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I’ve recently released a Zine which i intended on partnering with an EP i'm releasing within the next couple of months with @kevbars . The project was going to be just instrumentals initially, but adding a rapper to the mix would actually convey the message behind this Zine/EP more efficiently. The Zine - Zine -O- Phobia, is a mashup of found articles mixed with characters i created (Offensive Youth) responding to much of the fear mongering, bigotry, misogyny and violence that these newspapers published during the 20th century. These characters resemble the rebellious teens that parents fear, but are exposing the hate and ignorance in the ideologies of these older, “wiser” generations. The cover further expresses this idea, as i poke fun at and deface an image of the mid-century (white) American dream - the Cleavers. Leave it to Beaver is the epitome of what’s supposed to be “all American”, wholesome goodness - but, in actuality, it’s an unrealistic and exaggerated representation of the American family. The demographic of the people who watched this show were more likely to be bigoted and sexist because of the era that this show existed in and the people it intended to “represent”.
The name of the zine is a double entendre, because even though there are xenophobic themes in these pieces, there is just a lot of phobia inducing propaganda espoused as well. Some of the articles also impart atrocities committed when these phobias and myths are fully ingrained into the fabric of our society (such as the halloween candy myth). This is revealing of the cycle in which 20th century news media (mostly religious/right wing) has played in implanting and continually perpetuating these ideas.
The horror movie theme also goes hand and hand with the other themes, beyond my love for retro horror, most horror movies are a commentary on societal fears. My subtle use of Roman Polanski was intentional, his existence and work cover most of what the zine is discussing. Polanski is polarizing, his films - specifically Rosemary’s Baby, Repulsion and The Tenant - tackle fear, mistrust, and ironically, the hardships of womanhood. This is especially troubling when you analyze his personal life after these films were made. Polanski is notorious for the rape of a 13 year old, which caused him to flee to Switzerland to evade arrest and continue making films. However, the murder of his pregnant wife, actress Sharon Tate, by the Manson family, unearths how society reacts to these harmful ideologies. Cults are often based on some alternative interpretation of religious texts, and Charles Manson’s obsessions with the book of revelations and race wars, transformed him into the leader of a racist, sexist, murderous sect. It’s also important to note that Sharon Tate’s filmography consists of a couple of occult horror films, one being a Polanski film.
I worked on this for a little more than half of a year, and i finished it during a time when the American political climate is in total disarray with the Trump administration. It only felt right to release it now when fear mongering, conspiracy theories, misogyny and racism are at the forefront of American politics.
