After a quarter of a century, during which the Trust editorial team has produced 147 issues, the fanzine can proudly call itself the second oldest print fanzine for HC, punk, and underground worldwide. The anniversary issue #148 for June/July 2011 will be released at the end of May. This issue will be available at the usual outlets as well as at the big anniversary party on June 3 at the Bremer Schlachthof featuring No Means No, Leatherface, and Sex Jams.
The first issue of the TRUST fanzine was published in June 1986, back then still in Augsburg. Inspired by American underground magazines from the early 80s, which published in self-publishing about punk, hardcore, politics, underground, etc., far from advertising pressure and journalistic training, but purely out of joy for subculture, music, and a mentally revolutionary consciousness, Dolf Hermanstädter, Michael Alber, Tomasso Schultze, and Anne Ullrich founded TRUST. There was nothing like it in Europe and Germany: a magazine in DIN A4 format that regularly appears as a regional scene information medium every two months - now in its 25th year - is professionally distributed (for several years also at train station kiosks) and has only one rule: What the active writers want in the magazine has a good chance of being published. No consideration for advertisers, no consideration for (scene) trends, no interest in trendy layout programs, but an interest in content and, of course, in exciting music. What is crap is crap and not "the interface of commerce and underground." What is cool is cool and not "unconventional meta-referential No Wave Grrl Punk." We are not anti-intellectual, but also not avant-garde, and not against everything, but certainly against most things.
Today, Trust still appears like this: no music insert, black and white, and like a good punk HC song, always direct and unvarnished. Trust is now the second oldest print fanzine for punk/HC/underground still in publication, alongside the Maximum Rock'n'Roll fanzine from California. We were among the first to witness and write about the then transition from punk to hardcore in Germany and its blossoming in Germany, Holland, Italy, and the UK. Namedropping? Spermbirds. Fugazi. SST Records. Negazione. Dischord. Nirvana (1988).
The reporting changed over the decades just like the writers, and we also opened up to other music styles, so you can find reports about jazz, hip hop, grunge, and metal in Trust. Pluralistic? Yes, but not arbitrary. While other magazines repeatedly picked up scene trends like New York hardcore in the early 90s, California pop punk in the mid-90s, the Deutschpunk revival, and the Chaostage, and today black metal or doom - Trust always remained more distanced and pursued its own path. To this day: primarily outgoing journalism. Fans of a band, a label, a painter, a writer, etc., go out and seek conversations with them - regardless of whether they are no longer active, forgotten, or unknown. Current events are, of course, also covered in the magazine, but since the success of Nirvana and Green Day, it has become even more critical: since it has been proven that one can make money through alternative music, "making a system-critical punk band" is increasingly becoming a concrete career path for young people, complete with the associated outfit, scene drink, jewelry, all meticulously planned and sponsored on tour for alcohol manufacturers or clothing companies.
We have often been right with our criticism. Just look at who was against major companies 14 years ago and who today annoys us all as singer-songwriters.
Despite all the criticism, discussion, and moral impetus ("You (insert any crossover garbage band) must not cover BLACK FLAG!"), all exaggerations, mistakes, and disputes between writers conducted live in the magazine against each other, we always knew one thing very clearly: "Party for your right to fight" is a good Public Enemy song. That is to say: please don’t forget the party!
And to such a party, we invite all interested parties: We celebrate 25 years of TRUST on Friday, June 3, in Bremen at the Schlachthof with NO MEANS NO, LEATHERFACE, SEX JAMS. There will also be a back issues blowout.
Fuck you, pay us!, TRUST FANZINE, Bremen, May 2011.
