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FOUR MINUTES
TO MIDNIGHT
Issue Twelve
November 2011
FOUR MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT: ISSUE XII
conceived and composed by Kevin Lo and John W. Stuart
editorial assistance: Jessica Alley, Sophie Le Phat Ho, Sara McCulloch, and Heather Stewart
Expozine photos by Camille McCouat ( 2, 42, 44, 124, 126 )
and Denis-Carl Robidoux ( 10, 40 )
cover illustration by Billy Mavreas
in collaboration with Archive Montreal
printed by Imprimerie Kata Soho
Première question Pourquoi faire un fanzine ? Oui pourquoi ? Pourquoi ! Rentrons dans le
vif du sujet, dans le flan aux œufs de la question. Je dirais que tu dois faire un zine
parce que tu es un être de fantasme oppressé par la société. Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ?
Qu’on vole ta voix sur-aiguë continuellement. Qu’on te met des mots dans la bouche et
qu’après on te convainc que t’as vraiment dis ça. Que les mêmes truies qui écrivent les
magazines débiles que tu lies sont celles qui se plaignent de ton mode de vie sous prétexte
que c’était écrit dedans le magazine. Tu vois la crosse ?
Deuxième question Comment faire un fanzine ? C’est pas compliqué. Le pire, c’est de mettre
dans l’état de choc-toxique. Tu te soûles la gueule d’ineurgidrinque. Tu te gaves de haine
envers tes aïeuls et tu écris. Dans le fond un zone, c’est juste une feuille, des mots et des
décorations.
Vincent Couture
Clémentine, Numéro 5
Ten years is a short, long time. A moment,
an eternity.
Ten years ago I was quitting my first ‘real’ job
in Toronto and moving back to Montréal. The
FTAA protest in Québec City was a fresh scar
in my mind and body, a permanent reminder
of the world that exists outside of my relative
priviledge. It was also my first glimpse into the
world of possibilities that emerges when we
finally say no and do it ourselves.
We met on the front lawn of the VA building,
smoking cigarettes and fuming at the world,
trying to find the place, our place, where
graphic design might contribute to the struggle.
Trying to learn how to do it ourselves. It would
eventually lead to this zine, and many other
projects, some doomed to failure, others still
growing. At the time though, all we had were
a few ideas and a new city splayed in front of
us. Then those towers fell, and shit got uglier,
meaner, more dangerous.
Ten years on, and things are still pretty ugly out
there. I think of Troy Davis murdered last month.
I think of Palestine. I think of the austerity and
poverty we are promised. I think
of the screens we stare at and the
words and gestures we now lack.
Over time we mobilised, and we
forgot, and we mobilised again and
forgot again. We got jobs, we lost
jobs, had our hearts broken and
mended inumerable times. We kept
smoking and fuming.
Yeah, it’s still ugly out there…
Despite it all, I have to say it’s still
beautiful in here. Inside all these
hidden spaces, the backrooms of
small bars, factory loft apartments
where strange jazz rings out, snowy
alleyways speckled by poppy
seeds and all the wobbly balconies
attached to them. Immense church
basements where we meet and
exchange. The margins of the page.
Expozine, Montreal’s annual small
press, comics and zine fair, is one
such place. It’s emblematic of all
these spaces, of a bubbling and
frothing creative culture that won’t
take no for an answer. Inspired by
the Anarchist book fair, but without
the ideological bent (though I would
argue that making honest shit
yourself these days is pretty damn
political, even if it is about the cats
in your alleyway), Expozine emerged
out of necessity. From a couple of
tables set up in the venerable Sala
Rossa it has grown into two sweat
packed days in a church basement,
with almost 300 exhibitors each
year and thousands upon thousands
passing through. It continues to grow
because people feel the need to
make something that speaks of their
experience of; art making, gender
identity, politics, being, or just plain
madness. It grows because people
have so many things they need
to share.
This November, Expozine celebrates
it’s tenth anniversary. In collaboration
with Archive Montreal, this issue of
Four Minutes to Midnight is dedicated
to that celebration and to all those
that have participated in the festival
over the years. It is by no means an
attempt at a comprehensive nor
authoratative anthology. It is an
intimate sampling of those we’ve
rubbed shoulders with in the beautiful
space created by Expozine.
John and Kevin
Lianne Zannier
Les Chations du Quartier
four minutes
Zinebec:
When will it come?
BY ANDY BROWN
Originally published in La Voce del Popoplo, Vol. 1 No. 1
Fall /Automne 2001
Montreal is the only major city in Canada that does not have an
independent book fair. Toronto has Canzine (run by the folks at Broken
Pencil magazine), a small press fair, and a cut-and-paste festival.
Ottawa, Vancouver, even Edmonton all have zine and book fairs. But
where is our Zinebec? Ironically, Montreal is positioned to have the
most diverse and successful fair of any city. What I see at Canzine are
hundreds of tables of the same thing (with a few notable exceptions),
yet I am constantly amazed by the amount of book/magazine/CD
launches, commix jams, and cabaret shows that take place around
Montreal, sometimes two or three a week. And those are just the ones I
know about or in which I am involved. Montreal has an internationally
renowned bandes dessinés/comix community, independent record
labels, artist book exhibitions, some of the best zines in the country,
Distroboto, and a spoken word community which has become the envy
of other cities. And at the risk of banging my dear reader over the head,
remember all of this is in two official languages.
The recent success of the Anarchist Book and Freedom Fair proved
that there is a lot of interest in independent publications. However,
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Simon Bossé
Mille Putois
to midnight
those tables were filled solely with politically–oriented tracts. If these
kinds of crowds will come out for a single genre, imagine the potential
in a fair that would feature many vibrant and overlapping scenes. We
need a fair that is representative of all the communities and all the
languages which make this city such a unique place to live.
Montreal hosts an impressive array of homegrown culture. There
are only a handful of English–language small presses operating in
the city, but there is a wealth of talent. Perhaps this is because the
mentality here is to be truly independent, which means not being
dependent on Chapters to sell your book, nor on government subsidies
in the form of grants. So the cultural product is out there, but it must
be sold through alternative avenues since mainstream culture has
monopolized the distribution networks. We have been very adept so
far but the most beneficial way to sell and promote these independent
publications is at a huge and diverse fair. Zinebec is born!
The gauntlet has been thrown down. Who shall pick it up?
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14
BY JESSICA ALLEY
I had lived in Montreal less than a month when a co-worker took
me to a show at Cagibi. I was so new to the city that I got lost trying
to find her place on Colonial, wandering north on St-Denis instead.
But the night was beautiful and I was free, surrounded by unknown
ruelles and dimly lit avenues, engulfed by a polyphony of languages;
an outsider in the middle of everything, hungrily taking in this
pauperized bounty of prosperity.
This night is pertinent to my memory for many reasons. On our
way to the show, we stopped at a dep to buy beer for the walk. In Nova
Scotia, such conveniences simply don’t exist. Cagibi turned out to be a
cozy closet-sized cafe of mismatched armchairs, worn-in upholstery,
softly glowing table lamps and a fusion of aromas that wafted lazily
around the room, coiling under noses and erupting tummy rumbles.
The show was a Neil Young tribute; a suitable marriage, I thought,
of my love for Neil and my newly discovered love for Montreal. But
most important were the cultural discoveries I made that night: a zine
called Four Minutes to Midnight and something called a Distroboto,
an ingenious machine that serves up small packets of hand-crafted art.
It would take more than a few months, but eventually I would walk up
the right avenue in this cultural landscape and find myself just where I
wanted to be — surrounded by heaps of zines and scores of Distroboto
machines.
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four minutes
It’s in a commercial loft off of rue Beaubien that Archive Montreal
calls home. This is where I found myself one evening last June, amidst
hundreds of zines and old cigarette vending machines awaiting their
reincarnation as Distrobotos. This is where I met Louis Rastelli and
spent the next few hours chatting with him about his DIY lifestyle
and Expozine.
Louis Rastelli is a founding member of Archive Montreal, a
collective of friends and associates who have been a prominent part
of Montreal’s independent arts scene since the early 90’s. Archive
Montreal is the umbrella organization responsible for Expozine,
Montreal’s annual zine fair, the Distroboto network of art-vending
machines, and several other cultural initiatives centered on the
promotion of independent literature and art. Registered in 1998, the
Archive initially took on the task of housing the members’ impressive
zine collections, which I imagine were once stacked throughout their
apartments in precarious, teetering towers, with bookmarks stuck out
from between pages, grazing the legs of whoever was bold enough to
walk so close. The towers have since been transported, and now they
live amongst each other in a similar organized chaos.
Louis is hands down one of the most interesting people I’ve ever talked
to. He knows so much about do-it-yourself culture and relays his
knowledge in an incessant stream of intelligent chatter. Drumming a
list off the top of his head, he suggested that anyone interested in this
DIY credo should just “get a blog going, put out a zine as well, maybe
make some post cards or other products… I grew up, in my early teens,
listening to activist-type punk, Crass was probably the band that
influenced me the most, and a big part of it is that it’s really important
to have the ability to put out your own stuff.”
Writing for zines since he was 15 and creating his own at 16,
Louis has had a platform for self-expression since the late 80’s. “I
was probably 12 or 13 when I started buying zines. I got a radio show
at the university station when I was 16. I started writing for a local
newspaper reviewing bands, and doing zines and buying zines.” In
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1996, Louis founded Fish Piss magazine, correctly guessing that the
local creative community needed more outlets to be published in. With
this infatuation influencing his early years and shaping his adulthood,
it’s not surprising that by the late 90’s, he and his friends were itching
to create a book fair of sorts in Montreal. “Because we were in the biz,
we were long time zine people, DIY people, and we knew that it was
getting frustrating. It was getting harder to find places to sell stuff in,
and if you can’t get your stuff out there, what’s the point?”
Finally, in 2002, four years after Archive Montreal was established,
Louis co-founded Expozine, which has since grown to become one of
the biggest zine fairs in North America. This year, Expozine turns ten,
with a profusion of reasons to celebrate. “There’s no other fair with
300 different publishers. So we have publishers like Microcosm and
other American publishers, alternative presses, that go to all the fairs
in North America, and they’re the ones who tell us ‘Wow, this is like the
shit!’ ” And they’re right. Squeezing though the congested aisles last
year, casting my voracious stare over every table, I devoured the array
of zines surrounding me. I wanted to buy them all. A mini hand-drawn
zine titled L’Éléphant triste came home with me, as did about ten more,
all creative, all unique; some stapled together, some beautifully bound.
Expozine has come a long way since its premiere at Sala Rossa nearly
a decade ago. Although it has since relocated to the basement of the
St-Enfant-Jésus Church, size and space are still the main challenges
Expozine faces. “Within the first year of Expozine, we realized
that the need we had a hunch about was totally there, and now the
challenge was ‘okay, how do we expand?’ ” said Louis. “We’ve done a
lot in ten years, we’ve proven that we’re here for good, and that the
need for our stuff isn’t about to go away, but we’ve never tapped the
potential, really. The ultimate goal is to continue coming up with ways
that can make it easy for the public to access the world of zines and
underground, alternative, DIY publishing, creation and culture.” The
barrage of bodies moving like molasses through the church basement
is a testament to Expozine’s necessary expansion. But when grants are
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four minutes
Fish Piss covers by
Jean-Pierre Chansigaud, Siris,
Caro Caron, Uncle Costa
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so difficult to obtain, and every year is a gruelling, precarious process
of filling out applications and appealing to sponsors, expanding to a
larger venue is easier said than done.
As Louis admits, the issue of expansion raises some difficult
questions, and he immediately begins to question himself as he
ponders the issue out loud. “I mean we have serious growing pains,
we need a bigger space, we turn away too many people. Maybe we
don’t need a bigger space though, because we don’t want to go to, you
know, a convention hall — it’s more the comfort of it. We could have
400 exhibitors, but then is there time? Is it too much for one weekend?
Maybe there are different formulas. I don’t know what the answer is, but
we’re really waaaay outgrowing the space and the formula that we have.
Our reputation is bigger, so more people from more places want to take
part, but we don’t want to squeeze out the locals either, because it’s a
priority in Montreal, and we like to keep a language balance as well...”
But a form of expansion, so to speak, has been occurring. Slowly
and surely, Louis and Archive Montreal have been expanding across
the ocean to France. “The government of France is way more open
to different kinds of art, especially compared to the government of
Quebec. The amazing thing is, 90% of our trouble with grants has been
with Quebec, for both Expozine and Distroboto… Here in Quebec we
have good, professional standards, normal stuff, just like everybody
else…” he mocked. “That seems to be their preoccupation, you know? I
mean, who gets most of the money? It’s not the weirdo music festivals,
it’s the Jazz Fest and FrancoFolies. We have issues with that, in France
they don’t though.”
Last year, Louis and two of the artist collectives that have
participated in Expozine over the years, were completely funded by the
government of France to take a trip to Fanzinothèque, one of the largest
zine libraries in the world. “They get over a hundred zines a month
in the mail, and they’re getting them from more and more different
countries,” he said. “I brought a selection, as much as my suitcase
could allow, from the 60’s to today, a selection of zines from Quebec
from our Archive.” So, although the notion of physically expanding
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Expozine raises challenging questions, culturally, Louis and Expozine
are expanding internationally and creating literary ties. Later that year,
Louis formally invited the Fanzinotèque team to Expozine, where they
had a table, gave a presentation and scooped up a ton of zines to bring
back to their Archive. Louis, of course, did the same, adding plenty
of European zines to the archive. “We’re really happy to have more of
this international kind of reputation and partnership. After ten years,
hopefully this is really just the beginning of the next step.”
So it’s clear that people care about zines and that zines matter. It’s also
clear that Expozine matters, as more and more people, both Canadian
and international, rush to be a part of it every year. “There’s always
going to be something being ignored, not talked about, and that’s
where zines come in,” mentioned Louis. Zines often speak from the
margins, with counter-cultural topics that wouldn’t have a place in the
mainstream — but not always. Speaking about the term ‘underground’
Louis said “to us it’s less about the content than the fact of it. We have
older poetry writers, or middle aged writers who have a literary club,
who book a table to sell their annual collection of poems or something
like that, it’s not very underground content. But still, it’s the act of not
waiting around or hoping that some other publisher will do it for you
someday, and then just getting together and printing it.”
And whether you’re getting together with friends to print a
collective zine, or chatting with people you’ve just met at Expozine,
or hanging out stapling zines with a bunch of fellow procrastinators
the night before, it’s that sense of camaraderie that makes Expozine
so wonderful, so important. Louis told me a beautiful story about an
older Chinese woman who had a table at last year’s Expozine, who had
printed her own book about how to learn Chinese. “And I wasn’t sure
if she’d make it much past the first day of Expozine,” he continued.
“But by the end of the first day I noticed she was talking to the people
next to her, and the second day she came up and said ‘this is so much
fun, I didn’t know so many people did this too, just went ahead and
published their book.’ And even though her book had like zero to do
with anything else in that whole room, she felt this empowerment that
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she was among a ton of people from all sorts of places and all sorts of
subjects and interests, doing just that. And obviously it encouraged
her to do that, to keep doing it.”
“I’ve always been firm on the fact that ‘doing it yourself ’ is more
of a political act than the content of it. It doesn’t have to be political
content. You’re already doing something, not so much against the
system, but for self-empowerment, if you’re doing it yourself.”
I let those last words resonate as I waited for Louis to lock up, the first
to arrive and the last to leave, burnt out from hours of working on
grant applications and long meetings. As the last lights flickered off, it
became obvious that aside from all the blood, sweat, time and money
Louis’ DIY ethic requires, ultimately, it’s about a heart-felt devotion to
other people; the teachers, the poets, the weirdos and punks, all those
that’ve still got something to say.
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22
PAR SARA MCCULLOCH ET KEVIN LO
Pascal-Angelo Fioramore est un artiste intransigeant qui chapeaute
son temps entre une carrière de chanteur-performeur au sein
des Abdigradationnistes, un poste d’éditeur au sein des Éditions
Rodrigol, un DJ populaire, des ambitions poétiques depuis la
parution du bouquin Têtagoise et le doux sobriquet d’homme au
foyer, en étant paternel hors pair. Il a vendu son âme à L’Empire
Rodrigol et est membre de l’unique club A.T.R. (Action Terroriste
Ridicule). Il aime particulièrement se charger des samosas lors de la
foire Expozine.
Quand avez-vous découvert le milieu des petits éditeurs indépendants ?
En 2003, lors de la foire Expozine, nous avions fait paraître un seul titre
avec les Éditions Rodrigol et nous cherchions une façon de le rendre
disponible et d’obtenir de la visibilité. Il y avait aussi à la même époque
les premières éditions du Marché de la poésie et de l’activité autour de
la parution de la revue Steak Haché.
Quel était votre livre paru ?
Le titre fondateur de la maison est celui d’Annie Gauthier, De Dieu et de
ma camisole de force. C’est un récit autobiographique tellement éclaté
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qu’il est difficile de savoir ce qui est réel et ce qui ne l’est pas. Une forme
de quête complètement supplantée par un épisode de psychose intense.
Aviez-vous eu des échanges avec d’autres petits éditeurs avant ? Et comment
était la communauté littéraire à Montréal à ce moment ?
Pas vraiment, en fait j’avais vu des projets indépendants comme le
recueil collectiff de Mitsiko Miller, La vache enragée mais pas plus. C’est
sûr qu’il y avait déjà quelques publications indépendantes dans le
monde musical, comme Kérozen dirigé par Pat K.
Est-ce que les Éditions Rodrigol était déjà connues ? Qu’est-ce qui vous a
amené à produire des livres ? Dans le monde de l’édition ?
C’est ce projet qui a parti le bal en question mais bon cela fesait déjà
presque 10 ans à l’époque que notre regroupement nommé L’Empire
Rodrigol (un collectif de création multidisciplinaire) produisait des
cabarets, des disques et des courts-métrages. Le fait de commencer à
coucher sur papier nos productions semblait naturel.
Cela me plaisait bien de pouvoir travailler avec d’autres créateurs,
de pouvoir échanger sur le travail et la production d’une œuvre qui
n’était pas la mienne. Sans compter le fait que le projet des Éditions
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Rodrigol en était un dirigé à trois, par André Racette, Claudine Vachon
et moi-même. Cela apporte des dynamiques de travail très différentes
de la production d’oeuvres en solo.
Comment avez-vous croisé Louis Rastelli ? Et comment avez-vous été mis en
contact avec le monde de l’édition ici à Montréal ?
Je l’ai rencontré lors de la foire où l’on était la première fois. Et par
le fait même découvert tout un pan de la culture underground que
je connaissais que très peu. J’ai été rapidement très enthousiaste de
pouvoir rencontrer les acteurs de cette scène.
Après notre deuxième année à titre d’exposant, nous avons
approché Louis afin de donner un coup de main autant au point de
vue de la correction du français, de la logistique de l’événement,
mais surtout en la recherche de d’autres créateurs de livres et zines
francophones.
Quand vous êtes allé à Expozine pour la première fois, trouviez-vous qu’il y
avait assez de représentation de la production francophone?
C’est clair que non, mais, en fait, je ne m’attendais pas non plus à
grand-chose. C’est justement cette découverte d’un monde parallèle
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anglophone qui nous a fait se dire que nous voulions aussi y participer
et rassembler des créateurs francophones.
Avec les années, est-ce que le nombre de petits éditeurs a augmenté ? Et quels
sont les autres éditeurs ou fanzines que vous aimez ?
Je crois qu’il y a un effet très significatif de la présence d’Expozine et
de la production de plus d’œuvres du genre du côté francophone. Il y
a une partie de la production qui se veut plus établie (l’éditeur au sens
propre du terme), j’avais l’impression à vue de nez que le DIY n’était pas
moins présent mais pas nécessairement ce qui était le plus recherché
dans les productions francophones. J’étais néophyte aussi, il faut dire.
Depuis le temps, bien sûr j’aime le travail de L’Oie de Cravan, cette
exactitude dans la beauté des choses, cet amour de la publication. Je
constate d’ailleurs qu’il y a véritablement des amateurs du genre. Des
passionnés des beaux objets/livres. Mais dans un autre spectre, il y a la
gang du FAS ou les petits trucs qui ne durent que le temps d’un salon.
Il faut être un amoureux du papier d’abord, et ensuite le travail se fait
tout seul.
Comment les fanzines ont-ils évolués depuis quelques années ?
Je crois que la qualité a augmenté par l’utilisation de certaines
technologies, ou du moins cela est plus facile de produire un beau
zine... mais est-il bon ? Tout se discute. Et il ne faut pas oublier qu’il y a
des techniques qui vont se perdre par ces mutations technologiques. Je
demeure donc prudent sur la qualité des objets qui sont produits.
Pensez-vous que les productions indépendantes jouent un plus grand rôle au
Québec que dans d’autres parties du Canada ou d’Amérique du nord ?
Je ne sais pas réellement l’impact que cela peu avoir même ici.
Je constate une plus grande ouverture, une augmentation de la
production et de la qualité des oeuvres, mais y établir une comparaison
avec l’étranger, je ne sais pas. Nous avons tout de même un empire de
300 millions de gens à côté de nous, il faut se garder une petite gêne.
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Est-ce possible d’expérimenter facilement à Montréal ? Et comment la
communauté artistique vous perçoit depuis quelques années ?
Je pense que je pourrais produire des fanzines ou des livres assez
facilement ailleurs, ceci étant dit la diffusion et l’ouverture de public
Montréalais semble assez exceptionnel. Je me base aussi sur des
commentaires recueillis d’exposants venants des Etats-Unis et de
France.
Aujourd’hui je sais que Rodrigol fait partie prenante de cette
scène et j’apprécie vraiment d’avoir des rencontres avec un public
respectueux et curieux de savoir ce que nous allons produire de
nouveau.
Que pouvez-vous dire à propos de la communauté créatrice de Montréal ?
Elle est importante et essentielle à la vitalité culturelle du Québec. Elle
à une particularité sur cette portion de continent qu’il faut absolument
savoir mettre en valeur et promouvoir, afin de pousser le public à être
plus curieux et plus intéressé à ce qui se produit ici.
En entrant dans sa 10ième année, qu’est-ce que vous pensez qu’Expozine a
changé à Montréal, quel est son impact ?
Expozine a réussi à créer un événement incontournable, gigantesque
pour ses moyens de productions, une diffusion monstres de créations
originales, un positionnement génial pour la ville auprès des réseaux
de créateurs internationaux et ce, sans le soutien réel des médias dit
traditionnels. Comme un coup de pied au cul des structures établies
qui, année après année, préfères parler d’un ixième livre de cuisine
publié à l’occasion du Salon du livre de Mourial, rendant le tout
complètement obsolète.
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BY VINCENT TINGUELY
Billy Mavreas is an artist, archivist, collector, curator, and mentor.
He co-runs Monastiraki, a hybrid curiosity shop /art space on Saint
Laurent blvd. Breaking into the consciousness of the creative realm
in the late-eighties with his street poster designs for the Montreal
literary and spoken word scenes, he’s long since become a fixture
in the independent arts community, the go-to reference for eclectic
curiosities and printed ephemera. He’s been involved in Expozine
since it started.
vincent tinguely How do you see your evolution as an artist?
billy mavreas My evolution as an artist… I think my challenge as
an artist for the last few years has been to accept the fact that I have all
these different aspects to my art practice.
If I draw stupid bunny drawings on one side, then do text
manipulations on the other side, or collections, installation–whatever–
my challenge has really been trying to figure out how to tell the world
that it’s all one person doing this.
Basically, it’s like flirting with the contemporary art world and
realizing that people who are involved in that world don’t necessarily
have a secret practice that they aren’t including in their artist’s
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statement. If they draw, do performance art, do video art and make
books, they somehow package that and say, “That’s the artist I am.” It’s
always been a challenge for me, because I draw these robots and I draw
these bunnies. I also do this really abstract stuff. But people only know
me for my comics. Where I’m going now is kind of being comfortable
and saying all these different streams come from the same place.
My exploration tends to be continuous: if you give me a stack of
coat hangers I’m going to fart around with the coat hangers and see
what I can do. Or liquid paper and knapsacks? I’ll do something with
that. Video, or anything–I like that constant play and curiosity. What
helps that is community and collaboration.
When I was in Banff at an artist’s residency, I was able to witness
how other people work for a month in their studios, and see how they
prioritize their creation. You come away from it going, “I don’t do that
at all,” or “I see how what I do fits in.” Then there’s also the opportunity
of artists coming into your space — artists you don’t know very well
(people you’ve just met) and they’re able to see what you do in a way
that you haven’t seen it.
vince It sounds like the wall has gone down between high and low culture,
in the sense that previously, you might have said, “Well, I’m just a comic
artist, I’m not an artist.” Right?
billy Right.
vince And part of that, I guess, is that the ‘Canadian Art Establishment’ has
recognized this work.
billy That’s right. I self-identified as a cartoonist and as a comics
artist several years ago, and was very happy to be part of that
community, because I liked how unpretentious it was. I liked how
accessible it was. I was very pleased to count myself as a part of
that community, but also to have a little bit of the stigma of being
on the outside of the contemporary art world. And you’re right,
internationally, the contemporary art world has subsumed all these
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various forms: whether it’s the folk art that’s now being touted as the
new vanguard, or the comics over here. Drawing is in vogue now. It
wasn’t twenty years ago, so there’s kids doing retardo drawings in
college, and it seems like they just started drawing a few years ago and
that’s permissible. I don’t know about the people airbrushing vans. I
don’t know if that’s permissible, but the craft certainly is. You know,
the world of craft is really well-adjusted internationally right now. It’s
timely. Things are coming together, I think.
vince Maybe we can talk a bit more about community, in Montreal
specifically, because I think that you’ve always had a community aspect to
your practice. For instance you got together with the comic book crew and you
would do comic jams.
billy I got the notice of the comics’ community and was invited to
contribute to zines because they saw my poster work, and the poster
work I was doing was predominantly for spoken word or literary
events. I was doing rock things with my brother even earlier than that,
but it was doing weird rock posters for the literary events that the
comic guys noticed. And then I started getting involved in that. I selfidentified as a writer all the time even though I hardly wrote. So it was
all these different communities that I was straddling, just like in high
school, where I was cool with the cool kids and I hung out more with
the weirdoes and the artists and the punk rockers, and the queers.
vince Do you see that there’s been an evolution in indie culture in general?
From the early days, which would have been for you the late eighties...
billy I think we can really get it down to pre-and-post internet.
There’s just so much happening right now. I think in the mid-nineties,
we could fool ourselves into thinking there was a comic scene in
Montreal — even though there were always people that didn’t fit into it,
or there were outsiders, or there were older people or younger people
or whatever — but you can’t so easily say ‘comic scene’ now. Now, there
has to be a plurality, because there are so many. Kind of like the spoken
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four minutes
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word scene. It’s not the one spoken word scene that we might have
thought existed in the mid-nineties. Right now there are how many
different scenes? And some of them don’t overlap. There is no overlap.
It’s not a Venn diagram, because they don’t even know these old guys
exist, or vice versa. I think there’s just way more cultural activity
happening. Everybody is like, “I can do this too… oh, I’m gonna make
a zine for a few issues, and then I’m gonna get bored of that and join a
band until I become a potter, or a glass blower, or a teacher.”
vince And you figure this is being transmitted more quickly by the internet?
billy It’s being transmitted more quickly, which could encourage
people who would say, “Look, I could do that too.” If I make a fullcolour design in my sketchbook, I can scan that in and put it on the
internet. So right away artists can show their full-colour dazzling work,
whereas I was limited technologically before the internet and scanners
and all that stuff, because it had to be cheaply reproducible via blackand-white photocopies. Laser copies were a little bit out of reach…
vince A little extravagant.
billy Yeah. So the kids — ‘the kids,’ we’re talking about thirty year
olds — they’re uploading entire sketchbooks on the internet, willynilly, and sharing them with people, and then seeing what everyone
else is doing, and maybe being inspired by that.
A zine fair in Montreal, in 2008, looks like a zine fair in Boston in
2008, or in Toronto or San Francisco. I don’t know if there are regional
differences anymore. Kind of like Etsy or the craft fairs — everybody’s
making bacon scarves or jewelry that takes found objects, and you go
to Etsy and you see so many people doing similar things across the
planet. That’s where we‘re at now, but the flipside of that is that I think
it’s encouraging people to say, “I could do that too, let me try my hand
at that for a little while, to see if I could do it.”
33
four minutes
vince But people still get their stuff out through these very medieval things
called ‘zine fairs’...
billy Really medieval, yeah...
vince ...which is just basically bringing together actual people and their
actual stuff.
billy And their actual smells.
vince I don’t know if you got into it on the ground floor, but Expozine’s been
going on for ten years.
billy In on the ground floor in the sense that I’d be in the car going
back and forth to Toronto with Andy Brown or Louis Rastelli or Dave
Widgington, going to Canzine and back, and always having these
conversations. We were like, “Montreal’s full of talent, we could do this
too. Let’s save gas money.” Right? So there was a lot of conversation
about it, and I was always around there. I was never a bureaucratic
participant: you know, crunching numbers and applying for grants and
calling up table rentals. I was more the poster boy — literally — I was
always, I’m gonna say, a little more than just tagging along.
vince You go to Expozine now and its overwhelming. It’s gigantic. It’s far
bigger than the Canzines I was going to in the nineties.
billy The first one was at Sala Rossa, right? A venue that holds 280
people or something like that? The vibe in the Sala Rossa, though,
was the same as the vibe is now, somehow. This kind of flurry of being
overwhelmed by everything — a carnival feeling, a lot of talent, and a
kind of saturated energy. But if you think about it, wow, that was tiny!
That’s tiny: that’s forty tables or less, forty exhibitors or whatever it
was. This kind of weird exponential growth happened, and then people
would say, “Well, I’m gonna come from Toronto for this.” Just like we
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were going to Toronto for Canzine, people from Toronto were now
coming to Expozine. And then maybe Québec City, and then ...
vince People from the States, people from the Maritimes... They’re coming
from all over the place. Plus it’s bilingual — that’s a plus too — because there’s
this whole huge other culture that goes on in another language, but they do
much of the same thing.
billy I think in French there’s more mid-level publishing happening.
Maybe more sober poetry books, beautiful small presses. But maybe
they don’t want to be there — maybe that’s not their scene. I think
we’re missing out on that aspect of the culture that’s happening here in
Québec — these kinds of people who want to break into top-level Salon
du Livre kinds of places, and maybe they go there. I don’t know the
publishing houses, but you go to places like Port de Tête and you see
there are a lot of things happening here in town. Are these people being
represented at Expozine, or do they even give a shit? Because maybe
they’re fine in their communities; whereas in English, even a place
like Vehicule Press will be at Expozine, some house that’s been kicking
around for over thirty years.
35
four minutes
vince There’s a lot of interchange that goes on at Expozine, a lot of exchange
of information.
billy That’s what’s amazing about it, for me. “Oh, here comes Punk
Rocker sitting next to Cook Book Lady.” Good! You know? Get these
people talking, whether they like it or not, to the point where I don’t
know who I recognize anymore, or from where. Part of me would love
to disappear and just be another person at a table, with my one little
zine, you know... or even disappear completely, as a member of the
public, with two hundred bucks in my pocket.
vince It’s a networking opportunity that happens once a year.
billy And it doesn’t have to be as formal as ‘networking’ sounds.
There are also friends being made, and relationships...
vince Where does this culture represented by your activity and what goes
on at Expozine, and maybe in the indie music scene of Montreal, spoken word,
that sort of thing... where does this intersect with what’s called ‘mainstream
culture’? What is mainstream culture anymore? Is there still such a thing as
mainstream culture? Or is it a sort of a shell? Has it been hollowed out?
billy I don’t know if you could talk about it in those terms. Maybe
we’re talking about size of markets? If Lady Gaga is pulling out all the
stops and festooning her videos with every trope of the underground
for the last how many years... I think we’ve been seeing that from the
eighties, that kind of blending of the tribes. The subcultural signifiers
are flying willy-nilly in every direction... But at the same time, if she
was in her civilian outfit walking through Expozine, she’d have her
mind blown, which is what’s interesting. I think any rock star just
walking down the street and being attentive will still be impressed
with the culture that they see around them — the graffiti, the trash, the
weird couches on the street.
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to midnight
vince So what’s the interaction between this indie culture and the
mainstream? Because you can see that it blows up unexpectedly large in
certain areas. Like Braids. They came from Calgary, they came here to
Montreal, next thing you know they’re in The Guardian.
billy Maybe it’s getting faster in certain cases, but Arcade Fire’s
walking through Expozine buying zines, or the graphic designer
that did their first cover is sitting there selling her zines... One of the
questions that I tend to ask myself is, where are the art speculators in
places like Expozine? Why not just go and harvest tons of amazing
art for peanuts? We have heavy hitters sitting there. We have Julie
Doucet selling signed mini-prints for five dollars or fifteen dollars.
You could buy her out for a couple of hundred bucks and have a
decent investment. Not to flip it on eBay the next day, but maybe the
next Jonathan Goldstein is some kid with their zine... it’s a matter of
somebody going in there and taking the chance, by buying a whole
bunch of stuff. But maybe it doesn’t work that way. Maybe they need
another curator before them that’s already made those choices. But
that’s just in terms of the relationship between the ‘mainstream’ and
some kid with their weird books.
vince Another difference is that mass culture is organized hierarchically,
because that’s how you can draw a vast amount of people. You can’t do it
rhizomatically so much. So I see that as the difference too. The way that
Expozine or the way that we organize ourselves as an artistic community is
very horizontal and...
billy Organic...
vince ...by consent and so forth. Where does this come from? Is it something
that’s innate in people?
billy I’m going to go with “Yeah”. I think cooperation is not
something that’s learned — I think that we have that capacity. I think
37
four minutes
that we want to party — we want to make friends, and have a good
time and do a little win-win. I don’t buy the idea that competition is
hardwired and is the only model. I think that model will be re-adjusted
in the coming years.
I think, generally, people want to play together. And this is play. I
see what you do, I’m kind of turned on by it. Look what I do, I want you
to approve of what I do. “Check it out. Do you like that? Is it thumbsup all around? Okay, hey, maybe we can get together, maybe we could
form a band or something.” I like that. I like when people are given
opportunities to do that with each other, to facilitate that, because
we’re stuck in our own lives. Especially as we get older, we get really
stuck in our own little lives and we forget that we might need to take
a little time out and go try to find kindred spirits again. Not the same
ones we’ve known for fifteen-twenty years, but new people. That’s why
I also think that intergenerational connection is important.
vince Yeah, I’ve been discovering that more as well.
billy There’s a part of me that can look at the work of a twenty-yearold kid and seethe because it’s too sophisticated, it’s amazing. They’re
too cool, they’re cute ... it’s like, “Aw God!” Break my pencil, these
kids — they’re too good. You know? They’re all around. They’ve got
something going on... maybe they breathe or transmit pop culture
faster, better. I don’t know. But these should be allies for the old people.
And ‘old’, like, Jesus, at forty you’re not old, art is something that you
can keep on doing until you expire.
vince But there can definitely be an exchange with younger people. It
energizes everything, and I learn as much as I ever give out to people who are
younger than me.
billy Well, you see something and say, “I never considered that
combination before.” Just, even if you look at the styles or the
fashions, “Oh, I never considered that.” Not that I would necessarily go
and try it for myself, but, “Oh, check what they’re doing, I never even
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thought about placing a tattoo like that, or ruining my boots this way.”
So I like the mash-up that seems to happen, and I see it as a percolating
froth. All these bubbles — imagine a total multidirectional field of
translucent bubbles meshing, interconnecting and affecting each
other, touching each other. It’s effervescent.
vince I think that even in small towns now, people are picking up on
this sort of DIY aesthetic. Whether it’s visual arts or whether its music,
it’s implicitly political the way that it goes about its business, by being
cooperative, by being non-hierarchical. Sappyfest, for instance, which is in
Sackville, New Brunswick. It’s a town of six thousand. So it’s like you say, this
culture seems to be just about anywhere you go, now.
billy Yeah. Canada’s interesting, because a lot of the artists that
do well here — visual artists — they’ve hopped around different
cities in Canada. Any artist visiting another city is going to go to the
comparable neighbourhood and leave their mark somehow, make
friends. You go to school in Vancouver, you bump into somebody in
Halifax, and on and on it goes. And then you could buy property in
Bruno, Saskatchewan, like some people did recently, and they created
a little shop — All Citizens — a little zine shop, with their mango juice
and their tea. I don’t know if it’s still running, but what happens then
is that, well, a band is going through — it’s only a couple of hours
from Saskatoon — and they’ll stop and do a concert on the roof. And
then — “What’s going on here?” Maybe somebody else will move there.
This is what I’m hoping. Where’s the next little town to move in? I’m
kind of tired of Mile End. Can we move to the country altogether, guys,
and make a scene?
So Sappyfest happens, and it’s Arcade Fire’s pleasure to play at
Sappyfest. Why wouldn’t they want to do that? That’s their community.
They’re still people that wave to you on the street if you see them, it’s
not like they’ve got their ‘people’ all around them pushing you away as
if they were Eminem. Or Madonna.
39
45
Billy Mavreas
Seeds
46
Elisabeth Beliveau
September Album
47
Jonathan Reid Sevigny
Constellation
48
Jeff Levine
Watching Days Become
Years no. 2
49
Jean-Pierre Chansigeau
Fantôme: le zine qui apparait
quelques fois
Mid-December of last year, I had a strange dream. I dreamt I was in a
new city. I had been at some sort of a protest with friends, but when
the cops showed up, the crowd dispersed and I lost sight of everyone
I knew. So I ran all alone through the streets of an unknown city. I
couldn’t read the signs, the language was unrecognizable. I ran past
a pizza shop, a clinic, I saw many billboards whose messages I could
not decipher. I was confused. I awoke.
The next month, I was living in Montreal.
I was dreaming in a new bed with a new boy. I was
surrounded by people who spoke a language I did
not understand.
Amber Forrester
Culture Slut issue 20
50
Julie Doucet
À l’école de l’amour
51
Tara Williamson
Things That Old Men Have
Told Me
52
Julie Doucet
Sophie Punt no. 34
53
Amy Drover
Book of Fear
54
Ian Sullivan Cant
Papercut Heart
55
Aaron McConomy
YPF Yearbook
56
Amy Drover
Science is Fun
57
Sarala
Beautiful Mess 2
Sves
Nailbiter 2: An Anxiety Zine
58
Jeff Levine
Watching Days Become
Years no. 2
59
John Campbell
Nailbiter 2: An Anxiety Zine
60
Aaron Costain
Calamity Coach
61
Marc Beauchamp
Cybernoid Rose
62
Elisabeth Beliveau
September Album
63
Ethan Rilly
The Nervous Party
64
Elisabeth Beliveau
September Album
65
Geneviève Dumas
Long Distance
Geneviève Dumas
Long Distance
66
67
It was hard to decide whether it was sad that the best
songwriter in Montréal was playing a tiny bar to a thin
crowd — surely he deserved more, better, something other
than that. Why didn’t the world wake up and notice that
he was blessed, or was his particular blessing just not
selling well that decade? And yet there was nothing sad
about Soria, as he played with the energy and confidence
of a man who knew exactly what he was meant to do with
himself, and exactly what he was meant to make and give
to te world. If anything there was a peculiar joy in it, joy
embraced and returned in equal share by the room, whose
sparse population was clearly composed either of Soria’s
friends and those who wished they could be his friends.
The song dropped down to only Soria’s guitar and the
drums, and after he finally hit his last note the drums
continued a second and stopped, and the room exploded
into cheers, whistles, and clapping that went on and on,
as Soria, bashful, muttered, “Thanks. Thank you,” into the
microphone. Eventually the bar stereo crackled to life
with Howlin’ Wolf as the last cheers and persistent
clappers waned.
J.B. Staniforth
Uno Mass: An Excerpt of a
Novel in Progress
68
Angie Neatby
Fuckin’ Loons
69
Amy and I sat still, watching the band pack up their gear.
The red-faced drummer, his clothes soaked through with
sweat, staggered past us and out the door, and sat promptly
down on the snowy stairs, steam rising from his flushed
neck and sweat-slick hair. Peter walked by and smiled
when we gave him an enthusiastic thumbs-up. I thought
that maybe I could go and say something to Soria, but I
wasn’t sure what I could say that would matter, so I just
sat still, watching him wind his patch cords and latch his
guitar into its hard case. At the end of the day, he had to
go home, just like me, get the weekend in, relax, and take
a couple of days to enjoy the fact that he was a genius who
could shake a roomful of people into awe, before he had
to go back to work on Monday morning. And he seemed
to accept it, he seemed to know that this joy was more
than most people were ever able to find anywhere within
themselves, let alone impart to others. His friends at the
bar approached him, patted his back, complimented him
and brought him more beer, and he smiled with shy eyes
but kept quiet even as the sound of his songs still rand
great and thunderous in my ears.
J.R. Carpenter
Entreville
70
Colin White
Mini Confectionaries
71
Lianne Zannier
Les Chations du Quartier
“Pappy died,” she said.
“Fuck,” I said. “Oh fuck.”
Paula told me that Pappy had been doing much better, but suddenly,
the night before, he’d begun howling and throwing up. She tried
calling all my friends, but most of them were out because it was
Saturday night. He died in her room, in her closet, and Bindy had
stayed near him, very perturbed and apparently crying herself.
I didn’t know what to say.
“Wasn’t he supposed to go to the vet with the neighbour?” I asked.
“He was doing better, “ Paula repeated. “I tried calling the neighbour
a few times, but there was never any answer.” Of course, none of this
mattered now. Pappy was dead.
I felt horrible. He must’ve thought I’d left for good, that I’d left him
behind. Poor guy, and he’d been trying to tell me something before I
left too.
He’d been such a humble sincere cat.
Louis Rastelli
A Fine Ending
72
Billy Mavreas
Inside Outside Overlap
73
Mélanie Baillairgé
C’est Selon, quatorze
de meute
Ryan Mrozowski
Hour Hour
Aaron McConomy
Untitled
76
Marc Guay
Quantumplation
there is no emotion too srong
that it can’t be buried under a thousand tons
of snow
and let to die
a saintly russian death
Nadia Moss
Untitled
77
Anonymous
Bike Crush vol. 2
78
Billy Mavreas
Unfinished ABC
JP King
Untitled
80
Sherwin Tija
Licket Split Smut Zine no.1
81
Des baisers sur la joue.
Des baisers sur les lèvres.
Des baisers sur le coude.
Des baisers ailleurs.
Des frotti-frotta sur le nez.
Des caresses.
Des étreintes, comme quand on se prend dans les bras.
Des saisissures par la main.
Des bras-dessus-bras-dessous.
Des touchers de cheveux.
Des sommeils côte à côte, ou collé-e-s.
Des léchouilles.
Des cuni, des fellations.
Des chatouilles.
Des attouchements génitaux.
Des pénétrations anales.
J’en passe et des meilleures.
On appellera tout ça des échanges physiques. Il semble
habituel de les diviser en deux groupes : ceux qui procurent
un plaisir sexuel, qu’on appellera donc échanges sexuels,
et ceux qui procurent d’autres plaisirs, qu’on appellera
gestes de tendresse.
Des regards.
Des discussions interminables.
Des louanges.
Des marques d’attention, d’écoute, d’intérêt.
Des moments passés ensemble.
Des mots doux.
Des tranches de rigolade.
Des sourires complices.
J’en passe et des meilleures encore.
Il s’agit là aussi d’échanges affectifs, mais sans contact
physique : attitudes, comportements, dialogues...
Anonyme (Iosk éditions)
Contre l’amour
82
Robyn
Licket Split Smut Zine no.6
83
84
J.R. Carpenter
Entreville
Kirsten McCrea
Papirmasse
Daniel Ian Taylor
I am the Flame. I am Mexico.
Anonymous
Dispatches From the City
87
Amy Drover
Science is Fun
88
Julie Doucet
À l’école de l’amour
Anonyme (Iosk éditions)
Contre l’amour
90
Does the line las longer
than the point at which you wanted me?
Ater a time.
Am I fragile at this point you wanting me?
Am I lasing at this point?
Am I coming at this point and is it lasing?
Am I nettles?
Are you burning in this point?
Am I centred in your beauty and is it cold
and are we holding?
Angela Carr
Ropewalk
91
Shannon Gerard
Hung #3: Lonely Tylenol
92
Ken Dahl
Monsters
93
Shawn Kuruneru
Untitled
Matthew Forsythe
Ojingogo
Simon Bossé
Mille Putois
Nicolas Plamondon
Théâtre de Souffrance : Acte 1
Rev. B. Pan
The Summer of Light & The
Winter of Death
Sagana
Fanzine Bidon 4
Fred Mahieu
Hasemeister
99
Kirsten McCrea
Untitled
100
Nadia Moss
Untitled
101
Ethan Rilly
The Nervous Party
102
There are stories of some armies in South America
giving their soldiers puppies to raise and nurture.
After a year they are forced to kill their dog to prove
their mettle as killers.
Canada’s version was to give us each a grouse.
Those feathery critters were thankfully in our lives a
little more than an hour — less time than they would
spend in our bellies.
While most of our platoon was allowed to chop
their heads off with an axe, my section participated
in a tribute.
Our section commander, Mcpl. Turtle, was an
aging skid and a huge fan of Black Sabbath, so as a
tribute to Ozzy we were ordered to bite the heads off
the live birds.
As my teenage teeth sank into the grouse’s neck
I was mostly surprised at how warm and soft it was
(imagine biting into a heated, feathery Twinkie).
Perhaps the hollow bones helped.
Though much has faded, I can close
my eyes right now [right now] and
feel the warmth, the fuzziness and
the ease with which I performed my
first kill for the infantry.
Scott Waters
The Hero Book
103
Shawn Kuruneru
Untitled
104
Ian Sullivan Cant
Papercut Hearts
il nous arrive de parcourir des volcans intérieurs, des marécages
blancs, des histoires de répétition. on marche alors à rebours et la
guerre s’inscrit, le carnaval guette, les maisons hurlent. la couleur
des lieux parachève la vision humaine, éconduit jusqu’à l’écriture,
celle qui est un feu, un refuge dans la nuit barbouillée d’étoiles
sauvages. et la lumière s’inscrit, couche par strate.
Véronique Cyr
Ectropion, vol.3, #1
105
Laura Broadbent
Ms. Guided issue 2
106
Colin White
The Watering Hole
107
Thierry Guitard
Être Rock
Charlotte De Seduoy
Que se passe-t-il? no. 7
110
Rev. B. Pan
The Summer of Light & The
Winter of Death
111
Sarala
Beautiful Mess 2
112
In May, in my neighbourhood, the travelling anarchists bring
their dogs. The dogs piss on trees for all the other anarcho
dogs to sniff. May is lilac season.
And it’s said that one part piss to ten parts water makes a great
nitrogen-rich fertilizer.
And I say this year, April showers have continued into May.
So I can only come to the logical conclusion that the influx
of anarchists and their dogs are doing a real service to the
community, ’cause the lilacs are fucking radiant.
And dogs aside, there’s something beautiful about the crowded
kitchens in collective houses across the city, the way that all
these people are visiting and exploring and learning and going
through crises and picking themselves up again and writing
songs about it. And the way that those of us who live here are
shocked into all shades of emotion. Our grey city existence
now has sparks of purple too.
We sleep outdoors. We collect dew.
Liz Colford
Short Stories
113
Jeff Levine
Watching Days Become
Years no. 2
114
Eloisa Aquino
The Life and Times of Butch
Dykes: JD Samson
115
Meanwhile, despite the hype, despite Will and
Grace and gay marriage and “cool queers”
there is more and more that needs to be done.
“Gay acceptability” has come at a steep cost
to gay runaways and sex workers and others
who are now a liability to the respectable
and admirable homosexual entrepreneur.
Guppification plays out in a cruel dialectic
with homophobic and whore-phobic violence,
each of which makes the truly oppressed ever
more vulnerable. The very public embrace of
gay celebrities is cold comfort as we get the
sneaking suspicion that we could simply be
being set up as scapegoats when the water
gets choppy.
There is as much reason to organize and
fight back today as their ever was. The only
question — now as eighteen years ago — is
what will allow people to feel that winning is
possible, that fighting back is worth it.
That’s what we have to figure out.
Kersplebedeb
The Radical Roots
of DiversCité
116
Colin Mathes
Firebrands: Portraits from
the Americas
117
Rev. B. Pan
The Summer of Light & The
Winter of Death
Shawnda Wilson
Superstar
118
Karen K + Marissa J-V
Not Blowing in the Wind,
Intentionally Swaying
A NEAR
COMPLETE
LIST OF
EXPOZINE
EXHIBITORS
2002–2011
$2.00 (COMES WITH MIXTAPE)
106U
21 PRODUCTIONS
2356 PRESS
40 WATT SPOTLIGHT
8ET8
96 EYES COMICS
999J
À BABORD
A BIRTHDAY IS A BORN DAY
A NAIL IN THE HEART
A SOFTER WORLD
A-Z DOLLAR STORE
AARON COSTAIN
ABBY HOWARD
ABSTRACT FANTASY COMICS
ACTION PARADIS
ACTIVE BLADDER
AD.APT STUDIO/NO POETRY PRESS
ADELINE LAMARRE
ADRIENNE KAMMERER
AEB / SAINT SUSTENANCE
AELAQ
AENCRE
AFROPAGES MAGAZINE
AGAINST LANGUAGE PRODUCTIONS
AIDE-MÉMOIRES TRANSPORT
AIMÉE VAN DRIMMELEN
AINSI VA L’IMMONDE
ALAIN MERCIECA
ALAN GANEV
ALEX PRODUKT
ALEXANDRE LEMIRE
ALEXIS COUTU-MARION
ALL MY FACEBOOK FRIENDS
ALLISON MOORE
ALLO TREE
ALLONGÉ WITH SOY
ALPHONSE RAYMOND
ALTITUDE PUBLISHING
ALWAYS COIN
AMANDA CRAWFORD
AMBER ALBRECHT
AMY DROVER
AMY LOCKHART
ANAKRON
ANALOG ART
ANDALUSIAN PRESS
ANDREA MANICA
ANDRES MIRANDA
ANDY WARNER
ANGER MANAGEMENT
ANGRY PEAR
ANNA LEVENTHAL
ANNE DIAMOND
ANNE READ
ANNIE HARRISSON
ANTEISM
ANTONIN BUISSON
APOPALYPTIC
APORIA PRESS
APOSTOLY KOUROUMALIS
ARC POETRY MAGAZINE
ARGONACON
ARPRIM
ARSENIK
ART À BULLE
ART DÉCO MONTRÉAL
ART MATTERS
ART SCHOOL DROPOUT
ART VS CRAFT.NET
ARTFABULLE
ARTFUCKS
ARTHUR MAGAZINE
ARTICHAUT
ARTICULE
ARTSPACE
ASCENT MAGAZINE
ASSCAT
ASSOCIATION DE LA BANDE DÉSSINÉE
DE QUÉBEC
ASSOCIATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PUBLISHERS OF QUEBEC
ASTROBASE 5
ASYMPTOTE
ATELIER D’ART DU CENTRE DE JOUR
ST-JAMES
ATELIER SAUCE À PART
ATELIERS ZAZ
ATERMONO
AU DEUXIÈME
AUBE
AUTOBUS 64 NORD
AVIATOR
AXAR PRODUCTIONS
AZYGOUS
B&D PRESS
BALLYHOO MEDIA
BALLZ MONTREAL
BANANE ROYALE
BAOBABS
BARAGOUINÉ
BARIL JOSEPH
BARON MAG
BATEAU FANTOME
BAZOOKA MAGAZINE
BDDECUL
BEAT CITY
BEAUBIEN MAGAZINE
BECAUSE YOU ONLY GO HOME FOR
CHRISTMAS
BEGUILING
BELLATORTA PRESS
BELOOGA JOE
BEYOND SARTRE AND STERILITY
BIBLIO VÉLO
BIBLIOGRAPHE
BIBLIOTHÈQUE ET ARCHIVES
NATIONALES DU QUÉBEC
BIKURIOUS
BILLY MAVREAS
BIRCH CONTROL
BIRD AND MOON PRESS
BITS OF STRING PRESS
BITTIRSWEET DESIGNS
BLACK HEART MAGAZINE
BLACK RAINBOW PRODUCTION HOUSE
BLACK-CHEEKED LOVEBIRD
BLIND BAT PRESS
BLIND RIVER PUBLISHING CO.
BLONDE WORLD
BLOOD SISTERS
BLOOD STAIN
BLOODY PM
BLUE BOMBER PRESS
BODEGA DISTRIBUTION
BONEFLAKE STUDIOS
BONGO BEAT
BOOBOO COMICS
BOOKMOBILE PROJECT
BORIS PAILLARD
BOUM
BRÆDEN LAROSE
BREEREE
BRIAN LE GOLEM
BRINS D’ÉTERNITÉ
BROKEN PENCIL MAGAZINE
BROUNDOOR
BRUNO/NADIA/VICTOR
BSVIV
BUBBLE GUMBO!
BUBZEE
BUFFALO RUNS PRESS
BUFFET
BUSCHEK BOOKS
BYWORDS
C’EST E.T.
CABAL
CACTUS PRESS
CAITLIN THOMPSON
CAMION DE POMPIER
CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS
CANADIAN BOOK IDOL
CANADIAN WOMEN’S HEALTH
NETWORK
CANDACE SEPULIS
CANVAS
CARNAGES ET MONDANITÉS
CARNIVAL
CAROLYN TRIPP
CAROUSEL
CARTHAGE
CASINO MAGAZINE
CAT LADIES
CAT PARTY
CATCH AND RELEASE PRESS
CATHERINE PAQUETTE
CATHON
CAUSE COMMUNE
CAVE MIND
CÉLINE MALÉPART
CELLS WITH NO WALLS
CENTRE WELLINGTON
CEREBRAL PARADE
CHAISE
CHANTALE GRENON
CHAPTER 11 PRODUCTIONS/MAI TAI
CHARLENE LYNCH
CHAT BLANC
CHAT PERDU PRODUCTIONS
CHICKEN SCRATCH COMIX
CHIZINE PUBLICATIONS
CHLOÉ GERMAIN-THÉRIEN
CHOCOBETTERAVE
CHOMPERS COMICS
CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE
CHRIS KISS
CHRIS LANDRY
CHRISTELLE
CHRISTINE HALE
CHRISTO L’HIVER
CHURCH OF CRAFT
CLARA BEE LAVERY
CLAUDE DROUIN
CLAUDE LALUMIÈRE
CLAVREUL
CLÉMENTINE
COACH HOUSE BOOKS
COCHON LUNAIRE
COCO BACILLE
COCO MONTREAL
COCO RIOT
COEUR DE LOUP
COLIN FRASER
COLIN WHITE COMIX
COLINE NIESS
COLLECTIF DE BD PLAN B
COLLECTIF JBBC
COLLEEN FRAKES AND JON CHAD
COLOR ME WASTING SPACE
COLOSSE
COMICOPIA
COMIX JAM
COMPASSION REVOLUTION
COMPASSPOINTS
CONCORDIA COMMUNITY SOLIDARITY
CO-OP BOOKSTORE
CONCORDIA PHOTOGRAPHY
STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
CONOCULUS
CONNOR WILLUMSEN
CONOR PRENDERGAST
CONSPIRATION DÉPRESSIONNISTE
CONSTELLATION RECORDS
CONTAMINATION MAGAZINE
CONUNDRUM PRESS
CORONA PUBLISHERS
COUNTERBLAST
COUNTRY DICTION
COURTNEY CLINTON
COW BONE MARSHMALLOWS
CRÉATIONS LOU SABOURIN
CREATIVE WRITING HOW-TO ZINES
CRUNCHY COMICS
CRYSTWATS
CULTURE MONTRÉAL
CULTURE SLUT
CUMULUS PRESS
CUNT ATTACK
CUPCAKE REVOLUTION
CUT & PASTE
CYCLOPS PRESS
DADAPOMO
DAKOTA MCFADZEAN
DANIEL HA
DANIEL WRIGHT
DANIELLE NADIA SIMM
DARJEELING
DATURA
DAWN BOYD
DAYGRISTLE
DC BOOKS
DEAN GARLICK (ANTEISM)
DEAR DIARY...
DEAR PORTLAND LOVE MONTREAL
DEBORAH
DECOVER
DELF BERG
DELIRIUM PRESS
DELPHINE
DEREK MAHAFFEY
DETENTION
DÉTRESSES
DIAMOND BACK BOOKS
DIAMOND TRADING COMPAGNIE
DIE ACTIVE — DEFINITELY SUPERIOR
ART GALLERY
DIET HELL
DIMO GARCIA
DINOTAUR / TEXTANUDES
DIRTY LAWN BIRD ASSOCIATION
DISTRIBUTION LOCAL
DISTROBOTO
DITA KUBIN
DJANICE ST-HILAIRE
DOMINIC ROULEAU
DOMINIQUE DESBIENS
DON’T TOUCH ME
DOOMSDAY
DOUBLE DUCHESS
DR. SKETCHY
DRAGONFLY BALLET LIBRARY PRESS
DRAWN AND QUARTERLY
DREAM BOX MACHINE
DUNDERBUG
DUSTY OWL PRESS
EARWAX
ECTOPLASM
ECTROPION
ÉDITIONS ADAGE
ÉDITIONS ALPHUS & ZABROVSKI
ÉDITIONS BISCUIT CHINOIS
ÉDITIONS BOUC
ÉDITIONS D’ORACE
ÉDITIONS DANS MON SALON
ÉDITIONS DE L’ÉCROU
ÉDITIONS DE L’ÉTOILE DE MER
ÉDITIONS DE L’INPUBLIABLE
ÉDITIONS DE L’INTERDIT
ÉDITIONS DE LA DERNIÈRE MINUTE
ÉDITIONS DE TA MÈRE
ÉDITIONS DÉDICACES
ÉDITIONS DES ARCHIPELLIERS
ÉDITIONS DU BORDEL
ÉDITIONS DU COLPORTEUR
ÉDITIONS DU PIGEON
ÉDITIONS DU ROGNON
ÉDITIONS DU VERMILLON
ÉDITIONS ÉCOSOCIÉTÉ
ÉDITIONS ENFANTS DE LA NUIT
ÉDITIONS GOGOGUY
ÉDITIONS GRAFIGNE
ÉDITIONS IMAGES
ÉDITIONS INTERVENTION
ÉDITIONS J’AI VU
ÉDITIONS LAFAILLITE
EDITIONS LE MEMENTO
ÉDITIONS LES FRANCOPHILES
ÉDITIONS LES RABOUSSIERS
ÉDITIONS MACHINEMACHINE
ÉDITIONS MELODY
ÉDITIONS MONSTRU
ÉDITIONS NORMARTMUSE
ÉDITIONS NOUVELLE ÂME
ÉDITIONS NUL SI DÉCOUVERT
ÉDITIONS PONT NOIR
ÉDITIONS REIGN EMPORIUM
ÉDITIONS RODRIGOL
ÉDITIONS TEICHTNER ET
PRODUCTIONS SOLOVOX
ÉDITIONS TRIP
ÉDITIONS U TRÉMA
EGG SANDWICH PRESS
EGOTRIP PRODUCTIONS
EKLOZION
ELAN (ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
NETWORK)
ELASPIC
ELIE CHAP
ELISABETH BELLIVEAU
ELISHA LIM
ELIZABETH KLUNDER
ELIZABETH RAMSEEN
EMILIO ESTEBAN
EMILY COMEAU
EMILY AND MIKE
EMILY KANE
EMIWAN
EMORAGEI
EMPYRYAL PRESS
ENTROPY
ERIC PICCOLI
ÉRIC ROGER
ERIC THERIAULT
ERRE D’ALLER
ESSE MAGAZINE
ETHAN RILLY
ETIENNE ROCHON
EVAN SABOURIN
EVECHAT
EXILE PRESS
EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES
EXPO EXPRESSION
EXPOSÉ MAGAZINE
EYELEVEL RESHELVING INITIATIVE
F-52 BOOKSTORE
F. GUTTMAN
F. LORTIE
F.A.S (FRONT D’ACTION STUPIDE)
FAITH: A CULMINATION OF SCENARIOS
FANCY LAND
FANIE’S ART & ZINES
FANTASY CAMP
FANZINE BIDON
FANZINE DÉTRITUS
FANZINOTHÈQUE
FATIGUE MAGAZINE
FEAST
FELINO PRESS
FEUILLE DE CHOUX
FICHTRE !
FIGHT BOREDOM DISTRO
FILOSOFIA DISTRIBUTION
FIRST TIME
FISH PISS MAGAZINE
FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT
FIVE FINGER REPRO
FJXA
FLATLAND
FLO
FLO DESIGNS
FLYING HOUSE PRESS
FOUR MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT
FOX INDIA
FRACTIOUS PRESS
FRANZINE
FREE NEWS PROJECTS
FREEDOM’S NARROW WINDOW
FREELANCE BLUES
FRENCH FOURCH
FRENCH GHOST
FRIENDS OF ST. ANDRE
FRONT DE LIBÉRATION DE LA
PATAPHYSIQUE
FRONT FROID
FRUITING BODIES COLLECTIVE
FUN IS FREE PRESS
FUNAMBULE
G-EUNUCH DIGEST
G.O.T.H.S.
GABRIEL MONETTE
GALACTIC COUNCIL
GANGLION COMICS
GARGOUILLIS INDIGESTE
GASOLINE GUT
GATÉ POURRI
GAZETA COMICS
GENEVIÈVE DUMAS
GENEVIÈVE FLAGEOL
GENEVIEVE FT
GEOMETRY PRESS
GÉRARD LÉVÈQUE
GET IT RIPE
GHETTO GORE COMIC
GHISLAIN DESLIERRES
GHISLAIN EMOND
GHOST PINE
GHOSTPOCKETS
GHOSTWISE PRESS
GINETTE SERT LES CAFÉS
GISELE POUPART
GLOBALAWARE
GOOD GIRL
GOOD SCRAP
GOT YOUR BACK
GRAVY
GREAT WORM EXPRESS DISTRO
GREGORY C. BRUNET
GRIBEAULT
GRRRL
GUIM / EXCRÉMENT & FILS
GUY BOUTIN
GUY CAROTTE
H8N LYFE CRU
HAIKU FOR YOUR LIFE PRODUCTIONS
HAND SUM ZINE
HARD LIQUOR AND PORN MAGAZINE
HARK! A VAGRANT
HASEMEISTER
HAVRE EXQUIS
HAY RIVER BOOKS
HEADQUARTERS GALLERY & BOUTIQUE
HEADWOUND
HEATHER UTAH
HERE BE MONSTERS ANTHOLOGY
HIGHWATER BOOKS
HOLY RIGHT
HONEY SPOT PRESS
HORROR VACUI
HOSER & HOSEHEAD INC.
HOT HAIL COMICS
HOT MILK
HOT PIE RECORDS
HOT TEAM
HOW-TO-HAPPINESS PRESS
HOWARD GONTOVNICK PUBLICATIONS
HOWIE COMIX
HUMAN WARNINGS PUBLISHING
HUMBLE
HUMBLE BUBBLE
HUNG
HYPOCRITE
I AM THE FLAME. I AM MEXICO.
I HATE LATTE DRINKERS
I’M CRAZY
IF YOU HOLD MY HAND...
IL PLEUT DES GOUINES
IN-HOUSE PRESS
INDEPENDIENTE
INGLESIDE NEWS ZINE
INKORPORA
INKYRHYTHM MUSICOMIX
INNER CITY KITTY
INNOCENT FUN WITH CUTE CUDDLY
ANIMALS
INSOMNIAC PRESS
INTERESTING ANTS ZINE
INTERNET IS DEAD
INTO REBELLION
INVISIBLE CITIES GROUP
INVISIBLE PUBLISHING
IPNARCHIE
IRIS BOUDREAU
IRIS GODBOUT
ISABELLE AYOTTE
ISABELLE GAUVIN
ISABELLE MELANCON
IT WAS METEORS
J. CRANE
JACINTHE LORANGER
JACK DYLAN
JACKALOP
JAI GRANOFSKY
JAMES KIRKPATRICK
JAMIE Q
JASON BRADSHAW
JASPER AND JEN
JENNIFER WHITEFORD
JENNY LEE CRAIG
JENX & CIE.
JEREMY SHANTZ
JESE GORDON
JESJIT GILL
JESSE PURCELL
JILLIAN AND MARIKO TAMAKI
JIM HOLYOAK & LEE MCCLURE
JIM ORDOLIS
JOANNA CZADOWSKA
JOCELYN CHEUNG
JODY HEGEL
JOE OLLMAN
JOHN HIGHAM
JOHN MARTZ
JOHNSTON NEWFIELD
JON PRESSICK
JON RAFMAN
JONATHAN REID SEVIGNY
JORDAN CRANE
JORDYN BOCHON
JOSEPH BARIL
JOSEPH BYRNE
JP KING
JULIAN EVANS
JULIAN PETERS
JULIE CÔTÉ
JULIE DELPORTE
JULIE DOUCET
JULIE GAUTHIER
JULIEN CECCALDI & MELISSA GAGNÉ
JUST STUPID
JUSTIN GUENET
JUSTSEEDS COOPERATIVE
K ET K PLOTE INC. ET FILS
KAPITALKRAP
KARMEN MANTHA
KASIMIR BOOKS
KATAPULPE
KATE LAURENCE
KATE LAVUT BOOKS AND COMICS
KAYLYNNE JOHNSON
KAYMAK PRESS
KEENAN COMICS
KERRY BYRNE
KERSPLEBEDEB
KIEFFER
KIM KIELHOFNER
KIMAZO
KIRSTEN MCCREA
KISS MACHINE
KISSING BOOTH
KISSOFF ZINE
KITCHEN SINK DISTRO
KITSCH ZINE
KK RACE TEAM
KOBOLD PRESS
KOUROUMALIS APOSTOLY
KURT BEAULIEU
L’ARC-EN-CIEL LITTÉRAIRE
L’ECHO DES CHANTIERS
L’ECOLE DE QUIMPER
L’EMPLOYÉ DU MOI
L’ENCRIER SALIN ÉDITEUR
L’ASCARIS
L’OIE DE CRAVAN
LA BIBLIOTHÈQUE FANTASTIQUE
LA BRIMBELLE
LA BRIQUE IMPRIMÉE
LA CHAMPLURE
LA GOUPILLE
LA LIGNE À HARDE
LA MAISON DU VERT POLIS
LA MAISON REX
LA MAUVAISE HERBE
LA MÈCHE
LA PACHA
LA PASTÈQUE
LA PETITE FEE
LA PEUPLADE
LA PUCE A L’AGONIE
LA SCENA MUSICALE
LA TERREUR NOIR PÂLE
LA VEUVE ET L’ORPHELINE
LADYSCIENTIST
LAMASHTU
LASH
LAURA CURLEY
LAURA MCCOY
LAURIE MACINROY
LE BATHYSCAPHE
LE BOB
LE CORBEAU ET LE RENARD
LE DERNIER CRI
LE LÉZARD AMOUREUX
LE MONSTRUAIRE
LE PANOPTIQUE
LE PRESSIER
LE QUARTANIER
LE RETOUR DE LA VAGUE
LE SOUS-SOL DE L’ESPRIT
LE TRIP
LÉANDRE MEILLEUR
LEFT WING BOOKS
LEG MOUSTACHE ADVISOR
LEGIONS OF HORRIBLES
LEIF TANDE
LEILA PEACOCK
LES 400 COUPS
LES 48 HEURES DE LA BANDE
DESSINÉE DE MONTRÉAL
LES AMIES DE SABINE
LES CRÉATIONS PARADOXE
LES FILLES ÉLECTRIQUES
LES FLEURS DU MAL MAGAZINE
LES LUCIOLES
LES POÈMES ANIMÉS DE JONQUIÈRE
LES PRODUCTIONS ARREUH : POÉSIES
À EMPORTER
LES SIX BRUMES
LES TAUPES DE L’ESPACE
LES US À BICYCLE
LETHAL PANTHER
LEYLA MAJERI
LIAMLIAMLIAM
LIBERTÉ
LIBRAIRIE ART ACTUEL
LIBRAIRIE L’INSOUMISE
LIBRE GRAPHICS MAGAZINE
LICKETY SPLIT SMUT ZINE
LIFELIKE ZINE
LIP: POLITICS & POETICS
LISA CZECH
LITERATURE IN TRANSIT
LITTLE BOOKS BY CORRIE
LITTLE FOIBLE
LITTLE GARDENS FOR INVALIDS
LIZ WORTH
LLUMINA PRESS
LOBSTER PRESS
LOCOMOTIF
LOGAN MACDONALD
LOIIC
LOOPER PROJECTS
LOOSE CANON BOOKS
LOST MYTHS
LOUIS RASTELLI
LOVE LOVE HILL
LOVE SONGS
LOVE, CHRISTINE
LOVELOVEHILL PRESS
LUC PARADIS
LUCKYSOAP
LUCWORKS PERSONALIZED ART
CARDS
LUCYVIOLET PRODUCTIONS
LUX ÉDITEUR
LYNN LANGLOIS
MACEZINE
MADAME EDGAR
MADARA DESIGNS
MADE IN TAIWAN
MADELEINE
MADELINE RICHARDS
MAELYNN
MAI TAI
MAIN BLANCHE
MAISON KASINI
MAISONNEUVE MAGAZINE
MAKE TOTAL DISTRO
MAL DE TÊTE
MALCOLM SUTHERLAND
MAMA BOY PRESS
MAN IN TUB PRESS
MANDRAGORA
MANIFESTING
MANLY BANISTER
MANO-BLANCO-COMIX
MANSION OSTRICH GROUP
MANUELA JARRY
MAPLESS PRINTING SERVICES
MARANDA ELIZABETH
MARBELUS ARTS FOUNDATION
MARC BEAUCHAMP
MARCHAND DE FEUILLES
MARCUS LOBB
MARE
MARIA SPUTNIK
MARIANA FRANDSEN
MARIE-CLAUDE HADE
MARIE-PATCH
MARIO MATHIEU
MARTA
MARTA CHUDOLINSKA
MARTA RYCZKO
MARTIN BALCER
MARTIN LEGAULT
MARTIN PATENAUDE-MONETTE
MARYANNA HARDY
MATHIEU CONWAY
MATHIEU DIONNE
MATHIEU DUBOIS
MATHIEU GAUDREAULT
MATRIX MAGAZINE
MATTHEW FORSYTHE
MATTHEW REICHMAN
MAX ET MAURICE
MCCLEAVE GALLERY OF FINE ART
MÉCHANIQUE GÉNÉRALE
MEDIA TREE
MEGAN SCHULTZ
MEICHEN WAXER
MELISSA DRYSDALE
MÉLISSA GAGNÉ
MELODY
MEMOIRE D’ENCRIER
MENSUHELL
MEOW POW NOW
MERITOT
MERURE
MEZZOFORTE
MICHAEL COMEAU
MICHEL LACOMBE
MICHELLE FRANKLIN
MICHELLE FURLONG
MICHELLE STERLING
MICROCOSM PUBLISHING
MICROSCOPIC SNEEZE
MIKE AND EMILY
MIKELTHERIVER PRODUCTIONS
MILLE PUTOIS
MIMI TRAILLETTE
MINDBASEMENT.COM
MINI MERCI
MISANTHROPE SPECIALTY CO.
MISS DYNAMITE
MISSSOKA
MIZ ARTS AND CRAFTS
MJACK
MLLE GUILLAUME
MOBIUSSTRIPMALL
MOELLE GRAPHIQUE
MOLLY KALKSTEIN
MONASTIRAKI
MONDO BIZARRO
MONGREL
MONSTERS FOR REAL
MONTE REAL
MONTREAL COMIC CON
MONTREAL COMIX JAM
MONTREAL ESOPHAGUS
MONTREAL PLANET MAGAZINE
MOONLIGHT WHISPERS
MOOSE JAY PRESS
MORAG KIDD
MOTEL MAGAZINE
MOTION PICTURE PURGATORY
MOULT ÉDITIONS
MR. INTESTINE COMICS
MS. GUIDED
MUDSCOUT
MURMUR PRESS
MUSE BASEMENT
MY COLD WAR
MY SECRET COCKUPATION
MYQSL.ORG
NADIA MOSS
NÄDIM MAHI-BAHI
NAILBITER: AN ANXIETY ZINE DISTR.
NALEDI JACKSON
NAN-PAT-VIC PUBLISHING
NANOPRESS
NAOMI COOK
NATE WILLIAMS
NATHALIE BOUCHARD
NEALE MCDEVITT
NEELY GONIODSKY
NÉO NOÉ
NEON SANDWICH
NÉORHINO
NEW ESCAPOLOGIST
NEW POMPEII
NEW RELIABLE PRESS
NEW ROMANCE FOR KIDS
NEW THING
NICK MAANDAG COMICS
NICOLAS PLAMONDON
NICOLE ALINE LEGAULT
NINJA YETI COMMANDO
NO FACE
NO MEDIA KINGS
NO POETRY PRESS
NO SMALL POTATOES
NOICON
NOMNRYN
NOS RESTES EDITIONS
NULLWHORE
OCCUPONS MONTRÉAL
ODDBIRDS
OHNO!THEROBOT FANZINE
OJINGOGO
ONE BLOODY YEAR
ONE SENTENCE STORIES
ONE WAY TICKET
OOLA DUG
OOMSKA
OUBLIETTE
OUT OF THE BASEMENT PRODUCTIONS
P-BRANE: THE GREEN MAN
P572
PAKU DAOUST-CLOUTIER
PAL POWER
PALIMPSEST MAGAZINE
PANCAKE WOLFS
PANDORA HOBBY
PAPER PUSHER PRINT WORKS
PAPER SCISSORS HANDMADE
MISCELLANY
PAPER WALL
PAPIRMASSE
PAR AVION
PARALLEL WORLD
PARANOIDMAN
PARK TOWERS
PASCALINE KNIGHT
PATRICK KYLE
PATRICK LANGLOIS
PAUL GERMAIN
PAULA BELINA
PAYETTE & SIMMS
PEDIGREE GIRLS
PEEPHOLE PUBLICATIONS
PEER A MID PRINTING
PEOPLE’S POTATO
PERFECT WASTE OF TIME
PERIPHARIK
PERRO VERLAG + NO KINGS PRESSES
PETE MEADOWS
PETER KALYNIUK PRESS
PETER THOMPSON : BRAIN TRUST
PFE
PHANTOM PRESS
PHILIP AMSEL
PHILIPPE GAUMOND
PHUDGE
PICA MAGAZINE
PICK-UP LINE ZINES
PIERRE AUGER
PIERRE BOUCHARD
PIERRE RICHARDSON
PIGEON SOCIETY
PIN PALS
PINCHDOG PRESS
PINK PRESSINGS
PISTOLPRESS
PLACE MAGAZINE
PLAN B
PLASTIC PRESS
PLUMAGE
PM PRESS
POÈTES DE BROUSSE
POLARITY PUBLICATIONS
POLLARD’S PRESS
POLYMANCER MAGAZINE
POP BOOM BANG BOOKS
POPE HATS
POPULAR ABATTOIR REVUE
PORTE-ABÎME
POSITIVE CREATIONS
POSTERS WITH THE MOSTERS
POUÈT-CAFËE
POW WOW COMIX
PRE-RAPHAELITE BROTHERHOOD
PUBLISHING
PRESSE ÉRIC THERIAULT
PRINCE CHAMELEON PRESS
PRODUCTIONS SEL & VINAIGRE
PRODUKT ART/COMICS
PROJECT:OR
PROPER LADS PRESS
PROZAC PRESS
PUBERTY PRESS
PUBLIC TRANSIT RECORDINGS
PUBLIÉ/AUTOPUBLIÉ
PUNCTUM
PURPLE GRASSHOPPER
QTEAM
QUARTIER LATOON
QUE SE PASSE-T-IL?
QUÉBEC MANGA
QUEBEC WRITERS FEDERATION
QUEER THINGS
QUEERY MAGAZINE
QUERENCIA
R.A.T. (ROYAL ARTS AND TRADE)
RADICAL MONTREAL
RAISINLOVE
RAMBOHULKHOGAN
RAWR
RAZIELLE AIGEN
REBECCA ROSEN
RED ALERT NETWORK
REDBIRD PRESS
REGAN MORAN
REJECT SOCIETY
REQBAT
RÉSEAU ART ACTUEL (RCAAQ)
RÉSOLU
RESTEZ POUR SOUPER
REVOLUTION BIKURIOUS
REVOLVING BOOKCASE PUBLICATIONS
REVUE LIBERTÉ
REVUE PLAFOND
REVUE QUI VIVE
RICHARD SERRAO
RICHARD SUICIDE
RIEN À DÉCLARER (RAD)
RIPE VEGAN COOKZINES
RIVER BIRD STUDIOS
ROB MCLENNAN
ROBERT WRINGHAM
ROBIN ENRICO
ROCKET SILENCE
ROSA ROQUETTE ET BOBETTES ON
FIRE
ROSEMARY ROBERTS
ROUSSAN PUBLISHERS
RUFFTOON
RYAN DODGSON
SAGEBRUSH PUBLISHING
SALGOOD SAM
SAMANTHA MEILER
SAMPANINK CREATIONS
SANG D’ENCRE
SANYA ANWAR
SARA GUINDON
SARAH EVANS
SARAH GLIDDEN ET DOMITILLE
COLLARDEY
SARAH PUPO
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The Lindbergh Line
photo by Robin Hart Hiltz
128
L’essentiel pour l’indie-rock
PAR SÉBASTIEN HELL
Le Québec, en tant qu’îlot majoritairement francophone dans un
océan anglophone, est unique dans sa façon de voir la culture, dans un
pays où les deux peuples colonisateurs tentent tant bien que mal de se
différencier culturellement des États-Unis.
Le Canada anglais à réussi à former des artistes qui se distinguent
de leurs compères américains de deux façons : en encourageant ceux
qui en sont carrément différents, d’une part (The Tragically Hip et
Rush par exemple), et en s’hyper-américanisant, de l’autre, et faire
des artistes canadiens-anglais des figures importantes aux États-Unis
(Nickelback et Shania Twain) — s’inspirer du star-système et l’infiltrer
pour foisonner.
Au Québec, vu le contexte de la langue, les éditeurs se sont
rass-emblés pour s’entraider et créer une sous-culture (du point de
vue nord-américain) qui deviendrait son propre star-système, avec
une demi-douzaine de ‘gros’ éditeurs de livres, deux plus grandes
compagnies de disques (Audiogram et Québécor) et un tout petit
groupe de producteurs de cinéma qui engage toujours les mêmes
visages, qui changent aux 10 ou 15 ans.
Le hic, c’est que tout cet ‘establishment québécois’ continue de
se vendre comme étant des regroupements d’artistes indépendants,
des petits travailleurs honnêtes pas trop riches, qui ne sont que des
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mouches comparées à leurs comparses américains, sauf que ce sont
eux qui dominent la culture populaire, la radio, la télé, le cinéma, les
salles de spectacles (surtout celles de plus de 100 places), les comptoirs
à journaux… sans compter que Québécor est une grande entreprise
d’envergure internationale qui tisse ses toiles dans la plupart des
domaines économiques.
Et le reste de la culture, celle qui n’est pas annoncée dans les
épiceries, doit soit être considéré comme ‘la relève’ qui tente de percer
dans ce marché, soit une culture vraiment, absolument indépendante,
résolument en marge. En fait, plusieurs variétés de sous-cultures
existent : quelques-unes tournées vers les Américains (punk hardcore,
fanzines) ou vers les Européens (la musique métal et les films gore),
la filière indie-rock à succès (Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade) et ceux qui
tentent de s’y greffer (les Wind Up Radio Sessions et autres Lindbergh
Line qui multiplient les spectacles à la Casa Del Popolo), les punks
francophones, les poètes qui font plus de spectacles/lectures qu’ils
n’ont de textes sortis en recueils…
N’empêche qu’on semble loin du Refus Global, qu’il ne se dégage guère
d’unité, d’esprit de corps. Qu’on pense seulement au groupe punk
The Sainte Catherines : leur leader, Hugo Mudie, a lancé sa propre
compagnie de gérance, L’Écurie, qui en plus produit des spectacles et
un mini-festival nommé le Pouzza Fest. Un de leurs anciens membres,
Wood Nadeau, promeut aussi des spectacles — d’abord seul, puis avec
le collaboratif Mon Œil, devenu depuis L’œil du tigre, qui est avec le
temps aussi devenu une maison de disques. Et bien que les deux clans
collaborent souvent, à présenter des spectacles chacun de leur côté, ils
se divisent le public-cible — pas seulement en argent, dont le montant
est, avouons-le, quand même assez minime, mais surtout en gestion
de temps. Qui a le temps d’aller voir deux concerts du même type par
semaine alors que l’offre de divertissement à Montréal est presque
sans limite?
Il y a aussi ce qui se produit entre les scènes différentes : la scène
noise nouvellement implantée à St-Henri se rend moins souvent sur
le Plateau ou dans le Mile-End; les salles du centre-ville ferment à vue
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d’œil, par dizaines, et celles qui demeurent sont trop grandes pour
accueillir des groupes de moindre envergure et des projets plus osés.
Les salles underground qui opèrent à la limite de la légalité se font
fermer et celles qui demeurent se voient forcées d’opérer avec des
budgets intenables, résultant en des factures salées qu’elles refilent aux
groupes qui désirent s’y produire.
Il faudrait un organisme qui chapeaute toutes les scènes, presque
bénévolement, afin de laisser libre cours aux artistes pour que ces
derniers puissent s’occuper de faire ce qu’ils font de mieux : de l’art.
Parce que créer est assez pointu en soi, et qu’après la création, vient la
mise en marché et/ou la distribution de l’œuvre, qui elle non plus n’est
pas qu’une partie de plaisir.
Mais aucune des grandes institutions ne veut en prendre charge : les
‘grands’ éditeurs préfèrent garder ceux qui font déjà partie de leur
star-système; les ‘grands’ festivals préfèrent les artistes internationaux
ou les ‘grands noms québécois’; les festivals de région n’en ont que pour
les rockeurs de radio; et Pop Montréal est bien trop occupé à faire venir
des oubliés des fins fonds des États-Unis qui n’ont pas fait de concerts
depuis plus de 30 ans que de prêter l’oreille (et leur vitrine médiatique
exceptionnelle) aux groupes émergents qui ne font pas partie de leur
cercle d’amis.
Il faut dire que plusieurs musiciens, en jouant dans trois ou quatre
groupes en même temps, trouvent eux-mêmes les moyens de se tirer
des balles dans les pieds en multipliant l’offre d’entertainment (et par
le fait même les demandes de subventions et les applications aux
nombreux festivals et événements), en divisant le nombre de lieux
d’exposition (en s’y produisant avec leurs groupes dits ‘secondaires’) et
en étirant la patience de leurs proches, qui finissent par ne plus savoir
où donner de la tête.
Et tout ça parce qu’il est dorénavant tellement facile de produire
de la musique à rabais, soit en enregistrant live dans les locaux de
pratique, en spectacle, ou chez soi sur un ordinateur. Et ensuite,
pour le sortir, il suffit de graver un CD-R encore dans son ordi, ou de
convertir en mp3 et l’envoyer à tout le monde.
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Par contre, ce qui est compliqué, c’est de sortir de sa scène, de
son noyau d’amis et d’irréductibles, de propager son message à un
plus grand nombre d’oreilles. C’est là que de converger les scènes,
de collaborer entre groupes, genres, promoteurs et labels pourrait
profiter à plusieurs groupes — surtout dans une ville cosmopolite,
culturellement vivante, curieuse et dépensière comme Montréal.
Parce que si une revue est limitée par son tirage (physique, elle n’a
aucune limite numérique, évidemment), il n’en est rien de la musique
qui, elle, se retrouve déjà en mode internet de nos jours et qui, plus
souvent qu’autrement, tire sa force d’être entendue en direct, en
concert, de la communion directe entre le public et l’artiste.
Et je persiste à croire qu’une ville comme Montréal peut très bien
abriter autant de salles de spectacles aujourd’hui qu’en 2009 (on en
compte une soixantaine de moins à l’heure actuelle), et qu’elles peuvent
toutes être pleines — et que tous pourraient y trouver leur compte.
C’est d’ailleurs pourquoi j’organise chaque année UnPop Montréal
— pour donner aux artistes une plate-forme où se présenter, où
expérimenter, où s’amuser. Des spectacles gratuits pour inciter les gens
à découvrir les perles rares qui ne demandent qu’à s’exprimer.
Parce que comme le dit si bien Wood Nadeau :
« La beauté de faire de la musique en ce moment, c’est que l’Industrie n’est
plus en contrôle de la situation, nous le sommes. Et si l’Industrie tombe ou
meurt, nous demeurerons actifs, parce que nous n’avons pas peur de perdre de
l’argent, tant qu’on s’amuse comme des fous pendant ce temps-là. »
Le plaisir de créer d’un côté, le plaisir d’écouter de l’autre. Le retour à la
case départ, à l’essentiel. Dire qu’on s’est laissé dire qu’on avait besoin
de plus que ça pendant 50 ans…
132
MONTREAL: ART & INSPIRATION
MEET ON THE STREETS
BY STEFAN CHRISTOFF
In Montreal, art is a key element of the intensely complex collective
identity that stretches across this beautiful island city.
Today, as Montreal is being celebrated as a centre for cutting
edge art in North America, a heightened critical reflection on artistic
production and its representation is necessary. There are contesting
visions on the directions forward for cultural movements in this city,
visions that often overlap, but just as often clash. Now is the time for
us to intensify our collective thinking on the multitude of difficult
questions that confront the arts today in Montreal.
Are the corporate sponsorships for indy festivals, or efforts to push
‘underground’ culture into capitalist-driven art markets the best way
forward for the long term health of the arts community in Montreal?
On the flipside, are artists working hard enough to build bridges
with the community organizations and activists who struggle daily to
sustain the political and economic space that works to create the room
for independent culture to thrive in Montreal?
The complex issues of gentrification in neighbourhoods like the
Mile End and the Plateau need to be addressed. Are Montreal artists
contributing to sustaining a livable city for all, or is the rapid fire
mainstream celebration of local artists contributing to creating
economic conditions that exclude people living in poverty?
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As corporate box condos are dispatched to artistic hotspots in
our beloved city, areas that have fostered and nurtured the arts for
so many years, are artists doing enough to confront this process of
gentrification that stands as the antithesis to the rugged beauty that
has inspired so many living here?
Are we giving attention to and supporting organizations like
the Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (frapru),
a grassroots organisation that fights for social housing on a policy
level while employing direct action campaigns and street protests
to challenge the injustices of gentrification. As artists interested in
preserving the vital character of Montreal, lending solidarity and
support to activist groups like frapru, and the many others with
similarly inspiring mandates, is a clear necessity.
Are the independent cultural institutions working seriously to
challenge a Ville de Montréal administration that is diligently working
to co-opt the global hype surrounding the city’s art? When the Place
des arts is no longer a Place des peuples, what are we left with?
As all cultural workers understand in the heart, inspiration for our best
work rests in the difficult and beautiful realities of the world around
us, not in the monotone words or florescent-lit halls of political power,
guided by an economic logic that works to close the social spaces in
which creativity flourishes.
Certainly, the struggle to survive with dignity as artists, to sustain
ourselves economically, is a challenging reality that needs constant
focus. In the context of global financial systems now failing at
hyper-speed and rooted in a race to the bottom economics, sparking
inspiring street protests globally, let us look to community based
economic alternatives.
Failed corporate economic models will not address our collective
economic challenges as community-based and independent artists.
Quick fixes are never healthy in the long term, and today’s economic
implosions certainly offer a clear argument in that direction. Urgent
economic thinking and exploration outside of capitalist boxes of
commodification and corporate sponsorships is needed.
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Difficult questions confront all visions of the arts in Montreal for the
next years, but in stepping towards the future, we should recognize
the incredible accomplishments over recent years; a thriving indie
music scene built from the ground up, an internationalist hip-hop
scene that speaks to the reality of Montreal as a global city, a cinema
culture that inspires globally, and an internationally respected design
and publishing culture, all performed in two ‘official’ languages. This
cultural reality is rooted in the daily work of thousands of artists,
cultural workers and activists, a process far removed from the empty
words of municipal politicians or corporate types now moving to claim
credit and profit from the global attention on Montreal arts.
The celebratory reception of Montreal’s current artistic culture in the
mainstream press, both locally and globally, does little to address the
history of political struggle that worked to construct the spaces for
these visionary arts practices to take root.
Montreal’s artistic renaissance over the past decade is deeply
connected to Québec’s turbulent political and economic history.
Across Québec, protests confronting social injustice in the late 1960s
and early 1970s influenced a generation of artists. Major worker and
student strikes from the era continue to shape our reality today, from
official government policy to a popular culture rooted in the struggle
for independence. And though the mass social movements in Québec
certainly spoke to struggles linked to the economic and linguistic
oppression of Québecois, these popular mobilizations also spoke to the
international revolutionary spirit of the times that reshaped modern
artistic practice across the board. Beyond the common contemporary
representation of the Quiet Revolution as being directly focused on
Québec nationalist demands, the reality of its political language and
dreams were largely visioned as revolutionary, internationalist and
rooted in cultural expression.
It was in this era that spaces opened for serious artistic exploration,
from the artist run centres showcasing contemporary art practices,
to the cafes and bars that acted as venues for popular musicians and
storytellers, to a political culture that gained widespread support for
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significant public funding for the arts. Montreal began to solidify an
artistic voice that stood in stark contrast to the commodity culture that
would soon sweep across most of North America.
In The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties
Montreal by historian Sean Mills, the relationship between art and
activism is addressed:
“Quebec’s political independence had to form part of a comprehensive
transformation that would affect all spheres of life, from poetry and literature
to cinema and sexuality. (...) Literature, and culture generally, were deeply
constitutive of this leftism, and were central to the new world of freedom and
creativity that needed to be built.”
Today the Conservative attack on public funding for the arts, alongside
an austerity economics that presses for corporate tax cuts as a solution
to financial crisis, are a very real affront to Québec’s tradition of
patronage of the arts, a reality that was only achieved via the struggles
of social movements of past generations.
In a globalised world, struggles stretch beyond borders, and questions
concerning how the arts will deal with increasingly stringent austerity
measures, a growing conservatism both economic and social, are being
raised to cultural workers across the world.
However, there is also the specific context of Montreal’s history
of struggle that is directly responsible for the spaces that exist today
to create the unique art that has come to shape our collective identity.
As artists operating in a city that stands in discord to Wall Street
economics — a city which, for the most part, rejects the destructive
capitalist economics of the box store/shopping mall/condo model —
we should take inspiration from this history, and honour and learn
from past struggles. From the sonic explorations challenging musical
genres, to the street art that beautifies our urban environment, to the
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spoken poetics that reshape contemporary literature, arts in this city
must not be isolated from Montreal’s political history.
Let us focus on this contested moment in history and move forward in
a way that stands in solidarity with the social movements that create
independent spaces, who value and love the arts, the same movements for
change that have inspired the most incredible artists throughout time.
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Adam Sacks
Paean