I’m gonna pretty much hand this column over to our intern,
Fungus Bot, this month. He does a cool little zine (literally,
it’s only 4 1/4 by 5 1/2) called Chokehold with lots of
personal and political writings that’s a nice blend between
cut and paste and computer design. If you liked our Onelinedrawing
piece last ish and want more, issue fiveohsomething has a good
interview with Jonah. But first I wanna mention a few things
I came across that need a mention. Continuing Excellence Dept.
goes out to the sk8 zine <Paying In Pain> ($2, POB 4128,
Visalia, CA 93278) and <Juice>; Sounds, Surf & Skate
(free, check www.juicemagazine.com for info). Juice reminds
me of early Heckler and it always stokes me to want to ride,
whereas Paying In Pain is a personalized cut and paste zine
with soul; something that’s a bit rare in today’s
iMac world. Back when Heckler started, there was a zine from
So-Cal called <Beach Happy> that was really similar to
what we were doing (and had been doing it longer) but then they
folded. On a recent trip to Laguna Beach and LA, I found out
that they’re back but they’re just called <Happy>
now (free, contact happymag@home.com). Alibaba is back and like
Juice, they’re on the surf/skate/snow/sound tip. It’s
good to see them back. <The Outcast> is cool too; it’s
the untrendy end of the bicycle world. If you like to pedal,
but aren’t down with the spandex crew, then check this
British zine out. (No contact info, but I got mine at Tower-it’s
$3.50 or trade for beer) And lastly, the zine that makes this
column useless is <Zine Guide #3>. 160 plus pages of solid
zine reviews and ziney info. If you like zines, you have to
check this out. ($6, POB 5467, Evanston, IL 60204 or zineguide@interaccess.com)
That’s it for me, so without further ado, heeeere’s
Fungus!
So, I’m gonna start off fresh, since I’m new to the
Heckler family, and the whole zine reviewing thing here. Since
you might already know what a zine is, I’ll hold off from
going into explaining, and acting like you’re dumb. I’m
gonna take a different approach to this reviewing thing, since
I’m limited to only so much space. Trying to cover as much
as possible, but yet keep enough in here for you to know what
I’m actually talking about.
I’ve come to know these fellow zine kids just due to the
fact that I do a zine myself, but here’s my attempt to
cover certain types of zines, that may not usually see the day
of light in Heckler. <Red Hooded Sweatshirt> is what I’m
gonna start off with since it’s just one of those zines
that caught my eye from the start. I got this in a big zine
trade once, and it was the first one to get finished. Full of
cute comics, and a reminder that it rocks being a kid. Marissa
just keeps it real. I know, it’s bad to just get all down
on every single thing. Look up. She’s on issue number three
now, and plans on making a doll someday, but maybe that might
fall though. She can be reached at. . pob 15214, boston , ma
02215
I’m gonna be doing a split with Suzanne that does <Promise
on Everything>.. and always, just due to the fact that I
might know her a little more than the normal zine kid, I think
eeeem. There’s a lot of drawings, and stories that touched
my heart. Big soft spot here. We’re doing a split zine,
and that should be out now, or a little later. Look out for
that. . Her normal zine is availible by writing her. 28 st albans
st. #2, boston, ma 02115.
Youth lib style, <Shutdown> is done by this super cool
boy Damian from Portland. Nothing like the rest of these zines
above, Shutdown is all political. It rocks none the less, but
it’s a nice difference from the personal zines I usually
dig. Damian rocks the pages of Shutdown #4 with bikes. All bikes,
all the time. Maybe not such a hot topic since this isn’t
a bike magazine, but he just explains the environmental advantages,
and so on of commuting on bike, instead of your traditional
car. You can use the same philosophy for skating too, since
it’s all one common struggle. pob 2624, portland, or 97208.
I wish I could cover more, but in the fear of being cut out
completely, here ya go. My <chokehold> zine, full of political,
and journal entry type writing can be obtained by writing me
@ pob 188602 sacramento, ca 95818 or e me.... ce7in@antisocial.com
-fungus bot
The Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Concrete Skatepark Construction
a. Gembeck Studio
What makes one park better than another? You know the feeling
when you go to a park and it rules? No pits, few cracks, all
smooth with very few kinks. Why can’t all parks be that
way? Well, if they had this book, they would. This book and
accompanying CD ROM is a super complete guide that leaves nothing
about building your own concrete skatepark, no matter what size,
to guesswork. From planning and who to contact, to fundraising,
construction and design, this book rules. If you thought a killer
skatepark came from pouring some ‘crete on a bump, think
again. You will learn about substrate prep, maximum aggregate,
slump, expansion joints, finishing concrete and curing it too.
The attention to detail is amazing. Things like transition ladders,
radius floats, and curved surfaces are thoroughly explained.
There are tons of example forms that will save you weeks of
work as well as example public speeches and strategies at approaching
your local government and community. This list goes on, but
believe me when I say there is nothing missing from this book
except the people to use it. I highly recommend this book to
every skateboarding community. The author, Tony Gembeck, is
a sculptor who ended up designed and building the St. Helens,
Oregon 12,000+ square foot park. This resource book should be
published and put in every library across the world. When you
buy the book, you get all updates that come down the line. Check
www.skateparkguide.com or call 612-706-6127 for copies. -Sonny
Mayugba
Through The Rings: A Photo Journey
Ruben Sanchez
For those of you who have followed the snowboarding industry
for some time know that Ruben Sanchez is one of the steady image
makers. Based out of Lake Tahoe, Ruben has had the good fortune
to be a witness to the evolution of snowboarding in the Nor
Cal mecca. Over the years, he decided to make shooting snowboarding
photography his craft. Ruben became a Senior Photographer for
Snowboarder Magazine and the shutter started clicking all over
the world. I remember looking at mags and ads and seeing Ruben’s
name, a name I associated with progression and top riders. Through
changes in the sport and industry, changes in money flow, changes
in attitudes and levels of respect, through it all, Ruben has
remained true to the core, focused only on good riding days
and documenting pieces of them so we can imagine the things
he witnessed that we will never see. While many other people
who made some coin off the sport are investing in the most recent
invigorating Internet IPO, Ruben took the other route: he self-published
a hardcover coffee table book of his photographs. And let me
tell you, it is not cheap. This piece is very high quality.
It opens with an inspiring introduction by long time friend
IJ Valenzuela and Ruben’s first ever published photo, a
classic of Damien Sanders. There are some priceless gems including
an incredible sequence of Dan Coffey and a classic still of
Rob Dafoe. Ruben shoots with snowboarding’s best talent
and most are featured here, including Jamie Lynn, Tom Burt,
Jimmy Halopoff, Billy Summers, Tara Dakides, Dave Lee, Barrett
Christy, Peter Line, Devun Walsh, Circe Wallace, Noah Salasnek,
and on and on. What really adds to the beauty and depth of Through
The Rings is that in addition to action photos, there are lots
of cool lifestyle and scenery from around the world. This book
is chock full of priceless images of many of snowboarding’s
finest moments. Do yourself a favor, wherever you are, get a
copy of Through the Rings. For more info, call 530-546-5968.
-Sonny Mayugba
50 Classic Backcountry Ski and Snowboard Routes in California:
Mt. Shasta to Mt. Whitney
by Paul Richins
100 Classic Backcountry Ski and Snowboard Routes in Washington,
by Rainer Burgdorfer, The Mountaineers, Seattle.
What’s the difference between a fairy tale and a backcountry
tale? Fairy tales begin with “once upon a time,” backcountry
tale begin with “no shit, there we were!” Paul Richins’
50 Classic Backcountry Ski and Snowboard Summits in California
will help get you into (and safely out of) some epic tours.
Richins has spent over thirty years paying dues in the backcountry.
His book distills a lifetime of experience into 240 pages. Seventy
photos and sixty maps, detailed information on logistics and
reference to what you’ll need, and where you can find it,
are packed into this gem. I especially appreciate his suggestions
for snowboarders. He describes the approach for each tour and
has an appendix listing top picks for boarders. Historical vignettes
tell the “no shit” tales of the region’s pioneers.
If you are at all inclined to venture out into the snowfields
of the Sierra, a range larger than the Alps, I strongly suggest
you spend $17.95 for this book; a small price to pay for the
abundant rewards of safe, smooth touring. 100 Classic Backcountry
Ski and Snowboard Routes in Washington, by Rainer Burgdorfer
was published last year, a year after 50 Classic Ski and Snowboard
Summits. The same easy to follow format, chock full of maps
and photos, makes this an extremely accessible guide to touring
the Washington Cascades. The information is not quite as detailed
as in the California guidebook (102 tours in the same 240 pages).
Burgdorfer leaves out some key components of the original book,
such as quick-check references to the snowboard-friendliness
of the routes and historical “no shit” stories. A
key improvement is the inclusion of topo maps. I know there
a lot of backcountry-savvy boarders in Washington. For them,
this is a great guide to an impressive array of tours. -George
Samuel
No More Prisons by William Upski Wimsatt
Soft Skull Press My World, Ramblings of an Aging Gutter Punk by Jeff Ott
Sub City Records
These two books have a lot of similarities. They are both published
by small press publishers and written by white guys closer to
30 than 20. They are both addressing essentially the same subject:
All is not OK in USA 2000 where we’re experiencing a booming
economy while twenty something dot com millionaires drive their
beemers wearing their vintage designer clothes listening to
the latest punk rock or electronic sensation. There is a dark
underbelly to this prosperity and it’s not pretty. But,
it’s not hopeless either and that’s what these two
books are about, and that’s where the similarities end.
Wimsatt is the author of Bomb The Suburbs and is a graffiti
writer and a firm believer in the positive power of hip-hop.
No More Prisons is broken up into six main sections, each of
which has short easy to read little pieces; A Hitchhikers Guide
To Community Organizing, The Cool Rich Kids Movement, Home schooling
and Self Education, Urban Life vs. Suburban Sprawl, Hip-hop
leadership and The Greatest Art Form of the 21st Century. On
the flip side, My World is from the punk rock perspective. Jeff
Ott was raised an abused child and lived on the streets and
enjoyed a healthy drug habit. He played in Crimpshrine and later
Fifteen. He was sucked into a cult at one point and was also
part of the early Gilman Street scene. Now he’s married
and has two daughters and is off drugs. A lot of this book is
reprinted from Ott’s zine of the same name and is organized
into 15 chapters including Punk; Murder; Housing and Homelessness;
Gender, Manhood and Sexism; Government; HIV, STD’s, Needles
& Condoms; Law; Rape, Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence;
Race; Garbage; Drugs; and Meat Cars, God and Work. So, while
these books come from two different scenes, each book illuminates
what is common to each, as well as the best aspects of both;
Youth trying to make a positive change. And while punk and hip-hop
have been completely co-opted and taken over by the corporations
they once opposed, these books exemplify what it was that made
both scenes so vital when they began and shows a side of each
that is still vital. And, more importantly, these books offer
something even more valuable. Hope. Please seek out these books.
–JB
