Relevant ~bearing upon or connected with the matter in hand; pertinent: a relevant remark.

Picture by Pete Lanswick 1980 Hud in San Fransisco

In an exclusive group a relevant remark may be very pertinent to the matter at hand but to the rest of us it is not.  It is the opposite of inclusive. Though I am a private person I am also an inclusive one. When comments are exclusive they warp on the matter of a firm context to the rest of us. People that do this are like little gerbils in the corner mocking others because of their lack of intelligence or the ability to communicate properly. Their little hearts mock others.

Today a friend asked me if the Flipside Memorial page on Facebook is relevant. My first response was to what? It is a memorial page because the fanzine has not been published for 13 years.  Joe and Ed wanted to create a place to share memories of Flipside Fanzine, workers on the fanzine and the early punk scene in general. They were riding the beginning of the old school punk rock nostalgia of the Big Punk Rock. Joe’s focus is on the late 80s and the early 90s. Ed I assume was more weaved into the 90s but was not a hardcore member of the Fanzine by any means. They both helped out indeed, I am not denying that.

Yet, do they have a deep exclusive understanding of the heart of the magazine? I have to yell out,

“no fucking way!”

This is where the Flipside Memorial Facebook page is lacking. They superficially dip into the realm of Flipside to protrude some sort of authority. They control rather than inform. They mock and delight in shocking others instead of illuminating fans about the underground punks scene. I agree that many images and insights from fans on the Flipside Memorial Facebook site can be fun.  It does bring back some of those good old feelings, but It does not take the place of the real deal. Not even close.

The creators of the Flipside Memorial page have a diabolical hand in posting some very disturbing posts. Ones that made me disassociate with it. I only view their page if a friend shares a post with something pertaining to the Flipside Memorial page. I contributed images and comments there at one time but not any more. You judge for yourself.

The Flipside Memorial page brings friends together and this is a great thing. I can forgive Mr. Joe and Ed and move on…which is what I have done for the last couple years. In comparison I created The Seminary of Praying Mantis which also includes memories of Flipside Fanzine.  I make it inclusively relevant to the growing old school punk nostalgia, which I call THE BIG PUNK ROCK. People like it and do respond to these posts more than other ones that I write.

I am cursed by Flipside Fanzine and punk rock in general. It ain’t what it use to be and it is always barking at my heels to be remembered. I am not saturated in it anymore. I pick and choose. I feel no more accountability to it. I try to make this site relative to the past, present and future from my perspective in life. Sorry folks it ain’t always about the BIG PUNK ROCK… but it is honest and I love publishing it like I loved publishing Flipside Fanzine.

In memory of Shane Williams and Pat Fear (Bill Bartell) true comrades and mentors of punk rock.