Coinciding with last week's CMJ Festival (the College Music Journal's annual music and film marathon that takes over much of lower Manhattan for a week) the alternative music magazine Alternative Press or AP celebrated its 25th anniversary with a special, 3-day exhibit at Sloan Fine Art. The main gallery displayed artwork by musicians who have been featured in the magazine over the years from bands like the Pixies, Elastica, Garbage, Tool, Marilyn Manson, Rancid, My Chemical Romance, and Gym Class Heroes.
The back room featured "photographs, milestones and memoirs from the Alternative Press archives" (from the press release). Started 25 years ago, the AP was initially a four-page, fold-over zine handed out at punk shows. The publication's mission was always to be "the definitive source for the underground music scene." The magazine evolved into a full-color glossy featuring some of the top alternative acts, particularly during the 90s, like The Cure, Depeche Mode, Morrissey, Bjork, Beastie Boys, Fugazi, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, and many more.
Unfortunately, the exhibit was only on view for three days, October 21-23, but see below for my pics of some of the highlights. Learn more at Sloanfineart.com.
Black Francis (Pixies), Violet #4, 2008
Justine Frischmann (Elastica), Mothertongue, 2010
Elizabeth McGrath (Miss Derringer), Gunakadeit, 2010
Shirley Manson (Garbage), Peking Noodle (Ode to Louise Bourgeois), 2010
Shepard Fairey, Joan Jett, 2010
Top: September/October 1985 cover, featuring New Order / Bottom: October/November 1985 cover, featuring The Cure
AP covers through the years
Left: Eve Prime, Nick Cave, 1991 / Right: Heide Locke, My Bloody Valentine, 1992
Marina Chavez, Beastie Boys, 1994
Miranda Penn-Turin, AP 112, November 1997, Bjork
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