I applied to Media Studies program in my first post-collegiate year. As the social media marketing director for a software company, I dreaded going to work everyday. Totally unsure of my future, I knew three things: I wanted to be in New York, I wanted a career in the media and I wanted to go to graduate school. My theory heavy undergraduate work peaked my interest in the New School’s critical theory courses on race and gender and, although I’m not really production savvy, I thought the production element added a welcome challenge. Now, after just one semester, I feel that my plans have completely changed. I never thought I’d be interested in business much less actually passionate about it. My career interests had always circled around journalism, PR or marketing (and all on the creative side, not the management side). A month ago when I was browsing through the course offerings for spring, I made a list of courses that I found attractive with reckless disregard of what was required of me to complete my program. The list is as follows:
Mashup Culture
The Producer’s Craft
Digital Media: Strategy and Implementation
Media Economics
Music Business in Media
Avante Garde and the Moving Image
After going over this list, I felt like a participant in a study who was asked what she eats on a daily basis, was subsequently asked what was in her refrigerator and found the two to be completely different. Half of the classes I chose were under the Media Management umbrella and I was both surprised and enthused but this.
After Kit Layborne’s visit to our class, I began seriously considering my interests and my talents and trying to merge the two. As somewhat of a musical snob, I pride myself on finding out about bands, shows, and happenings about town before other people. Likewise, I feel like I have a pretty good ear and eye for what people like. Why not put these things to use in a career in artist management, producing or television programming? As such, next semester I am registered for Media Studies: Concepts, Media Economics and Music Business in Media. I initially intended to register for Digital Media: Strategy and Implementation, but the class was full. If there’s room in the class when it starts, I’ll take that in lieu of Media Economics.
The courses I’ve selected will help me narrow my focus and, while I’m at the New School, I’d hope to achieve the management skills I’ll need for future endeavors and sharpen my creative problem solving skills. Right now I feel that my weaknesses lie in not knowing enough about the business element of media so these classes will help fill in that gap. I also know that I don’t always speak up when I have ideas and I need to work on that if I truly do want to be in a management or leadership position. In addition, I’d like to be exposed to career possibilities and opportunities I haven’t yet considered. I plan on interning at a talent management agency in the spring, which will give me a better idea of what is expected of me and what the job entails. In subsequent semesters, I will continue with the media management track with courses such as Competitive Strategies: Branding, Film Distribution and New Media and Media, Corporate Responsibility and the Law.
Competitive Strategies: Branding will increase my knowledge of branding, how to go about creating a successful branding campaign and how to stay one step beyond competition. Film Distribution and New Media will be beneficial because I will learn more about the business side of the film industry, a field I may someday pursue. I’m especially interested in the distribution and marketing of films in light of new online media, and this class would merge both of those interests. Law is a large part of any business and to excel in business, I believe it’s especially important to understand the legal background of the business you’re working in which is why I want to take Media, Corporate Responsibility and the Law. In this increasingly homogenized media world, this class will be especially relevant.
For my methods course, I plan on taking Market Research for Media Managers. Although market research seems like the least interesting part of being a manager, I know it’s a necessary part of the job and one that most managers don’t know how to do well. I’m also very interested in the use of social media and other new technologies as tools of market research. While I see them as an invasion of privacy, I also want to look at how people are readily giving up this privacy on facebook, twitter and other social media sites.
As far as production courses, I’m currently looking at Media Practices: Design simply because I’ve always been interested in design. I currently do some very minimal graphic design for friends and I’d like to learn to hone my skills and make my designs more interesting. I’m also thinking about Media Practices: Interactive because I know nothing of coding or any other skills described in the course description. I’d like to challenge myself to explore classes that I know won’t be easy for me, but will ultimately be very beneficial not only to my career goals, but also to my non-career life.
Networking is something that happens naturally in classes, but I also plan on attending events outside of class to meet other students and faculty. I’m especially interested in meeting some of the Parsons Design school students and seeing what they’re up to in terms of fashion design. Faculty I’m excited to work with include Kit Layborne, whose presentation in our Understanding Media Studies class blew my mind, Mario Paoli, whose background in music seems really cool, and Douglas Rushkoff, who just seems like a really interesting person to be around and someone you can learn a lot from. Upon looking at other programs available at the New School, there are many courses that interest me, but I will probably stick to the courses in Media Studies as I have limited time. However, if I could manage to slip in one class, I’d chose to take a shoe making class at Parsons because I think it would be awesome to make my own shoes.
When I first entered the New School, I was set on doing the thesis option, but now that my goals have changed and I’m less focused on theory, I think I’ll go the non-thesis way as I have a lot of classes I want to take and have time limitations and financial constraints to consider. I plan on having a part time job throughout my time at the New School. However, I won’t make the mistake of juggling a full time job, internship and 9 credits after this semester. I plan on finishing in 4 semesters and to do so, I’ll need to take a course over the summer or get credit for my internship.
Immediately upon completion of the media studies program, I plan on packing up my boyfriend and dog and taking off in a van for a trip across the country. I want to take at least 3 months off and explore the holes in the walls and doors in the floors of the smallest, most obscure places in the United States. During the trip, I’ll amass some treasures (records, vintage furnishings and clothes) for an online store that I’m currently creating a business plan for. I hope that some of the business and marketing techniques I’ve learned in Media Studies will help me with my venture into retail. When I return to the “real” world, assuming that the financial fiasco has sorted itself out some, I’ll begin applying for jobs in the television, film or talent management world, depending on what I have decided by that point.
To be honest, I feel like so much has changed for me just in the last 4 months I’ve been in New York, I don’t know how true I will be to this academic plan. I can only speculate on what I will get out of this program and I know that most of what I get out of this program depends on me and how much I’m willing to get out of it. Ultimately, I want to be a more well rounded person with actual marketable skills to navigate through this insanely terrifying yet electrifying exciting new world. I want to know what to do when someone comes to me with a problem; I want to know how to create a graphic; and I want to be part of the solution on building smarter, more sustainable business, not part of the problem. In short, I guess I want to do what most other people in the world want to do: I want to make the world a better place and I hope this program gives me the tools to do so.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Literature Review: Punks and Grrrls: Cutting and Pasting for a More Just World
The production of do-it-yourself media in the form of zines has progressed over time from music fanzines in the 1920s to political punk zines in the 1970s to feminist missives in the 1990s. While the content has changed, the production aspect has little deviated from do-it-yourself cheap and easy. Literature surrounding feminist and punk zines post 1970 has largely ignored close reading of the actual content and focused, instead, on a vague survey of the content. Likewise, we never hear from the creators of zines or the people who read them.
Definition and implications of the word “zine”
Although a small semantic difference, some see the word “zine” as a shortening of magazine (Austin, Licona, Piepmeier), yet Mitchell, Mattson and Fraser argue that “zine” is not a “hipster abbreviation of magazine”, but rather something entirely different; an alternative form of press stemming from fanzines of the 1920s “where like-minded folks avoided isolation by distributing homespun publications about their favorite authors and books.” (Fraser). Likewise, definitions of the term zine vary. While some restrict the medium to print (Fraser, Chidgey), others include digital and online zines (Leblanc, O’Hara). Later research builds on zines through the inclusion of blogs and personal websites. Although for my research, I exclude this research as I intend to focus on zines pre-digital age.
Why create zines?
Creators of zines live on the fringes of society, yet also note that their zines are photocopied on their office printers. Working in an office makes me question just how fringe the authors of zines are (but I digress...). Those who create zines do so because they feel disenfranchised in some way and do not want to or cannot portray their feelings in a traditional format. Nearly all research comes to this same conclusion. Whether it’s the feeling that no one is catering to your sexual identity or your musical tastes, all zines start with the intent to offer an alternative to what is already out there.
By creating photo copied, misspelled and disorganized zines, creators subvert the traditional publishing constraints thereby subverting a culture that they no longer trust nor want to engage in (Triggs, Spencer). Glossy, slick magazines full of advertisements represented the enemy: corporations, materialism, and racial, class and gender hierarchies (Spencer). Professionalism was seen as something not to be trusted. Aesthetics of the establishment are those that which punks sought to subvert. Zine readers can trust the authors because they are peers, fighting for the common goal (whether that goal be political, personal or musical).
While those who write about zines generally agree on the reasons zines were created, some are skeptical about just how subversive zines are. Their limited distribution and availability ensures that zines will not be seen by many. Chidgey argues that those who read zines must then be seeking out the knowledge and are not really deviating from the way they already think and feel. Zines simply reinforce their ideas. Since no one outside of punk or feminist values is exposed to the zines, how subversive can they be? However, Mattson and O’Hara argue that while the readers’ may be in line with the zine authors, they are still exposed to injustices and politics they weren’t previously aware of. Zines may speak to personal issues such as sexual ambiguity, date rape or sexual abuse, which aren’t necessarily subversive, but may expose readers to issues outside of mainstream media.
Content
Creators of feminist zines rebelled against the typically male centric zine cultural arenas of art and music. Women who did not fit into the typical feminist box espouse their alienation from traditional feminism and from society because of their different views conveyed through art activism, music, and zines (Fraser). Licona focuses on zines created by those who are on the fringes of sexuality and race, giving a voice to those who have no representation in mainstream media. Research on feminist zines tends to focus on lesbian and non-heterosexual zines, and to fetishize such publications as a “richly bizarre subspecies” for “garden-variety rabble-rousers who have always been stirring up trouble” (Austin). This doesn’t really do feminist zines justice. It makes them seem tawdry and unimportant, with no real value.
Literature on feminist zines also focuses on the notion of deconstruction of the feminine identity. While Harris contextualizes this view in terms of two perspectives on girlhood dominating media: girls as risk takers and girl power, Fraser and Licona study zines of minorities (be they minorities racially or in their sexuality). Zines are a place for these young women to express themselves in a public way without the fear of surveillance, as their readership will be made up of mostly like-minded people who have to seek out the subject matter as zines are not readily available.
While most zines deal with serious subject matter, zines poke fun at society and employ humor and caricature as a means of subversion. Cartoons and collage provide comic relief and parody leaders, dominant views, and political events (Chidgey, Triggs, Wenzel). Mitchell argues that one important facet of zine creation is that it “reinforces the powerful idea that everyone is an expert on something, and that almost anything can make for an interesting topic”. As such, most zines are created by teenagers and those in their early twenties, who are not traditionally considered experts (Harris, Duncombe, LeBlanc). Zines are a space for them to explore their expertise, politics, feelings and receive feedback from readers.
Traditional avenues of print media make money through advertising (subscriptions often yield meager earnings). Zines reject this notion and exist not to make money, but to spread messages. Many zines are distributed free of charge to readers, but leave the creator(s) broke. As such, distribution can be spotty and production value is very low. Even in the digital age, zines are usually printed as this promotes human interaction through the distribution and allows readers a tactile experience, which zine creators see as more valuable and rewarding that looking at something through a screen.
Chidgey questions whether zines and those who create them are being truly subversive or just playing into a different kind of political economy. However, Harris argues that grrrl zines achieve subversion by undermining the marketability of girls and girlhood. Licona argues that feminist zines reverse the gaze to the audience who then is tasked with reviewing their own notions of beauty, sexuality, and feminism.
Anonymity
Both feminist and punk zines employ an amount of anonymity, which can be very freeing to the content of their publications. In the 1970s, punk zinesters published under assumed names and published articles detailing how to steal food, how to get on the dole and where to squat without being caught (O’Hara, Mattson,Triggs). Anonymity was a concern for them because they were engaging in illegal activity and documenting it, which could get them into some sticky legal situations. Without pen names, the authors would have to censor themselves and their material.
Research on feminist zines paints a different picture of anonymity. Rather than avoiding legal repercussions by using pen names, feminist zinesters remain anonymous to allow themselves the freedom to discuss what many consider taboo topics of sexual experiences, sexual ambiguity, rape, incest and other socially charged issues. Research on the topic posits that where women frequently police themselves, zine anonymity give them an opportunity to be completely free without fear of being found out (Harris, LeBlanc).
What’s Missing
One major question I had while reading through the research on zines was who is reading this? While I understand that it may be difficult to find records of who the readers are since there are probably few, if any, subscription records, but I think it’s a valid area of study that’s largely ignored by the research. Mitchell does address readership to some extent, but her thoughts are largely hypothetical. Her example is that someone interested in an academic topic may turn to zines rather than scholarly work for a less intimidating experience on the subject. I also noticed that there is far more literature on feminist zines than punk zines. This makes sense since there is just far more literature and study done on feminism than punk, but I also think that punk zines are a really valuable and overlooked medium.
The politics of such zines can be hugely controversial. I remember reading a zine when I was teenager, which detailed how to make a bomb using household chemicals and how to perform your own abortion with a cocktail of different herbs. While I never tried either method, it amazes me that the Anarchist Cookbook could get so much media attention, while these stapled pamphlets were largely ignored. Even post-Columbine when schools were full of security guards and metal detectors, zines slipped through the cracks.
Where I come in
As a once-upon-a-time comparative literature major, I’ve always loved digging deeper into texts. I would like to do a closer reader of zines, focusing on the words and pictures that make up this medium. Yet, I wouldn’t want to take some ivory tower approach in which I presume to be able to figure out some overarching meaning. If possible, I’d also like to ask some questions of zine creators and their readers. Who reads zines? Who subscribes to zines? Are zines truly subversive or are they simply reinforcing the readers’ current ideas? For my research, I’d hope to create a story about zines rather than a simple overview. Chidgey interviewed zinesters for her research and I feel like this gave her writing a much-needed injection of knowledge that others had largely ignored. I would also like to look more at the design aspect of zines. While I read that feminist zines are often decorated in a traditionally “girly” way with stickers, glitter and lots of pink, I haven’t seen any. Harris argues that such decoration masks the true content of the zine thereby making it appear cute and frivolous to outsiders, who would then take no interest in the writing. I’d like to look into this some more and make my own conclusions.
O’Hara’s “The Philosophy of Punk” recounts the early punk zines and talks of the zine infection that overtook punk rockers of the early 80s. O’Hara is quick to point out that there is no objectivity in the zines, setting them apart from other traditional print mediums. Punk zines made no attempt to appeal to mainstream media, instead preferring to focus on what the individual wanted to see and felt was under-represented. Focusing specifically on Maximum Rock and Roll, a punk zine from the 1980s, O’Hara is one of the few researchers who really break down the message and motivation in creating the zine. MRR sought to fight against racist skinheads, connect people and move people towards positive action by creating a radio station, mail-order distribution center and a punk venue. O’Hara goes on to talk about two other radical punk zines in detail. I would like to take this model and go forward with it as it takes not only the zine itself into consideration but also the words of the creator.
Works Cited
A. Spencer, DIY: The Rise of Lo-Fi Culture , Marion Boyers, 2005, p.195-6.
Works Cited
Austin, Bryn. "The irreverent (under)world of 'zines." Ms. 3.4 (1993). Print.
Chidgey, Red. "Free, Trade: Distribution Economies in Feminist Zine Networks." Signs Autumn (2009). Print.
Fraser, M. "Zine and Heard:fringe feminism and the zines of the third wave." Feminist Collections 23.4 (2002): 6-11. Print.
Harris, Anita. "GURL Scenes and Grrrl Zines: The Regulation and Resistance of Girls in Late Modernity." Feminist Review 75 (2003): 38-56. Print.
Leblanc, Lauraine. Pretty in Punkgirls' gender resistance in a boys' subculture. Piscataway: Rutgers Universtiy, 1999. Print.
Licona, Adela. "(B)orderlands’ Rhetorics and Representations: The Transformative Potential of Feminist Third-Space Scholarship and Zines." NWSA Journal 17.2 (2005): 104-29. Print.
Mattson, K. "Did Punk Matter?" American Studies (2001): 1-29. Print.
Mitchell, Tracey. "Better zine than herd: the underground politics of do-it-yourself media." Briarpatch 4.36 (2007): 21-23. Print.
O'Hara, Craig. The philosophy of punk: more than noise. New York: AK, 1999. Print.
Piepmeier, Alison. Girl Zine: Making Media, Doing Feminism. New York: NYU, 2009. Print.
Schilt, K. "" I'll Resist with Every Inch and Every Breath": Girls and Zine Making as a Form of Resistance." Youth Society 35.1 (2003): 71-97. Print.
S. Duncombe, Notes From the Underground: Zines and the Politics
of Alternative Culture, Verso, 1997 , 11.
T. Triggs. "Scissors and Glue: Punk Fanzines and the Creation of a DIY Aesthetic." Journal of Design History 19.1 (2006): 69-83.
Wenzel, John. "Punk zine happily defies digital age." Denver Post [Denver] 28 Aug. 2009: D1-D1. Print.
Definition and implications of the word “zine”
Although a small semantic difference, some see the word “zine” as a shortening of magazine (Austin, Licona, Piepmeier), yet Mitchell, Mattson and Fraser argue that “zine” is not a “hipster abbreviation of magazine”, but rather something entirely different; an alternative form of press stemming from fanzines of the 1920s “where like-minded folks avoided isolation by distributing homespun publications about their favorite authors and books.” (Fraser). Likewise, definitions of the term zine vary. While some restrict the medium to print (Fraser, Chidgey), others include digital and online zines (Leblanc, O’Hara). Later research builds on zines through the inclusion of blogs and personal websites. Although for my research, I exclude this research as I intend to focus on zines pre-digital age.
Why create zines?
Creators of zines live on the fringes of society, yet also note that their zines are photocopied on their office printers. Working in an office makes me question just how fringe the authors of zines are (but I digress...). Those who create zines do so because they feel disenfranchised in some way and do not want to or cannot portray their feelings in a traditional format. Nearly all research comes to this same conclusion. Whether it’s the feeling that no one is catering to your sexual identity or your musical tastes, all zines start with the intent to offer an alternative to what is already out there.
By creating photo copied, misspelled and disorganized zines, creators subvert the traditional publishing constraints thereby subverting a culture that they no longer trust nor want to engage in (Triggs, Spencer). Glossy, slick magazines full of advertisements represented the enemy: corporations, materialism, and racial, class and gender hierarchies (Spencer). Professionalism was seen as something not to be trusted. Aesthetics of the establishment are those that which punks sought to subvert. Zine readers can trust the authors because they are peers, fighting for the common goal (whether that goal be political, personal or musical).
While those who write about zines generally agree on the reasons zines were created, some are skeptical about just how subversive zines are. Their limited distribution and availability ensures that zines will not be seen by many. Chidgey argues that those who read zines must then be seeking out the knowledge and are not really deviating from the way they already think and feel. Zines simply reinforce their ideas. Since no one outside of punk or feminist values is exposed to the zines, how subversive can they be? However, Mattson and O’Hara argue that while the readers’ may be in line with the zine authors, they are still exposed to injustices and politics they weren’t previously aware of. Zines may speak to personal issues such as sexual ambiguity, date rape or sexual abuse, which aren’t necessarily subversive, but may expose readers to issues outside of mainstream media.
Content
Creators of feminist zines rebelled against the typically male centric zine cultural arenas of art and music. Women who did not fit into the typical feminist box espouse their alienation from traditional feminism and from society because of their different views conveyed through art activism, music, and zines (Fraser). Licona focuses on zines created by those who are on the fringes of sexuality and race, giving a voice to those who have no representation in mainstream media. Research on feminist zines tends to focus on lesbian and non-heterosexual zines, and to fetishize such publications as a “richly bizarre subspecies” for “garden-variety rabble-rousers who have always been stirring up trouble” (Austin). This doesn’t really do feminist zines justice. It makes them seem tawdry and unimportant, with no real value.
Literature on feminist zines also focuses on the notion of deconstruction of the feminine identity. While Harris contextualizes this view in terms of two perspectives on girlhood dominating media: girls as risk takers and girl power, Fraser and Licona study zines of minorities (be they minorities racially or in their sexuality). Zines are a place for these young women to express themselves in a public way without the fear of surveillance, as their readership will be made up of mostly like-minded people who have to seek out the subject matter as zines are not readily available.
While most zines deal with serious subject matter, zines poke fun at society and employ humor and caricature as a means of subversion. Cartoons and collage provide comic relief and parody leaders, dominant views, and political events (Chidgey, Triggs, Wenzel). Mitchell argues that one important facet of zine creation is that it “reinforces the powerful idea that everyone is an expert on something, and that almost anything can make for an interesting topic”. As such, most zines are created by teenagers and those in their early twenties, who are not traditionally considered experts (Harris, Duncombe, LeBlanc). Zines are a space for them to explore their expertise, politics, feelings and receive feedback from readers.
Traditional avenues of print media make money through advertising (subscriptions often yield meager earnings). Zines reject this notion and exist not to make money, but to spread messages. Many zines are distributed free of charge to readers, but leave the creator(s) broke. As such, distribution can be spotty and production value is very low. Even in the digital age, zines are usually printed as this promotes human interaction through the distribution and allows readers a tactile experience, which zine creators see as more valuable and rewarding that looking at something through a screen.
Chidgey questions whether zines and those who create them are being truly subversive or just playing into a different kind of political economy. However, Harris argues that grrrl zines achieve subversion by undermining the marketability of girls and girlhood. Licona argues that feminist zines reverse the gaze to the audience who then is tasked with reviewing their own notions of beauty, sexuality, and feminism.
Anonymity
Both feminist and punk zines employ an amount of anonymity, which can be very freeing to the content of their publications. In the 1970s, punk zinesters published under assumed names and published articles detailing how to steal food, how to get on the dole and where to squat without being caught (O’Hara, Mattson,Triggs). Anonymity was a concern for them because they were engaging in illegal activity and documenting it, which could get them into some sticky legal situations. Without pen names, the authors would have to censor themselves and their material.
Research on feminist zines paints a different picture of anonymity. Rather than avoiding legal repercussions by using pen names, feminist zinesters remain anonymous to allow themselves the freedom to discuss what many consider taboo topics of sexual experiences, sexual ambiguity, rape, incest and other socially charged issues. Research on the topic posits that where women frequently police themselves, zine anonymity give them an opportunity to be completely free without fear of being found out (Harris, LeBlanc).
What’s Missing
One major question I had while reading through the research on zines was who is reading this? While I understand that it may be difficult to find records of who the readers are since there are probably few, if any, subscription records, but I think it’s a valid area of study that’s largely ignored by the research. Mitchell does address readership to some extent, but her thoughts are largely hypothetical. Her example is that someone interested in an academic topic may turn to zines rather than scholarly work for a less intimidating experience on the subject. I also noticed that there is far more literature on feminist zines than punk zines. This makes sense since there is just far more literature and study done on feminism than punk, but I also think that punk zines are a really valuable and overlooked medium.
The politics of such zines can be hugely controversial. I remember reading a zine when I was teenager, which detailed how to make a bomb using household chemicals and how to perform your own abortion with a cocktail of different herbs. While I never tried either method, it amazes me that the Anarchist Cookbook could get so much media attention, while these stapled pamphlets were largely ignored. Even post-Columbine when schools were full of security guards and metal detectors, zines slipped through the cracks.
Where I come in
As a once-upon-a-time comparative literature major, I’ve always loved digging deeper into texts. I would like to do a closer reader of zines, focusing on the words and pictures that make up this medium. Yet, I wouldn’t want to take some ivory tower approach in which I presume to be able to figure out some overarching meaning. If possible, I’d also like to ask some questions of zine creators and their readers. Who reads zines? Who subscribes to zines? Are zines truly subversive or are they simply reinforcing the readers’ current ideas? For my research, I’d hope to create a story about zines rather than a simple overview. Chidgey interviewed zinesters for her research and I feel like this gave her writing a much-needed injection of knowledge that others had largely ignored. I would also like to look more at the design aspect of zines. While I read that feminist zines are often decorated in a traditionally “girly” way with stickers, glitter and lots of pink, I haven’t seen any. Harris argues that such decoration masks the true content of the zine thereby making it appear cute and frivolous to outsiders, who would then take no interest in the writing. I’d like to look into this some more and make my own conclusions.
O’Hara’s “The Philosophy of Punk” recounts the early punk zines and talks of the zine infection that overtook punk rockers of the early 80s. O’Hara is quick to point out that there is no objectivity in the zines, setting them apart from other traditional print mediums. Punk zines made no attempt to appeal to mainstream media, instead preferring to focus on what the individual wanted to see and felt was under-represented. Focusing specifically on Maximum Rock and Roll, a punk zine from the 1980s, O’Hara is one of the few researchers who really break down the message and motivation in creating the zine. MRR sought to fight against racist skinheads, connect people and move people towards positive action by creating a radio station, mail-order distribution center and a punk venue. O’Hara goes on to talk about two other radical punk zines in detail. I would like to take this model and go forward with it as it takes not only the zine itself into consideration but also the words of the creator.
Works Cited
A. Spencer, DIY: The Rise of Lo-Fi Culture , Marion Boyers, 2005, p.195-6.
Works Cited
Austin, Bryn. "The irreverent (under)world of 'zines." Ms. 3.4 (1993). Print.
Chidgey, Red. "Free, Trade: Distribution Economies in Feminist Zine Networks." Signs Autumn (2009). Print.
Fraser, M. "Zine and Heard:fringe feminism and the zines of the third wave." Feminist Collections 23.4 (2002): 6-11. Print.
Harris, Anita. "GURL Scenes and Grrrl Zines: The Regulation and Resistance of Girls in Late Modernity." Feminist Review 75 (2003): 38-56. Print.
Leblanc, Lauraine. Pretty in Punkgirls' gender resistance in a boys' subculture. Piscataway: Rutgers Universtiy, 1999. Print.
Licona, Adela. "(B)orderlands’ Rhetorics and Representations: The Transformative Potential of Feminist Third-Space Scholarship and Zines." NWSA Journal 17.2 (2005): 104-29. Print.
Mattson, K. "Did Punk Matter?" American Studies (2001): 1-29. Print.
Mitchell, Tracey. "Better zine than herd: the underground politics of do-it-yourself media." Briarpatch 4.36 (2007): 21-23. Print.
O'Hara, Craig. The philosophy of punk: more than noise. New York: AK, 1999. Print.
Piepmeier, Alison. Girl Zine: Making Media, Doing Feminism. New York: NYU, 2009. Print.
Schilt, K. "" I'll Resist with Every Inch and Every Breath": Girls and Zine Making as a Form of Resistance." Youth Society 35.1 (2003): 71-97. Print.
S. Duncombe, Notes From the Underground: Zines and the Politics
of Alternative Culture, Verso, 1997 , 11.
T. Triggs. "Scissors and Glue: Punk Fanzines and the Creation of a DIY Aesthetic." Journal of Design History 19.1 (2006): 69-83.
Wenzel, John. "Punk zine happily defies digital age." Denver Post [Denver] 28 Aug. 2009: D1-D1. Print.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Reaction Paper
“It’s Cheap. It’s Easy. Go and Do it.” The Aesthetics of Punk Zines in the 1970s
As the Desperate Bicycles so succinctly put it, the 1970s punk movement was all about doing it yourself. With the advent of Rough Trade Records and bands with little or no music training producing and distributing their own records, punk zines were a natural progression. As a cut and paste version of the mosh pit, zines reproduced the energy and panache of the punk show, the most visceral representation of punk. The in-your-face content combined with ransom style lettering, flippant representations of mainstream culture, and a distinctly lo-fi production proved that anyone with a photocopier and a bone to pick could participate in punk.
In the early 1970s, Geoff Travis, a West Londoner with a penchant for punk, traveled the US stocking his suitcases with the records he couldn’t find in London. When he arrived back in West London, Travis started a record shop called Rough Trade Records with his large new collection and, after a hugely successful run, Rough Trade began distributing albums. Rough Trade grew from a small distribution to a serious contender in the record company world with the signing of Stiff Little Fingers. According to the BBC documentary “Do it Yourself: The Story of Rough Trade Records”, their contract split all profits (after covering production and distribution costs) 50/50 with the artist. Unheard of in the corporate record industry where bands usually saw about 15% of the profit, Rough Trade had subverted the notion that only major record companies could produce profitable musical acts. Stocked next to its records, the fan zines Sniffin’ Glue, Chainsaw and Punk were snatched up by spiky haired, leather clad youngsters. The stage was set for punks to take the world into their own photocopiers.
Punk zines consist of several pages of stapled, photocopied, grammatically incorrect show schedules, rants, band interviews, and record reviews but the actual aesthetics of cut and paste seek to capture the energy behind the movement, previously only found in the ruckus and rancor of the mosh pit. In the 1978 November/December issue of Chainsaw, the author accidentally snaps the “N” key off his typewriter and, after calling attention to this, fills in the necessary letters with a pen. This kind of slapped together production proved the realness of the publication. As Amy Spencer argues, “The sloppy style seemed to be a badge of authenticity. If a zine wasn’t slick in appearance or perfect in terms in presentation, and was not interested in reaching a mass audience, then the content was seen as truthful and therefore something to believe in.” (195). Professionalism and “slick production” were seen as something not be trusted, aesthetics of the establishment, that which punks sought to subvert.
Focusing primarily on the covers of the zines and their combination of collage, handwritten text, typographical errors, photocopied pages and ransom note style lettering, Triggs explores direct resistance not only to traditional notions of publishing but to dominant culture in general. “For fanzine producers, the DIY process critiques mass production through the very handmade quality it embraces, but also in the process of appropriating the images and words of mainstream media and popular culture.” (69) Zine producers critiqued mainstream culture through hand drawn cartoon and collage. The back cover of the 11th issue of Panache features Margaret Thatcher’s head attached to a scantily clad young woman’s body who happens to be using the loo. Such racy, political charged images sought to poke fun at the establishment. Yet, upon closer inspection, the page also contains the lyrics of “The End of Civilization as we know it”. By juxtaposing the image of Margaret Thatcher with lyrics such as “The edifice is crumbling and I’m sitting here with my microphone truthfully reporting,” the author pokes fun while introducing a serious element and discussion onto the page. The apocalypse is coming and look no farther than this zine if you want to hear the truth.
Companies make magazines to make money. Zines offer the producers no money and no recognition as the author protects his anonymity with a punk rock nom de plume. Zines were made because these people had something to say and no way to say it so they made up their own media and set themselves against a society based on consumption and market economics (Duncombe). As Rough Trade Records demonstrated, making money doesn’t have to be the end game. This idea was really appealing to punks, who often sought to live on the fringes of society but were frustrated by the insistent need for money (and therefore employment). Sloppy production, spelling and grammar mistakes, and cut and paste made for a truthful representation of punk, one that was not glamorized or commodified, but made the movement visual through print media. Whether the content was angry, politically charged, funny, or all of the above, there was often room for discussion and feedback unlike traditional publications. Both production and content equalized punk: anyone could photocopy a page and, if you really couldn’t figure it out, directions were printed right on the zines anyway.
Works Cited
A. Spencer, DIY: The Rise of Lo-Fi Culture , Marion Boyers, 2005, p.195-6.
Charlie Chainsaw, ‘Alio Punks’, Chainsaw Issue 5, London, 1978.
Do it Yourself: The Story of Rough Trade Records. Perf. Geoff Travis. BBC Films, 2008
M. Mercer, ‘Ed’, Panache , Issue 20, London,1981, p. 2.
M. Perry, Sniffn’ Glue , No. 1, London, 1976.
S. Duncombe, Notes From the Underground: Zines and the Politics
of Alternative Culture, Verso, 1997 , 11.
T. Triggs. "Scissors and Glue: Punk Fanzines and the Creation of a DIY Aesthetic." Journal of Design History 19.1 (2006): 69-83.
As the Desperate Bicycles so succinctly put it, the 1970s punk movement was all about doing it yourself. With the advent of Rough Trade Records and bands with little or no music training producing and distributing their own records, punk zines were a natural progression. As a cut and paste version of the mosh pit, zines reproduced the energy and panache of the punk show, the most visceral representation of punk. The in-your-face content combined with ransom style lettering, flippant representations of mainstream culture, and a distinctly lo-fi production proved that anyone with a photocopier and a bone to pick could participate in punk.
In the early 1970s, Geoff Travis, a West Londoner with a penchant for punk, traveled the US stocking his suitcases with the records he couldn’t find in London. When he arrived back in West London, Travis started a record shop called Rough Trade Records with his large new collection and, after a hugely successful run, Rough Trade began distributing albums. Rough Trade grew from a small distribution to a serious contender in the record company world with the signing of Stiff Little Fingers. According to the BBC documentary “Do it Yourself: The Story of Rough Trade Records”, their contract split all profits (after covering production and distribution costs) 50/50 with the artist. Unheard of in the corporate record industry where bands usually saw about 15% of the profit, Rough Trade had subverted the notion that only major record companies could produce profitable musical acts. Stocked next to its records, the fan zines Sniffin’ Glue, Chainsaw and Punk were snatched up by spiky haired, leather clad youngsters. The stage was set for punks to take the world into their own photocopiers.
Punk zines consist of several pages of stapled, photocopied, grammatically incorrect show schedules, rants, band interviews, and record reviews but the actual aesthetics of cut and paste seek to capture the energy behind the movement, previously only found in the ruckus and rancor of the mosh pit. In the 1978 November/December issue of Chainsaw, the author accidentally snaps the “N” key off his typewriter and, after calling attention to this, fills in the necessary letters with a pen. This kind of slapped together production proved the realness of the publication. As Amy Spencer argues, “The sloppy style seemed to be a badge of authenticity. If a zine wasn’t slick in appearance or perfect in terms in presentation, and was not interested in reaching a mass audience, then the content was seen as truthful and therefore something to believe in.” (195). Professionalism and “slick production” were seen as something not be trusted, aesthetics of the establishment, that which punks sought to subvert.
Focusing primarily on the covers of the zines and their combination of collage, handwritten text, typographical errors, photocopied pages and ransom note style lettering, Triggs explores direct resistance not only to traditional notions of publishing but to dominant culture in general. “For fanzine producers, the DIY process critiques mass production through the very handmade quality it embraces, but also in the process of appropriating the images and words of mainstream media and popular culture.” (69) Zine producers critiqued mainstream culture through hand drawn cartoon and collage. The back cover of the 11th issue of Panache features Margaret Thatcher’s head attached to a scantily clad young woman’s body who happens to be using the loo. Such racy, political charged images sought to poke fun at the establishment. Yet, upon closer inspection, the page also contains the lyrics of “The End of Civilization as we know it”. By juxtaposing the image of Margaret Thatcher with lyrics such as “The edifice is crumbling and I’m sitting here with my microphone truthfully reporting,” the author pokes fun while introducing a serious element and discussion onto the page. The apocalypse is coming and look no farther than this zine if you want to hear the truth.
Companies make magazines to make money. Zines offer the producers no money and no recognition as the author protects his anonymity with a punk rock nom de plume. Zines were made because these people had something to say and no way to say it so they made up their own media and set themselves against a society based on consumption and market economics (Duncombe). As Rough Trade Records demonstrated, making money doesn’t have to be the end game. This idea was really appealing to punks, who often sought to live on the fringes of society but were frustrated by the insistent need for money (and therefore employment). Sloppy production, spelling and grammar mistakes, and cut and paste made for a truthful representation of punk, one that was not glamorized or commodified, but made the movement visual through print media. Whether the content was angry, politically charged, funny, or all of the above, there was often room for discussion and feedback unlike traditional publications. Both production and content equalized punk: anyone could photocopy a page and, if you really couldn’t figure it out, directions were printed right on the zines anyway.
Works Cited
A. Spencer, DIY: The Rise of Lo-Fi Culture , Marion Boyers, 2005, p.195-6.
Charlie Chainsaw, ‘Alio Punks’, Chainsaw Issue 5, London, 1978.
Do it Yourself: The Story of Rough Trade Records. Perf. Geoff Travis. BBC Films, 2008
M. Mercer, ‘Ed’, Panache , Issue 20, London,1981, p. 2.
M. Perry, Sniffn’ Glue , No. 1, London, 1976.
S. Duncombe, Notes From the Underground: Zines and the Politics
of Alternative Culture, Verso, 1997 , 11.
T. Triggs. "Scissors and Glue: Punk Fanzines and the Creation of a DIY Aesthetic." Journal of Design History 19.1 (2006): 69-83.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Abstracts
Triggs, Teal. "Scissors and Glue: Punk Fanzines and the Creation of a DIY Aesthetic." Journal of Design History 19.1 (2006): 69-83. Print.
Triggs’ “Scissors and Glue: Punk Fanzines and the Creation of a DIY Aesthetic” focuses on the visual representation of punk through the chaotic and unruly zines of early punk in the 1970s. The very language and typography employed by the punk producers of fanzines conveys the punk/DIY ideology. Zine content focuses on show schedules, record reviews, band interviews, political events and personal “ants” (shortening of rants), but the actual aesthetics of cut and paste seek to capture the energy behind the movement, previously only found in the ruckus and rancor of the mosh pit. The essay explores this argument through three stapled, photocopied, grammatically incorrect zines of early punk. Focusing primarily on the covers of the zines and their combination of collage, handwritten text, typographical errors, photocopied pages and ransom note style lettering, the article explores direct resistance not only to traditional notions of publishing but to dominant culture in general.
Harris, Anita. "GURL Scenes and Grrrl Zines: The Regulation and Resistance of Girls in Late Modernity." Feminist Review 75 (2003): 38-56. Print.
This article takes a feminist youth studies approach to zines, specifically “grrrl”/ gURL zines, where Harris sees young women deconstructing the modern view of girls and girlhood. Harris contextualizes the article in terms of two perspectives on girlhood dominating media: girls as risk takers and girl power. While most feminist youth studies approach youth feminism in the private sphere of the home, the article explores the public notion of zines, which allows young women a place for themselves while allowing them anonymity and protection from surveillance (as theses zines are meant for and appeal to their peers). Zines serve to both subvert and reinforce these notions; while these girls seek to undermine traditional notions of femininity through the content of their zines (from rants to politically charged articles on sexual abuse), they also decorate their zines a typically feminine way (lots of pink, hello kitty stickers, sparkles, etc). Such decoration is used as a masquerade to allow for less surveillance; adults won’t seek to probe further once they see such “frivolous” design. Like other politically informed zines, girl zines overcome the silence of the disenfranchised and underappreciated, but also undermine the marketable notion of girlhood and girl power.
Licona, Adela. "(B)orderlands’ Rhetorics and Representations: The Transformative Potential of Feminist Third-Space Scholarship and Zines." NWSA Journal 17.2 (2005): 104-29. Print.
Licona explores “third-space” feminism, a state of consciousness where one has a sense of otherness in sexuality, geography, or class, represented in both scholarly and more informal forms of writing, especially zines. Third-space feminism disrupts traditional notions of representation by fragmented and discursive language and thought. In the vein of scholarly work that seeks to express the often ignored sexually ambiguous and disenfranchised, the article focuses on the politics of articulation practiced in zines to expose underlying misconceptions and misrepresentations. Members of the third space use such informal publications to created a space to demystify, challenge readers and create a like-minded community set on social change. Focusing on specifically feminist zines, Licona explores gender representation and how these zines subvert the female/male dichotomy through stories of bisexuality and experiences with one’s own and others’ sexual ambiguity. Many of these zines express great anger at the surveillance and regulation of women’s bodies and the unattainable and ethnocentric views of beauty perpetuated by the media and create collage and content to subvert these views. The gaze is reversed to the audience who then is tasked with reviewing their own notions of beauty, sexuality, and feminism.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Intellectual Autobiography
My mother was pregnant with me (although she didn't know it yet) when she went to her first Dead Kennedys’ show. Fifteen years later, sweaty and smelling of Camels and PBR, counting my bruises from moshing at that night's show, my mom would tell me that my in utero punk experience clearly had a great effect. I became obsessed with ferreting out the oldest, dingiest, crappiest punk, dyeing my hair, and anything and everything DIY. I wore the same pair of patched pants for over a year. Everyday.
As a teenager, I wrote CD and show reviews for local music magazines and studied the issues of racism, sexism, and classism that spewed from the speakers in my bedroom. I began reading Simone de Beauvoir and Camus and, in all my idealism, decided that I was going to make a difference in the world. I wrote my college entrance essay as a futuristic look back on the Earth after I had accomplished all I wanted to. It was a Utopia imagined by a bleached headed 17 year old who had clearly heard Operation Ivy’s “Unity” one too many times.
Nevertheless, I was accepted to Occidental College, where I began washing my clothes regularly and taking courses such as Whiteness, the Phallus, and Black Women Writers. I also began writing for the school newspaper on women’s health issues, the targeting of students by Army recruiters, and the occasional music review. I had always been interested in media; spurred, I’m sure, by my mother’s position at a TV station and my parents’ unending adoration of the newspaper. Concurrently, I worked as a news writer intern at an ABC affiliate. With little room for creativity and no investigative journalism, broadcast was not for me. I became disenchanted with the media. Seeing the beast from the inside made me wonder where this great democratic tradition had gone wrong. I heard the staff gripe about budget cuts and computer operated cameras. The endless cycle of budget cuts and bad reporting ensured the death of really good journalism (at least in that office).
So I decided to switch back to theory, and I wrote my senior project as a mono ethnography based on a former gang member. I had been volunteering at Homeboy Industries, a non-profit that not only employees former gang members in its bakery and silkscreening factory, but also rehabilitates them through counseling and other services, when I met Angelica, a former gang member with a little girl. Angelica had been raised a good Catholic girl on the streets of South Central LA. With an abusive father and a community that was crumbling around her, she became angered by her position of little authority in both her family and American society. She often shared with me She sought to take that power back and rebelled against her family and society by joining a gang, where she commanded fear even among male gang bangers.
I found her story fascinating, perhaps because I’m half Mexican and I could relate to a lot of her feelings of powerlessness. Together we constructed the ethnography, employing different theories from the Frankfurt School to psychoanalysis and applying them to the work. That time was both fascinating and exhausting, but I realized how much I enjoyed working with the disenfranchised and getting their perspective on the world, one that is often marginalized or not seen at all.
Upon completion of my undergraduate studies, I took a job at a PR firm that specialized in lifestyle PR, which was somewhat of a departure from my previous work. I took this opportunity to become familiar with the clandestine activities of broadcast and print media. Seemingly unbiased press organizations would gladly present stories on our clients provided you email them the text and send over gift certificates for snazzy restaurants or massages. I was then hired by a software company to create a social media marketing campaign, which is where my interest in social media really took off.
I've always been interested in user-produced media, whether it's blogs, zines, or cable access shows. With the advent of new media avenues especially virtual forums, user produced media is increasing exponentially. This is really changing the way the media world works. Mainstream media is tapping former " nobodies" as experts on politics, fashion and music. 13 year-old Tavi, creator of the blog Style Rookie, sat front row at a number of highly sought after fashion week shows and ended up on the cover of Pop Magazine. How? Her blog garners over 4 million readers. It’s pretty mind blowing to consider that designers want the input of a 13 year-old self professed “dweeb” because of her blog.
It’s stories such as these that keep me so energized and passionate about the field. This is brand new and so exhilarating to me. I'm interested in discovering how people are using these new media forums and how more established media is responding, adapting, and repelling them. I’m also very interested in the business side of media, especially media management and ethics. While my heart is in the creative side of media, I think it’s really important to know the business behind whatever you’re passionate about, which is why I plan on pursuing my media management certificate.
I grew up with the advent of the internet, social media, and contemporary digital art. Certain technologies that come as second nature to me are mystifying to those who run companies. Increasingly, though, those people will not be able to run their companies without being able to harness those technologies. With my MA, I will be able to consult on creative uses of new media. In these uncharted waters, I know my background in critical theory will also serve to prevent stereotypes and negative views of the disenfranchised.
Having lived in Los Angeles and now New York, I feel energized by the urban environment. Cities just have a feel about them when people are doing things. It was important for me to be in New York City because of the environment and its position as an embracer of the new, especially new media. Likewise, it’s important for me to marry my love of theory with media and critically analyze what’s going on in our society with media. Ten years from now I see myself as a critical evaluator of media. I intend to continue my research on media ethics, leadership, and new media and discover new media of my own. With my MA, I’ll have confidence in knowing the history of discourse surrounding current media and the media to come, but also be able to create theories of my own to fill in the gaps. I would love to pursue a PhD and eventually be able to teach others someday.
As a teenager, I wrote CD and show reviews for local music magazines and studied the issues of racism, sexism, and classism that spewed from the speakers in my bedroom. I began reading Simone de Beauvoir and Camus and, in all my idealism, decided that I was going to make a difference in the world. I wrote my college entrance essay as a futuristic look back on the Earth after I had accomplished all I wanted to. It was a Utopia imagined by a bleached headed 17 year old who had clearly heard Operation Ivy’s “Unity” one too many times.
Nevertheless, I was accepted to Occidental College, where I began washing my clothes regularly and taking courses such as Whiteness, the Phallus, and Black Women Writers. I also began writing for the school newspaper on women’s health issues, the targeting of students by Army recruiters, and the occasional music review. I had always been interested in media; spurred, I’m sure, by my mother’s position at a TV station and my parents’ unending adoration of the newspaper. Concurrently, I worked as a news writer intern at an ABC affiliate. With little room for creativity and no investigative journalism, broadcast was not for me. I became disenchanted with the media. Seeing the beast from the inside made me wonder where this great democratic tradition had gone wrong. I heard the staff gripe about budget cuts and computer operated cameras. The endless cycle of budget cuts and bad reporting ensured the death of really good journalism (at least in that office).
So I decided to switch back to theory, and I wrote my senior project as a mono ethnography based on a former gang member. I had been volunteering at Homeboy Industries, a non-profit that not only employees former gang members in its bakery and silkscreening factory, but also rehabilitates them through counseling and other services, when I met Angelica, a former gang member with a little girl. Angelica had been raised a good Catholic girl on the streets of South Central LA. With an abusive father and a community that was crumbling around her, she became angered by her position of little authority in both her family and American society. She often shared with me She sought to take that power back and rebelled against her family and society by joining a gang, where she commanded fear even among male gang bangers.
I found her story fascinating, perhaps because I’m half Mexican and I could relate to a lot of her feelings of powerlessness. Together we constructed the ethnography, employing different theories from the Frankfurt School to psychoanalysis and applying them to the work. That time was both fascinating and exhausting, but I realized how much I enjoyed working with the disenfranchised and getting their perspective on the world, one that is often marginalized or not seen at all.
Upon completion of my undergraduate studies, I took a job at a PR firm that specialized in lifestyle PR, which was somewhat of a departure from my previous work. I took this opportunity to become familiar with the clandestine activities of broadcast and print media. Seemingly unbiased press organizations would gladly present stories on our clients provided you email them the text and send over gift certificates for snazzy restaurants or massages. I was then hired by a software company to create a social media marketing campaign, which is where my interest in social media really took off.
I've always been interested in user-produced media, whether it's blogs, zines, or cable access shows. With the advent of new media avenues especially virtual forums, user produced media is increasing exponentially. This is really changing the way the media world works. Mainstream media is tapping former " nobodies" as experts on politics, fashion and music. 13 year-old Tavi, creator of the blog Style Rookie, sat front row at a number of highly sought after fashion week shows and ended up on the cover of Pop Magazine. How? Her blog garners over 4 million readers. It’s pretty mind blowing to consider that designers want the input of a 13 year-old self professed “dweeb” because of her blog.
It’s stories such as these that keep me so energized and passionate about the field. This is brand new and so exhilarating to me. I'm interested in discovering how people are using these new media forums and how more established media is responding, adapting, and repelling them. I’m also very interested in the business side of media, especially media management and ethics. While my heart is in the creative side of media, I think it’s really important to know the business behind whatever you’re passionate about, which is why I plan on pursuing my media management certificate.
I grew up with the advent of the internet, social media, and contemporary digital art. Certain technologies that come as second nature to me are mystifying to those who run companies. Increasingly, though, those people will not be able to run their companies without being able to harness those technologies. With my MA, I will be able to consult on creative uses of new media. In these uncharted waters, I know my background in critical theory will also serve to prevent stereotypes and negative views of the disenfranchised.
Having lived in Los Angeles and now New York, I feel energized by the urban environment. Cities just have a feel about them when people are doing things. It was important for me to be in New York City because of the environment and its position as an embracer of the new, especially new media. Likewise, it’s important for me to marry my love of theory with media and critically analyze what’s going on in our society with media. Ten years from now I see myself as a critical evaluator of media. I intend to continue my research on media ethics, leadership, and new media and discover new media of my own. With my MA, I’ll have confidence in knowing the history of discourse surrounding current media and the media to come, but also be able to create theories of my own to fill in the gaps. I would love to pursue a PhD and eventually be able to teach others someday.
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