subtitlespublishing - Manual Dexterity

Manual Dexterity
Spring 2008

The Spring 08 issue of Manual Dexterity features interviews with Tim Kinsella, The Evening Rig, Polar Bear Club, Haram, Collections of Colonies of Bees, plus an interview with internet cartoonist Mitch Clem.

It wouldn't be a an issue without the popular SIXES feature. This issue's participants are from the music recording/engineering field. Find out which albums engineers Larry Crane, Bruce Templeton, Graeme Gibson, Matt Bayles, Jesse Cannon, Neil Weir, and Jonathan Kreinik think sound the best and their biggest pet peeves during recording.

Black & White, 52 Pages, available in paper and md8lores.pdf

Manual Dexterity
Winter2007

The Winter 07 issue of Manual Dexterity features Maritime, Mustard Plug, and Look Mexico, and an interview with ex-Texas is the Reason guitarist and recent author of the Anti-Matter Anthology, Norman Brannon.

And on top of all that, a very touristy Sixes with bands (the 1990s, The Narrator, All Smiles, Titles, Del Rey, The Valley Arena) discussing touring woes like van problems and annoying band mates.

Black & White, 40 Pages, available in paper and MD7LoRes.pdf

Manual Dexterity
Summer 2007

This issue of Manual Dexterity is a real doozie. It's got interviews with Nurses, The Narrator and Baby Teeth plus an article with MPLS show filmers Schedule Two.

And to top it off, a very special Sixes with magazine editors from some of the country's leading independent magazines:

Gus Peña (Chord), Stuart Anderson (The New Scheme), Amy Schroeder (Venus), Steve Brydges (Copper Press), Justin Luczejko (WonkaVision), Todd Taylor (Razorcake) and Jack Rabid (The Big Takeover)

Black & White, 48 Pages, available in paper and MD6LoRes.pdf

Manual Dexterity
Winter 2006/07

This issue features interviews with bands: Heavens, Russian Circles, Maps & Atlases, The North Atlantic and Young Widows.

Six Questions, Six Labels with: Darren Walters of Jade Tree, Mike Park of Asian Man, Robb Nansel of Saddle Creek, Ezra Caraeff of Slowdance, Slim Moon of Kill Rock Stars, and Erik Aucion of Lujo Records.

Six Questions, Six Photographers with: Dan Monick, Megan Holmes, Mark Dawursk, Will Hough, Robin Laananen, and Adam Bubolz.

Also, photos from the Suicide Squeeze 10th Anniversary Shows and reviews.

Black & White, 52 Pages, available in paper and ManDex4Lo.pdf

Manual Dexterity
Winter 2005

This issue features interviews with Bob Nanna from The City on Film, Chicago's Bound Stems, and Andrew Kenny from the American Analog Set.

It also contains an article about Lovitt Records 10 year anniversary and mini interviews with folks from the PR world, David Lewis from Riot Act Media, Celeste Tabora from Solid PR, Kate Cafaro from Big Hassle, Steve Martin from Nasty Little Man, Brendan Bourke from Tag Team Media, and Pam Nashel-Leto from Girlie Action.

Black & White, 44 Pages, available in paper and MD3LoRes.pdf

Manual Dexterity
Summer 2005

This issue features interviews with The Nein, Chariots (America, North), and Say Hi To Your Mom. It also has mini interviews with Del Cielo, Paint it Black, Strike Anywhere, Des Ark, Dr. Dog and These Arms Are Snakes. Black & White, 32 Pages, available in paper and MD2LoRes.pdf

About

"Manual Dexterity is a zine that I would read, even if I wasn't the one behind it", states Manual Dexterity’s sole writer/designer Adam Sever. "I don't like how the band interviews in music magazines nowadays are 80% writers text and 20% actual answers from the musician. I like question and answer, it gets to the point without all the fluff."

Sever originally created Manual Dexterity in 2002 with hopes of it being a small "pocket-sized" music zine, but all the interviews he did for it went to Swimmer's Ear magazine, a skate/snow/music zine that Adam has co-created with friend Chris Pernula since 1998. After a couple years of tweaking designs, page sizes, and ideas, the first printed issue of Manual Dexterity was released in the Summer of 2005. Even though that issue was the first printed issue, Adam calls it the 2nd issue of Manual Dexterity. "When I finally got into doing MD regularly I didn't want to start at issue #1 because of all the interviews I did for the original issue of MD went to SE#10, so MD#1 was released, it was just hidden inside of Swimmer's Ear."

Adam uses the word "Regularly" loosely as possible. "There is no set schedule for Manual Dexterity. I start working on one when I feel the opportunity is right, usually when I'm really into a certain band at that moment or when I think a band has an interesting story to tell"

A set schedule is not the only thing missing from Manual Dexterity. Search through each issue and you won't find a issue number or Adam's name. "I decided not to put issue numbers on the zine because of the 1st issue's content being in Swimmer's Ear. I didn't want people to ask where's issue #1 and have to explain it over and over. As for not putting my name on it; I thought it was too pretentious to put "everything done by Adam" on it and having my name on each article and interview would get redundant. I want readers to focus on the music featured. Manual Dexterity is about the music, not about me. If someone wants to know who does it, there is an email address in the contents page."

Not only can you pick up Manual Dexterity for free, but since Adam started doing Manual dexterity, he's given the ad space away for free. "I decided to give away ads early on because I didn't want the pressure of finding labels that wanted to advertise and then having to call them up when they didn't pay on time and such. Also, I don't print very many copies of MD and it's available for free online, so there is very little cost for me. I do this zine for me, for fun. I can't make someone pay for that. It would be like having someone pay to advertise in your diary."

If you’d like a paper copy of Manual Dexterity, you can email Adam at subtitlespub(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Manual Dexterity

Manual Dexterity Spring 2008

Manual Dexterity Winter2007

Manual Dexterity Summer 2007

Manual Dexterity Winter 2006/07

Manual Dexterity Winter 2005

Manual Dexterity Summer 2005