miranda, CA, 95553)
\$1.00 Made by Lawrence Livermore's coworker at Lookout! records
and their radio show -- the infamous Chrisser. This is a pretty
good example of the kind of zine Gilman St. has spawned -- a
couple of laid-back interviews (Thang!, Cringer) a few
handwritten rants, and some weirdly drawn/conceived comix
(``Phobia!'' and ``Larry'' -- which pokes fun at Lawrence
himself). Cool and relaxed -- no boring peace-punk 
self-righteousness. \by{shawn}

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{\bf Bob Z ``Jesus Is Coming Soon''} \$4.00 My one complaint
about this is that its nearly identical to ``Endless Sluts'', his
last tape. But that was good so I'll just repeat the review I did
for it. Basically this is Bob and his guitar, but its not the
same-old boring acoustic Dylan rip-off stuff (Well, OK, there's
one Dylan cover). Bob's pissed and weird and it comes thru on the
tape. ``Flaming Underpants'' and ``Endless Streets'' are
adaptations of Bob's punkture-style poetry, the rest is
political-against gentrification, the poster police (of course),
bureaucrats and the normals. Cool, lots of psych-stuff.\by{mike}

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{\bf ACID ZOMBIES} ``Antichrist Picnic'' tape (Dan Snuffin, 8817
Franklin Ave, Gig Harbor, WA, 98335) \$4.00 Metallish punk with a
sense of humor and a political conscience! Songs about the
Religious Right, The Evils of Capitalism and Furry Animals (the
vorpal rabbit from Monty Python's ``Holy Grail'' makes an
appearance in ``Psycho Bunny''). Also with a new version of
``Nothing To Burn'' -- the Zombies' old anthem to frustration \&
alienation. Funny, loud and intelligent stuff. \by{mike}

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{\bf JERSEY BEAT \#39} (418 Gregory Avenue \#2/Weehawken, NJ,
07087) \$2.00 Maximumrocknroll with an East Coast focus and
attitude. This is the hello-to-the-nineties issue (bleah, when're
we gonna get to the only decade that really counts-the ZEROS?).
Has lots of self-indulgent ``Best of\dots '' lists from the 80's,
the only interesting ones being ``the top 10 worst parts of doing
a zine'' and ``the top 10 warning signs of bad bands''. Also
plenty of interviews-GO!, Das Damen, Supertouch, Big Wheel-and
reviews (Best review I've EVER seen of Soundgarden). The part I
found especially interesting, as a fledgling bassist, was
``Things That Go Bump In The Night'', a series of interviews with
East-Coast bassists. Surprisingly they were all boys though, come
on 1 out of every 3 bassists is female, there's no excuse for
underrepresenting them. \by{mike}

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{\bf Chainsaw \#2} (Donna Dresch/666 Illinois/San Francisco, CA,
94107) \$1.00 or interesting correspondence. A 
homo-girl-geek-core type thing. Done by Donna Dresch of
Dangermouse \& Dinosaur Jr. fame. Has articles on Fifth Column
(Dyke band from Toronto), K records in Olympia, girl bassists (I
TOLD you there were a lot), touring in New Zealand/Australia and
Bruce-La-Bruce talking about his trip to SF (that many
interesting things don't happen to me in a YEAR, never mind a
month). Personal, goofy, witty, what are you waiting for?
\by{Mike}

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{\bf FRIGHTEN THE HORSES} Summer 1990 (Heat Seeking Publishing/41
Sutter St. \#1108/San Francisco, Ca, 94104) \$4.00 or 14.00 for 4
issues. ``a document of the sexual revolution.'' This issue is
largely concerned with dispelling popular fears/myths about S+M
and other renegade (non mainstream) sexual practices. Many
political issues are covered (abortion, gay rights, censorship,
consensual sex, phone sex) by news articles and essays, and
sex/sexuality is explored through fiction, poetry, and
introspective essays concerning the doubts we all have about
sexuality. Not strictly gay, but not 
straight-dominated either, this zine gets a definite 
thumbs-up from me. My only complaint is that the editor felt the
need to excuse the best story, ``The Urge Toward Jo''. I found
Kim Addonizio's ``Thrills'' to be far more offensive and poorly
written, but there's no accounting for taste (besides, I rather
LIKE to be offended.) \by{mike}

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{\bf SAINT PAUL'S GAY HERITAGE?} (Reed N. Tell, Box 1821, La
Porte IN 46350. 25\cents\ stamp) Yup just what you think it is --
``bible research''. Usually I just throw this crap away, but this
one's fun. Kinda like a punkzine style Chick pub -- page after
page of cramped minuscule text from a typewriter with a clogged
ribbon. This one has another difference -- it's anti-Christian
and pro-gay.

Here's the story -- A holey man traveling with his concubine
found himself in a small town after dark. A stranger took him
into his private home for the night. Then, a street gang of
``gays'' beat upon the door, demanding that the stranger turn
over the traveler to them for fun and frolic (authors words).
Instead, they gave them his concubine (huh?). The two men found
her body on the doorstep in the morning. They are of course
appalled.

The next morning the stranger cut her body up into twelve pieces,
and sent each one to each of the twelve tribes of Israel, to show
them the terrible things this gay gang did, and to convince them
they should destroy this terrible place. (huh!?!)

Anyways, the rest of the book is basically biblical conspiracy
theory, full of proofs that St. Paul was gay and tried to kill
christ the vampire. OOPS! Wrong story!

Also -- we got a second one a few months later, and it was a lot
clearer as to the intent. I wasn't quite sure where Reed was
coming from the first time around. It's definitely 
christian-bashing, with bible-research as the weapon\dots

``{\tenpointsanserif\raggedright\dots yes dear readers, St.
Paul's ancestor\dots was a \break gib\-ionite slave (see
appendix) given a deal to \break father a new tribe of
Benjamin\dots by a jewess!}'' Great stuff I do say\dots all this
for a stamp! \by{tj}


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{\bf RESIST} (MEDIA BLITZ PRODUCTIONS, 5610 SE STEELE, PORTLAND,
OR 97206) 7" 33 This EP is good. The songs are good. The
packaging is good. The sleeve is printed on recycled paper. Lots
of stickers. An 11" x 17" poster (slick). Clear vinyl. Very well
done. On Revolution Records. \by{S8N}

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{\bf YOUTH LIB ZINE} (Syndicat des El\`eves, 2035 Boul. 
St-Laurent, Montreal Quebec H2X 2T3 CANADA, \$2US) 32 pages of
stuff by and for kids and liberation. Articles from all kinds of
sources are included, illustrating the various insidious ways
kids get ignored, controlled and worse. There's also resources
like book lists, contact info on various support groups, etc.
Very high gay/lez/bi awareness here, not token niceness. Lots of
french-language stuff (no surprise -- look at the address). Some
bad poetry (is there any other kind?) (turns out yes there is
some pretty good \& in some cases scary shit in here!). Lots of
marginal drawings and photos (as in-the-margins-of-the-pages).
There's some cool safe-sex stuff that I'm gonna put in HOMOCORE,
cuz it's not insulting or idiotic or afraid of sex, written by
PROSTITUTES SAFE SEX PROJECT (Toronto -- 416-926-1626). Lots of
stuff on public schools. There's articles on kids' political and
social actions. Overall it's more how-to street-kid oriented than
suburban school kid, very definitely has a practical and cultural
aspect that's really the basis of why it's a good zine. \by{tj}

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{\bf THE PARASITES - ``Lost in the 80's''} (PARASITES, PO BOX
234, LIVINGSTON, NJ 07039; SHREDDER RECORDS, 475 VALENCIA, SF, CA
94103) 7" EP\dots The recording is pretty bad, but the music is
OK. Kinda mid-tempo emo punk. This is their first vinyl effort.
Richard says to get the Parasites LP on SHREDDER RECORDS.
\by{S8N}

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{\bf AMOK FOURTH DISPATCH} (AMOK, Box 861867, Terminal Annex, Los
Angeles CA 90086-1867 ,\$8.95 + \$1 shipping) Not a zine but a
200 page catalog -- ``Sourcebook of the extremes of information
in print''. No way I will attempt to cover it in detail --
thousands of titles, all strange shit you won't find in stores.
Selections from the Table of Contents: animal, Noam Chomsky, 
Malcolm X, male fantasies, situations, Zion, Ring of Fire,
Isabelle Eberhardt, Ted Bundy, Murder Can Be Fun, forensics,
torture, Kenneth Anger, A. Crowley, Voodoo, A.E. Waite,
Korzybski, Paracelsus, R.A. Wilson, AIDS, anorexia, death world
without men, Straight To Hell, Wilhelm Reich, totalitarianism,
JFK, Gnosis, fiction \dots 

Our copy stayed on the kitchen table for over two weeks. \by{tj}

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{\bf PUNK PALS} (Robert Brown, 2331 Blake St \#204, Berkeley CA
94704) send stamps! You can't help but like this zine and I
commend Roberts efforts. More interesting than Flipside's
classifieds, PUNK PALS is filled with contacts describing
themselves and their musical faves. Even though I never bothered
to write anyone, I find myself constantly reading the listings.
\by{lance}

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{\bf FREE THOUGHT \#1} (Box 8720, Fort Collins CO 80524),
75\cents. This is your standard P.C. zine. Lots of information on
vegetarianism, racism, anti-semitism, and homophobia. That's
right, homophobia. Nothing new. But this has a lot of spirit.
\by{lance}

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{\bf SYSTEM OPPOSED \#5} (Camille, Box 1857, Tustin CA 92680)
50\cents. Though she may hate the label, this is what I would
describe as an ``Orange County peace punk'' zine. Political
stuff, holocaust, doom, GARBLECRAT, and the best of all\dots a
free condom! For two quarters, that makes this a steal.\by{lance}

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{\bf SPECTACULAR TIMES} (Box 99, Whitechapel High Street, London
E1 7QX ENGLAND) Larry Law is long gone, but this publication
lives on. If you've been turned on by all the 
post-situationist hype, but turned off by the intellectual mumbo
jumbo, this is for you. Easy reading, simple, to the point, and
entertaining.\by{lance}

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{\bf THING} (2151 W. Division, Chicago IL 60622-3056) \$5 for 3
issues; checks to ``ROBERT FORD''. Gay male zine with an 
African-American focus. The ``sex'' ish: stories and narratives,
explicit graphics, some poetry. \#3 ish: tabloid size, lots of
lists, reviews of zines, TV, films, etc. Some poetry, gossip,
news, advice, and articles (homeless, health alternatives).
\by{D.A.O.}

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{\bf the PENUMBRA} (Porcine Software, Box 20625, New York NY
10009) Send a stamp {\it only}, no SASE or \$. A NYC newszine,
concentrating on the street-level happenings in Tompkins Square
Park, but with excellent recipes too. Inside: wine taste testing
(of the umm fortified type); cool recipes (pretzel salad, wiener
twinkies, caviar jello\dots); issue \#3 had a review of boiled
potatoes available around NYC; snooty commentary (BTW -- there
were three misspellings in \#3 and at least one in \#4); and an
interview with the editor of THE SHADOW, some poor PENUMBRA clone
(well, it's made up, but it's what he {\it would} have said).
Somehow wangled in between this serious stuff is shit going down
in Tompkins Sq. park, police-riot-wise, and the not so wise
doings of the ``Community Boards'' (whatever they are, I'm glad
we don't have them.) {\tenpointpunk Also the only other zine
using \TeX\ for typesetting, and the bum used the `punk' font
before I did. Boo hoo!} Probably the single funniest publication
I have ever seen, bar none. Mike Gunderloy of FACTSHEET FIVE fame
calls {\it the PENUMBRA} ``obscure''. What does he know? \by{tj}

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{\bf GENDER EXPRESSIONS} (Electronic Media Arts, Box 150, Concord
NH 03302-0150) \$5.95. This zine focuses on transsexuals and
transvestites; several articles/opinions are included,
submissions range from academic to silly. Information,
narratives, opinions. \by{D.A.O.}

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{\bf SIN BROS} (c/o W.K., Box 618, N. Hollywood CA 91603) \$2,
bimonthly. Gay male zine from LA, and very LA it is. Lots of
narratives, often with camp/glitz emphasis. Equal time for drag
queens; lists and reviews of movies, plays. \by{D.A.O.}

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{\bf BIMBOX \#3} (282 Parliament St. \#68, Toronto, Ontario M5A
3A4 CANADA; ``free to those who deserve it'') This, wimmin and
girls, rules and if you haven't done this to yer realitease yet,
I suggest you do so before the federal government of the United
States of Amerika invades Canada again (like they ever left) for
the explicit purpose of seizing and burning the means of BIMBOX's
production. For, in case you didn't know, several copies of
BIMBOX \#2 were seized at the border in N.Y., copies headed for
such inconspicuous destinations as MY COMRADE/SISTER and Peter
Staley. Subpoenas (listing ``USA vs. `one pornographic
magazine'{''}), threats, copies burned\dots 1990? Try a very
German 1935\dots welcome to th' Novus Ordo Seclorum\dots people
keep tellin' me I'm too paranoid, but this shit goes on and on
and on\dots Anyway, sample documentation starts out this
abundant, full-flavored, how-you-say H-O-T and very vital link in
the international homosexual conspiracy. Personal flavorites
include (but aren't by any means limited to): Bedtime Story with
Granny, the zebra-stripe genitalia-go-round, Jo Jo Price-Morgan's
'Clone Watch,' all the hot nude pix, local friends and flavorites
Danielle Willis and Dish. Also burnin' these pages up right
before yer eyes are Cinderella \& Her Cruel Sisters, the
Partridge Family's complete vinyl histoire, Gus Van Zant,
Sylvester, show reviews,zine reviews\dots and if all this isn't
enough of too much need fulfilled and surpassed, also enclosed is
S.C.A.B. -- the homofesto of th' Society for the Complete
Annihilation of Breeding, a Kill The Whites publication in
association with BIMBOX. Ever experience 'going too far' taste
JUST RIGHT? Here it is, it jizz, my hot boy clit hasn't stopped
throbbin' since I got my copy in the mail\dots 

BIMBOX is free to those who deserve it. So, I'll bet, if you
creatively communicate yer subversive motif, they'll do ya back.
You know, they'll show ya theirs if\dots etc. See why Uncle
S(p)am SHOULD be scared shitless, and honey, you know how full of
it HE is\dots  \by{Deke Motif Nihilson}

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{\bf ANDROZINE \#14} (c/o B. Peuportier, BP 192, 75623 Paris
CEDEX 13, FRANCE; 15 francs) \dots and lookin' yummier each ish.
Fuck, if only the synapses I soaked in French back in school had
survived th' psychick wars\dots but alas, I for one am relegated
to the pix, which work it really nize too. ANDROZINE is ``An
anarchist gay zine made in Europe (France, Germany, England,
Holland).'' They give info on the alternative gay scene and
music. Smatterings of English, mostly in French.

Included in \#14 (and I quote): ``Enquete exclusive: les homos
vus par les rockers; L'existentialisme est une feminisme; Le
mouvement homocore au Canada; Art graphittique; Interview de MANO
NEGRA; Chroniques zines, skeuds et livres; Soutien aux
prisonniers gays (note: all but one incarcerated in th' ol' USA);
Nouvelles internationales; Lecons de drague \#s 13 \& 14.''

The most comprehensive European homopunk zine I've seen. Have YOU
seen any? Let us know\dots  Meanwhile, check this one out!
\by{Deke Motif Nihilson}

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{\bf Doc and Fluff} (by Pat Califia; Alyson Press, 40 Plympton
St, Boston MA 02118; trade paperback) This is {\it hot} 
science-fiction. For boys worried about getting their pee-pees
cut off, skip it. It's definitely a DYKE book. Not gay/lesbian PC 
let's-lay-side-by-side-and-have-nice-warm-feelings ca-ca. (Don't
write me a nastygram -- I like laying side by side \&c too, but I
hate the namby-pamby {\it\ae sthetic}. Pat Califia, if you don't
know, is a pro-sex S\&M dyke known for causing troubles wherever
she goes. 

I love dystopian sci-fi, and this is definitely amongst the best
I've ever read, for lots of reasons. The writing quality is just
fine -- I was immediately so immersed in what was going on I
couldn't tell you much more about it. The characters were well
done; if I were to meet one, I'd know them all!

The basic story is: California/Oregon, not so distant future;
post-economic collapse, the kind that doesn't go away. Some
people working, but mostly fend for yourself, traveling is
dangerous, no cops, some cities like Portland still have some
basic services like medical care, but it's pretty spotty. The
eternal businesses (alcohol, drugs, personal skills,
prostitution, etc) are quite alive. 

This terminally butch biker dyke, Doc, visits Pres, the leader of
a Hell's Angels gang, to do some business. Pres has the usual
biker hierarchy, plus gaggle of ``girls'' who, as is usual, fuck,
cook, clean, fuck, ride, and fuck. Besides simply being a
formidable and talented person, Doc deals in stuff they need, so
the bikers overlook her dyke-ness.

One particular visit, taking a piss during partying, a young girl
in total femme drag bursts into the bathroom, slams the door
shut, and DEMANDS that Doc take her out of there, she's tired of
Pres, and hints at unpleasant duties. At first, Doc wants nothing
to do with such a wimpy looking thing; after Fluff does a few
surprising things to her, Doc, slightly drunk, is talked into it.
She's both annoyed with and fascinated with this pushy little
girl, appropriately called Fluff.

Pres of course finds out, and wants Fluff back, which becomes out
of the question for a couple of reasons. The two visit a womens
community, which in these hard times is no longer just a nice
``sanctuary'' for urbanites, but bare survival for dykes and
runaway women in a world where they are potentially yet another
resource; like today, only much worse.

Pres' gang does a bunch of pretty stupid things, typical of what
you'd expect from a too drunk, too fucked up, too desperate bunch
of creeps, whose relationships are built upon all the awful shit
today's ``mainstream'' society is built on -- hierarchy, gender
roles, economic slavery, etc etc. 

I won't spoil the story for you. It's not just a dyke sex
narrative (though there's that too -- shit fuck, not many pages
go by without someone fucking someone else), but the whole story
is well rounded; the environment they're living in, in it's
fucked up glory, is pretty complete, though definitely
background. Oh yeah -- it's not all dyke sex. Some of the biker
guys are not exactly straight, and some turn out to be OK people.
None of it is vanilla sex. Yes, the bad guys get it in the end,
and it's a bit gruesome.

If you've always wanted a novel that didn't worry about being
``nice'' and is still goddamn good science fiction, this is it. I
wish there was more!

It just occurred to me you might not be able to get this even in
a dyke bookstore, as many simply won't carry stuff from people
like Califia. Their, and your, loss. If not, write to Alyson
Publications, a lez/gay press, for their free catalog. \by{tj}


\bar

{\bf Vonda M. McIntyre} This woman is a great science
fiction/fantasy writer who's probably most known for her 
award-winning DREAMSNAKE and for a couple contributions to the
Star Trek series (the books not TV). She has some really cool
ideas and frequently dwells on genderfuck, androgyny, and
``partnerships'': collectives of 2 to 5 people who live, work,
and fuck together. McIntyre's work has girls with girls and boys
with boys involved in everything from passionate quickies to
lifetime relationships. She has some kids' stuff, too, which I
didn't like, but then I haven't been 8 for a long time, so what
do I know. Especially, look for her collections of short 
stories -- fuckin A great! \by{D.A.O.}

\bar

{\bf HOMOture \# 1} (\$3.00 from PO BOX 191781 SF CA 94119-1781)
A new anti ``artsy'' zine from SF that has a consistent and
mainly male bunch of stuff. The cover is hecka neat, I don't know
how it was printed,the covers theme is ``Beauty and Idiocy''.
Featured on it are two images(the only ones resembling females
throughout this issue) -- a bathing beauty Barbie and a
glamorously made up face. In between is written a bible of beauty
and how it is perceived -- ``Everyone talks about power but
everyone wants beauty\dots because beauty is one thing that is
not a lie'' ``Fetishic concern with people and their images. In
truth there is no beauty. The type of culture run by the fascism
of looks.'' This zine has no respect for copyrights, or the local
fuckheads who have been censoring flyers in the castro, the one
form of grassroots communication that the community has. (These
local fuckheads by the way are some merchants and a beat cop.)
Also has a great and accurate (in my opinion) story on memories
of childhood masturbation surreptitiously done with Teddy Bear
Sam,a homosex (male) story set in an early LA hardcore pit, lots
of queer graphics,and a combined Screamers/Silence = Death
graphic!! Also, free sticker. Over all, Kinda NEAT. \by{Iraya}

\bar

{\bf In The Blood} (by Lauren Wright Douglas; The Naiad Press
Inc, Box 10543, Tallahassee FL 32302; trade paperback) Another
dyke dystopian science-fiction novel. No, there really aren't
that many, which is too bad, as I'm pretty much done with most of
the male author shit, running over the same old ground. (Varley,
Delaney, Burroughs excepted.)

Anyways -- turn of the century, after a bio-warfare virus
released -- accidentally? -- over LA, the U.S. collapses into
chaos, and to stop the epidemic, blockaded by the rest of the
world. Most states seal off their borders; this story takes place
in Arizona/California; the former a free state where a woman
scientist has just discovered a working vaccine, and is
attempting to deliver some to California, a police-state that
runs camps for virus-negative people whose blood is used to
transfuse virus-positive but otherwise OK people.

The Red Death virus, so-called because of external bleeding at
one stage, is always fatal, and spread like fire, with the
president saying on TV ``there is no epidemic'' and all the usual
rot. Plus -- it's sexually transmitted, mainly by young hetero
males, apparently unwilling and unable to change their sexual
habits and consciousness, as did gay people and others following
AIDS (which in this story there is vaccine/cure for). (Do I
detect a slight note of revenge against het-males? Tee-hee\dots)

The people the Arizonans are supposed to meet aren't what they
were told, and they are basically kidnapped, along with their
vaccine, by the Sixth Bio-Strike force, made up exclusively of
women draftees, since the dumbo males were all infected carriers.

When it becomes clear that both sides were mislead, and only
destruction of the vaccine and it's maker wanted, the Sixth, plus
the Arizonan medical crew, plus some womens community members
being held as blood donors, are forced to work together to
survive. There are some surprises along the way, and a pretty
good ending.

Alas, there's not much room for guys in here; the only ones I can
recall were some drivers, positives of course, who instead of
being killed (by law) were allowed to leave. A couple of creepy
mountain-men types shot and killed. If this bothers you, then, as
they say, fuck off.

Now even straight boys can also get a glimpse of what it's like
to be left out entirely from novels. Don't bother me none, hell,
I'd rather see stupid hetero men be killed off in a dyke novel
than lez/fag people erased from existence in ``straight'' sci-fi,
or worse, made into the usual freaks who die in the end.
(Instructions: read this book, take your indignation and
annoyance and complaints, multiply by the number of novels you've
read since you were 10, and then you'll have an idea of what most
sentient/literate fags 'n' dykes consider background noise. Hey,
why such a big deal, huh? It's just a book! Yuk-yuk.) \by{tj}

\bar

{\bf CRINGER/HOPEFUL MONSTERS} (HIPPYCORE \break REC\-ORDS, PO BOX 195, MESA, AZ 85211) split 7" EP\dots This is a 3 bucks well
spent. Two good bands on one good record. Two songs by each band.
Comes with a great 32 page 7" x 7" booklet full of fiction,
lyrics, collage art. Yet another great HIPPYCORE release.
\by{S8N}

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{\bf ED HALL - ``Love (s)Poke(n) Here''} (BONER REC\-ORDS, PO BOX
2081, BERKELEY, CA 94702-0081) 12" LP\dots Ed Hall is a band. A
twisted, wacky trio from Texas. This appears to be their second
BONER release\dots The first one being ``Albert'', which was well
received. Ed Hall are good and tight. Just the way I like it. The
music is confusing and wandering. The lyrics odd and intelligent.
Go see these guys live\dots They're wild. \by{S8N}

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\picture{3.1in}

{\bf SNAKE RIVER - ``Spinach''} (BONEHEAD REX, 925 POST, SF, CA
94109) 7" 33\dots These guys are from Michigan. They now live in
SF. I like them and their sound. They are kinda slow and
funky\dots Heavy bass and drums. Side A stands out. \by{S8N}

\bar

{\bf STEELPOLEBATHTUB ``Lurch''} (BONER \break REC\-ORDS, PO BOX
2081, BERKELEY, CA 94702-0081) 12" LP\dots Lurch makes you feel
like cockroaches have crawled in your ear and are feeding on your
brain. Lurch drops you into an endless pit of despair. Lurch
makes you want to kill yourself. Lurch fucking rocks hard, and
you are a complete idiot if you don't buy this and like it.
\by{S8N}

\bar

{\bf BUTTUGLY \#2} (\$1 to CORY, 701 S. GRAND AVE., WAUKESHA, WI
53186) Really good work here - S.E. oriented, but they state that
they're not. Lots to read, interesting articles, and CRINGER was
mentioned at least FIVE times, and that's why you should buy it.
HA. No homo material though. \by{Matt}

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{\bf PUNK BEAT \#3} (PUNK BEAT, 151 FIRST AVE., BOX A, NY, NY
10003 -- no price listed -- \$1?) WOW! It's about time I got to
review something sexy here. Funking great - lots of stories about
unsuspecting straight boys being seduced by macho punk fags.
Pictures of shirtless punk band members. Geared towards punk
guys. This is the kind of thing that a mostly homophobic punk
scene would hate, which is one reason you should get it.
Interesting fantasies here. Someone should send Choke Slapshot a
copy of this, as I'm sure that he has his own fantasies about
sweaty baldheaded husky boys in the pit and this has it!
\by{Matt}

\bar

{\bf BAD TOAD \#4} (25 cents or a stamp to BAD TOAD, PO BOX 2614,
STATION A, CHAMPAIGN, IL 61825) Pretty standard zine out of
Illinois with the focus on local happenings. It's nice to see
such a wide variety of music being covered here (fer a ``punk''
zine). Us outsiders might not be as interested as locals, as this
is more pertinent to them. \by{Matt}

\bar

{\bf FAnG \#4} (FAnG c/o LAURA PARTIDO, 2854 HARRISON APT. A, SF,
CA 94110) At first this looks like one big mistake, but further
inspection reveals that this is more than something your 
four-year old brother did. Primitive, bizarre, juvenile, raw, and
really very funny. If you're like me and dig silly stuff, really
write this girl a letter. It doesn't say how to order this, or
how much it costs. Send her a cookie. \by{Matt}

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{\bf PUNK PARENTS} (no price given to PLUTONIUM PRESS, BOX 61564,
PHOENIX, AZ 85082) The journal of better living \#1 -This is one
of those loosely folded things with no staples, so I'm wondering
if I've lost a few pages of this. The first zine that I've seen
about being a punk parent, nutritional advice, and the like.
Didn't really appeal to me - it's pretty specialized. The word
``queer'' is thrown around here and there - I have no idea what
they're getting at or mean by it. Am I missing some pages? Maybe
I'm just - STUPID? \by{Matt}

\bar

{\bf HOLY TITCLAMPS \#5} (BOXHOLDER, PO BOX 3054, MINNEAPOLIS, MN
55403) The inside cover says ``nothing should be assumed about
anybody's sexuality, including yours'' which is cool, but the
front cover says ``file under queer'' so maybe you can call this
a queer zine. Lots of sexy drawing (male figures with large erect
penises) and poetry (gasp!) and a sex story. Nicely assembled,
short interesting bits here and there. In time, this will
probably become more cohesive. More of a collaboration from many
people than a personal opinion. Send 'em a buck for this issue
and each back issue if you please. \by{Matt}

\bar

{\bf GAWK \# 6} (no price listed (\$1?), TOM SHEARER, P. O. BOX
31431, S.F., CA 94131) This is from the San Francisco-based Gay
Artists and Writers Kollective. I got the (almost) all cartoon
issue, which featured cartoons, zine reviews, and book reviews. 
Almost all boy stuff, but it was funny, friendly, with an
alternative slant. It looks good, too, with sharp graphics. 
\by{Val Curie}

\bar

{\bf ON OUR RAG \#1} (\$1.00 to P. O. BOX 21, 3543 18th ST., S.
F., CA 94110) Ah, now here's a zine I can relate to, bloated and
cranky as I am right now. This one's for the girls, courtesy of
anonymous dykes in San Francisco. Collectively, they take the
piss out of local clubs, politics and ``pussynals'', with an
undercurrent of amusing references to menstruation. As a fresh
take on the personal as political, it's serious, funny and sorely
needed. This is a D.I.Y. zine of 12 pages with (I assume)
homemade lip prints. This first issue is S.F.-specific, but the
collective takes submissions and is eager to hear from the
outside world. Why not laugh as you bleed? Lotsa promise. 
\by{Val Curie}

\bar

\picture{3.5in}

{\bf ROAD WHORE ``Battle Beneath the Planet of the Eternal Gods
of Rock''} -7" 45 (ALLEN WRENCH, INT'l., 5225 CANYON CREST DR.,
SUITE 73 FLOOR 69, RIVERSIDE, CA 92507) Where do I start\dots I
believe these guys are from Southern Cal. At least it is put out
by Allen Wrench International of Southern Cal., and the bass
player's name is Allen Wrench. Hmm\dots It's pretty generic,
distorted punk with a few rock-n-rock riffs inserted here and
there. It's OK\dots Nothing exciting. The sleeve is pretty neat,
but I've never been a fan of band photos like theirs on the
inside of this. They also state what brands of equipment they
use, which is kinda weird. \by{S8N}

(But the letter that came with the record said that some of the
band are fags, so of COURSE they get mentioned here\dots even if
they are drinking COORS beer.\by{tj})

\bar

{\bf THINK FOR YOURSELF \#13} (\$1.50 US money or trade-Paul
Rutherford c/o AK Distribution 3 Balmoral Place, Stirling,FK8
2RD,SCOTLAND) A zine out of Scotland with a personal, thoughtful,
and honest feel to it. It has some of the standard zine
content(band interviews, reviews) done with a 
non-standard attitude, and doesn't cover just ``hardcore''. In it
there's: interviews with the bands Terminus \& Filler, Martin of
Pressure Drop Press publishing, Robb Johnson, who does
folk/acoustic stuff, and instead of a scene report there's a
rundown of all the recent gardening the editor has accomplished.
Also some really great stories about being "punk as fuck", being
compelled to eat out of loneliness\dots the tone is very diverse
and dissatisfied, lots of literate-ness, cynicism, B\&W graphics,
A NAIL THE POLL TAX THUGS graphic, I don't know, get this if your
interested, they sound like nice people, and this is way better
than all speedmetal bands on the face of everything period, and
it's been around for 7 years now. They also do a music/print
mailorder through the same address, and it looks like its got
cheap prices, too\dots \by{Iraya}

\bar

{\bf CROOKED SMILE-CRACKED LIPS} (Claire c/o 16339 Steubner
Airline \# 205, Spring, TX 77379, 75\cents\ or 3 stamps) Poetry
for people who ignore poetry -- yes, it sounds like a stupid
FORCED EXPOSURE type cliche, but I feel it works to describe
these poems/bits of fiction \& nonfiction\dots intense feelings
of spite, self-sufficiency, re-wiring yourself so your
exasperation won't kill you, all done by one person named Claire.
It's really clear, angry, real shit, a womans' life that (sorry
to do the FE thing again) THAT KICKS ROLLINS' ASS UP AND DOWN THE
BLOCK, MOFO\dots really! The only problem is that the last lines
on two stories are cut off just enough to be undecipherable, but
if you ask, I'm sure you'd probably get the missing lines
enclosed. It's done in a non-pretentious zine type format,and on
a note that came with it Claire says ``They're limited edition.
Only a 100 printed. Pretty fucking special. See what poverty can
do for you!''. AND it's got a pretty neat saying inside --
``Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable''.
Recommended, definitely.  \by{Iraya}

\bar

{\bf FUCK MEN \#1, \#2, \#3} (c/o TNT, 1008 Tenth St \#729,
Sacramento CA 95814) A pamphlet/poster out of Sacramento put out
by Todd of Pollution Circus and somebody else whose name was not
listed. The first issue dealt with childrens' sexuality and adult
manipulation that society can promote - victimization and fear
were the themes explored. The second one had more of a focus on
S\&M and the writers of this zines' view that it is no different
than any other avenue of sexual expression that a patriarchal
society condones. Huh. Its' anti-mainstream view was there,
mutual non-exploitative sex is what they seem to support and like,
but it's done by omission mostly. It's never directly said. It
had a weird tone to it -- very tense and dogmatic, which is not
unusual when sexuality is discussed amongst either the repressed
or the idealists\dots it can be difficult. BUT the next issue of
Fuck Men was a completely stupid and sickening shock -- in it
there is a fold out poster apparently comparing people with AIDS,
abortion, and slaughtering animals it says "which dead speak to
you, which dead do you speak for?" what the fuck is this supposed
to mean??? Absolutely no fucking difference between them and
OPERATION RESCUE ASSHOLES. This issue was full of crap and, the
earlier issues, while not as damaging as this, do not make up for
it. This is just really awful, typical pure christian 
attitude-laden control ideas and they are apparently sincere
about it -- yuck. I'm disappointed. Sucks. \by{Iraya}

\bar

{\bf PAVEMENT OF SURFACE \#5} (\$2, c/o Queer Riot Press, 2236
Market St \#133, San Francisco CA 94114, USSA) Another quality
product brought to you by Queer Riot.

A Deke Nihilson Product, most specifically. Lessee -- discordian
subversity, drug test questionnaire, WAUISM religion info,
homosexual recruitment pamphlets and info, Hakim Bey, interview
by Deke and Arrow with Doc Corbin Dart of CRUCIFUCKS (weird),
hemp info, weird fucking cartoons, and chock full o' subversive
shit.

Sorry for the wimpy review, it's half past the eleventh hour and
I'm late for a meeting with the people I work for, so there.
Besides being done by my friend Deke, it's actually a cool fucken
zine, and it's still in the read-not-recycle pile (only about 1\%
of the stuff I get goes in there\dots) \by{tj}

\bar

\picture{3.5in}

{\bf COIL: various} (LPs: Horse Rotorvator; Scatology; Gold is
the Metal with the Broadest Shoulders; EPs: The Anal Staircase;
Aqua Regis\slash Panic; How to Destroy Angels; Tainted Love;
Hellraiser soundtrack (unreleased); plus various cassettes and
single tracks) Coil is from England, and is mainly John Balance
and Peter Christopherson, plus Stephen E. Thrower. Coil makes the
only truly {\it disturbing} music I've ever heard. Musically it's
rich and layered and complex, all kinds of instruments; all I can
say is it's always angry, strong, clear and powerful. 

Lyrically, just as disturbing as the music itself, and voice is
always coupled to other sounds making it a more complete whole.
Coil won't annoy people, it will {\it scare the shit} out of them.

\vskip\parskip
{\small\obeylines\parskip=0pt
\quad ``\dots
\quad given a chance to recover his breath
\quad and exposed to the process once more
\quad the youth squirmed in a shower of gold
\quad that etched on his skin:
\quad `Paradise stands in the shadow of swords'{''}
\quad\quad {\it SCATOLOGY: ``Cathedral In Flames''}
}

\by{review from HOMOCORE \#1 -- tj}

\bar

{\bf FEEDERZ: Teachers In Space LP} (Flaming Banker Records, 2000
Center St. Suite 666, Berkeley CA 94704) This is mainly the work
of two people, Jayed Scotti and Frank Discussion, who do more
behind-the-scenes support work for others than for themselves.
(Jayed and Winston Smith did all the Dead Kennedy's album
covers.) {\it[Winston did the cover for the latest PARASITES
record\dots tj]}

Anyways, this is rude shit, kittens. Musically, ``melodic punk
rock'' (so sue me, I can't describe music); they have actual
talent. I like most of the tunes, not something I can say for
many records. Frank wrote most of the lyrics, and they are 
subversive and will make your parents send you for drug treatment
to make you normal. It won't work. Mixed into the songs are
pieces of soundtracks, jingles and other weird sounds. 

\vskip\parskip
{\small\obeylines\parskip=0pt
\quad Roamin' the streets in the dark
\quad tonight the whole city's our amusement park
\quad finding our way by the light
\quad of cop cars burnin' in the night
\quad we're sick and tired of waiting
\quad so tonite we're doin' some redecorating
\quad tonight your sick game is through
\quad you see we've grown a little sick of you
\quad\quad (``Takin' the Night'')
}

(Last time they played at Gilman St. Project, they brought a dead
dog and a dead cat (checked out from the SPCA -- they had to
return them -- in good shape -- the next day) and Frank glued
live crickets to his head. It made the Weekly World News. Some
overly-sensitive person called the cops for alleged animal abuse
(to already deceased animals?) For months afterward, someone
would bring up at the monthly Gilman meeting: ``I heard the
Feederz killed animals on stage, that should be banned\dots'' Now
that's success\dots \by{review from HOMOCORE\#2 -- tj}

\enddoublecolumns
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