In Sitio Quarterly
Herergracht 94, 2312 LG Leiden, the Netherlands:
Musea #67 & #68
" With the latest news on the ongoing revolution in the ARTS!" it reads next to the title. This is one great zine! No, it doesn't look great and it isn't particulary large (it's 8 pages of cut and paste). But it is monthly, free and full of inspired info, such as: the section called "Hardnews" with stuff you wont hear from the mainstream media; articles on the struggle of independents against corporate art things to check out in the "Artsurfing" secton and a bit of prose, poetry and comics thrown in for good measure.
The man behind Musea chooses to go by the name of Art S. Revotutonary and he spices up his publiceton wnn some well chosen quotes such as the self-penned "Too much clapping. not enough talent." He's a real character and devoted to his cause of showing the world that there is an alternative to corporate art. In Sitio has decided to start using his Artists Against Corporate Art and Alternative News Source logos. "Uh ... were's all this news then? I hear you think ... well in the future In Sitio will hopefully also be able to showcase some nitty grttty journalism in its bid to improve ... Musea will function as a good lighthouse in guiding us! Musea, 4000 Hawthorne #5, Dallas. Texas 75219, USA -RJV
Veggiehead Wilson
Musea - I must admit this is one of the greatest zines ever created. It's short and sweet and writes about so many insightful and interesting things. There are news stories about the arts, thoughtful colmns by the regulars, and a different focal topic each issue. It's great and only costs a dollar or trade.
From: Factsheet 5 Issue #64:
Musea always keeps close watch on corporate encroachment into the art field. This issue reports briefly on telecom mergers, the sterilization of Broadway, and big ad campaigns like "Got Milk?" What I most enjoyed though, was Art's point-by-point analysis of why zine poetry is so bad. I'm the only Factsheet 5 reviewer that enjoys poetry, but I see far more crap than I do moving, well thought out lines. Art lists everything wrong with this form, from being sliced-up prose disguised as poetry to not saying anything original, to just plain not being understandable. Then he goes on to present some three dozen types of poetry with some strong representative samples. I've been waiting years for such a valid criticism - and defense.
From: Amusing Yourself to Death Issue #57, July 1997
Tom's (a/k/a Art S. Revolutionary) monthly guide covering the arts from a non- corporate standpoint is a lesson in zine making. These eight pages packed with arts-related stuff are infinitely more satisfying and meaningful than a hundred pages of Pagemaker layed-out filler with a bunch of nicely scanned photos. This issue features the latest inductees into the Musea Zine Hall of Fame. Zine World, Rev. Richard J. Macklin, William Bryan Massey III, Bob Mannseichner's Apoplectic Cards are just four of the nine joining the 19 others already honored. Tom has reprinted a sample of each inductee's work in this issue, along with the usual news, notes and columns. There's also a brilliant look at why the FCC is unconstitutional and should be abolished, and includes a truly frightening analogy for zinesters. "Imagine there's an FPC, Federal Publication Commission," he writes. "Its job is to license publishers. It charges about $2,500 to get a license to publish, approval takes up to several years, plus tens of thousands more in attorney, consultant and other fees. How many zines do you think would be publishing?" Finally, his critique of John Doyle's zine project (in which the high school teacher had his students create their own zines) is something that ALL zinesters, high school students or otherwise, should photocopy and stick next to their zine making space. Highly recommended. (RG)
Dallas Observer August 18-24, 1994
BeloWatch: Zine Gets Rise Out of the News
It is, of course, their newspaper to run.
So the muckety-muck editors at the Dallas Morning News, those great defenders of free speech, are certainly free - rank hypocrisy notwithstanding - to bar their own reporters to talk to BeloWatch.
They're even free to refuse to talk to BeloWatch themselves - a right they exercise with weekly consistency.
But it did seem amusingly lunkheaded for News executive editor Ralph Langer to offer a preposterously sober response to a lengthy rant in the May issue of Musea, a Dallas zine published by Tom Hendricks, a longtime usher and ticket-taker at the Inwood Theater.
Hendricks, whose newsletter carries the slogan "art news & reviews for those who oppose the status quos" had attacked the News for allegedly failing to cover the local art scene. Hendricks reported that only 12 out of 155 reviews he surveyed during a single week covered the work of local artists.
Five weeks later, Langer responded with a point-by-point rebuttal. It was pulished in Musea's July issue. Choice excerpts:
"Some of the points are impossible to respond to...We publish coverage of local arts events and artists virtually every day."
..."Our arts staff estimates that we publish approximately 40 reviews a week. Using your counting of "12" local reviews, that would be about 25%."
"Whatever total might be correct at any given time, obviously the seasonal fluctuations account for variations more than any other factor."
The response was (politely, of course) signed, "Sincerely, Ralph Langer."
Hendricks, to his credit, responded immediately below with the zine equivalent of Ralph, you ignorant slut!
"Your nit-picking (and error filled) response is missing the point; your coverage of the local arts is totally inadequate!...Do you for one minute seriously think that 12 reviews in one week cover the entire culture of the 3 million people that live in the Metroplex?"
It's nice to see News editors enjoy a free exchange of views with at least one area publication.