Looking back..........

April of 1996, Before Dawn zine hits the underground.

May of 1997, debut issue of The Outcast is released.

As with the case with Before Dawn, one could clearly read, as with any other beginning wanna-be zine editor, the mistakes that were being made within the first two issues (grammar, spelling, etc.). It was definitely a task, and not to mention time consuming and expensive, learning by ones own mistakes the do's and the don'ts on creating a magazine. With no real knowledge on how to work a computer, I was taught, as I worked putting this thing together, how to use a scanner, a printer, Corel Word Perfect and finally, Microsoft Word. I was taught everything by one of my best freinds (Thanks Brian!). He was kind enough to let me use his computer to work on my Before Dawn debut and my 1-4 issues of The Outcast before I finally bought my own to work on 5 and 6. If that isn't a friend......Thank you!

My biggest time/paper consumer in the beginning was figuring out the layout. As I mentioned, I had no real experience with computers and had no idea that programs existed that would have helped me out with the layout. (Why didn't you teach me how to use these programs, Brian?) One thing that I was obsessed with were borders on every page, and of course, pictures. For issues 1-3/4, I was using borders that David and the Dark Arts, JB and I, came up with. With the last two issues, I was using all sorts of different pictures and borders from a pictorial archive of printer's ornaments from the 20th century Renaissance. Every interview had a different border where I tried using pictures and borders that fit the persona of the person or band being interviewed. It was worth the effort, due to the fact that the majority of the reviews of The Outcast always had a positive mention about the borders used. Anyway, back to the point. I did all the layout/ borders by photocopying each page numerous times, finally, after hours of trial and error, I finally would get the borders aligned with the text. Yes, I'm not to happy that I wasted so much ink, paper, time, and money, but hey, who ever said I followed the ways of man!? Um, yeah, anyway...... although a bit cave-manish, it was an interesting experience and a learning one at that. Did I ever learn the meaning of patience!

(Intro. from printed form, issue #1 - MIKES PAGE OF EXCUSES WHY IT TOOK SO LONG TO RELEASE AND OTHER SHIT)

Hello, well first of all I'd like to say thank you for purchasing my zine. As some of you may know, I did a lot of writing / contributing for BEFORE DAWNS debut issue. I believe it was a pretty good debut, though it had some flaws like most debuts. Through it I learned what I wanted to do for my own personal creation. I apologize for the great delay, but, you can't believe how hard it was for me to do this. Working 2 jobs, band practice (Really guys, I'll be there!), "social life:, mail, and worst of all, I don't own a computer. I am sure there will be some negative opinions, but hey, this is my first issue and I busted my ass and put a lot of time and money into my creation. Plus, that's always expected. Also, I didn't get to print the zine like I wanted to, due to the fact I moved out of my grandfathers and I am pretty much in a hole of financial shit. I'm financially fucked at the moment. the thing that depresses me though, is the fact that this issue is so fucking thin, it really pisses me off. Maybe because the typing is so little? Well whatever the reasons are, the next issue will hopefully be better. I can only wait and see.........

Tim and I departed because he wanted to keep BEFORE DAWN all black metal, and that is fine if that is your main interest. I am very open minded and listen to all kinds of extreme metal / music. I wanted to go further with BEFORE DAWN but it is hard to do with two different people. I like to support extreme underground metal and metal music in general. I also wanted to express my thoughts as well as the thoughts of the contributors. With THE OUTCAST I can do as I please and release it when I can. I hope people reading this zine will enjoy it. If you new how hard and how long it took me to put this issue together, you would either feel sorry for me (I suck so bad using a computer, thanks Brian), laugh your ass off, or just not really give a damn. Any way, I wanted to make this zine open to anything and everything in the scene. I do not like to say "Oh yeah, this is thrash / death / black / doom / whatever metal" I could care less what style they play. I like to call it extreme. Be it death, black, thrash, doom, whatever. That is why Lieff and I are the two main reviewers / interviewers. We both have similar taste in music and both accept each others ideas very well. Besides that, we are pretty open minded and have been around in the scene and have been great friends for quite some time.

The pictures you will see within these pages are pictures of friends I care for very much and family. I just felt like doing it. Why not? Hell, space fillers. I want to thank my family, especially my mom, (Thanks for everything and for supporting me all my life, no matter how much you despised it, I love you!) all the bands interviewed, all the bands who sent me there material, even if I or Lieff thought it sucked, (Opinions vary) all the contributors, the few record labels for the promos, especially Marco and Rayshele from CENTURY MEDIA, David and THE DARK ARTS for being such a good friend and for all the great art work, Lieff G. for being such a great friend, brother and a great writer, my brother Brian for all the great times and for letting me use his computer and for putting up with my sorry ass (I'll learn how to use a computer eventually...maybe), todos en Mexico que he conocido y todos en Sur America, all the other zines I read for existing, all my friends out there who I write too, (To many to type out!) all who support me for who and what I am and for what I do, Tim and BEFORE DAWN for being such a dark and blasphemic mother fucker (All these small town Mother Fuckers who are against us will get what they deserve my brother!!!)Paul and THE DARK HOUR for being such a cool guy and for supporting my work, all my brothers in EL PECADO, all the people I have partied with in Anna and in Cobden, Matt H. for being my doobie brother and such a great friend and brother, Tammy "Sexy" Kennedy for being such a great friend and for accepting me for who and what I am (You are like no other!) last but not least, all who have purchased this zine, all others I forgot to mention, I am sorry. To much mota!

THE OUTCAST will be released when Mike is finished with it. All things sent to "THE OUTCAST" is property of the Mexican, which is me. All things said are the opinions of the individual, so if you do not like somehting that is said, oh well. Always looking for ideas and contributors, so if you think you have something to offer, don't be scared to write in and tell me.

EDITOR AND EVERYTHING ELSE, UNLESS NOTED (This includes Mispled words): Miguel Francisco Coles

(Lieff's Intro. to Issue #1)

There is no need in explaining what THE OUTCAST is all about. However, there are two things that I want to address;

1) Honesty is one thing that we're about. Just because a record label might send something to review, that does not mean we are going to give it 10 stars or whatever. It might be good or bad and the review will reflect that. If two people from "THE OUTCAST" disagree, well, then you might see two different reviews.

2) Don't take everything so personal. It is the music we are talking about. We are not criticizing you, your personality, your looks, your family, your country, your race, your penis size, your sexual preference...... So, chill out! We have not met (well, at least I haven't) and we do not know most of the people whose music we review. So go ahead and send stuff for us to review, but be prepared to get honest, positive, and negative criticism. Oh yeah, if you are racist, sexist, nationalistic, or just immature and/or stupid, the review will not be "objective" about it because we hate it, period! So relax, be cool, open your mind and eyes....

All I really want to thank is Mike, EL PECADOR MAXIMO. Thanks. CONTRIBUTORS, EITHER WRITERS or ARTISTS: LIEFF, DAVID, JEREMY, PAUL, ELISABETH, NICOLAS FRONT COVER and LOGO by DAVID AND THE DARK ARTS

Interviews featured:

Samael, Iced Earth, Immolation, and Vital Remains.

Interviews NOT featured that were also in the 'zine;

Lividity, Lunatic, Internal Bleeding, Angel Kill, Hell Bound, Turd Perversion, Towpath, SS Bounty Hunter, Darken, Your Shapeless Beauty, Angel Corpse, and Rotting Christ.

Other subjects that were NOT featured on the site that were featured in the magazine:

The Big Baby Page. Humorus, yet pathetic. - "Hate/threat letters written by Andy George and I. Someone who appeared to be a racist jerk, who ended up being a good pen-pal/friend after we discussed our issues." Demo reviews Zine Reviews Comic strip by Jeremy Plemon The Predictions of Prophet Henry Gammage - "Crazy predictions by a supposed prophet. My friend Terry found a booklet on this Henry Gammage character at a rest area some time ago. His predictions were some of the funniest, most absurd, predictions I have ever read. Funny stuff.