Jason S. Wright (UDLI Editions)

Jason S. Wright on Octavia Butler's writing, Miracle Seltzer, Gut Magazine, and more!

March 25, 2021

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Jason S. Wright (aka @liver_ideas) is not only a painter & prolific independent publisher, but he’s the brains behind UDLI Editions. Early Perfectly Imperfect readers may remember that I rec’d his “NEW AGE GENERATION OF LOVE HAT” on the 4th post, but these days the “THE TR&TM HAT” is what’s glued to my head. Whether it’s these unique and eye-catching hats, tees printed on one-of-one vintage blanks, catalog of zines, or Miracle Selzer, I find myself constantly drawn to his work. Jason has great taste and lucky for us, he’s here to talk about what he’s been into~Without further ado

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The Apology Podcast

I love books and can be quite obsessive when it comes to collecting them. Jesse Pearson who I believe did a lot of cool stuff with Vice or at least I think that is how I became familiar with his work started putting out Apology Magazine some years ago. A magazine that combines all the things I love with contributions from a lot of artists I greatly admire, how could it get any better? Well, the podcast extension of the Apology empire is hands down my favorite podcast, sorry Acid Horizon. In each episode, Pearson, who is a fellow book freak, talks with a friend of his about the books they love and the books they are reading. 1-2 hours of book talk with brilliant people like Eileen Myles, Hamilton Morris, and Will Oldham, then Jesse puts up show notes that gives you plenty to fill you Abebooks cart with.

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💅🏻

Everyday Oil

I spent years destroying my body and so now I try to work double time taking care of it. Self care is key. I go through these phases where I read dozens of “Best of” lists for skin products and toiletries. There is some link there between the complete self-debasement of my past and wanting to experience the bliss of fancy salves, lotions, creams, and oils but this is my first time ever analyzing it. What I do know is that out of all the skin care products I’ve tried nothing compares to Everyday Oil. As they say, “everyday, all over”. I particularly like using it in my hair. It smells great and its from Black Mountain, NC…shouts out Ray Johnson.

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Recent Book Acquisitions

As an avid book collector who has mentioned a love for books multiple times in this newsletter, I would be remiss not to mention some recent acquisitions, all highly recommended:Arthur Jafa “A Series of Utterly Improbable, Yet Extraordinary Renditions”Jacob Holdt “American Pictures”“Black Flag, Larger then Life, Memorabilia 1979-86”Richard Prince “Cowboy”“Free Jazz Communism: Archie Sheep-Bill Dixon Quartet at the 8th World Festival of Youth and Students in Helsinki 1962”Kara Walker “A Black Hole is Everything A Star Longs to Be”Mike Kelley “Three Projects”Mark Fisher “The Weird and The Eerie”

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Miracle Seltzer

My good friend, B. Thom Stevenson and I started Miracle Seltzer in 2019 combining our love for Cady Noland, government cheese, and sparkling water, in an attempt to create the first conceptual art beverage. A drinkable fluxus object that brings a little bit of actual magic to your refrigerator. Nothing like starting a seltzer company with no beverage experience at all a few months before a pandemic. Last year was stressful beyond belief trying to keep our bubbles afloat but we survived somehow and now we’re feeling refreshed, so much so I had to plug myself here. Miracle Seltzer will make all of your dreams come true. I made a coupon code for those of you who are reading this…go to miracleseltzer.com and use “NEWSLETTER” at checkout.

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Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

I was very late to learning about the visionary brilliance of Octavia Butler. I embarrassingly had never heard of her even though the local ICA had an entire outward facing wall wrapped with her image and a quote. Sometimes tunnel vision can really lead you astray so it’s always best to be searching with an open mind. I’ve had a hard time with reading since quarantine, I think it has something to do with an exorbitant amount of screen time destroying what was left of my spreading diminished attention span. I trudged through book after book this past year not being able to sink my teeth into anything until I found Parable of the Sower. This book has made me fall in love with reading again. Instead of rewatching the Sopranos for the millionth time, I look forward to my time each day with the book’s chronicler, Lauren Olamina, and her Earthseed musings. A novel fraught with dystopia that feels more like today’s news than the science fiction label it got when published in 1993. I haven’t finished it quite yet, but I have been telling everyone they should read it, truly inspiring and makes me want to approach each day with more empathy and hope no matter how much despair we are hit with each day. God is Change.

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Gut Magazine

One last thing: Gut Magazine! As I was finishing this up I saw that they are starting a new issue. I found out about Gut through following Joshua Gordon’s work *(great artist all around) and had my mind blown. I have worked as an independent publisher in some capacity all of my adult life and I don’t think anything in that world has excited me as much as what Ami does with her practice has in a very long time. Do yourself a favor and stay informed when that next issue comes out. And if you have any of the early issues, hit me up I need em!

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Snake America

Sam Reiss is an absolute newsletter legend. I’ve subscribed to Snake America for years. It originally caught my eye for spotlighting different auctions he was following on eBay but then I have learned so much about design, film, fashion and even working out through his periodical. He seems to be gaining in popularity for his writing with more frequent articles for major publications like GQ and it is well deserved. I had to mention him since this interview is published in newsletter form. I’ve also been paying more attention to his fitness focused newsletter, Leg Day Observer, since quarantine for his investigative and contemplative approach to working out.

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Calvin LeCompte’s The Uline Catalog

I don’t know how to stop receiving the actual Uline Catalog. For some reason, I get multiple copies and a little part of me dies every time I throw them in the recycling bin…you can recycle them, right? Anyways, Calvin LeCompte’s Uline Catalog is one of my favorite things on the internet. A monthly show on NTS that consistently brings all the pop, folk, werido, cosmic hits you’ve never heard. Each month, LeCompte provides me with a new favorite song. I do not understand how he finds so many ultra rare yet absolutely perfect songs. Go check out his archive on NTS.

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Misfits “Angelfuck”

Not much to say here other than, it’s a perfect song and I have recently had a spell where I just listen to it on repeat.

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Jason S. Wright (UDLI Editions)

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