We know that we always say this about each new zine … but Blogzine 6 really is an absolute joy!
POLY STYRENE
Starting as we mean to go on, Blogzine 6 kicks off with cover art by Poly Styrene, by kind permission of Celeste Bell and the Poly Styrene estate 1976-2021. It’s wonderful to be able to bring Poly’s original collage artwork for ‘Germfree Adolescents’ to the punkgirl party, and our hope is that people will recognise that not only was Poly an amazing vocalist, but also an original thinker and skilled visual artist as well. This was one of the things that we talked about with her daughter Celeste Bell, who co-directed the recently released and widely praised documentary film ‘I Am a Cliché’. 4 Pages of Celeste inside!
SHIRLEY MANSON
Talking to Shirley Manson from her home in LA, we chatted about her growing up in Edinburgh, her move to the US, the formation of Garbage, and life during lockdown. She’s a joy to talk with; funny, wise, tuned into current affairs, but with a fast paced humour and a treasure trove of anedotes,
“I remember opening for The Ramones at The Academy in New York during the New Music Seminar and Debbie was down in the mosh pit with all the kids … I mean how the f*ck does that happen?!!”
4 pages of Shirley inside!
JOOLZ DENBY
From biker gangs to the creative heart of New Model Army, Joolz Denby seems to have spent half a lifetime excelling in everything she turns her hand to. You might remember her as a flame haired performance poet who took the spoken word into the glare of the early 1980s live circuit,
“I did 62 gigs back to back, on a train, by myself’.
Or maybe you know her as a renowned tattooist, a visual artist or even as an award winning writer; her novel ‘Billie Morgan’ was shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Literature in 2005. Or maybe you just know her as the fast talking, no-nonsense Joolz of modern day Twitter (@JoolzDenby). Either way, we think Joolz is something of a National Treasure and someone who never seems to get the recognition she deserves. With archive photos and a seeringly honest interview, we get down to the nit and the grit, with 4 pages of Joolz.
DEBSEY WYKES
Now recognised as being one of the reference points for early Independent music, Dolly Mixture were a band who may well have helped to spawn the entire Twee movement from a back bedroom in Cambridge. With their perfect pop and infectious turn of phrase, we talk to Debsey Wykes about heritage pop, find out what it’s really like to tour with Bad Manners, and discover the enduring friendship she still shares with Rachel Bor and Hester Smith. In more recent times, Debsey has become part of the St Etienne family, and also fronts the band Birdie. Generous, funny and with tales of gigs gone right and gigs gone wrong. 4 pages with Debsey inside!
VI SUBVERSA
‘I’d seen the odd review in Sounds or NME and thought that it was kind of funny that the lead singer of a punk band was a middle aged woman’. Vi Subversa was often seen as something of a mother figure to the early anarcho-punk movement. Liz Naylor takes a look at the influence the late, great Vi Subversa gently wielded over the whole anarcho-punk community. With the Poison Girls, her powerful and witty lyrics wove both experience and politics in ballads that were as reminiscent of Kurt Weill or late period Marianne Faithful than the pneumatic drill of anarcho-punk cliches. And all the more human delivered via her trademark husky vocals. Celebrating Vi over 4 pages in BZ6!
EXOTIC GIRLFRIEND
Every once in a while, you stumble across a band that makes you stop in your tracks. Exotic Girlfriend, who hail from Budapest, combine their joint loves of deadpan humour and high production values to create a post-modern world of Indie Noir. We track down founder members Andi and Noemi to talk trash TV, the perils of bad cellphone reception and their plans for the future.
With features on The Punk Wars, High Heels, the truth about soundchecks, wearing Military Surplus in another episode of ‘You’re Not Going Out Like That’, and more deranged comic strips featuring 1970s secretaries Sandra and Jackie.
Blogzine 6 – Published May 18th 2021. 40 full colour pages, square format (210mm x 210mm) with cover art by Poly Styrene is available until stocks last from our store page http://www.punkgirldiaries.com/store