A zine with an illustration of a person with a walking stick flying through the air due to an uninterested driver, apparently talking on the phone about sandwiches

Avow #24

by Keith Rosson Author

The cover of veteran zinester Keith Rosson's zine is an homage to Milwaukee drivers' disdain for the common pedestrian: thus sets the dark, humorous tone for Avow #24. A perzine in a seemingly post-perzine age, Avow sets the formula for solid writing and smart design, this time about Keith's past year in his new home of Milwaukee. This issue is dedicated to music reviews and comics about the search for employment, including writing about one of his favorite teachers, quitting cigarettes, the death of his father, and an interview with Joe Lachut (of Seven Inches to Freedom zine).

Keith continues his tradition of classic storytelling and we're happy to release Microcosm's first collaboration with him since The Best of Intentions: The Avow Anthology. Check it out! Spoiler alert: Dave Roche (On Subbing, About My Disappearance) drops by to talk about unsolicited business and dating advice.

Comments & Reviews

Maximum Rocknroll 3/25/2012: The gentleman behind Avow is Keith Rosson, and he is an excellent writer (and artist) with a strong sense of self. It doesn't matter if he's reminiscing about a teacher that had a profound impact on his life, talking about the slightly soul-crushing process of seeking a job in a new city, or informing his readers how difficult it is to quit smoking, his writing (and accompanying artwork) is always engaging and memorable. The only interview in this edition is with Joe Lachut (the creator of the zine Seven Inches To Freedom), and it's a good one. Then there are the record "reviews."—some of them don't actually discuss the bands or their respective music outputs at all. The better ones are abstract; he might tell a story that vaguely involves a certain album, or just convey a feeling he receives from listening to the music. All-in-all, the reviews in this issue are some of the best I've ever read. The general tone of Avow is truly remarkable; it's comforting. Informative mags are one thing, but what makes Avow great is that Keith is able to successfully relate how he channels the excruciating minutiae of everyday life into something positive and tangible while simultaneously ignoring death's chilly breath on the back of his neck.