I first discovered this Chicago-based magazine during a summer I spent in Seattle, Wash., and ever since, I've been hooked. From a female's standpoint, it is nice to finally find a magazine dedicated to my half of the gender, especially when it comes to independent rock 'n' roll.
However, Venus has a new look, along with a new printing contract. From their older issues - last fall had Sleater-Kinney on the cover - mostly in black and white, with a few color photos dotted here and there, Venus is taking its commercialization to new heights. Venus has always been a hotbed of interesting design and provoking articles, and issue No. 14 is no exception.
The newest issue of Venus, featuring long-time female indie-pop singer Aimee Mann on the cover, is now a full-color glossy edition. (Even the ad pages are like this!) No. 14 boasts 96 full color pages of articles about everything from The Pink Bloque, Chicago's all-women protest regime, to the Bangs, who graced Lubbock with their presence last month.
Venus, though, is not just your run-of-the-mill indie rock magazine, such as the likes of say Skyscraper. It features a wide range of music, including hip-hop and female DJs (this issue has my favorite feature on DJ Rheka, the woman behind the revival of basement banghra in New York City). Other articles and interviews include Ladytron, Jean Grae, Sing-Sing, Miss Kittin and Cursive. And Venus does not stop at music.
With new sections like Penus, featuring men at work, like Budgie, the drummer of the Banshees, or Flicks, which features films by women, it is non-stop enjoyment for any subculture/music geek. In fact, I might say it is one of the most essential magazines out there today, and this issue lives up to that.
The gals at Venus have taken the high road to produce a fantastic magazine aimed at subcultured females. Venus also can be found online at www.venuszine.com.
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