Varla

Issue #7 $5 (The Lingerie issue)
by Scott Hefflon

Varla combines music and busty pin-up gals. Last issue interviewed Blag from Dwarves, The Real McKenzies, Gene Simmons, The Dictators, Dee Dee Ramone, and Fear Factory, and this issue features Hatebreed, The Damned, a stripper’s testimonial, and, of course, lots of photos and brief interviews with the models. The mag is run by a cool chick, Rachel, who also does most of the photography (and a little modeling). It ain’t sexist, it’s fun, so if you’re looking for the standard Maxim/Revolver/Gene Simmons Tongue-type fake models, look elsewhere, and if posing women in general seems exploitive to you, well, it sucks to be you. Kinda like a hot rod/greaser punk version of Suicide Girls which also covers cool underground music from a fan point of view, not yer usual “I’m a critic, and I’m too cool to like anything” shit. Varla is pretty new and still working out some kinks (so to speak) about how to layout and get the most out of the paper stock (bleached white stock better than newsprint, but not glossy) with a heavy glossy cover and pull-out poster, but they’re one of the few new mags to come out with style, spirit, and some refreshing ideas.
(PO Box 291478 Los Angeles, CA 90029)