Mr. Chi Pig: a zine about Ken Chinn

Mr. Chi Pig

Fanzine, Salem Black, 16 pgs, IG: @salemblackzines,[email protected], $10.99

 

The world lost a formidable punk rock voice in 2020 when the frontman of Edmonton hardcore punk outfit SNFU, Ken “Mr. Chi Pig” Chinn, passed away at 57. This brief, quarter-size fanzine with colour images celebrates Mr. Chi Pig’s legacy, with concise biographical information and a handful of miscellaneous facts. The author, Salem Black, also describes the personal experience of meeting Mr. Chi Pig and seeing SNFU play live. The zine is accompanied by a 4 x 6 photo print of Mr. Chi Pig in performance, close to the end, seated on the lip of a stage, microphone in hand, doing his thing. Other, grainier images throughout the zine help illustrate Black’schronological rundown of SNFU’s on-again off-again existence, but with Mr. Chi Pig always atthe center. Like all good fanzines, the creator’s enthusiasm for the subject shines through. Black’s love of SNFU and Mr. Chi Pig animate the zine, giving the reader the sense that if they haven’t listened to SNFU yet, they really should. And despite a tinge of sadness, given the addiction and mental health struggles endured by Mr. Chi Pig, the way that the energy and joy of SNFU resonates for the writer makes the zine feel like an earnest celebration.