Part of Issue 1.5

I originally planned on the second issue of The Coldest being in print, just like the first issue. But the time, cost and having a second kid made this too difficult. So this ‘Issue 1.5’ is online only.

Although this isn’t the first zine I’ve done, it is now the first that’s made it past the initial issue. The feedback for The Coldest Issue # 1, whether from Creases Like Knives, Razorcake or from individuals was pretty positive and has led me to believe I’m making a worthwhile contribution to the topics and interests I’ve covered so far. That’s really what I want to do, make a worthwhile contribution.

In the time between the first issue and this issue, the interviews with people running soul clubs in North America has continued. While these interviews aren’t super popular when it comes to visits and reposts, attempting some basic documentation of this scene is very important to me.

A few oi! bands and record labels have also asked for their stuff to be reviewed and have sent physical copies. This wasn’t something I expected to happen but is a welcome byproduct of starting The Coldest Zine. Each record I receive becomes a ‘Record of the Week’, which is played at dinner for a week before it is reviewed.

I don’t make it out much, but since the first issue I’ve been able to make it to Windy City Soul Club, Soul Summit and a Violent Way/Fear City/Conservative Military Image/Spat show.

This ‘Issue 1.5’ features a piece I’ve been working on for several months about a now defunct store in Passaic, New Jersey called Two Tone. For anyone involved in the punk, skinhead or goth subcultures during the 1980s or 1990s, you may remember ordering from their mailorder catalog or seeing their ads in various zines. There wasn’t much info about them out there so after looking through newspaper archives and talking to a number of former customers I was able to come up with enough information to justify publishing it.

Continuing with the run of interviews with people putting on regular soul nights in North America, there is an interview with Gethro of The British Northern Soul Club (Chicago). Gethro has a long history with Northern Soul, going back to the scenes early days in 1970s UK.

The Crab Records Spotify playlist I created a while ago seemed to be pretty popular so I went through John Bailey’s book again and made a Gas Records playlist.

And then rounding out this issue are more photographs I took during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as reviews of music, zines and books. Hope you enjoy.

-warren