January 1998

3 - "BOB" Dobbular at "BOB Popular" devival and electronica fest with Church of the SubGenius

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SubGenius 1998 New Years Gala and DJ Party
January 3, 1998 -- 8pm - 2am
"BOB" Popular

402 East 6th Street, Austin, TX AUSTIN, TEXAS -- December 7, 1997: As the approaching date for X-Day looms near, the faithful SubGenius in Texas are gathering for a "worship" ritual of millennial proportions. On Saturday, January 3, 1998, the Church of the SubGenius will assemble for ritual services in Austin, Texas, at a nightclub known as '"BOB" Popular', for an extended evening of preachings, healings, and electronica music.

More on the New Year's Gala

11 - Robby Garner of Robitron Software Research, Inc. (USA) wins the 1998 Loebner Prize for Artificial Intelligence.

FringeWare Mission Statement circa 1998

From the old FringeWare site:

FringeWare, Inc., is a privately-held corporation operating in the city of Austin (Dun & Bradstreet #87-622-8982), in the Republic of Texas, as a guerrilla media collective.

Founded in 1992, our staff of trained professionals and award-winning machine intelligences actively pursued several lines of business:

• as a fiercely independent local bookstore, committed to promoting those writers, artists and poets who have been either marginalized or forgotten by contemporary mass media culture, and as one of the earliest online bookstore sites on the Internet, which reflects selections within our Austin store.
• as a producer and sponsor -- in cooperation with our neighbors at Mojo's Daily Grind -- of many fringe events, including nationally known authors and artists, independent filmmakers, performance art, political forums, readings, and theme parties like the annual WSB Triathlon -- generally free to the public, with beverages and food provided on Friday evenings.
• as a print publisher, featuring our quarterly magazine FringeWare Review, where each issue, organized by a different guest editor, investigates a particular theme within the realm of fringe subcultures and guerrilla media.
• as the operators of the FringeWare News Network, published as a free, moderated Internet email list, specializing in the reporting and discussion of issues and events that you won't find (immediately) in the mainstream press.
• as a resource -- in cooperation with our partners at F3 Films -- for allowing independent film and video to flourish outside of Hollywood's stranglehold.
• as a leader in the field of network-based intelligent agents, where we offer forums for research and praxis, such as the FringeMOO and other online robotics projects.
• as a collection of highly-qualified design and engineering consultants, including Hit & Run Design Labs, and Robitron Software Research, plus our friends over at SmallWorks, Inc., and North Shore Circuit Design -- offering expertise in the fields of graphic/audio design, design for web sites, technical writing, user interface design, AI software applications, natural language front-ends, circuit design, computer networks and security, e-commerce and online publicity, and event production.
• as an electronic publisher offering titles such as TAZmedia, the cross-referenced biographies in the Subculture Pages, and regular features such as Letters to the Fringe by Don Webb, and the Mexican Journal by Patrick Deese.
• as the sponsor of several online media collectives and other resources, such as the Dead Media Project email list, Bruce Sterling's Viridian Green movement, Anathema Enterprises, Salvation Central, House of Bones, and Rev. Hellshaw's Pearly Gates.
  

As such, we were regarded as one of the most innovative, most litigious, and most heavily-armed among private media collectives, per capita.

February 1998

FW News Nework Message About Re/Search Pranks

19 - From the FringeWare News Network:

From: bjones
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 23:50:51 -0600 (CST)

Was just "informed" by one of our best B&N spies that a guy walked into
the local B&N wearing a paper bag with holes for eyes. He dropped off his
pack at the front and was asked by management why he was wearing a paper bag on his head. He told them that he didn't want anyone to know that he shopped at the piece of corporate bullshit that was Barnes and Noble; and it was only because no one else had what he was looking for that he was compelled to go there. They told him to remove the bag. He refused and they kicked him out of the store.

I figure that's a clear case of discrimination against the Paper Bag
Festishists of America. Perhaps we should get up a big group to waltz in
with our paper bags?

[mod's note: any customer who visits the FringeWare bookstore may request a "B&N head bag", so that they too can shop the B&N or Borders "superstores" with no fear of being recognized!! offer limited while paper bag supplies last, no purchase necessary. Our friends in the Alternative Book Consortium have been notified, and we hope to see this campaign go National...]

March 1998

Patrick resigns from FringeWare, sells his house and kids, moves to Mexico with his dog, Angus.

From Patrick's Mexican Journal:

Leaving was probably the hardest thing I've ever done. My personality demands a high degree of stability and over the last 11 and 1/2 years in Austin, all I ever did was build roots and enmesh myself ever more deeply into the town I called home. I bought a house, I had a great and prestigious job managing an independent bookstore. I kept myself involved in long term relationships. I had a cat. I had 2 dogs. I had a lot, a lot, a *lot* of stuff. I loved collecting things. I have (in storage) over 20 different Kodak 'Brownie' series cameras from the 1960's on back. I had over 800 books (the large majority of which are being sold as used in the FringeWare Bookstore as you read this. I had a tight knot of really great friends.

But one day when I looked inside myself and cut through the clutter of my 70+ hour work week, my growing distaste with what Austin's growth was doing to the city, and the fact that my "writing career", the "real" reason for all my hard work was practically non-existent. I realized that I was about to turn 30 (March 15th) and all of my lofty goals and dreams and expectations had been set aside one by one in order to do, I don't know what. I know that I could have probably worked a bit more on the book I had outlined, had I not religiously watched Star Trek all those nights, or whatever. But the truth was that by the time I had done all the things that I *had* to do, I had nothing left for the things that I *wanted* to do. I had known, deep down, that I really needed to change what was going on in my life, one way or another. To abuse two metaphors at once, I had painted myself into a corner, and it was time to break a couple of eggs.

I take over as manager of the Store.

Justin joins the fray

6 - Quasar Hernandez author signing party

Dr. Hernandez -- one of the few known confidant's of FringeWare's reporter of psychic warfare SpaceHitler, will be featured at this week's author party. Food and beverages will be provided by the bookstore staff, and the author will be on hand afterwards for autographing his new Random House title, "It Only Hurts When I Kill", in addition to any of his previous published works. Please come join the fun, and see our new store design.

9 - SXSW Interactive 1998

Paco, Elliott, Wiley and Monte

FringeWare Open House for SXSW Interactive and Robitron Software Research Demo 14 March 1998, 11am-2pm 2716 Guadalupe, Austin, Texas

The BBC, the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper, and FringeWare will be conducting a Turing Test, i.e. an evaluation of artificial intelligence technology, as part of BBC TV's Tomorrow's World program and the Electronic Telegraph forum, with the online test hosted by FringeWare.

More on the Megalab

16 - Aurora Marker Fund

"We'll get that little alien a tombstone if we have to sell our complete Marvin the Martian video set," says local alienist Don Webb. On Monday night during SXSW, ultra-cool local bookstore FringeWare, sponsored a benefit for the Aurora Marker Fund. The quest to raise money for an alien grave marker drew dozens of SXSW attendees, doubtlessly worried about alien invasion and not attracted in the least to the Red Granite beer keg in the front of the store.

More on the Aurora Marker Event

21 - Book Signing by Kenneth Anger

Kenneth Anger, the legendary experimental/independent filmmaker, returns to Austin this weekend, hosted by the local film group in*situ, which also sponsored Anger's visit last Halloween weekend. On Saturday, another local sponsor, Fringeware, will host a reception and limited-edition poster-signing party at their shop (2716 Guadalupe; 494-9273). Finally, on Sunday in*situ will present a screening of four Anger films ("Rabbit Moon," "Kustom Kar Kommandos," "Invocation of My Demon Brother," and "Lucifer Rising") at 7:30pm at the Dobie Theatre.

27 - Mutilating The Body with Kim Hewitt and John Davis Signing Party

Photo by John Anderson

From the Austin Chronicle:

You probably think of Fringeware's playfully subversive bookstore on the drag when you want to buy Gray Alien merchandise or controversial literature, but do you consider it when looking for something to do on a Friday night? It may not be a traditional venue like a club or a coffeeshop, but with a recent string of appearances by notables such as filmmaker Kenneth Anger, you'd do well to keep it in mind. On Friday, March 20th, Fringeware was hopping with "the spiritually uplifting young carcasses" the promotional flyers promised, fueled by free snacks and (quoting the flyer again) "a variety of ritual intoxicants." Nothing illegal, just good clean subcultural fun and a lively reception for and book signing by author and UT doctoral candidate Kim Hewitt. [...]

Some came to learn, some came to be seen, but all in all the evening, like the bookstore itself, showcased an intriguing palette of topics which are no less worthy for being in vogue, and merit the kind of intense scrutiny and analysis Kim Hewitt is determined to give them. - Damien Weaver

April 1998

3 - DropCycle with DJ DMZ

DJ DMZ - Note the Les Amis Door by Tom Smith

Come hear Pop Mafia recording artist DJ DMZ spin trip hop, hip hop,
dub, and breakbeat -- with selections from the forthcoming DropCycle
album -- at the weekly "Club Fringe" event. Refreshments and ritual
intoxicants provided to enhance your listening pleasure.

Concurrent with the DropCycle performance, the FringeFest spoken word
and poetry slam show, and also a release party for "This Order" zine,
will be running at Mojo's Daily Grind next door.

From the FringeWare News Network

From: bjones
Date: Fri, 3 Apr 1998 14:22:08 -0600 (CST)

We just received the new Brother Russell CD "Filled". It is a "commemorative release" signed by Bro. Russell himself and limited to 150 copies, each of which is numbered. The CD includes "Jesus Was Cool!", "Filled, Lady!", "The Will O' Dobbs" and "What's Expanding Your Mind?"- all of which were recorded during the Subgenius Devival perpetrated at La Zona Rosa last September.

10 - Meat Cake Comix with Dame Darcy

Signing party, with specialguest Chicken John of The Seemen and his amazing wonder dog Dammit for a magic show.

12 - A G Rizzoli reenactment of "glimpsing the veeaye"

Anniversary reenactment of the visionary's "Glimpsing the Veeaye" in 1936.

16 - Bicycle Day Celebration

Drop Cycle, with DJ DMZ and guest Anathema Enterprises, spins a mixed set of acid house, industrial noise, and acid dub in honor of Albert Hofmann's historic ride; electric kool-aid provided.

17 - Commoner/Preverts Signing Party

Zine signing party an unplugged show by the Preverts, with esoteric performers and cuttlefish gelatins provided.

22 - Video Exorcism by Vincent O'Brien

There will be a video exorcism and ritual performance by Houston's award winning video artist, Vincent O'Brien, screening his videos "Slaughterhouse" and the new work entitled "The Philosophy", along with a live performance by some of the films' actors.

Also, in celebration of "TV Turnoff Week" (April 22-28), local citizens will be gathering at FringeWare just prior to the O'Brien performance to destroy their television sets.

From FringeWare Review #14: Event Report by Lindsey Simon:

In the back alley behind the FringeWare Store, flames lit up the evening sky. TV's were more than simply turned off-they were executed with extreme prejudice. Burning TVs were thrown from the roof, as members of the crowd took turns demolishing them with sledge hammers. A "random spark" caused the pile of debris to ignite-which wasn't so good since the pile had been drenched with lighter fluid. Sirens began to wail in the distance which led to the flaming evil boxes being extinguished and immediately tossed into the dumpster.

More on the TV Destruction

May 1998

1 - Ultimate Privacy Symposium on Email Encryption

Ultimate Privacy, an Austin-based software developer of encryption
products, will host an informational overview of the potentials,
politics, and technologies surrounding digital encryption. The company
will debut release 2.1 of Ultimate Privacy Personal Edition, for
secure point-to-point email.

Come join in a public discussion of the legal and political issues,
and of the technical vulnerabilities of current encryption methods.
Note that Ultimate Privacy currently offers a $1 million cash prize to
the first person who deciphers (i.e. "cracks") an encrypted message
listed on its web site.

Concurrent with this symposium, Mojo's Daily Grind next door will
sponsor its "First Fridays" spoken word performance, hosted by Marie
from 8-10pm. This evening's spectacle marks another in the
"Beverages, Books, Blasphemy" series of Friday night events held in
the UT/North Drag area by FringeWare and Mojo's Daily Grind.

8 - Indiana / Rough & Tumble Performance

Local bands playing audible disturbances, with a celebration of author Thomas Pynchon's birthday, with dress-up contest and 20% off his books

9 - From the Austin-American Statesman:

From Circus to Russian Orthodoxy by Shermakaye Bass

They're not your circus next door, these guys. And they're not exactly family entertainment. Which is precisely why you shouldn't miss the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, a traveling freak show and big-top act bent to suit premillennial minds.

One of three Barnum & Bailey abstractions featured last summer at the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert - and arguably the best - the Bindlestiffs cruise into town Tuesday with the equally freaky Autonomedia Bookmobile. This is old-timey entertainment fast-forwarded to the 21st century - with a pit stop at the parking lot across from Fringeware, where Philomena, Kinko and Buckaroo Bindlestiff, along with Lilly Lipid and Flotenrags and Baby Dee, will share a repertoire of wonderfully perverse tricks.

Like what, you say, like what? Like pounding nails into one's cranium, or performing live body-modification magic. Like juggling fire while reading erotic poetry or walking barefoot across a field of glass. The family also does the more traditional slack-wire/trapeze/bed of nails stuff.
Also worth noting is that the Bindlestiffs travel with the Autonomedia Bookmobile, bringing hard-to-find literature to town. In the case of Autonomedia, an indie company out of New York, that means subversive, media-theoretic, anarchistic titles by writers such as Bob Black, Hakim Bey and Tom Metzger.

The parking lot gig is at 4 p.m. at Fringeware, 2716 Guadalupe St.; doors open for the evening performance at 10 p.m. at a warehouse at 1306 E. Sixth St. Night show is $5.

13 - Erotica Fest with Lisa Palac Signing, followed by a gathering of local women performance artists including Tammy Gomez

Come join noted erotica author Lisa Palac for a pre-superstore signing
of her new book, "The Edge of the Bed: How Dirty Pictures Changed My
Life", published this year by Little Brown.

Ms Palac is the founding editor of Future Sex magazine, formerly a
senior editor at On Our Backs magazine, and taunted as "the queen
of high-tech porn" by the New York Times. Her work explores the
liberating effects of pornography, the eroticism of religion, and the
unprecedented sexual honesty created in the age of the Internet.

The erotic tension of this book, The Edge of the Bed, comes from the
sincerity and bareness of Lisa's personal experiences, described in
naked detail in the context of understanding these issues, as she grew
from from a midwestern Catholic schoolgirl in the late 70's to a
world-renown sex-positive feminist in the 90's -- all laced with a
welcome mix of candor, poignancy, and humor.

The appearance will also feature an interactive (live audience)
interview with Lisa Palac, conducted by KO-OP radio's Tammy Gomez.

A gathering of local performance artists will follow the interview,
"participating, performing, pontificating, and protruding various
parts" -- including works by Elaine Wolff, Cheryl Heckmann, Amanda
Plaisance, Jenny Wong, and Tammy Gomez.

15 - Sector 7G Performance

Sector 7G, a rocking pop combo from Springfield, will be performing in
Austin at FringeWare (2716 Guadalupe) on Friday, May 15th beginning at
8pm. The event is free and will feature many delightful snacks and
beverages.

Sector 7G has had the pleasure of performing with the legengary
B-Sharps and also rocked the second stage when the Hullabalooza
Festival stopped in Springfield.

23 - Bindlestiff Cirkus & Autonomadic Bookmobile

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Autonomedia Bookmobile Roadshow "1998 National Shillaber Tour" Tue, May 12, 2pm An extravaganjzia of real live circus freaks, juggling, fire-eating, magic, pain-proof clowns and more will perform in the parking lot between the buildings at FringeWare and Mojo's Daily Grind in the afternoon, starting at 2pm, followed by an evening performance at 1306 E 6th Street, starting at 10pm. Bindlestiff has been featured as one of the main circus acts at the Burning Man festival, and this year's line-up includes Austin's own glamour-clown / performance artist Alton on the Spot. Come see Vaudvillanous Variety of Audacious Amusements! All Alive! See the Sword Swallower push a 22in sword, three coat hangers, and an acryllic rod down his Gullet! See the Bed of Nails; Witness the Gleeful Broken Glass Dance! Marvel at the Human Blockhead's use of common Power Tools! Thrill to the Aerial Adagio of the Trapezist! Boogies with Kinkette and her Disco Diablo!

Also featured will be the Autonomadic Bookmobile, hosted by Buncombe the Clown -- a literary midway featuring Autonomedia and Semiotext(e) titles, as well as a Grand Selection of Subversion and Perversion from Perrenial Books, Shocked and Amazed, Black and Red, and many other small press publications.

23 - William Burroughs Triathalon

From the Austin-American Statesman:

The second William Burroughs Triathlon is today at Fringeware. There will be a host of activities peculiar to that writer who lived in the Interzone part of the time and Lawrence, Kan., the rest of the time. Stuff such as cut-up sessions and spoken-word digressions, pork-pie hat voguing and a few reputed attempts to shoot an apple off of someone's head. It all goes down at 8 tonight at Fringeware, 2716 Guadalupe St. Call 494-9273. Byline: Shermakaye Bass

From alt.culture.cyber-psychos:

Calling partisans of all nations... Registration is now being held for
Austin's renowned, third annual William S Burroughs Triathlon.

Triathletes and spectators alike are welcome; everyone attending must
observe Triathlon dress code: hat and tie, any style, but otherwise
feel free to dress in any manner that you wish.**

There will be three events: the freestyle cut-up, the grueling spoken
word (Burroughs channeling competition -- bring your favorite texts),
and of course, the legendary William Tell trick, starring are very own
Lucretia as "Joan Lee". All triathletes must be prepared to compete
in all three events.

29 - Poot! Comix Signing And Wake With Walt Holcombe

Oh, dear! Book release party for Walt Holcombe's third issue of Poot!
Poot! comix may have been dropped from Fantagraphics, but it's found
thriving here at FringeWare.

Walt's previous works include Pal-Yat-Chee (with Tom King), and
King of Persia, for which he was awarded a Xeric grant to produce.
There have been rumors of a short animated features in the works --
something about cows, pirate ships, etc.

Join Walt for an evening of comics, music and fun. Music provided by
"Rumbillion", specialists in musette, tango and other dance hall
favorites.

June 1998

5 - Comix Signing with Mack White and Roy Tompkins

Please join us for a reception, signing, and celebration of the long
awaited arrival of this month's Comic Journal featuring an interview
with two of Austin's nationally known comic artists: Mack White and
Roy Tompkins.

Mack White's work has appeared in publications such as bOING-bOING,
Details, Heavy Metal, Pulse!, and Gnosis. He's been held responsible
for comic book gems including The Mutant Book of the Dead and Villa of
the Mysteries, and is also a frequent contributor to Austin American
Statesperson's XL.

Roy Tompkins' work graces many of the Austin Chronicle irresponsible
columns, most notably the "News of the Weird". Further elaborations of
his artistry can be found in the notoriously high-brow comic series,
Trailer Trash.

Aural atmospherics and ambient musical ministrations will be provided
with sublime elegance, by TikTok.

12 - Aurora Marker Fund Benefit

The first time an alien body was recovered from a UFO crash down here in the Southwest part of the US, was NOT at Roswell, New Mexico, but rather in sleeply lil' Aurora, Texas. You can read the background story in FringeWare Review issue #13, but suffice it to say, for the purposes of this introduction, that FringeWare's intrepid ambassador, Jeff Gorvetzian, has been on the scene, negociating terms to resolve the current interstellar crisis. We have confirmed reports that the renowed Austin artist, Steve Brudniak, has developed plans for restoring the stolen grave marker, but that funds are desparately needed to complete the project. FringeWare held a benefit for the Aurora Marker Fund during the SXSW Interactive '98 conference -- see the photo journal in TAZmedia, issue #4 (see "tazmedia" URL below). Kind (human?) souls pledged/donated over $100 to the cause, but we have much further to go! This upcoming benefit will feature readings and ruminations by local authors Don Webb and Bruce Lanier Wright, and a special "Unwired" performance by Scarlitt, celebrating the GOOD relations between our solar system and the one from which our visitor/crash-victim hails. Don Webb is a ubiquitous writer of speculative fiction, and recently authored The Explanation. Bruce Lanier Wright is the author of Night Walkers and Yesterday's Tomorrows, and a writer for Fortean Times magazine. Both are rumored to have alliances with forces "not of this world".

Scarlitt is an electric band full of dynamics, pop-ethereal beauty and disconcerting angst, whose members have performed with Sincola, Joan of Arkansas, Lisa Germano, the Gretchen Phillips Experience, and The Swans. They will perform a rare acoustic set amongst the books and friendly onlookers. Expect Rebecca Cannon to enthrall you with her bulging eyes, uncomfortable smile and melodic stories infused over a birthday cake hodgepodge of otherworldly guitars, drums and violin.

More on Aurora

17 - Electronic Civil Disobedience forum by Stefan Wray

Stefan Wray of the The Electronic Disturbance Theater will lead an
interactive discussion on Electronic Civil Disobedience. The public
forum will explore how this group of electronic artists and activists
is using ECD as another tactic against the Mexican government's war
against the Zapatistas.

ECD is a term that refers to the cyberspacial application of
traditional civil disobedience methods such as trespass and blockade.
The Electronic Disturbance Theater has developed a web-based device
called FloodNet -- a Java applet reload function that sends automated
reload request every 3 seconds to an opponent's web site -- as a tool
for mass collective action on the Internet. FloodNet can successfully
blockade an opponent's web site when enough people get involved
simultaneously.

The Electronic Distubance Theater began with a dress rehearsal action
against Mexican President Zedillo's web site on April 10, followed by
Act One on May 10 against the White House web site. Act Two, on June
10, will be directed against another Mexican web site. A tactical
theater calendar (see URL below) lists ECD actions scheduled through
the end of the year.

NB: This issue has proven to be *highly* polarized, as demonstrated by
the current controversy and discussion over ECD on the FringeWare News
Network. Protest against neoliberalism appears to have hit an unpleasant
nerve in otherwise sated the American consciousness as neighbors in
Mexico engage in civil war.

Stefan Wray will also talk about the Electronic Disturbance Theater's
SWARM proposal, which has been accepted by this year's Ars Electronica
Festival on InfoWar scheduled for September in Linz, Austria.

19 - White Rabbitt signing/interrogation, Half Street Performance

Meet, Interrogate and Listen to a Non-incarcerated Member of the
Manson Family, who will deliver a reading from his forthcoming book
and sign copies of his bestselling zine. Attendees are encouraged to
dress as their favorite Manson Family member or Tate/LaBianca victim.

Austin's very own member of the Manson Family -- and member of the
FringeWare Family -- White Rabbitt, will be onhand to answer questions
from the public and sign copies of his zine "Tales of a Cosmic Hippy,
from the Haight to Manson to Austin" and screenplay "The Battle of
Peoples' Park! (Thirteen Days to Glory)".

Later there will be a psychedelic and psychotic musical performance
by the powerhouse band Half Street, regularly featured at Nasty's in
Austin, performaning a set from their recently released CD "Cleo's
Backyard", in what one local music critic has acclaimed as "The
Grateful Dead meets Bachman Turner Overdrive".

From the Austin Chronicle:

Finally, regarding last week's teaser about a Charles Manson family member and a Frank Zappa groupie/cohort being in town, Mansonite White Rabbit phoned to verify his identity and presence, saying he seriously doubts that the local person claiming to be Suzy Creamcheeze is for real. "I knew her when I lived in California when I was living with Zappa," says the Rabbit. "If she's around, I ain't seen her." White Rabbit can currently be found playing music on the Drag near Tower Records, and publishers with serious interest can ask to check out the manuscript for his book-in-progress at Fringeware. As far as Suzy is concerned; Hey, it's your turn to give us a call... Ken Leick

20 - TikTok and F(r)iends Playing

Grassroots News Network Workshop on Microradio

Stephen Dunifer workshop Sat, Jun 20, 5pm Stephen Dunifer, the founder/practitioner of Free Radio Berkeley, will be hosting a tech workshop for micropower broadcasting at FringeWare at 5pm, as part of the first annual Grassroots News and Media Conference being held here in Austin. Dunifer is a major player in the world of pirate radio, and has been one of the foremost resisters of FCC actions. We sincerely regret the extreme short notice, but it's a last minute thing that we're *extremely* pleased to get our fingers into. Also, from 2-5 pm, TikTok, Craig Chin and friends will be extruding aural phenomena within our store environs.k

26 - Evil Trancemedia Ceremony with Winter Marchosias, Don Webb, and DJ Arjuna

Winter and Don

Evil Trancemedia Ceremony Fri, Jun 26, 8pm FringeWare is proud to present local Austin poet and high-priestess Winter Marchosias, who will conduct the long-awaited Evil Trancemedia Ceremony on our premises, with participation by author Don Webb. Also, Winter will be signing the newly released Grimoire Marchosias, and accompanied by the musical invocations of DJ Arjuna spinning Goa Trance. Psi-hazard protective gear is highly recommended. We should also mention in passing that this evening marks the 67th birthday of the celebrated author Colin Wilson, noted for his detailed investigative studies in the occult; spirits will be raised in Wilson's honor.

July 1998

3 - Deconstructionist Jazz Ensemble

15 - From the Austin-American Statesman:

17 - DJ Arjuna for a Return Performance, Spinning Goa Trance

18 - Festival Of Shorts - Cinema Under the Stars

The Festival Of Shorts will be held in Austin, Texas, on 18 July 1998,
at 2716 Guadalupe, sponsored by FringeWare and Mojo's Daily Grind, and
curated by Vincent O'Brien. The event focuses on independent film and
video makers working in a "short" format (under 15 minutes), and will
be held outdoors at night, with free admission, free popcorn, beer on
tap, BYOS (bring your own seating).

Starting at 7pm, selected local musicians and performance artists will
open the stage. Film screenings begin at 9pm, with two concurrent
programs -- "cinema under the stars" projected outdoors, and the Blue
Room indoors. The audience is invited to participate in a "viewer's
choice" poll, and donations are welcomed to help support public
screenings for independent films in Austin. Then on Sunday at noon,
the Festival reconvenes for an informal roundtable with the curator
and filmmakers, encore showings for selected highlights, and award
presentations.

This event promises to be both provocative and fun -- a full scale
film and media banquet. Contributors include: the Hull Time Based Arts
Centre (UK), the Seattle Film and Video Consortium, The Schwa
Corporation (Reno), Jane Gang (NYC), members of the infamous RTMark
group, student filmmakers from UT/Austin, and members of Austin's own
guerrilla media collective Anathema Enterprises, among others.

The Festival marks the Texas premiere for the controversial film
"Flesh Cult" by Dennis Davis (NYC). This film examines the Krishna
Cult in West Virginia, which also served as the subject for the book
Monkey on a Stick. When first shown in New York, "Flesh Cult" created
a considerable stir within the arts establishment over first amendment
rights. Its anticipated reception in the context of the Austin film
scene raises interesting issues.

"My focus as curator," Vincent O'Brien proposes, "isn't to act as a
judge or censor, but to provide a platform for artists to present
their work where it can be experienced in an open and public
forum. Some may find this ideology objectionable because it sets a
stage where a wide range of voices can be heard. I believe this
intimidates those who wish to incarcerate the language of what
expression through film should be. But it is only in such a stage
that art happens.

"Another important part of a festival of shorts is that it begins to
deconstruct the stranglehold that Hollywood aesthetics attempt to
maintain over independents, by narrowing the gap on stylistic and
economic barriers."

24 - Sciborg Sam & The Robopimps

Come meet Austin's own Sciborg Sam, appearing with his intrepid band
of (musical) space explorers, The Robopimps. Sciborg Sam will be
onhand signing limited edition copies of his self-titled SciFi
galactic tour, demoing his robotic assistants, and grooving to the
sound of the music all-around.

25 - DJ DMZ / DJ Spliffy 2x4 Spinning

31 - Ruby Lamb "Unsheared"

August 1998

7 - Salt For Slugs Zine Release Party

Zine release party for Salt for Slugs -- "Contemporary literature for the random reader". This long-awaited "Fingers of Death" summer issue featuring living legend SiFu Raymond Fogg, along with Lee Ving, P.W. Long, a "Waco: Mt. Carmel Now" update, and much more.

8 - FringeWare Review #14 - Media Controllers Published

From the Austin-American Statesman:

The Festival of Shorts film festival must've opened a portal at FringeWare. This month, the store began a weekly forum -- "Ken Leick's House of Cartoon Mayhem'' -- which highlights the Austin writer's animation-flick picks. The series is a chronicling of cartoon animation in film/TV history, accompanied by Leick's commentary. From 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the store, 2716 Guadalupe St. 494-9273. - S.B.

14 - This Order zine, New Issue Release Party Along With The Commies

19 -Small Press Week: National Poetry Slam Finals
Small Press Week Parties
FringeWare Review #14 Release Party
Rebecca Cannon Solo Performance

A seam-shredding, boundary-bombing, lavishly loquacious celebration of
the small press and its constituents, in conjunction with the National
Poetry Slam Finals being held in Austin.

In addition to all the shindigs happening at FringeWare, there will be
a hoard of Slam Week events next door at Mojo's Daily Grind, and the
La Resistencia Bookstore in Austin will host a very special reading
for American Book Award winner and Nuyorican Poets Cafe founder Miguel
Algarin on Thu Aug 20, at 8:30pm.

Come join !El Poeta!, and relish the festive bouts and featured
publishers, including: Incommunicado Press on Wednesday, August 19th;
Manic D Press on Thursday, August 20th; Soft Skull Press, and Mouth
Almighty Records, on Friday, August 21st; and 2.13.61, on Saturday,
August 22nd. Honored guests (those who will probably be cajoled into
reading, signing, and generally making a spectacle of themselves)
include, among others, Juliette Torrez, Jeff McDaniel, Justin Chin,
Jon Longhi, and Ellyn Maybe, as well as 'barrows full of books and
CD's from the publishers, and the usual plethora of refreshing
ingestibles to be found at FringeWare during such flights of wild
fancy. Events each day will be set in motion at approximately 1:00pm,
and continue according to their impetus until they stop.

Incommunicado Press book party, featuring Michael Madsen's Burning in
Paradise and the Incommunicado Scream When You Burn anthology, along
with readings by authors Steve Abee and Jimmy Jazz.

Thu Aug 20, 3:30-4:30pm

Justin Chin, Jeff McDaniel, and Tarin Towers.

Thu Aug 20, 4:30-6:00pm

Manic D Press book party, hosted by Juliette Torrez (San Francisco),
Bruce Jackson (San Francisco), Jeff McDaniel (Los Angeles), and
possibly others, including Jon Longhi (from Last Gasp).

Fri Aug 21, 3:30-4:30pm

Doug Martin, Spike Gillespie, and Bob Redmond.

Fri Aug 21, 4:30-6:00pm

Soft Skull Press, and Mouth Almighty Records party, hosted by Sander
Hicks and Bob Holman. Soft Skull specializes in picking up big names,
like Michael Stipe, Beck, and Lee Renaldo... Mouth Almighty is one of
the premier publishers of recorded spoken word -- among their
highlights that we'll be featuring is a 4 CD box set of the best of
Burroughs, as well as Leary, Ginsberg, and contemporary (read: still
alive) performers.

Fri Aug 21, 8:30-11:00pm

Rebecca Cannon (Scarlitt) will play her little guitar and warble for a
few minutes in an "unwired" set, casting her sweet vocal stylings upon
the assembled.

Release Party for FringeWare Review #14, "Media Controllers" issue. our special issue on Media Controllers arrives back hot off the presses, and you can come mingle with the authors, without an ounce of mediation.

Sat Aug 22, 2:00-3:00pm

A reading with poetry impresario and slam godfather, New Yorker Bob
Holman.

Sat Aug 22, 3:30-4:30pm

Ellyn Maybe and Matthew Niblock, with special guests.

Sat Aug 22, 4:30-6:00pm

2.13.61 Publications, and Sacred Beverages Press party, hosted by
Ellyn Maybe and Matthew Niblock, and (rumored only) possibly the big
man with the tattoos.

23 - Ken Leick's House of Cartoon Mayhem

Our own ever-lovable and infamous local music gadfly from the even more infamous Austin Chronicle -- will be hosting the "House of Cartoon Mayhem: From the Origins of Animation to the Twisted Toons on Today's Tube" on the big ole TV set in back.

September 1998

4 - Extravaganza of Absurdity

In celebration of the birthday of Antonin Artaud, an evening of performances founded on the Surrealist aesthetic; featuring readings, apings and enactions by FringeWare staff and intimates, accompanied by the be-stringed ambient ramblings of TikTok.

Program includes the cacophonic enlightenments of WE ARE DUM, some Lucky utterings, the Mamas and the Dadas, and a special video screening of Einsturzende Neubaten works, among (many) other highlights.

Bring your bowlers and your broccoli, and don't forget to wax your moustache. Proper attire is strongly encouraged. This is not a press release.

10 - RAW DEAL / Ken Smith & Mack White Reading & Signing

FringeWare is pleased to present author Ken Smith and illustrator
Mack White for a special signing of their new book, RAW DEAL, just
published by Blast Books. A reading by Ken will begin at 7:30pm.

RAW DEAL profiles 23 of the greatest Great Victims in American
history, including:

- Ebenezer Cade, injected with plutonium by army doctors while he lay
helpless in a hospital bed;

- Frank Olson, who killed himself after the CIA spiked his after-dinner
drink with LSD;

Ota Benga, an African pygmy put on display in the Bronx Zoo monkey
house.

"RAW DEAL is the perfect way for the dark-minded to pass another
awful, sunny day at the shore with all those damned kids running
around," writes The New York Press. "Ken Smith's concise, stark
prose...(and) Mack White's beautiful, stark illustrations...makes it
all as delightful and satisfying as eating a bag of poisoned popcorn,
one black kernal after another."

Austin Chronicle In Person Report

11 - SubBrilliant Multimedia Extravaganza

Food - Drink - Television Comedy - Web Subversion - Recorded Music

The SuBBrilliant Consortium, led by Editor and Chairman A. Dtect,
counsels you to attend the SuBBrilliant Multimedia Extravaganza on
11th September, 1998 at FringeWare.

Mr. Dtect will direct his agents to serve you both virtually and
physically with all manner of information, edibles and entertainment.

Please adjust your Franklin and clear your Day-Timer as festivities
will begin and continue, and not being present will limit you. 

SuBBrilliant Report

25 - monochrom bringt amerika den sozialismus tour

FringeWare is pleased to announce our in-store presentation of
Austria's culture-jamming heroes from "monochrom" magazine, currently
travelling throughout North America on their 1998 "monochrom bringt
amerika den sozialismus tour". The illusive and infamous "der jg" and
company of media subversives will appear for a special signing of
their publication, and also spin as DJs for a show featuring "a really
strange mixture of austrian and german music scores..." FringeWare
will provide the beer.

Recently translated from their promotional materials: "monochrom
appears: monochrom is sudden: the merciless from galaxy z, highly on
fats, very own monochrom has: no page numbers. simply very holy
gebenedeit under the pictorials. any orgiastische masturbation. a high
tightness printing unit. guattari more waer proudly. deleuze more waer
proudly too. a rhizom with quality seal. underground dairy stuff.
fullplugged, wonnespendend, very refreshing. it goes subversiven us
around the artistic, political, anti-economic application of things -
whatever ever too. monochrom is the association for the promotion of
the selective researchresearch research in the sense of
futurologischer interests dividend. monochrom moreover is too. 'is
there a political resisted viral is?' (arthur more kroker) we operate
to it ashamed. spectacularly, unverfroren. materialistic psychedelik.
us taugts. subcultural science attacks deeply frozen. us schmeckts.
simply the publication of their confidence. monochrom too: monochrom
is not only limited to the print medium we has our finger licking
everywhere in, is an open experimentation field. there gladly one
creates: for instance to discourse and gameshows, puppet-monumental-
work, to readings of anthrax refill, synchronisation, websites,
striking videos, overheadfoliencomics, obskure sweepstakes, bug and
do it yourself, socialpathological electronic music, ... whatever
negotiating juice. we are not sparkling wines, we are a movement.

October 1998

2 - Julian Palacios signing for Lost In The Woods

FringeWare cordially invites you to attend the US opening for a new
biography of Syd Barrett, entitled "Lost in the Woods", written by
Austin resident Julian Palacios, and published by Boxtree/MacMillan.
The biography includes a 350 page exhaustive analysis of Barrett's
life and work written over three years, and with 15 exclusive
interviews of those who knew and worked with Barrett.

This event will feature video screenings of: "Pink Floyd 66-67" by
Peter Whitehead (1967) -- film of the Barrett-Led floyd in the studio
playing two 16 minute tracks, interspersed with archival psychedelic
underground footage; "So Far Out It's Straight Down" (Granada TV 67)
-- British TV documentary on the underground scene in London, with
coverage of Indica Bookshop, UFO Club and live footage of Syd`s Floyd
(very rare); and a compilation tape of rare archival and promo videos
from the Syd-era Floyd (30m).

The evening will also include a live performance featuring three solo
spots by the author and friends, followed by an ensemble improvisation
by the Orange Band with a psychedelic light show. As is customary,
complimentary refreshements on the evening's theme will be provided.

From the Austin-American Statesman:

On Friday, FringeWare will present a typical multidimensional, multimedia affair when it hosts a book signing by Austinite Julian Palacios, whose "Lost in the Woods'' chronicles the life and times of Syd Barrett (some consider Barrett the founder of Pink Floyd; some consider him the founder of the British psychedelic movement, period). Also on the bill are three video screenings, including Peter Whitehead's "Pink Floyd, 66-67'' and ``So Far Out It's Straight Down,'' a British television documentary on London's subcult scene during the seminal Syd-Floyd era of the mid-1960s. Sure, there's more to all this. . . . Starting at 8 p.m. Friday at FringeWare, 2716 Guadalupe St. - Shermakaye Bass

9 - Hot Tool Fashion Crew Industrial Lingerie Show

FringeWare is pleased to present Hot Tool Fashion Crew with designer
and roboticist Brooks Coleman for an "industrial lingerie" fashion
show, appearing this Friday, October 9th.

Coleman, a creative force behind Austin institutions such as Liquid
Mice and the Austin Robot Group, has received major acclaim for his
"gomi no sensei" styled inventions which blend sculpture, robotics,
and live music performed by machines. Installations have been
featured at Discover Hall, Austin Children's Museum, and of course at
the RoboFests, as well as in coverage by Discovery Channel, Penthouse,
Mondo 2000, bOING-bOING, FringeWare Review (issue #3, "The Glory and
Cost of Reinventing Junk"), and earlier this year a feature by the
Austin American Statesman.

Hot Tool Fashion originally debuted on October 27, 1995 in the
backwoods of Bastrop, Texas, at Coleman's three-story treehouse.
Words to describe the ensuing party fail most writers, but the events
of that evening have been recorded quite adroitly by none other than
Don Webb (please see the "dwebb" URL listed below). Since then, Hot
Tool's designs have graced several shows throughout Austin, and have
become the uniforms de rigeur for staff at one of Houston's chic night
spots. The trademark lingerie, constructed from scant strips of
customed-fitted tin body armor, servo-motor pumps, and tubes of
flourescent liquids assembled into custom industrial couture, are
guaranteed to add spice to any evening ensemble.

Members of the Hot Tool Fashion Crew -- described in previous press as
"demure young women in creations of elfin delicacy and delight" --
will be on-hand modeling Brooks' latest works: art bras, hats,
sunglasses and other succulent art wear. Please note that Hot Tool
events "never start on time but also never fail to disappoint", and be
prepared. As one guest commented: "I feel brainwashed. I've been
listening to that industrial voodoo (wailing of the Gizmo Wall) for
three hours and I'm ready to accept any programming at this point."
Bring your checkbooks, and buy something slinky for that Special
Someone in your life.

Shermakaye Bass' Article on Hot Tool Fashion

From the Austin-American Statesman:

On the Drag: With F3 Film Festival, underground bookstore FringeWare presents an encore of its short-films showcase -- an independent film expo that drew several hundred people last summer.

According to organizers, the response from local and national filmmakers was so righteous (that is, curator Vincent O'Brien received more entries than he could show in one festival) that the event has become a quarterly occurrence. Screenings and performances are held Thursday, with ``Halloweird'' -- a collection of experimental horror films corralled by Joel S. Bachar of Blackchair Productions in Seattle -- which will be screened simultaneously at FringeWare and the Speakeasy Cafe in Seattle. The locations will have an interactive Web link. Austin band Futura will also play.

On Saturday, the festival proper takes place, with a prescreening performance by The James Bennington Trio. Throughout the evening, short-format works (15 minutes and less) will be projected in the store and in the parking lot. Contributing filmmakers and collectives include Stan Brakhage of Boulder, Colo.; Jane Gang from New York City; the Seattle Film and Video Consortium; Afterimage from Rochester, N.Y.; and Madame Chao's from New York City. Thursday night, the event starts at 9; Saturday at 8 p.m. At FringeWare, 2716 Guadalupe St. Call 474-9273. Free.

15 - From the Austin Chronicle: Best of Austin 1998: Critics Picks: Best Counterculture Conclave

Not only is FringeWare the only bookstore in town where you can find vast quantities of books with an anarchic-technocratic-cult-drug-psycho criminal bent, but now they're having parties! In league with Mojo's coffeehouse next door, FringeWare has recently started hosting free Friday night events. Star attractions range from SubGenius Devivals to comic book artists to Manson family members, plus there's often free food and drink. Drop by and pick up their events schedule.

From the Austin Chronicle: Critics' Picks: Best Net Missives: Don Webb's "Letters to the Fringe"

Like the revealing Essaies of Montaigne, Don Webb, local webdiarist and shameless self-promoter, packs his site with candid and personal "letters." At one letter per week, 147 weeks of entries are currrently online; each generally has news about his latest published works alongside personal anecdotes about his wife Rosemary and friends, conversations with his mother. Webb thoughtfully includes Internet links to publishers, occultists, zines, and other writers. Often there are poems or short stories at the bottom of the letters. It is not until Letter #16 that he began titling them ("Hero of the Paperless Office" or "Warlord of Helium" or "How are noses and feet alike?"). Webb spills his guts for us to smell. After a few whiffs, you'll find yourself craving his weekly wonders; as Don puts it, "I've gotten fairly good at the ordinary world - it's the extraordinary one that presents problems.

23 - John Ross signing, benefit for Resistencia Bookstore, with Cosmic Intuition Performance

FringeWare is pleased to present author John Ross, appearing on Friday, October 23rd, for a reading and signing of his first novel, "Tonatiuh's People, A Novel of the Mexican Cataclysm", and also his most recent non-fiction work, "The Annexation of Mexico, From the Aztecs to the IMF". This event is part of Ross' "Fact or Fiction Tour" through the US, in conjunction with Cinco Puntos Press of El Paso, Texas. All proceeds from the evening's sales of Mr. Ross' books will be donated to Resistencia Bookstore in Austin. Also joining the evening's lineup will be a performance by the Cosmic Intuition Trio.

30 - Flash Point and Hugs

On this Hallows Eve, FringeWare welcomes you to a special event
featuring fire performers Flash Point and the band Hugs.

Flash Point will perform a ritual invocation of Kali. Kali, mistress
of time and devourer of time is welcomed to walk beside us on our
journey into Hallows Eve. Please bring white flowers or sweets to
feed the life of Kali's death.

Wiliam Curtis and Nanci Traynor, the core members of Flash Point, are
fire performers who met on a great and wet fall night in a northern
Oregon rose garden. On a recent quest to Guatemala they had the rare
opportunity to train under the watchful eye of Jose, El Payaso del
Fuego.

Basic circus style fire eating, twirling, blowing, and detailed ritual
invocations of the fire gods, goddesses, and demons from numerous
cultures, along an entree of fire clown routines, are eagerly
anticipated.

November 1998

6 - Philip H Farber Book Signing

Philip H Farber, editor of Paradigm Shift magazine and noted hypnotherapist, will be on-hand for a book signing and impromtu stand-up routine based on FutureRitual: Magick for the 21st Century from Eschaton Books "I found this book absolutely unique -- the first magick manual entirely contemporary with modern science and the only one that will really prepare the student for the 21st Century," writes author and philosopher Robert Anton Wilson. Magick, it should be noted, can be practiced by anyone, regardless of religious affiliation. As taught by Mr. Farber, it is a technology, not a doctrine or dogma.

More on FutureRitual

14 - Texas Fine Arts Association Around-The-Clock Block Party

Celebrate\ the opening of TFAA's new location, featuring a film and video festival\ projected on the side of the new TFAA building by F3 Films, music by\ Futura and other bands, with design assisted by Hit and Run Design\ Labs. Free midnight breakfast tacos!

13 - c0mm0ner e-zine Release Party

If cuisine is your passion, download RealScent V4.2 on-line and experience second-hand the calories and flavors of some select Austin dining spots alongside restaurant reviews and recipes. Music provided by by Austin pop chemists Made From Scratch, Knife in the Water, and DJ Sigmund. Also, the Friday 13th date allows us to join friggatriskaidekaphobe celebrations nationwide.

14 -15 - Texas Book Festival

This post-election charity soiree features titles selected (on behalf of US first-lady-in-waiting Laura Bush) by Bonesy Jones, guest appearances by Laura's father-in-law George and some SS agents, and a booth by FringeWare. Come witness the scheduled panel discussion that has the Bush family so damn nervous: Going to Extremes: Life on the Fringes of American Culture with Kerry Noble, Dick Reavis, Mike Cox, Doug Rossinow, and other Waco historians.

16 - Circus Redickuless

Chicken John returns to FringeWare with Ducky DooLittle plus musical guests Brown Whornet, for the X-Rated nature show where humans learn how animals screw -- NYC's Dr. Ducky DooLittle has a dirty mouth and uses it, but only in the name of science! It's the horny horror show you just can't miss! Chicken John is the earth's only One-Man-Band Elvis Impersonator! He takes nothing seriously and, insulting himself and anything that his vicious wit trips over, he tears through audience members and cohorts alike, instilling a sense of urgent futility -- but always according to the laws of the Cacophony Society. "Sensory overload, titillating zoology, cocktails, and fire-breathing: Chicken John's handbasket to hell is padded with kitsch, folly, and chaos. Hallelujah!" writes the San Francisco Bay Guardian. There will also be an evening show by the Circus at The Electric Lounge.

18 - From the Austin-American Statesman:

Unravel millenium mysteries at discussion with author DavisArts notes - Shermakaye Bass

Hallowmas has passed; the Day of the Dead's dawned and gone. But morphosis and mystery linger throughout autumn.

Yep, it's still the season for deep thinking, for sinking and creeping and slinking into the mystic. The days shorten and darken and -- what do you know -- the soothsayers and shaman come a-crawlin'. (And hey, hallelujah, 'cause soon enough we'll be fending off that silly man in the red suit.)

Nowhere is the November vibe more evident than at FringeWare, where energies dense and ponderous drip from the author's podium. This week, the bookstore on Guadalupe gets positively apocalyptic when mystic/technocritic Erik Davis stops in to discuss his new book ``Techgnosis: Myth, Magic & Mysticism in the Age of Information.''
One premillennial spook-doctor called Davis' piece ``a new Rosetta Stone for the Digerati,'' and in these frenetic Y2K days, that's an endorsement shinier than Dee's hard-sought gold. Seriously. As the end of the world approaches, is there anything real or true? Maybe Davis, who digs into the potential alchemical roots of our hot-wired era, has a few answers. Our warp-speed society could use a prophet now. . . .
Davis, who's written for The Village Voice, Gnosis, Lingua Franca, Utne Reader, FringeWare Review and other magazines, will be talking and signing his new release from Harmony Books at 8 p.m. Friday at FringeWare, 2716 Guadalupe St.

20 - Erik Davis / TechGnosis Book Signing

Erik Davis, a contributing editor for FringeWare Review magazine, will be signing and reading from his new book, TechGnosis: myth, magick + mysticism in the age of information. This title has been lauded as "one of the best media studies books ever published" by Bruce Sterling. "Religion constitutes the perfect content provider (it's already virtual) and techgnosis makes the perfect religion for a world where Capital is god. But before you sign up to download your consciousness, better read Erik Davis..." writes Hakim Bey. Read more about this new work in Salon Magazine.

23 - Bag Day Protest at Barnes and Noble and Other Corporate Chain Superstores All Over the World - 12 noon

Friends United in Creative Knowledge of the Faceless Attitudes of Corporate Entities, in cooperation with RTMark, Negativland, Church of the SubGenius, and other corporate saboteur groups, has coordinated a nationwide protest against corporate chains that invade our neighborhoods with their chainstores, coinciding with the birthday of the American anti-corporate hero Billy the Kid.

More on the Bag Day Protest

Oct. 23 - Nov. 23 - Rites of Eleusis

Scarlet Woman Lodge, O.T.O., presents their fourth annual revival /recontextualization of the Rites of Eleusis in Austin, Texas -- a series of seven mystery plays running in delicious and passionate descent from Sat, Oct 24, with the Rite of Saturn, proceeding down the tree, visiting a new Rite/sephira every five days, and concluding with the Rite of Luna on Nov 23. Thoughtfully produced, brilliantly executed, and highly recommended.

29 - David S Bennahum Signing

Join us in welcoming author David S Bennahum for a reading and signing of his new book EXTRA LIFE: Coming of Age in Cyberspace, just published by Basic Books. Mr. Bennahum is a contributing editor for Wired, Spin, Lingua Franca and I.D. magazine, and also the publisher of MEME, an online newsletter on technology and culture with 20,000 readers... EXTRA LIFE examines how computers empowered David and his friends to create a world of their own, to find "extra life" on the other side of the computer screen.

December 1998

4 - Deconstructionist Jazz Ensemble

5 - Salt For Slugs with Alex Jones

Alex Jones demands that the cattle wake up!!! You're invited to attend the release party for the Salt For Slugs #8 Winter Issue, featuring conspiracy talk radio and public access cable phenomenon, Alex Jones.

6 - Books For Prisoners Organizational Meeting

An organizational meeting for anyone interested in forming a books for prisoners collective here in Austin, followed by a video screening of the documentary Live From Death Row... sending books to people in prison is non-trivial, and can generally only be accomplished by experienced bookstore staff, even then with a guarantee of much frustration and systemic graft Inside Books plans to offer dictionaries, writing and grammar books, books on cultural studies, classics, and popular literature. The organization plans to advertise in magazines geared toward prison populations, such as Prison Legal Newsand Raze the Walls, but they need donations and a sponsoring bookstore. At the group's first meeting two weeks ago at FringeWare, a half-dozen people discussed applying for non-profit status. "There are lots of obstacles and we probably haven't found out what half of them are," said Marci Schneider, co-founder. "I just hope the program and group organizing it don't become obstacles to themselves."

9 - Robert Anton Wilson

Jason from Forbidden Books, Robert Anton Wilson, Rev. Stang and Paco

Join Robert Anton Wilson for public book signings in Dallas (Dec 4th) and Austin (Dec 5th), as well as an intensive audience participation workshop at the Dallas Masonic Lodge (Dec 4th, $40). The main event will be in Austin at the OFFCENTER (Dec 5th, $12) when RAW delivers a presentation entitled Everything You Know Is Wrong, with special guests including Rev. Ivan Stang and the Church of the SubGenius, with many musical, libidinous or otherwise subversive acts at a blowout party following the lecture. Shows produced by Forbidden Books (Dallas) and FringeWare (Austin). Be there or be saved! Get there early to catch Alien Time and stay late to enjoy the rest of the party, including Futura, The Invisible College of Esoteric DJs, and Phat Farm Productions, plus special guests The Church\of the SubGenius. MIB attire optional, but recommended.

From alt.slack RAW / FringeWare Report

The next few hours are a blur of hotel, beer, bookstores and Slack until, finally, we reach Fringeware, just off the northwest corner of U-T's campus. Note to all: go here whenever you have the chance. The staff is EXTREMELY cool, and the selection of books, tapes and videos is hard to beat.

By 3:00p, the store has gone from a handful of folks to an outright flood. We find ourselves at the front of the line. The, HE appears - an older man, slow and precise in gait, relaxed in demeanor. I'd trade in any father/grandfather to be able to be related to this man. Hell, an uncle would suffice. I'm impressed with him as soon as I see him. He comes back, settles in behind the table, and begins the work of greeting, signing and conversing with the assemblage. "Personable" is too feeble a word to describe him - all I can say is, if you missed this, keep an eye out for him in the future. Even if you've never heard of R. A. Wilson before, never read a book, or even if you think he's full of shit (which he may very well be), it's an experience you'll remember. He even signed a couple extra books for Stu, time restraints being what they were.

11 - J. Babalon Art Opening

An opening for the exhibition Nightmares and Things that Crawl in the Back of Your Skull, along with spoken word performance entitled Excerpts From the Land of the Locust Eaters.

12 - Invasion of the Comix Artists

Join us for a signing by Austin's own Penny Van Horn and Walt Holcombe.