Reality Studios, 1978–88 (ed. Ken Edwards)

from Reality Studios, Vol. 8, 1986
from Reality Studios, Vol. 8, 1986

Over the course of its ten-year span, Reality Studios introduced a vital new interface between the various permutations around the British Poetry Revival in the UK and emergent strands of Language writing in the US. Edited by Ken Edwards and published in London, the magazine followed Alembic (1973–78) and immediately preceded Edwards’s Reality Street press, which continues publishing experimental poetry and prose to this day. First released in April of 1978, the magazine was originally published as a monthly corner-stapled newsletter. These issues were mimeographed on A4 sheets with a Roneo duplicator. Continuing this format, Reality Studios was issued in a quarterly cycle throughout volumes two and three. In 1982, the magazine moved toward annual releases, printing side-stapled editions with wraparound covers using a combination of photocopy techniques and litho printing. The remaining five volumes were released as perfect-bound offset editions in an A5 format. Each issue was typed and designed by Edwards, initially through a manual typewriter onto mimeograph, and later via an early Apple Macintosh computer printout sent to litho. Investigating experimental language arts across international borders and beyond local poetic coteries, Reality Studios delivered a wildly heterogeneous array of writing that ranged from Neo-Dadaist and Situationist experiments to sound-text poetry, experimental prose, conceptual writing, and graphic art.    

Full volumes are available for download or browsing below. The index to each issue attempts to retain the formatting of the contents as printed in the magazine, including original pagination. Each PDF is fully searchable and bookmarked for easy navigation to individual pieces within the magazine. This reissue is edited by Danny Snelson with scanning and editorial assistance from Mel Bentley and support from Ken Edwards and the Kelly Writers House.

The complete set of ten volumes is available for download here: [ZIP, 432 MB].

Reality Studios, Vol. 1, 1978–79 [PDF, 30 MB]


 

Contents

James Sherry
Straits p.1
Opal L. Nations
Automobiles’ gestations and the consequesnces thereof
p.7
  How to prepare and play the game of Fly Squash p. 10
Marius Kociejowski
Man Walking with Two Canes
p.11
David Miller Two American Poets: Frank Samperi and Cid Corman p.15
B. C. Leale
Three poems
p. 18
E. E. Vonna-Michell
Various Salads with Various Use
p.21
Peter Barry
Notes from our Shipping Correspondent
p.30

Locations, Properties of Moment
p.31
Ken Edwards some pages from Tilth p.32

Reviews of small press poetry
p.38
Paul Green Six Poems (for David Miller) p.41
  Half-Light p.47
J. E. Stead Those Three p.50
Cory Harding two pieces p.53
Peter de Rous A Dream – July 31, ’76 p.54
Dave Ward eight pieces p.56
Charles Bernstein poem p.59
Andrew Mayfield Oxford p.68
Peter Philpott from Unfinished Business p.72
Ye Min poem sequence p.76
Jeremy Hilton lots & lots of cauliflowers p.81
Alan Halsey Hermetic Variations p.85
David Tipton from Nomads & Settlers p.89
Nursery Supplies a review of E.E. Vonna-Michell’s 2 ply constellation washing up for more than 10 months p.93

 

Reality Studios, Vol. 2, 1979–80 [PDF, 46 MB]


 

Contents


How to breathe p.1
 
a review of part of the Cambridge Poetry Festival p.2
Ray DiPalma
poems
p.5

Reviews of Nottrams/Pryor/Halsey/Reed p.9
Ray DiPalma
poems
p.12

Publications recieved & forthcoming, events, etc.
p.16
Richard Tabor Mariette, part of a sound text p.19
Robert G. Sheppard Readings Prynne and others p.25
Jeremy Reed four poems p.28
Ken Edwards the Narrative Structure of “The Interpretations of Dreams” p.32

Correspondence
p.34
 
Two reviews of three books (Hall/Kelly/“Poetry & the Body”)
p.35

Publications recieved, gigs, etc.
p.36
Eric Motram Poetry & Mathematics: An Introduction p.39
Food Section:    
Paula Claire Bread p.45
R.G. Hampton five poems p.49
Lynn M.: breakfactsalt/dinner p.54
  Publications recieved, etc p.57
Allen Fisher Thumbnail lecture p.61
     
  death of the referent? some trends in contemporary american poetry  
Ken Edwards L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E / “language” / Language: three attempts at an Introdcution: p.63
Charles Bernstein Semblance p.66
cris cheek   p.69
Kris Hemensley The Self Defeating Project: THIS, & KETJAK p.72
Paul Green Charles Bernstein's Senses of Responsibility: An Assessment p.75
Alan Davies This Predilection for the mind in art. Where did I get it? p.76
  Some Readings (a select bibliography) p.78
  Publications received p.81

Reality Studios, Vol. 3, 1981 [PDF, 55 MB]


 

Contents

Editorial
p.1
Allen Fisher
The Mathematics of Rimbaud
p.2
Philippe Boyer
interviewed by Guy Darol (tr. Glenda George)  p.7
Publications Recieved
  p.14
Tony Baker
A few notes on the work of Colin Simms
p.17
Tony Jackson
Come Back Sweet Prince: a brief evaluation of Jeff Nuttall
p.22
Ken Edwards The Sweet Prince and the Split Banana: on Nuttall’s “from Muscle p.25
Jeff Nuttall The Secret Heart of the Mammal p.28
Bill Griffiths “a few jottings on microfiche” p.29
Reviews:

Robert G. Sheppard: Far Language: on MacSweeney's Odes

Tony Baker on William Corbett’s Schedule Rhapsody

Andrew Mayfield on Tom Phillips and Jeff Instone

Clive Fencott: Solar Pork Crunch: on J. G. Ballard

Charles Bernstein on Lyn Hejinian’s My Life

p.30
Publications Received   p.39
Eric Mottram Psychic Dismembering and Staying Sane: The Fictions of Gilbert Sorrentino p.41
Robert G. Sheppard The Bath-water and the Baby: A Formalist-humanism p.53
Kris Hemensley Shiele’s Mirror p.56
Correspondence(s)

1) A three-way exchange on sexual politics & related matter (Jeff Nuttall, Ken Edwards, Julia Phillips)

2) A letter from David Miller

p.62
Reviews

David Miller: The Poetry of Clive Faust

David Miller: Philip Jenkins’ Cairo: Books 1 & 2

Paul Green on Alan Halsey’s Perspectives on the Reach

Ken Edwards on cris cheeks’s A Present & Hannah Weiner’s Little Books/Indians: & Steve Lacy/Brion Gysin’s Songs

p.69
Publications Received   p.86
Index to Reality Studios Vols. 1, 2 & 3   p.88

Reality Studios, Vol. 4, 1982 [PDF, 81 MB]


 

Contents

Jason Weiss
An interview with Brion Gysin
p.1
Jason Weiss
poems
p.18
Herbet Burke
poems
p.21
Peter Middleton
The Poetic Project (on Allen Fisher’s Unpolished Mirrors & current English poetry)
p.31
Gilbert Adair
a letter & some work from a frog book
p.37
Paige Mitchell
changes by
p.45
Jeremy Adler Is Relativity Printable? On the Necessity of Oral Poetry p.47
Maggie O’Sullivan Tree Pieces: Un-Assuming Personas p.49
Carlyle Reedy from The Orange Notebook: Sign Poems; visual texts p.60
Paige Mitchell changes by, contd. p.71
Rosmarie Waldrop poems p.73
Allen Fisher The Topoligical Shovel p.78
David Miller Walter Benjamin & the Art-Work in an Age of Mechanical Reproduction p.90
Marina La Palma from Cropped Sets p.99
Paige Mitchell changes by, contd. p.101
Infiltration & Dispersal a series of conversations with E. E. Vonna-Mitchell p.103
Correspondence(s) from Paul Green, Carlyle Reedy, Bernard Kelly p.134
Reviews

Peter Middleton: Warwick University poetry conference

Carlyle Reedy: cris cheek performance

Allen Fisher: Writers Forum cassettes AbAnA

Paul Green: Max Douglas: Collected Poems

Andrew Mayfield: Wm Burroughs: Cities of the Red Night

Victoria Plum: Short Reviews

p.137
Publications received, etc.   p.149

Reality Studios, Vol. 5, 1983 [PDF, 59 MB]


 

Contents

Out to Lunch Reality Studios Vol. 4, or, I Nearly Kicked in My TV Set, Officer p.1
David Miller Out to Lunch with Benjamin: A Reply p.4
Paul Buck Phobia p.7
Gadi Hollander from ðə buk ʌv krāız p.14
Lynn Lonidier   p.19
Ken Hollings   p.25
Jeremy Adler from Electric Alphabets p.27
Jay Ramsay a strange group of three p.31
Peter Wilberg Speaking Personally — Personics as Praxis p.35
Paul A. Green Voice Phenomena p.37
William Sherman On Middle Voice p.41
Eric Mottram “Every New book Hacking on Barz”: The Poetry of Bill Griffiths p.45
John Lavery Content p.55
Glenda George Approaching from the edge in (another way to respond) p.57
Peter Middleton The Representation of the People: An essay on performance p.61
Out to Lunch Frank Zappa: The Negative Dialectices of Poodle-Play (Part Two, or, Time is Money Coined in Sides) p.64
Robert G. Sheppard from Ghost Book p.69
Kelvin Corcoran   p.75
Paul Gogarty   p.79
Geraldine monk from Skyscrapers p.81
Reviews

Tony Baker: on Geraldine Monk

David Miller: on Philip Jenkins

Ken Edwards: Short Reviews

Ken Edwards: Performing the Word (B2)

p.87
Publications Received   p.95

Reality Studios, Vol. 6, 1984 [PDF, 36 MB]


 

Contents

Interface
“A surface forming a common boundary”
p.1
Clive Fencott & Steve Moore
The Manual of the Permanent Waver
p.3
J. Christopher Jones African Twist p.13
Charles Bernstein The Simply p.19
Tom Raworth   p.24
Alan Davies Unattributed ca. 79 p.26
Peter Finch   p.31
E. E. Vonna-Michell from The Kaisers Türkish Mocca p.35
Alan Halsey 2 poems + Nuclear Totems p.41
Janet Sutherland   p.46
Adrian Clarke Sentences p.47
Gad(i Hollander The Art of Bankruptcy & Broken Tables p.49
Gilbert Adair   p.54
Maggie O'Sullivan from pointblankrange (10 pages) p.58
Tony Baker   p.68
Herbert Burke   p.72
Adverts for Spanner, The Third Eye, Spectacular Diseases, Actual Size, Reality Studios p.78
Correspondence(s) Mark Callan, Michelene Wandor p.81
Reviews

Peter Middleton: 80 Langton St, L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E

Paul Green: Keith Shein

Allen Fisher: Oral Complex, Peter Seaton

Sylvia Paskin: Frances Horovitz, Janet Sutherland

Jay Ramsay: Keith Musgrove, Tony Lopez

Robert Hampson: Michael carlson, Guy Birchard

Gillian Allnutt: Allen Fisher

Jeremy Silver: Richard Lanham & Graham Hartill, Gunnar Harding

Ken Edwards: Gavin Selerie, Pierre Joris

p.84
Publications Received   p.107

Reality Studios, Vol. 7, 1985 [PDF, 23 MB]


 

Contents

Glenda George The Blood of These Whores p.1
Mia Albright James Bond Puts Out the Garbage p.3
Jennifer Brawer With Child p.5
Saul Yurkievick Novela (tr. Cola Franzen) p.8
Gisele Prassinos drawing + poems (tr. Peter Collier) p.11
Maggie O’Sullivan from: Divisions of Labour p.15
Janet Freeland to berate or belong + The Chair p.21
Bayla Winters two poems p.26
Marina Lapalma These Women p.29
Paul Buck Isabelle, Out the Window p.35
Geraldine Monk drawings + poems p.39
Betsy Adams The Beautiful Sister p.45
Mia Albright Men Getting Licked p.56
Adverts   p.60
Reviews

Paul Green on Hannah Weiner

Sarah Peel on Denise Riley

Gillian Allnutt on Wendy Mulford

Lee Harwood on Michelene Wandor

Ken Edwards on Mina Loy, Maggie O’Sullivan, Diane Ward, Jean Day

Jeremy Silver on Carlyle Reedy

p.63
Publications Received   p.73
Back numbers, etc   p.78

Reality Studios, Vol. 8, 1986 [PDF, 33 MB]


 

Contents

Peter Riley interviewed on the condition of poetry by Kelvin Corcoran p.1
Douglas Oliver three poems p.18
Wendy Mulford from “The East Anglican Sequence” p.20
Kate Ruse-Glason three poems p.24
Lee Harwood five poems p.26
Hazel Smith Plus Five p.31
Paul Green Five Poems p.37
William Sherman The Poetry of Eric Mottram, a brief introduction p.39
Bruce Andrews from “I Don’t Have Any Paper So Shut Up” p.45
Steve Benson The Prospect of Behavior p.50
Diane Ward from “Concept Lyrics” p.56
Rosmarie Waldrop from “Patient Definitions” p.59
Robert Sheppard Mesopotamia p.61
Kelvin Corcoran poems p.65
Nigel Wells Ishi p.70
Advert   p.74
Reviews

Kelvin Corcoran on Douglas Oliver

Ken Edwards on Tom Raworth

Maggie O'Sullivan on Barry MacSweeney

Andrew Mayfield on the gay anthology “Not Love Alone”

Tony Baker on John Seed and Bill Griffiths

Robert Sheppard on Lee Harwood

Peter Middleton on Rae Armantrout and Gail Sher

Paul Green on Ted Pearson

Peter Finch (and Ken Edwards) on Jackson Mac Low

Lee Harwood on Kelvin Corcoran

Ken Edwards on John Ashbery and on recent magazines

p.75
Publications Received   p.104
Adverts   p.109

Reality Studios, Vol. 9, 1987 [PDF, 40 MB]


 

Contents

Carlyle Reedy When Fox Was Judge p.1
David Chaloner poems p.20
Hannah Weiner Weeks p.26/50/73
Kathy Acker from Empire of the Senseless p.27
Bob Perelman poems p.44
Peter Middleton two prose pieces p.51
Stephen-Paul Martin Virgin Had No Balls p.55
Johan De Wit Dianatics p.57
John Seed three poems p.70
Peter Larkin from Five Sedimental Poems p.74
Gil Ott prose piece; Traffic Coda p.78
John Wilkinson Cadence p.81
Reviews

Ken Edwards on “In The American Tree”

Paul Brown on Paul Celan and Austrian poets

John Wilkinson on Wendy Mulford

Peter Riley on Michael Haslam

Dennis Barone on Gil Ott and Barry Schwabsky

Janet Sutherland on Gillian Allnutt

p.87
Publications Recieved   p.100
Reality Studios Readers’ Poll Results   p.106

Reality Studios, Vol. 10, 1988 [PDF, 36 MB]


 

Contents

Allen Fisher Cakewalk p.1
Wendy Mulford poem + selection from The Bay of Naples p.11
Keith Jebb the grey passages p.8,39,61
cris cheek Squat p.19
John Wilkinson Clash of Tongues p.25
Andrew Lawson Four poems for Adorno p.32
R. G. Hampson five poems p.34
Drake Stutesman Dance of the Crutches p.40
Lee Harwood Seaside Suite / Moon Suite p.43
Graham Hartill (Tu Fu) In the Cities p.47
Peter Derous Venery Feats p.50
Clemens Rettich Fifty Gazelle p.54
Larry Price poem sequence p.62
Reviews

“Towards Civic Production”: Allen Fisher on A Various Art

Simon Smith on Anthony Barnett

Douglas Oliver on Rudy Burckhardt

Wendy Mulford on How(ever) magazine

Peter Middleton on Barrett Watten

Gilbert Adair on Bruce Andrews

Lee Harwood on Ric Caddel

Tony Baker on Tom Lowenstein

Ken Edwards: magazine roundup

p.66
Publications Received   p.117
Valediction   p.123