Like any punk fanzine worth a dime, Fluke busies itself primarily with interviews and random ponderings, though its latter pages are dedicated to a short story of sorts. Still, it’s music and the community that surrounds it that comprises the bulk of this nostalgic manifesto, whose first issue dates back to 1991. I get a rush from reliving the glories of obscure underground scenes long-gone, even if I was in no way connected to them, and as a result, this has proven to be a surprising treat for me. However, it’s a tad hit-or-miss. A big ol’ chunk of Fluke’s length is occupied by an interview with Mark Howe, a friend of the author as well as a passenger on the highway that was the early Little Rock punk scene. It’s a decent read at times, but it too often swerves off into had-to-have-beenthere reminiscing — not much for the naïve spectator such as myself, I suppose. Other tidbits include a brief chat with Mike Watt, a candid and often clever collection of brief personal thoughts by Shane “Manimal” Halvorson, and a touching obituary for Dee Dee Ramone. (Michael Tau)
Zine, Issue 7, PO Box 41931, Tucson, AZ, 85717, USA, [email protected]