Recently one of our readers, a young woman named Lottie Wilson, contacted us about participating in a survey.  The questions were part of the research into what our reader called Globalization and Socialization's Effects on the Punk Sub-Culture. Research into this topic had taken a special interest in mass media's effect on the development of punk.  Ms. Wilson was "sending out several requests to magazines who feature punk to find out their views on the punk sub-culture and how they view their involvement in it."  We agreed to participate and then decided to publish our answers in an attempt at a makeshift FAQ and answer the questions for everyone who might have them.  Ms. Wilson provided the questions, and I supplied the answers.  Eric J. Herboth, Publisher

1. What genre of music does your magazine focus on?
I would have a hard time coming up with a specific answer for that. I guess most of our stuff is pretty obscure, but some of it isn't. We review 7" singles by punk bands (Braid) and major-label albums (Andrew WK). We review hip-hop (Outkast) and electronic/experimental (Avalanches) and rock bands (Rye Coalition) and alt-country (Hayden). We try not to review crappy 3-cord punk or rap-rock albums I guess.

2. What demographic are you trying to appease?
No one specific. I guess we just try and write things that we'd like to read, and we're all in our early 20s or late teens. So I'd say the "Gen X" demographic, or whatever it is they call that age group.

3. What do you value more- journalistic integrity or providing what the reader (whoever he or she may be) wants?
I think we definitely go for integrity. I mean, we could do a fucking Jimmy Eat World and Saves the Day feature like everyone else, but we'd rather hear about GWAR, Atmosphere, Poster Children, Engine Down, the Catheters, Oxes and indie rock porn. I mean, we do Death Cab For Cutie, Fugazi, Guided by Voices and Ted Leo articles too, because we're into that stuff, but I guess if given a choice we'd rather be different than popular. I think our attitude reflects that.

4. What are you trying to achieve when publishing articles on punk bands?
The only things we feature are things we feel are important. Sometimes we'll do something for fun, like the porn or the punk makeover articles, but we try to promote or make more visible artists we feel the public should really know about. That's why we don't do features on bands like The Get Up Kids or Alkaline Trio or Creed, because we're not really interested by those bands.

5. What is your definition of success within the music industry?
I think simply making something happen is a success. Writing an article, publishing a story, releasing an album that you think was worth making. Putting forth a quality product should be what it is about. Contributing to culture, creating something. Of course being able to make a living at it is also a success, although on different terms.

6. What is your definition of 'sell outs'?
Most of the time I think people are buying-in rather than selling-out. I guess there are bands like Better than Ezra who flake out and make shitty albums just because that's what is expected of them. But there are bands like Trail of Dead who buy-in; bands who really invest in something great, which happens to be themselves. If your productivity suffers as a result of your motives, you are a sell out. It doesn't necessarily have to deal with money.

7. Where do you see the punk sub-culture developing in the future?
Contrary to what most people might say, I'd say where it always has - in the basements. As the internet becomes more fashionable and more corporate, those who wish to truly want to do something that is new, fresh and counter culture will have to return to the literal underground, the basements and subway tunnels and the galleries and studios that are just under the radar. Underground isn't a sound or a style. Your shit isn't underground if it's easy to find.  Underground is off the beaten path.

8. How has being involved with the punk sub-culture affected your view of society?
Well, I don't consider myself a punk so I don't know if I can answer that. I guess I've learned that there are the exact same kinds of people in punk rock as there are anywhere else on the planet. Personalities are recyclable, and it doesn't depend on the skin that houses it. If you know what I mean.