Headwinds - Issue #1

A4, 24 pages (23 black and white pages, colour front cover).

 £1.50 (+£1 p&p)

“Headwinds… refers to things blowing in the opposite direction to the one you’re moving in,” explains Mike G in the introduction to his fanzine of the same name. This theme of pushing through mainstream culture persists throughout the first issue, which contains comics, band interviews and reviews.

The layout of Headwinds is immaculate; it looks less like a zine and more like something you’d find in your local newsagents nestled between NME and Mojo. The time invested in its quality makes it a pleasant read – there’s no text disappearing into the centre crease or dodgy photocopying going on here.

Whilst aesthetic appeal is important, it means nothing without compelling content. Luckily, Headwinds is as interesting as it is pretty. Given that the zine only costs £1.50 (£2.50 online), I was surprised by just how much content there was – a couple of lengthy interviews, comics, articles, and tons of underground gig reviews – and how decidedly different the items were from those typically seen in mass-produced magazines.   

I particularly enjoyed the interview with Emma, lead singer of The Natterers, which covered topics such as world environmental issues, the perks and dangers of living in a digital age and the declining bat population in the UK. It was weird, and I liked it.

Stranger still was Mike G’s retrospective account of the Treeworgery Tree Festival, which he attended in the summer of 1989. Waiting 28 years after the fact to write about an obscure festival in Cornwall doesn’t make sense. It just doesn’t. But it was so well-written that I found myself filled with nostalgia for a place I’d never been, and for a time in which I hadn’t existed. I found myself feeling increasingly wistful for hitch-hiking, serendipitous friendships and weekend tickets for £20.

Headwinds feels like a relic from the past, but it doesn't come across as dated. Perhaps it’s Mike G’s unabashed enthusiasm for the stuff he’s writing about that gives the zine a fresh, current feel, or maybe it’s down to its overall polished appearance. Who knows? The one thing that’s clear is that it’s very tricky to write about underground culture in an accessible way, and Headwinds is an excellent example of how to do it correctly.

To keep up with Headwinds’ latest updates, you can follow @tblastzine on Twitter. You can get a copy of your own through PayPal by emailing tblastzine@gmail.com.

Review by JL Corbett. 

Null Point - Issue 002

A6, twenty black and white pages, black and white cover.

£0.35 p&p

 

The second issue of Null Point wastes no time in telling you exactly what it is.

“This is about the ideas, this is not about recognition.”

It’s a bold move for a creator to shun acknowledgement - especially nowadays, when branding is crucial and content is (wrongly) considered secondary. Nevertheless, Null Point doesn’t stray from its ethos. The zine is priced modestly (just enough to cover its printing costs and nothing more) and all its contributors have been given pseudonyms.

Although no theme is stated outright, the zine’s articles and flash fiction pieces tend to focus upon the sense of disconnection that we all feel in an increasingly digital world. The artwork is particularly effective. The drawings are grim, they don’t try too hard, and the result is a gut punch. Perhaps most unsettling of all is the advert for a product that would have been hilariously far-fetched ten years ago, but which nowadays leaves the reader wondering, “Wait – is that real? Can I buy that?” 

If you’re looking for a light read after a long day at work, this probably isn’t the zine for you. Seriously, it’ll bum you out. If, however, you’re a fan of dystopian fiction and you’re feeling introspective, you will love Null Point.

All three issues of Null Point are available for sale at www.nullpoint.org  

Review by JL Corbett