Welcome to Flavor Country

Welcome to Flavor Country is a zine by Boston zinester Kurt Morris. It was started in 2004 and is a personal zine exploring the typical existential topics of life. Most of it is of a typical perzine format including anecdotes, short stories, poetry, etc. The focus tends to be more on the written word as opposed to the layout, as Morris admits to having no artistic talent whatsoever and prefers that most attention be made towards the writing and not any visual medium. For most issues the cover art is a unique piece done by an artist of the author's choosing.

Issues

Issue number 21 - A compilation of odds and ends. Thoughts on patriotism, my salvation experience, dating, and a series of conversations. Cera Smith cover art. Quarter-size. Approximate release: 08/10

Issue number 20 - Random thoughts about marriage, critical thinking, tattoos, the end of the world, my neighbors, etc. Sally Harless cover art. Quarter-size. Approximate release: 03/10

Issue number 19 - Two short stories by Amy Adoyzie, a reflection on the Persian Gulf War, and interviews with people from the Christian college I attended who have now given up their faith. Quarter-size. Approximate release: 03/10

Issue number 18 (out of print)- I put my iTunes on shuffle and wrote about the songs that came up. Included are Rollins Band, Elliott Smith, Jawbreaker and more. Harless cover art. Quarter-size. Approximate release: 08/09

Issue number 17 (out of print) - I went on a trip to Iceland. Here are the results. Iceland outline cover art. Quarter-size. Approximate release: 04/09

Issue number 16 (out of print) - Short but sweet. Lots of thoughts on Boston and moving to new places, etc. Cut and paste cover art. Approximate release: 08/08

Issue number 15 (out of print) - Dredging up the past. A column from my old online zine and journal entries from April to September of 2001. Sally Harless cover art. Full size layout. Approximate release: 06/08

Issue number 14 (out of print) - Pieces on my attempt to get fired from my job, trying to get through customs in Canada, going back home for the first time in a year and a half, Ethel Meserve, Minimalism and parting thoughts from YOW. Steve Minor cover art. Approximate release: 05/08

Issue number 13 (out of print) - Unlucky issue thirteen includes pieces about my job at the EPA, another story from riding the bus, Stanford Prison Experiment's The Gato Hunch, Ian Curtis and the film "Control", going to shows sans friends, roommates, work/school, my cat Fernando (RIP), and a poem. Sally Harless cover art. Approximate release: 02/08

Issue number 12 (out of print) - Writings about my visit to the controversial Mars Hill Church, another crazy adventure on the bus, sitting in on a bi-polar support group (trust me, it's funny), President Bush being told by God to invade Iraq, feeling the burn of art, and a couple of poems. Sally Harless cover art. Approximate release: 09/07

Issue number 11 (out of print) - Lots of writings inspired by random phrases found in magazines. Phrases include: "Dilemma", "Finding Your Family has been made easy by the Wisconsin Historical Society", "If you decide to quit smoking, this is a good place to start", "Stephane Dion's awkward high-school reunion", "I'll keep running", "This morning I got arrested for downloading music", "What I Wish I'd Done", "What Lies Beneath", "Win at Everything" and "Midwinter Madness". Sally Harless cover art. Approximate release: 06/07

Issue number 10 (out of print) - Back to work issue. Rants about my job, riding the bus, the film Jesus Camp, a history of the IWW, a couple of short stories, a few poems, a letter to Bloomington Indiana and a few other odds and ends. Adam MacKinnon cover art, color photocopied! Approximate release: 04/07

Issue number 9 (out of print) - A series of letters (which I never sent) to a girl I know, written over the past 3+ months as I made my move from Indiana to Seattle, got settled and all that jazz. But it's a lot more exciting than I'm making it sound. Trust me. One friend told me it reads like a novella. John McCartney cover art. Approximate release: 10/06

Issue number 8 (out of print) - Included here are a number of short stories (topics include: a day in the life of someone in the Midwest, a hunting tale, a story on the Civil War and one about seeing into your future), some essays about how society sees mental illness, anarchy, and some reminiscing on past friendships. Also included is some poetry and of course random odd things. But the short stories definitely take up the bulk of the issue. Sally Harless cover art. Approximate release: 06/06

Issue number 7 (out of print) - Full-sized, done on Pagemaker. It contains four interviews: Sage Hensley, Jessica Morris, John Murphy and Tim Showalter. All interviews are general, "who are you?" type interviews but I feel all of them are pretty funny and interesting. It features my old cat, Max, on the cover. Approximate release: 03/06

Issue number 6 (out of print) - Biggest issue ever. Sixty pages, thread bound spine, heavier stock front cover. Stories/essays/rants on my youth as best I can remember it, poetry, going to the dentist, questioning my faith, good vs. evil, giving up all hope, depression, and a short story about Jesus visiting a Catholic School. Sally Harless cover art. Approximate release: 03/06

Issue number 5 (out of print) - Individualized covers, each with a different photo from my photo collection. Why I don't want children, White Jesus and Why I may never get married. Approximate release: 12/05

Issue number 4 (out of print) - Back Home Again issue. Poetry, financial cost of living by yourself, trying to figure out what to do after grad school, going to a family reunion, Daniel Hiester column on why depressed people stay depressed for so long, getting past nostalgia and job hunting. Approximate release: 09/05

Issue number 3 (out of print) - That evil wolf from the sparkler box is on the cover. Last issue not to be bound/stapled (thank God for the long reach stapler). A few poems and the rest is my tour journal from touring with Brazil in May & June of 2005. Approximate release: 06/05

Issue number 2 - Never released in print. I just put rants and essays on my livejournal. Contents include a lot of thoughts I had while I was bored in classes in grad school, a list of the best jobs I've ever had and why, poetry, complaining about my neighbors, etc.

Issue number 1 (out of print) - Inaugural issue with riot police on cover. Poetry, that one summer I worked 3rd shift, a rant about how great Black Flag was, losing my innocence, and a rant that makes me look like I was high. Approximate release: 07/04.

External Links

• Welcome to Flavor Country's Facebook page (includes ordering information)