Rag Mag 24
What's up rag mag? Dark times with such a great loss for America last week. Of course I am talking about the loss of Flipper's Bruce Loose. One of the most important bands ever to yr ol' pal Creature and they really speak to what's going on in the world right now. As to everything else going on in the world, well, just gonna quote Flipper.
As our patriots
Fathers, mothers and lovers
Admire the military style
Praising God and State
Crying tears of pride
For all the fools slaughtered
For the maimed, the dying
And the dead
Demanding a sacrifice
Of your life
Another packed issue, with the next tale in Creature's adventures from Mr. Mittens, Wasteland Chick's latest column, Splinters by Leela Corman, a music video from Devil Honey, trailer for Coco A Go-Go's short film Sogno Rosso, and Creature's Double Feature.
Hit us up at ragmagclub @ proton.me with flyers, art, feedback, column ideas, or just to say hi. We archived several columns and music reviews on the new site (rag-mag.ghost.io), so check it out.
Creature on the road- the Elizabeths run - By Mr. Mittens
The work com squeals its way into dreams pushing me out from a deep and needed sleep. The back of the van was finally empty and I’d found a nice off road spot full of mosquitos and bad air to spend the night in. Sleeping in your vehicle is considered a vagrant charge, but the red shirts hate looking off road for citations especially in murky places infested with overgrown bugs and air so heavy it looks like the foam on the top of a soap bubble. If they catch you it’s a beating, but usually a few credits or some barter can be arranged. Right now I’m low on credits and I’d hate to lose my recently acquired rock salt to those greedy fucks, so I’d parked my van deep into the trees near a rust colored creek and slept with my breather on all night. The com squeals again, the noise bounces off the walls of the empty cab like a cartoon bird flying straight towards my head.
“This is Creature”, I whispered hoping that the dispatcher would sense my half awake state and make their message brief.
“Hey Creature, we got a run up for grabs if you want it.” said a voice so high pitched that it could only be Abbi at the desk today. She was practically a baby anyway, but her voice had to shave at least a decade off of her true age. I shuffled to the very end of the cab and looked out of the van’s back windows. The light was high even with the tree cover which meant it must be after 10 by now. I hoofed it to the front of the van pulling my jumpsuit over my legs, tripping as I walked. It was too late in the day for a run to be available. Most days, the jobs are sorted out early and taken before anyone’s had a single sniff of rock salt or heard a coffee pot bubbling. It must be a shit job, one that’s either too annoying or too dangerous to bother. Dangerous isn’t ideal, but the credits are usually doubled and guaranteed by the company to be paid in full at the end of the run no matter what the customer scores on your rating sheet. Annoying jobs are just a fucking drag the whole way through but you usually go home with a bit more cash. Right now I had cash to burn, but credits, man I could really use some credits.
“Yeah ok”, I said, rubbing my prickly head. “What’s the job Bob?”
I could hear Abbi sighing over the com, she’s too young to appreciate unnecessary silliness and I’m pretty sure she finds it embarrassing to witness. She’ll learn, if she lives long enough, that nothing matters and we’re most certainly nothing more than bugs stuck on the windshield of the cosmos so you might as well act goofy sometimes, I mean fuck everyone else does right?
“It’s an Elizbeths run” she stammered her voice reaching near carving knife levels of sharpness.
I swung my arms over my head and kicked my legs against the dashboard.
“Oh fuck, an Elizabeths run, man I haven’t even been off pick up for less than 24 hours and you wake me up for this? Where’s TinsleyX isn’t she running overlap on this part of the grid?”
Abbi sighed and waited for my tantrum to subside. I wasn’t really that mad about the run, the Elizabeths are not an easy drive and they’re certainly not easy customers, but I wanted those guaranteed credits. I had a mattress at home with stale sheets and all of my clothes smelled like the bog and the back of a soda stand. I needed washing powder desperately, maybe even a new set of soft towels, or just some good music for the van. I’d tried using my cash for some of the powder you get off road, but those assholes have made it so that the washing machines won’t spin unless there’s zone approved washing powder inside it’s hungry guts. What I bought off road wasn’t even soap, it turned out to be ground rocks and artificial sweetener. I smelled so bad that by the end of the month I finally broke down one night and cried myself to sleep itchy and heavy hearted like a baby in a used diaper. Still, I had to make Abbi think that I wasn’t desperate enough to do the job without some added incentive. The Elizabeths are a nightmare from start to finish, but the dispatchers usually bear the full brunt of their collective ire. Abbi needed me more than I needed the job. I held my breath and waited for her to cave.
“Well look at it this way”, she said finally breaking the overdone silence, “you’ll get to see the ocean if you’re lucky. I’ll even throw in 10 extra credits from me personally if you make it there by 6 tonight.”
My foot was already on the gas pedal hovering and ready to push.
“You got it lady, it’s a deal.” I shouted into the com. I balanced the tray of rocksalt onto my lap taking small sniffs as I raced the van through knitted squares of pine branches until it met the road again. My tires wet from the creek mud painted lines behind me on the heated asphalt as I headed towards the ocean.
DEVIL HONEY
"I wanna know" is the debut solo single from Boston musician DEVIL HONEY aka Coco A-Go-Go. Sher directed and edited this video featuring local drag legend Sherman with back up by the Devil Honey Honeys.
Sogno Rosso trailer
This is the trailer for my short film " Sogno Rosso" which is about a woman's fever dream through grief guided by witches. It just was screened friday at the Motelex festival in Lisbon making its European debut. Since I sadly couldn't attend I thought I'd share it with you my fellow rag mags. Hope you enjoy and support DIY cinema!!!! – Coco
I truly believe that Ever by Flipper is one of the greatest songs of all time and the lyrics speak more the human condition than most philosophers. The lack of empathy and self-reflection is destroying our world. Lyrics by Bruce Loose/Lose. RIP
Ever live a life that's real?
Full of zest, but no appeal?
Ever want to cry so much...
You want to die?
Ever feel that you've been had?
Had so much that you turn mad?
Ever been so depressed that
(to) those you turn to, you bring distress?
Ever sit in tormenting silence,
That turns so loud you start to scream?
Ever take control of a dream,
And play all the parts, And set all the scenes?
Ever do nothing, and gain nothing from it?
Ever feel stupid, and then know that you really are?
Ever think you're smart, And then find out you aren't?
Ever play the fool, And then find out that you're worse?
Ever look at a flower and hate it?
Ever see a couple kissing, And get sickened by it?
Ever wish the human race didn't exist,
And then realize you're one too?
Well? Have you? Ever... I have
So What!
In addition to all the great Flipper records, I highly recommend Bruce Lose's solo record What's your name b/w Waking to sleep. Same vibes as Flipper but a little more experimental and well worth your time. Last I checked, Fusetron distro in Brooklyn still had some quantity of backstock of the single available. Lone release from 1983.
Our pal Jacob (https://www.fujichia.com/) made this wonderful mash up a few years ago of Flipper's Life with a free dance figure skating routine that matches up perfectly. Spend some time in his castle, there's all kinds of weird stuff in there.
Records of the week
First up is an all time classic, The Spaceshits Misbehavin' LP on sympathy from 1998. Second LP of 90s garage punk classics, featuring none other than young King Khan and BBQ. Sold this off long ago and was always a big regret. Found a copy at Armageddon Shop and stoked to have this back in the mix. Playing this one non-stop.
Next up is a new record from Metadona Records by Voragine, the panico 7". Incredible art and poster make a nice package and the 33rpm 7" works for this band as it almost feels like an LP for this tight, well recorded d-beat. Hits a variety of d-beat styles, but originality isn't the point with punk. Nice guitar playing and the change in styles keeps it fresh. You can feel the passion. Sick.
Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 29, 2016
Soul song of the day
Outta late 60's Baltimore, Joe Graves had a few good records, but my favorite has got be his Rack records release "It's got to be for real". I love when people go for it, and man, when he hits that got to be for real about halfway through, he fucking went beyond it.
Wasteland Chick
I’ll do you one better: Why is Bucky? Salutations, fellow Wasteland Chicks. Welcome back to hyperfixation central, as this W.C. has the insatiable urge to consume any movie and every movie with Bucky Barnes in it. Don’t ask me why. I-I think he’s neat 😀. Anyway, today we’ll be ripping the steering wheel out the car of Chappell Roan’s new-ish song “The Giver”. Now, y’all may be wonderin’ what this song has to do with today’s meme, so let me give you guys an answer: The answer is both Chappell and Bucky get the job done, as is the message of the song. Yes it’s two different contexts, but WHO CARES! Anyway, let’s start with the melody and rhythm, which I give a 8 out of ten. I like the modern-country vibes, as well as the addition of the violin and guitar (acoustic and electric). I also like the addition of the subtle “na-na-na’s” under the beat and in the chorus. It all adds a pop-punk and country feel to the song at the same time. Ear candy. Next we have the lyrics, which I give a nine out of ten. I love that while the song is a thinly veiled metaphor-for lesbian sex, I like the heavy lyrical repetitions of “She gets the job done!” It’s not exactly a feminist anthem, but hey, much like the winter soldier on a kill mission, us lesbians can get the job done! I also love the lyric “Ain’t no country boy quitter”. Take that southern men! I also-also love the lyric “Good luck findin’ a man with the means to rhinestone cowgirl all night long!” because, dykes, we all love to rhinestone cowgirl ALL night long! And we can all think of a girl who could bring her pink cowboy hat and rhinestone gun! Plus, I love the random country man back-up singer jumpscare towards the end where it just goes “~ShE gEtS ThE jOb DoNe~”. Also, dykes unite! Somebody grab that card from Futurama that talks and the Crushinator! Anyway, I give this song a 9 out of ten. It’s petty, vibe-able, ear candy, and has a good blend of country, pop, and petty. Don’t forget to get the job done (murder or otherwise), fellow Wasteland Chicks. LiaH ArdyH (not actually).
Sincerely, Wasteland Chick
Splinters by Leela Corman
That's it for this week Rag Mag. Here's some flyers and keep sending stuff in (ragmagclub @ proton.me)
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