Your name and your zine?
I am Steve and I do Ripping Thrash zine, as well as a record label (FCR), I also used to do a tape label and I also do a cd duplication project.
When did your 1st issue come out? What motivated you?
1st issue came out in 1986. I wanted to do a zine and share resources and information in the political and hardcore punk diy scenes, I wanted to be involved and creative instead of just consuming records and going to gigs. I wanted to help keeping the scene alive.
What was the inspiration behind the name of your zine?
Not much inspiration behind the zine name really... Its rather a shit name for a zine but it kinda stuck and everyone knows it now... To some it conjures up metal bands etc which was not my intention. At the time of starting the zine I was inspired by angry hardcore punk from the uk and especially the south european scenes...
How did you pay for the first issue? What was the press run? How did you get it out there? How much did you sell it for?
I did a press run of 300, which I suppose looking back to 1986 was quite an ambitious press run for a first issue, especially as I'd never done anything like it before and I had no idea how it would go. But I sold all copies. I can't remember how I funded it, with difficulty I should think. There was no money in the punk scene back then and I didn't have a job, but I got it printed at a very cheap place so it wasn't too expensive. I sold the first issue for 20 pence, as cheap as possible for a zine back in those times, and that was enough to just about cover the cost of printing and posting some copies out to distros. I had a few contacts so zines went to distros and I sold quite a few at gigs. I lived in Liverpool at the time and there was quite a strong scene there at the time.
How did you come up with a theme for your zine?
I dunno, what was the theme? I didn't really have a 'theme' as such, my zine was like quite a few others I suppose at that time, cut and paste diy punk zines with the standard format of some bands interviews, some reviews and some political infos, articles, columns etc. If Ripping Thrash had a theme I suppose it was that it was more international based than most zines. Influences were MRR, Raising Hell and Problem Child, they were strong zines at that time.
Who did you interview in your first issue? How?
Interviews were with Impact from Italy, and Electrohippies from England and CKN from Holland. All interviews were done by mail. I wrote to Impact with the address on their lp as it was an awesome lp and I wanted to know more. Electrohippies were a new band at that time but were playing live a lot locally so I had seen them play a few times and got their demo so I wrote to them. I can't remember how I first came across CKN...
How did you lay out your fist issue? Has that process changed?
Cut and paste!!! Not much has changed really. I used a typewriter then, but these days I used the computer. But I don't do computer layouts, the layout is still pretty much cut and paste. Difference is though that I am much better at it now after nearly 20 years of practice!!! Early issues were pretty crap looking! More recent issues look half-decent I think !!
How did you round up contributors?
The contributors have come about in more recent years, I suppose because I have been around a long time now and cause I write or meet with so many people. Most contributors are people I've been friends with for a while and they are kind enough to offer me stuff for the zine. To be honest the zine would be dead without it as I don't have as much time to do all the zine myself as I used to.
What zines were your inspirations?
Influences were MRR, Raising Hell and Problem Child, they were strong zines at that time. Any zines that focussed on diy hardcore punk and featuring bands/people that something worthwhile to say too.
Were you published in any other zines before your first issue?
No, 1986 was the first time I ever tried to do a zine and the first attempt to get involved in the scene. I did some poetry/lyrics which I wrote and I published them in newsletter format, but hardly any copies went anyhwere.
How have your policies towards advertising and reviews changed?
Yes, they have changed quite a bit. For a while I was trying to help pay for the printing of the zine by offering ads, but I think although it works for the 'bigger' zines (Slug & Lettuce, Profane Existence, Reason To Believe etc) it didn't really work for me. Also the labels that wanted to advertise were the bigger labels like Fat Wreck, Dr Strange etc and most of the reviews were of their stuff too because they released soooo much stuff, but it got to the stage where the zine became something I didn't want it to be, I wanted to go back to basics and cover DIY hardcore international punk etc. I think I have achieved that in the last few issues. I want to support bands/people that I enjoy and friends that I support.
Your goals?
To keep on going, to help keep things alive. Keeping Ripping Thrash zine going from one issue to the next is my main goal at the moment cause its more and more difficult due to lack of time, mainly due to the other projects I also got involved with. Next few issues I want to get a more even balance between contributors stuff and my own stuff. I need to get off my lazy arse and write/send out interviews! Thanx for your time!!
STEVE / P O BOX 152 / BURTON-ON-TRENT / STAFFS / DE14 1XX / ENGLAND.
www.rippingthrash.com
steve@rippingthrash.com