The Traveling through Bookstores Edition

On Borders, 90's UK culture, and reflection

Colin here. It's interesting to think that within my lifetime, I had access to a global portal housed in a chain bookstore—specifically the print foreign publications section at Borders. My fascination with British soccer, sparked by the expansion of cable broadcasting rights worldwide, plunged me into an anglophile rabbit hole. During that high school era, Britain was a cultural powerhouse, epitomized by the likes of Beckham, Tony Blair, Oasis, the Verve, and the Chemical Brothers. My attention was also captivated by Londoners' highly refined fashion sense, a contrast to my Toy Machine t-shirt/long shorts skateboard kid garb. 

This Borders corner, nestled next to the interior design section and other lifestyle periodicals, led me to explore niche areas, including the eccentricities of "Big Brother," a provocative skate magazine that inspired Jackass, and British electronic music publications like the now-defunct "Jockey Slut," chronicling the UK underground club culture and venues like Fabric. It was overwhelming: I could only afford a few magazines due to their hefty import price, yet I eagerly devoured the content. I read most of them in the store over a coffee, returning them with a few dog ears after reading. 

Why is this interesting? 

I'm not alone in this experience. I recall discussing with Chris Black of How Long Gone how influential these magazine-driven Borders explorations were for him. It was akin to traveling without the expense of a Virgin Atlantic ticket, building a repository of references by turning pages and tapping into cultural hubs. It involved dedicating time and effort to uncover something unique, delving into subcultures and niches, from Fred Perry shirts and drum and bass compilations to Richard Ashcroft's award show attire and the glory of UK space rock band Spiritualized. Reflecting on this slower consumption mode, where discoveries weren't simply handed to me mechanically, is incredibly satisfying.

On a recent visit to Japan, stopping at my favorite Daikanyama T-Site and Tsutaya books, I was reassured to see that the underground sub-genre scenes remain vibrant, echoing Simon Reynolds' sentiment, “The Underground is Massive.” Every possible sub-genre is represented in stunning print form, from men emulating Eric Clapton in muddied Wellington boots atop a vintage Range Rover to every other stylistic sub-niche. Slow, intentional discovery still has value, often leaving a more lasting impression. (CJN)

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Thanks for reading,

Noah (NRB) & Colin (CJN)

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