That's a tough one. This site exists for several reasons. First, it exists as a public forum to help introduce people to my writing, in addition to being one of the primary ways I introduce people to the whole A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. I.t.'s. N.o.t. J.u.s.t. A. W.o.r.d. A.n.y.m.o.r. project. A side effect just so happens to be that I get to hone my “skills” at making websites. Posting of new material on a regular basis also allows me to focus my ideas into immediate results that I can then use to direct toward future projects, or (conversely) to see a rough idea in action to know that I should probably abandon it quickly. (Read: The Blog.) It's all very fluid and, in more ways than one, a “work in progress.”
But really, it's just an excuse to keep a Home Page and have a Cable Modem. Farting around on my computer and saying it's something more is only a practical upshot.
A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. I.t.'s. N.o.t. J.u.s.t. A. W.o.r.d. A.n.y.m.o.r. was created as a means of producing 'zines & other media for public consumption. More than anything, it's a way to justify all the time I spend tapping away on my computer. (It's also a very obvious visual joke, in case you didn't notice.)
Austin Rich, though the name takes on a bit of an ironic meaning most of the time. You should probably read my bio here on the site, or check out the A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. I.t.'s. N.o.t. J.u.s.t. A. W.o.r.d. A.n.y.m.o.r. 10-Year Anniversary Retrospective! (March, 1993 – March 2003). This is a book I just put out, which contains the full story. (You can read about this collection in the Store.)
It's true, my first name is Cody on my birth certificate. I prefer Austin. There's nothing wrong with Cody, and a lot of people who've known me for years still call me that. But I prefer Austin, please. Thank you. Next question?
Sort of. While not an “official” Publishing Company in terms of real ISBNs or ISSNs, we put together “self-published” and “self-distributed” material on the most basic level, using whatever it is we happen to have on hand (mostly copiers and the US Postal Service). Additionally, A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. itself is like an umbrella that I can put all of my various projects under that range from music, writing & websites. So far, it's just 'zines (and this site), but I soon plan to have some CDs available, and the off-shoot sites will be better fleshed out as time goes on.
Well, there are people who we owe a debt of gratitude to for nearly everything we do here, but for the most part it's just Austin Rich doing all the work. We sometimes refer to ourselves in the plural form here on the Inter-Web because we need therapy. We can't afford it, so we do this instead. It's our way.
Not Really. Those where both pseudonyms I used in some of the early issues of I'd Buy That For A Dollar! G.M. was the name I used as the editor of that 'zine, while The Soylent Green was the name I used for my music reviews and whatnot. In those days, “Austin Rich” made few appearances. I've since dropped both the names, and just use Austin. There's more info about that in the A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. I.t.'s. N.o.t. J.u.s.t. A. W.o.r.d. A.n.y.m.o.r. 10-Year Anniversary Retrospective! (March, 1993 – March 2003) (about which you can read more about in the Store), and I've mentioned a bit of it on the Staff Page, too.
The originator of the name was not me. It was a guy I knew in High School by the name of Steve Eller. While he came up with it as a potential name for a band that we wanted to start, I immediately started using it for the many other things I wanted to start working on. He was never really that fond of the name, and had really suggested it as a bad joke, so it became mine pretty quickly. Again, for more information on this story, you should really check out the A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. I.t.'s. N.o.t. J.u.s.t. A. W.o.r.d. A.n.y.m.o.r. 10-Year Anniversary Retrospective! (March, 1993 – March 2003) I just put out (again, see the Store). It's all there. I swear.
Yes, but not in the form that Steve Eller & I were originally going to form. We did write a lot of “songs” together, but the band that actually played out live was an experimental solo project of my own devising (with occasional guest spots by my friends who were in other bands, with or without me in some cases). For the full story on that, you should check out the Page I wrote that's all about that.
I recently found out that there is a new band called Acronym, but they leave out the punctuation that I demand get's put in. Plus, my band was around MUCH longer.
You probably heard it from me, then. There were seven issues “back in the day” of a 'zine I edited by that title, which is still available though not generally advertised. There will soon be a collection with all the material from all seven issues, so keep an eye out for it. (I'll make sure to let you know hen it's done, I swear.)
Maestro, may I have a drum roll:
Bob's
Imagination (4 Issues)
Bob's
Annex (3 Issues)
A.C.R.O.N.Y.M.
I.t.'s. N.o.t. J.u.s.t. A. W.o.r.d. A.n.y.m.o.r. (7
Issues)
Trauma
(1 Issue)
I'd
Buy That For A Dollar! (18 Issues)
Mall
(1 Issue)
Cigarette
(1 Issue)
A.C.R.O.N.Y.M.
I.t.'s. N.o.t. J.u.s.t. A. W.o.r.d. A.n.y.m.o.r. 10-Year Anniversary
Retrospective! (March, 1993 – March 2003)
I've contributed some writing to other things that were not my projects here and there, some of which I've lost track of. But that's where the bulk of the material has been published.
Aside from the crude joke I could make about “putting out” (which runs more along the “never getting to” variety), the newest “release” is I'd Buy That For A Dollar! #18. I would say it's my best work to date. Then again, I made it, right?
No, you didn't, because you probably weren't at any of the handful of shows we put on. But I was in a band that, for varying reasons, I feel very strongly about, and you can find out more information about that band on The Official Cathead Website. No, we're not still together. No, we are touring. Yes, there will be a CD. Soon.
Me, at this address: austin@rackm0unt.org. Word to the wise: you are not the first. Also: I will probably write you back and ask you for advice on improving the site. Additionally, I will probably post the e-mail on the site, and encourage readers to write to you to get previously mentioned information. Adding to the Also, Additionally: I will probably keep pestering you . Be warned. When your website is better than mine, then we'll talk.
Well, you probably need a drink. In the meantime, drop me a line: austin@rackm0unt.org. I'm pretty good about checking my e-mail. Make sure to put something in the subject line that won't get filtered out, as I tend to get a lot of viruses and junk these days. If you're not writing about the website, or you aren't in my address book, it goes in the “Suspect Device” folder, and it takes days for me to get to it. Most often, I just delete it all. (Yes, the folder is named after the Stiff Little Fingers song.)