MARK PERRY
Sniffin' Glue... And Other Rock 'n' Roll Habits
(Omnibus)
February 29th, 2024
I've often written that without Mark Perry, the publisher of Sniffin' Glue, one of the early pioneers (before "influencers" existed and became tainted by mercenary motives) whose collective thinking steered me, a much younger person then, onto new paths that have shaped my entire time on this planet - where I now wake up daily to the realization that I'm one of the world's oldest people.
Last year, Mark graciously spoke with Alan Rider for Outsideleft. It was one of our most popular features in 2023, and for me, the most exciting. You can read the interview here⇒.
Sniffin' Glue wasn't just a punk rock fanzine; it was a roadmap for writers just as much as the early punk bands were for anyone yearning to create. I have friends, gifted writers, who were once mocked by gatekeepers in the music press. They simply ignored them and did it themselves. And for that freedom, they probably owe a debt to Mark Perry.
Omnibus Press is bringing Sniffin' Glue... And Other Rock 'n' Roll Habits - a collection of Mark's original, glued-and-stapled fanzines bound into a single volume - back into print. It hits shelves in late February and includes new, original insights from Perry himself.
This week, as one of the other major music websites, Pitchfork, was further absorbed by its corporate overlord, Condé Nast, and, bizarrely, folded into GQ magazine, it's fascinating to wonder what form Mark Perry's seminal fanzine would take if he were launching it today. How long would he keep it going, knowing when to bow out before its spark dimmed? In 1976/77, Sniffin' Glue rose like a comet, entertaining, informing, and looking utterly unique - undoubtedly influencing the likes of David Carson - before stopping precisely when it needed to. That kind of coherent purpose and clarity feels rare today, don't you think?
Would Perry, like Carson, operate inside or outside the system? Let's not indulge in fantasies of escaping the system entirely. We all occupy the same terrain, even if we protest otherwise. By claiming to exist outside the system, we simply contribute to an increasingly ideological world within it. That's our role as outsiders, our place in the power structure. It's not even honorable, is it? We should be more courageous, strive to break free, and, well, be Sniffin' Glue.
Essentials
All you need to know about the Sniffin' Glue book is here
