KONSPIRAZINE (PHL)
INTERVIEW 2013

-CHRONIC GREETINGS ! PLEASE TELL US YOUR NAME AND THE DETAILS OF YOUR ZINE
Hello bro, thanks for the interest in doing this intie. My name's Jeff and I put out this zine based outta Binan. Laguna whenever time permits. I am a music fanatic of all genres but my zine leans more on the Hardcore and Punk side.

-WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO START PUBLISHING YOUR OWN ZINE?
Back in the early 90's, I got to know some really cool folks who were heavy players in the local scenes. That was where I got to know most everyone in the scene, and the vets schooled me on everything that I know know, including the fanzine counter-culture. Ever since I was a kid, I was a sucker for anything print-related, be it books, zines and whatnot, I graduated from collecting glossy import music magazines in favor of the independently pressed (or photocopied, must I say) zines that touched bases with the bands and the scenes I was indirectly involed in. I found the idea of creating your own shot, putting it out yourself, and not being the boss of anyone else to be most liberating. From the early issues of Rock N Rhythm, to the punk hardcore zines of Anti, KeepdaFaith, etc, those early gems influenced me a great deal, more than anything else.

-HOW DID YOU COME OUT WITH THE NAME OF YOUR ZINE?
I started the zine as a collaboration of sorts with another fellow who was at the time running his own zine in San Pedro, Laguna. We abandoned our own zines and joined forces to do Conspirazine. The name was a play on the word conspire. Nowadays, (since 2009 or so), I have revived this dead horse and took off printing, pretty much doing everything on my own as my former zine partner now resides abroad.

-HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH A THEME FOR YOUR ZINE?
I don't have a theme, per se. But most issues, I try to keep a simple theme that I can ask all bands/people I interview the same theme related stuff. On the actual zine itself, although it delas with mostly Punk and Hardcore, genre-wise I don't limit myself to what gets put inside my zine's pages. I've had some metal in there, will put some Ska and Reggae stuff too,.Anything that interests me and anything that I dig. Hell, I could put in pics of my dog if I wanted to.

-WHAT ZINES INSPIRES YOU?
aside from the zines of old, nowadays I get my kick from these local masters of the craft: SCRAWLSHOP, WAVE OF DARKNESS, IN DARK PURITY, NO BULLSHIT, TRIDENT NATION, I REMEMBER HALOWEEN, REAL TIGHT CREW, TIGHT END, BELIEVE, TOGETHER, EKSENA LOKAL, WE THE INFECTED, CAVITY SEARCH, BASAG ANG PULA (Highly fuckin' recommended), DISPATCHES, INCIDENTAL AFTERTHOUGHT. all of these cool zines are currently the cream of the crop, and I'd highly recommend searching these titles and getting to know their owners and building friendship with them. They make cool fuckin' issues everytime, all the time.

-CAN YOU STILL REMEMBER YOUR VERY FIRST ROMANCE WITH A ZINE? WHAT ZINE WAS IT?
Wendy Says zine took many-a-trips with me to the bathroom back when I was a kid. And the Probe fanzines done by the guys from California. Hahaha.

-WHEN DID YOUR ZINE'S FIRST ISSUE COME OUT?
I made my first amateur zine (pre-Konspirazine) in 96-97? then I put out Konspirazine # 1 in 1998.

-HOW MANY ISSUES HAVE YOU PUBLISHED SO FAR?
Konspirazine is right now churning it's sixth issue. That little pice of trash woulda been put out last December 2012, but I am an extremely lazy fuck who can't find any valid excuse so let's leave it at that..

-IS YOUR ZINE FOR SALE/NOT FOR SALE/FOR TRADE?
By heirarchy, I prefer trades first. It doesn't matter if you made the zine yourself, or if you just photocopied that shit. I want to trade you for it. It's always cool reading other people's work, and way cooler when you got it through a trade. Nevermind the shit zines. At least you get to know the quality ones from the mediocre. I do sell my shit as well but as a zinemaker yourself, you'd know that no one buys zines anymore.

-HOW DID YOU GET IT OUT THERE?
Gigs, trades, etc.

-WHO WAS THE FIRST BAND/PEOPLE YOU INTERVIEWED? HOW?
Pre-konspirazine I had Cherrybomb, Tribal Fish, Kelt's Cross. and on my first issue of Konspirazine, I got Loads Of Motherhood, Bulldozed, Counter Attack and Homecide. All locals.

-HOW DO YOU GATHER AND ROUND UP CONTRIBUTORS?
The easy part is my contributors are all cool friends of mine. The hardest part is nagging them like a bitch whenever I'm ready to drop my baby. The same rings true for zines that ask me to contribute to them as well. I can be laziest motherfucker you'd get to know who sends in my contributions a year late! haha,.

-IT WAS A VERY LONG STRUGGLE, HOW HAVE YOUR POLICIES TOWARDS ADVERTISING AND REVIEWS CHANGED THROUGH OUT THIS YEARS?
I don't have a policy, period. I don't ask around for ads. I don't dream of getting any fucking money by doing this shit. The rule, if there is one, is pretty basic. If I like your shit, I will put it in my zine. be it through interviews, be it adverts of your releases, or getting your shit reviewed on my pages. I'd put in your ads of band shirts as long as I know you do shirts for the love of doing shirts and not for the love of "looking tough". That shit is meant for Pulp magazine, not mine. Believe it or not, most stuff I review were PURCHASED by myself. So if folks wanna have space on my zine, they better be damned sure their shit is something I dig (and would buy). The only thing I got free for doing my zine was more enemies.

-YOUR GOALS?
I don't have a goal for this zine, man. I don't have any visions of becoming a glossy, popular bitch magazine. I will do this zine as long as the music still interests me, as long as my friends still enjoy reading them as much as I do creating them. As long as I have ten readers continuously interested in my work, that should be enough.

-WHERE CAN THE READERS CONTACT YOU?
I have an irregular blog up where folks get to see any updates whenever time permits at therealstrength.blogspot.com, any quick messages can be thrown at the chatbox on that page, otherwise my email address is spiritofrebellion981@gmail.com

-BIG THANKS FOR THIS INTIE BROTHER !
Likewise, it was a pleasure indulging in this interview bro. Thank you for the interest. Maraming salamat! Love music, purchase records (cds, tapes, and wax, when you love the music.) make your own zines! Read.

Sincerity, Integrity, Faith & Action!