_ _ __ | | | | / __| | |_| | | <_ | ___ | \__ \ | | | | __> | |_| |_|elter |___/ kelter 1! (digital) ____________________________________________________ Helter Skelter Issue 1 Editor's Note If there were any people I would dedicate this issue to, it would be Trevor Davis, editor of Washington Commie Spotter(local zine) for the inspiration and help, and whoever puts out Small Victory (a half-sized punkzine out of the bay area). I'd also like to thank Nick and Ben for the art. Just in case any of you care, this probably won't come out on any set schedule, maybe once every 2-4 months. There's just too much going on. Anyway in this issue we've got three good artists and some nice articles this issue. I'll try to get some interviews next issue. (You know what's fun? Calling two different Domino's on three-way and hooking them together. Definitely good for a cheap laugh.) If you have anything (art, articles, zines, music, anything) send it to me. If it's art or articles I'll send you a free copy (two if I use it.) Zines I'll review and send you one of mine. Music I'll review (I'll give you some free advertising if I like it.) Also, any DC show info would be greatly appreciated. If it gets here in time I'll print it. If not I'll get some friends together and we'll go. If anyone has enough money to give me some "financial support" it would greatly increase quality and decrease cover price. I'll run free ads for bands,labels, and zines. Here's my address: Helter Skelter c/o Derek Teslik 3519 Woodbine St Chevy Chase MD 20815 Email: DerekTesl@Aol.com or Derek.Teslik@sbaonline.gov Get out and get involved __________________________________________________________________ _ ---How to Build Your Own Underground Television Transmitter--- ---Using Commercially Available Parts--- Yes, for some time now it has been possible to construct a clandestine television station, which you can operate from your Telecommando Lair, or modify for Mobile Media Guerrilla campaigns. We have named this device the Snow Box, due to its cool nature, and the snow seen on blank television channels waiting to be commandeered.To put together a TV station you will need this stuff: A VCR or Camcorder with video or RF outputs A Ham Radio 6-meter Band Linear amplifier (This boosts the RF signal from the VCR for broadcasting) (The Linear Amp should have a bandwidth of 6 MHz for best results) A cable television RF distribution amplifier may also be used. Coaxial cable with UHF connectors (Connects the Linear Amp to the Antenna) A cable-TV patch cable with an F-connector and a UHF connector (To connect the RF signal to the Linear Amp) (F-connectors are the small ones used with cable TV) (UHF connectors are the large ones used for Ham Radio) If your VCR does not have RF outputs: An external RF modulator (converts video to channel 3,6,12, etc.) A cable with RCA connectors (a standard stereo cord is OK) A 6-meter Ham radio antenna. If you do not have a pre-made 6-meter antenna: About 20 feet of strong wire 3 ceramic antenna insulators Another UHF connector Likely places to get the linear amplifier, connectors and cables are a Ham Radio swapmeet, a Ham club news-letter's classified ads, a Buy-Sell-Trade paper like The Recycler, or at a store specializing in Ham gear. RF modulators are available at specialty video stores, or major VCR dealers. Setting Up the Transmitter: Using a VCR with RF out: [VCR/RF]F------U[Linear Amp]U-------U[Antenna] weak RF Power RF Using an External RF Modulator: [VCR]R--R[RFModulator]----U[LinearAmp]U----U[Antenna] video weak RF Power RF Diagram Symbols: U UHF-connectors (Ham radio) F F-connectors (cable TV) R RCA connectors (stereos) --- coax, cables, wires [] devices (name of device in brackets) ceramic insulator (the kind with a hole at each end) Building The Dipole Antenna: wire wire ---------------------++---------------------- | | Short coax | | [U] UHF connector The antenna is set up much like a clothesline with the wires tethered straight out horizontally. The outer insulators are used to isolate the antenna from the tether lines, which should be rope or nylon cords for good results. The inner insulator isolates a gap between the two long wires of the antenna. The length of the wires used for the antenna is critical. Look up the length in feet for the channel you want to use in the table below & make each of the two long wires that length. As a rule of thumb, a wire half-wave antenna's length in feet is equal to 468 divided by the frequency in MHz. **************************************** VHF Television Channel Data ---------------------------------------- TV MHZ ---carrier--- antenna channel range video sound lengths ------- ----- ----- ----- ------- 2 54-60 55.25 59.75 8.47 ft 3 60-66 61.25 65.75 7.64 ft 5 76-82 77.25 81.75 6.05 ft 6 82-88 83.25 87.75 5.62 ft 7 174-180 175.25 179.75 2.67 ft 8 180-186 181.25 185.75 2.58 ft 9 186-192 187.25 191.75 2.49 ft 10 192-198 193.25 197.75 2.42 ft 11 198-204 199.25 193.75 2.34 ft 12 204-210 205.25 209.75 2.28 ft 13 210-216 211.25 215.75 2.21 ft (All frequencies in MHz) (Lengths are for half-wave antennas) **************************************** For Further information: Look in the ARRL Handbook published by the American Radio Relay League for detailed plans & theory for antennas, transmitters & linear amplifiers. The info in that book can be used for setting up an underground AM or FM radio station. Public Education: Make a videotape of each step in the process of constructing your transmitter. Show this tape in your broadcasts, "For informational purposes only," of course. Short-burst zipping: From a fixed or mobile base of operation show short snippets of graffiti-like computer graphics, quick subliminal messages, images & suggestions, or brief manifestos. Commercials are an opportune time to break into TV broadcasts. Cable TV Piracy: With modifications it may be possible to feed the power RF signal directly into a cable TV system, overriding cablecasts or commandeering unused channels. Mobile Operation: Using storage batteries and a 110-volt inverter the transmitter may be modified for mobile use to avoid detection by the FCC during long broadcasts. Battery operated mobile linear amps and portable camcorders are also available. anarchy! anarchy \ann-ar-KEY\ [ML anarchia, fr. Gk. fr. ararchos, having no ruler, fr. an + archos ruler] 1c: a utopian society made up of individuals who have no government and who enjoy complete freedom. [taken from webster's new collegiate dictionary]. NOTE: this is the definition in which i use the word 'anarchy' through out this article unless specified as anything other. the reason being, the word 'anarchy' directly means 'without ruler.' quite flexible. contrary to popular belief, anarchy, on the whole, has intent and ethics (what?!?!) for the good of the people. to start out i'd like to state that 'blowing shit up' is NOT anarchy. anarchy is a political belief and is not necessarily connected with violence, about as much, if not less than any other political system. to put it bluntly, 'blowing shit up' is exactly that and nothing else (unless of course, you are a surrealist). anarchy has an appeal to "young people" because we tend to have this thing about rebellion, truth is, most don't understand that anarchy is very hard to achieve and requires society as a whole to share a similar belief. which is a very difficult task, it takes complete participation of the members of the society and a different state of mind. the idea of non-violence poses a problem due to the commonly stated phrase "violence is natural human behavior" that i believe to be true, but that is not something to be proud and has been proven to be a changeable behavior. people are violent because they don't care enough to be non-violent, and in a society that offers no hope, is corrupt, apartial, owned by the rich few, etc. violence is viewed as wrong, but "since life sucks anyway, why not?" one undoubted cause of our violent society is due to the content on television, i'm sure you've all heard the "a child has viewed 1500 murders before the age of twelve" statistic. not only that the "faster than the eye can see" advertising techniques of half-naked, young, white women on beer and car commercials after a gratuitously violent program must contribute to the growing rise in rape. anarchy CAN be achieved. the common argument is that it is against human nature to have a successful anarchistic culture for a long period of time, or "it'd be fun for a little while until someone creates a military and it becomes fascism" that would be common in a small tribe situation, one tribe conquering the other tribe. but we are a world of 5+ billion people, telecommunications are a common house-hold object in many countries, people are dependent on a source of information every day, if we, as a planet tried, anarchy would succeed. i must agree if all governments fell, in the condition that we are in now, it would be a disaster, that is the reason i chose the word *achievement* of anarchy, implying that a successful utopian anarchistic society takes effort and not simply the destruction of government. this effort is not hard to come by, for an example: religion. if people with religious beliefs were doing their part for anarchy in the name of jah, or allah, or god, or jehovah, or shiva, or elvis, or FOR THE HELL OF IT, anarchy can and will be achieved. or else extinction of the human race. anarchy must be maintained though, thus we must influence the rich and or powerful to not control us with an oligarchy, monarchy, dictatorship, etc. by threatening them with revolution. they create apartheid, we create chaos, they do not compensate us in a socialist behavior, we burn the mother fuckers in the street! we have achieved much in this world so far. partial liberation of women and basically anyone else except a white, heterosexual, christian male in many "first world countries." we must achieve complete liberation of those that have no negative effect on the world (those who do not fit in this category: murderers, rapists, thieves, etc.). and the solution for the "baaad" people i just listed, is re-education, social support, and a less manipulative atmosphere in an attempt for prevention of crimes. now, some of this may sound like the ideals of democracy and socialism, and their is a reason for that, these ARE the ideals of democracy and socialism. though, in my opinion, democracy is a failure and socialism is good, so why not better (anarchy)? the US has one of, if not THE, highest crimes rates of the world. proving democracy faulty, and like i said, anarchy would be in a similar situation in this society. the achievement of anarchy is the cure for that, it would provide proper motivation to evolve into a higher (no pun intended), peaceful, and free existence. many people are still oppressed today, racism, chauvinism, homophobia, etc. are still concepts shared by many people in the world. calling for a more efficient education. but no matter how much you learn in school, it is nothing compared to what you learn on television or in the street (guess which one is a reflection of the other. wrong). our rulers and law enforcers are very major contributors to this situation, and like wise must be illuminated against hatred and greed. many of the laws today are unjust and profitable to the ones that make them. including the 'drug' laws, especially the ones pertaining to addictive 'drugs'. for an example, a popular drug among rich, white businessmen is cocaine, a popular drug among oppressed black people in the ghetto is crack, a different process of preparing cocaine. the amount of crack for a sentence of, say, ten years is 1/100 or so the amount of cocaine for ten years. not only that, the speculated drug use and or abuse of 'drugs' in the white community which makes up about 70% of the US populace is around 70%. the speculated use and or abuse of 'drugs' in the poor, inner-city, "non-whites" which makes up about 20% is, *drum roll* 20%. the arrests in the inner-city are 90-95%. an example of the corruption of those who are supposed to protect us. open your mind, and abolish your hatred and fears, and by all means don't oppress someone. we do not have to live in the state that we are in, and if you are not feeling the un-pleasantries of capitalism, you will if you are not one of the 1% that is causing this shit to hit the fan. so liberate yourself before you are oppressed (it's easier that way) and liberate others that are oppressed. rise above. _________________________________________________________________ The Problem With American "Justice" Over the course of human history there have been two main types of laws. The first type, disciplinary, are created to punish and rehabilitate those who effect the lives of others and impose on their personal freedoms. The others, preventative laws, are used to keep people within the accepted moral bounds of society. While disciplinary laws are used to preserve the freedoms of the great part of society, preventative laws are used only to limit freedoms and fit the country's citizens into a pre-defined mold Disciplinary laws include those outlawing murder, assault, discrimination, etc. In other words, these are the laws that protect the average citizen from those that would seek to harm them, and when these offenders are found, to rehabilitate them. This kind of legislation is unfortunately needed to keep the populace from becoming excessively violent and self-destructing (Judging by the social climate and the news they haven't worked too well.) Although not always just, these laws are sadly a necessity. Preventative laws include those outlawing drug use, certain kinds of sexual contact, and other kinds of social behavior that affects no one but the offender. These are laws that try to replace a strong set of morals. As such, they are made to conform to the current societal standards of conduct, and not to those rights that this country was founded upon. Because drug use and sexual contact, when consentual, are personal issues to whoever undertakes these practices, the legislature has no grounds to regulate them. Don't get me wrong. Whenever there is a crime committed against another person the offender should be punished to the full extent of the law. If we removed from jail those who were not put in jail because of a disciplinary law, the overcrowding problem in the prisons could be alleviated. Those who were a danger to society could be removed from that society and rehabilitated, not put back on the streets in a matter of years. Those who are seen as a danger to themselves only should be left to their own devices. Society should not pay $40,000 a year or more to have an individual removed from the populace who is not threatening to that populace as a whole. In fact, drug users and sexual deviants are less likely to be "rehabilitated," because they will less often believe that their own actions are wrong. By making deviants criminals, society is implementing a form of thought crime legislature. "If you do not think as we do, you are wrong. Even if you hurt no one except possibly yourself, you should be incarcerated." This is exactly the beliefs the founding fathers were running away from in England. To keep these kinds of laws on the books is a disgrace to both the people and the founders of our country. --------------------------------------------------------------- Jesus was a Punk Last night I was watching a TV Minister for some amusement and I was surprised at the similarity many of his ideals had to the "Punk Dogma." This particular sermon was titled "As you sow, so shall you reap." After listening for a while I was amazed at how familiar his words seemed after reading so many DIY (Do It Yourself) articles. In the local community I'm seeing some people sowing, but many us "reaping" and complaining about the harvest. True, the DC punk scene is not what it was in the 80's. I've heard a lot of people saying it's dead and gone (I wouldn't go that far.) I guess it's just moved on. There's a LOT of interest out there, and all people need to do is get involved. Whatever you want to do, I can personally guarantee you are not alone. Even if you're not ready to get up and start something, support your local scene. Every dollar you use to buy a 7", a zine, local art, or a ticket to a show will be better spent to improve the scene than if you buy some major-label album or go see Stone Temple Pilots or Pearl Jam or something. Of course, if there's nothing you want to support, make something. I'm not writing this just to get it out or make money(actually I'll probably go broke doing this) but to give some exposure to local bands, labels, and movements and my friend's art and to get my ideas out there and considered. I might even inspire some people to do things. Help your own. Go and learn to play. Write out your ideas and send them to some zine or write your own. Start a label for your band and your friend's bands. Most importantly, go out and do it. You are not alone, and there are people that can and will help if you tell them about it. But use your initiative and make a difference. And hey! if Jesus said it, it must be true. --------------------------------------------------------------- My America The moment in history that now and forever will belong to me is that of the early Nineties. These are the Clinton-Bush years, a time when two leaders with opposite rhetoric embrace strangely similar policy. Hypocrisy seems to be the guiding force of presidency. Patriotism has died. The country is not the land of freedom and liberty as the songs call it, but in the big cities it is a land of warfare. Our presidents gladly war with countries overseas to take the attention of the populace away from the battles in our streets. This destruction is both a distraction from and an excuse for ballooning budgets. These wars are fought not in the fields but on CNN and CBS, as are the occasional battles on the home front, such as those in L.A. and Mount Pleasant. Everything is for sale, although no one but the Japanese has the money. Jobs are scarce, and the metropolitan areas have more people than they know what to do with. Gun control advocates slowly eat away at the second amendment while guns eat away at our inner cities. The quest for racial unity has led only to more separation, as people stress their differences than their similarities. There is a "black" culture and a "white" culture, but no clear american culture. The underground has become the mainstream. There is no longer a thirst for information, for now we are drowning in it. Technology has finally taken its throne as leader of our lives. Young people seem to be caught in the grip of something between confusion and apathy. Rebellion is labeled and prepackaged. Life is the present, and a bleak present at that. The only promise is that of five hundred interactive channels and a microwave you can talk to. New gadgets keep us always living in the future, while we gripe about loosing the past. No one can program their VCR. --------------------------------------------------------------- A while ago the Yippies wrote "100 ways to screw your school" it's dated, but still worthwhile. I'll include a few each issue. consider it an incentive to keep reading. There are some good ones later (77 is great) (1) Get a syringe (minus needle) or similar device. Mix both tubes of epoxy glue with a little rubbing alcohol. You now have about half an hour to fill locks, door jambs, soap dispensers, drinking fountain nozzles, video tapes, etc., before glue hardens. This glue can also be placed on the outside of doorknobs and tops of chairs for a sticky surprise. If you can't get the epoxy glue and syringe, a tube of airplane cement can also be used although it is not as permanent. (2) An alternative use for the syringe is to pretend to shoot up while a teacher is watching. If they speak to you tell them you have to do it because school is so horrible (3) Call the school and leave the phone off the hook. The way some (but not all) phone systems work this will tie up their phone for as long as yours is off the hook. (4) Protest U.S. aid to reactionary regimes abroad by defoliating plants around the school or by digging a bomb crater on the front lawn. (5) Draw or paint something obscene on roll down maps or slide/movie screens. (6) Get some of the punch cards that your school uses for taking attendance. Punch new holes in them either with a keypunch machine or a screwdriver. Then switch the cards with others wherever they are stored. If you can figure out the code the cards are punched by this has even more possibilities. You can often be just as effective without actually repunching the cards by redistributing them a few days after you collect them (particularly when they're used for attendence). (7) Start an information service to get new students opinions and warnings about the teachers and administrators before enrollment day. (8) Bad food? Have a good old fashioned food riot. (9) In gym classes or in hallways between classes have massive searches for 'lost' contact lenses telling people not to walk through the hall or 'you might step on it'. Pretending you've lost something is good cover for all kinds of subversive behavior. (10) Buy some little metal number plates and switch around classroom and locker numbers. This works very well if you can find number plates that look exactly the same as the old ones. (11) If your school still has a dress code protest it having everyone do something disruptive that does not violate the code. For example, dye your hair green with food coloring. If you still have to wear uniforms, try wearing them back to front in protest, or dare boys and girls to wear each other's uniforms. If this doesn't work, try a blanket protest. You could also try posting up the article, 'Take Off Your Clothes' from 'How Old Will You Be In 1984?' or passing it around. It provides good arguments about why there should not be a dress code. (12) Free all the animals in the biology classroom. (13) Write a 'consumer report' on the 'education' you've been consuming. Distribute it to parents at school functions and post it on hallway bulletin boards. (14) Periodically have students go to the office to have some rumor confirmed or denied. --------------------------------------------------------------- Music Review If you've got music send it to me and i'll review it (&free ads if i like it). There is very little in life that could be better than that, right? And if i don't like it I'll pass it on until it ends up in the hands of someone who does. And either way, free exposure. Untill i get stuff sent to me I'll pretty much review whatever I've bought lately and some of it is a bit old, but who really cares, right? pitchblende --KILL ATOM SMASHER Cargo Records (I couldn't find an address on the case, so if any of you know it, please send it in. It did have an address for the band for"booking, hate mail, etc.": PO Box 65627 Washington DC 20035-5627) CD, 54 min, 1993 There are 22 tracks on the cd, but about half are little 1 minute interludes and instrumental shit betweent tracks. It keeps the whole thing flowing, and it's a good touch. This is one of those cds that takes a few listens to get into your head. When it gets there it's kind of like scrambled eggs. Not always coherent, but you got a good solid piece of work. At points the false stops are overdone, but when it's playing the music is good. Unfortunately, many of the songs do sound somewhat similar, but its not a bad sound. Scream -- Still screaming -- Dischord (you know the address) Ok, OK, this record did come out 11 years ago, but it's one of the best ever and people might forget about it. This is the classic caffeine driven punk from days of old, before david Grohl (ex- nirvana) invaded the drumming spot. Anyway, this stuff is amazing, and they even have a ska/reggae tune called American justice. I repeat, BUY THIS RECORD, NOW. If you don't like it send it to me and I'll pay you for it. this, along with minor threat, shows why the early dischord releases were so amazing. Shorts: Pennywise, unknown road -- Buy it, good Shudder to think, get your goat -- Not worth it. Hamster Compilation (I spy, worlds collide, ashes, load) on Level -- Buy it, Good. Circus Lupus, Anything -- Buy it, good. Dumb european fanzine comp(forget the name) -- Sucks. minor threat,scream , anything -- buy it all Like i said, I have nothing to review, and I don't spend my money on records so send me your shit and I'll review it and pass it on (or send it back). Otherwise I'll just keep telling you things you already know.(like scream is amazing) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Show Reviews: Revision, Pure Seeking, Corm, Red Out @ Grog + Tankard Late February Hmm. Not a bad show overall. Revision played well, but something about their sound is a bit less than appealing. Good talent, mediocre music. The crowd was dead, too. There's something unifying about everyone getting up and dancing; shared experience i guess. Well during revision the crowd had to be ordered off their asses literally. Pure seeking has a more interesting sound. The vocals did get a bit Eddie Vedderesque, but it fit well. Their showpiece was a 8-min. solo with an Indian feel. It was this that finally got some people dancing, and that made me happy. Anyway, what i saw from Corm was less than stellar, and i decided that i had gotten as much of my money's worth as i was going to get by that point (didn't want to stay for corm, and red out i had seen the week before) so i left. worth the $5 i guess, but not much more. Ashes/Grip/Eternal @ Blsck Cat February 27 marked the release of Ashes' second EP, called Hiding Place. To mark this hallowed event Ashes headlined their first hardcore show, with Eternal and Grip opening for them. The show also marked the end of the hardcore matinees held at the Black Cat due to fighting and some moron who tagged the bathroom. To those who are the culprits of such events I give a hearty and well deserved "Fuck You." The show began with Eternal, a band featuring the now defunct Gauge's guitarist as its singer. All I have to say is that if Gauge had any reason to stay together it would have been to keep this band from forming. Next up was Grip, a band I had never seen before but heard about. They started off well, but I fell asleep in the middle of their set. Oh well, at that point anything was better than Eternal. Grip at times employed a nice soft melody while not failing to show that they were still a hardcore band. It was during Grip's set that the Hare Krishnas set up their little stand, which I was tempted to set on fire. Of course the final band was Ashes, who provided a great performance while entertaining the crowd with flying condoms. (?) Ok, so that was a bit unnecessary, and it wasn't entertaining, but as we all know, everything is sexual. During Ashes two stupid motherfuckers decided to be cool and start a fight. Any asshole who does this should be tied to the fucking metro tracks. Oh yeah, and to all you out there with a straight-edge philosophy, I say three things: 1) It is fine to not do drugs, not eat meat, not have sex, blah blah blah, but keep it to yourself. Don't keep telling me that I'm bad because I eat a hamburger or because I want to fuck up my brain cells. Go do something more productive. 2) Stop smoking! If you dickheads are so anti-drug then how come you all smoke? 3) Chill out. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Zine reviews Nozone(utopia/dystopia) #4 $5 A qroup of artists getting together to contemplate the subject of the issue. It was utopia this time. There were some great comics and such and a few essays. This is an amazingly done effort that deserves support even at the hefty cover price. PO box 1124 Knickerbocker Station New York, New York 10002 thwack! "Issue numba fo" 1.50 GENERIC interviews and reviews, interviews and reviews. It did have some stuf fon Scream, the best punk band in the universe, but overal it was short and predictable. Impersonal with respect to the editor/publisher/whatever you want to call him. PO Box 4911 Richmond VA 23220 brikabrak #3 $.50??? Pretty cool personal zine out of Calfornia. My brother is doing the maze (help brian out of his bad job) right now. Fine stuff if you're in the mood, and a wonderful article on keeping summer alive. 4795 Jewel St. Capitola CA 95010 The Lumpen Times Vol 2 # 13 $2.35 Great Chicago area zine. Billboard improvement, legalization, etc and amazing local shit. Every city should have one, 2558 W. Armitage Ave. Chicago Ill. 60647 chump! #2 "on the house" This issue: Richard Simmons, NO F/X, Rocket FTC, more, and some music reviews. Being as it was free it was very good. I picked mine up at Smash, but there won't be any left by the time i publish, so send 'em some stamps and ask for yer free issue. #3 is out in June. I'd pay 50 cents if i was paying, as this is thin and band interviews get boring after your 3rd or 4th zine. Still, a wonderful free publication. Not sure it'll stay free. 1030 W. Franklin Street Suite 35 Richmond VA 23220 Maximum Rock n Roll #131 $2 If you haven't read MRR you haven't read MRR. Sorta the definative punkzine, i trust most of you read it, but if you haven't it's easy to find and worth the cash (less than a penny a page). Who cares if it's half ads? In DC area go to Smash or Borders or Tower Washington Commie Spotter Good, if extremely bitter, zine. It's short and to the point with anarchy + punk philosophy and humor. The big summer issue is coming out, wait for it. Small Victory #2 $1 One of the zines that inspired me to do this. Simply done but done well. Vegan, mental health, more vegan, gay gene, vegan. Jan/UCSC, Kresege Box #443/600 Kresge Ct., Santa Cruz, CA 95064 ------------------End-Helter-Skelter-Digital-#1----------------