No. 4 $2.50
by William Ham
This encouraging upstart from Fun City continues in a tradition that our own mag firmly supports – namely, interviewing a band that has the same name as the publication itself, thereby getting the moniker on the cover twice without untoward accusations of egotism. Other than that, Scrawl differentiates itself from the masses by a nicely egalitarian approach to its subjects, a pleasingly catholic selection of interviewed artistes based not on genre or label payola, but just ‘cuz they like ’em, whether it’s Diamanda Galás, Skeleton Key, or Ronnie Dawson. Sure, that’s not eclecticism on the level of getting Air Supply, Masonna, and Krystof Penderecki between the same covers (oops, gave away next month’s Lollipop lineup), but hey. It’s still finding its way four issues on – the average reader will be able to nosh it cover-to-cover in about half-an-hour and its touch is a trifle light (why do a Kelley Deal interview without drilling her about the cruel and unusual punishment the courts have devised for unrepentant drug addicts – namely, having to form a band with Sebastian Bach?) – but it’s a fine, amiable read nonetheless.
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