Razorcake, one of the longest-running punk magazines in the world, has defied the odds to remain in print for over 21 years, releasing new issues bimonthly throughout that time. Launched in 2001 in Los Angeles by Todd Taylor, former managing editor of the iconic zine Flipside, Razorcake debuted during a time when several other notable zines, including Punk Planet, Profane Existence, Suburban Voice, and Maximum RocknRoll, were still in circulation. While many of these publications have either folded or shifted to digital formats, Razorcake has persevered, continuing to feature interviews with bands and artists, reviews of music, film, and print media, as well as columns and advertisements that help sustain its print run.
One of the highlights of Razorcake’s early issues was the series of interviews conducted by Canadian journalist and musician John Ruskin, better known as Nardwuar the Human Serviette. Known for his unique approach to interviewing musicians, celebrities, and politicians, Nardwuar became famous for asking thoroughly researched questions and showcasing an encyclopedic knowledge of music and a wide range of topics. His interviews often caught guests off guard, as he would dig up obscure details about their personal lives and careers—facts they rarely expected anyone else to know.
In Razorcake’s 37th issue from 2007, Nardwuar conducted a memorable interview with the iconic Joan Jett, the legendary singer, songwriter, and guitarist, formerly of The Runaways. During the conversation, Jett shared the story behind her long-time habit of wearing a pacifier around her neck. She explained, “[It] is sort of a remembrance—something to signify something that I went through with The Runaways. When The Runaways first visited Scandinavia, specifically Sweden, we got off the plane and were greeted by hundreds of beautiful blonde teenage girls, all wearing real pacifiers and sucking on them, asking for our autographs. We were completely confused by the whole experience. Just before that, we had been in Japan, where we were also revered by young girls, but I understood that more, because in Japanese society, women are often treated as second-class citizens. So, those girls saw us as a form of empowerment. But the pacifier thing? That really threw me. I asked them about it, and they said, ‘It’s a fad. It’s a fashion.’ One day, I found a silver pacifier in a jewelry store and just had to get it.”
This according to Razorcake. Find it in the RILM Archive of Popular Music Magazines.
Watch Nardwuar’s interview with Joan Jett here.
