COUNTERPART CULTURE

We came across this little gem whilst taking an extended lunchtime stroll to Rough Trade on Talbot Road and what a cracker it is! Encased in a neat 7” blank sleeve comes the Counterpart DVD-zine and a delightfully ethereal poster by Hannah Waldron.

joes[a]fiend loved the format so much that we got in touch with the creator and editor of Counterpart, Matt Shires. Here are a few highlights of our Q&A:

How did Counterpart come to exist?

‘A friend and I actually started it in order to promote a band we were working with at the time. I worked in TV so had access to the facilities to produce a DVD-zine. We invited various designers and bands to get on board and, by the time we got to editing, the band we managed ended up on the cutting room floor.’

What piece of confectionery would Counterpart be?

‘A Kinder Surprise – we want each issue to hold something personal to each person who owns it – something you want to keep and can show your kids in the future on holodisc.’

What are Counterpart’s three favourite songs?

‘Today they are: Paul Simon – You Can Call Me Al, Jeffrey Lewis – Heavy Heart and Neutral Milk Hotel – Holland, 1945. Tomorrow they’ll have changed.’

As for the future…?

‘Issue 3 we hope… We’d like to have some low-key presenter type doing features in the style of The Old Grey Whistle Test hosted by Melvyn Bragg but with a twist… Most of all we want to keep changing – both in format and editorially.’

Counterpart Magazine Issue 2 Trailer


http://www.myspace.com/COUNTERPARTMAGAZINE

PFH Thompson