Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
1093/jdh/epk006
Teal Triggs
The fanzine producer Chris Wheelchair (sic) remarked in the editorial of Ruptured
Ambitions (1992) that his Plymouth-based fanzine is ‘all about helping promote the DIY
© The Author [2006]. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Design History Society. All rights reserved. 69
Teal Triggs
reference to the ‘chaotic design’ of the fanzine page reflects ‘our fanzines were always clumsy, unprofes-
and use of the term ‘chaotic’ in relationship to the sional, ungrammatical, where design was due to inad-
development of a graphic language of resistance. Later equacy rather than risk ’ . 10 As the plethora of
he refers to the layout of the fanzines as ‘unruly cut- punk-inspired fanzines materialized, a unique visual
n-paste ’ with barely legible type and ‘ uneven identity emerged, with its own set of graphic rules
re production ’ , drawing comparisons between and a ‘do-it yourself’ approach neatly reinforcing
‘professional-looking publications’ and the fanzine as punk’s new found ‘political’ voice. The Sex Pistols
amateur, falling somewhere between ‘a personal letter single release of ‘Anarchy in the UK’ (1976) summed
and a magazine’.4 up punk’s radical position where Malcolm McLaren,
A plethora of fanzines emerged during the first the self-proclaimed punk creator and Sex Pistol’s
wave of punk in Britain (1976–1979). This was a manager, was quick to point out, ‘“Anarchy in the
period of substantial cultural, social and political UK” is a statement of self-rule, or ultimate indepen-
70
Scissors and Glue: Punk Fanzines and the Creation of a DIY Aesthetic
avant-garde aesthetics and social realist politics—that fanzine” tag and is careful to credit earlier rock-n-roll
eventually tore punk apart, and write them out in a publications such as Greg Shaw’s Who Put the Bomp!,
sharp mix of emotion and intention that still makes Crawdaddy and Brian Hoggs’ Bam Balam. He com-
his words fresh’.13 Others writing at the time, includ- ments, ‘I would like to claim that the idea of doing a
ing Charlie Chainsaw, producer of the punk fanzine fanzine on this new music was my own, but I can’t
Chainsaw, who altered the form of his production because it wasn’t. At the time there were loads of
just to differentiate his fanzine from the multitude of fanzines knocking about. Mostly on country music,
Sniffin’ Glue ‘look-a-likes’ that had appeared so soon R&B and the like’. 15 Sniffin’ Glue soon established
after its first issue.14 These attributes were the way in itself as part of the evolutionary line of fanzine
which the typewritten text was used with mistakes in publishing by taking on what would become a char-
spelling as well as cross-outs, all caps, handwritten acteristic approach to fanzine production with its
graffiti text, photographs of bands used on two- A4, stapled, photocopied pages and layouts using
thirds of the cover, and so forth. handwritten and typewritten texts.
Tributes to Mark P.’s success were even witnessed The title, Sniffin’ Glue: And Other Rock’n’roll Habits
in the way the fanzine itself was referenced graph- was inspired by the Ramones’ London gig and song
ically. Murder by Fanzine Nr. 2 (c.1983, Ross-Shire, ‘Now I wanna sniff some glue’—a verse that is
Scotland) for example, pastes a flyer promoting issue reprinted in Issue 1 (1976). Mark P. remarks that ‘In
6 of Sniffin’ Glue and overlays it on the head of a gui- this issue we lean heavily towards being a Ramones
tar player thereby rendering him anonymous [2]. fan letter’ and promises in future issues to cover ‘other
Despite this Mark P. is ‘clear about refusing the “first punks who make and do things we like’.16 Sniffin’
71
Teal Triggs
Glue was often abbreviated to SG and, while drawing Unlike publishers of some of the later fanzines, Mark
upon earlier formats and content of the rock’n’roll P. kept production simple, using only single-sided
publications, it did differ from its predecessors in that copies, with an occasional inclusion of a pin-up page
it defined itself from an insider’s and working-class of punk band members (e.g. Chelsea or Brian Che-
perspective on the burgeoning punk music scene in vette of Eater), double-sided and backed by an adver-
Britain. Issue 1 defined itself as ‘for punks’, as a tisement for a Sex Pistols gig or an independent
mouthpiece for their music and anger. In Issue 4 he record shop.
signs one review as ‘Mark “angry young man” P.’. Mark P. had developed his own brand of DIY
Also in Issue 4, collaborator Steve Mick writes ‘punk journalism’ and encouraged others to partici-
‘… punks have been telling us we’ve got the best mag pate actively in ‘having a go yourself’. Sniffin’ Glue’s
around. Well, of course we have ’cause we’re broke, readership was primarily other fans who purchased
on the dole and live at home in boring council flats, copies, amongst other places, in London’s Compen-
72
Scissors and Glue: Punk Fanzines and the Creation of a DIY Aesthetic
modernity’ from a dominance of ‘monomodality’, a ‘experiment with new ways of seeing and being and
singular communication mode, to ‘multimodality’, develop tools and resources for resistance’.28 This
which embraces a ‘variety of materials and to cross may be represented either through content, graphi-
the boundaries between the various art, design and cally or both, where rules and prescriptions are disre-
performance disciplines ’ . 23 Language may be garded intentionally. Michael Twyman establishes
communicated through verbal or non-verbal means, that the ‘language element in graphic communica-
or a combination thereof. The grammars of design tion’ is the relationship between information content
operate in the same way as the grammars of semiotic and visual presentation, which he suggests must take
modes and may be codified. The music historian into account a number of factors including the ‘users
Dave Laing, for example, comments that punk lan- of language’ and ‘the circumstances of use’.29 Twyman
guage drew upon discourses found in the areas of is also clear in his argument about the role techno-
pornography, left-wing politics and obscenity. logical developments have in relation to the ‘language
73
Teal Triggs
Garrett, for example, states that he was introduced to tests of 1968. Reid’s approach, and those of subse-
techniques of collage, stencilling, use of Letraset and quent punk fanzine producers drew upon these
the photocopier while at college. His own fanzine techniques in order to establish a specific visual imme-
Today’s Length (one issue, 1980), concocted with Joe diacy to their message. Ultimately this process pro-
Ewart and others, reflects this. He was also associated vided an identifiable DIY aesthetic unapologetic for
with punk performer and artist Linder, whose own its raw and amateur production quality.
collages were profiled on the cover of the Buzzcock’s Many producers, whether knowingly or not, often
first single Orgasm Addict (1977), and Peter Saville combined a graphic language of ‘resistance’ instigated
whose own references were visible on OK UK Streets, as a result of Situationists’ King Mob Echo (c.1968),
a single for Manchester-based punk group The Jamie Reid’s Suburban Press (1970) and Mark P.’s
Smirks (1978). Garrett remarks ‘punk really stood Sniffin’ Glue’s seemingly fresh punk attitude. Richard
out, there was a sense of hostility on the street, and Reynolds, for example, in his ‘post punk poetry’ fan-
74
Scissors and Glue: Punk Fanzines and the Creation of a DIY Aesthetic
75
Teal Triggs
76
Scissors and Glue: Punk Fanzines and the Creation of a DIY Aesthetic
Record covers were perhaps the most visible use reproduction 1960s bubblegum cards for studio film
of images taken from the past. For example, the lay- stills [6].53
out and use of typography of The Clash’s London Despite these popular cultural references, however,
Calling (1979) album drew directly from Elvis Pres- punk fanzines remained decidedly underground and
ley’s eponymous 1956 album. The choice of photo- Panache, during its time of publication, was no excep-
graphic image of a single artist with his guitar is tion. While Panache shared a similar status with punk
mimicked, although Elvis is seen in a frontal pose fanzines Sniffin’ Glue and Ripped & Torn, it was unique
and looking upward, the guitarist for The Clash is in that its sheer longevity allowed Mercer to reinvent
caught in motion striking the guitar on the stage the publication as his own musical interests shifted.
floor.52 Such intentional plagiarism demonstrated By the early 1980s, Panache had transformed itself
punk’s disregard of established publishing traditions into a fanzine for Britain’s Goths, and later estab-
and in this way may be interpreted as a political act. lished itself as a fanzine for the emerging Indie music
77
Teal Triggs
production values of the photocopier and mixture of November 1976, Glasgow) [9] took a more formal
typographic elements such as cut-n-paste, ransom approach combining one photographic image of The
notes and handwritten and typewritten letterforms, Damned with handwritten caps and lowercase letter-
each fanzine maintained its own individualized forms in a hierarchical sequence from the
approach. The techniques of DIY encouraged this to title, the stories promised inside to the smaller, self-
occur. The manner in which the graphic marks, visual effacing tag lines ‘This is too fantastic … buy it now’.
elements and their layout were presented not only Ripped & Torn also enjoyed a long run—from Issue
reflected the message but also by default the individ- 1, November 1976 to Issue 18 September 1979, and
ual hand of the fanzine producer. This we can see in it is important in that it covered the punk music scene
a comparison of covers from Sniffin’ Glue, Chainsaw in both London and Glasgow. This fanzine attempted
and Ripped & Torn [7, 8, 9]. Charlie Chainsaw, for to broaden out an understanding of punk’s political
example, in his first issue of Chainsaw (No. 1, 1977) agenda. As Tony D. himself explains in a rant titled
78
Scissors and Glue: Punk Fanzines and the Creation of a DIY Aesthetic
relative longevity and consistency of production. Kids issue of OZ and in Cozmic Comics in the early
Chainsaw ran irregularly for 14 issues covering a 1970s) occasionally produced work for Chainsaw.
seven-year period. In the second instance, its later These contributors also established a visual link
issues demonstrated an innovative use of colour not between 1960s’ countercultural activity and 1970s’
found in other fanzines of the time. It was also through punk. Phil Smee, who did the cartoons for Ripped &
the efforts of Chainsaw that lesser-known punk bands Torn and occasionally contributed to Sniffin’ Glue
were recognized. Charlie Chainsaw acknowledges (1976), was a graphic artist and designed album
that his fanzine began as a ‘Sniffin’ Glue and Ripped & covers for 1960s psychedelic bands. He was founder
Torn clone, but it quickly developed its own distinc- of the independent record label Bam Caruso and
tive style by concentrating on (then) totally unknown also coined the term ‘freakbeat’ in 1980 to describe
bands and featuring seriously sick cartoons, articles mod and R&B bands.
and newspaper cuttings’.59 Kid Charlemagne (Hugh In the first issue of Ripped & Torn, eighteen-year-
David) as well as cartoonists Willie D. and Mike J. old producer Tony D. asks in the first sentence of his
Weller (the latter known for his work in the School punk fanzine editorial ‘What’s in it for me??’ By the
79
Teal Triggs
80
Scissors and Glue: Punk Fanzines and the Creation of a DIY Aesthetic
Chainsaw developed a house style for his fanzine bols, photographic images, typefaces and the way in
which reflected his individual approach but also an which they were laid out. It is as much the graphic
awareness of standard ‘professional’ typewriter and language that differentiated fanzines from the main-
printing conventions. Alistair McIntosh has written stream as the content of these publications.
of house styles that ‘each express the personality (and
often the haphazard variations in what they were Professor Teal Triggs
School of Graphic Design
taught at school) of its originators’.63 For example, London College of Communication
Charlie Chainsaw tabs two spaces after the punctua- University of the Arts, London
tion marks, indenting by two spaces the first word of
each paragraph opening and without line separations
between paragraphs, standard use of correct quotation Notes
marks, and establishes a hierarchical structure for
81
Teal Triggs
15 E. Eichenberg and M. Perry, And God Created Punk, Virgin, 29 M. Twyman, ‘The Graphic Presentation of Language’,
1996, p. 11. Information Design Journal vol. 3 no. 1, 1982 p. 2.
16 M. Perry, Sniffin’ Glue, No. 1, London, 1976, n.p. 30 Ibid, p. 6.
17 M Perry, Sniffin’ Glue, No. 12 August/September, London, 31 Ibid, p. 5.
1977, n.p. 32 S. Mealing, ‘Value Added Text: Where Graphic Design Meets
18 M. Perry, Sniffin’Glue: The Essential Punk Accessory, Sanctuary Paralinguistics’, Visible Language 37(1), 2003, p. 43. See also
House, 2000, p. 15. Kress and van Leeuwen, 2001 op. cit.
19 Ibid, p. 16. 33 S. Thornton, ‘The Social Logic of Subcultural Capital (1995)
20 P. Stokes, ‘Sniffin’Glue Fanzine: We Love UHU’, Q: Special reprinted in Gelder and Thornton, The Subcultures Reader,
Edition: Never Mind the Jubilee, 2002, p. 105. Mark P. was not 1997, p. 4. These arguments about ‘resistance’ need to be
the only fanzine producer to suggest a longer-term value of qualified to some degree, however, in the light of Sarah
their fanzines. Charlie Chainsaw predicted in Chainsaw (Issue Thornton’s ideas on subcultural capital. This concept she
1, July/August 1977), ‘Anyway in years to come this mag will defines as ‘conferring status on its owner in the eyes of the
become a collector’s piece, you’ll be able to sell it for thousands relevant beholder’ (S. Thornton, Club Cultures: Music, Media
82
Scissors and Glue: Punk Fanzines and the Creation of a DIY Aesthetic
46 Mercer, Letter to author. Panache was later printed by the Cultural Legacy of Punk, Routledge, 1999, and R. Sabin and T.
Notting Hill based printer Better Badges, whose owner Jolly Triggs, ‘ “Below Critical Radar”: Fanzines and Alternative
handled most of the printing and distribution of punk fanzines Comics From 1976 to Now’, Slabo-O-Concrete, 2000, this
in the 1970s. fanzine has not been explored to date in any critical way. Any
47 Adam and the Ants, ‘Zerox’, Dirk Wears White SOX, 1979. discussion of punk fanzines generally was even omitted from
the programme of ‘No Future? Punk 2001’ an academic
48 Mercer, Letter to author, 1997. conference held at the University of Westminster, 15–23
49 Her photomontages and collages follow in the tradition of September 2001.
early political Dadaists Hannah Höch, John Heartfield and 56 J. Savage, ‘Fanzines: Every Home Should Print One’, Sounds
Raoul Hausmann as well as her contemporaries Peter Kennard 10, September 1977, p. 29. In a letter to the author (1999),
and Linder Sterling. They convey messages using the Tony D. writes, ‘But as Ripped and Torn become more
propaganda of popular culture references, in this case that important—in the scene—than the increasingly out of touch
the Sex Pistols had become the new establishment. Gee’s SG we tended to ignore one another in print.’
assemblages juxtapose photographs, text and paintings to create
an illusory space and via this layer she is able to enhance the 57 T. Vague, Response to author’s questionnaire, 1999. Tony D.
also recounts that his use of colour first for his Issue 10,
83