Psychotronic Video is dead
After 17 years and 41 issues - Psychotronic is finished for now as a magazine.
This very difficult decision shouldn't have taken me so long to make but I was still trying to restructure and keep going. I had been planning to publish the very overdue issue #42 (pictured on our web site) but too many things have changed.
The cost of everything (especially paper, postage and gas) has risen so much in recent years that self publishing (except as a hobby) has become harder than ever. I've been writing Psychotronic movie reviews now for indy publications (mostly my own) since 1977 in Cleveland. It was a struggle to self publish in the 80s and 90s but now its nearly impossible. When PV started (in late 89) issues were sold in many independent record, book and comic shops. Since then most of them have gone out of business. In an attempt to adapt and grow I started using more distributors to send more copies to several big national chain book stores. This works fine for high circulation glossy publications but it can be deadly for smaller lower budgeted ones. Even with a high % of sales, after returns you're lucky to break even.
Meanwhile the larger distributors (including several that went bankrupt owing us large sums of money) have figured out how to alter their policies, rig their complex contracts, add in hidden costs and fees, and squeeze every penny from the publisher - just like banks, insurance companies, and credit card companies. It gets worse every year.
Last year a distributor that I had been forced to use a lawyer to collect from went bankrupt and the one I thought would replace it turned out to be even worse.
I love researching, editing and writing, and plan to continue, but can simply no longer afford to publish a magazine.
I stopped processing subscription orders months ago but there are a number of you who subscribed (or re-subscribed), had cards charged or check cashed and have received nothing. As soon as possible you will receive full refunds. You also could take out your credit in back issues (#41 is sold out) or other items we sell through the magazine. Just ask.
If you wonder how some other magazines that are maybe comparable to Psychotronic manage to continue - here are some reasons:
Be backed by a company or corporation.
Have a full time paid staff including ad sales people, bill collectors, and
circulation, subscription, and shipping people.
Have special insider deals with a printer.
Be subsidized by a government (not the USA!).
Be in full color.
Have many full page full color ads.
Give positive reviews to releases from advertisers.
Run interviews and/or cover pictures that promote current releases (often
from advertisers).
Concentrate on and promote current releases.
Concentrate only on nostalgia.
Feature lots of nudity or gore.
Have (usually unpaid) contributors write all or most of the reviews.
Leave out politics and references to controversial current events.
Censor swear words and anything else that might offend.
Be independently wealthy and not care about profits and loss.
Be a workaholic with little or no life outside of self publishing.
Sell a LOT of your own self generated products (T-shirts, public domain
dupes of movies...) and/or make % deals with advertisers.
Promote and sell your publication frequently at conventions.
Always publish on schedule.
Be extremely well organized.
I'm not knocking any surviving publications. I should have used some of these policies myself. Some publications practice several. I have practiced none of them (some by choice).
I'd like to offer a brief THANK YOU for all the years of support from all of our readers, subscribers, contributors, advertisers, people and companies, who sent us review items, people, publications, radio and TV shows that promoted PV, retail outlets (except the ones that owe us money) and distributors (except the ones that owe us money). Some of you have been with Psychotronic since the original early 80s Manhattan Xerox version or my first book (1983).
Meanwhile:
PSYCHOTRONIC WEB SITES - psychotronicvideo.com has lots of reviews and some good sample interviews to read. It has not grown as I had planned though and the mail section is currently a blocked up disaster. The new psychotronic.com is slowly under development. In the future I plan to post more articles, interviews and reviews - maybe (free) whole future issues. I'm currently taking night college computer classes but would still welcome a good affordable (or free) and reliable webmaster.
PSYCHOTRONIC STORE
For the past two years we rented out our storefront but we're back better than ever with a "mom and pop" shop at 4102 Main St. Chincoteague Island, Virginia, 23336. In this seasonal tourist area we are even attempting to stay open pretty much all year. Its like a free museum for many people of all ages. If you live nearby, drive nearby, or visit for a vacation, stop in. We sell affordable (used) movie (VHS, DVD, posters, lobby cards, stills, books) and music (LP, CD, books) material, comic books, hand crafted beads, jewelry and findings, and imported clothes and bags from Nepal and India. Some Psychotronic readers have sent us their used discarded and excess videos in the past. We still welcome them and we also welcome used LPs, DVDs, CDs, and comics. If you have excess stuff to give away, trade for or sell - send them here for recycling or get in touch first. We do not just sell what you might consider "Psychotronic."
PSYCHOTRONIC BOOKS
Eventually there will be a third Psychotronic movie review book. Hopefully it will include rewritten, updated and corrected reviews from the first two books plus many more from the 10 plus years since the Psychotronic Video Guide. I am also working on other more specific movie, music, and history related books.
PSYCHOTRONIC RADIO
I have recently landed a disc jockey job at the local WCTG, 96.5 F.M. which can be heard up and down the Eastern shore from Ocean City, MD down to Exmore, VA. The plan is for me to be live on Sat, Sun, and Mon nights 7-10 playing what I consider the best music from the best era of popular music - basically from when Elvis made the national charts (56) until he died about 20 years later. I plan to play choice top 100 hits, B sides, and LP tracks. Live DJs are are a rarity these days. Most shows are 100% computerized and if they have a voice at all it's pre taped. I also am a frequent guest an Alan Handelman's syndicated (from North Carolina) radio talk show. We take calls and talk for hours mostly about cult movies. See ifitrocks.com
PSYCHOTRONIC TV?
Over the years I have been approached several times about doing syndicated or cable Psychotronic TV shows. I vetoed most ideas and even used lawyers to stop one (censored "bad" then recent movies with way too many commercials and lame comic hosts). Last year I was getting very close to doing a show that I approved of on IFC - then (typically) the exec who was behind the project left for another cable station. Some kind of Psychotronic TV show might still develop.
POLITICS - Yes, politics effect everything. Not since WWII and maybe the height of the Communist scare era has our popular entertainment been so heavily backed and influenced by the CIA, FBI and DOD (Dept. Of Defense) and product placements have become so common that we may as well just pay to atch non stop commercials. Most people seem to not notice or care. Our urrent government is at war with pretty much everything and everybody newspapers, columnists, TV shows, commentators, anchors, unions, scientists, democrats, liberals...) that do not agree with and support their policies. Major newspapers are laying off staff members and losing circulation. Fox News gets more bold and influential every year while fewer people read - or vote, and more are in jail. All of this is perfect for establishing a one party government. As long as people are scared, uninformed, ignorant, preoccupied, depressed, cynical... As one of the Beatles once sang: Keep you doped with religion and sex, and TV... Or as one of the Doors used to yell: Wake Up!
I'm not very happy about the news this week - India terrorist bombings, N Korea missiles, Israel air strikes... New record oil prices. Our local utilities going up 25%. Syd Barrett dead. Meanwhile America's much publicized #1 wanted man is - A Muslim terrorist leader responsible for attacking America? No. - A Morman!
AN ALTERNATE PLAN
If I declared myself and my magazine Republican and/or Christian Evangelical based I bet I could get financial backing, a lot of positive publicity, and many appearances on radio and TV talk shows. Not a bad idea actually. I was raised as both a Christian and a Republican and I have many moral objections to our pop culture these days. I could be born again, hope for the Rapture and become the Steven Baldwin of fanzine publishers!
MONEY - We know that most of you are struggling with 21st Century financial realities in one way or another too - but if any of you who happen to be wealthy (except for porn producers) want to save Psychotronic magazine by investing (or even being charitable) please get in touch.
Thank you for your patience and support.
Michael J. Weldon - July 2006