Good morning, 23 Feb. 2016
Welcome to the uncertain spring of ornery primaries, dire global warming, endless war, and migrant hardship stories! Yesterday the mailman dropped off my copies of Going Underground, the new 2nd edition edited by me, penned by Florida punk guru George Hurchalla. So, if you liked his slice of hardcore history the first time, check out the cool updates to the format, text, and visuals. If you are a newbie, what the hell are you waiting for? PM Press has the goods!
Next take a moment to read my in-depth interview with iconic Houston photographer Ben DeSoto, whose photos (including Minutemen, Circle Jerks, Really Red, and more) grace several of my books. For decades now, he has documented the underground music scene, distressed neighborhoods, south coast hip-hop pioneers, homeless populations, and personalities of all stripes. Houston Press allowed me to highlight several of his key photographs of crowds, which proves even the anarchy of a sweaty slamdance floor can be artful! Read it here.
Also, follow me on Facebook to celebrate 120 posts about Print Culture: I will be archiving most of my articles that ever appeared as hard copies, including some very rare political-minded material from my past.
Next, my publisher Rowman and Littlefield has just announced August as the release date for my new book covering punk and politics. We are in the middle of copy edits, so as soon as I know more, I will update you.
I am also completing the newest round of text additions for my book Out of the Basement, which examines the underground music culture of my hometown, Rockford, IL, for Microcosm. In the last two months, we have doubled the size of the text! This weekend they will receive that overhauled version, and we’ll go forward!
I am planning two exhibitions this year (so far), including a special Women in Punk pop-up archive at the University of Houston, Clear Lake, in September, to celebrate the appearance of Kathleen Hanna, who will be speaking on campus that same month. I am also scheduled to host a fanzine workshop on campus in April as well; when those details emerge, I will provide more info. Plus, I am still consulting with the Print Museum in Houston about an exhibit I plan to curate called Another State of Mind, which will focus on print culture from the 1960s-1970s, with a special emphasis on a local blacklight poster production company. The timeline for the show has not been announced yet.
The Center for Punk Arts 