Sunday, March 16, 2014

MRR reviews The Stowaways Issue #15


Maximum Rocknroll Issue #371 reviewed the most recent issue of The Stowaways

THE STOWAWAYS #15 / $2 or trade
11 x 17 - copied - 24 pgs

I like to compare The Stowaways to a lo-fi tape. The production is pretty shoddy and the songs aren't perfect, but if you listen to it a few times, you're likely to find something that you really like. This issue opens up with a call out to one of Christopher's friends who dressed up as Trayvon Martin for Halloween and is now being shunned by the local punk community in Southern California. He explains the incident, defends his friend, but also asks for his friend and others to be accountable for their actions and stand up against racism. I've been following this zine for a while, so seeing this really impressed me. It shows the author's growth and I think it's important to include these things in our zines. The rest of the zine is mostly show reviews and a few brief interviews, which is standard content for The Stowaways. The editor clearly cares a lot about what's going on in his community and what his peers are doing. My past grievances with this zine have always been about the layout, but in this issue I finally got over it and kind of appreciated the bareness of it all. The latest issue, plus issue #14 are the best ones yet and are worth checking out if you want to dive into the LA music scene. (VX)
Christopher Gordon / 5082 Wendover Rd. / Yorba Linda, CA 92886

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