Since September 2008 webzine, Lukinzine has been online connecting music lovers to the sounds of upcoming punk and hardcore acts. I spoke to creator, Ramon about running Lukinzine.
By Angie Hurlock Photographs by: Ramon Calvo
Like everyone who runs a fan zine, Ramon grew up with a passion for music and bands, but around the age of twelve a love of hardcore developed. “I discovered hardcore thanks to skating and hooking up with some older people who told me to burn my melodic punk albums and listen to some real music instead. After discovering stuff like Minor Threat, Sick of it All, Bad Brains and Black Flag it was all downhill from there”.
Prior to starting Lukinzine, Ramon wrote for various webzines and blogs before being asked to write for Fourfinger [a larger and full time online music magazine]. “I wrote for them [Fourfinger] for awhile, but then the guy who ran the magazine kept missing updates and things were really almost never going in the direction I liked. I talked to him about it and he asked if I wanted to take it all over but that he would still be in charge. I thought about it but soon realised that if this was gonna be the case I might as well just start something on my own and just focus on what I like. And so I did; Lukinzine was born”.
The main focus of Lukinzine’s content is based around hardcore bands and promoting bands that otherwise may not get much exposure. “During the 90’s when hardcore really blew up in Sweden I was in my teens and completely into it. Not just the music, but the whole concept of the D.I.Y movement and helping each other out and making things happen together. Lukinzine is a way to keep that part of me alive and at the same time letting people know more music that might not always be out there in any big way”.
Lukinzine remains a webzine despite Ramon at time considering printing the zine. “Right now Lukinzine takes way too much time already, so I don’t think a printed version is gonna be something that comes around in the near future. I love zines and I really admire the people who still put out printed ones because there is a lot of hard work behind it, and people should definitely support the printed ones before the web based ones, no doubt. Those people are the real heroes.”
The future of Lukinzine looks to involve a complete makeover of the page and a commitment to update more often. “Right now I’m always thinking, ‘I’ll write about that tomorrow’, but then I never get round to actually doing it”. Running a zine is hardwork whether it be print or online, but for Ramon it’s worth it to get the music he loves out there. “Sure it takes a lot of time and sometimes even feels like a burden, but when you get good feedback or realise that bands you were one of the first to write about now are getting noticed feels like a reward enough. Or just getting a happy mail or phone call from some random band saying they like what you wrote about their latest album or whatever. Acutally, even when you get those angry mails from people who take reviews a little too serious are pretty motivating too.
Check out Lukinzine here! www.lukinzine.se
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