Jordan Swartz-The Rad Times #26

For almost a decade I ran a photo zine and book publisher, but in my head it was a record label, as that was the only model I knew. Growing up in hardcore and punk, we made our own because no one else was going to do it for us. I put out my own zines because I wasn’t going to wait around for someone else’s approval, I put out other people’s work because I believed in what they were doing, regardless of financial return. People would ask me business or logistical questions and every time in my mind I would run the question through a Rube Goldberg machine made of the pieces of Dischord records, Deathwish Inc, and No Idea Records.

When I found the essay, Rethinking labels, by Yancy Strickler, it hit home on something I don’t think I’d ever verbalized but have carried internally since I was a young teen. It’s not necessarily about individual projects but about the larger whole and intent. I’ve been thinking about this idea a lot recently as I’m trying to figuring out the confines of a new studio/ home to release the things I want to see in the world. I want to put out my own art and photography books, customized objects and items, friends records and novels, honestly whatever I want. The actual releases are less important to me than the overall feeling of the larger whole.

Thanks for hanging!
Be good to each other.

I had the chance to do the art and layout for my old friend Matt Nasty’s new Rock ‘n’ Roll record. Matt and I grew up going to shows together and he was the drummer in the first band I toured with, we’ve crossed the country together more times than I can count. He recently recorded some solo songs and I was stoked to help on the art as well as a lyric video (below) and t shirt.

This newsletter has made me realize how fascinated I am by Ivy style fashion and it’s movement through the world post WWII. In the summer before the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, a group of youths dubbed Miyuki-Zoku, after the street they gathered on, sported slim suits, high hems, and oxford shirts in an act of rebellion against the boring black uniforms and cultural ways of the previous generation. Spurred by a new magazine, Heibon Punch, the young boys and girls latched on to the Ivy Style to rebel in a society known for it’s assimilation. In mid September, the police cracked down and hauled off a large number of kids, with the style and gathering dying out after that. The styles still look so good and in a time where very little is truly rebellious anymore, it’s wild to think that a high hem and starched shirt could rile so many people.

I’ve seen James Victore’s work previously but didn’t know the name until recently at a friend’s house I had the chance to look through his 2010 monograph "Victore or, Who Died and Made You Boss?" It’s a beautiful book that showcases the highlights of a long career and gives background to some of the pieces. His work is quick and loose, but thoughtful. He likes to take a stand and have an opinion and doesn’t comprise his morals for a buck.

A group of students in the Netherlands have developed a prototype electric car, made from standardized parts the car can easily be replaced or repaired. It allows drivers to not rely on dealerships or manufacturers, the vehicle even comes with its own built in tool box. In a world of depleting resources, more car companies need to be moving this direction, if our cities aren’t going to build robust public transit then at least let’s develop electric vehicles that are more sustainable than anything on the road right now.

I look for design inspiration everywhere, and when my girlfriend passed along Molly Woodward’s Vernacular Typography, it quickly got added to my bookmark rotation. Documenting Brooklyn and beyond, Molly’s website and instagram are a treasure trove of lettering found in the built world. The establishments and forms vary but they offer a glimpse into time, place, and economics.

Album art is how I got into design and still some of my favorite projects to work on. Record sleeves were originally used to protect the records from scratches and dust, as they grew in sales, Columbia Records decided to start utilizing that outer real estate. Starting as marketing and eventually moving to a piece of art in their own right, as well as an extension of the music and musical artist.

Nine Inch Nails- Customizable Poster - A poster printed in multiple layers, so you can tear and destroy as you see fit, no two being the same.

Thom Browne- Newsstand - Many people have shared their take on a newsstand and I love them every time. This one features a zine of Robbie Lawrence’s photos of Thom Browne models on the streets of Tokyo.

The Posters of Punk and Post-Punk - Curated by writer Philip Hoare, the show features a collection of posters from the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Mark Lanegan “Bubblegum” - Lanegan always seemed the type of artist I should like, but couldn’t quite get into. A couple weeks ago I retried this 2004 album and it’s been on heavy rotation since.

Bitter Branches “Let’s Give The Land Back To The Animals” - Featuring a who’s who of hardcore legends, this record is angry, blunt, and heavy as hell.