The Baffler Goes Online.

In Blogby Rashers Tierney1 Comment

improved

Cranky mid-90’s alternative lefty rag The Baffler’s just put all its back issues online for the first time with a bang new website. Considered razor sharp in its day, there’s a treasure trove for print nerds to work through.

The magazine published some game changing pieces. Thomas Frank’s What’s The Matter With Kansas? grabbed the issue of elctorates voting against their own interests by the scruff of the neck. And plenty of you will be familiar with Steve Albini’s classic lynching of the whole mainstream music industry scam and how it financially cripples bands.

The maf featured heavily in a video by a grunge-lite band called Veruca Salt. Be careful listening to that tune, it’ll properly ear fuck you and not leave your brain for days. Its editor Thomas Frank was well known for nailing what the NY Times called “consumer counterculture“.

He did it in a book called The Conquest of Cool, where he demolished the liberation myths of the 1960’s and argued that its rebellious style and music revolutions just re-invigorated the ad men of Madison avenue.

Enjoy the reading.

 

 

 

 

Comments

  1. If The Baffler is so “razor sharp” why have they all but ignored the issue of Palestine? I could’t find a single feature article in their archives on Palestine – Israel using their search facility.

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