contents an introduction . . . .. . . . .[page 5]

restlessness and the situation . . . . . . . . [page 7]

interaction and the new spectacle . . . . . . . . [page 9]

style and signs . . . . . . . .[page 15]

temporary autonomous zone . . . . . . . .[page 19]

girl intern: interviews . . . . . . . .[page 27]

a loose manifesto . . . . . . . [page 42]

portrait of e.cho by emily beard

assembled in Wellesley, Massachusetts, December 2015, with advising from Professors Maurizio Viano and Nick Knouf of Cinema and Media Studies Dept. written and edited by Elizabeth Cho with interviews and content from Emily Beard, Mike Park, Tiffany Luong, Jeremy Martin Scott, Billy Philhower, Manny Sifuentes, and Pablo Robles direct comments or questions to lizcho509@gmail.com

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"If capitalism is so seamless, and if current forms of resistance are so hopeless and impotent where can an effective challenge come from? A moral critique of capitalism, emphasizing the ways in which it leads to suffering, only reinforces capitalist realism. Poverty, famine, and war can be presented as an inevitable part of reality, while the hope that these forms of suffering could be eliminated easily painted as naive utopianism. Capitalist realism can only be threatened if it is shown to be in some way inconsistent or untenable; if, that is to say, capitalism's ostensible 'realism' turns out to be nothing of the sort." -Capitalist Realism

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package back my DIY for me, make sure i don’t steal it. make making

easy because they me told trying wasn’t cool. tell me white hipsters

came up with this, never was this your (sub?) culture’s way of knowing or

making. and if you’re tired of being made into a consumer market but tired

of being made into some preacher, tell me how you stay sane. can we meet?

“the meaning of subculture is always in dispute, and style is the area in

which the opposing definitions clash with the most dramatic force.”

“Barthes set out to examine the normally hidden set of rules, codes and

conventions through which meanings particular to specific social groups

are rendered universal [..] Thompson sought to replace theories of

culture with his rigorously Marxist formulation: ‘ the study of

relationships in a whole way of conflict.’ .. Barthes finds an relationships in a whole way of conflict.’ .. Barthes finds an

‘anonymous ideology’ penetrating every possible level of social life,

inscribed in the most mundane of rituals, framing the most casual

social encounters.”

“WE EXPAND OUR DEFINITION OF CULTURE TO COVER ALL THOSE EXPRESSIVE FORMS

WHICH GIVE MEANINGFUL SHAPE TO GROUP EXPERIENCE. ACKNOWLEDGE THE RIGHT OF

THE SUBORDINATE CLASS TO ‘MAKE SOMETHING OF WHAT IS MADE OF THEM “THE SUBORDINATE CLASS TO ‘MAKE SOMETHING OF WHAT IS MADE OF THEM “

16.

This isn’t my tape. Jasmyne was given it by a band that was playing their third to last show before they’d break up. It’s being organized by a Boston DIY music and art collective, the same one I semi-vowed to boycott after my sophomore year when some gross, drunk guitarist tried nuzzling his face into the skirts of girls in the audience. That was in some bar in Cambridge, this one’s at some That was in some bar in Cambridge, this one’s at some restaurant in Somerville. The show is in this weird, lowerlevel ballroom section, the kind of hall maybe used for small wedding receptions. Jas and I went together, we waitedoutside for a while watching the line of mostly tall, thinwhite and young men shuffle inside. She says hi to an oldfriend who says he’s surprised to see her there. I contemplatewhether I’m also surprised we’re there. whether I’m also surprised we’re there. Inside, I feel hyperaware of my body, I worry that I’m hypervisible, that everyone can tell I’m staring. It’s hardnot to think about the “gaze” or “ideology” or some othertheory about corporeality when you’re witnessing some strange,alien version of a subculture you thought was yours, too.I immediately find myself resenting every punk boy’s sewed onpatched, their trimmed beards and band t’s. patched, their trimmed beards and band t’s. The men start moshing and pushing and I watch from the side.I love little dance pits, usually. I love the physical nature,participating in this alternate, almost mimicry of violence.But the boys here shove everyone else up against the stage and the singer stops for a second to tell the crowd to chill.Some guy in the back shouts back “I feel so triggered,” pokingfun at “social justice” rhetoric, as if it’s excessive to fun at “social justice” rhetoric, as if it’s excessive to be aware of space and bodies. Can’t your anger be constructive? Can’t you see me as comeone who deserves to watch a band without getting trampledon? I turn to Jasmyne as say “This is why the band is breaking up.” DIY is not inherently good, I worry about a subculture that hides behind words like “community” or “safespace” but can’t instill in each person the radical sensespace” but can’t instill in each person the radical sensethat they can exist and connect with others. Two months later and Jas tells me that DIY was white and male dominated in Seattle (her hometown). And I know Southern California has its ugly moments, too, but I guessI’m just invested at this point in expecting better from something that promised us that.

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[5/25, 6:16pm] elizabeth: do you still have a screenprinting thing in yr room?? [5/25, 6:16pm] pablo: yup [5/25, 7:32pm] elizabeth: hmm cool dude. i’m thinking about making some band shirts, got a simple idea in mind. would i be able to use your equipment? i would buy the materials [5/25, 7:35pm] p: yeah call you a little later cuz i’m currently moving out of my room ________________________________________________________________________ [11/8, 1:13pm] pablo: ay lizzo [11/8, 1:13pm] elizabeth: hello [11/8, 1:13pm] p: what’s up neighborino [11/8, 1:15pm] e: ugh lots of homework and anxiety feeling the need to defend my autonomy and livelihood in the factory that is "higher education." i am doing a little research project on DIY though maybe u can help. [11/8, 1:15pm] p: you’re feeling overwhelmed by a large socializing institution? welcome to life echo. [11/8, 1:16pm] p: what’s ure project? [11/8, 1:18pm] e: i'm gonna make a zine about how DIY endeavors like labels and collectives define their own autonomy within the "culture industry". why is DIY the most fun and sensible form of resistance. is it resistance? it's for the masses right? for our own survival? [11/8, 1:18pm] e: there's a slogan from the may 68 revolution that says "we want to live" and i guess that's what i always thought DIY is about. but what are we even fighting against. are DIY shows just a party and even if it's just that is that wrong? [11/8, 1:22pm] p: thats a coincidence [11/8, 1:22pm] p: ive been writing my personal statement for santa cruz [11/8, 1:22pm] p: and its basically about how i use art and music as a form of identity and community building that is different from other imposed roles like being a student or being someone’s child or being a 9 to 5 er [11/8, 1:23pm] e: exactly. i think it's inherently powerful for "working class" communities too [11/8, 1:24pm] p: i see it as an outlet to be exactly who you want to be is the point of my paper i guess. but i’m so down, pretty much all my writing work is about those themes [11/8, 1:27pm] e: i also think it's interesting Chino never had a strong public art or music program. so inherently i think it's powerful that a lot of people took that into their own hands. what if we could've reached people earlier, what if we told 12 years olds they could be artists and could put together large music endeavors. teaching DIY to kids. [11/8, 1:31pm] p: i mean i can see that happening in the areas around here. two 16 year old girls put together a huge festie in sept [11/8, 1:31pm] p: way strange [11/8, 1:32pm] e: yeah, i think that’s so amazing and yet so many people talked shit because of the financial aspects of it which was out of their control if i remember correctly [11/8, 1:33pm] p: yeaah i’m still not sure what that was about but i think it was amazing that they were able to do that regardless [11/8, 1:36pm] e: yeah. how does capitalism got you feeling? [11/8, 1:37pm] p:sad because my capitalistic standards [11/8, 1:37pm] p: most of my events have been failures [11/8, 1:37pm] p: but it fulfills a lot of my emotional and social needs. a bunch of people enjoy them so it’s hard to say [11/8, 1:46pm] e: there's this theoretical/ poetical structure in anarchist thought called the TAZ. the temporary autonomous zone. and it's this interesting idea that the revolution always just reinstates the oppressive state, and it's within the uprising that promises freedom of imagination and self. so instead of a

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public revolution people hold small uprisings in "temporary autonomous zones" so like, for example a warehouse or backyard or basement hosts this uprising. [11/8, 1:47pm] p: so DIY events are small revolutions? [11/8, 1:47pm] e: no, small uprisings. because revolution is futile (?) maybe [11/8, 1:47pm] p: i mean [11/8, 1:47pm] p: i think revolutions re kind of a balance thing [11/8, 1:47pm] p: we need the structure of society or we delve into chaos but we also need to update the structures with newer thoughts [11/8, 1:49pm] e: well the freedom of self and imagination that anarchist thought gives us is more beneficial for the self than for the society [11/8, 1:50pm] p: but there needs to be a balance between self and group because since we are social creatures, we should not seek only self gratifying experiences [11/8, 1:52pm] e: but are DIY events just for the small community or for society? i guess if they uplift and empower those within the small community the idea is then that those people will in turn operate within the larger community with their empowered sense of self/ community? [11/8, 1:53pm] p: that’s my view of it [11/8, 1:53pm] e: "larger society" sucks a lot, i almost don't think it's bad if art and music is self gratifying, especially for people who have been oppressed by larger structures of capitalism and racism [11/8, 1:54pm] p: but then take hip hop for example. it’s pretty much married to ideas of capitalism and high fashion but it started off as a social empowering movement that once it became tooo self gratifying. it lost its original value. [11/8, 1:55pm] e: so there is still a need for political consciousness [11/8, 1:56pm] p: is that a question or statement? [11/8, 1:56pm] e: kinda both, lol. is it cool if i transcribe some of this convo for the zine btw? [11/8, 1:56pm] p: i mean it’s the nature of structures to decompose [11/8, 1:56pm] p: yeah sure [11/8, 1:58pm] p: so it’s up to us to pay attention and update that which is no longer relevant attention is of the utmost value, when we stop paying attention, corruption seeps in paying* [11/8, 1:59pm] e: i think i'm also scared of job precarity [11/8, 1:59pm] p: so there should always be vigilance inn thoughts and actions, constant updating of values and questioning of traditions. why? [11/8, 2:03pm] e: idk, do you think self made art and music endeavors can operate without thinking about money [11/8, 2:04pm] p: no, i pretty much have to work to fund a lot of the stuff i put together [11/8, 2:04pm]e: or maybe do we as workers turn to little art and music community as healing, like we all have our jobs on the side [11/8, 2:05pm] p: i think that’s the reality. a lot of people participate to have a sense of themselves that they have a hand in creating. i think a lot of people would be down to pursue it as a living but its really hard to do and there’s no set formula for it [11/8, 2:08pm]e: yeah, i was looking at record labels because it seems like the smallest ones are struggling with ideas of DIY, whereas the now bigger ones operate fully as a small business with less connection to their community, more thought on turning profit on sales, etc [11/8, 2:08pm] p: i feel at a certain point to operate on a large scale, you do have to make profits a priority and i think as a lot of idealistic young people get involved, they become jaded and disconnected from the ideals and community because of the tendency to do so as we get older. and particularly among music kats. a lot of people are motivated to do so for reasons other than self expression and community. i have to run, but let’s keep this dialogue running if you are down [11/8, 2:16pm] e: yeah for sure

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WHAT IS YOUR NAME AND PROFESSION?

My name is Billy Philhower and I am currently a senior at Boston College, a digital marketing intern at Gupta Media, and the sole operator of a DIY record label called Too Far Gone Records. WHAT ARE YOU FOSTERING/ CREATING/ WORKING TOWARDS AND WHY DOES IT MATTER? In everything that I do, I work to create sustainability, inclusion, and an open dialog. This takes many different forms in my life, but I think that these three things are vital to life (and any type of community). Everything in life needs to have some marginal amount of sustainability and a focus on the future. Too often it seems like individuals are willing to sacrifice the health of a community for short-term desires. Inclusion and open dialog are both incredibly important as well; otherwise communities are reduced to static, stubborn entities that have no end goal. It’s very important for me to take the privilege that I’ve been given and use it to the best of my ability in an effort to elevate the voices of those that don’t have the platform that I do. WHAT DOES YOUR WORK LOOK LIKE? It really depends, but I would hope that others view the things that I do as being a part of a collaborative effort to make the world that we live in a better place. That’s the general plan. I don’t know how the work that I do is actually perceived though. It is a lot of little things here and there that usually sometimes maybe come together in a way that accomplishes the original goal, but I usually end up learning things along the way anyway.

IS THERE ANY WORK YOU DO OR HAVE DONE IN THE PAST THAT DOES NOT LOOK OR FEEL LIKE WORK? A lot of things that I do don’t feel like work, honestly. I mean, I’ve had office jobs and research projects in the past that were 115% through and through work. But when it comes to the music + arts side of my life, some of the work is very tiring and taxing, but still doesn’t feel all that much like work. Going to a house show and supporting some touring bands or helping to press a 7” for some hard working musicians is financially and emotionally draining, but isn’t work. At least for me. It’s fun and rewarding. DO YOU BELIEVE IN SUBCULTURES AND SCENES? ARE YOU CREATING OR CONTRIBUTING TO ONE? Yes, I do. I am torn over whether or not they are good things or bad things though. I think that in any community subcultures and subgroups will inevitably form once a group gets large enough. However, many times they cause divisiveness and strife and detraction from the original community purpose or goal. WHAT IS NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN A SUBCULTURE? Community leaders or voices that are able to straddle the line between the definitions of a subculture within the larger family of the major culture. It’s very hard. DO YOU FEEL DISTANCED FROM THE REAL WORLD OR MAINSTREAM CULTURE? Yes, in an almost unexplainable way. It is a disconnect that just is there no matter what. I don’t know how to put the feeling into familiar words, but it is noticeable and present.

WHAT CONSTITUTES THE “UNDERGROUND”? IS IT DEFINED IN OPPOSITION TO AN “OVERGROUND” OR IS IT USED TO DESCRIBE A MORE “DIY” WAY OF DOING THINGS? I think it’s a bit of both. I think that the word “underground” itself presupposes that there is an “overground” and that these two are at the very least, different, and at most, in direct competition or disagreement. I think the better definition of the word is a more DIY way of doing things or doing things in a more collaborative, person-to-person sense. That’s what it has always meant to me. I don’t necessarily think of my actions as being in opposition to some higher, mainstream world, but I think they inherently are and those types of actions are incredibly valid and important. HOW MUCH MONEY DOES IT COST ME TO BE

PART OF YOUR SCENE? $0 HOW DO THOUGHTS ON EDUCATION, CLASS, RACE, OR SEX INFORM THE WORK YOU DO? They inform everything that has to do with being a member of a community or making strides to keep a community healthy and vibrant. Going back to one of my earlier answers, inclusion is a very important thing to me. It is incredibly hard for someone to be inclusive without a grasp of the different backgrounds, whether they be education-related or class-related or race-related or sex-related. I don’t consider myself to be an expert on any of these topics whatsoever, but I do consider myself eager to better inform myself and grow in my understanding of how these issues affect myself and those that I interact with. HOW HAS THE INTERNET AND DIGITAL CULTURE AFFECTED YOUR WORK/ SCENE/ CULTURE/ LIFE? Oh, massively. I am a marketing major and pay special attention to digital marketing and social media uses and have seen the way in which thoughts and ideas and music are shared between people change drastically over the years. It’s definitely allowed the sharing of these things to mass numbers of people in a way that was never available before, but it also can sometimes create an impersonal feel to art. It’s very easy for someone to press “post” on Facebook in 15 different Facebook Punk groups and think nothing about the community that they are interacting with. It’s definitely cheapened (unfortunately) the art that many people make. It’s shitty. Pros and cons like with anything at all. I am grateful for the internet and the ways in which it’s made my work/life better and more informed, but am forced to be more skeptical sometimes of people’s (including my own) contributions when they are diluted by the lens of the internet. IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU FEEL THAT EXCLUSIVITY HELPS YOUR “CAUSE”? HOW ABOUT INCLUSIVITY? I’m not sure if exclusivity really helps my cause at all? The message behind what my work is all about is that it is for everyone, regardless of background. I suppose that if a specific topic or issue was relevant only to one

segment of a community, then maybe exclusivity would make sense? WHAT DOES A DIY SPACE MEAN TO YOU? DIY spaces are the most important thing in the entire world!!!!! The most important thing. A space in which people are both self-conscious and conscious of those that are sharing the space with them. Safe spaces are incredibly important. They do exist, but are very hard to maintain. People get comfortable and relax and allow unsafe people and situations to creep into the space and community. It’s very important to maintain starkly critical of the DIY space and consistently make efforts to better it and maintain its health. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT IN THE SHOWER/ DARK/ SLEEPLESS NIGHTS? I spend these moments thinking about all of the things I need to do. I populate my iPhone with thousands of

notes of things I need to do and slowly whittle them down and then add more. I think about people I haven’t spoken to in a long time and why that might be. I think about things that I could potentially work on to make myself a better person. IS THIS ABOUT HEALING AND COPING? IS THIS ABOUT LOVE? It’s about connecting with people that have things to say to the world. HOW DOES YOUR BODY FEEL?

My hand is cut up from drunkenly breaking a bowl this weekend, but other than that I am in good spirits. I have work in the morning, which is a disappointing reality. I wish I could sleep in one day this week. WHAT ARE YOU WEARING RIGHT NOW? Black jeans and a Street Sity Surf t-shirt. DO YOU HAVE ANY FEARS I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? I’m afraid of people misunderstanding me and painting me into a corner. DO YOU SOMETIMES FEEL YOU SHOULD JUST “QUIT”? Fairly frequently, but I find myself able to push past it. It is what I love and love is hard sometimes???? Lmao. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ME? Do what you want for the reasons that only you can know. Consider Megabus as an incredibly viable method of transportation. Go to a place that you’ve never been just because you are alive and are able to do that (thankfully) ((hopefully)). Tell your friends that you love them. Post less on social media. Read a book and think about what the author wanted you to think. Don’t ever invest in Spotify premium. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Don’t be too easy on yourself. You’re capable of great things. Go to Sarasota, Florida and sit on the beach and everything else will follow.

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WHAT IS YOUR NAME AND PROFESSION? Mike Park, I'm a musician/ father/ husband/ activist/ label owner/ son/ degrassi fan. WHAT ARE YOU FOSTERING/ CREATING/ WORKING TOWARDS AND WHY DOES IT MATTER? I'm just trying to be an ethical person in this topsy turvy world we live in. My ideas have always been about equality and treating people with respect. And not just within the punk community, it's about the human race. Learning to not be reactionary, but to engage discussion and work towards positive change through action. WHAT DOES YOUR WORK LOOK LIKE? Well, since I love music so much, it's often hard to equate what I do as work. But I do make money playing music, doing lectures, and running a record label. Although I feel there's very little in common with myself and most of the surrounding music world. But my day really consists of lots of email. I get around 50 a day and I try writing back everyone. And just a lot of coordination with the bands and their needs and mail order and listening to music and going to shows. At age 46 I still go to about 100 shows a year and I still love it. DO YOU BELIEVE IN SUBCULTURES AND SCENES? ARE YOU CREATING OR CONTRIBUTING TO ONE? Sure, I totally get it and understand the solidarity aspects of a scene, but I'm always searching to expand my horizons. I respect every scene and

consider myself an ally to many movements, but I'm here to be a progressive force in my own life and always looking to learn more and understand the complex issues at hand in life. I guess inadvertently I am a contributor to the punk community, but I'm really just trying to be a good person. That's how I was raised and that's how I choose to move forward. WHAT IS NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN A SUBCULTURE? Who knows? That's a tough question. I think it depends on the individuals. I believe youth is a strong ingredient to the success of a subculture. I can think back to the early 80's and the punk community then and wonder where they are today? They're certainly not at the G.L.O.S.S. show in 2015. And then the 90's and the 2000's, and the 2010's, and now the 2020's. I've seen so many people come and go, but that's just an aspect of life. People get older, get jobs, some start families and different priorities start to take place. I hope this makes sense? DO YOU FEEL DISTANCED FROM THE REAL WORLD OR MAINSTREAM CULTURE?

Very much so. I am a father of two (7 and 9) and huge part of life is my children and that includes school events and interacting with other parents and though many are kind and good people, I really have nothing in common with them. So I always feel awkward at these parties I go to vs. a house show in the burbs.

Also, growing up in a strict Korean household just fucks with you. I was told from the time I was born that I would be a doctor or lawyer and anything short would be a failure. I feel like it still haunts me to some degree. I feel most people would never understand what I've gone through to get to this point in life. HOW MUCH MONEY DOES IT COST ME TO BE PART OF YOUR SCENE? just a skateboard and a burrito WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WORD OF THE FOLLOWING: REVOLUTION, REBELLION, RESISTANCE, UPRISING, SURVIVAL, OPPOSITION, ETC Survival HOW DO THOUGHTS ON EDUCATION, CLASS, RACE, OR SEX INFORM THE WORK YOU DO?

I do find myself hoping for more people of color and women to be involved in the music community. Music is dominated by the white man and that's just fact. When putting out releases I factor in race for sure. DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AN ANARCHIST? CAPITALIST? ANARCHO-CAPITALIST? Sadly, I guess we're all capitalists in some small way. I've yet to meet a true anarchist in philosophy over a fashionista who claims this mantra. HOW HAS THE INTERNET AND DIGITAL CULTURE AFFECTED YOUR WORK/ SCENE/ CULTURE/ LIFE? It's a blessing and curse. It's kind of fun to be able to post something and have immediate reactions, but I miss the days of reading zines and letter writing/pen pal. I used to book tours in the 80's completely through letter writing cause long distance phone calls were so expensive. IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU FEEL THAT EXCLUSIVITY HELPS YOUR “CAUSE”? HOW ABOUT INCLUSIVITY? You have to include all. If someone does not make a space safe, you need to talk to them about it and let them know why. See if they can change and if not, then they need to go. But we are to reactionary by the actions of our youth. Kids make mistakes and if we bury them at a young age, it's detrimental to their growth. We need to learn and teach and move forward. WHAT DOES A DIY SPACE MEAN TO YOU? DO THEY STILL EXIST? 924 GILMAN is the ideal DIY Space. Member driven, community oriented, progressive politics, Monthly meetings to work out differences. So yes, they do exist and they are very important.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUTH CULTURE AND YOUTH IDENTITY? It's great. I'm down with anything that helps our youth get through such an awkward and bully filled part of their lives. DO YOU FEEL NOSTALGIC ABOUT A PAST OR RESTLESS ABOUT A FUTURE? Both. I love reminiscing, but I am hopeful for a brighter future. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT IN THE SHOWER/ DARK/ SLEEPLESS NIGHTS? I am quite the night owl and insomniac. I think about everything. My mind just races constantly. IS THIS ABOUT HEALING AND COPING? IS THIS ABOUT LOVE? I have no idea HOW DOES YOUR BODY FEEL?

pretty good considering my age. HA WHAT ARE YOU WEARING RIGHT NOW? short pants and a tank top. It’s still warm in California DO YOU HAVE ANY FEARS I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? many, i'm far from perfect. just want to raise my children to be good kids. DO YOU HAVE ANY FRUSTRATIONS WITHIN YOUR WORK? not really. I don't give a shit about the music business deems normal or worthy. DO YOU SOMETIMES FEEL YOU SHOULD JUST “QUIT”? Never DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ME? Be yourself. Don’t let others dictate your goals.

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WHAT IS YOUR NAME AND PROFESSION? Manuel Sifuentes and I do not have a profession. WHAT ARE YOU FOSTERING/ CREATING/ WORKING TOWARDS AND WHY DOES IT MATTER? Just a safe-ish type of place for people with depression and other things to hang out and make out. WHAT DOES YOUR WORK LOOK LIKE? I quit my job selling At&T U-Verse door to door last week and might start refurbishing Time Warner Cable tv box things next week. IS THERE ANY WORK YOU DO OR HAVE DONE IN THE PAST THAT DOES NOT LOOK OR FEEL LIKE WORK? Low key sex work was very fun. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE LABELS, MOVEMENTS, ARTISTS, THINKERS, ETC, EITHER CURRENTLY OR HISTORICALLY? I got into the situationist political art people when I was 16 and it’s been like that since. I like all of the labels my friends run. A lot of my friends make good art too. Damaris Paz is a good artist. My youngest sibling is my favorite modern thinker. They’re only 13 or something. They came out as a queer person 2 years ago. Run a GSA at their middle school and are president of the anime club. That’s neat shit right there. DO YOU BELIEVE IN SUBCULTURES AND SCENES? ARE YOU CREATING OR CONTRIBUTING TO ONE? I do. I’m a gay man. There are nothing but subcultures and scenes. Punk and DIY is very similar except a lot less fun. It’s more work. I think I help out!

WHAT IS NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN A SUBCULTURE? Determination, time, patience, being a bit egotistical helps. DO YOU FEEL DISTANCED FROM THE REAL WORLD OR MAINSTREAM CULTURE? No doubt. I also feel distanced from most DIY/Underground culture as well. WHAT CONSTITUTES THE “UNDERGROUND”? IS IT DEFINED IN OPPOSITION TO AN “OVERGROUND” OR IS IT USED TO DESCRIBE A MORE “DIY” WAY OF DOING THINGS? I think it’s specific to most people. For me it’s working towards the complete eradication of the kyriarchy and the implementing of the understanding that we are all complex individuals. HOW MUCH MONEY DOES IT COST ME TO BE PART OF YOUR SCENE?

A lot. It costs a lot to drive to a place and to pay entrance and to buy merch or a DVD with 500 hours of lecture material. It also costs a lot mentally and physically to participate on the other end of the spectrum which is to give time and volunteer and nurture something that does not necessarily belong to a specific individual. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WORD OF THE FOLLOWING: REVOLUTION, REBELLION, RESISTANCE, UPRISING, SURVIVAL, OPPOSITION, (OTHER: SUGGEST A DIFFERENT TERM OF SUBVERSION!) Justice.

HOW DO THOUGHTS ON EDUCATION, CLASS, RACE, OR SEX INFORM THE WORK YOU DO? I am immersed in intersectional politics. All of these things inform me. All of these things help me understand the environment I am in at a given moment as well as the larger community I construct my small community in. DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AN ANARCHIST? CAPITALIST? ANARCHO-CAPITALIST? A//E HOW HAS THE INTERNET AND DIGITAL CULTURE AFFECTED YOUR WORK/ SCENE/ CULTURE/ LIFE? when people don’t show up to a show I booked I can see what other thing they did on instagram. I’ve only had a cell phone for a year and a half and only learned to use my email like 3 years ago. I’m still trying to kind of catch up. IN WHAT WAYS HAS THE INTERNET ENHANCED OR DILUTED THE IDEA OF “COMMUNITY” IN REGARDS TO MUSIC SUBCULTURES? Enhanced in that we can all do it together from far away, and diluted in that there is so much going on that you can only help specific ways. I mean. Regardless you could only help in accordance to how you are able to help, but now everyone can see your input. They can see how much or how little you “care.” Which is unfair. IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU FEEL THAT EXCLUSIVITY HELPS YOUR “CAUSE”? HOW ABOUT INCLUSIVITY? I don’t really care about making friends or being part of any community. My nihilism and ambivalence is very punishing towards a lot of individuals but people who know me know I am kind and am very very loving. I am also a proponent of reverse racism and I hate white men and etc. ARE YOU D.I.Y. OR DIE? WHY?

yes. Well because mostly I don’t like what anyone else does. If I had to go to a lot of the other shows in my area or participate in a lukewarm zine fest again then I might do something bad to myself. WHAT DOES A DIY SPACE MEAN TO YOU? DO THEY STILL EXIST? They exist. Bridgetown and the Blood Orange and Che Café are very DIY. Maybe not full fledged DIY but you cannot please everyone. But also our bodies are DIY spaces. We get to practice how to behave with the rest of the world with ourselves physically and mentally. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUTH CULTURE AND YOUTH IDENTITY? I hated being a kid and generally hated everyone else as a kid. I don’t want anyone else to feel like that. We have to protect our kids and even if they don’t care what we’re doing now as adults it could very well implement a way to help them in the future. Rock on.

DO YOU FEEL NOSTALGIC ABOUT A PAST OR RESTLESS ABOUT A FUTURE? I think I sorta romanticize my drug addiction. I’d get introduced to a lot of DIY stuff in midst of that chaos. I wrote more letters before I had an email or cellphone. I think I saw my friends more before I booked shows on the regular. The future should be great. We will adapt. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT IN THE SHOWER/ DARK/ SLEEPLESS NIGHTS? I have two burglary charges, an under the influence of a controlled substance, and DIY on my record that I got all before I turned 20. HOW DOES PASSION MANIFEST ITSELF IN WHAT YOU DO? It’s a very painful process of holding it in. I don’t want to let anyone see where I’m coming from. IS THIS ABOUT HEALING AND COPING? IS THIS ABOUT LOVE?

Personally I like to take the stitches out from time to time. I love breaking things. I need to be reminded of that. HOW DOES YOUR BODY FEEL? I drink too many energy drinks. WHAT ARE YOU WEARING RIGHT NOW? crop top and shortz DO YOU HAVE ANY FEARS I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? I don’t think I’m scared of anything anymore. DO YOU HAVE ANY FRUSTRATIONS WITHIN YOUR WORK?

I wish people would care about what I do. Maybe if they showed me then I would care about what I do as well. DO YOU SOMETIMES FEEL YOU SHOULD JUST “QUIT”?

No. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ME? don’t be afraid of where you live.

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SONGS FOR SANITY AND SURVIVAL selected by a) a FELLOW ANGRY BROWN GIRL or

b) a FELLOW ANGRY PRECARIAT CYBORG 1. FUGAZI – “MERCHANDISE”

we owe you nothing / you have no control / you are not what you own 2. SHINOBU – “CULTURE INDUSTRY”

i don't think that it's just with me... / they're gonna tell you if you buy in everything it’ll will be fine. / it's a lie /it's a lie / it's a lie /it's a lie /it's a lie… 3. CEREMONY – “THE DOLDRUMS” i have to get away, get this complacency out of me / i'm my own figurehead

in my own state/ why? tell me why the doldrums are killing me

4. THE DESPERATE BICYCLES – “DON’T BACK THE FRONT “

no more time for spectating, tune it, count it, let it blast. cut it press it, distribute it, xerox music’s here at last!

5. AGAINST ME! – “I WAS A TEENAGE ANARCHIST “

narrow visions of autonomy, you want me to surrender my identity / i was a teenage anarchist, the revolution was a lie. / do you remember when you were

young and you wanted to set the world on fire? 6. CERCE – “HOW TO BE A WOMAN” it's about punching for yourself / it's about kicking for your goals / fucking bat

those lashes for your soul! 7. DOWNTOWN BOYS – “MONSTRO”

why is it that we never have enough with what’s just inside of us?/ she’s brown!/ she’s smart!

8. FREE LOAN INVESTMENTS - “BOMB THE BOURGEOISIE”

we are happy and you can't be! let's bomb the bourgeoisie! and come with me!

a band of kids playing a show, emily beard

a backyard art show and clothing swap thrown at my house, chino 2015