holiday and end of december feature: livingproof by andrew mall
Mood:  party time!
this review's not just for christmas, but any holiday this season. if you're not the holiday person, it's for a little winter fun. see you in the new year!


In the third issue of Living Proof Andrew recorded his thoughts and then transcribed everything afterwards. Quite a task, though an audio version of this may be a good companion if not hold it's own. This is a hefty, text-filled zine with various photographs here and there so if you're looking for a lot to read for your money this is it.
The first of three parts includes an essay on the evils of mass communication, specifically MTV, reality shows, and cable television. Personally I really have an academic passion for this topic, but the writing is at a level that anyone with a slight interest could enjoy. In the end the author decided that "as long as you accept [all of it] you will not be truly free." I have to wonder what this freedom is, because there was no explanation given, just the idea for readers to ponder. You can decide how you feel about the subject.
The second and most informative part is an interview with Daniel Sinker of Punk Planet. Readers are introduced to the ins and outs of running an independent magazine. There is also a lot of Sinker's personal ruminations on the music industry and the influence of the internet on the new wave of zine writers. There was one idea that is often overlooked but very important in the modern zine community,
"The harshness of the internet can kill some people's ambition to do stuff. If you were to do something for the first time out there... and you get crucified, there's very little chance that you're going to go back and do it again." If you gain nothing else from this zine at least consider Sinker's informative answers.
The third part, and nearly half the zine's bulk, is dedicated to Andrew's summer abroad in Spain. This is a really great experience, but I found myself loosing interest over the length of the author's time there. It's tough to edit a travel experience, but without ever being in Spain it's also tough to follow along. I was disappointed by the ending, which was unsatisfying after so much time spent. Overall you may need to wade through occasional pretension and name-dropping, but you will find engaging arguments and interpretations.

issue 3: 64 half-size pages
cost: $3ppd
address: andrew mall
po box 14211
chicago, il 60614
website: http://www.itsmysite.com/chinesesweatshop
email: livingproof@atm4.net