In the early 80s, I made skateboarding zines, emulating higher profile zines such as 'Skate Fate' and the like.

Eventually, I began making random music zines, with bit of bike, and art flair, modeled after Greta Shreads indescribable and well ahead of its time 'Mudflap'. As an amateur music critic, I always held the badge of shame that music critics were nothing but folks who desperately wanted to make music, but were incapable. Guilty as charged. More on that in a minute.
But along the way, Ive collected some incredible specimens, as well as some life long friends. Cars-R-Coffins was (and occasionally still is) a zine made by a certain bicycleanthropist that goes by the name of Hurl. In the mid-90s, we began writing postcards to one another with zine making as the catylist. There was a whole underground that was swapping, pen-palling, collaborating, and reviewing each others wares...In fact, there exists a complete zine collection at the San Francisco library that is avalible to look at. Go to the top floor, and ask to see it. Boxes upon boxes of primarily, (though not exclusively) Bay Area zines about everything from urban gardening to punk rock to being a fat girl.
The process of production is really quite easy. All you need is access to a xerox machine, limited to non existent computer skills, and a stapler. Voila! you got yourself a vehicle to spew your ideas. Its what we used to do before there was any such thing as a blog, plus theyre a hell of alot easier to read on the toilet.

But hold up..Let me digress and get back to music for just a second and flex those crappy critic skills. These days, a band that has been getting alot of action on my stereo is called Russian Circles, and have succeeded in curling my severely jaded toes.. Personally, Ive never had a thing for vocal-less bands. Its been said that the only music that is capable of being without vocals is jazz, and it should stay that way, but these fellas sucessfully fuse math rock, heavy riffs, and ambient dream like noodling into one utterly complete package.
Think Don Caballero, but with a more distinct power, a pinch of Shellac, and a dusting of Slint, and youre beginning to get the picture.

Mmmm, that felt good..

Anyhow, speaking of Shellac, (and thereby completing this big disjointed circle Im drawing here,) this piece written by Steve Albini about the problem with corporate music remains probably one of the best things published in a fanzine to date.

In my humble opinion, the underground world of zines is still just as vibrant and exciting as it ever was. Take your shoes off and dip your toes in the cool pool that is zine making. You might even end up killing that blog youve got. Just dont forget to send me a copy.

Now finally, I just got one of my suspension forks back from the expert service of this guy. Not Al, but B. Rose. Hes one of the most purely capable suspension technicians we know, and wears the hell out of a bunny suit. If you find yourself in need of this kind of service, might I recommend Brian and his magic hands.

Oh yeah, and lest I forget, this guy is right. Our lawyer, Loudass, and his associate 'The Giant Drunk Russian' will be at your door any day. Just a word of advice, two 40s of Colt, and an economy pack of bacon will help to avoid any grievous bodily harm that they might be planning for your poor self.

Ok, Now.. Huh....!?