I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of one’s dreams, and endeavors to live the life which one has imagined, s/he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. –Henry David Thoreau It has been one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life. Those of you who regularly read these newsletters know the blood, sweat and tears I’ve shed to get to this point. But finally, it is done. GEARHEAD No. 19, the long-awaited new issue of the beloved magazine is finished. And you can buy it now! Those of you who supported the Kickstarter campaign to fund the production of this magazine will be getting your copies shortly. Eighty-eight of you helped push this project over the finish line and to you, I am forever grateful and humbled at your belief that this time would come. Thank you!
To these retailers who stepped up and said yes, I want to stock GEARHEAD in my store, another heart-felt thank you: Axis Records and Comics in Las Vegas, NV, Newsbeat in Davis, CA and Phono Select Records in Sacramento, CA, you are the true spirit of independent business. Stocking a product that hasn’t had a chance to build up some hype takes guts. If you live near one of these stores, please support them, and if you don’t live near them, visit their website. In this age of big box retail, finding unique stores like these is a challenge; they need our support! As 2015 draws to a close, I look back at this year with pride, gratitude, and a humble heart. Reviving a company and product line that has been in hibernation for so long proved to be a bigger challenge than I anticipated but with the support and enthusiasm of the GEARHEAD community, I did it. I hit every single goal I made for this company at the beginning of the year, and then some! Thank you for sharing this ride with me. Happy New Year! Love, Rev. Michelle Haunold I’ve gone round and round about how this issue should look, since it’s the “rebirth” issue, and since I have the privilege of starting from scratch –or the nightmare – it could be viewed either way. I had to look at what it was I really wanted, and how I wanted to express myself. I love what Mike created, it came from a place where we both had roots; MRR, Creem Magazine, 60s & 70s pop culture, and vintage car mags. Trying to find my own voice and vision for this mag has been a challenge, and I accept there are certain limitations at this point, simply because I have no clue what I’m doing and also because of limited resources. This issue is pretty much similar to what was done previously with the style: color heavy stock cover, black and white insides on medium book stock, simply because it is the cheapest, quickest and easiest way to set up this new issue.
I've dropped the page count down to 84 pgs. but because the cost of printing has gone up so much, the cover price is now $6.99. The stories are as interesting and unique as they've been in the past, with a feature article on The Lords of Altamont, complete with some killer photos, a behind the scenes look at The Lady Luck Tattoo Convention, a detailed history of the wacky 70s car craze The Zingers, which includes some never before seen photos, a fun and informative, and possible the last known interview with Famous Monsters editor Forrest J. Ackerman, Smash up Derby Fun at the Yolo County Demolition Derby, and a word from George Barris himself, talking about his life as the King of Kustomizers. There are also record, book and movie reviews and a short word from yours' truly, the new editor. This will be a limited print edition of 2500 copies and for the very first time, this new issue will be available as a digital download and print on demand! I feel incredibly proud of this project, and excited to share it with you all. Stay tuned to this space for order information! I expect to have the new issue in hand by Dec. 24, 2015! Keepin' the rubber on the road! Rev. Michelle Hey Team Gearhead! It has been a tough couple of weeks, but we are just at the tail end of the laying out the long awaited Issue #19 of GEARHEAD. We should have files ready to upload to the printer tomorrow, yay! To say this has been one of the most intense projects I’ve ever worked on would not be lying….but as I near the end, I look back at the process, and feel excited and proud, and ready to do it all over again for Spring 2016! The above photo is a little sneak peek of what is coming! Enjoy and thanks for your continued support and enthusiasm!
Xo Rev. Michelle Less than 36% of the campaigns launched in 2015 on Kickstarter fully funded according to Kickstarter's stats page, but thanks to the tremendous support and enthusiasm of the GEARHEAD community, I reached my goal of $3500 and blew past it, raising a total of $4320!
To say I am proud and relieved is an understatement. I feel renewed, inspired and totally excited and very, very grateful! The money raised will be used to print the long-awaited issue #19 of GEARHEAD. Any extra money will be used to pay the lay out artist I have to hire to finish setting the files up for print. Of course Kickstarter takes 5% for their cut, plus 3% for credit card processing. Putting this magazine together, as well as raising the money to print it, has been one of the toughest projects I've ever worked on and I can't wait to share the finish product with those of you who have stood by GEARHEAD during the ups and the downs. Thank you for your support! xoxo Rev. Michelle Previously, I shared how nervous I was to follow in my former partner Mike’s footsteps as editor of GEARHEAD. But I realized it was about finding my voice and putting my own stamp on the magazine, much as any other new editor does. Once I was able to look at it that way, the writing flowed. The tricky part has been figuring out how to put it all together, and of course raising the money to print it. This new issue contains stories I have wanted to write for a long long time, including an article about the Yolo County Demolition Derby, an in-depth interview with Jake from The Lords of Altamont, and a behind the scenes look at the long-running Lady Luck Tattoo Convention. Craig Fitzgerald over at Bangshift.com serves up a history of the 60s craze The Zingers! Long time Gearhead supporter Laurent Bagnard is contributing a tribute to the King of Kustomizers, George Barris, who recently passed away. Eva Von Baron contributes a look at the Bay Area music and art scene, and Aime Elkins McCrory shares delectable details about what it was like to be legendary music producer Kim Fowley's assistant. The new mag is stuffed with lots of other cool stuff, so Pledge Now, so I can raise the money to print it and share it with you! I have had no templates to work from, with nothing to guide me except back issues of the mag. But hell, those of you who know me know I am nothing if not determined. I created an entire record label from scratch fifteen years ago, for goodness sakes, and put out over eighty records on a wing and and a prayer. I knew I could certainly figure out how to write, design and lay out a single issue of a magazine! And now, it all comes down to money. You've probably heard I'm running a Kickstarter Campaign to raise the necessary $3500 to print the magazine. It's a chance for you to be a part of the process, so please pledge your support now if you are even the slightest bit curious about this new issue! I personally think it's one of the best but I'm a little biased! Click here to check out the cool gifts you can get when you pledege today! But hurry! The campaign ends 9:30 am PST Monday Dec. 2, 2015. If I don't reach or beat my goal of raising $3500, I DON'T GET A DIME, and you fine folks won't get your magazine. SO PLEDGE TODAY PLEASE! Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to announce the imminent arrival of the long-awaited issue #19 of Gearhead Magazine! It has taken me almost an entire year to get to this point: GEARHEAD is ready to go to print! I imagine this is very much what giving birth is like. Not that I’ve actually done that, but the creative process is similar. Once I decided I was really gonna do this, I had to get my mind and body on the same page. Since I was starting from scratch, and I’ve never actually put a magazine together, months of planning was followed by months of writing and organizing. Finally, the big day came when I knew I was almost ready but the final piece, the financial aspect, had to be dealt with.! Which brings me to this moment: I need your help bringing this baby into the world! Kickstarter To the Rescue! Yes, I’ve launched a Kickstarter Campaign to raise the necessary money to print GEARHEAD. There’s a ton of cool gifts in exchange for your support. First off, this is the only way right now you can reserve a copy of the magazine, which will be a limited edition print run of 2500. Secondly, there are some other cool gifts from some of our friends: a spooky Monster T Shirt from Pheck, and some wicked cool sunglasses from Tres Noir. Browse through the different levels of support; there is sure to be one right for you! Of course the trick with Kickstarter is you have to reach your goal, or you don’t get anything, so please help any way you can, even if it’s just clicking the “share” button on the page and letting your friends know. We have until Dec. 2, 2015 to raise the money, and once we do, this bad boy is heading off to the printers with a goal of being in your mailbox by Christmas! What’s in the new magazine? Click here to read a list of the contents! There are even a few sneak pictures there. I don’t want to reveal too much since I want it to be a surprise, but hopefully it’s enough to whet your appetite and pledge your support! Speaking of contents, you can still buy several of the back issues of Gearhead, but for those of you who never saw the magazine before and dig digital technology, two out of print issues are now available for digital download! It’s a great way to take the magazine with you, much as you would your favorite Gearhead band! Which brings me to the final big piece of news: The Lords of Altamont are heading out on their first US tour in almost ten years, supporting the Rev. Horton Heat. Click here for the dates, and if they’re coming to your city, GO! They put on a great show, and who knows when they’ll decide to do this again?! Thank you all for your continued support. To finally be at this point with the rebirth of Gearhead means a lot to me. I’m delighted and scared and nervous. I can’t wait to hold the finished magazine in my hands and breathe in that inky goodness. I hope you’re thinking the same thing and will go reserve a copy today! Keepin’ the rubber on the road, xo Rev. Michelle Today we celebrate the birth of a man who made "weird" ok. The vision and goofiness of Ed Roth, known to his friends and fans as Big Daddy, set the stage for much that Gearhead and others involved in this wacky world of hot rodding and Kustom Kulture took to heart as their own. His style was unique and while I never met the man, he is known as a true original. Gearhead paid tribute to his legend in issue #12. He was one of Mike's favorites and I know this issue was a dream come true. So grab your Rat Fink and give him/her/it a hug and join me in sending birthday greetings to heaven where I"m sure he's painted the clouds with wild monsters and wacky Weird Ohs. We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time. –T.S. Eliot This quote from T.S. Eliot jumped out at me as I struggled to pull this newsletter together. It states so clearly what I’ve been feeling about reviving Gearhead®, but was having trouble putting into words. After fifteen years of ups and downs, feeling as if I were sitting in the front seat of a rickety old wooden roller coaster banking sharply to one side or the other and sometimes almost going off the rails, I have arrived back at the beginning. It’s all the same, yet it feels like I’m seeing it all for the first time. I’ve toyed with the idea of rebranding Gearhead® for the past year, and in my mind it totally made sense. My heart however had a different idea, and that disconnect kept things stalled out as I struggled to figure out what the best plan of action was. The more I explored the idea though, the more I realized it was exactly the right next action to take. So as 2015 picks up speed, I’m going for it. Lots of companies go through this rebranding process of reinventing themselves. Look at MacDonald’s using hip hop music to reach a new generation, or Apple, going from nearly bankrupt to Visionary by connecting with peoples’ desires for simple and beautiful technology. Changes are sometimes jarring to the fans who have supported the old guard, but when you give it a chance sometimes the changes are exactly what is needed to breathe fresh air and life into a company and make it fun and exciting again. Fifteen years ago, I joined forces with founder Mike, and together we created Gearhead Records. Mike had set the stage back in 1993, creating Gearhead Magazine and making some shirts to help spread the word about his new project. We became partners because we had a similar desire to add some cool shit to the exciting mix of music and clothing that was just starting to pick up steam in early 2000, and each of us had a valuable part to play in growing the company. We officially added Gearhead Magazine and Gearhead Apparel making these divisions an integral part of the business plan that already included Gearhead Records. But it also ended up making things a little confusing for Gearhead customers. Many didn’t realize all these separate brands were all actually different products from the same company! The redesign of the 22-year-old Gearhead brand has not been something I entered into lightly. The process of mulling over this decision forced me to ask deeper questions about who Gearhead is and what exactly this company, most notably the role of the magazine, should be in this age of Facebook blogs Twitter and Instagram where little is left to the imagination, and trends come and go with the blink of an eye. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce Gearhead Headquarters., or for short Gearhead HQ Going forward, each division will no longer be referred by using records, apparel, or magazine. It will all just be Gearhead from here on out, all collected under the mother ship, Gearhead HQ. The changes are kicking off with the re-launch of Gearhead Magazine (now to be called just Gearhead!), with the long-awaited issue #19 due out Spring 2015. Despite the fact that founder Mike will no longer be involved, the original spirit of the magazine will still be there, focusing on the culture, the stories and people that drive the many faceted world of independent music, art and cars. Gearhead is a lifestyle brand built on images, words and sounds, of anticipating trends and pop culture years in advance of mass media. Gearhead has always been way ahead of the curve, balancing nostalgia and reverence for the past with current cultural trends. Now when you turn on the TV, there are shows about underground movements that Gearhead touched on years earlier. Punk Rock is now mainstream with companies like cellular giant T Mobile usurping the gritty raw punk n’ roll sound that many Gearhead bands championed. Lowbrow art and Kustom Kulture are now as much a part of the American pop experience as Pepsi and Burger King. The truth is that is exactly what Gearhead has always been good at, and why Gearhead is still relevant today: Someone has to find the cool shit first and share it with the world. Since taking a few years off to do some soul-searching and clutter clearing, there have literally been hundreds of companies laying claim to the Gearhead name. But due to Mike’s foresight, we were there first, creating the pathway for a lifestyle combining hot rods, rock ‘n roll and pop culture that you all supported and helped grow. The name Gearhead didn’t exist in popular culture the way it does now (check out the urban dictionary for a really jaw-dropping look at today’s use) but try explaining that to these newbies is like ramming a priceless t bucket into a brick wall. Better just to let it go and focus on what started the whole trip in the first place! As Thee Gearhead® brand emerges I am pleased to carry forward the tradition of shining the light in dingy clubs, dusty garages and pulling open closet doors to uncover the interesting and unique stories, music and pop culture from the past that hold relevance in today’s disconnected world. I feel incredibly lucky to still be here, guiding this company into the future. Who knows where it will go, but the one thing I DO know is it will be fun, interesting, challenging and exciting to navigate this new leg of the journey. Advertisers, you can grab some ad space at the original super-low rates from 2008, just for this issue. There is limited space available as the magazine undergoes this metamorphosis, so get in touch right away to reserve your spot. It’s a chance to be part of something big once again, right from the beginning. Its’ a super exciting time to be part of Gearhead, and I’m thrilled that you are all still along for the ride. There’s bound to be bumps along the way, but that’s part of what makes a road trip or a rollercoaster ride fun right? More than anything else, 22 years is a long time to be in business. I missed celebrating that, so with the my official 15 year anniversary upon us now, it’s time to rock and roll, and get things moving so we can continue to celebrate the rebirth of all parts of the Gearhead brand. Thanks for joining me on this new leg of our journey! Keepin’ the rubber on the road, Rev. Michelle I am slowly but surely getting through emails. It's something I struggle with on a daily basis. Do I stop and answer all the wonderful emails that come through from my customers and community? Or do I focus on trying to get Gearhead moving again? Usually the emails get pushed to the back seat; any of you that have written, just accept my apology, and know I save ALL emails and answer them at some point!
Back in April I got such a nice email from a long time Gearhead supporter in response to my newsletter. He took my newsletter and added pictures, which is something I had wanted to do, but never got around to! I have been meaning to share his blog with this for months now, and on the eve of sending out my next newsletter, I figured it's now or never. So Frank, thank you for your support! Thank you for making this newsletter extra special by adding the pictures. It was exactly what I would have done, had I done it! Please read this blog, and support this guy, he truly rocks!! xo Michelle "All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.” Ernest Hemingway said this, and I have to admit, I have been struggling to do exactly that for a very long time, ever since I published my first article back in 1987, a record review for Oregon State Unitersity's paper The Barometer.
It's hard to write what's in your head sometimes, but I keep trying. I like it when people are real, authentic, and totally themselves and that's what I'd like to convey when I write about something I'm passionate about. Which leads me to this project I'm currently working on....a little thing called the next, long awaited issue of Gearhead Magazine, #19. I've been involved in putting the magazine together in the past, but it's been a long long time, so I'm starting at ground zero here, trying to figure out what I want to write about, what content should go into a beloved magazine that certainly has a history and a following, and knowing I won't be able to make it what the former editor, Mike, did. Instead, I have to make it my own. I know it's gonna get a few people bent out of shape, but I can't worry about that. I'll never be able to make it exactly like what Mike did, but I can make it something new, something that reflects my outlook on life, cars, pop culture, rock 'n' roll and this crazy little upside down world we all inhabit. All I can do is write the truest sentence I can. I'm looking for contributors by the way. Are you interested? If you have always had a burning desire to write an article, story or review for Gearhead, now's your chance! Drop me a line! Maybe your time has come! |
AuthorRock 'n' Roll/Automotive Journalist, Influencer, Editor and Publisher of Gearhead Magazine, Archives
January 2024
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