HeartattaCk Zine (1994-2006)

My HeartattaCk collection

    HeartattaCk was a zine run by Kent McClard and the legendary Ebullition records crew from 1994-2006, over a span of 50 issues. It was originally created to be a counterpart to MRR (Maximum Rock & Roll); one that only reviews D.I.Y records without a UPC barcode. HeartattaCk was a number of things; a place to find interviews with bands and activists, record/zine reviews, columns, pictures, political discussions and information about the 90s HC scene. As it stands, HeartattaCk is the missing link for information and context about bands, the scene and the general atmosphere of hardcore culture in the 90s. It really is a goldmine and an important resource to anyone looking to learn more about D.I.Y hardcore. 

    It's a damn shame that there are few comprehensive archives like the HeartattaCk archive. I feel that, just like the music, a lot of the important HC zines of the 90s have been all but lost to time. If you happen to have a mound of zines rotting in your attic from the good old days; I beg you to scan them and post them online. Don't let these incredible moments in punk history be forgotten.

My Zine Archive (so far)

Thoughts On #1: Hardcore And The Local Scene

Foreword: I am going to post couple of these musings over the next few months and then maybe compile them, when I have the time, with images etc... into a zine.

Hardcore And The Local Scene

    I've been going to hardcore punk shows since the 9th or 10th grade. I pretty much used to show up for every local show back then, there was a real sense of friendship and comradery, the same 25-50 people came to every show. In the last few years, especially after a prominent figure in the scene passed, I have become increasingly disillusioned with the local scene and rarely participate. Something just feels off, things have gotten very cliquey, every show feels like I've suddenly been transported to a high school cafeteria. 

    I am incredibly happy that more people are being introduced to hardcore and that local shows are easily selling out all their tickets now; but I feel like a lot of these people don't show up for the music, the community, or the friendships that they could build. There's some sort of strange competition or popularity contest that seems to have infected the local scene. Everyone wants to show off how tough they are, how pretty they are, how cool they are, or how hard they can roundhouse kick a 120 pound girl in the head. The list goes on... 

    As a self-appointed hardcore historian I am exposed to music and literature that is, (while before my time and viewed through a definitely biased and nostalgic lens) much more impactful and meaningful than the music and scene that is popular now. I may just be a pretentious asshole but I seriously believe that hardcore, at least in my small corner of the world, has lost its spark and drive. The things that make it more than just another genre of music. Punk has a different meaning to everyone that listens to it, but I don't believe that any of the bands that are are screaming about how "you're softer than baby shit" are changing lives, challenging norms or positively contributing to their communities. 

    Its easy to be a hardcore kid now, it's accepted, it's cool. There no risk involved in making a heavy hardcore band that has 800 breakdowns per minute and dressing like a white rapper; by this I mean that these people aren't doing anything to challenge society or bring about change. They don't make people angry about how fucked up the world is around them; they just conform to their bullshit hyper-masculine roles and make hardcore an ignorant and easily digestible kind of music. One that can be played on the radio. 

    Now more than ever I believe that re-integrating experimentation and political themes should be the most important facet of hardcore. I wish I could do more to bring about positive change in my local scene, but as it stands I am swamped by the responsibilities of being a young adult in incredibly tumultuous times. I'm not sure if anyone would share my views anyways.

    START A BAND. WRITE A ZINE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING.

    Hardcore can be more, it is more, than just an empty, visceral release for your anger. Besides, what's the point of getting angry over nothing? 

"End." - A Zine

    "End." (named after my favourite Julia song) is a zine I wrote and put together because I had always wanted to make a zine, but got a surge of motivation when I heard about an upcoming local zine show/sale. I wrote most of the zine while working at the record store I work at and got a lot of my inspiration from other 1990s punk zines and inserts and booklets that came with some of my favourite records (most notably various Spitboy releases, Food Not Bombs Compilation(s), the Give Me Back Compilation and Coleman releases). 

    I've felt disillusioned for a long time about the punk/hardcore scene in my city and in general and a lot of what I wrote about has do with that. It lacks diversity, creativity and passion and it's become a bunch of white men competing for popularity and for who is "toughest". I just find it so disappointing considering punk as a genre itself originated as a place for the weirdos and outcasts, a place that was meant to be inclusive to all. The scene has always had its issues with the people who perpetrate violence, but it used to have so much more passion and positive energy. I wanted to write this zine to get my thoughts out there, things that I have been too scared to speak up about in the past so that is exactly what I did. I also discussed the issue of homelessness in our city and lack of aid for these people, as well as the lack of femme individuals in punk and hardcore music. 

    Punk music has always been something that is very important to me and since somewhat recently getting into the niche DIY hardcore scene of the 90s, it's really made me realize and reflect on how different the punk/hardcore scene is today. A surprising amount of the inserts and zines from the music scene back then are shockingly relevant to today, but somehow no one talks about these issues anymore. My goal is to bring up these conversations and try to combat the negativity and hostile energy in the punk/hardcore scene of today even just a little bit. 

    I actually found this zine a lot harder to make than I realized I would, it was a lot of effort to write it, make it look nice, and add the art and excerpts from other works. However I am really glad I pushed myself to do it. That being said, if I make another zine, which I plan to at some point, I will make it smaller and definitely won't print it in colour (wow expensive). 

    I printed and sold copies of my zine at the show/sale back in February but that was the only time I had a chance to get my zine out there. I sold a solid chunk of the copies I printed but it was hard to get any feedback as someone else was in charge of sales for all the zines. For that reason I have decided to share a digital version of my zine here for my friends and anyone who didn't get to see it or has any interest in reading my angry rants. I hope someone somewhere enjoys it and gets something out of it!