I can remember when I picked up my first fanzine in the 80s — it was called FLIPSIDE. It became my go-to zine until MRR came along. As I have aged, my love for zines has grown because now I see them as archival instruments and time capsules of what the past looked and sounded like. Case in point is Industrial Nation — this ’90s fanzine served the underground and gave a voice to those who didn’t have one. It’s time for y’all to check out some past issues, thanks to the Wayback Machine!
Literature played an important role in my experience of industrial. Perhaps the most interesting example is Industrial Nation magazine. I owned most if not quite all of the print run and it was the most well-circulated periodical covering this scene. Ironically, between being a broke kid and the fact that the records were hard to find, I read about so many groups that I never got to listen to. As a musician, I feel like I was so influenced by what I imagined this music would sound like versus what it may have actually sounded like. Weird, right?
– Todd Manning, “An Unusual Perspective on ’90s Industrial Music”
CVLT Nation
