Shouting Shorelines: Issue I

It's been a while since I've posted anything, but I'm too busy getting the great American education that we all strive for. I wish I had some nudes or some bands for you, but all I've got is the incredibly well made debut issue of Shouting Shorelines, a new zine from Long Island, NY. It's really blowing my mind that this was produced straight out of the dry monotonous suburbs that I'm living and breathing in. The art is fantastic, the writing is great, and the layout is pretty sick. So I'm going to cut into the middle of my writing because in the drafting of this post, I've written what is probably pages, removed it and tried to shorten it, but just ended up writing more theoretical shit on grassroots organization and how it could really foster a community in a place when creativity and expression is almost non-existent. So here we go, I tried once again to write about the zine and I've failed. So instead, just read one of the very last pieces called Long Island Radical History in Context. It's insanely well written and pretty much fueled the word vomit I was experiencing prior to it's removal from this post. It's brilliant and beautiful and in my position as a young Long Islander, I lacked any knowledge of this experience. You should read it and become enlightened by the invisible history of our suburbs. Fucking brilliant. Too emotional right now.

Barry Block Landscape Design

STRONG ISLAND DIY PT II: NANAPALOOZA

This is a band called Shattered Darlings and Liquid Kisses. They're from the very far out and sweet town of Valley Stream, NY where members of SDLK have created the DIY basement venue of Nana's. These kids have full reign of the entire basement floor of their grandparent's home. From the street, it looks like perfect suburbia with well maintained landscapes, fancy cars, big homes with nice clean siding, and even when there are bands playing, the street is still and quiet. I really had no idea if anything was even happening there, but I pushed open a magical door and entered a mystical cave of wonders. Exotic fabrics hang from the walls and ceiling along with strung Christmas lights and a plaque or sign of sorts that reads NANA'S. There are fliers on the walls from past shows making this basement in the suburbs feel like a DIY venue in the city. In between sets kids are outside in the backyard smoking and getting crunked with some fancy patio furniture and an enchanting secret garden where their grandparents are dealing drugs. Ok, I might be exaggerating about the last few bits, but anyway, the main point is that Nana's is the dopest place I've been in Long Island and it's only open for the summer; but if you're in a band, you should play there. Or you're trapped in Strong Island for the summer, you should really really make your way out there! It's pretty rad. The future of Nana's holds great things.