The Soda Killers #1

The Soda Killers #1
$7
andersdinero@yahoo.com
bnb@hotdogdayz.com

The bulk of TSK is composed of really well written record reviews by N. G. O’Brien which I spent a lot of time wading through and exploring. I read them all and during the process, discovered a few things about myself. For instance, I learned that I really don’t like the band Ice Age, but that I really really like the band Power (neither of which had I heard before reading these reviews ). The reviews are in-depth and entertaining, and made me want to check out a lot of stuff that I had not previously heard. This zine is put together by the same people that do Hot Dog Dayz zine and like HDD it is heavy on the collage which is heavy with pop culture icons, graffiti, and road kill. There is also a piece entitled, “I’m so uncool” where two people talk about things that they are either supposed to like or supposed to hate but do the opposite which I always think is interesting. Even the underground can have a herd mentality, and it’s interesting to me when people break away from the accepted norms of any culture. That being said, not liking Motorhead is unacceptable in any culture. Topping the issue off is a story about spending some time immersed within the underbelly of high school basketball, some more road kill, and a piece about being an asshole to fend of boredom. The Soda Killers is a lot like the collages contained within, an interesting and eclectic mix of seemingly unrelated stuff that comes together in weird ways and works.

Narcolepsy Press Review #7

Narcolepsy Press Review #7
$3, or stamps, or a decent letter
POB 17131
Anaheim, CA 92817-7131
NPR is a good old fashioned cut-n-paste review zine. This is a review zine, but feels like a personal zine. Randy Robbins, the man behind NPR, does all the writing and doesn’t hold back on his opinions, both pro and con. Like past issues, the letters section reads like an open forum for a variety of subjects, as it should be. Lots of letters from prisoners, and other zine people chime in, and what really sets this letters section apart, is that even in this modern techo-immersed rapid fire world, the discussions contain within feel oddly vibrant and in the present. I’m not quite sure how he pulls this off, but he does. Randy reviews books, tv-shows, and zines. It also has a great advertisement section in the back that reminded me of a mini-MRR without the music.

Somnambulist #17

Somnambulist #17
$15 for four issues
pob 14871
Portland, OR 97293
This issue of Somnambulist is a collaborative affair with writers Jordan Karnes, Joe Wong, and editor Martha Grover. Jordan starts this issue off with a story about a love triangle involving John Lennon, her boyfriend named John, and someone else named John whose identity I won’t reveal here. Funny stuff that many of us with similar obsessions (Helen Mirren for me….and Vigo Mortensen circa Lord of the Rings..if we're being honest) can relate to. There’s also a piece by Joe Wong about what he eats for breakfast in China that I found incredibly fascinating (Cigarettes, international news, and Nescafe before getting out of bed….Like looking in a mirror). The highlight of this zine, however, is Martha’s writing. I’m a fan. She has a great way of interpreting modern life that I really enjoy, and her drawings are raw, to the point, and effective. Definitely one of my favorite zines right now.