Cat Tales Fanzine and Greg Milewski
by Fausto Chavez
From https://bgsumusiclibrary.tumblr.com/post/179188543870/zine-and-heard-1-cat-tale
Zine and Heard #1: Cat Tales
With this post, we’re pleased to launch a new series on this blog, devoted to digging into our zine collection with Christina Lynea Jones. Here she is, in her own words:
Hi, I’m Chrissy Jones. I’m a PhD student in the American Culture Studies program here at BGSU, where my research interests include Popular Music and Cultural History. I also work at the Music Library and Bill Schurk Sound Archives on campus, where my current project is to update the summary descriptions of the fanzines (zines, for short!) in our collection. The goal is to make it easier for you to search and interact with these amazing little archives of music, cultural, and subcultural history!
For the uninitiated, a zine is a low-circulation, home-published magazine usually (though not always) focused on a particular music genre or subculture. They often contain both original and appropriated texts and images, and are reproduced for distribution using a standard photocopier. Typically, the editorial staff is composed of a small group of people, or even a single person. Zines are non-professional and non-official, and often express a sense of pride in their DIY ethos and aesthetic. The editors of most zines are unconcerned with profiting off of them, so they’ve typically been available for free or the cost of publishing. Although the subculture/music genre most often associated with zines is Punk, our collection contains titles on Metal, Hip Hop, Electronic, Pop and many other genres, with original publication dates spanning from the early 1970s to the present day.
As Chrissy proceeds through our bevy of zines, she will be using this blog to share details on some of the most useful, interesting, or bizarre titles, and direction on how to find them in our collection, view related media, and listen to the bands they feature! Clicking the name of any artist mentioned will take you straight to a list of their works in our online catalog, making it easy to come on down to the Music Library to hear more! She’’ll also give some background information on the era or subculture they represent. The hope is that this helps bring attention to the weird and wonderful archive we have here. Whether you’re a researcher, a musician, or a fan, there’s certainly something in our zine collection to pique your interest—stay tuned!
If you love Rock and Roll, Doo-Wop, Rockabilly or classic R&B, the Cat Tales fanzine is for you! Published from 1989 to 1994 in Sterling, Virginia, this zine contains photocopied articles from the 1950s as well as original content by editor “Krazy” Greg Milewski.
Although the primary focus is on bands who were active during the earliest days of Rock and Roll, there is also promotional information and articles related to contemporary bands who have a ‘50s revivalist sound and aesthetic. Of particular interest are original interviews Milewski conducts with artists of that era who were, perhaps in danger of fading into obscurity. His passion for the music of the 1950s comes across on every page.
Issue No. 2 features an interview with members of the Del-Vikings, where they discuss being one of the first interracial groups of the era.
Issue No. 4 is devoted largely to Ritchie Valens, the Mexican-American musician best known for writing and performing “La Bamba.”
It also includes a biographical article penned by the president of his fan club, an interview with his former manager, and plenty of background information on the infamous “Day The Music Died” plane crash of 1959 that took his life, along with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. Issue No. 8 contains an interview with Gordon Stoker of the Jordanaires where he discusses working with Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, and most famously, Elvis Presley.
Our collection contains the first eleven issues of the zine, spanning March of 1990 until December of 1991. Each one is absolutely packed with photos, reviews, and information on the music of Rock and Roll’s golden age. Whether you’re looking for rare interviews, classic articles from long-forgotten music magazines of the 1950s, or just a nostalgic glimpse into 1950s America, Cat Tales is ready and waiting at the Music Library and Bill Schurk Sound Archives!
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The following is an excerpt from :
A History of Doowap Fanzines
Robert Pruter. Popular Music and Society. Volume 21, Issue 1. Spring 1997.
CAT Tales, launched in 1989, was published by Greg Milewski out of his home in Sterling, Virginia. He maintained a roughly bimonthly schedule through its five-year publishing history. It was even more raw than Echoes of the Past, more of a newsletter than a fanzine-and perhaps to more than one record label appeared to be a scam to obtain review copies. But it exhibited one appealing quality, tremendous heart. Milewski truly loved music of the 1950s, and although his first love was the solo rock and roll and rockabilly acts, he gave extensive coverage to the doowop groups. Most of the time the features were Q&As, but Milewski always managed to provide some new and fresh information, such as in his Q&A on Norm Fox and the Rob-Roys. Milewski, under the name of “Krazy Greg,” worked as a deejay on cable radio and cable television. The television show was an American Bandstand-style program that attracted a bevy of junior high school kids. High schoolers probably thought he was too weird and probably didn’t like the music he played.
Milewski, however, was a troubled individual and could never understand how the music he obtained so much enjoyment from could not be appreciated by others. He seemed bitter and disappointed that his personal crusade to expose the world to his favorite music was not bearing fruit as he had expected. His rantings sometimes sounded a lot like the people who put out Time Barrier Express in the 1970s. The following-liberally sprinkled with caps and exclamation marks in the style of a crank-was typical of the remarks expressed in his editorials: Hi all Rockin’ Cats lookin’ at a new century ahead while diggin’ the beat that some don’t understand. Screw ’em! CAT Tales unites all fans of the BIG BEAT who are NOT ALONE in loving the music! Don’t let MTV or trendies scare you! It ALWAYS comes back to our music! It’s hard being young in America today and understand the uninhibited joy of Little Richard screamin’ about `Long Tall Sally.’ All today’s so-called rebellious shit is just cuss words flyin’ bitchin’ and moanin’ about everything … or `art rock’ equatable to opera! Fuck Art … let’s DANCE!!! Why are so MANY newer Rockabilly and Doo-Wop groups out there if nobody likes the shit! DON’T LET NON-BELIEVERS at work/school etc. tease you into goin’ along with them. DEFEND THE BEAT, don’t hide it! If the people you know don’t like it, the hell with ’em! I’m gonna keep rockin’ til I can’t rock no mo’ ! (Milewski 2)
In 1994, after Milewski put out his 25th issue in May, he committed suicide. He was only 27 years old.
The following is from:
http://www.strangethingshappeningeveryday.com/2015/10/krazy-gregs-rock-n-roll-platter-party-1.html
Unknown July 2, 2016 at 12:53 PM
Unknown July 2, 2016 at 12:53 PM
I met Greg Numerious times at LEAD EAST during its annual Labor Day weekend gathering at Parsippany NJ He was,in my long going to the event the BEST individual I met at the event. Considering I have been going every year since 1983 that's saying something! But he really deserved it. He was sincere, really wanted to promote the Original rock and roll culture and he was wasn't just a fan, he was knowledgeable of the history of the music. And his enthusiasum produced a great show on a certainly limited budget.
Over the years we have lost a LOT of great rock and roll and hot rod figures which have made LEAD EAST what it is. But when I think of it only a very, very few stand out in any of our memories. And Greg is way up in my top five great persons who ever attended. His honesty, and desire to promote the culture is why. The circumstances of his passing shocked and depressed the entire inner circle at the event. One of the people who many charged was a chief contributing factor, I understand, allegedly showed up the year after his passing which tremendously put off the people I spoke that year. So loved and respected was Greg to the people who ever came in contact with him.
God's speed Greg, you were a great Guy and always a contributor...
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UnknownMarch 21, 2019 at 6:15 PM
I knew Greg. I was one of the radio jocks at the same station he filmed THE PLATTER PARTY. I was actually on the air when our PD came into the booth and told me about it. I was just starting to get to know him and knew he was miserable. I didn't know why. I was talking to him at one of the Car Hops he used to do in Manassas. To the crowd he was bright, bubbly and fun. When he talked to me he was very unhappy, almost rude. He told me that soon everything would work out and he didn't have to face this world much longer. Really shook me up. He killed himself not long after that. Both I and another jock I was friends with took his death hard. March 4, 1994. I'll never forget that date as long as I live. About 8:30 in the evening I started getting this sick feeling that something was very, very wrong somewhere. Someone I cared about was hurt. I didn't know who, but I sensed it. My DJ friend who also knew Greg had the exact same feeling come over him at exactly the same time. We called each other to see if they were ok. We were both very distraught by that point and didn't know why. The very next day we found out that Greg had killed himself. Even now, thinking back on it I still get that horrible rock in the pit of the stomach feeling. For many years every time the anniversary date rolled around I had a rough time getting though that day. I still wish there was something I could have done to help him. I am Bipolar so I know what a brain fryer depression can be. I have attempted suicide three times. Fortunately I worked very hard to get the treatment I needed and work toward recovery. Getting away from my abusers for good was the best thing I could ever do. I too know what it's like to have family members regularly kick you in the face and seemingly blame you for every evil done since the crucifixion.
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