PE 's 20th Anniversary Gift

November 30th, 2009 in PE's official 20th anniversary. I'm not planning the customary anniversary party for this year, because I don't feel PE's really accomplished much worth celebrating this year. Instead I'm planning to dedicate a lot of time over the next few months to add resources to the web site that will give back to the community. I'm also planning to relaunch the web zine and start adding content and features on a regular basis. Here is my plan...

Phase One: this is what I will be adding to the the web site immediately:

1. Community Space: user profiles, contacts and photo galleries based on the Facebook model (in fact I will probably set it up to synch with your existing Facebook account).

2. Events calendar. You may remember the events calendar I experimented with last winter. I'm going to reinstall this system, but integrate it with the community space so you can send out event notices to your contacts.

3. User blogs. Got something to say? Publish it. This will be integrated with the above.

Phase Two will include the following resources

4. Digital Jukebox. Bands will be able to upload their music into an on-site storage a retrieval system and add a player to their profile (ala MySpace).

5. Streaming audio server. PE will soon be broadcasting anarchy, punk and chaos on the internet 24/7!

I plan to have Phase One up and running by the end of the month. I also plan to have the first major updates to the web zine starting around the same time.

A good chunk of the scripts that run these new resources are free, thanks to the Open Source community, but I will have to buy some proprietary code and probably spend a few hundred dollars to make this happen. I would also like to upgrade our hardware and add some redundancies in case of a hard drive crash or other server failure. I'm going to go ahead and make this happen with my own money and do all the work as a gift to the entire community. If anyone wants to help with some of the financial part of the equation, feel free to make a donation (click the link in my signature, or better yet, save us the Paypal fees and send a few well-concealed bucks to PO Box 18051, Minneapolis, MN 55418). The other way you can help support is to use the new features and invite your friends and comrades to do the same.

Thanks for your support!

Dan

To donate to PE click HERE.

PE Update for August 12, 2009

Greetings friends and supporters,

Here is a long-overdue update from Profane Existence! This year marks my 20th year working on PE and thus I have the honor of getting everyone up to speed on what's been happening.

As many people already know, PE's projects suffered catastrophic financial damage last year, causing a halt to production on the record label, magazine and eliminating all paid staff (who hadn't been paid since April 2008). As 2009 began, myself and several other volunteers decided we would keep PE going, saving what projects we could and letting go those that were no longer affordable. For many months a lot of decisions had been left unmade while we informally discussed what the future of PE would look like. In the meantime new people stepped forward and have offered their time to help keep PE alive. Right now I am happy to say that plans for the new PE are starting to congeal and we're ready to move forward with the next phase. This update is to let everyone know our plans, provide some answers, and put an end to confusion about what's happening with PE.

PROFANE EXISTENCE MAGAZINE

The printed magazine is now officially dead. Massive increases in printing and postage rates—coupled with serious lack of reliable distribution outlets and shrinking ad revenues—means that a regular printed version of PE is no longer possible. Instead, the printed magazine will be replaced with an entirely new web-based "zine" that is published continually and is available free world wide. The web based zine is now up and running at http://www.profaneexistence.org and will be updated with increasing regularity as the staff becomes familiar with the new system (and we become more organized).

NEW ANNUAL PE JOURNAL:

To replace PE magazine, we will be publishing an annual journal containing all of the most important news, articles, reviews, photos, etc. from that year. It will also include a CD sampler with some of the new music for the same time period. November 30, 2009 is the 20th anniversary of PE and my hope is the first annual PE journal will be published to coincide. Since it is the 20th anniversary, I hope to include a serious retrospective in articles and photographs documenting PE over the years. The journal itself will be a rather massive book (comparable to PE 50/51) and will be sent everyone with outstanding subscriptions and memberships. It will also be available by mailorder, DIY distros, and independent music and record shops. More information will be available as this project comes closer to completion.

If you have a SUBSCRIPTION TO PE MAGAZINE, the outstanding portion will automatically be credited towards the annual PE journal. Even if you only have one issue remaining, we will still send you a copy. If you do not wish to receive the annual journal, we can convert your subscription to immediate credit for PE distro or send a refund by Paypal or a check through the mail (refunds will be sent in order they are requested, as funds permit). You can request a refund by responding to this message or contacting me directly.

There will be a limited amount of ad space available in the annual PE Journal. All ad space purchased for PE #59 will be honored as paid in full. A follow up announcement will be made with the actual deadline and ad specifications.

NEW PE DISTRO:

With PE being reduced to all volunteer label, the future of PE Distro was in serious doubt for many months. However, an influx of new volunteers has assured PE Distro will continue for the immediate future. The plan is to keep it small enough to be run by volunteers, with a focus on mailorder and selling at gigs and festivals. We're also making a point to be realistic about costs and not bowing to pressure to sell at nostalgically low (and ultimately suicidal) prices. It's 2009 and if you really want to support your friends and favorite bands then you have to be willing AT LEAST $10 for an album! I have just put together an brand new web store for PE Distro here: http://www.profaneexistence.org/distro (you should be able to log in an set up an account using your message board or PE web site login and password).

PE RECORDS

Until further notice PE records is on hiatus and will not be putting out any more releases. PE still has some record-related debts to pay off and these are first priority before any new music or represses happen. PE Records will return, but for the moment we do not have an ETA.

There was briefly talk about assembling a central library of PE's music on the web, but that plan has been shelved because we don't know how to fairly compensate the bands for their music. I firmly believe that pirating music has significantly weakened our infrastructure and I do not want to further contribute to the decline of the DIY punk economy.

If you have an outstanding CDs OF PE SUBSCRIPTION, you are entitled to a refund for your remaining balance. We can convert your subscription to immediate credit for PE distro or send a refund by Paypal or a check through the mail (refunds will be sent in order they are requested, as funds permit). You can request distro credit or a refund by responding to this message or contacting me directly.

TRADES

Want your stuff in PE distro? PE does still have a large amount of our more recent record and magazine releases. If you are interested in trading some of your projects for some of ours, please get in touch. Right now trading is just about the ONLY way to get your releases into PE distro because we don't have the staff to handle consignments or cash to pay up front (because we still have debts from 2008).

PE WEB ZINE

This is happening now! We're paying for this service by donations and selling ad space (rates are here: http://www.profaneexistence.org/ad-information). Information on how you can contribute content of otherwise help out will soon be posted. The goal is to make an interactive news and information site that is current and relevant to the DIY / active punk movement. Together we can make this a really cool and vital new resource.

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

I want to just express my gratitude for your patience and support while PE has gone through such tumultuous times. Please keep in mind that while PE is still alive and kicking, we are still an all-volunteer and decentralized organization. First priority is to keep distro orders going out on time and I apologize in advance if any other business takes a little longer to sort out.

Dan for P//E
August 12, 2009

Greetings friends and supporters,

Here is a long-overdue update from Profane Existence! This year marks my 20th year working on PE and thus I have the honor of getting everyone up to speed on what's been happening.

As many people already know, PE's projects suffered catastrophic financial damage last year, causing a halt to production on the record label, magazine and eliminating all paid staff (who hadn't been paid since April 2008). As 2009 began, myself and several other volunteers decided we would keep PE going, saving what projects we could and letting go those that were no longer affordable. For many months a lot of decisions had been left unmade while we informally discussed what the future of PE would look like. In the meantime new people stepped forward and have offered their time to help keep PE alive. Right now I am happy to say that plans for the new PE are starting to congeal and we're ready to move forward with the next phase. This update is to let everyone know our plans, provide some answers, and put an end to confusion about what's happening with PE.

PROFANE EXISTENCE MAGAZINE

The printed magazine is now officially dead. Massive increases in printing and postage rates—coupled with serious lack of reliable distribution outlets and shrinking ad revenues—means that a regular printed version of PE is no longer possible. Instead, the printed magazine will be replaced with an entirely new web-based "zine" that is published continually and is available free world wide. The web based zine is now up and running at http://www.profaneexistence.org and will be updated with increasing regularity as the staff becomes familiar with the new system (and we become more organized).

NEW ANNUAL PE JOURNAL:

To replace PE magazine, we will be publishing an annual journal containing all of the most important news, articles, reviews, photos, etc. from that year. It will also include a CD sampler with some of the new music for the same time period. November 30, 2009 is the 20th anniversary of PE and my hope is the first annual PE journal will be published to coincide. Since it is the 20th anniversary, I hope to include a serious retrospective in articles and photographs documenting PE over the years. The journal itself will be a rather massive book (comparable to PE 50/51) and will be sent everyone with outstanding subscriptions and memberships. It will also be available by mailorder, DIY distros, and independent music and record shops. More information will be available as this project comes closer to completion.

If you have a SUBSCRIPTION TO PE MAGAZINE, the outstanding portion will automatically be credited towards the annual PE journal. Even if you only have one issue remaining, we will still send you a copy. If you do not wish to receive the annual journal, we can convert your subscription to immediate credit for PE distro or send a refund by Paypal or a check through the mail (refunds will be sent in order they are requested, as funds permit). You can request a refund by responding to this message or contacting me directly.

There will be a limited amount of ad space available in the annual PE Journal. All ad space purchased for PE #59 will be honored as paid in full. A follow up announcement will be made with the actual deadline and ad specifications.

NEW PE DISTRO:

With PE being reduced to all volunteer label, the future of PE Distro was in serious doubt for many months. However, an influx of new volunteers has assured PE Distro will continue for the immediate future. The plan is to keep it small enough to be run by volunteers, with a focus on mailorder and selling at gigs and festivals. We're also making a point to be realistic about costs and not bowing to pressure to sell at nostalgically low (and ultimately suicidal) prices. It's 2009 and if you really want to support your friends and favorite bands then you have to be willing AT LEAST $10 for an album! I have just put together an brand new web store for PE Distro here: http://www.profaneexistence.org/distro (you should be able to log in an set up an account using your message board or PE web site login and password).

PE RECORDS

Until further notice PE records is on hiatus and will not be putting out any more releases. PE still has some record-related debts to pay off and these are first priority before any new music or represses happen. PE Records will return, but for the moment we do not have an ETA.

There was briefly talk about assembling a central library of PE's music on the web, but that plan has been shelved because we don't know how to fairly compensate the bands for their music. I firmly believe that pirating music has significantly weakened our infrastructure and I do not want to further contribute to the decline of the DIY punk economy.

If you have an outstanding CDs OF PE SUBSCRIPTION, you are entitled to a refund for your remaining balance. We can convert your subscription to immediate credit for PE distro or send a refund by Paypal or a check through the mail (refunds will be sent in order they are requested, as funds permit). You can request distro credit or a refund by responding to this message or contacting me directly.

TRADES

Want your stuff in PE distro? PE does still have a large amount of our more recent record and magazine releases. If you are interested in trading some of your projects for some of ours, please get in touch. Right now trading is just about the ONLY way to get your releases into PE distro because we don't have the staff to handle consignments or cash to pay up front (because we still have debts from 2008).

PE WEB ZINE

This is happening now! We're paying for this service by donations and selling ad space (rates are here: http://www.profaneexistence.org/ad-information). Information on how you can contribute content of otherwise help out will soon be posted. The goal is to make an interactive news and information site that is current and relevant to the DIY / active punk movement. Together we can make this a really cool and vital new resource.

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

I want to just express my gratitude for your patience and support while PE has gone through such tumultuous times. Please keep in mind that while PE is still alive and kicking, we are still an all-volunteer and decentralized organization. First priority is to keep distro orders going out on time and I apologize in advance if any other business takes a little longer to sort out.

Dan for P//E
August 12, 2009

UPDATES!

UPDATES!

OK, there's been some news since my last entry...

There is definite interest to keep PE going as a digital zine and news site updated in real time (rather than coming out once a month or whatever). I am currently reconfiguring the web site to allow for editing from multiple remote locations and teaching several people how to use the system. Something I used to do all on my own will now be shared by several people, who will each teach two friends, and they will teach two friends, etc.

THERE WILL BE AN ANNUAL PRINTED VOLUME OF PE!

Each year we will publish a "best of PE" BOOK that will include material from the web site plus a compilation CD comparable in size to the PE 50/51 double issue.

TO PRINT MAGAZINE SUBSCRIBERS:

We will soon be sending everyone with an outstanding print magazine subscription a credit notice for PE distribution equal to the remaining value of your subscription. You can use it for any items in the distro or the annual compendium books we plan to publish. PE still has a few outstanding debts with printers that must be paid before we can offer cash refunds for subscribers.

PE DISTRO LIVES (and maybe the label too?)

There is also local interest in keeping the distro and label alive. I previously intended to close out these projects by liquidating the remaining stock as quickly as possible. However, it would be very sad to have nothing but a name to pass along to the next generation of PE. Therefore all special discounts and sales have been cancelled and the 2008 prices have been restored. I am setting up a new web store for the next generation PE distro that will be better than anything we've had before. A small selection of PE distro stock will be hitting the road with COGNITIVE DISSONANCE and possibly other tours this summer.

I can aready hear the crying... "Wah wah wah the prices are too high!!"

Fuck off! Out march the credit cards every time PE has a clearance sale, so the claim that the punks are broke is totally ridiculous. More like the punks are cheap bastards and are going to have to get used to paying realistic prices if they want vinyl and CDs. And fuck internet pirating of DIY punk: Punks stealing from punks are the worst kind of traitors. YOU area part of the very reason prices are so high AND bands can't afford to tour. Fuck you.

Anyway, as you can see I have very little patience left for whining and look forward to moving forward with bigger and better things. I'm really happy there are people interested in keeping this going and will do everything I can to help it succeed.

PUNK IS SHIT = I QUIT!

...actually punk's NOT shit but I thought the title would grab your attention!

There's some big changes in the wind and I thought I would give everyone a head's up before you start hearing stupid rumors on the internet.

The basic gist of it is that I am officially quitting as the coordinator and chief financial backer of PE. With the very real possibility looming that my wife may be laid off her job, I no longer have the luxury of donating my spare time or income keeping PE alive. In spite of all appearances, Profane Existence has not been a success financially and has only survived because of my willingness to dump in tens of thousands of dollars and working without pay year after year. I don't expect to be paid back any of this money, but I am cutting PE loose financially. This means I will not be personally bailing out PE from it's current financial situation nor will I be funding any more records or the magazine "out of my own pocket."

So does this mean PE is dead? OF COURSE NOT! I have been working behind the scenes to enable PE to be done without my day to day input. PE has a great staff of volunteers and contributors and I feel that the time is right to pass along the duties of keeping PE alive. The main purpose of PE is to be a media outlet and resource for the international anarcho-punk / activist punk community. This can and will still happen even after PE transitions to its next phase.

For the last couple of years PE has relied on a single coordinator (i.e. me) to keep it all together and the results have been burnout on my part and a general failing to keep it all completely together. However, the difficulties of the last couple of years have given me time to reflect on what works for PE and what doesn't work and needs to be changed. Therefore, before the torch is officially passed on there are some pretty major changes I would like bring about. They are as follows:

PE RECORDS MUST DIE!

The physical music medium (CD's records, tapes, etc) is no longer necessary to spread the songs and sounds of our movement. Yes, there will always be people who prefer certain formats, but by and large records, CDs, etc. are luxury and convenience items in 2009. Therefore I believe it is a waste of our movement to spend money and obsess over the formats, when the music, message, and ideas are what's really important. For those who stubbornly hold onto format fixation, I must ask if you are a reflection of your record collection or the ideas you hold in your head? Are you a format or a threat?

In real terms this means any represses or new releases are now shelved as far as I am concerned. The remaining stocks of PE's vinyl and CDs will be sold off and all money raised will go towards paying off PE's the lingering debts. I am putting myself at the very end of the list of people to be paid and doubt I will see anything when all is said and done. As for the music, I will be contact every band on PE Records to ask if they would be willing to let PE host their music for free downloads as the starter seed of a FREE anarcho-punk music library.

PE PRINT MAGAZINE = GONE TOO!

High printing and postage costs, declining readership, and totally unreliable distributors mean that PE magazine as you have come to know it can no longer be published. There has probably never been an issue of PE that has "broken even" financially and the last few have been total disasters. Without the financial backing of the record label (or myself) there is no way PE can continue in printed form. Therefore I am declaring the printed version of PE to be a dead format with PE living on over the internet. However, this happens with some important changes as outlined below.

WEB MAGAZINE TO BE FREE!!!!

Starting today I am canceling all of the paid subscription requirement for the online edition of Profane Existence magazine. PE WILL BE FREE! This also means that PE magazine will no longer be assembled in "issues" but will be updated regularly. I have gone through great pains to build the the web magazine using a system that allows the content to be updated by numerous editors and contributors and am now beginning to train people how to use it. The idea is that PE magazine will no longer be something that comes out every few months, but will become more like a daily news magazine for the anarcho-punk / active punk movement. "Every day" folks will be encouraged to contribute and the magazine will be edited by a collective.

PE YEARBOOK

With the print magazine going the way of the dodo bird, there has been talk of creating some kind of annual or biannual compendium that preserves the best articles and content into some kind of permanent document or book/CD. This would be a much more cost-effective method of publishing a printed document of PE and could be a goof fund-raising project for PE. There is also talk of a limited printed broadsheet edition of PE for prisoners, but this will depend on financial support and volunteer time with construction and mailing.

COVERING PE'S COSTS

Even without dumping money into endless record and magazine projects, it will still cost money to run PE for such things as the web server lease + connection, software updates, and postage costs to deliver materials to reviewers. The transition from a product-based financial model to a purely information-based organization will also have some unique one-time costs that can not be overlooked. Ads will continue to be sold for the web site (new rates posted soon) and memberships will be encouraged. If you are a current PE subscriber consider donating the rest of your subscription instead of asking for a refund.

PE DISTRO:

The clearance sale of PE's remaining distro stocks continues and I will be making price reductions over the next couple of weeks. I will not be restocking the distro so please do not ask if I will help distribute your releases or make any more trades.

PLEASE BE PATIENT!

I'm sure this message is going to generate a million questions and I have to ask that you please be patient while waiting for a response. In addition to my PE obligations I have a full time job plus kids and animals demanding my time. I will be working as much as I can to keep distro orders going out and teaching the staff the inner workings of the web zine. Any other questions or issues will be dealt with as soon as I can.

Thanks for reading!

Dan P//E

Taking care of business...

The recent PE benefit show, plus cash generated by the PE Starter Kit and new batch of PE shirts (see PE DISTRO),  has really started to clear up a log jam of debts and unfinished trades. For the past two weeks I have been busy sending payments to patiently waiting labels and wrapping up as many loose ends, unfinished trades, etc.  Folks living in France should be soon be able to get the latest PE releases from Maloka and Deviance. In Finland there is a batch of stuff going to Fight Records including some PE shirts (probably the last batch of this design). Do you live in Spain and want one of the new RESISTANT CULTURE LP's? Try Mala Raza!  If you are waiting for MOB 47 eps from Communichaos Media... another huge batch is leaving the PE warehouse (haha!) today.

OK some things to note:

PE Records is pretty much dead for 2009 except the following:

APPALACHIAN TERROR UNIT and OI POLLOI are planning to record tracks for a split 7" this spring and I will be releasing it in early summer.

The RESISTOGRAPHY double CD should be repressed at the end of May and will be available from the band during their upcoming West Coast tour in June.

There is also talk of a new BEHIND ENEMY LINES / UNCURBED (Sweden) split LP on Vex Records. I would like PE to be involved if there is money available on our end. Likewise, repressing the BEHIND ENEMY LINES vinyl is high on the priority list once PE's debt situation is eliminated...

There are exactly two complete sets of the Vinyl Retentive Series #1 available.

The best way to help PE move forward is to buy stuff from PE Distro. The 2009 PE "Starter Kit" and PE T-shirts are both bargain priced and everything else is pretty cheap too. I'm running PE distro in my spare time (after my real job) so it's not going to grow huge... but I will be adding new stuff occasionally.

Staff blogs are here at Profane Existence!

I have been threatening to implement a staff blog system for about a year now and I have finally set it up. Staff blogs will allow the PE staff to interact with the community that supports us by posting information on projects we're working, places we've been, shows we've seen and possibly ask for your help, feedback, etc. I am encouraging all of my fellow PE staff and contributors to start up a blog now and I'm ready to set it up.