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I'm not sure why it took us so long to get this issue of Cool Beans,
but it's probably our fault one way or another (Sort of. -- Ed.). Nonetheless, in the
sweltering heat of July, nothing helps to perk my interest more than a
messy, blood-transfusion-needing hockey player on the front cover. Did
someone say something about hockey in the middle of the Summer? Alright!
Hold on a second Nellie, cause this isn't just some sports magazine or
endless dribble on puck passing! Cool Beans! #12 goes thematic on
your ass by trying to tie everything together with a sports motif. Along
with some amusing and informative examinations of lesser known sports like
curling and Formula I racing, there are some informal articles on the
challenges of urban biking and the always problematic, slightly anarchistic
Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band's unkosher antics. Quite
frankly, there's enough variety for several hours of entertainment, whether
you're relaxing on the couch or taking care of business on the porcelain
throne.
Hold yer horses kids, this isn't ALL about sports, however. There's plenty
of music steeped in these 66 pages. Most interesting is the in depth
interview with Ben Weasel. Mr. W. displays his expertise on hockey while
also letting us know what's up with Screeching Weasel -- an interview that
moves smoothly, asks creative questions and helps you gain some knowledge
on not only a band, but hockey as well! Other music specialties include a
rambling interview with Deerhoof, a fantastic metal column that discusses
lesser known bands like Satyircon, Potentiam and Mistigo and the infamous
Kevin Seconds.
Worn out? Well, we ain't done yet, punk. You even get a CD that has some
great stuff on it. God, it's like one of those infomercials with a bunch of
free shit to go along with your purchase. The aforementioned Leland
Stanford Marching Band sends up a rousing rendition of Ozzy's "Crazy Train"
with enough horns to shake a stadium full of football fans, having the band
take first prize in my book. Other notables include the Zodiac Killers'
speedy punk rock mind-number, "Johnny Won't Get to Heaven" and the
sensitive indie rocker "Theme Songs" by Foibles. It's 20 tracks in all,
and worth the prize of the zine alone.
Issue #12 is a well rounded, well written, and skillfully edited zine that
retains its cred while daring to cross that unspeakable line between jocks
and punk rock. The Cool Beans crew jets across, takes a few
prisoners and makes it safely back with a jam-packed issue that's
guaranteedly going to have something in it for you, whether it's sports,
punk, weird comics or a knowledgeable column. My only disappointment is
that it's been out for months, and I've just gotten to read it now. Where's
the new one?
Reviewed by Andrew Magilow
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