Welcome to the Impossible Zine’s first issue. I hope you enjoy it. The people featured are quite talented and are wonderful individuals. I have had the pleasure of getting to know them over the past few months, a wonderful privilege. In this Zine, you will find art of all varieties aside from music. For that, check out https://theimpossiblescene.bandcamp.com, where there is various tracks and songs by the members of the group. Also,
if you feel like it. - Jackson
Jess (common occurrence!)
I like to think of Jess as one of the founding members of the Impossible Scene, as alongside Vincent, his work under "common occurrence!" was the inspiration for the existence of this 'collective'. He is talented in so many ways and seeing just the growth I have over the course of about four months has been incredible. Included in this issue are some wonderful works of photography that capture the spirit of the PNW (my home) better than anything I have seen prior.
Moth:
Moth is a talented, friendly individual that it is my pleasure to have gotten to know the work and world of. From discovering "Moth Salutation" by random chance on what I remember being New Year's Day I have found myself getting lost in his work. Haunting but bright, I cannot recommend him more. Included in this initial issue are Short Stories that I am quicker to call poetry. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
Chimera Meeting
Trevor McLean
A mass of dark stone and crooked moss
The still-born heart of a vacant city
An oeuvre of seventy years on display
Whining, screeching tinnitus turns the alley mind
A two-legged predator finds the place where its prey lays dying
Instead of attacking, she tucks her wings,
Folds her neck,
And whispers
“Let Eden go where she may
Fear and bad fortune have no hold on you anymore”
I feel its fangs sink into my arm
It laps up a portion of my blood,
And saunters away
I am deaf on the cobble
The World of The Prayer
Trevor McLean
Marin sets down her bowl
In the center of the loft she rents
With her wooden instrument she draws a warbling note
And begins to pray
Within the world of the prayer
St. Peter’s daughter breaches the door
Of the archival hall
She flips the switch of her torch
The beam flickers, wavering, then forms at last
Illuminating the swirling dust
She is surrounded by petrified wooden crates
Unnamed, unlabeled
She steps off the staircase and wanders in
Dust curls in her nose, making her cringe
She resists a sneeze
The further she gets, the older the rooms are
The more dust they accumulate
She has found places that are so inundated with dust
That they cannot be entered
Her light illuminates the space between one of the crates
She sees movement there
A small thing walks up to her, unshy
It is a child’s toy
A woven plush with button eyes and matted brown fur
Sighing with relief, she lets the creature into her cupped palm
It flits across her arm and sits on her shoulder
Yes, I am feeling okay today
No, I am not feeling as lonely today
No, I have not cried today
Satisfied, the creature turns its button eyes to the shadows
Marin is praying for the safety of her daughter
She is not used to living alone
Her single room has never felt so empty
Many kilometers away, Marin’s daughter is entering a locker
The man with her has a cut jacket and smells of woodsmoke
They met through unfortunate circumstances
She was feeling ill, so she retreated to the patio for air
This man was there
He called for help as she slipped in bile
They spoke together on a bench outside the clinic
Now they are entering a locker
She is not sure if she trusts him
She is not sure if she trusts herself
St. Peter’s daughter has walked until her feet are sore
She will get blisters again, probably
The crates around her are rotting away
Inky black shapes are exposed within
At last, she finds what she is looking for
One box
The size of a room
The size of a house
She jacks open the door
Inside, there is a master’s loom
What a valuable thing to be stashed away here
It collects dust but does not show signs of decay
She presses a cup to the wood
And presses her ear to the cup
Within, she hears screaming
Rattling chain link
It’s another locker, she says
But things change over time
The heart that was pinned here became an instrument that spins thread
juneau:
Alison (it feels weird to not refer to her by the title 'Riot Grill') is an artist based out of the United Kingdom and is one of the most traditionally successful people included. She is frequently found attending gigs, forming makeshift bands and releasing incredible solo work. Her enthusiasm for music and the world around it is contagious, and it is always a pleasure to see and hear from her. Included in this issue is an insightful gig review.
in terms of music, we seem to be in a constant cycle of revivalism and fetishism; everyone was doing the 60’s in the 90’s, everyone did the 70’s in the 00’s, and pop music these days has been doing the 80’s, while new groups seem to be taking inspiration from the grungy shoegazy (it doesnt matter what it’s called! all that matters is it’s loud and the guitars have a lot of distortion) pastiche of the 90’s. while not bad, it can hardly be classed as new, kicking-down-the-door and oh so original. while really, it’s fine aren’t the most original band you’ll ever hear in your life, it’s the sheer amount of influences they cultivate into their sound that gives them an air of freshness, from modern baseball to slint to my bloody valentine. they’re a band still in their teens, but they’ve got enough musical ideas to last them till their thirties. they play just their third gig at the bread and roses in clapham to a packed crowd, playing a set of about 40 minutes, an impressive feat for a band that’s been together for less than a year. even still, they know exactly how to command the crowd; when a song demands patience and attention, the audience gives them exactly that when a song is more loose and fun, the crowd is sure to let them know they’re jumping about and loving every second of it. they open with their most midwest emo-influenced song, with a reference to an obscure star wars character, titled “i got high and missed out on barquinn daan”, a song title that, while nonsensical in theory and in comparison to the song itself, is probably the most midwest emo song title penned by a band not from the american midwest. the song is melancholic and heartfelt, with an aggressive yet emotional delivery from one of two lead singers, john. the lyrics make you go aw, but not in a cutesy twee way, more in a desolate-heartbroken-teenager-whose-lungs-blacken-with-every-passing-hour way. it takes a lot to be so open and honest in a song, as well as to play it in front of a crowd of fifty or so strangers. other highlights of the set include “what was meant to go wrong?”, a quick number with knife-sharp riffs and breakneck speed, and perhaps the band’s most mesmerising song, “ice”, where other lead singer, gabriel, takes over on lead vocals. the song is slow, meditative, rising and falling back down again with walls of sound, featuring spoken word (before you roll your eyes in english-literature-student-disgust, it’s actually rather tasteful, featuring self-deprecating humour). this is where the slint comparisons make the most sense, as it’s quite clearly an influence on the band and hey; there’s much worse bands to take influence from. even though not every song is a rollicking rock-n-roll number, the band still keeps the audience in their pocket, they are completely hypnotised, in love with each and every member, (quite literally) screaming for more. the crowd asks, and the band provides, going into a second rendition of the aforementioned “ice”. the band seem to be slowing down, due to various members going off to uni, but regardless, theyre most certainly a band worth watching. they’ve got a live album out on soundlcoud from their second gig, and to keep up with everything really, it’s fine related, follow them on instagram (@reallyitsfineband).
Vincent (Pizza Delivery Service):
Vincent, alongside Jess, was one of the major inspirations for the existence of the Impossible Scene. One of the most prolific members of the group, I can say with certainty Vincent has grown incredibly well. Alongside their musical work (which, as a side note, I cannot recommend "The Failure Known As Soft Reset" enough!), Vincent has shown skill in many mediums. However, when I think of Vincent, the core trait that comes to mind is dedication. Whatever they do, they put their heart and soul, blood, sweat, and tears into. No matter where they go in life, I am certain Vincent will make the best of it. Included in this issue is the birth of something new.
Victory Pending
These are thoughts about a project I am working on, Victory. It is part three of Soft Reset.
Soft Reset was meant to help me refresh. To sort out my identity, to overcome anxiety, to figure out what I’m doing. It was not enough. However, through this failure brought success, a renewed perspective and unfaltering determination; an overwhelming feeling of being able to create. The feeling of becoming unstoppable. I have become unstoppable.
Within this power I shall continue to cast off the past. I am becoming a self that can withstand the burden of existence. My abilities continue to exceed my expectations day by day.
I will achieve victory, and perhaps, I already have.
Ed (Furry Loser):
I was actually kind of shocked Ed was open to joining the group of mostly, and I mean this in the most loving way possible, incredibly small artists. Ed is easily among the most well known of the group, and I cannot say it is undeserved. The work it puts into making its art as perfect as possible is so incredibly impressive. The album "Farm Rat Eulogy" has a permanent place on my phone, and in my heart. I haven't gotten to talk directly to Ed very often, but everything I have experienced with it was wonderful, and I look forward to knowing it better! Included in this issue is a funny comic it made.
Well, that is all we have this time. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.