KARP: a documentary film about a band called KARP

I’ve written in the past about having seen KARP live and how it had been such a musical high water mark for me. This band was so good, and they showed up at a time in the 90’s where a lot of underground music was getting pretty predictable and stale. Not KARP. They were a musical powder keg with a short fuse that knew exactly when to touch it off. Part of the beauty of what KARP brought to the table in those days was that they weren’t just a heavy as fuck band completely ruling the shows they played, they were also hilarious. Their sense of humor was so obvious in everything that they did, from their record art and press packets (See Suplex pic below that I got in the mail in 1996 and have had hanging on my wall/refrigerator ever since), to their incredibly clever on and off stage banter. They really made going to see them live a heck of a good time, much of which is captured in this wonderful documentary . It was so sweet to see everyone involved with this band speak so earnestly about them, and it’s a touching tribute to their talented drummer Scott Jernigan who died so young. If you are a fan, or if you just like documentaries about musicians, this is highly recommended. Unfortunately I think it’s out of print. I found this copy for sale online and pounced.

INSPIRATION POINT

INSPIRATION POINT By Spencer Hicks deeperaway@yahoo.com ////

Bad days come and go. How we deal with them is one of the true tests of being human. This is a story about a bad day, a rough night, and an attempt to solve it with some cigarettes and a run in the woods. There is wisdom contained within this comic, this fellow seems to have significant insight into the imperfections of the world around him and his place in it. In a world where the majority of humanity is playing bumper cars at the bottom of Maslow’s climb toward self-actualization, Spencer seems to have clawed his way toward the summit. Human relationships are always going to be difficult and full of compromise, and if we are to survive it all without loud persuasive voices in our heads telling us to do unorthodox things against our will, one must accept this one solid truth; a run in the woods is always a good idea......and, smoking in moderation never hurts.

MIRLEFT

Mirleft By Barnaby Goode///// barnabygoode@hotmail.co.uk//// www.barnabygoode.tumblr.com/ This is a photographic essay about a small town in Morocco. As presented in this zine, the landscape in this area appears barren and unforgiving. The photos of empty dirt roads, lawn-less yards, and flat concrete buildings in various states of disrepair with a smattering of people and livestock scattered about are reminiscent of some generic Mexican village in an old western movie. The people look to live simple, dedicated lives. This is the impression I got from viewing these photos and knowing nothing about this town previously. Because I’m naturally curious about everything, I looked Mirleft up online after viewing this, and it’s actually a strikingly beautiful coastal resort town surrounded by absolutely stunning beaches. That’s the beauty of this essay and perhaps art in general; the idea of perspective and how it varies so much from person to person in everything. This is one person’s perspective as documented through his camera. I’m not sure I did the essay justice by utilizing 21st century technology to investigate that perspective further. Regardless, Mirleft is a truly wonderful photographic series, that transforms this small village, which is surely a tourist destination full of all the dirty deficiencies and shortcomings of those types of places, into a place with a pulse, a living breathing community of steadfast residents eking out a living in a desert climate with an incredible beach.