Train Wreck is carving a name for itself as one of the premier music zines in the country, and certainly the most serious. A great deal of the copy is over-written for the average music fan, but this zine elevates music to the status of high literature. The work of editor-publisher Michael McLeod includes interview subjects like Ativin, June of 44 and Plush. They’re treated less as objects of mere fandom and more like creators and innovators. In this respect, the profiled artists are kindred spirits for McLeod, as he strives to find meaning in the work of others. There’s an unabashed joy in the structure of his writing, and though it is surely a bit of a turn-off for those who believe rock & roll possesses value only as a form of entertainment, others will be amazed that somebody out there cares so much. It’s this kind of original perspective and spirit that makes fanzines so necessary and challenges the mainstream. As it presently stands, McLeod’s zine is unique, and from issue-to-issue it just keeps getting better. (DF)
zine, #4, 40 pgs, $1.50, Michael B. McLeod, PO Box 652, Sydney, NS B1P 6H7