SLP-041: SHEER DRIFT: The Snake America Newsletters
SHEER DRIFT: The Snake America Newsletters (1-100) is a body of work about valuable and rare things (about 400 eBay auctions for vintage clothes, furniture and similar I found, researched and reported on) which I wrote between 2014 and 2018. Much of this book can be considered reference material: descriptions, stories and provenance regarding a wide variety of sportswear and American men’s vintage produced between the 30s and 80s. The info is based off my own extensive collection of reference materials and vintage samples, as well as interviews with vintage sellers and collectors, and, mostly, research.
Sheer Drift also functions as a narrative work about vintage as a product category, a substratum of the clothing market that is half black economy, half black hole; a place without rules. Taken together, the collection of items in Sheer Drift—some valuable, some properly valued, some not—show the seams in how Americans approach clothing, both new and old. Or anything that might be more or less valuable than its sticker price.
About the design: Sheer Drift was laid out, originally, to open as a double bound book—like crab claws—with one margin for footnotes and the other for endnotes. Every web link from the original newsletter is reproduced as a screen capture. The layout was conceived by the artist Nathaniel Matthews, and revises the original shaggy, web-research black hole experience into a strong visual document.
-Sami Reiss, editor of Snake America
8.5” x 11”, 460 pages, full-color, perfect bound
Available to order online at shininglifepress.com.
50 limited spiral bound copies will be available for sale at NYABF from October 13-16. Find our table and grab a copy from Snake himself.
SLP-037: LOST INDIGNATION, a novel by Becky McAuley
Lost Indignation is the story of Mo McGraw—who is never doing what she’s supposed to be doing—and her hunt for a rare demo tape. In 1988, a group of teenagers from Yonkers form a band called Indignation and record a demo, hoping it will propel them to prominence in the New York hardcore scene. Instead, their dreams quickly unravel and the recording is lost to obscurity. Nearly three decades later, Mo’s interest in the recording is piqued by a mysterious stranger on a message board. As Mo is drawn deeper into the story of the Indignation, she realizes she’s on the verge of uncovering far more than a missing tape.
Lost Indignation, the debut novel by Becky McAuley, is a sprawling, original tale that transcends its vivid setting and musical minutiae. Through overlapping eras and narrators, it explores the concepts of friendship and rivalry, memory and music, the hunt for truth, and whose truth it is to tell.
“Lost Indignation is worth reading because of Becky’s truly original voice and singular web of reference points. But if for some reason that isn’t enough, it’s also a rousing and fun mystery.”
–AJ McGuire, author of Gratitude fanzine
“Lost Indignation is a book filled with horror, humor, and hardcore, but the thing that makes this debut unique is the fact that it’s filled with so much humanity. The characters that fill the pages of this novel are both curious and complicated, and the story they tell is one that resonates well beyond the tape trading pages of an obscure out-of-print zine. McAuley has successfully written a page-turner that also allows room for contemplation.”
–Ned Russin, Title Fight, Glitterer, author of Horizontal Rust
“Lost Indignation’s detail—all correct—of opposed eras of a miniature music scene are startling, and consequently the first time these things have made it into fiction. It’s a real, alive novel: charming, with a real sense of place and vibrant, frustrating characters. There is no book like this out there; there is no one who sees things like McAuley. We’re lucky this exists, and there needs to be more.”
–Sami Reiss, SNAKE
5.5” x 8.5”, 470 pages, perfect bound
Available to order online at shininglifepress.com.
Copies will be available starting Saturday, October 15 from our table at NYABF.
SLP-038: SHINING LIFE Bibliography Shirt
Two-sided, two-color royal blue and black ink on white Gildan tag. Now available to order online in all sizes at shininglifepress.com.
SLP-042: SHINING LIFE Hooded Sweatshirt
One-sided, two-color white and red ink on grey Champion tag. Now available to order online in all sizes at shininglifepress.com.
SLP-039: SHINING LIFE Tote Bags
Black tote bags with white ink logo. Now available to order online at shininglifepress.com.
HORIZONTAL RUST
If you haven’t grabbed a copy of Horizontal Rust yet, now is the time. Currently in its second printing, you can buy a copy from the author himself on Glitterer’s upcoming tour with Tigers Jaw. If you feel inclined to dig further you can take a peek into Neds mind in the new podcasts below.
The first ever podcast
During this episode they discuss Ned’s experiences with writing his first novel, how his older Brother Alex introduced him to hardcore, his first band Salsa Shark and what their first show was like, his first experiences recording, Flight Plan Records, how Glitterer started and working with Alex G, performing live, and much more. Listen here
Ben Lerner’s Leaving the Atocha Station
Musician Ned Russin of Title Fight and Glitterer joins the podcast to share his love for Ben Lerner’s Leaving the Atocha Station and to also chat about his own latest creations: Glitterer’s new record Life Is Not a Lesson and his first published novel Horizontal Rust. Listen here
SHINING LIFE X SOMEWHERE Shelf
We recently built a book shelf inside of Somewhere at their Navy Yard location. Stop by to check out some of our current favorites and if you are from the DMV and self-publish, please get in touch.
1239 First St SE, Washington, DC 20003
Open everyday from 8am-6pm
FLOORPUNCH Book
Two page spreads subject to change, book coming real soon…
JUSTINE DEMETRICK Photo Book
A long overdue document showcasing the best photographs from one of the most beloved photographers. Featuring hardcore bands from all over the northeastern US from 1987-1997.
BULLSHIT MONTHLY Fanzine Anthology
Collecting all issues of this incredible fanzine done by Mike Bullshit from 1984-1991.
JOY MACHINE 1996
Gathering all advertisements, flyers, and photos from 1996 along with full length interviews with Donny Barley and Jamie Thomas.
Joy Machine 1993-1994 and Joy Machine 1995 are available at shininglifepress.com.
PLAY TO DESTROY
Play To Destroy: Turn of the Century Hardcore Punk is a detailed oral history exploring 75 DIY bands from around the globe. From What Happens Next to Life’s Halt to Limp Wrist to DS-13 to Vitamin X to Nine Shocks Terror to Municipal Waste, these bands played stripped-down hardcore punk thrash that above all else was fucking fast. From the States to Japan to Europe to Brazil and more, it is the culmination of more than 150 interviews with punks from over 20 countries across 5 continents. Follow @thrashwagon for more info. Life’s Halt photo by Karoline Collins.
RIVER ROCK CAFE by Larry Ransom
The complete story about this legendary Buffalo venue showcasing photos, flyers, and lore from the locals.
SPOILER ART BOOK
Collecting over 20 years of Spoiler’s album covers, illustrations, paintings and more.
SAMHAIN Fanzine Anthology
Collecting the first 7 issues of this horror fanzine from the UK in the late 80’s. After the 7th issue the zine went full on pro glossy magazine but we are concentrating on the early issues with the homemade fanzine aura along with a new introduction by the editor John Gullidge.
Plus ENQUIRER Fanzine Anthology, TRUSTKILL Fanzine Anthology, zines from Eternal Champion, Grand Scheme, Skourge, and more
Painkiller Records “The Way Is Narrow” One Sheet
CC whipped up this one pager about Iron Age for a zine swap Shivaun did back in 2020. It’s great and if you never got a chance to read it, then here ya go. Throw on “The Way Is Narrow”.
Alex Brown on Youth of Today
For a few years we tried really hard to get a Youth of Today book off the ground. We gathered flyers and photos, interviewed a ton of people, and tried to get a concrete timeline down for all shows played, recordings done, shirts printed, and anything else notable to do with the band – which with YOT, is pretty much everything. Due to reasons out of our control, the book just hasn’t happened. Maybe its still possible, maybe not, but when we conducted our interview with Alex Brown in 2016 and he returned with what you see below, it blew us away and is just too fucking special not to share with the world. Enjoy.
John,
Sorry about the delay. Holidays, etc. Let me know of you have any follow-ups. I am sure I have more recollections but this is what I could get out of my brain. I was just thinking of a fun trip I did out to Cali with Luke….anyhow
Cheers…..
Here we go;
I first heard of YOT in the spring or summer of 1986. I was here in Des Moines, Iowa biding my time before moving to NYC for school. I was in a couple of bands and was all about hardcore. I was especially into the hardest stuff I could find; SSD’s “Get It Away”, Negative Approach, “Victim in Pain”, Jerry’s Kids, “Damaged”, that whole Boston Not LA comp, Flex Your Head, etc. I was also really into the more positive type stuff, especially 7 Seconds. “The Crew” was a total game changer and “Walk Together..” was an amazing follow up.
I must have gotten YOT's first record, “Can’t Close My Eyes”, mail-order. There were only a few stores in my area that carried unconventional music, so I had to order from places that advertised in Flipside and MRR. I think I got the YOT single from Raunch in Salt Lake City. Anyway, I got it and was converted. I think I X’ed up that day. I was so into that fucking record! It was such a great mix of raw, hardcore power with a positive message. Ray sounded like a rabid animal and the music was a throwback to five years prior before bands started going metal or goth or indie.
I ended up getting Ray’s address from Martin Sprouse at MRR. I wrote him a letter and never heard back.
So fast forward a few months…I get to New York and the second day I was there I was lucky enough to find that there was a Sunday matinee at CB’s with YOT, Bold (their first show as Bold) and someone else. I can’t remember who opened and don’t really recall the Bold set. Youth of Today blew my fucking mind. It was probably the best show I have ever seen. Maybe it was all the ingredients of that dingy hole with the great sound system, the sketchy characters with tattoos on their faces and all that taking place underneath a flophouse on the Bowery called The Palace Hotel that made it so memorable. Whatever the reason, I walked out of there all bruised up from trying to get close to the stage. I couldn’t have been happier.
I went to the matinee the next week. I don’t remember who played. I struck up a conversation with Ray and Porcell outside CB’s. Maybe Richie was there too. Ray invited me over for dinner. He was living at his brother’s apartment on 15th street near 8th Ave. So, Ray cooked some spaghetti for me and Porcell. I remember how he didn’t heat up the sauce and it wasn’t very good. They were all into vegetarianism at this point.
I think I did one issue of Loveseat after arriving in NYC. I did that interview with Ray and Porcell at Ray’s place in Chelsea. Ray started off the interview talking about white power and bashing. It took me a few questions to realize that they were just fucking with me, a common thing when being around them. I switched the name to Schism after getting cracked on for it being a soft name.
I became fast friends with Ray and Porcell. Cappo was such a trip! He was a total Svengali; the most charismatic guy you can imagine, funny as hell and someone you wanted to be around. It was so cool hanging out with those guys. They were always about getting over in whatever way they could. I can’t recall Cappo ever having a job. He just got by on his wits. Those guys introduced me to jumping the turnstyles on the the subway. Either that or using the service gate when it was open or pulling the turnstile back, slipping in and getting through. It was always a blast when the attendant would start announcing “Red sweatshirt, red sweatshirt!” over the PA to alert the transit cops if any were around. Then you’d have to sit there sheepishly with all the other people on the platform knowing you jumped the turnstile, until the train pulled up.
I went up to Connecticut with Ray once to go see his mom. I think his dad had died suddenly not long before. Cappo was one of four or five kids. We took the Metro North to the last stop. We were at Grand Central getting tickets and Ray says to buy a ticket to one of the first stops. So we did that, got on and then had to pretend we were asleep when the ticket guy would come through. I was thinking what a pain in the ass to save a few bucks! It was fun in retrospect.
Like I said, there was always some sort of scam. The phone card thing was a big one. Whole tours were booked on those, free of change.
One of my favorite YOT memories was going to Philly. This must have been right before “Break Down the Walls” came out. It was that lineup, plus Mark Ryan and Mark Goober along for the fun. I think we borrowed the van from Danny Nuclear Assault. It was either his or Ray’s fucked up, early 70’s Econoline.
So we get to Philly, it was rainy, shitty fall weather. Mark Ryan says something before we got out of the van in front of the club to the effect that we are now representing New York and we have to represent. Him, Goober and Porcell were all wearing Rangers jerseys. It was cool. I felt like I was part of something special. They played some fucked up, upstairs club that we had to load in and out on the stairs. The placed had a small balcony overlooking the stage. I wish I knew what club it was. I think it was too late to be Love Hall...What a rush it was to come into an unfamiliar city, play an amazing show, load out, drive back to the city and see the twin towers slowly come into view over the deck of the Jersey Turnpike at four or five in the morning. That was always cool too, pulling into downtown NYC before sunrise when the streets were empty and it felt like your own personal playpen.
I eventually moved into a place with Ray in the spring of 1987. It was floor-through apartment on Rivington street just east of Essex. It was sketchy. Lots and lots of drugs and junkies and street people. The other people living in that apartment were Tommy Carrol and Alexa, English Nick (YDL) and his girlfriend Mo, Neil Nausea and his hot skinhead girlfriend whose name I can’t recall…they also had a pitiful named Blitz. Mark Ryan moved in with us a few months later. I remember Jordan and Ray trying to come up with a name for Revelation in that apartment. Walking home at night to that place was always fun. Once you got south of Houston, you really expected to get jumped. I think I was playing with Side By Side at this point. I was also doing Schism fanzine. I can always remember that feeling of crossing Houston from the north, it was spooky, no bars, no people around….you were always on high alert. Getting jumped seemed like more of a probability than possibility.
I moved out of that place after a few months, got a tiny place on St. Marks for the summer and ended up splitting a place in Williamsburg Brooklyn with Cappo and Porcell. This was late 87 I think. It was amazing how desolate that neighborhood was then compared to what it is currently. It wasn’t really dangerous unless you were riding the G train or went south of Metropolitan Ave. Williamsburg was just a ghost town interrupted by the occasional drunk Polish guy screaming about this and that. South side was bad, as was Bushwick. Cappo got into Krishna around then. I remember being woken up one morning…he had the room next to mine…I popped my head in because he was making all these word noises. He was chanting. Not my scene. He split soon after and Porcell joined forces with me on Schism. We did that Project X thing and Judge and had our drop the mic moment. We re-recorded guitar and drums for “Can’t Close..” and Ray did that weird rap intro and re-released it on Schism/Caroline. What a fucking rip off that was.
I am not sure how the Caroline thing came about. It must have been due to YOT’s relationship with the label. The guy we were dealing with was this English guy named Keith; older, bearded, condescending type. We referred to him as “Keef”. I was excited to make the 12” version of “Can’t Close My Eyes” look and sound really cool. I redesigned the cover graphics and had plans for a nice, two color cover of red and black with a nice big Schism logo on the back. They went totally low budget on us, printed it in black only and reduced the logo to the size of a small postage stamp. I have no idea how many they printed or if anyone made a buck off of it but I was left with a bad taste in my mouth. I guess you could rack it up to being young and dumb, not having anyone look over contracts, etc. It was a good life lesson in the end.
“We’re not in it Alone” must have been put out around that time too. It was a big deal to do a video in those days. They wanted to do a video for “No More”. We all got up at like four in the morning to go down to the meatpacking district and film the evils of meat. I remember Cappo saying how the people that worked at the meat processing places were actual devils. I’m thinking what a fucking kook he is. They had this guy that recorded one of their albums do the video. He had some sort of disability. They had some awful name for him. This guy had no idea what he was doing. He had some cheap video camera and had convinced Ray to pay him what seemed like an exorbitant amount of money. I think it was actually aired on MTV.
I went on tour with them in 88 and I think I bailed by the time we got to Iowa. Ray convinced me to register a van he bought up in Connecticut in my name. I stupidly agreed. This was to be their tour van for that summer. He payed $2,500 for the thing, we drove it down to Brooklyn. I drove up to Albany with Walter in that van to register it. I think it would be cheaper to do there than in the city. It blew up in the thruway around Newburgh. The tow truck guy took one look at it and said “this thing’s fucked”. I remember we had put old plates on it and was afraid I was going to get busted for that. We had it hauled to a scrap yard and that was it for that van. Luckily, Walter’s mom and stepdad rescued us from there. Ray ended up convincing Steve Reddy to come on tour with us and let us use his puke green 1970’s Ford Econolpne camper van. That thing broke down before we even got to our first show. I remember blowing a tire in north Florida on 95, having to shit in the woods and use a sock as toilet paper and then hitchhiking to get a new tire with Steve Reddy. We got a ride from an elderly black couple who were on the way back from church. The tire guy gave us the wrong size tire. I can’t recall what happened next but we ended up in Miami. Ray was staying at the Krishna temple right on Miami Beach. What a freak show that was. Those creepy Krishnas loved having all those sexy young boys around. Sammy and Walter got burned really bad from the sun. One had blisters on his forehead and the other on his feet.
I think the rest of us got rooms at this decrepit old art deco hotel right on the beach. It must have been 15 or 20 bucks a night. The giant bugs were free. I wish I knew which hotel it was, I’m sure it’s been redone and costs 500 a night these days.
We played in the Florida panhandle after that and had strange encounters with drunk skinheads. I remember one with a shotgun. I wish I could recall more details. We managed somehow to hook up with this really cool kid in Biloxi, MS and spent a day on some river just fucking around and keeping cool in the summer heat. That’s about all I remember from that tour. I think I ended up back home and was definitely glad to be out of that van. I think that was the same van that they nearly got killed in down in Texas. They blew a tire and ended up rolling the thing while people were up top sleeping in the loft. It’s a miracle they didn’t get in more accidents with Ray driving! Yikes.
I keep remembering other stories when I start writing this stuff down; the first time I went to California with Luke and met up with YOT in Huntington Beach and met all those Sloth Crew guys, the time me and Porcell went to some distributor’s warehouse…I wish I could remember which one it was!..it was way the fuck out in Jamaica, Queens at the end of the E train. There’s probably a lot more hiding in my brain.
I think that’s about it for my recollections of life with Youth of Today. I can’t recall many of the later shows. Maybe they just didn’t have the same intensity of those early ones.
Alex Brown
Des Moines
January 2016