Integer Surgo Meliore Omine - ISMO logo - I arise afresh under a New Omen


THE HISTORY OF ISMO


About 4.5 billion years ago a swirling disk of hydrogen and helium, slightly contaminated with other materials, condensed and cooled to form the sun. Some of the contaminants (iron, silicon, etc) formed little blemishes known as planets. On one, life arose, producing gibbering apes who came down from the trees and set up record companies.

Humans calmly carried on with the business of killing each other and singing songs about it. Then ten years ago a bunch of disaffected music journalists, anarchists and substance abusers started up a badly photocopied cut-and-paste fanzine called ISMO. It was named after a fictional anarchist group in the John Verney novel of the same name.

Although we tried valiantly, the ethos of 'dope, rock and roll, and fucking in the streets' (which we attempted to convey through interviews with various anarcho-bods and musicians past and present) never really jelled in the way that we would have wished.

Despite the fact that ISMO became highly prestigious within the music business, general sales were sluggish - and after eleven issues we gave up.

Then came the Internet... and we felt that it was time to try again. So ISMO magazine is back, now in the form of a website and an e-zine sent free to your email address... the revolution starts here.... Enjoy.