There aren’t nearly enough earthy zines on store shelves these days. It’s with this idiotic statement in mind that I offer an earnest three-finger salute to Ron Sakolsky and the debut of his excellent new publication, The Oystercatcher. This definitely ain’t no tree-huggin’, wool sock manifesto, but rather a zine that celebrates the sea, the sky and everything in between. Sakolsky is a talented writer in the sense that he keeps things simple. His strong narratives use straight-forward language and invite the reader to share in the experience rather than view from afar. Yet, from deep within the woods emerges a most heinous beast known for its coarse hide and bad breath: anarchy. Yes, that anarchy. Build your own radio station, the anarchist roots of the Mayday holiday…these and other anarchist themes blanket The Oystercatcher like an early morning dew. However, Sakolsky is careful to pay his respects to his elders and what results is a solid, weirdo blend of history, geography and the reasons things are the way they are. It definitely resides twenty something degrees outside the mainstream, but you can tell that the intentions of The Oystercatcher aren’t based in style or elitism. Rather, they’re based on a legitimate alternative lifestyle that probably doesn’t give a rat’s ass if you subscribe or not. They simply want you to know they’re out there. (Cameron Gordon)
politics, #1, 28 pgs, $?, Ron Sakolsky, 1681 Dalziel Road, Denman Island, BC, V0R 1T0, [email protected]