Yesterday morning, a fanzine that I’d requested dropped through my doorbox. I love a good fanzine and mourn the fact that in this internet laden age where bloggers can bare their souls every minute about things they don’t REALLY like, the art of the fanzine is dying a slow death.
I’m also aware, as a blogger, of the inherent contradiction in that sadness.
Shut The Fuck Up! Is a fanzine that’s produced out of an angry, young and growing Bury St. Edmunds scene. The fine band, Horse Party, are the main protagonists behind it and you’ll be able to get your own free copy of the fanzine through the charming Seymour at the band’s website. Anybody wearing a Shonen Knife T-shirt in publicity shots has to be charming right?
I won’t spoil the surprise of what’s contained within. Suffice to say, it’s an angry, humorous, Riot Grrrr! inspired attack on the sexism, racism and homophobia that exists across the media. It’s a manifesto for how Horse Party are going to do things differently.
“You don’t have to ‘like’ everything; you don’t have to ‘follow’ everyone. And do you really want EVERYONE to ‘like’ and ‘follow’ you? In the scrabble for internet popularity, dignity has become an increasingly rare commodity.” – they say and I say in reply that such wisdom should be taught at blogging schools and social media colleges across the world.
Horse Party’s debut album, ‘Cover Your Eyes’, is out on Monday, although I think you’ve been able to get a digital format for a little longer than that. It’s described as ‘a harmony of raw, lo-fi expression and liberating rock-your-cares-away hooks.’ There’s certainly enough going on in the tracks I’ve heard from the album to suggest that Suffolk is spawning something special here. I like it but you don’t have to.
sonicbreakfast 