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

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 |