The independent Japanese publication, Rockin’ On, was founded by Yoichi Sibuya in 1972. The magazine focuses on bridging the gap between the artist and the listener by taking a more personal account of interviews and combating overgeneralized press releases of mass publications. The publication initially only covered domestic artists with Rockin’ On Japan but split to start an international issue in 1986. The following scans are derived from the international sect of the magazine, Rockin’ On, covering the vanguard of the early ‘90s music scene, specifically ‘93-94: arguably one of the greatest periods in music history. From unseen Nirvana coverage to Björk exclusives, the following scans showcase the progressive, avant-garde style of Rockin’ On with alluring Japanese typography layered over grayscale portraits.
With over 600 scans, it was hard to pick just a few to share with you. Yet since I’ve recently been diving back into Björk’s “Debut” album and have always been a sucker for Kurt, I’ve narrowed down to focus on these few. Follow below as I highlight Rockin’ On and the groundbreaking artists that set the stage for the ‘90s.
Nirvana:
The Nirvana scans start with graphics from the In Utero album- the band’s third studio album with tracks “Heart Shaped Box” and “All Apologies.” The cover, a plastic anatomy model of a winged angel, is contrasted by the alternative cover which I have never seen before, another anatomy model of a pregnant man with the Nirvana logo superimposed. After doing some digging on Discogs to find the release under Geffen records, I found nothing. So maybe this alternative was used in magazine promotion only?
The following scans include interviews with Kurt and Dave, with the text reading vertically as written in Japanese. The Kurt Interview includes black-and-white images of the band outside in a park, with worried looks of Kurt on the park bench as the rest of the band galivants in the background. The coliseum portrait, shot by Steve Double, displays a young Kurt with shorter hair in a Daniel Johnson tee. Kurt holds a straight face while Pat and Dave front playful grins behind him. The images showcase the band’s overall playful energy that is carried by Kurt’s silly, cryptic demeanor; with an all-black turtleneck and baggy Levi’s, Kurt strikes a pose while cheesing to the camera, this portrait says it all.
Björk:
Björk coverage debuts exclusive portraits of the Icelandic alternative singer leading up to the release of Debut, released through Elektra Entertainment in July 1993. Björk's first studio album moves away from her earlier hardcore experimentation to include jazzier, dancing melodies including tracks like “Human Behavior” and “Venus as a Boy.”
The ads for “Debut” reveal the notable Björk logo for the first time- a typeface that was founded by the singer, and one that is often replicated in the present day streetwear realm. The “Debut” advertisements spell out Björk's name in many different bold, obscure fonts, all including birds-eye images of Björk’s piercing glance and temperate demeanor. High contrast black-and-white images juxtapose the soft, warm close-ups of the singer. Björk’s inventive fashion sense, dressed in cream-white silk trousers and a bright orange paisley button-down, is reflective of her advanced taste and experiential music style.
Snoop Dogg:
Nestled in between many portraits of Bowie and Morrissey, I found one of the earliest portraits of the G-Funk protege himself, Snoop Dogg. Alongside exclusive scans of NWA and Ice Cube, I was surprised to find advertisements covering Snoop’s first studio album, Doggystyle, released through Interscope Records in November 1993.
Doggystyle is the album that tailored the gangsta rap sound to Death Row Records, defining the west coast sound of funky, soul-inspired instrumentals. A young twenty-two Snoop stands against a metal fence dressed in blue and mean muggin to the camera: the cool-toned portrait contrasts red bold font spelling “Watch-Out,” down the side of the image. The portrait is followed by the Doggystyle advertisement, with a Japanese text face layered over the classic “Beware of Dog” Doggpound illustration.
Radiohead:
Radiohead’s second EP following the band’s first studio album, Pablo Honey, was released exclusively in Japan in 1994.The 8-track EP entitled “Itch” includes acoustic versions of songs from the album and an exclusive U.S. version of “Stop Whispering.” The advertisements include a faded print of the their iconic Radiohead “R” that premieres the tracklist, and a grainy black and white close-up of the band in black tortoise glasses.
In striped polos and aviators, a young Thom Yorke with spiked hair poses humorously as the rest of the band stands more seriously behind him. Brightly-lit images of the band daydreaming in a garden bring Pablo Honey’s whimsical melodies to life. At the brink of their prolific career, Rockin’ On captures Thom Yorke in his total excellence as Radiohead’s progressive, experimental sound starts to dominate the world stage.
From Soundgarden to Lenny Kravitz, Rockin’ On captures the true essence of the ‘90s music canon that influenced all decades to follow. It was the year that “hip-hop conquered the world” and grunge music was at its peak. Women singers were starting to gain more popularity in the alternative and indie realm, as Bjork and Sinead O‘Connor paved the way. The ‘93-’94 issues of Rockin’ On curate a style to present the raw aesthetic that matches each artist; from x-ray blue filters to playful typography, the magazine is casual in its deliverance and experimental in its presentation.
Meet the latest addition the the DampMags Team, Dana Aufiero. Dana is a freelance writer, psychology enthusiast, and aspiring DJ from Queens, NY. Fascinated by the subcultures dominating our world of music, fashion, art, and design, she constantly seeks out new ways to redefine a generation of ever-growing internet trends.
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