Roctober Magazine Edited & Published by Jake Austen Reviewed by Chris Auman Roctober #48 Roctober is another publication in the line of long-running Chicago zines. As action-packed as ever, Roctober hasn’t changed much in its almost twenty-year reign as the preeminent rag and resource for all things rock and roll. Issue number forty-eight, like it’s predecessors, is chock full of dynamic greatness and filled to the margins with rockness. Roctober switched to a half and half zine format with the back half (or is it the front half?) featuring comics, including a twenty-page “Gumballhead the Cat” and the usual suspects “Punk’n’Head” and the slow moving “Rockin’ Ace”. The front half (or is it the back half?) is where you'll find interviews and assorted articles. This time around we get the goods on White Sox organist Nancy Faust; Chicago Soul singer, Hellen Wooten; the umpteenth but always entertaining Nardwuar/Snoop Dog hookup; an article on Cleveland legends, Easter Monkeys, and Larry Pig Gold chats with one-time Dee Dee Ramone wife, Vera Ramone King. But wait there’s more in the form of a shizzle load of record, CD, book and comic reviews. All this for the incredibly low price of four friggin’ clams!!!! Roctober #49 Another action-packed issue of the rag tag Roctober zine. Comics by John Porcellino, King Merinuk, Rob Syer. Craploads of reviews and interviews. Jake interviews his long-time musical hero Glenn Danzig and tries his best not to annoy the Devil-Locked One. (Glenn’s publicist warns Jake in advance not to bring up the Misfits, or try to be funny and to exceed fifteen minutes. Does he comply with these wishes? Find out.) Jake also talks to Zero Boy’s Paul Mahern who walks Jake through each track of their blisteringly awesome 1982 record Vicious Circle. AND, if all that wasn’t enough, we get us some Nardwuar. Love me some Nardwaur. AND, if a dose of the Human Serviette isn’t enough, the interviewee is no less than the iconic John Lydon! Also included in #49 are articles, interviews, updates and columns by the likes Gentlemen John Battles and Larry Pig Gold. In summation, to quote former Governor Roddy B: "I got this thing and it's effing golden". Roctober #50 Twenty years and fifty issues of Roctober. Kinda hard to believe, but you can believe it because it’s true and I tell the truth and I’m telling it to you right now, so there. This anniversary issue revisits some of the artists that have been featured in the past and publisher, Jake Austen, steps out from behind the curtain to weigh in here and there on the content, thereby breaking a rule of his to never insert himself into the story. Roctober always did chuck the rules out the window, however, and this is certainly an occasion to do so. In addition to interviews and updates, there are, of course, several tons of the comics and reviews we’ve all come to expect from this crazy hodgepodge of a magazine. (Full disclosure: there's even a Cassetty Comic or two). Here’s to another 25 years or Roctober! READ: Aninterview with Roctober's Jake Austen!
© 1993-2024 RoosterCow Media

Roctober Magazine

Edited & Published by Jake Austen

Roctober #48

Roctober is another publication in the line of long-running Chicago zines. As action-packed as ever, Roctober hasn’t changed much in its almost twenty-year reign as the preeminent rag and resource for all things rock and roll. Issue number forty-eight, like it’s predecessors, is chock full of dynamic greatness and filled to the margins with rockness.

Roctober switched to a half and half zine format with the back half (or is it the front half?) featuring comics, including a twenty-page “Gumballhead the Cat” and the usual suspects “Punk’n’Head” and the slow moving “Rockin’ Ace”. The front half (or is it the back half?) is where you'll find interviews and assorted articles. This time around we get the goods on White Sox organist Nancy Faust; Chicago Soul singer, Hellen Wooten; the umpteenth but always entertaining Nardwuar/Snoop Dog hookup; an article on Cleveland legends, Easter Monkeys, and Larry Pig Gold chats with one-time Dee Dee Ramone wife, Vera Ramone King. But wait there’s more in the form of a shizzle load of record, CD, book and comic reviews. All this for the incredibly low price of four friggin’ clams!!!!

Roctober #49

Another action-packed issue of the rag tag Roctober zine. Comics by John Porcellino, King Merinuk, Rob Syer. Craploads of reviews and interviews. Jake interviews his long-time musical hero Glenn Danzig and tries his best not to annoy the Devil-Locked One. (Glenn’s publicist warns Jake in advance not to bring up the Misfits, or try to be funny and to exceed fifteen minutes. Does he comply with these wishes? Find out.)

Jake also talks to Zero Boy’s Paul Mahern who walks Jake through each track of their blisteringly awesome 1982 record Vicious Circle. AND, if all that wasn’t enough, we get us some Nardwuar. Love me some Nardwaur. AND, if a dose of the Human Serviette isn’t enough, the interviewee is no less than the iconic John Lydon! Also included in #49 are articles, interviews, updates and columns by the likes Gentlemen John Battles and Larry Pig Gold. In summation, to quote former Governor Roddy B: "I got this thing and it's effing golden".

Roctober #50

Twenty years and fifty issues of Roctober. Kinda hard to believe, but you can believe it because it’s true and I tell the truth and I’m telling it to you right now, so there. This anniversary issue revisits some of the artists that have been featured in the past and publisher, Jake Austen, steps out from behind the curtain to weigh in here and there on the content, thereby breaking a rule of his to never insert himself into the story. Roctober always did chuck the rules out the window, however, and this is certainly an occasion to do so. In addition to interviews and updates, there are, of course, several tons of the comics and reviews we’ve all come to expect from this crazy hodgepodge of a magazine. (Full disclosure: there's even a Cassetty Comic or two). Here’s to another 25 years or Roctober!

READ: Aninterview with Roctober's Jake Austen!