Cock-a-doodle-moo, ya'll. Chris Auman here wishing you a Happy New Year!
2022 was a good year for RoosterCow. Several vinyl, CD, and digital music releases hit the store as well as new comics, zines, gift boxes, t-shirts, and assorted swag. Read more about those titles below as well as a preview of what’s in store for the new year. It's also the 30 year anniversary of Reglar Wiglar and I have a few things planned for that as well.
Stay informed about all of these things. Sign up for the RoosterCow Quarterly Newsletter and follow along on Instagram and Facebook. Check out the Bandcamp page for dozens of RoosterCow Releases.
New Zines in 2022
Reglar Wiglar #28
Reglar Wiglar #28 features Part 2 of “Portrait of the Artist as a (Very) Young Man”, more advice from Sucky the Parasitic Worm, another band overview from Donald Trump (this time metal legends Metallica get the Trump treatment) plus another exciting Cassetty the Cassette comic adventure.
Used Records & Tapes #2
The second issue of this illustrated review zine features contributions from Liz Mason (Caboose zine), Billy McCall (Proof I Exist zine), Jim Fath (@boringdadmusic), David Gill (sci-fi writer/teacher), Mike Dixon (@icecoldsox), and Chris Auman.
Artists reviewed in this issue include Pat Benatar, Culture Club, Harry Nilsson, LL Cool J, Corey Hart, Lemonheads, Men at Work, Cyndi Lauper, Love and Rockets, Daddy Longhead, Hall & Oates, Sparks, Les Savvy Fav, and more!
New Comics for 2022
The Air Waves Goodbye
New artist alert! In 2022, I had the pleasure of publishing Steve Stelling’s comic/art book, The Air Waves Goodbye. It's a navel-gazing read for those with especially deep, inverted belly buttons. Mr. Stelling says that the project started as an urge to create something for Rock and Roll’s supporting staff. Roadies and recording engineers need poetry too.
The book looks great in stark black and white with a shiny bright cover.
Sssnakes #4
The latest issue of Sssnakes slithered its way into existence this year as well. Like previous issues, #4 is a mini-comic printed on an inkjet printer and lovingly cut, folded, assembled, and stapled by yours truly.
This issue sees our heroes, Sly and Steven, showing us the different types of snake locomotion ("Do the Locomotion with Me"), talkin' 'bout love ("We Be Long Together"), almost getting into a fight ("Fight Club'), visiting Merry Old England ("Pub Grub"), and channeling the Bard ("Channeling Shakespeare").
New Music in 2022
This year also witnessed the release of the debut full-length vinyl record from Empire Smalls as well as two mysterious digital singles.
FREE Faeryland “Flowers Everywhere” digital single
A radical finagle of faeries forms to fight the forces of gentrification that threaten their barrow in Invisible City. Their battle cry: FREE Faeryland! The rest is a mystery.
Stream/download on the RoosterCow Bandcamp page.
Moon Slivers “Let's Live in Caves” digital single
Sometimes the pressures of Invisible City are too great to bear. That’s when it’s time to dream about living in alternative spaces in faraway places. Where would you live if you could live anywhere? Let’s look at the moon and dream with the Moon Slivers.
Stream/download on the RoosterCow Bandcamp page.
Empire Smalls - Send Us Fools LP & CD
Started before the pandemic, Send Us Fools took almost two years to complete. I think it's well worth the effort. The band during the recording of this 12-inch vinyl record featured me and two long-time friends and collaborators, Tim Davison and Mike Dixon. It was recorded here at the RoosterCow Lounge in Portage Park and mixed down the street by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering. The ten songs on this record were mixed by ex-Chicago-now-San Diego-based sound engineer, Kris Poulin and pressed at Smashed Plastic in Chicago. It's a limited edition of 250 160-gram black vinyl records with a lyric sheet insert.
Buy/Stream/download on the Empire Smalls Bandcamp page.
Gift Boxes & Swag
Get a Case of Snakes
Get all four issues of Sssnakes! in a hand-decorated box. Each one is different and includes all four issues of the mini-comic plus a RoosterCow pin and a slithery fake snake friend of your very own.
T-shirts
Your favorite RoosterCow characters on a t-shirt? Yes, please. Get Cassetty, BeeBop & LuBop, and an out-of-this-world possum on a rocket emblazoned on a tee today!
What’s Next for 2023?
Used Records & Tapes #3
Used Records & Tapes #3 is in the works. We’re looking at an early 2023 publication date for that so stay tuned. This issue features contributions from zinester extraordinaire Liz Mason, author Joshua James Amberson, screenwriter Marc Basch, artist Steve Stelling, and actor/comedian Matt Champagne, plus a two-page comic from Jesse Reklaw.
Reglar Wiglar 30th Anniversary
2023 marks the 30th year of Reglar Wiglar. Things start off early in the year with reprints of issues #22-24 with two new issues planned for summer and fall publication. There may even be a party somewhere to mark this historic event, but that is both TBD and TBA.
Gray Flag #3
The third installment of Gray Flag is set for an early publication date as well. This zine features journal entries from my student days in the writing program at Columbia College in the early 1990s.
Empire Smalls 5-Song EP
Word on the street is that Empire Smalls is working on a 5-song follow-up to their Send Us Fools LP. Stay tuned for news on what will likely be an early 2023 digital EP release.