RIP THIS PAGE OUT Razorcake LV D ERQD¿GH QRQSUR¿W PXVLF PDJD]LQH GHGLFDWHG WR If you wish to donate through the mail, PLEASE supporting independent music culture. All donations, subscriptions, please rip this page out and send it to: and orders directly from us—regardless of amount—have been large Razorcake/Gorsky Press, Inc. components to our continued survival. $WWQ1RQSUR¿W0DQDJHU PO Box 42129 Razorcake has been very fortunate. Why? By the mere fact that Los Angeles, CA 90042 we still exist today. By the fact that we have over one hundred regular contributors—in addition to volunteers coming in every week day—at a time when our print media brethren are getting knocked down and out. Name What you may not realize is that the fanciest part about Razorcake is the zine you’re holding in your hands. We put everything we have into Address it. We pay attention to the pragmatic details that support our ideology. Our entire operations are run out of a 500 square foot basement. We don’t outsource any labor we can do ourselves (we don’t own a printing press or run the postal service). We’re self-reliant and take great pains E-mail WRFRYHUDERRPLQJIRUPRIPXVLFWKDWÀRXULVKHVRXWVLGHRIWKHPXVLF Phone industry, that isn’t locked into a fair weather scene or subgenre. Company name if giving a corporate donation 6RKHUH¶VWRDQRWKHU\HDURIJULWWHGWHHWKKLJK¿YHVDQGVWDULQJDW disbelief at a brand new record spinning on a turntable, improving our Name if giving on behalf of someone quality of life with each spin. Donation amount If you would like to give Razorcake some assistance beyond donations, we’re looking for volunteers in the following areas: non- 5D]RUFDNH*RUVN\3UHVV,QFD&DOLIRUQLDQRWIRUSUR¿WFRUSRUDWLRQLVUHJLVWHUHG SUR¿W JUDQW ZULWHU QRQSUR¿W IXQGUDLVHU QRQGRXFKH\ SXEOLFLVW RXU th as a charitable organization with the State of California’s Secretary of State, and has 50 LVVXHDQQLYHUVDU\LVFRPLQJXS )LOH0DNHU3URZL]DUG3&QHWZRUN EHHQJUDQWHGRI¿FLDOWD[H[HPSWVWDWXV VHFWLRQ F RIWKH,QWHUQDO5HYHQXH specialist, graphic designer (deep knowledge of InDesign required), and Code) from the United States IRS. Our tax ID number is 05-0599768. Your gift is website coder (PHP-Nuke and Zen Cart). If you live in the L.A. area, tax deductible to the full extent provided by law. we could always use a helping hand. Our door is open. Contact us via www.razorcake.org if you’d like to help out. Thank you. –Todd Taylor Subscription rates for a one year, six-issue subscription: SUU.S. – bulk:B $16.00 SC • U.S. – 1st classRIBE, in envelope: $22.00 Prisoners: $22.00 • Canada: $25.00 • Mexico: $33.00 Anywhere else: $50.00 (U.S. funds: checks, cash, or money order) We Do Our Part www.razorcake.org Name Email Used if we have any questions. We won’t bother you needlessly. Address City State Zip The next 50 U.S. subscribers (sorry world, int’l postage sucks) will receive either The Brokedowns These Colors Don’t Run (The Musical) (Big Action) or Madison Bloodbath Gettin’ Loose with... (ADD). (Although it never hurts to circle one, we can’t promise what you’ll get.) Yes! I have a turntable. Yes! I’d like to be on the Razorcake Website Army list. Return this with your payment to: Razorcake, PO Box 42129, LA, CA 90042 If you want your subscription to start with an issue other than #49 please indicate what number. We would like to say THANK YOU To everyone who donated some money, bought some distro, placed an ad, or picked up a sub this year. Without you, this magazine would not exist and we wouldn't be able to print pictures of board member Leo Tober III in his bat girl costume. razorcake.org Fuck You, Dale I’m a fan of doing stupid shit. Well-planned, long-term stupid was when we were duplicating the CDs for the reviewers, the song shit. It keeps me amused. As many may know, I’m a big fan of the sequence got knocked out of whack on some—if not all—of the EDQG'LOOLQJHU)RXU0DQ\\HDUVDJRZKHQ,ZDVZRUNLQJDWFlipside, burns. Those who are familiar with D4 know that their albums are Erik, one of D4’s singers, said, “Todd, did you know that you guys layered. I knew that the reviewers would need lyrics and the correct have reviewed Midwestern Songs of the Americas at least once an song order to write well-informed reviews, but I also knew this hair- issue for about a year and a half?” I smiled at him, not thinking that EUDLQHG VFKHPH KDG D ¿QDQFLDO WKUHVKROG RI DERXW WHQ GROODUV 6R anyone had noticed. D4’s label at the time, Hopeless, hadn’t noticed LQVWHDGRIFDMROLQJ9LQFHDQG$GULDQWRUHEXUQIRUW\¿YH&'VDQG and they had sent me a box of thirty CDs which I slowly released then photocopying the lyrics, I wrote a short explanation/apology to our contributors (who didn’t know they were part of a slow-drip to our reviewers. “Computers want to kill me. Dillinger Four is recruitment drive for Dillinger Four). awesome. Songs out of order. Find lyrics on interweb. Want to run Fast forward over a decade. Dillinger Four just released a great many simultaneous reviews. Don’t mind if you don’t like it. Intrepid new record, Civil War. Due to a fundamental Razorcake policy of leader, –Todd.” always seeking new bands to cover, we won’t interview the same I’ve always been a fan of multiple reviews of a single piece EDQGWZLFHHYHUHYHQLIWKH\¶UHDSHUVRQDOWRS¿YHRIDOOWLPH+RZ of music in a zine. It shows that Razorcake’s not a bunch of folks else to celebrate this momentous occasion? I knew the record didn’t using the same brain, we’re not a clique, and that we don’t consider blow. I was given access to it before its release to write the bio/one- ourselves a monolith that can make or break a band. We’re a widely sheet dealie for their current label, Fat. scattered bunch of people who happen to like music and DIY culture I emailed Fat and asked for thirty full copies of Civil War. They a whole lot. I think we’re pretty good at what we do. respectfully declined, but did send some download cards. Due to In the end, why did I do it? Because I could. Because independent 5D]RUFDNH³RI¿FLDOO\´EHLQJPHPEHUVRIWKHSUHVVDQGDVVXPLQJZH publishing means we’re free to take chances. Because I always want KDYHPRUHÀH[LEOHWHUPVZLWKWKHODZZLWKSURSDJDWLQJRXULGHDVDERXW to take a small step back and celebrate the things that truly make me music, I asked my friends over at Fat if I could burn some copies on happy. Because I’m a geek who still can’t get enough of great music our dime, give the copies to every active reviewer, and have the record that’s being made all around us. So, if you’re a band or label that reviewed as many times as possible. They basically said, “Sure, knock turned in some music for review and it’s not in this issue because we yourself out” and probably didn’t give it another thought. printed 7,000 words on Civil War instead, yeah, you’re right. We’re It’s been abundantly clear in the last three months that computers dumb. I admit it. (But we’ve been working a lot with on our website, want me dead. Not stabby-shooty-killy dead, but crazy-mania-don’t- too, and there’s a good chance it’s posted on there.) work-right-jump-in-front-of-bus-insane dead. And a small hiccup –Todd Taylor AD DEADLINES Contact Razorcake via our regularly THANK YOU: Cow skull, full moon, eyeball, cactus, mountains (without updated website, www.razorcake.org bandana’d coyote) thanks to Horsebites! for designing the cover and ISSUE #49 or PO Box 42129, LA, CA 90042 Danny Bengston for the cover photo (look closely. There’s part of a February 1st, 2009 penguin in there); Toby Tober for wearing the Bat Girl costume (adjacent page). When he got out of the restroom in rural Florida, a biker gang ISSUE #50 “You owe your readers not your came roaring in. Luckily it was Halloween; Even in failure, there can 0DUFKst, 2009 industry only but your judgment, and be beauty thanks to Nation of Amanda for her illo. in Liz O’s column; We totally scored the dude who did all the pictures on the No Idea Visit www.razorcake.org you betray instead of serve them if website thanks to Jason Armadillo for his illo. in Jim’s column; If we Click "Ads" for rates and details. UKQO=?NEł?AEPPKSD=PI=UKNI=U ever become a live action cartoon instead of a zine, I want Steve Larder Our ad rates are super duper. not be their opinion.” to draw us all thanks for his illo. in Amy’s column; Tubby tigers! Oh my! thanks to Brad Beshaw for his illo. in Sean’s column; Well stocked toilet Cover artwork by Horsebites –Edmund Burke rolls thanks to Replay Dave for his photo of the Rhythm Chicken; Barry! www.horsebitesdesign.com Cover photo by Danny Bengston Ramone! thanks to Kiyoshi Nakazawa for his illo. in Dale’s column; Im“peck”able drawing of the Famous Chicken señor Clem—some may The last two months have seen the loss of four souls who were important to say “egg”cellent; Probably the most salt we’ll ever give to fuckin’ Led Razorcake. This issue is dedicated to the memory of Ava Lilliana Medina, Zeppelin thanks to Ryan Gelatin for his illo.