Imagining a Better Future by Re-imagining the Past

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Gatehouse Gazette: The 1930s

Once again, the Gatehouse Gazette has shown why it's a leader in the genre-punk community. The current issue (number 20) is dedicated to the 1930s along with Dieselpunk and is simply amazing. In this issue, the reader will find articles on Dieselpunk architecture, life in the 1930s, alternative history, movie and book reviews and much more. The list of contributing writers to this issue reads like a “Who’s Who” of Dieselpunk. It’s chock full of articles by Dieselpunk pioneers such as Nick Ottens, Eli Krichevsky (AKA Lord K), Tome Wilson and others.



I’m very proud to say that I also have an article in the issue concerning the Golden Age of Radio, which played an extremely important role in the Diesel Era and set standards that continue to have ramifications today in all forms of broadcast media.

As an example of the quality of this issue of Gatehouse Gazette, I want to include an excerpt from the Editorial by Nick Ottens, which has an excellent statement that helps to differentiate some important differences in viewpoints between Steampunk and Dieselpunk.

"Steampunk can be an escapist genre. It can make the past seem all perfect even if it’s a huge deception. Few of us would probably be better off living in the nineteenth century. But it’s nice reminiscing about the beauties of a past that wasn’t, especially if the present is so depressing.

Dieselpunk, on the other hand, confronts the Depression and all the miseries of its era head on, whether it’s totalitarianism, mysticism or the brutal technologies of war that are deployed against the forces of the Free World. There’s no time to sit around and dream of a better past. There’s also no excuse to wait for a better tomorrow. Dieselpunks roll up their sleeves and start building.

If there is hardship now, it used to be worse. If we could turn the 1930s into victory, surely we’re able to make a better life for ourselves now?"


Go the Gatehouse Gazette web site and download issue 20. You’ll be glad you did.

2 comments:

TuxedoCatSings said...

I am excited to find out about the Gatehouse Gazette through this blog post, Larry. I am downloading the 1930s issue now and there are a bunch of others that look great, too. One note - the link that I clicked did not lead me to where I wanted to go. This one did: http://www.ottens.co.uk/gatehouse/gazette/

Larry Amyett, Jr said...

Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately, the magazine Gatehouse Gazette is no longer publishing new issues, which would explain the link. I'll fix that so that those who find this post in the future are linked to the right site.