‘Against The Rest’: Fanzines and Alternative Music Cultures in Ireland Ciarán Ryan Department of Media and Communication Studies Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick This thesis is submitted to the University of Limerick in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Supervisor: Dr Tony Langlois September 2015 Abstract This thesis investigates the role of fanzines in developing music communities in Ireland. It explores these fan-produced texts from the emergence of the first Irish punk fanzines in 1977 to the present, questioning their significance, while critiquing previous studies into fanzine cultures (Duncombe, 2008; Triggs, 2010). It looks at how ‘authenticity’ is a central construct in the design, content, and dissemination of these artefacts, establishing a ‘dominant representational paradigm’ (Hamilton, 1997) for the production and consumption of fanzines. Fanzines are primarily found in alternative music cultures, and this work situates the makers and users as members of local ‘scenes’ (Cohen, 1991; Straw, 1991), and proposes a more fluid or tribal (Maffesoli, 1996; Bennett, 1999) framework, where communities are formed through shared taste (Bourdieu, 1984). Central to this work is the position of capital, particularly Bourdieu’s concepts of cultural capital and social capital. It also examines the role of such capital in developing fan hierarchies, particularly in local music-making activities (Finnegan, 1989). This work crucially positions the fanzine as a fan practice, and the fans that made and consumed these works will be analysed to determine the range of (popular music) fandom (Duffett, 2014) in Irish DIY (do-it-yourself) cultures. Finally, this study explores whether there has been a significant paradigmatic shift in fan media with the emergence of new technologies. This research incorporates extensive qualitative fieldwork with fanzine makers, collectors, and music-makers, along with a thorough study of various music fanzines. This data analysis finds that the fanzine was an important facilitator in independent music communities between the last 1970s and early 2000s, existing outside the mainstream, but is now an even more niche mode of communication. i Declaration I hereby declare that this thesis represents my own work and has not been submitted, in whole or in part, by me or any other person, for the purpose of obtaining any other qualification. Signed: _______________________________ Date: _________________________________ ii Acknowledgements I must express my gratitude to Mary Immaculate College who provided me with an Assistantship for three years of my doctoral research, and for general support (especially the RGSO and Library staff). A word of thanks to the Department of Media & Communication Studies (MIC) for their support, in particular the Head of the Department, Dr Rosemary Day. I am very grateful to Dr Maura Cronin and Dr Aileen Dillane for their input and advice during the transfer panel process. I greatly appreciate the commitment of examiners Dr Jaime Jones and Dr Marcus Free for thoroughly examining this work, and for bringing their considerable expertise to the table. Dr Tony Langlois has been the model supervisor throughout this process; his guidance, humour, football knowledge, and reassurance were all major factors in the completion of this work. He has been a constant and friendly support, and I thank him wholeheartedly for all his assistance. A big thank you must go to each and every participant who gave up their time to partake in this study. Thanks also to the various curators of the Forgotten Zine Archive for allowing me to access the wealth of materials contained within, and to a good friend (Trevor) who loaned me his own personal archive of fanzines over three years ago. It will be returned soon! To my parents John and Bridget and my sister Clodagh, thank you so much for all the support and encouragement you have given me in pursuing this project; I really appreciate everything. Thanks also to my aunt Kitty for providing a writing space (and food) during a crucial point of this thesis. Finally, to my wife Maria who has been a source of unflinching support throughout this project, and has put up with everything that goes with living with a PhD student; I cannot thank you enough for everything you have done. iii Table of Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................... i Declaration ............................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................. iii List of Figures ....................................................................................................... viii A Note On Style ........................................................................................................ x Chapter One - Introduction ..................................................................................... 1 Thesis Argument and Structure ........................................................................... 7 Chapter Two – Literature Review ........................................................................ 12 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 12 2.2 Gaps in Current Literature .............................................................................. 13 Irish Popular Music Studies – A Focus on Identity and Musicality ................... 13 Critical Studies of Fanzines .............................................................................. 15 2.3 A Production ‘Paradigm’ ................................................................................ 20 2.4 Authenticity in DIY Communities .................................................................. 23 2.5 Capital Associated with Fanzines ................................................................... 26 Capital, Collecting, and Ageing........................................................................ 31 2.6 Fandom .......................................................................................................... 33 Fans in DIY Scenes .......................................................................................... 36 A Shift in Popular Music Fandom..................................................................... 38 2.7 Framing Group Formation & Bonding around Musical Practices .................... 40 The Move From Subcultures to Scenes ............................................................. 42 New Media and Online Communities................................................................ 50 2.8 A Gendered Community? ............................................................................... 56 2.9 Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 61 Chapter Three: Research Methodology ................................................................ 63 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 63 3.2 Research Position ........................................................................................... 64 iv 3.3 Research Methods .......................................................................................... 67 Surveying/ Sampling ......................................................................................... 67 Textual Analysis ............................................................................................... 71 Interviews and Focus Groups ........................................................................... 79 Observational Field Research .......................................................................... 86 3.4 Turning Data into Findings ............................................................................. 87 Chapter Four: Fanzines And Their Making ......................................................... 88 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 88 4.2 Historical Context of Irish Fanzines................................................................ 89 Music Fanzines as Punk Literature?................................................................. 92 DIY Practices in Music and Fanzine Making .................................................... 96 The Emergence of Freesheets ........................................................................... 98 4.3 “Let It Rain”: The Economics of Alternative Publishing ............................... 101 4.4 Production Tools and Techniques ................................................................. 110 A Subversive Production? .............................................................................. 113 Sourcing Content............................................................................................ 116 4.5 Masculinity on Display................................................................................. 118 4.6 Signifiers of Authenticity ............................................................................. 120 4.7 Visual Components of Irish Fanzines ........................................................... 132 4.8 Language & Writing Style ............................................................................ 141 Formatting of Information