*I'm glad I didn't spend those forty years in prison for some obscure form of illicit activity, because I would have missed a lot.
From: V Vale of RE/Search
If only the year 2020 brought everyone 20/20 vision! It feels like it should be a New Beginning; at least we're out of the "oughts" ("ought": one of the many words William Burroughs thought should NEVER have existed!).
2020 is the FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY of RE/SEARCH—we just noticed!
Forty years ago V. Vale got a "Fictitious Business License DBA" as the sole proprietor of "RE/SEARCH"—this document has been posted on the wall of the RE/SEARCH office seemingly forever.
Immediately we thought of our very **FIRST** issues, the RE/SEARCH #1-2-3 tabloids. Oddly enough, these are probably the least read of all my publications. A number of people have told us how much they liked them: for the adventuresome graphic design, illustrations, artwork, photographs, interviews, articles, et al.
For example, the very **first** RE/Search #1 (1980) contained articles on or interviews with:
The Slits
Punk Prostitutes
Cabaret Voltaire
J.G. Ballard (his "New Astrology" invention Zodiac 2000)
Throbbing Gristle
Julio Cortazar
Young Marble Giants
Sun Ra
Octavio Paz
Soldier of Fortune editor
NON (Boyd Rice)
Factrix (industrial San Francisco band)
Rhythm & Noise (featured later in our industrial Culture Handbook)
A Survey of Conspiracy Theories (Field Guide to)
Amusing Observations on Japan by JoJo Planteen of The Don'ts
Article on the possibility of a Future Nuclear Disaster
"Test Your Nuclear IQ"
A two-page survey of Situationism
plus some huge B&W photographs...
Like, what a line-up!
RE/Search #2 introduced readers to "modern primitives" style IBAN B&W tattoos on the body of Leo Zulueta, a major proponent of this "body art form". The articles and interviews seem particularly appropriate to RIGHT NOW:
Australian mythology and music featuring didjeridoo performer Charles McMahon
James "Blood" Ulmer, founder of harmolodic guitar playing
Memoirs of a Beatnik by Diane di Prima
Z'ev
Seda/The Whore of God
Manic Movement by dancer Kimberly Rae
Phoebe Gloeckner: early graphic art
Terre Richards: cartoons
Dreams of Young Girls
Monte Cazazza on Poisons
German Electronic Music Chart (this went on many a wall)
West African Music: a Novice's Guide
Isabelle Eberhardt
Eve's African Diary
Hostage Questionnaire
Surveillance Techniques
Situationism (another article)
Mark Pauline writing on Defense and Self-Defense
The Bachelors, Even (early Christian Marclay performance band)
DNA (the NYC band)
Mexican Mummies (photography)
RE/Search #3 contained:
An early article on female body modification anticipating Modern Primitives
Fela Kuti
Writing by Kathy Acker, "ali and the mosque". (We're not sure if this ever appeared anywhere else...)
Flipper
S&M lesbian sex
Sado-Masochism: What is it?
SPK (Surgical Penis Klinik)
Crypto-Fascists: article
Rattlesnake Man (heavily tattooed snake salesman)
Cannibalism
Pirate Fashion
World Dictatorship Map
Guide to Science Fiction by Michael Moorcock
Johanna Went
Sordide Sentimental
Large B&W photographs
New Brain Research
Terre Richards on "Death and Fashion"
The Feelies: interview
Joe Dante: interview with filmmaker
Phoebe Gloeckner graphic art "Talking to Strangers"
Circus Mort: a very early interview with MICHAEL GIRA of SWANS
If you read this far, you may have noticed that practically every later RE/Search best-seller book is adumbrated in the RE/Search tabloids!
These are in a large-format 11x17" B&W format. R/S #1 and R/S #3 are reprints; R/S #2 is an original printed on whitened-newsprint tabloid format.
These tabloids are "rare as hens' teeth"—much rarer even than Search & Destroy, our original punk tabloids from 1977-1979.
As RE/Search enters its fifth decade, consider revisiting our rare first issues.
Here's the link:
https://www.researchpubs.com/shop/xerox-reprints-research-1-2-3-the-shocking-tabloid-issues-2/
Best,
V. Vale
