''GOSH!'' was a

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

–based arts, entertainment, and fashion magazine published in eleven issues between October, 1978 and August, 1979.

History

In its short history it became notable enough to be recognized by the Smithsonian Institution and included in their archives. In addition, GOSH! articles written by

Dennis Cooper Dennis Cooper (born January 10, 1953) is an American novelist, poet, critic, editor and performance artist. He is best known for the ''George Miles Cycle'', a series of five semi-autobiographical novels published between 1989 and 2000 and describe ...

have been archived as part of the Dennis Cooper Papers in the Fales Library and Special Collections of New York University. It was distributed free of charge in art galleries, alternative bookstores and music shops in the Los Angeles area. Articles ranged from interviews with experimental filmmakers like

George Kuchar George Kuchar (August 31, 1942 – September 6, 2011) was an American underground film film director, director and video artist, known for his "low-fi" aesthetic. Early life and career Kuchar trained as a commercial artist at the School of Indust ...

Sara Kathryn Arledge Sara Kathryn Arledge (September 28, 1911 – January 6, 1998) was an American artist and filmmaker acknowledged as "one of the foremothers of the American experimental cinema." Early life and education Born in Mojave, California, Arledge rece ...

, and Ted V. Mikels; influential radio announcers like

Rodney Bingenheimer Rodney Bingenheimer (born December 15, 1946) is an American radio disc jockey who is best known as the host of ''Rodney on the ROQ'', a radio program that ran on the Los Angeles rock station KROQ-FM from 1976 to 2017. In the early 1970s, he als ...

; to reviews of art exhibits, like Susan Greiger's (now Susan Singer) controversial show at Aarnun gallery featuring life-sized nude photos arranged in a flip book and an exhibit about how celebrities and common folk relate to their own noses. Also included in the magazine were

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

, and alternative music reviews featuring musicians like "The Hipster"

Harry Gibson Harry "The Hipster" Gibson (June 27, 1915 – May 3, 1991), born Harry Raab, was an American jazz pianist, singer, and songwriter. He played New York style stride piano and boogie woogie while singing in a wild, unrestrained style. His music ca ...

Fred Frith Jeremy Webster "Fred" Frith (born 17 February 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser. Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as a founding member of the English avant-rock group Henry ...

Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz Saxophone, saxophonist, bandleader, and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of beb ...

, and

Lester Young Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most i ...

; and reproductions of original art, illustrations, comics, and photographs from many avant garde contributors. Even the advertisements were very interesting, such as the artist Jack McIntosh's ads selling art trash from his studio for five to two hundred dollars. One Jack McIntosh ad offered his services as a speaker at your church or club for $20. Included in the ad was the picture of a bizarre, drooling man with bulging eyes and vampire teeth. The magazine's legacy was publishing early work by a variety of writers, artists, and photographers who went on to considerable success in their respective fields.

, Michelle Huneven, Kirk Silsbee, Doug Humble, John Breckow, Gusmano Cesaretti, Jules Bates, Karla Karin, Sid Griffin, Steve Escandon, and others contributed to ''GOSH!'' The legendary illustrator,

Neon Park Neon Park (born Martin Muller, December 28, 1940 – September 1, 1993) was an American artist, comics artist and illustrator, best known for the images that have strongly defined covers for nearly every Little Feat album except for the band's ...

, best remembered for his record album covers for the rock band

Little Feat Little Feat is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George, bassist Roy Estrada (both formerly of the Mothers of Invention), keyboardist Bill Payne, and drummer Richie Hayward in ...

and for the

Mothers of Invention The Mothers of Invention (also known as the Mothers) were an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an R&B band ...

's ''Weasels Ripped My Flesh'' did cover art for the ninth issue, showing an atom bomb exploding through an open zipper in the surface of the earth, as if a nuclear explosion is the ultimate male erection. ''GOSH!'' was printed on newsprint in black and white in a signature of 12 sheets. Some covers contained black and one color, usually red or blue, used on the magazine logo of the word ''GOSH!'' surrounded by a circle. It was published in folio format on paper 17 by 22 inches and folded twice to appear 8½ by 11 inches. When unfolded to reveal the content, 24 pages were each 11 × 17 inches and facing each other. The editor and publisher of ''GOSH!'' was Terry Cannon, who is himself as notable as the other artists he included in the magazine. Cannon also founded the

Pasadena Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial d ...

, and later, Los Angeles Filmforum which continues to be active in Hollywood showing the works of experimental filmmakers, and the

Baseball Reliquary The Baseball Reliquary is a nonprofit educational organization "dedicated to fostering an appreciation of American art and culture through the context of baseball history and to exploring the national pastime’s unparalleled creative possibiliti ...

, which presents exhibits showing an alternative view of the history and social impact of America's national pastime, and annually inducts prominent baseball figures into its 'Shrine of the Eternals'. In addition, Cannon served as an editor on his father's classic car mechanic's magazine Skinned Knuckles. He currently works as Staff Assistant III at the Pasadena Public Library's Allendale Branch. The editorial office for ''GOSH!'' was located at 35 N. Raymond Avenue in

Old Town Pasadena Old Pasadena, often referred to as Old Town Pasadena or simply Old Town, is the original commercial center of Pasadena, a city in California, United States, and had a latter-day revitalization after a period of decay. Old Pasadena began as t ...

during Pasadena's period of intense art making activities of the 1970s and 80s.Pasadena, CA (turn the sound ON and scroll down)
The Espresso Bar. Retrieved on October 20, 2011.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gosh! Magazine Visual arts magazines published in the United States Defunct magazines published in the United States Fashion magazines published in the United States Free magazines Magazines established in 1978 Magazines disestablished in 1979 Magazines published in Los Angeles