The defiantly old school Mongrel Zine reaches its ninth issue next Saturday (December 4). Publishers Janelle Hollyrock and Bob Scott debuted Mongrel Zine in 2007, “when it was just a really good time for local music”, Hollyrock told the Straight. Since then, their work has been praised in Thrasher, Montreal Mirror, Terminal Boredom, and Dusted. Naturally, noted Hollyrock, “Nardwuar also really likes us.”

But why publish a zine these days? “To have something tangible, to hold, and to read on the can,” Hollyrock answered. “This isn’t something we thought about when we started, but it also gets more respect than a blog.” The new issue features “crazy Wiccan chanteuse” Gigi French, Nu Sensae, plus a CD of “rare, weird unreleased demo type stuff” from Demon’s Claws, Bloodshot Bill and more. Hollyrock appears on Bryce Dunn’s Third Time’s the Charm on CiTR on Tuesday (November 30).