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Andrew (bookseller era)

Spend less time reading theory and more time making shit (I say to myself as I read a book of theory instead of making shit.)

1 Oct 2022 at 12:56 | Open on retro.social
8 comments
Andrew (bookseller era) replied to Andrew (bookseller era)

But look, it's like this:

I make a lot of shit. I'm making a lot of shit with a lot of people. I'm leading a group of people who are making shit, and I'm hoping to turn that group of people in to a movement of lots of groups of people making lots of shit.

And that means that I need to read some theory sometimes, if only so I can try and avoid the mistakes or recreate the successes of the past.

1 Oct 2022 at 12:57 | Open on retro.social
Andrew (bookseller era) replied to Andrew (bookseller era)

Under the head Conspiranoids, Branwyn is the first Media Theorist I've read to actually Engage with the way the far right has capitalized on DIY media.

Even if the rest of this book was just retreading ground that other theorists have explored, this frank discussion of the right wing conspiracy theorist movement, and the power of their alternative media to create a break with consensus reality is worth the price of admission.

That's not the core of the book, or even a Major feature. It's just a thing that's discussed and addressed. It's good that that thing is discussed and addressed.

Under the head Conspiranoids, Branwyn is the first Media Theorist I've read to actually Engage with the way the far right has capitalized on DIY media.

Even if the rest of this book was just retreading ground that other theorists have explored, this frank discussion of the right wing conspiracy theorist movement, and the power of their alternative media to create a break with consensus reality is worth the price of admission.

1 Oct 2022 at 13:09 | Open on retro.social
Andrew (bookseller era) replied to Andrew (bookseller era)

Nothing sets the time period in which this book was written more clearly than this:
1 Oct 2022 at 13:14 | Open on retro.social
Andrew (bookseller era) replied to Andrew (bookseller era)

The book is talking about a zine directory called Factsheet Five.

I'd never heard of F5 before, but it appears to have been very influential in the early days.

I wonder if it (or a decedent) is still around?

1 Oct 2022 at 13:40 | Open on retro.social
Andrew (bookseller era) replied to Andrew (bookseller era)

Sounds like I need to find some more info on this Lancaster guy.

We fought hard to learn how to bind books ourselves. Lots of trial and error.

I wish I had a tutorial from a 90s Zinester when I started down that road. Maybe there's still things I can learn.
1 Oct 2022 at 13:49 | Open on retro.social
Andrew (bookseller era) replied to Andrew (bookseller era)

(I was supposed to stop reading a while ago, but I keep going because I'm fascinated. I guess that's the mark of a good book.)

1 Oct 2022 at 13:50 | Open on retro.social
Andrew (bookseller era) replied to Andrew (bookseller era)

Now they're talking about a self published book called Cigarette Boy.

I found some photos in this Adafruit blog review (even though I've soured on adafruit themselves, I appreciate the review)

blog.adafruit.com/2021/04/28/c

It looks Beautiful, and I hope to encounter a copy (or a reprint or a scan) at some point in the near future.

1 Oct 2022 at 13:54 | Open on retro.social
Andrew (bookseller era) replied to Andrew (bookseller era)

Now they're talking about the Tape Beatles

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tape

Their works make extensive use of materials appropriated from various sources through a process they call "Plagiarism®".

Apparently their logo was the AT&T globe with mickey mouse ears.

I can't find it online, go figure.

1 Oct 2022 at 14:02 | Open on retro.social
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