Tomorrow’s Dream>Changes>FX Every large and ongoing creative endeavor needs a physical space in which to incubate, and The Compass is no exception. However, it is unique in that it simply wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for its birthplace, home, and office for the last five years: The Whitehaus. If you aren’t familiar with this hub of creativity, it’s an eight-bedroom house in Jamaica Plain that has hosted hundreds of events and housed countless creative minds over the last several years. I attribute most of my artistic development and adult maturation to this place, and the incredible roommates I have had there. Immediately upon moving to Boston and meeting this radical crew of (mostly) Cape Cod kids, I was encouraged and filled with inspiration. The seeds of The Compass were already being planted and watered regularly in my brain years before the newspaper itself--a 1-page zine at first--came to fruition. When I discovered the nascent collective of artists living in the neighborhood I had just moved to, I wasted no time getting to know each and every one of them. This enthralling courtship went on until I knew everyone in the haus, and they welcomed me into their burgeoning community. The scope of my mission continued to widen and evolve a great deal over the years, as new creative
friends took up residence there. I can’t logistically list all the astounding people in this limited space (see Nods) but I want to thank them all for inspiring me to start this project, and to continue it all this time. I am so grateful. 2015 will see myself and The Compass moving out of The Whitehaus. While it’s sad in some ways, it’s also a great opportunity for The Compass to continue to develop in a more accessible space. The myriad responsibilities of the newspaper have already been shared amongst all of us volunteers for the past few years. Now even the major responsibilities, like finding and maintaining a physical space in which to do our thing, are shared as well. Starting in January, we will be meeting every Monday at 7pm at The Democracy Center in Harvard Square. The Center is an historic community meeting space and has functioned as a hub of radical activity for years now. We are thrilled to continue our mission in this new environment, a true public space that’s equally as inspiring as our project’s beloved birthplace. So stay in touch, be inspired, and know that you have more support than ever to express yourself in Boston, however you do it. For the extended version of this thing check the website man. Listen to Volume 4. - Sam Potrykus
ART BLAST.............................................................PAGE 2 Otto Piene prevails and Boston needs to Find & Form Space for art
HASSLE BRIEF & PURE IMPACT.........................PAGE 3 Kal Marks, The Pheromoans, Michael Christmas. PI: CONTINGENT
HERE BE THE SHOWS.....................................PAGE 4-5 New Radical Monthlies plz: BREAK THE CHAINS & PINK NOISE
THE TARDY EAGLE..............................................PAGE 6 Household tips from people you feel weird about & Seltzer
FILM FLAM............................................................PAGE 7 Top Hits from 2014, A Glimpse of Iranian Cinema, & Dystopian Futures
COMICS.................................................................PAGE 8 Pizza time, tru stories about selling tapes & the Brattle Theatre
The Boston Compass is produced by the BRAIN Arts Organization Email us at ThatBostonCompass@gmail.com Visit us online at www.Brain-Arts.org
Filmmaker Nee
ds EVERYONE
I need you. All types, all experiences. The Story: In a futuristic Jewish society where pigs are made illegal, teenagers start drinking pigs blood to get high. The blood breaks down into psychedelicdelirient drugs in the gut and when they inhale each other’s farts they have out of body experiences. Shooting Fall 2015. We need actors, performance artists, visual artists, sound artists, filmmakers, & lots of production people. You, basically. Send an introduction, resume, & portfolio (if you got one) to lukejumes@gmail.com. - Luke Jumes
So You Want
To Be A DJ?
MMMMAVEN PROJECT (mmmmaven.com) is one school in Cambridge you might not have heard of yet. Cofounded by TOGETHER FESTIVAL alums David Day and Alex Maniatis, MMMMAVEN has been churning out House-Ready DJs at a steady clip, with focus on industry-standard gear and software. By end of semester, students have uploaded tracks and will debut live at MIDDLESEX LOUNGE. The program attracts overseas students and offers a great jump-start for anyone who is having that dream. You know the one. Lights in your eyes, vinyl under your fingertips, music pulsing and the waves of love just keep rollin’ in from that raging sea of groove. - James Moore
Bring
r to Ha N I A R ur B
vard
Yo
Boston Hassle meetings are moving! After a long tenure at the biggest white house in JP, BRAIN Arts Organization (née BOSTON HASSLE) is moving its weekly meetings to Harvard Square! Starting on Monday, January 5 BRAIN will be meeting at the DEMOCRACY CENTER (45 Mt. Auburn St.) at 7:30PM. If you never figured out how to ford the river Oregon Trail-style or are looking for a new hobby for the New Year, now’s the perfect time to join us! Want to help produce the Compass, write about underground music and film, showcase your art, or espouse your particular brand of DIY on our hot new website? Come on down! Newbies should arrive at 7PM so we can pick each other’s BRAINs and get you oriented before the regulars show up. - Harrison Bralower
Dista
nt Ca stle F a
mily
Com pi
lation
ART BLAST blasts off ONLINE
Buckle up little babies, because Art Blast is rebooting online to make Boston art more visible and accessible to one and all. We’re talking about a clickable calendar of art events and ongoing exhibits, a directory Special thanks to of local spaces (including hours, CHOICE sponsors of directions and links), and even a Boston Hassle Fest! section of local opportunities for artists/curators/writers/whatever. So keep your browser tuned into www.BOSTONHASSLE.com/ART for your perpetual guide to the schools, museums, galleries and spaces keeping Boston art on its toes all year round. Wanna help keep our coverage current? Let us know about your events/projects/ zines at CompassArtBlast@ gmail.com! CEEK
Worcester: Paris of the 80’s, birthplace of the smiley face, oral contraceptives, H. Jon Benjamin, and DISTANT CASTLE, a 1910 Victorian nestled aside a hill of an ungodly grade, collectively owned and operated since 2006 and host to innumerable shows & soirees. January 1st-ish will see the second annual compiling of bands and projects flourishing in the Furthest of Fortifications. Scope previously unreleased tracks from SECRET LOVER, THE TERRIBLES, KISS CONCERT, and EATEN, as well as chart toppers from OJ, STYK, SET, DOT GOV, GRANNY FROST & more. There’s even an extensive bird report. Download or preorder the cassette at DistantCastle.bandcamp.com. - Anthony Richards
Spooky Town Tapes Increases Their OUTput Spooky Town is a swell, swelling bubble of strange, peppy pop porridge hovering above our northwesterly neighbor Brattleboro, VT. It’s hot and it’s cool. It’s been hangin up there for 5 years now, drippin just enough freaky sound on us New Englanders to keep us satisfied. But according to the contents (and mere existence) of their brand new E-newsletter, The Spooky Town Tribune, they got more to pour on us than ever before. Yes! Scope their new dot com and releases of Brattleboro’s beloved unsettling soft rockus Tall Boys (co-release with Gnar Tapes) and Grape Room (comforting wails built by Great Valley). I’ve come to learn that each turn they’re churnin is worth gettin servin, or at least observin. SPOOKYTOWNTAPES.COM - Sam Potrykus
THANK YOU to the following individuals for inspiring the creation and/or continuation of Boston Compass over the past 5 years: Brandon Plumert, Greta Merrick, Lindsay Clark, Greg Moon, Brian S. Ellis, Shane Don, Kate Lee, Adam Foam, B. Law, Morgan Shaker, Casey Rocheteau, Shane Myrbeck, Emily Shisko, Jon Deuce, The Cups, Joe Deignan, Abigail, Fern, RED, Lenny Symczak, Greg Sun, Michael Collins, Edgar Evan Foudray, Shai, Jimmy Hugs, David Villanueva, Mark Johnson, Frank Hurricane, Conrad, Santiago Cardenas, Pancho The Kid, Ian Kovac, Wes Kaplan, Greg Tellier, Jesus Vio, Shawnie Brando, Mr. Dickens, Jonah Furman, Kofi Thomas, Max, Papa Hagan, Nini, Jasmine Taibi, Briana Cervantes, Bev, Nick Rasputin, Mona Maruyama, and Fee Kürten. Shout out to Gobby, Kal Marx, Nimai, Chris Cross, Kung Fu Charlie, our neighbors over the years, Aight Steve, and anyone who has ever worked for City Feed, Boomerangs or SOP. See you all around, no doubt.