ZINESTER Interview with MARYA ERRIN JONES

The last interview! Maybe? Well, here it is!

Please tell us about the zines you’ll be tabling at ABQZF.
I'm tabling zines from my Mocha Chocolata Momma series-- zines about the lives of  black women, real and imagined. There are three in the series so far-- I want to make my own personal encyclopedia out of this series, eventually!  I'm also tabling a new zine-- Resting Bicycle Face, about riding a bike as my main mode of transportation. I've been riding almost a year now...

When did you make your first zine, and what was it about? 
I made my first zine five years ago. I mean, I have always been a writer-- but I've also found it hard to find the form I feel most free in. Zines make me feel free. My first zine was Prague: a fucked-up travelogue. Well, it was the best of times, and the suckiest of times. I reissued that zine recently, which was a bit of a challenge. The zine is about my first trip to Europe, in 2001. I sat on that story for a long time-- and making a zine out of it helped me move beyond the hard parts of the journey. I learned to laugh about it.

Name three influences in your life that have affected your work, or even how you work.
Mmmm. Okay. Robert Louis Stevenson. Robert Louis Stevenson. Robert Louis Stevenson. Awe man-- we hang out all the time. I dream about him-- he worries about me. I am inspired by his wanderlust-- the man was ill his entire life, but still managed to live a life full of adventure. He wrote for pleasure, and he wrote to get PAID-- and I can't tell the difference entirely-- because I think he truly loved distilling his thoughts into words. He was not the average 19th Century man.

The way he lived influences me, and I like living-- so I've been doing Stevensonian things like using what-if as my prompt, and then peeling back the beautiful and the horrible layers. Going on an adventure to lands where I am lost, on a tiny island in driving ice-rain. His work is only cliche if you've not read him- The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a truly terrifying and beautiful thing. . . I've written songs based on some of his poems. I tweet things he has said, like a beacon signaling from his final resting place. I'm thinking of him as I get ready to start writing this Gothic novel that's been rummaging through my grey matter for a while. What-if . . . what-if . . .
PS-- I write like Hemingway-- I stand up. I treat writing like a sport-- sometimes I stand at the computer or the typewriter or the pen and paper (the scariest, to me) and shadow box.

What do you say when someone asks you,  "What are zines?"
I usually freeze and stare at them like, WTF?! I always hope they answer their own question. I flash on every pamphlet and parchment that ever endured ink and saying "like a magazine" feels so diminishing. I also say, "Uuuuuuuuuuh."

Do you have a zine crush? If so, are you willing to reveal the object of your zine affection?
I can't stop staring at this tiny zine by Amber Dearest- Kurt Cobain was a Feminist #1. It's so small and English et Francais but feisty like a teacup chihuahua. I'm also in love with this comp zine of drawings and collages by twenty artists- all of Yoko Ono. It's called Hey Lady. There's a large pinback button on the outside. My copy is #24 out of #50. My birthday is on the 24th-- this zine was given to me, randomly-- in truth, because I say it in the back seat of a car in Portland and I squealed. It's MINE.

What's the most challenging thing about zine making? What do you enjoy most about the process?
Most challenging is GETTING IT DONE. I get stuck on IS THIS GOOD, or WHY am I CHARGED with doing this? Isn't there anyone else who . . . then I start writing and I don't want to stop. This Dorothy Dandridge zine has been eating my lunch for almost two years. Her story makes me so said though! Then, I watch the biopic Shonda Rhimes made in the 90s, with Halle Berry as Ms. Dandridge, and my heart breaks all over again. I want vindication for Dorothy.

Why are zines important?
Zines are the scouts of your heart -- the first wing flaps that echo the things in your mind, Zines are figure heads on ships-- sometimes. Something forced forward, driving, leaving without you. Zines can lead the way to something bigger inside you-- maybe a series. Maybe there's a book underneath that zine you wrote. Or maybe that ship has sailed. But you did it- -you have this paperwork that was a pleasure and a struggle to produce. To me zines can also be like an article of clothing you're never seen without. People know that's YOU in there. I used to wear this cotton scarf everywhere-- it was black with white stars, but ended up grey with ghost stars, fraying and unraveling. A friend of mine was convinced I was hiding an open wound for years, like Lancelot or something. Zines can be like a journey, traveling on an open-ended ticket.

Huh?
Thanks, Marya . . .

ZINESTER Interview with LIZA BLEY

Liza Bley (Pronounced BLY, for goddess's sake!) is a force of nature. ABQZFV was an all-night operation to launch, but it was so much better with her, and near impossible without her. Her's what she said...

Please tell us about the zines you’ll be tabling at ABQZF.
I’ll have my book, Not Your Mother’s Mealtoaf: A sex education comic book, which is a compilation of 6 past zines that include comics on sex and sexual health by over 50 authors. I’m also working on a second edition of my zine “Can you have sex with objects, like couches? and other questions for the sex ed field.”


When did you make your first zine, and what was it about?
I'm not sure what my first zine was. My most successful was Not Your Mother's Meatloaf that I co-edited with Saiya Miller. One of my favorite things to do is make friends little mini zines with fun things to do or instructions on how to take care of my dog, Pegasus, while I'm out of town.


Name three influences in your life that have affected your work, or even how you work.
My mother (so sappy), but she's a fucking power house and raised me to get shit done. The DIY health zine, Hot Pants, which focuses around issues those of us with uteri  and vaginas might face, made a lasting impression of how important zines can be for the health of our communities. The patriarchy, so I remember there is still something worth fighting against.

What do you say when someone asks you,  "What are zines?"
Like independent magaZINES. Typically folded 8 1/2" x 11" paper. They can be about ANYTHING.

Do you have a zine crush? If so, are you willing to reveal the object of your zine affection?
"Love is another word for impunity" - a button


What's the most challenging thing about zine making? What do you enjoy most about the process?
Oh, starting, is probably the biggest hurtle, but I spend the most time on trouble shooting the layout as I contemplate pouring nacho cheese all over the copy machine.

Why are zines important?
Because books are too heavy.

Ridiculous. But, true.
THANKS, Liza!

ZINESTER Interview with GENA & MAURO

Oh, here we go. Merma & Roberta are HERE. Their hair is here, also. Such fun! 

Please tell us about the zines you’ll be tabling at ABQZF.
Together, we will have the following zines:
1. Alpaca Buttah: Volume 1 (all about buttah) This is a zine by our alter egos / rockers, Merma and Roberta. It is about alpaca buttah (our favorite thing in the world). It is a satirical zine.

2. Mauro is introducing her first solo zine, “Will You Sign My Bible?” This zine is about things that make Mauro laugh or weird thoughts that she can't shake and needs to get out in cartoon form. This is a zine where meta and pop-culture life collide.

3. Gena is releasing two solo zines. The first is called “ANNA MALL”. It is reflective of Gena’s solo musical persona and features lyrics and images associated with her act.

4. The second zine by Gena is called “REPTILE ALIENS?! OH MY!” It covers her long-time obsession with the reptilian agenda. Somewhat satirical and it is full of fun conspiracy theories!

When did you make your first zine, and what was it about?

Our first zine, was Alpaca Buttah: Volume 1. This was a group effort where we each wrote as our personas, Merma and Roberta. It gives recipes on making and using alpaca buttah, ads for buttah, a downloadable playlist about buttah (melting to be exact) and even horoscopes and an advice column (with real questions from people on the internet sent directly to us). It is hopefully the first of many, Alpaca Buttah zines.

Name three influences in your life that have affected your work, or even how you work. This varies for each of us, so we will answer individually:
Gena:
1. Marya Errin Jones – yes I know she is the curator of ABQZF, however, I would not be even attempting to create zines if it weren’t for her pushing me to do so and encouraging this art form. I look at her many amazing zines and get inspired to create my own.
2. Leon Higdon – this was a professor I had at UNM about 12 years ago. He completely changed how I think of stories, both reading them and telling them. He gave me the insight to think, “what is a title really saying” and more. I wish I was a lifelong student of his.
3. Yet to be discovered.

Mauro:
Marya Errin Jones. Yes I am parroting Gena but that is seriously the first person that came to mind. Every time I read her zines, my mind is blown and it makes me want to create and make something cool. She makes it look easy—and I know it’s not! She’s inspired me to get off my cute little rump and to tell the tales I want to tell.
Love and Rockets comix. Los Bros Hernandez. They write about love, sex, music, culture, and superheroes. I’ve loved these ever since I was a kid and they only get better and better and better with time.
RE:search Press. My Dad used to collect these when I was a kid (and maybe we should not have seen some of these volumes as kids—very risqué) but they are rad. Some are about records. Some are about tribal tattoos and taboo piercings. Some are about strange music. They are so great. The dark side of pop culture. I love ‘em!

What do you say when someone asks you,  "What are zines?"
They are paper versions of stories, comics, poetry, art work and more. They are DIY and each one is unique in its own way. Zines are mini-books.

Do you have a zine crush? If so, are you willing to reveal the object of your zine affection? Yes… not ready to divulge.
We have crushes but they have yet to be discovered!

What's the most challenging thing about zine making? What do you enjoy most about the process?
The most challenging thing for us is cutting down size. Haha. We find ourselves on the verge of novellas often and have to cut out excess material. Editing is crucial with our sometimes silly topics. The thing we most enjoy is having the opportunity to put our thoughts and ideas onto paper to share with others. That we can focus on a singular topic until it has reached its limit in some of the most creative ways imaginable – collage, drawing, poetry, graphics, folding sizes and so much more!

Why are zines important?
Zines are important because they are portable portals to someone's soul. They are places where people create art and can trade insight about the world or worlds. Zines provide an account of cultures, ideas, movements and more for posterity that was once thought as a dying art (paperback books, etc.) but is now being proven to have more value and easier readability than your typical electronic or e-book/zine.

ZINESTER Interview with BILLY McCALL

It's ABQ Zine Fest DAY! We made it! We still have several interviews for you to peruse over coffee, before you head to to Barelas! Here's one! 

Please tell us about the zines you’ll be tabling at ABQZF.


I write a lot of different zines, and am always coming up with new ones.  Here are a few of the ones I will have at ABQ ZineFest.

Proof I Exist - This is a personal, prose-heavy zine all about me and my life, so that might mean anything.  Stories about places I've been, people I love, bands I'm in, etc.  Some photos and drawings, but mostly writing.

Last Night at the Casino - A work-zine all about my job as a casino dealer.  All the strange people, crazy nights, and random oddities of casino culture, from an inside perspective.

The Difference Between - An educational zine explaining the difference between various similar topics.  For example, the difference between baking soda and baking powder, or the difference between Wild Bill and Buffalo Bill.

When did you make your first zine, and what was it about?

The first time I made a zine was around 1997, when I was a kid in high school.  It was a mix of stories, poetry, photos, and everything else, with contributions from my friends.
Name three influences in your life that have affected your work, or even how you work.
Everything I read influences me one way or another.  All of Al Burian's work (Burn Collector, Natural Disasters) has influenced my writing.  Idy (Something for Nothing) and Alex (Brainscan) have the best layouts of any zines, so that's a big influence.  And then Lisa Barrow (Oh Dear No) has really influenced my editing, not so much for her zine work, but just because she's helped me edit novels and stories and newspaper articles, and I've learned that editing is just as important for zines.


What do you say when someone asks you,  "What are zines?"
Zines are self-published magazines, usually photo-copied and hand-made.

Do you have a zine crush? If so, are you willing to reveal the object of your zine affection?
I have a few zine crushes.  Some of them are because the zinester is so awesome, and some are just because their zine is so great.  For example, I've never met Nichole, from Pieces zine, but her zine totally gets me crushed on her.

What's the most challenging thing about zine making? What do you enjoy most about the process?
The most challenging thing part of zine-making for me is finding the time to put out as many zines as I want to.  There are always more ideas to work on, and I've always got new issues in the works.  I've put out 4 issues of PIE this year, and have the writing done for 2 other issues just sitting on my computer.  As for what I enjoy the most...  I love the writing the most, but also enjoy doing the layouts, and even the copying.  I could make copies for 3 hours straight and still be ready for more.

Why are zines important?
Zines are a way to be educate and communicate in a creative way.  Zines give people the chance to say anything they want, but they also give people the chance to learn about someone else's life.  Zines are a way for weird, unique humans to learn about each other.


Thanks, Billy!

ZINESTER Interview with the makers of TRINITY

Hello again! And again! Here's another zinester interview! This is pretty exciting. Meet the makers of the visal art and aesthetics zine, Trinity.

Please tell us about the zines you’ll be tabling at ABQZF.

Our zine titled "Trinity" is focused on visual art and aesthetics. Our theme is based off of three main concepts: spirituality, nature, and the human body.

When did you make your first zine, and what was it about?

About three years ago we participated in a zine titled "porqueria" with a group of people from both Las Cruces and El Paso. It was about POC feminist and queer issues/ being the thing ur grandma shakes her head at.

Name three influences in your life that have affected your work, or even how you work.

1. We kind of influence each other. We had some art classes together in college and wanted to continue working together.

2. Generally our group is interested in exploring spirituality outside of organized religion, so it makes sense that it became part of our theme.

3. Love and Rockets

What do you say when someone asks you,  "What are zines?"

A self published, DIY book about anything and everything!

What's the most challenging thing about zine making? What do you enjoy most about the process?

One of the most challenging things about making a zine is being brave enough to put your work out there. Also putting it together can be a hassle. From gathering everyone's work to actually printing- it can be a bit stressful. We really enjoy getting to collaborate and seeing the finished product tho. It's also really rewarding when people are interested and able to relate to content in the zine.

Why are zines important?

Zines are important because they give people the chance to see things that normally wouldn't be published.



Thanks!

ZINESTER Interview with RHEA TEPP of LA Zine Fest

This Rhea Tepp. Her name matches her might. Zinester, zine fest organizer, musician and artist. In fact Rhea will be performing with her band, Coastal Doom, tomorrow night at the ABQ Zine Fest After-Happening  Let's meet Rhea.

Please tell us about the zines you’ll be tabling at ABQZF.

I am bringing a selection of primarily Los Angeles based zines that are available at the local bookstore I work at. Most of the zines I will be tabling were created by artists and writers who have participated in previous L.A. Zine Fest events. I'll also have a couple of my own zines to share and my band will be playing the after party at the Tannex!

When did you make your first zine, and what was it about?

My first zine was an advice column told through a mini comic, called Quick Fix. I created it as a way to write about issues that are emotionally difficult through humor and simple illustrations. I think it helped me more than anyone else!


Name three influences in your life that have affected your work, or even how you work.


The necessity to disappoint and be disappointed, Letters to a Young Poet, my best friend. 



What do you say when someone asks you,  "What are zines?"

Little pieces of power.

Do you have a zine crush? If so, are you willing to reveal the object of your zine affection?

Tiny Splendor's work is so beautifully detailed, clever, timeless and amazing! They always put so much work into what they do but make it appear effortless. My dream would be to collaborate with them some day. 

What's the most challenging thing about zine making? What do you enjoy most about the process?

The most challenging is working through the fears that would prevent me from finishing a zine and getting to that place where I'm putting something out that I feel good about, but am not super attached to, because sometimes, by the time something is released, you've move past that point creatively. I enjoy that moment right after you've been writing and writing for the sake of getting started and you finally get into that rhythm of momentum when you trust an idea and are moving forward. It's the best feeling! 

Why are zines important?

Zines are little pieces of power. Zines are not just the object. Zines are your communicated imagination. Zines are little magic worlds within a big beast of the one we were born into. Zines are community. Zines are lifelong friendships. Zines are reminders that everything is temporary. Zines are reminders that no idea is useless. 


Thank you, Rhea! 

ZINESTER Interview with Russell Ouellett

Getting ever closer to the big day. We still have a few interviews to share with you. Say hello to Russell Ouellett!


When did you make your first zine, and what was it about?

It's embarrassing but I my first zine was a mammoth full letter-sized 50 plus page ode to marijuana appropriately titled, "From Weed to Weed."  I made it some time in the mid-nineties and still have the original somewhere... maybe I'll print a fresh run for all the cannabis aficionados in ABQ.

Please tell us about the zines you’ll be tabling at ABQZF.

For ABQZF I found a love pink suitcase that I've been slowing filling with whatever zine-ish stuff I can find in my studio.  I'll have a bunch of poetry zines and some little zine journals. 

What do you say when someone asks you,  "What are zines?"

Zines are DIY or even better DIT (Do It Together) self-published magazines printed on computer/copier paper that usually present some useful yet banal information, challenge the status quo, self-promote, or are simply l'art pout l'art.


Name three influences in your life that have affected your work, or even how you work.

That's a tough question for me.  I'm mostly inspired all the time in a vicious cycle of desperation and re-inspiration, especially by the anonymous anarchist artists taking REAL Bullets and Machetes fighting the white power hegemony, while I sit cozily in my tower of privilege... But If I have to name names I'm going to say, "today I'm super inspired by LA funk musician and Stones Throw recording artist DAM-FUNK, Swedish collective Teenage Engineering, and the Navajo Nihígaal bee Iiná."


Do you have a zine crush? If so, are you willing to reveal the object of your zine affection?

My zine crush is on a bunch of zines I just picked up from the Taala Hoogan peeps at a local fundraiser for those affected by the Gold King Mine tragedy/spill.

What's the most challenging thing about zine making? What do you enjoy most about the process?

Getting the pages lined up in order... it makes my brain seize up and sometimes leak out my ears...


Why are zines important?

Making zines is a relatively cheap, self-reflexive practice that is usually a healing way to go about your daily life.

Thanks, Russell!