Sometimes you have days when you know that the world can be a good place. The day that an envelope with a German post-mark arrived on my doorstep was one such day. In contrast to how the weather has been of late, this little package brought some sun into my life in the shape of 3, count'em 3 copies of issue 2 of CONFUSION magazine. Confusion is the latest project from Jonny Hay who had been one of the guys behind the long running but now sadly dead CONCUSSION magazine.
Which brings me to the stickers that were also chucked in the envelope. I got some nice Confusion stickers and a full colour selection of HOAX stickers, the clothing brand that Jonny is also involved with. Stickers were a fully functioning currency when I was a kid and for that reason still seem overly important to me. Getting a handful of stickers in with a mail order purchase makes a big difference to me. There have been companies that I've bought stuff from and as a result of a stickerless package, never bought from them again.
Maybe it's me, maybe my thing with stickers juvenile and out-dated and to black-ball a mail-order company just because they didn't give me any free stickers is totally reactionary and unfair. But I don't think so, and I think Jonny at Confusion would agree with me as would the guys at Deluxe and the guys at Low Card and if you ever order stuff from Shiner you'll even get a personalized box with a selection of customized insults and knob jokes (with illustrations) and of course a big grin from the post-man that hands it to you who's just spent the last 15 minutes reading the box.
The Magazine itself is brilliant. Nicely printed, jam packed with articles and contributions from scenes all over Europe and the world, not all countries are represented in this one issue, that would just be mental.
Highlights for me were the interviews. I love being British, it's the bollox frankly, but I also love being part of Europe, so hearing from people who have helped build scenes in places like France and Austria goes to show just how much we have in common. It also gives me itchy feet and makes a trip Basque country the only sane thing to do with a spare long weekend.
CONFUSION magazine is available in more countries than I can be bothered to list here but you can check out how to get you copy at the Mag's website, which has a ton more articles and features for you to check out. There's a spot check on the awesome new Munich park up at the moment.
For UK types you can get CONFUSION from lovenskate for a measly £4, and I'll have two copies in my bag for the first two people to ask me, they'll be free though.(I'll be skating in South London tonight so if you see me remember to ask)
[LIALC]
Nyerrrrr we're off to that Hamburg bowl! Have that.
ReplyDeleteTop issue mind, good work that fella.