Lifestyle
University Daily Kansan / Thursday, November 30, 1989
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Notes from underground
A few years ago, virtually every telephone pole on MT. Oread was papered with verses from an unknown poet or the views of a few satirists.
The laws have changed, making it illegal to post work on street lights and telephoto poles.
Lawrence's alternative publications have lost many regular contributors to graduation and
But the drive to publish continued, and the underground magazine evolved.
Cities such as New York and San Francisco have claimed some of KU's underground writers, cartoonists and publishers.
The underground magazines have suffered financial losses in many cases, causing them to told
But for some, the drive to publish alternative views continues, whatever the stake.
Disorientation
Brian Schwegmann, editor of Disorientation, a Student Senate-financed magazine, said he was worried the magazine wouldn't be financed next year.
In the first step of the financing process, the University Affairs Committee objected to financing Disorientation because of its content and because Schwegmann did not apply for financing last semester.
Disorientation, a free publication that appears about once a year, offers an alternative view of politics, humor, cartoons and articles to raise readers' consciousness.
Dennis "Boog" Highberger, 1984 student body vice president, founded the magazine in 1985 to introduce students to new ideas.
"I started it with the goal of getting information to new students that they wouldn't get otherwise and to create the illusion of an underground culture in Lawrence," Highberger said.
The first issue of Disorientation was photocopied and nailed for out of Highheezer's pocket
He said that Disorientation had acquired the image of being a political magazine but that it was intended to be an informational guide.
"We want to let students know what's going on — things the University might not let them know about," he said. One feature is a continuing series titled "KU Alumni They Don't Tell You About."
Highergren is not completely cut off from the magazine. He is Schwengmann's roommate and will write some articles for the next issue. But he is very busy with his business, with law school to be the "Grand Poo-Bah" of
Disorientation
He said that the motives for contributing to Disorientation varied from person to person.
“It’s hard to generalize the inspiration for such a diverse set of people.” Schwegmann said. “But keeping in mind the push for true democracy in Eastern bloc countries, I hope Disorientation inspires that same kind of questioning of authority and dancing on the walls, so to speak, that the push for democracy achieved in those countries.”
Pinch
Founded last year by art and design students, Pinch is KU's humor and satire magazine. It is also financed by Student Senate.
Chris Cumnyingham and Matt Baker, who are both creative writing majors, are this year's coeditors.
effectors
Their motives for editing the magazine differ
from those of their design creation group.
greatly from those of the backup crew:
"They were very worried their resumes.
They said their host沃尔德 was feel
They could also tell the parents, "English majors suffer, live off their parents and brood," Baker said. "They get their degree, and then they sit in their room and just have it."
Cunyngham said that the magazine would take submissions from anyone, students or non-attu-
"We're trying to print anything funny, staying away from making fun of KU, because that's too easy," he said. "It contains absolutely nothing profound. We've taken great pains to remove all profundity."
Cunningham said he hoped that the magazine would provide a forum for a wide spectrum of humor.
St. Jude's Gypsy Wiesawes Church is the creation of two Lawrence cartoonists, Jeff Holland and John Culter. They introduce the reader to characterists from "The Long Neck Girl" and ads for Potato Pigs cereal.
There are two closely related underground publications in Lawrence that work as a kind of network for cartoonists.
They described Pinch as an alternative publication because they didn't like the underground stigma.
"I don't think there is any lack of creativity," he said. "There are plenty of people out there. They just don't have a venue."
"It sounds too '60s. I hate the '60s," Baker said. Cunyngram妥加说.
Comics
Although he said he and his partner always took a loss on the 75-cent magazine, they continued to
print it as a record of their work.
"Here it is." Holland said. "It's a record that we've actually been thinking and not just sitting around getting drunk."
He said that he sent it home to his family and that his father liked it.
"I wouldn't send it to my grandma." he said.
Also included in the magazine are contributions by Chris Beneke and the anonymous creator of the Harmon cartoon strip.
Beneke's cartoons also have appeared in Disorientation and a one-issue underground newspaper called Rant Rapture, which came out a few months ago.
Rent Rapture was started by Jim Barnes, an artist who has moved to New York City since he started the magazine project.
He put up about half of the $1,500 needed for what Beneke called "a document of the Lawrence art scene." Barnes also staged a benefit concert with local banks to help publish the magazine.
The magazine, which features poems and short stories as well as cartoons, is being sold with a seven-inch record with cuts by the Sin City Disciples, Platonic Bondage, the Kelly Girls and the Nymbies, as a marketing tool that Barneas hopes will increase sales.
Beneke said that he didn't consider the magazine offensive, although the publishers refused to publish a few of the original pages because they contained more than a four-four letter words.
Beneke said he and Barnes were driven to publish such a magazine to provide a medium for
Barnes said he was pleased with the product and that it librared some artists from obscurity.
But they both expressed some surprise and sadness that only about 50 of the 1000 copies of Rant Rapture have sold. The publication sells for $2.
"I like to think I'm not jaded, because there are a lot of things I get excited about." Beneke said. "But people used to line these phone poles with artwork. Even though they're not supposed to they should.
"Lawrence puts up a front of supporting the arts but people who want to set things done leave."
Barnes said he liked Lawrence because of the lack of pressure on artists.
"The beauty of Lawrence is that a lot of good artists can choose to work their regular jobs and produce artwork for themselves," he said. "You can tell that in New York City. You have to keep mouth."
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November 30
Latin American Solidarity
Rice and Beans Dinner
"Action in Central
America," 6:00 P.M.
December 3 Study Break at the Movies "The Name of the Rose" FREE Popcorn and Drinks 7:00 P.M.
December 6
University
Forum
David Katzman
"An American Jew Looks at Israel," 11:40 Lunch,
Noon Speaker