 Tired of the same old glossy magazines? Head to your local underground zine "distro," or head to our story for a crash course on the Montreal small press scene.
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If you like Fish Piss, then you're in the right place.
Claiming to have been published "irregularly since 1996," Fish Piss is just one of the many independent small press publications circulating throughout Montreal's thriving underground literary scene. Like other independently funded, self-distributed magazines-or zines, as they are more commonly called-Fish Piss publishes works of poetry, prose, art, comics and reviews by up-and-coming local geniuses.
Fish Piss refers to itself as a magazine, but you aren't going to find it in the newsstand of your local metro stop. Zines are distributed via trade, mailing lists or uncovered in independently owned record shops, cafes and special underground zine "distros." Although the term originates from the word "magazine," this is not your average People or Time. Zines tend to be quirkier and more radical because they cater to a smaller readership with specific interests.
Many of these specific interests aim to promote particular political or social ideologies. Others print experimental literature or personal accounts of daily life. Zine publishers do not attempt to compete with mass market mags; instead, they tailor their publications to target a specialized demographic.
"All zines cease to cater to commercial enterprise," says Anna Lewenthal, coordinator at Bibliograph, Montreal's only zine library. Titles at Bibliograph range from feminist, queer and vegan to foosball, poodles and absinthe.
Are zines, therefore, the domain of the artsy, indie-culture obsessed hipster? Absolutely not, especially considering that the concept has existed since the invention of the printing press.
They may look cheap-but that's the point
"Anyone you ask will give you a different answer about their origin," Lewenthal informs. "Some say that zines were started by the Punk movement, others say that they were started by the underground in Russia."
Whatever their origin, zines appeal to anyone who is "open to change and experimentation," maintains McGill English professor Robert Lecker, who specializes in contemporary Canadian Literature.
Even Thomas Paine, the revolutionary American writer, was a popular 18th-century "zinester." Paine wrote and distributed the influential pamphlet, Common Sense to colonists pressing for independence. They tend to be free, or at least relatively cheap at about $2 to $5 per issue. Zines rarely make a profit, but then again, zinesters are rarely interested in the money.
"After thousands of dollars in and out, we made a net profit of eight dollars," says Danny Spitzberg, a former McGill student who co-edited Stationaery, a Montreal-based literary magazine distributed in over 15 cities. Since 2006, Spitzberg and his co-editor Ilya Zaychik, another McGill alum, have created an independent press bearing the same title as their former zine with two new publications under its belt: Other Investigantions and Only One Shot Only. Despite his less-than-profitable endeavour, Spitzberg isn't complaining.
"Stationaery was a labour of love," he says.
In an attempt to define themselves apart from glossy mags, zines are often poorly-made-on purpose. "A lot [of zines] are printed on cheap paper. The binding is flimsy," Lewenthal notes. "People who make zines do not intend for them to be around forever."
For this reason, Lewenthal believes that it is essential to "save zines." Founded in 2005, Bibliograph is an archival project that contains over 600 zines and alternative comics (comix). The library aims to make these independent publications more publically assessible. Located in the heart of the Plateau, Bibliograph also hosts zine workshops, readings, independent film screenings and performances by local musicians.
Most of Bibliograph's zines are English, but one can "definitely find some French zines," Lewenthal says.
On a personal level, Lewenthal devotes herself to Bibliograph because she appreciates "the way in which these alternative cultures are able to express themselves."
Generations X, Y and Zines
Yet, zines are just as important to the writers as they are to the readers.
"Independent publishing is extremely important because it establishes a foundation for a number of writers," Lecker claims. "So many writers get their big break this way."
Here at McGill, a number of students have broken into the literary world by submitting to Steps, a literary magazine funded by the Arts Undergraduate Society.
"McGill doesn't have a fine arts program, and it has a very small creative writing program," says Steps Fiction and Poetry Editor Lily Pepper, U2 philosophy. Steps provides students with a way to engage in something creative outside of their usual course load. This 10-year-old quarterly publishes prose, poetry and art in a magazine-style format. Coordinating Editor Michael Stewart, U3 english, sees Steps as an "alternative" to the more mainstream campus publications, such as The McGill Daily and the Tribune.
"It's an opportunity for students to take part in a different kind of writing," Stewart says.
Perhaps because of their more progressive nature, zines often find their niche with a younger generation of creative folk.
"We are catering to a younger audience," Lewenthal maintains. "Zines have more currency to people in their teens, 20s, and 30s."
Indeed, most of Montreal's local zine scene is dominated by a young group of writers, which includes the editorial staff of newly launched Lip and Laura Roberts of Black Heart. Lip, the brainchild of Concordia student Alessandra Naccarato, is a zine that showcases literature and art that deals with political issues. An Alberta native and freelance writer, Laura Roberts edits Black Heart Magazine, a notable Montreal-based publication that deals with sexuality in an intelligent, thought-provoking manner while still "stroking your most errogenous zone: your dirty mind."
And these zines are not targeted exclusively to a university educated, twentysomething demographic: Bibliograph has recently conducted writing workshops for high school students.
"It's a good way for teenagers to express themselves, without parents or teachers breathing down their neck, " Lewenthal says.
In 2004, a Chicago magazine called ROAR organized an all-day Student Zine Festival, aiming to support zine-making and distribution in public high schools.
The recent upsurge of zine-writing among young writers is a trend that avid zinesters did not anticipate. "About a decade ago, there was a scare that zines would disappear with the rise of the Internet," Lewenthal explains.
Tired of blogging?
With the increasing popularity of blogging, a new generation of writers have been able to freely express their musings and opinions without the constraints imposed upon them by mainstream media.
"In a way, blogs are online zines," Lewenthal says. "The writers have no editor looking over their shoulder, and they are catering to a specific reading public-even if it is just 12 or so friends who happen to visit their site."
Blogging aside, independently printed mags have found a great deal of popularity on the internet. Noteworthy webzines range from Go Book Your Own Fucking LifeÂÂ-a guide to avoiding "tourist traps" while travelling in big cities-to Maximumrocknroll, a self-proclaimed "punk/hardcore music almanac." While most zinesters still prefer the print medium because it is more artistic and easily transportable, they are not complaining about ezine culture. Many publications, like Steps and Stationaery use the web to their advantage.
"Our budget is limited and we only print about 750 magazines," Stewart says. "Having Steps online allows us to reach a broader audience."
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Laura Roberts
posted 3/05/08 @ 12:22 PM EST
Just a small correction: I'm not an Alberta native. I think the writer mis-read my online bio, which has since been changed; it essentially said that I'm not a Montrealer by birth but I'm here until Customs and Immigration officials from Alberta pry me from the country. (Continued…)
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