The Miscreant - Issue 60 by The Miscreant

in this issue page 4

write on! cassandra baim gives a miscreant manifesto

page 6

an interview with mom chris masullo chats with his mother

page 9

3 songs that shouldn’t scare me, but do kyle kuchta lists his spookiest tunes

page 10

stitch ‘n’ bitch with diet cig alex luciano and noah bowman teach us how to cross stitch

page 14

songs for the road jawbreaker reunion curates a playlist for every kind of transition

page 16

the first annual dog oscars hiccup picks their favorite canine actors

page 18

rebel with an excuse jessi frick doles out some sage advice

page 20

spookiest numbers + favorite books and music sports shares their top picks

page 21

favorite album covers romp lists their favorite album art

page 22

in which pwr bttm attempts to interview one another liv bruce and ben hopkins ask each other life’s most pressing questions

page 24

i suck at parties mary luncsford tries to leave a party

page 26

vagabon’s favorite albums laetitia tamko, eva lawitts + elise okusami share their favorite albums

page 28

a group chat with bethlehem steel + downies the two bands share emojis, favorite pizza toppings, and more

page 30

toylot a comic by domenica pileggi

page 31

i really really really really like carly olivia cellamare sings the praises of the canadian popstar

page 32

evil wizardry iii: army of dankness zeno pittarelli pays tribute to his brother

page 34

fern mayo’s exquisite corpse the band collaborates with words and art

page 38

thank you miscreant friends and family give thanks

WRITE ON! by cassandra baim

I first wrote for The Miscreant toward the end of my third year of college. I was walking home from work in the evening, and I crossed paths with Jeanette. She and I knew each other in a pretty cursory way, running into each other at house shows and having more mutual friends than we could count. I read the zine she and Lizzy started the year before but never submitted anything because I was too afraid. I had too many ideas and not enough ideas at the same time. But that night she asked me what my summer plans were. I mentioned how I was going

to spend my days slinging coffee to save some money, and I rattled off all the shows I’d already spent my savings on: Wilco, Andrew Bird, Fruit Bats, Pitchfork Music Fest, Lollapalooza--the list went on and on. I got back to my apartment to find a message on my Facebook waiting for me. She asked if I wanted to be on the “Chicago beat” for The Miscreant that summer. I had a personal invitation to write--I wouldn’t let myself say no. That summer marked some pretty big changes in my life, personally and professionally. I had to give some serious thought to what I wanted to do after I graduated. I’d thought about my future in the most abstract way. All I really knew is that I wanted to be a tried and true grown up, but I didn’t give a second thought to all the work that would have to go into claiming that status. The concept of “finding a job” and “paying your bills on time” weren’t romantic enough for me to really consider. I knew what made me happy: Writing. Music. Thanks to The Miscreant, I got to do both. I spent that summer putting together playlists and album reviews and concert reviews and I had never felt better. My last year of school started that fall, and I felt like the rug had been pulled out from underneath me. I had grad school applications to think about, and when that fell through I had job applications to start. I had friends and roommates I had to keep out of trouble, and the unfortunate angst that comes with falling in love with everyone I met. I felt more alone than I ever had before, despite being surrounded by people who were going through the exact same thing. But all the while, through my temper tantrums in the street, my many marathons of “write drunk, edit sober,” my weekly tear-soaked phone conversations with my parents, I had The Miscreant. I never knew what the next day would bring, or even the next year, but I marked my calendar with each Miscreant deadline and felt like I had a purpose--I was a writer. I could say The Miscreant helped me find my voice, but that isn’t necessarily true. I always knew where my voice was. It was in my head, keeping me up night after night with its roundabout thoughts. It was in my journal, writing page after page about all the boys I’d kissed, and the ones I wanted to kiss. It was in my iTunes library, with perfectly curated playlists for every era of my college life. My voice was there, The Miscreant just helped me broadcast it. I used The Miscreant to express my admiration for my parents and how they’ve shaped me, something I could hardly say out loud. I wrote about my favorite songs and records, using those playlists and essays as an excuse to talk about the boys I had kissed, and those I wanted to. I could hardly remember the time when I thought I didn’t have anything to write about. In the last year, I took on more of an editorial role in the magazine. Besides my keen eye for album titles that need italicizing and comma splices that need fixing, I wanted to make sure that writers knew there was a way to broadcast their voices as well. Each month I got to approach music fans I knew had a good story in them, and enthusiastically say “No experience necessary!” when they expressed the same fears I had many years ago. I’m not great at speaking. There are too many steps between what my brain thinks and how my mouth wants to say it. Words get jumbled, nothing makes sense, and I get so scared of saying the wrong thing that often times it’s just easier for me to say nothing at all. But I’ve truly never been afraid to write.

AN INTERVIEW WITH MOM by chris masullo Chris Masullo (Nicholas Nicholas) chats with his Mom (Ginny Masullo) Chris: Can you describe an early or your earliest musical memory? Ginny: The first thought that comes to mind was the gargantuan organ in the church we attended. Now that I have the words to describe it, I think I felt overwhelmed by the huge sound. Now I am not keen on organ music. In 1952 my father carried a TV into our home. The Ed Sullivan Show I recall as being on Sunday nights. There were lots of musical acts which I think included the Everly brothers and I know included Elvis Presley. That would have been when I was about 8 or nine years old. (1956?). There was the big deal about how Elvis inappropriately wiggled his hips. So much of my early pop music was heard on Ed Sullivan, I am guessing from 1952 on. In 1955 when I was 7 years old we went on a family vacation to New Orleans. We attended the movie musical Oklahoma! . Both of my parents being from Oklahoma added to the import of that movie and its music. My mother considered herself tone deaf but she often sang the title song at home. And, it was that year that our family purchased a stereo just so we could listen over and over to the Oklahoma! soundtrack. About age 9 I began piano lessons with a teacher who hit my hands with a ruler when I made mistakes. All I can play now is the duet of “Heart and Soul” which I never tire of. Around the age of 11 or 12 my girlfriends and I began buying 45 records which I could play on the stereo by putting a wide cylinder over the spindle. We bought and traded 45s like candy. The Everly Brothers . Elvis Presley. Brenda Lee. Chubby Checker. In 1959, I began attending the James Leto School of Dance. We boys and girls were to learn how to waltz, fox trot and jitterbug. My girlfriends and I would practice the jitterbug which was the only dance we really took to. We’d dance to The Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly . I learned to play Love Hurts on the ukulele. Chris: How do you remember being drawn to music in your 20s? Ginny: I liked Iron Butterfly, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Steppenwolf, Jefferson Airplane had an almost religious effect on me. I would take the speakers to my portable stereo and put them on either side of my head to listen long and loud to Inna Gada Davida for example. I never did know what the song meant –still don’t, but it moved me . Looking back I believe the music moved me and many others into a different consciousness about the world. This was coupled of course with the Vietnam war: Crosby, Stills and Nash - “Ohio,” Bob Dylan- “The Times They Are a Changin,” “All Along the Watchtower”, which by the way I want played at my wake Chris: Can you identify some ways in which you were shaped by growing up in the geography of Texas in the 50’s? How is this different/similar to where you have a settled in the Ozarks? What are your favorites experiences of the unique music traditions of the Ozarks? Ginny: I think the music of the 50s- jitterbug, the beat not the lyrics, loosened me up, a girl of strict white middle class Presbyterian upbringing, for the lyrics of the 60s that would take me into rejecting my culture’s values of acquisition and blind patriotism. Fort Worth, Texas and my organ playing Presbyterian church where I sat in the balcony and counted the mink stoles that

were clearly symbols of prestige and not necessary in Texas climate was full with prosperity. This was something my war and depression beleaguered parents valued greatly.My travel abroad in 1969 opened me up entirely to a new way of seeing the US. We Americans were just too arrogant and too much of everything. Texas was and still is the epitome of more is always better. Returning to the US after seeing other countries thoughts on Vietnam radicalized me. I threw away my bra, marched against the war, and for civil rights. I ironically married a Navy man who went to Vietnam. His return 6 months later with his mind completely destroyed further alienated me from the world in which I had grown up. I no longer revered god and country. “What’s Going On?” by Marvin Gaye’s music and lyrics expressed my bewilderment in what the hell was going on.When I first moved to Arkansas before I was with your father, I would go to the Winslow Community Building on Saturday evenings. Local folks would gather with their instruments and play bluegrass and gospel. It was the gospel that I loved . That is where I first heard “I’ll Fly Away,” also a song I want played when I die. I’d never really heard fiddle before that and a good fiddler is always a lift even when it is a sad song. All of these people including me were what might be called poor folk and they were sure made happy with the purity of music. No drinking. Well, maybe there were some nips in the parking lot, I don’t know. Chris: One of my most vivid musical memories as a child was being lulled to sleep (as I recollect almost every night) by a rendition of James Taylor’s “You Can Close Your Eyes” which kind of a set a personal standard for what a perfect beautiful melancholic song can be. Do you remember that? Ginny: Absolutely, both playing the song for you on a tape and singing it to you. I still love that song. I still sing it sometimes just out of the blue. “..It won’t be long before another day we gonna have a good time no one’s gonna take that time away you can stay as long as you like...” Chris: Without thinking too hard , can you list three of your favorite songs or albums (or the most important to you)? Ginny: Bob Dylan - Boots of Spanish Leather Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run Joni Mitchell - Blue Chris: How would say your relationship to music changed in your 60’s versus your 20’s / teenage years? Ginny: There was a period of about 4 years in my 20s when music had little impact as I lived in the deep woods with no electricity. But my early 20s and late 20s music seemed to be my guiding light for figuring out the world and relationships. Joni Mitchell and Neil Young and Crosby, Stills and Nash and James Taylor. Much of that influence was the lyric driven, political nature of the songs. Even Joni was political because she was something of a feminist for lack of a more descriptive word. Now in my late 60s I recognize the emotional influence of music but I do not feel the lyrics are my savior anymore as I did in my 20s. I don’t feel so easily shaped or influenced or even as needy of music as I was then. I still love music that is lyric driven and has authenticity. I still believe in the power of music to affect the hearts and minds of the people.

This issue is brought to you by weirdos everywhere.

Single of the

Week

This issueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s single of the week comes from the wonderful debut album by PWR BTTM, Ugly Cherries. The title track is the ultimate anthem, that rings out in the name of understanding and self-worth and finding peace in the world around you. If there is one thing that this zine has always maintained, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to be yourself. In all of the complicated, twisted, tongue-tying meanings of the phrase, embrace who you are and learn how to appreciate the life you lead. Be good to others. And be a freak. Be a weirdo. Be the ugliest cherry.

3 SONGS THAT SHOULDN’T SCARE ME, BUT DO by kyle kuchta 1) “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles “Look at all the lonely people.” Why the fuck are there so many lonely people? “All the lonely people” is pretty bleak. Those manic strings only added to my stress level of thinking that people could be alone. Those lonely people, like Ms. Rigby, can also “live in a dream.” Another horrifying thought, to be living inside your own head with little sense of the world around you. Then, lady keeps her FACE in a JAR. WHAT IS THAT?!? I didn’t have the capacity to understand some of the lyrics as anything more than literal, so that line alone gave me nightmares. I straight up had a dream about a faceless woman dragging me into the basement, a nightmare that kept me awake for many nights after. But the thing that scared me the most was the thought of death. Not just death, but the death of someone who didn’t have anybody that cared enough to go their funeral. THAT was the scary part. To me, to have no one attend your funeral was like no one attending the last party you ever had. It meant people didn’t like you, and that’s what I feared the most. 2) “Man in the Box” by Alice in Chains A pretty dark song to begin with, “Man in the Box” straight up haunted me for what felt like a good year. It was probably only a month, tops. Regardless, the first time I heard Layne Staley’s groans at the beginning of the track was while I was waiting in line for my first haunted hayride in late elementary school. A giant screen ran a montage of horror slashers while we waited for the next wagon; pair that with “I’m the man in the box” and my literal translations, and you’re fucking up my forth grade mind. For whatever reason, the alternative radio station my dad listened to seemed to ONLY play that song at night while we were driving through dimly lit New England highways. No more trying to sleep without that lullaby interrupting my counting of sheep. 3) “Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel This one is a little more of a mystery. While in college, I spent one summer driving a box truck through Connecticut delivering home goods to a small chain of curtain stores. And the best part of that drive was being able to just throw my iPod on shuffle and jam as I drove from strip mall to strip mall. One particular route involved a narrow, winding road following a stream. While enjoying the scenery, the doo-wop intro to “Uptown Girl” rang out through the truck’s car stereo and I PANICKED. There had only been a few moments in my life where I thought I was going to die at any second. The first was when I went bungee jumping, the second was when I was in a car accident, and the third was when “Uptown Girl” played during my morning drive. Why? I don’t know. I have no explanation for the fear that washed over me. But through the entire song, I thought it was the end. I thought I was done for. Every time it comes on now, I get a little sick. One time it came on right when I walked into an empty public restroom and I was ready, then, to accept my fate. Don’t worry, I’m still here.

STITCH ‘N BITCH WITH DIET CIG by alex luciano and noah bowman Learn how to make the cutest patch + take your punk look to the next level. Materials: - embroidery hoop (hoop earrings optional) - scissors - fabric scraps - colorful felt - sewing needle

- invisible marking pen (Harry Potter used one) - embroidery floss (or friendship string!) - sequins / buttons / glitter / etc!!!

step 1.

pick out your fabric for the patch and stick it in your hoop. It has to be juuust a little bigger than the hoop itself, so sacrifice any old sheet of your mom’s and you’ll have plenty. (as long as it’s not too stretchy! stiffer the fabric, the better).

step 2.

draw on your message! your catâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name, a band, a prayer to satan, kylie jennerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last will and testament, whatever.

step 3.

pick a thread and stick it in the needle! unlike sewing, you only need to put a few inches through the needle. donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to tie a knot at the other end of the thread too! have pets / supportive family members around, this step it by far the hardest. emotional support recommended.

step 4.

start sewing your words using a backstitch! first you make a single stitch, starting from under the fabric going up. the next one starts one stitchlength away from the first stitch, and goes back into the fabric where the first stitch ended. wahooo, easy right?!

step 5.

pick another thread, and using your backstitch, make a border around your cutie design! consider adding some sequins to blind your enemies in the right light.

step 6.

cut out your patch carefully, making sure to leave an edge so you can sew it onto the felt. pick out a color of felt and cut a piece of that into a square slightly larger than the patch.

step 7.

sew your patch onto the felt, being careful to keep it flat because without the hoop, things can get lumpy. this stitch is easy as heck and now youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re almost done!

step 8.

trim the extra felt from the patch and show off your handiwork! the felt covers the messy backside of the fabric, and now you look like a pro crafter. finally time to shimmy around your house with your new creation and feel like you can do anything!!!

SONGS FOR THE ROAD: A PLAYLIST FOR PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL TRANSITION by bella mazzetti & lily mastrodimos Sometimes there is a long road ahead of you. Sometimes it is dark outside and all you have is your little book of mix CDs crammed in the Volvo with some of your best friends in the world. Sometimes you play a show and all you wanna do on the drive home is scream the words to someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s songs while crammed in that tiny Volvo with those friends. Here at Jawbreaker Reunion, Inc. we are committed to curating the perfect playlist to help you get from point A to point B.

1. Arthur Russell - “I Couldn’t Say it to Your Face” A true all-weather transitional jam. A lot of feelings are felt when this one comes on and I am at once pissed off, empowered, celebrating. It doesn’t matter if it is grey and rainy or sunny and warm, this song will be spinning in my lil car for a long time. -Bella 2. IJI - “Parking Lot Palms” When I think of this song I am brought back to the beginning of summer. I’m singing it in my friend’s kitchen, I’m singing it on my road trip to Philly, I’m singing it on the Taconic with the band. We are all playing air guitar. We are all happy to be together. These are things that IJI makes me think and feel. Great car jam. -Bella 3. Joanna Newsom - “Good Intentions Paving Company” There is nothing like an upbeat Joanna track. She is my goddess, this song is everything to me. I have been listening to Have One on Me a lot when I am in the car alone lately, and everytime this one comes up I can’t help but feel warm, fuzzy, sad, and introspective all at the same time. -Bella 4. Paul Baribeau - “Better Than Anything Ever” I have a very specific memory of driving home from a show late at night while listening to a Paul Baribeau CD. The drive, after our Wendy’s pit stop, was blanketed in a really comforting silence because I think we all just wanted to hear the words. This song’s significance kind of morphed for me during this drive. -Bella 5. Kate Bush - “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” The perfect song to sing your heart out / perform elaborate dance moves to while driving with your friends (be safe!). Kate Bush is a divine goddess and the constant chugging of this song can keep you awake on any late night drive you’re doing. -Lily 6. Mitski - “Carry Me Out” An empty, midnight highway always make me think of the Styx now, with the consistently repeating lines on the pavement illuminated by high beams. It’s a comforting image, and the kind of song that wraps you up in warm blanket to keep you safe from the chill and the long ride home. -Lily 7. Yea-Ming and The Rumours - “Sign On My Window” This song is so dreamy, it makes you feel like you’re floating through the air on warm summer evening right at sunset. It’s a hushed and humble song, but it is entirely refreshing and vibrant. The calm it brings keeps you centered, which is perfect for long drives. -Lily 8. The Ramones - “I Can’t Make It On Time” My sister and I used to drive round our old town in the NJ suburbs blasting the Ramones from our car when we got really bored on summer nights. It was our own tiny form of “rebellion” and we shouted along to every song. This is one of our favorites. -Lily

THE FIRST ANNUAL DOG OSCARS by the babes of hiccup Every year, The Academy gets together to celebrate the achievements of actors on both the small and large screen alike. Unfortunately, these honorees historically have all been very uniformly human. Hiccup is here to finally pay our respects to a neglected population of the acting community. We are proud to announce the winners of...

THE FIRST ANNUAL DOG OSCARS

Best Action Sequence

That dog from Beethoven For that scene where he shakes out his fur and gets drool all over a screaming Charles Grodin in slow motion.

Best Death Scene

That dog from I Am Legend For that gut-wrenching, yet subtle, death performance, in a scene that leaves Will Smith truly alone in his fight against zombies. Or vampires. Was it vampires?

Best Supporting Actor (Comedy) That dog from Frasier

For covering his eyes with his paws when Kelsey Grammar does something embarrassing.

Best Improvisational Acting That dog from Anchorman

For his lightning-quick, off-the-cuff banter with Will Ferrell. Seeing two actors with this kind of

comedic chemistry go off-script… well, it’s like watching a high-wire act. Thrilling!

Best Physical-Comedy Performance

That dog from Planes, Trains and Automobiles For the scene where he’s frozen in the back of the pick-up truck with John Candy and Steve Martin. Has one facial expression ever packed so much comedic punch?

Best Villain

That dog from The Sandlot For outsmarting a group of wildly inventive thirteen year olds by just eating everything.

Best Acting in Costumes

Those dogs from Beverly Hills Chihuahua Hats off (no pun intended) to this talented ensemble for their ability to deliver powerful performances while also wearing sombreros, prom dresses, sunglasses, tuxedos, barrettes, bikinis, ballgowns, visors, and all manner of humiliating, tiny human clothing.

Best Interspecies Performance

That dog from Jurassic Park: The Lost World For straight getting EATEN by a T. Rex!!

Lifetime Achievement Award That dog from Air Bud

For pioneering both canine athletic footwear as well as the argument that “There’s no rule that dogs can’t play [insert any sport].”

Best Performance From A Dog That is Definitely Dead Now That dog from The Wizard Of Oz C’mon, that dog is super dead.

REBEL WITH AN EXCUSE by jessi frick Hello World. It is I, Jessi and boy oh boy do I have some beanage to spill. Remember that super fun party you invited me to but I couldn’t make it because I was having tummy troubles? Or that time the whole gang made plans to meet at the bowling alley for strikes and slices but I got stuck in traffic and missed the entire shindig? Your college graduation? Baby shower? Well, it’s time I get honest with you and honest with myself… I have mindnumbing, soul-crippling social anxiety. It’s the kind where almost every Friday eve I can be found on my couch, staring aimlessly at the TV instead of seizing the day (or night). Coming to this admission in the (hopefully not) final issue of The Miscreant felt like an apropos time being that you’re likely reading this inside the godly walls of Palisades at a super fun CMJ party where I may very well be standing next to or near you, trying to look like I’m having fun. Well, that’s not entirely true -- deep down inside my heart I am having the time of my life. But on the surface I depend on my loosey goosey friend, booze (Ms. Alcohol if you’re nasty) to help curve my kneejerk reaction to run out of the door as fast as possible to curl up into a lonely ball of mush. I hear the Dunkin Donuts down the street has a lovely bathroom for such activities. Working in an industry where social interactions are necessity makes this the ultimate curse. I’m continually criticizing myself for being too upbeat, not upbeat enough, too old, too young, and definitely never ever not cool enough. Over the years I’ve media trained myself to the point where I can go into a meeting and bang out a pitch like nobody’s business but when it comes to the ol’ schmoozea-thon, I’m like a 4 year old on their first day of preschool. I didn’t always feel like this. In my early to mid-twenties, my life’s

motto could be summed up in five letters: IDGAF. It didn’t matter where your party or show was, what night of the week it was, what time it started, if my mortal enemy or best friend was going to be there - I was going to be there. I moved to Los Angeles in the early 2000s and spent almost every evening out at a bar, club, or venue. In those years I also made a lot of dumb mistakes, said a lot of terribly awful things to people (which my brain always helps me remember whenever I run into said people now), and pretty much lived my life with no regret. That is until I began by 30s when I quickly regretted everything I did up until that point. I’m embarrassed that I never finished college or traveled outside of the continental US, and I’m not your average 36-year-old woman who would rather spend her life running a record label than having kids and a minivan (that minivan would be sweet tho). Basically trying to fit into any conversation is a struggle. In the last two years I’ve done a lot of work on myself. The music industry is like a perpetual seesaw of opportunity and disappointment. Don’t get too happy about that thing today because something doubly as terrible will probably come along tomorrow. I began to realize that I would go into every scenario expecting the worst, which in turn heightened my anxiety to ludicrous levels. I’ve spent countless hours challenging myself to do things outside of my comfort zone -- proving to my rational mind that I’m not as weak and fearful as my emotional mind makes me out to be. In those two years I was also gifted the friendship of Jeanette Wall. The very person I’m co-hosting the CMJ party you’re at. She’s been an amazing confidant, friend, and sister. She’s the reason why you’re reading this essay right now. Having someone like Jeanette in my life makes me feel a lot less alone and a lot more special. The real reason I wanted to get this admission off my chest is to hopefully inspire others to not be scared of being scared and to instead acknowledge and challenge it. Life really does pass you by if you don’t make a pit stop to smell the roses, that is, if you’re not anxious enough to get into the car in the first place. It’s okay to be different, to be fearful, to hesitate -- it’ll just make the achievement that much sweeter.

SPOOKIEST NUMBERS & FAVORITE BOOKS & MUSIC by the babes of SPORTS These are the top five spookiest numbers: 5. 6, 4. 7, 3. 3, 2. 9, 1. 8 This is a list of some of our favorite books and musics this summer, from Arizona to NYC! Benji: Ok fine. The public health textbook was a joke. I’ve been reading a bunch of Tang poetry, especially Collected Songs of Cold Mountain, translated by Red Pine. It helps me focus on what I gotta do, also it is way too hot here and I like imaging a cold mountain. Carmen: I’ve been spending my summer trying to not read books by white men, so I was really excited to read Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Written from the perspective of a woman who has immigrated to America from Nigeria, I was impressed with how intensely relatable the book still felt to me at times, even though my life is really different from the protagonist’s on paper. That’s not necessarily what I’m always looking for in a book, but I was really drawn to Adichie’s style of writing and how much detail and thoughtfulness went into writing the characters at various stages of their lives. The All Dogs and Girlpool albums were definitely my favorites this summer. These two songs matched my melancholy summer mood excellently. “Acid” is a song that Catherine sent me a while ago and I listen to it pretty much all the time. It has the same chords as “Sweet Jane” by The Velvet Underground, which is cool because it kind of takes the concept of that song and subverts it. Catherine: I usually don’t like non-fiction that much but How Music Got Free ruled and I think about it all the time. It’s about the rise of the MP3, leaking culture, torrents. You should read the review of it in the NY Times because they did a good job of making me want to read it. I love “Cheerleader.” It is a great pop song. I love Omi’s lazy voice. I love the freaky melody of the chorus. I listened to other stuff this summer too but this song was my favorite. It gives me chills all over my body. Jack: My fav book this summer was The Nimrod Flipout by Etgar Keret, who’s this really great short story writer from Israel. I guess I’d read this book before, but I didn’t read much new stuff this summer and this is one of those books I just continually return to. Surreal, goofy, and genuinely affecting lil’ yarns that I find myself thinking about all the time. He has a bunch of collections and all the ones I’ve read are good, but this is the one I recommend most highly. The All Dogs album only came out at the very tail end of the summer but I think it’s safe to call it my Alb o’ the Sum anyway. Also one of the best of the year. Hits real hard. I don’t really know anything about Brittle Brian but I came across this recently and can’t stop listening to it. SPORTS business affiliate Santi Slade (who helped us out with the design/layout of our new record) released some songs and this one is my favorite ‘cus I like the slide guitar and I like to imagine living in a cave >:) James: Anna Karenina - I am having a hard time thinking of something to say about Tolstoy’s novel. It is a world in itself, and has so much more meaning and importance than I could ever hope to describe in a few short sentences. A true classic, Anna Karenina is definitively nontemporal, and it will continue to be read long after our generation, along with all its postmodern theories and ideologies, has ceased to exist. It’s a comfort to read something that will outlast you. Arvo Pärt just turned 80 years old. “Tabula Rasa” is one of his first pieces composed in his own “tintinnabuli” style. This piece is wonderfully exciting and meditative. “Stolen Moments” is the first song on Oliver Nelson’s excellent album The Blues and the Abstract Truth. This song has since become a jazz standard, and it is not hard to see why.

FAVORITE ALBUM COVERS by the babes of romp Chris ~ ...And Justice For All by Metallica Metallica’s 4th full-length record, …And Justice For All, displays one of my favorite album covers. It is a captivating depiction of Lady Justice, who is tied up in ropes with cracks along her sides. Her scales are overflowing with dollar bills and her chest is exposed. The art serves to represent the political and legal injustices within our systems. It is still a relevant depiction of our system and of what needs to be changed. Our procedural and constitutional rights are tested almost everyday, many of the laws that we must abide by may never make sense, and the court systems will continue to be ruled by money. The political corruption in this country may never be resolved making this artwork stand the test of time. It is important that musicians and other artists use their connection with people as a platform to unite people and to spread awareness of the many issues that we cannot face on our own. Madison ~ Pinkerton by Weezer This is my favorite album cover for many reasons. It’s a super important album in general to me because I got into the record at a very important time in my life where a lot was changing but I finally found a group of people I could call friends. Although we have all went our own ways in life, I will always see this record and think back and smile because it was one of the happiest times in my life. Finding people that actually like you is cool. I also painted the cover of this album for my first boyfriend because we both loved it a ton. Still do. Great songs, great cover, great memories. Lucas ~ Rage Against The Machine by Rage Against The Machine This album art is particularly powerful as it displays Thích Quảng Đức, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, protesting his government’s opposition to his religion via self-immolation. If you get a chance to watch the video (warning: it’s chilling) you will see that he doesn’t move a muscle or make a sound, while engulfed in flames, showing his dedication to his FAITH and CAUSE. The photograph was captured by Malcolm Browne (1963) and achieved worldwide acclaim. It is believed to have convinced US President JFK to withdraw his support from the South Vietnamese government. While not directly related to the album art, RATM also put together my favorite one of their albums on their self titled, featuring my favorites; “Bullet in the Head”, and “Know Your Enemy”. Don’t be afraid to stand up and take action for your cause, you just might be noticed! Max ~ Transpose by Bad Suns This design is super rad and so are Bad Suns. The same vibe you get from looking at this picture certainly translates well when you listen to these dudes. For a bunch of super young musicians this EP is stellar and makes for a good car ride! Enjoy.

IN WHICH PWR BTTM ATTEMPTS TO INTERVIEW EACH OTHER by liv bruce & benjamin hopkins PWR BTTM is Liv Bruce and Ben Hopkins. Liv plays drums and sings and Ben plays guitar and sings and then sometimes they switch. They recently released their debut LP, Ugly Cherries, on Miscreant Records and Father/Daughter Records. For this issue they interview each other, or at least try to. Ben Hopkins: My first question to you is, how dare you?: Liv Bruce: (silent at keyboard)…This is hard. Ben: Yeah, how do we interview each other? Hold on, let me just give you questions to ask me, that I want to answer. Liv: ...ok Ben: “What do you think about when you play guitar?” Liv: (typing) What are you thinking, playing guitar like that? Ben: “What is your least favorite thing about Liv Bruce?” Liv: (typing) What are your top 25 favorite things about Liv Bruce? Ben: “What gives you life?” Liv: (typing) how did you get this way? (Hands computer to Ben) Ben: It’s upsetting that you were just transcribing what we were saying, that being said it is entertaining. The first question i have for you in general is just “How dare you?” Liv: *eviscerates bag of mesquite bbq chips abesent mindedly* Ben: Don’t ever change Liv: I would never, this outfit is too good. Ben: *stares into the void of his cellphone* ...This guy on Facebook and I had a really good conversation about steak… He was like “Every time I eat an egg I get a new bicep,” I was like, “cool.” You know what’s an amazing song? “S&M” by Rihanna. *sings* “I may be bad but I’m perfectly good at it.” (Ben receives computer) Liv: I can’t decide if we eat the mango ice cream or the Americone Dream first. Were you ever into Furbies?

Ben: My dad threw ours in the fire. It made sad bleating robot noises while it died. Noises like the kind I imagine you’ll make when kill you. Liv: sometimes I feel like a human furby. Ben: Ok, ask me two questions that you’ve always wanted to ask me. What have you always wanted to know? Liv: Ok 2 questions: what do you want to do when you retire, and what’s an instrument you’ve always wanted to be able to play but probably never will? Ben: I want to move to western MA and live with my weird family in a cute house with a weird dog and get into strange adventures. I want to sit around and make weird things and drive around and go see weird things and craft delicious sandwiches with the people I love and learn how to fucking relax. Also, I want to hang out with my friends in upstate NY and do cool old people shit like birdwatching. An instrument I’ve always wanted to play is the accordion. I own one and I’ve tried but it’s not really conducive to being self taught. Actually, these questions are the exact same thing. I want to fart around in western, ma with my friends and family and play accordion badly till the end of my days. I’m actually super curious as to what your answers to these questions are. Liv: I want to be somewhere woodsy, maybe Western Massachusetts, maybe Seattle, maybe Oklahoma or some other fierce Midwestern spot. I want a barn with a good floor for dancing where I can keep my instruments and practice music and movement. I’d also be into doing a ton of fierce domestic stuff, baking bread and canning fruits and pickling things and stuff. I want to read a lot and bike everywhere. An instrument I’ve always wanted to play but probably won’t is the cello. I think it’s beautiful and totally hardcore but everyone I know who’s great at it started as, like, a 3-year-old. That ship has sailed. Maybe when I retire I’ll learn? I dunno. Ben: WAIT REAL QUESTION, fuck our feelings. Can you tell me exactly how you felt when you saw the queer kid in School of Rock. Liv: oh God, I felt like I was a mix between him and the drummer. Sassy, but aggressively so. One thing I’ll always be sure of is that you’re tacky and I hate you. I guess there’s also a big part of me that’s Summer, the class factotum. You? Ben: If there was a power bottom of the group it was def Freddy the drummer but you are #factotum. I think I felt like, yeah, that’s the part the queer kid gets to play, which sucks but LOOK AT HER. He was really rad. What was a drag about that is like yes, of course, if the fierce lil queer boy wants to make the costumes, let him, but Jack Black never tries to teach him how to play guitar. It would have been cool to see that kid like shred in the band or at LEAST be asked. That being said, they all looked great. WE should get a stylist. Liv: Styling u

I SUCK AT PARTIES by mary luncsford

I jumped out a window to escape a party, or more specifically social anxiety. I’d gone by myself and stayed a pretty long time (approximately one hour). Thankfully, I knew a couple of people there and I was able to play the Keep Asking Questions Game© to avoid uncomfortable lapses in conversation. It’s not that it was a bad party, I’m just a bad young person. After 50 minutes or so, I bid my fellow partiers goodnight and confidently marched to the front door. Only I had come in through the back. And the front door was blocked off by a couch. And I was trapped in this sunroom. I had a couple of options. 1. Bite the bullet and walk to the back door, thus passing the people I’d been talking with and having to nod and smile and explain, “Whoops, wrong way!” 2. Curl into an armadillo-type ball and hide in some corner, only to be found weeks later much to the surprise and horror of the hosts. Number one was absolutely not an option. In hindsight, this is a rational and reasonable solu-

tion. But in that moment, at this party, with all of my senses heightened, there was no way I could walk past the kids I’d already said “bye” to. The horror! The shame! The thought only even occurred to me for a flash before I dismissed it as ludicrous. The armadillo option was enticing, but I knew that that was unfeasible. So I looked for alternate exits. To my left was an open window without a screen. I casually peered out to see how far the drop was. Doable. I turned around to make sure the coast was clear. Two girls on a couch were staring at me quizzically. I addressed this head-on. “Hi,” I said, “I’m going to jump out this window.” “Go for it,” the girls replied. And with their blessings, I hopped down and ran off into the night. As laughable as this situation was, it was a good night for me. I’d gone to a party, talked with people I didn’t know very well, didn’t hate everything, and was in bed reasonably early. I was proud of myself. Being a socially anxious introverted person at a Big 10 school is a pretty stupid situation to be in. Admittedly, not my smartest move. I should be at a tiny school somewhere in the middle of the woods where they don’t give grades and no one wears shoes. Instead I am here. At a school with t-shirts that say, “never lost a party” and “Boozier Tailgate”—a riff on Hoosier Tailgate. Funny, no? When confronted with a party invite (which I appreciate, please keep inviting me to stuff!!), I always have this moment where I desperately wish I was some kind of social butterfly who thrived on flirty banter and also happened to look like Alexa Chung. I’m more of a moth, beating herself relentlessly against the porch light that is college party culture: fruitless in my attempts to infiltrate and understand its mysteries. Indeed, I have oft taken solace in songs that show me other girls who seem just as not-into-it as I am. Jawbreaker Reunion’s “Straightedge Revenge” is particularly cathartic. “I hate talking//I hate drinking//What if I just lay in bed//Play situations in my head//I don’t wanna get fucked up tonight.” And later on, “I don’t want to be the girl with no one to talk to//I just want to be the girl who doesn’t have to try.” This song is so real to me. There’s this funny and lighthearted air to the whole situation in a self-deprecating kind of way. But there’s also a really visceral feeling of frustration. “Why is it so hard for me,” I ask the goddesses with my hands balled into fists! I beat myself about being too shy or my inability to have fun in these settings. “I’ll be gritting my teeth until the enamel rots//telling myself ‘you’ll have fun if you like it or not’.” Bless you, Jawbreaker Reunion, for reading my loner grrrl heart. The weird thing is that I really like people. It’s the dynamics of parties I just can’t seem to get used to. I’d attribute most of my anguish to small talk. I understand small talk as a vehicle to get to deeper levels of communication, but a party is like we’re driving the chitchat caravan on a congested highway for eternity. Agony aside, I must fight the good fight. I will continue to try to interact with my fellow youths, taking comfort in the fact that I’m not alone in my anxiety (even though I’m definitely surrounded by strangers). I’m not sure if I’ll ever be a proper young person. For right now the best I can do is be present, be open, and then climb out the window.

VAGABON’S FAVORITE ALBUMS by laetitia tamko, eva lawitts, and elise okusami Laetitia, Eva & Elise of Vagabon share their favorite albums Laetitia’s Picks: Ali Farka Touré - SAVANE This is an album I play everyday and find new things to love about it each time. Ali Farka Touré is a Malian musician and a distinct guitarist. His music has everything that is reminiscent of my childhood. Choice Tracks: “Savane,” “Soya” W.I.T.C.H. - We Intend To Cause Havoc Hailing from the landlocked country in Southern Africa called Zambia, W.I.T.C.H is my favorite band. This record is a 54 song testament of Zam-Rock and African Prog. Choice Tracks: “Nazingwa,” “Nasuka” Lijadu Sisters - Horizon Unlimited The complete embodiment of West African music, Nigerian sisters singing partly in their native village language and partly in English, Nigeria’s primary language. Choice Tracks: “Orere-Elejigbo,” “Gbalo-Alogbalo” Mani Bella - Face à Face Cameroonian woman making Cameroonian ‘Bitkusi’ music. It’s dancy and complex instrumentally, the lyrics are funny. It’s a club hit in Cameroon. Choice Tracks: “Pala Pala Woman,” “Face à Face” Banofee - Banofee EP Recent obsession, thanks Jordan Michael. Choice Tracks: “Ninja” (!!!) Eva’s Picks: Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly The first album I’ve heard in years that is greater than the sum of its parts. Astounding on all levels. One of those levels bein’ Thundercat. Battles - La Di Da Di Yes it leaked, yes I downloaded it, yes I love it, yes I will pay for it when it is officially released. I’m sorry mom. Kylesa - Static Tensions An oldie but a goodi” on constant rotation lately because every song on this album gives me the feels. S/o to Chris from Sister Helen for turning me on to Kylesa.

Vijay Iyer - Break Stuff Shit came out on my birthday but I didn’t pick it up until right before the Vagabon June tour. If you didn’t know, now ya do. Daughters - Daughters The “easy listening” album from the Daughters catalog. Another oldie but goodie that I unearthed and can’t shut off. Elise’s Picks: Jeff Rosenstock - We Cool? Heard this album for the first time earlier this summer and it was the only thing I listened to for two weeks straight. Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation Favorite album to listen to in the summer. It’s especially good for half-awake beach dozing. Elliott Smith - XO I’m pretty much always listening to one of his albums. This seemed as good a pick as any. Battles - Gloss Drop Unlike some scofflaw I haven’t heard the new album yet, but this was is still a favorite. Queen - News of the World I don’t know, just listened to it a bunch this summer.

photo by andrew piccone

A GROUP CHAT WITH BETHLEHEM STEEL & DOWNIES There is not much to be said for this except that it is a loving group text between some members of Downies and Bethlehem Steel. In the beginning of the conversation we learn that Bernard does not have the certain type of phone required for group chatting. Also, where was Jon? Most likely being responsible and working. Here is a glance into some brains. Learn what Greg is allergic to and what everyone wants done with their remains. Those chattin: Cameron Wische (Downies) Greg Rutkin (Downies) Doov Medina (Downies) Becca Ryskalczyk (Bethlehem Steel) Zephyr Prusinski (Bethlehem Steel) Doov: ok so my first question is what is your favorite pizza Doov: im currently eating eggplant n ricotta pizza Cameron: Mmmmmm Cameron: Pepper Cameron: oni Cameron: & olives Doov: tiiiiiiiteeeee Zephyr: Pepperoni/pineapple Becca: Wait wait I’m gonna start one without Bernard Cameron: remove bernard so we dont fill his phone with nonsense Cameron: K Doov: lol Doov: LOL Doov: HAHA Becca: Pizza go Doov: FECES AND MOZZARELLA Becca: i had this pizza once with a blue cheese base honey mustard chicken 3 chz blend and bacon Doov: wow Doov: incredible Doov: puts the pizza i just ate to shame Cameron: what kind of pizza

should i get RIGHt nOW? Doov: BUFFALO CHICKEN Doov: YEAHHH Cameron: it has to be available at norbert’s express. Doov: oh Doov: cardboard Cameron: which is better: playing music, or eating an incredibly delicious slice of pizza? (microphone emoji) (pizza emoji) Doov: can i do both simultaneously? Cameron: nope Doov: fuck Greg: is this GF pizzo? Doov: gonna go with musicz... Greg: Is it GF musik? Greg: I’m GF just a big CMJ FYI Cameron: if you choose music, u may never have GF pizza again. Zephyr: Picks for ninja champion 2015 Greg: hm Greg: yikes Greg: idk Greg: feeling like music is like... what is it all about Cameron: sex Cameron: Loneliness Cameron: dark vibes Doov: (smiling/crying emoji) Greg: =^( Greg: music and pizzo both sux Zephyr: Sex4one Becca: also gf have to go with musik Zephyr: Favorite tooth go Zephyr: Bicuspid

Cameron: chipped Becca: Rabbit Greg: chipped as well Greg: my left front top chipped tooth Greg: cam yours is the same one? Becca: One dead person comes back to life for one hour for you to do whatever you want with or to them.Who would this be and what would you do? Doov: k9!!!! Doov: o fuck Cameron: hm Cameron: sam cooke Cameron: to sing me a song Doov: rasputin Doov: so he can teach me his wizardy ways Becca: Elliott smith Becca: did yyoooouuurreeeaaallllyyyy stab twice Becca: And if theres time for a song Doov: ok here’s a hard one Doov: MAC OR PC Greg: kurt cobain so i can ask him if he’s saying excuse me while i kiss this guy or the sky Doov: lol Zephyr: No OS, bare metal Greg: Lynux Doov: isn’t that jimi hendrix Greg: Whoever had my soul in their body before my body had it so i can ask them what sort of terrible things they did to make me deserve to be allergic to the entire world, blind, deaf, and a

stick figure Doov: a sexy stick figure Zephyr: With hot dicks Cameron: lets all chip in to have adam animate this conversation with kevin bacon playing the part of Bernard Doov: agreed Cameron: (photo of steak boy) Doov: omfg Greg: oh my god Greg: =^(( I MISS STEAKboyman Becca: (photo of room-mates new kitten) Becca: I live with this now Cameron: gahjhhh Cameron: (widely smiling emoji) (ghost emoji) (crying emoji) Doov: oh FUCK Becca: (photo of 2 kittens) Doov: fffffffffff Becca: we need a question from Bernanrd Greg: who Greg: okay who’s your least favorite animal cartoon character Doov: snarf from thundercats Doov: fuck that guy Cameron: Porky the pig Cameron: Not into it Becca: If you had to have one word tattood on your face what would it be? Doov: the obvious choice is FECES Doov: also happy belated b day becca sorry i didn’t come to da bar Zephyr: STEAKBOY Doov: noice Cameron: “HI!” Greg: “L” Greg: for Linebacker Greg: Which is your least favorite internal organ? Doov: hmmmmm Doov: pancreas Doov: useless organ Doov: why are you even in there???

Doov: also sounds gross Cameron: spleen Cameron: spleeen Cameron: whats a spleen? Doov: no one knows Becca: My right kidney Doov: its a mystery Cameron: Dont like it Cameron: favorite emoji... Greg: small intestine for me why can;t it eat any gluten I want non GF puzzo Cameron: (ghost emoji) Doov: (frying egg emoji) Doov: wtf is this (yellow squiggle emoji) Doov: I’ve wondered forever Greg: (eight ball emoji) Greg: (diamond emoji) Greg: (cigarette emoji) Greg: (bear emoji) (fire emoji) (sunglasses emoji) Doov: (dollar bills emoji) Cameron: (crystal ball emoji) Cameron: (thought bubble emoji) Cameron: (“cool” emoji) Doov: (bicycle emoji) (alien emoji) (fart cloud emoji) Doov: (18-slash emoji) Zephyr: (phone off emoji) Greg: (tiger emoji) Greg: (cat with hearts for eyes emoji) Becca: (popcorn shrimp emoji) Becca: What do you want done with ur remains? Doov: (person swimming emoji) (alien emoji) Doov: ok i have 3 Doov: turned into soil and a tree planted in me Doov: blasted into the sun Doov: or crushed into a diamond Cameron: (tree emoji) (diamond emoji) (rocketship emoji) Doov: OR secretly fed to my enemies ha ha ha Becca: (screenshot of accidentally texting the remains question to sister instead of group)

Cameron: heh heh Cameron: Id send my ashes into space Cameron: Let em float around Zephyr: Secretly made into a cake served at my funeral Cameron: what if i died by eating your poison ash cake Cameron: but i had already told them to do the same with my ashes Cameron: and killed everyone at my funeral. And they had their ashes made into poison ash cake. Cameron: Until all that’s left is cake Zephyr: (crying ghost emoji) Zephyr: Then we would float in space 2gether4ever Zephyr: Humans evolve into sentient cakes Zephyr: With cream cheese frosting Zephyr: And a thirst for blood Cameron: Cannibal Cakes Cameron: season 1 PILOT Cameron: Setting: zephs funeral Greg: (birthday cake emoji) Zephyr: *Voice coils plays softly on the radio* Cameron: The guests try the cake. Cameron: But Cameron: They Cameron: Too Cameron: Are Cameron: Cake Cameron: sentient cake people Cameron: (photo of steakboy) Zephyr: U like cake steakboy? Zephyr: Omg Zephyr: Steak life brewing company Cameron: who wants to get an iced coffee with me? Becca: Family dinner tmro? Doov: wow my phone took a huge shit and i got 40 texts at once

by domenica pileggi of i tried to run away when i was 6

I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY LIKE CARLY by olivia cellamare It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes we are graced with a singer who can make even fans of Death Metal turn into something opposite of who they are. In short, I absolutely ADORE Carly Rae Jepsen. She’s got a hold on me sort of like my love for 90s Mariah Carey. There is nothing worse than seeing a singer or band you really like being written off by so many. I remember when “Call Me Maybe” came out. I had danced to it many times whilst drunk and sober. I made a good friend of mine play it constantly in her car whenever I saw her. I was just immersed in this song. Finally someone had made GOOD Pop music. Then it all went quiet (I can’t talk about the Owl City thing, it’s not too great). “Call Me Maybe” was still being blasted everywhere and Carly was being made out to be another one hit wonder. Then something beautiful happened. When I heard “I Really Like You,” I knew song to annoy my girlfriend with. I knew that there was no way that Carly could be written off again. She’s beyond your standard Pop singer, she’s not some annoying princess who needs to just stop. She has something to say, and she’s not afraid to be a soppy romantic in her music. “Run Away With Me” is the opposite of the kind of love song I’d go for (I’m all for Nick Cave’s take on love and romance) but “Run Away With Me” is this body of urgency to just be with someone you totally love, adore and want to be with. It’s none of this “I’ll change my ways if you stay” nonsense. It’s just a bed of devotion that is so beautifully done. However, I just want to mention that I played it in the car last week and my girlfriend came out with a real gem upon hearing the sax “Oh, I wasn’t aware we were in the Highlands!” I can’t make a CRJ fan out of everyone, sadly. “Emotion” is a top song. It’s an 80s influenced song for sure, but she’s not one of those who have listened to a load of 80s songs and thought “I’ll just rip this decade off!” She’s made her own type of Pop music that can be accessible for all. It’s for 8 year olds who are looking for their first singer to copy or 28 year olds like myself who just don’t care for a music genre and want something to make them insanely happy. Carly is the kind of person you want to be best friends with. You want to have pizza with her on a Friday evening and by 12am you’re in a dodgy basement club dancing to Spice Girls megamix. Her music is infectiously great and she’s just a bloody credit to modern day music. Sure she’ll be lumped as a “Pop singer” but there’s more to her. Her new record is one of the best releases of the year and you sort of forget about “Call Me Maybe.” She’s not reinvented herself, you just turned a blind eye whilst she was working on something that was always meant to happen. Her new record is just full of songs that are from someone who isn’t afraid to be open and show a delicate side. We don’t have to surround ourselves with songs of declaring we don’t need someone or whatever, sometimes it’s alright to play “I Really Like You” really loud and sing it to yourself in your bedroom. I’ve not done that yet, but I’m close to it. It’s the innocence of having an intense crush on someone but trying to be a little normal about it. We’ve all been there, but Carly says it for us. If someone played me that, I’d be sold. Not for life, but I’d be sold. I sincerely hope her new record gives her the credit she deserves, and I’m not just saying this because I’m like an 8 year old with an obsession. It’s just really refreshing to hear something different, and I’m pretty sure Tina Belcher would love her some Carly. That’s good enough for me!

• Pale milksop with low sense of selfworth preferred • Must be willing to drive great distances to sing to rooms of 20 people (or less) about deflated sense of self-worth • Must be willing to work for peanuts o (Actual peanuts) • Must own car

(315)- 534-8893

PLEASE TAKE ONE!!! Call number below to set up an audition! Practice space is on floor 3 of the Mayro Building (239 Genesee Street, Utica, NY) (315)- 534-8893

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Rock & Roll “band” Comfy seeks new lead singer.

THANK YOU by some miscreants Lizzy: Jeanette and I always like to say the cornerstone of our friendship is the Snuggie. When I first met Jeanette back in college, I slept over at her place and before going to sleep I said something along the lines of, “The most amazing in the world right now would be a Snuggie.” Jeanette pulled a cheetah print Snuggie from underneath her bed, and we say we’ve been best friends ever since. A year later before a summer break, Jeanette and I were drinking bubble tea and she told me she wanted to start a zine, and asked me to do some doodles for it. A month or so after that conversation we have the very first issue of The Miscreant, with a cracked egg on the cover. The issue was 4 pages, 2 submissions by friends of hers. 4 years later, we are on issue 60, 40 pages, and have had dozens of amazing artists and contributors that have helped make every issue very special and unique. I wouldn’t be the same person without Jeanette or The Miscreant. I’ve shared the hardest, and most formative years of my life with her creating this zine. It’s been incredibly rewarding, hard as hell sometimes, and there have been many tears involved. I’ve grown so much as a person, an artist, and as a friend with The Miscreant, and creating each issue with Jeanette has been such an honor. WE DID IT. If you asked me on the Snuggie night, I would’ve never dreamed we’d create something so wonderful together. The Miscreant has been such an incredible journey, and it will always hold a very special place in my heart. I’m so excited for Jeanette, Miscreant Records, and all the adventures to come! Mitski: The Miscreant was my favorite zine before I even knew Jeanette, and now Jeanette’s my indispensable manager, so it goes to show how serendipitous life is. I met her when I played a sweaty-as-hell basement show, and I was kind of nervous to meet her and thought she didn’t like me much, but it turned out we were both having weird days. Then she came to my next show at Cake Shop and I think we were each having weird days again, also it turns out Jeanette’s just much better at being cool than I am, though she’ll never admit this. Then she kept coming to my shows, and I was honored but I also wondered why someone who already seemed to have a lot going on would trek to so many of my shows. Now that I know her better I’ve realized that it’s because she really truly loves music, probably more than I do, and she loves going to shows and putting them on and supporting artists, which I think is the genuine place where The Miscreant comes from. Now she still goes to something like 4 shows a week, while having multiple grown-up jobs, all of which are legit and impressive, and all of which she’s so on top of. And my favorite part is, when I’m staying at her house and she comes home from work at night, we talk about work a little bit and it’s exciting to me because her job is so real and responsible, but then she can somehow turn it all off, put on some TV, and be a good friend. I wouldn’t be where I am now without Jeanette. Bella Mazzetti of Jawbreaker Reunion: I met Jeanette about four years ago. I immediately understood how important she would be for me and the people around me. I wrote my first article for The Miscreant at the end of my freshman year- it was the first piece I had ever written, for anything. When the issue came out, I truly realized how empowering zines like

The Miscreant really are. Even with no previous writing experience, I was able to contribute to and be a part of this beautiful little community- all because of this incredible woman, Jeanette Wall. This community could not exist without her. The Miscreant would not be here without her. Jeanette is one of the most hardworking and well-intentioned people that I know and I am so lucky to have her in my life. We all are. You mean the world to me, bb! Laetitia Tamko of Vagabon: I remember meeting Jeanette at a show I played solo at the Silent Barn last year. She was full of energy, friendly and approachable which I’ve come to see is how she approaches everything she does, professionally and personally. Jeanette works hard at all things Miscreant and beyond and it shows. Without exclusivity, she releases tapes she loves and facilitates an outlet to write, draw, curate and explore through. Jessi Frick of Father/Daughter Records: Jeanette is a pioneer woman. She takes risks, travels the road less traveled. This is why I love and respect her. The Miscreant is a piece of history that will forever stand as tall as Jeanette’s dreams and aspirations. She gives her all to everything she does, never expecting anything in return. Jeanette is the ultimate cheerleader, a person you want in your corner, bouncing around, singing loudly from the front row. I’m a better person for having met her and via The Miscreant, she’s made the world a better place for future generations of young women looking to forge on their own and make a racket in a world that’s all too comfortable with trying to silence female voices. Kyle Kuchta: I wrote a little bit about my relationship with The Miscreant back in Issue 50, but I don’t think it really covered my actual relationship and friendship with The Miscreant herself, Jeanette Wall. Because that “need to write” that I expressed in that article is only because Jeanette inspires that creativity in me. She’s one of the strongest and most influential people I’ve ever met, and I’m fortunate to call her one of my best friends. 3,000 miles between us and she’s one of my favorite people to talk horror, music, and dumb college memories with. That being said, it’s also quite amazing to have such a removed view from what she’s doing in NYC. She’s killing it, and I’m glad I get to applaud from the sidelines. Keep doing what you’re doing, J. Love, K. Cassandra: When I told my parents Jeanette and I were moving in together, my dad said “Oh good. I like Jeanette. She’s got a good head on her shoulders.” So thanks for giving my parents one less thing to worry about. Thanks for feeding the cat when I’m not home. But really, thanks for your patience and your kindness and the daily reminder that in a world where it seems like no one gives a shit about how they treat others anymore, there is one person who really truly cares. Jeanette: Thank you to everyone who has ever been a part of this zine, our records, come to our shows. Thank you to my parents most of all. Thank you to all the best friends, the complete strangers, the bands, the classmates, the people who wrote album reviews, made playlists, thought long and hard and wrote something beautiful and original and inspiring and totally weird. Thank you to the artists who I’ve interviewed. Thank you to Cassandra for staying up to the wee hours of the morning in our apartment, listening to me ramble, stressfully, about why teasers would be on the cover. And thank you to Lizzy. You and I built all of this together and I have learned so much about myself and the world around me by creating this with you. Thank you for reading this.