In producing a zine, you tread a fine line between selflessness (giving up time, money and sweat) and narcissm (expecting someone to be interested in your interests and, by extension, you). I’m not one to trash anyone for being self-indulgent though. The zines that have meant the most to me are those where I’ve felt a connection to the writer or artist because they opened up and were honest (about whatever it is they were talking about, be it sex, school or Top 40 music). The special thing about this kind of publishing is that personal relationships can be formed between reader and writer. I’m more interested in how people feel than in the latest punk rock show or the most obscure movie. With that in mind, despite the fact that Pumpkinhead is about Stuart Ross, I didn’t like it. Made for the most part from reprints of articles he wrote since the late seventies documenting his involvement in the Toronto small press scene, these issues leave me wondering what’s going on otherwise? All the interesting stuff is just hinted at (trips to Nicaragua, childhood traumas) and Ross keeps going back to his York U cub-journalist files for more of the same. Writing about writing is boring (I think I just put my foot in my mouth).
zine / #1, 20 pgs; #2, 16 pgs / Stuart Ross / $? / Box 141, Station F, Toronto, ON, M4Y 2L4, email: [email protected]