Zine Club Mag — “Tomorrow’s History”. A review for #PHOTOGRAPHY Magazine

“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” — William Shakespeare

In a world of fast paced news, eternal upgrades and 24 hour alcohol licences, we’ve found solace within the comforting world of The Zine Club zone, “Tomorrow’s History”.

Founded by Californian teen and “High School Hooligan” Alyson Williams, the Zine Club Mag is an inexpensively produced publication packed full of fresh talent and interesting ideas encompassing everything we love about independent publishing and zine culture.

Zine Club Mag is a haven for anyone wanting to publish their work and express opinions which may be generally suppressed by popular media, society, or plain fear and “Tomorrow’s History, the 3rd issue of this zine does just that.

Among the glitter and past it’s dreamlike exterior, “Tomorrow’s History” deals with the perpetual struggle of deciding what to do with our lives and what lies ahead. Something reflected on by the students of Great Oak High School but something people of all ages can relate to. Zine Clubs advice: enjoy life, today is tomorrow’s history so cease opportunities, have fun and live for the moment.

Brimming with whimsical illustrations, photography, intimate poetry, insightful advice, an awesome colouring page, as well as an interesting interviews with Isabella Bustamante Sophia Richards and Jade Taylor of Nylon Magazine, there’s plenty to help your mind drift away on a dreary afternoon.

#PHOTOGRAPHY Magazine spoke to Alyson to find out more about her work with the Zine Club and her inspirations behind this issue…

Firstly, why did you create the zine club mag?

I started Zine Club first, as a high school club, because the upperclassmen heading our school’s Lit Mag couldn’t be bothered by us newbies. And anyways, I felt that the format and style of traditional lit mags and the like were soooo boring! I needed to break away from all that and kind of start my own party.

Why a zine? What’s special to you about this medium?

Zines are something I discovered during my obsession over the world of online, teen girl-led collectives and zines. I think the first zine I ever saw was from the Dirty Girls, Amber and Harper, in their little documentary about when they were the far-end outcasts in high school. But basically, I found out about all these little niches of the creative world where zines were in abundance and my world just kablam-oed.

For every person on this Earth, there is a blog. Now, I don’t know if that’s proven, but it might as well be. For me, a zine was the perfect, non-intimidating way to get people creatin’ and on board with the project. Also, they don’t feel the need to be all refined and what not. So there. Zines. Forever and always.

What was your inspiration behind “Tomorrow’s History”?

My friend commented this as a theme suggestion in one of our Instagram posts and it had that kind of hook that made me feel that this could be useful. I remember actually saying “ahhhh” when I read it. My interpretation of Tomorrow’s History is today (because, technically, today is tomorrow’s history; think about it) and that everything eventually fades into the past, so stop sucking it up and start living it up. I make myself do things I don’t want to do all the flippin’ time (#school), but I live by that philosophy of doing things that make you happy for the majority of your time.

“Tomorrow’s History” is also mind-twistingly nostalgic, although everything to me is nostalgic. But this especially. I think that our photo story in this issue is a fantastic visual of what was playing out in my head when envisioning Tomorrow’s History. The night of the shoot was basically on-theme as well; we ate all of the milkshakes and fries, drew on everything with crayons, had a blast. And now it’s history.

Do you have a personal favourite piece of work from this issue and why? Or what stands out to you the most?

I’m looking through it right now and just going crazy. To start, Mona’s “Botanical Garden” photos gave me a graceful heart attack. It’s no wonder she made our cover. I was really in love with the features that we were able to add in: Heya, Tea advice column, interview with my NYLON bb’s Jade and Sophia, Asstrologies by Aaron. I try to make the zine something that I would drop everything and read if I wasn’t the one putting the thing together, and I’m so glad that Tomorrow’s History makes me feel that way. Everyone is lovely and I am so thankful they chose ZCM to display their awesomeness!

Lastly, what can we expect from you in the future?

Lots of tea drinking. However, while I wait for the water to boil, I work on churning out some paintings for the upcoming Scholastic art awards (going for a national award this year, I hope), coordinating zineclubmag.com and upcoming issues, writing for Rookie, and sending letters to my pen pals. Oh yeezus, the future … more ZCM issues and a growing squad of rockin and rollin teens (and older pals!) who like what we are trying to do! The people I have met through Zine Club Mag have been the cherry on top of the zine, so I hope to keep spreading the vibes and gaining new members. ;)