Baby Bombers Release Party
Is this your first Zine?
Arrow: I tried to start a punk zine in 8th grade, but never went through with it, so yeah I’d say this is my first real zine.
Lily: Yes, this is the first issue of Baby Bombers. I’ve made other little zines over the years just for fun, but they’re all in a shelf in my room. I’ve never actually distributed one, so i’m really excited (and kinda nervous).
So why Baby Bombers?
A: Well there aren’t many magazines (or fanzines) for Rock n’ Roll and people that listen to Rock n’ Roll, so I thought, why wait for a cool magazine to come around? I should just start it myself! Also it’s a great way to meet cool people that are into the same music and style we are, it’s been a lot of fun working on it.
L: Arrow came up with the name and we picked it mostly because it sounded cool. I originally liked it because it reminded me of 70’s youth-in-revolt films like Rock 'N’ Roll High School and Over The Edge, but lately i’ve been thinking of it as a title for kids who feel like they’re living in the wrong decade. “Don’t call me a Millennial, call me a Baby Bomber!”
What's the first thing you do when you think you've got an idea?
A: Well me and Lily would just sit and look through old Creem magazines from the ‘70s, and see what kind of stuff they would have, so that’s how we got our inspiration. Then we would brainstorm our own cool activities and ideas to put in ours.
L: Write it down on whatever surface I have available! A lot of times i’ll write something in the notes on my phone, but now i have all these vague, slightly-cryptic notes that i can’t remember the origin of. Like, I have one that just says “John Lurie”. I’m like…yeah…what about him?
What is it that each of you bring to the magazine and how do they compliment each other?
A: We both enjoy drawing and making art, so we make little comics and puzzles and things that we think would be cool to put in. We also both love talking and socializing with people, so doing interviews with bands is something we are really excited about.
L: Well, a huge benefit is definitely the fact that we have such insanely similar interests, it’s amazing when you’re on the same wavelength with someone musically/artistically. When it comes to fine-arts, Arrow is really killer, and I think my strong-point is probably writing.
What kind of topics and features are included in Baby Bombers?
A: We have album reviews, puzzles n’ shit, some cool interviews, and a lot more! It’s a music zine so mostly everything in it has to do with bands we like. We’re both really obsessed with ‘70s rock and Glam Rock, so we talk a lot about that.
L: The zine is based mostly around 70’s glam rock and classic rock, and just vintage (mostly 70’s) pop culture in general. Our first issue features quizzes, album reviews, old ads, comics, art, etc. It also features interviews with Hammered Satin and Don Bolles of The Germs!
How do you balance documenting versus advocating for a particular stance on your subject?
L: Honestly, we’re just a couple of teenagers having fun. This isn’t exactly hard-hitting journalism, we’re more concerned with "cool information" than we are with advocating anything particular. The early punk zines of the 80’s were more concerned with politics, and I love them for it, but we’re doing our own thing, and I think that’s what makes us unique.
In addition to the magazine launch you will be having activities and other events planned, can you tell us a little bit about them?
A: Yeah! At Virgil Normal, we’re also going to be having a pop-up shop. We’ll be selling vintage clothes, records, and handmade goods! I made these religious candles where all the saints n’ shit have KISS makeup, they’re pretty badass.
If this Baby Bombers launch party ended up on a desert island and you only had a mix tape to listen to forever what would be on it?
A: We both made short playlists for this question, so here they are! These are obviously just some of our faves, the list could go on forever.
1) Hollywood- The Runaways
2) Working Man- Rush
3) Kelly, Grace And Sally- Booby Trap
4) Round and Round- Ratt
5) Tinkertoy Tomorrow- Milk N’ Cookies
6) Pills- New York Dolls
7) Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers- ZZ Top
8) Let Your Hair Hang Down- Catapult
9) Suicide Solution- Ozzy Osbourne
10) Pills- New York Dolls
11) Lovemaker- Heart
12) Then He Kissed Me- Hollywood Brats
13) Strutter ’78- KISS
14) Ride A White Swan- T.Rex
15) Space Ace- Brett Smiley
L:
1) Rebel Rebel - David Bowie
2) Roxy Roller - Nick Gilder
3) Shock Me - KISS
4) Ballroom Blitz - The Sweet
5) Jet Boy Jet Girl - Elton Motello
6) Chinese Rocks - Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers
7) Surrender - Cheap Trick
8) Baby’s On Fire - Brian Eno
9) All The Young Dudes - Mott The Hoople
10) Vicious - Lou Reed
11) The Wild One - Suzi Quatro
12) T.V Eye - The Stooges
13) Do You Wanna Touch Me? (Oh Yeah!) - Gary Glitter
14) Cherry Bomb - The Runaways
You can listen to the playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/user/1261874986/playlist/5yLL4AQW3NgItPitESZiSO
