Entry #2: The Alt Wave Mag Story

What's up, Riders! 

Maddawgg here with a very special update. One that is near and dear to my heart. The blood, sweat, and tears of mine that came together to create Alt Wave Mag. I finally got to a place where I could write it all out. To tell the story in a way that actually makes sense lol. So, here we go...

Alternative Wave Magazine covers all things riding the alternative wave today. In spreading music with culture through photographic and journalistic excellence, we hold Truth and Authenticity at the most high. Forged in the fire and from the ashes, we shall rise. 

We’ve never officially told the Alt Wave Mag story. Now that we have a rock solid foundation, the time has come to paint the picture for you. Welcome to The Chronicles of Alt Wave. It’s an honor to have you here. For those with ears to listen and eyes to see through, we present to you the story of how Alternative Wave Magazine was forged in the fire. 

It all started on the hot summer night of July 1st, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Founder/Owner, Maddawgg, had the overwhelming, gut-wrenching realization that she was at absolute rock bottom and had been for about a year. “I don’t fully know what it was. Maybe the Universe or God had enough of my bs. In an instant I got zapped with 20/20 sight. In that moment, I shut my eyes tight, opened them, and felt like I could see everything crystal clear. And what I saw absolutely horrified and disgusted me. Looking at my own life, it was completely trashed and embarrassing. Looking at the outside world in culture, it was also completely trashed and embarrassing. In that moment, I took my life back and decided to spend the rest of it doing what I know I’m here to do. Fight to right the wrongs I see in the world of music and culture today.” This was the start of the Alt Wave Mag tide pulling back.

Maddawgg’s #1 motivator is and always has been justice. MLK Jr. famously said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Today, the most widespread and deep rooted injustice is the way the mainstream industry treats its artists and their fanbases. The ways of life our beloved artists are forced into by those who control the tides, the current industry standards, the behavior that most of the top a-list talent show to the world, even down to the way the mainstream views artists: Like livestock. Like assets. All disposable. What’s even worse is how the incredible listeners, fanbases, and armies these artists lead are so poorly underrepresented in the media. They are seen as dollar signs to most of the industry. It’s all about the cold, hard cash, hun…

Yeah. It’s all pretty awful. We believe these current standards have a devastating chain reaction on the everyday life people that the world of today and tomorrow are forced to deal with. 

You see, being born in Y2K, Maddawgg’s entire life has been the fallout of what happens when greed keeps its thumb over art. If you are reading this, you too, have a similar story of being born into a messed up world.

Everyone knows the saying: “Make love, not war.” It’s just as relevant today as it was in the 70s. Love is a positive feedback loop of creation. A revolving door that rotates all the beautiful things of life. But sadly, that cycle has been taken advantage of and turned into a cash funnel.

Have you ever wondered, “Hey. Where did all the fun in music go? Why is the mainstream media driven by cash grabs and negativity? What happened to all the good vibes in culture?”

If you ask these questions to those up top, they tell you to shut up and go back to your cubicle. 

Haha. Yeah right. The time of that is over. 

Because it’s our time now. We aren’t the ones who look at; we see through. Through mediocrity. Through fake plastic. Through the curtains Hollywood hung to try and cover all the posing. The Alt Wave Riders, we see through it all. But it’s been though because there haven’t been any really real alternatives to go to. 

The solution? Alternative Wave Magazine. 

Your alternative hub. By alt, for alt. 

This movement is about burning down the old to ashes and forging a better world for tomorrow. Hence our motto: “Forged in the fire and from the ashes, we shall rise.”

We the culture riders of today, were all forged in the fire. Think of your roots. Think about how messed up the world you were born into was and still is. Yeah. Us too. We are right here in these trenches with you. But it’s okay because we’re all in this together. And together, we rise again from the ashes.

If you like to go a contracorriente (against the current in Spanish) If you are tired of the trash mainstream won’t stop pushing. If you miss the good times when we all could actually connect over good music. And if you miss seeing real authentic artists on the mainstage, Alt Wave is your alternative hub.

Music is the great communicator. It’s the one and only thing that transcends borders, language, and time. It’s the one and only thing that can bring people together in pure harmony, no matter their colors, classes, or creeds. Yet it’s the one thing taken advantage of most today. That can’t continue. And with this movement, day by day, brick by brick, we build a new era.

An era of authenticity and fun being #1. An era where the world’s wonderful artists and fans don’t have to have the mainstream separating them. 

We all have our favorite artists who have changed our lives in ways that words can’t even begin to describe. There’s never been more of a barrier between us all. How does Alt Wave combat this? We are a microphone to boost the volume of the stories these artists want to tell. Not the stories they are told to tell. We also act as the microphone for the fanbases to speak into. The connection between artists and fans shouldn't be a one way street controlled by outside narratives. It should be a continuous positive feedback loop. That is exactly what we are building here.

The old greed and media cash grab ways are having their last few coffin nails hammered in. And who’s holding the hammer? We the people. We the fans. We the supporters of real, authentic art and culture. 

The idea that we can change the tides to be full of waves actually worth riding is the core that Alt Wave Mag was forged from. 

Alt Wave Mag’s core truth can be summarized in these words: “We want it done right. So we’ll build it ourselves.” 

Enough of the old. Enough of the fake. Enough of the plastic. It’s in with the new. In with the evolved. In with culture that is by our design, not theirs. This is why the Alt Wave Riders are here. To truly ride this alternative wave. 

Maddawg planted this seed that hot summer night, which grew into a beautiful lil baby sproutling. So cute with such a bright future. She relentlessly took care of this sproutling as if this were the last Truffula Tree from The Lorax. A few months later, the goat, John Micolta (aka: John MiGOATa), stumbled across the baby sproutling on his fyp and messaged us, asking to join the movement as a photographer. Of course, we were super excited and honored to have him! Right after that, Maddawgg got connected with Cass, who is also a champion PHX, AZ creator and writer. 

A month or so passed, the lil sproutling grew into a young lass, and more of our core crew members started rolling into the AW sphere. Some were friends of John, and some struck gold on the fyp. Photo pit slayers Elizabeth, Em, Griffin, and Connor dropped into the wave. Along with our first designer, Bailey B, who is also a photographer. It was a crazy time! 

A few more months passed when one day, Maddawgg was live on Instagram editing photos when the amazing Anna stumbled into the live! We were on for hours just jiving and having a great time. She officially joined the team as a photographer and the first Alt Wave Writer. She happened to be internet friends with Philli’s top Alt Diva Queen, Sammy Q, who is also a photographer and writer. Soon after, the prodigy, Harrison Webb (photographer), hopped on the lineup. Which brings us to our most recent lineup additions; the wonderful Sarah Evangelista (photographer) and Cam (photographer) are now rocking with us! 

That’s the Alt Wave Lead Crew so far! We have had some other wildly talented photographers who shoot one-off shows for us, and we are incredibly grateful for each of them sharing their art on this platform. Because that’s what Alt Wave Mag is on the surface: a platform for these stellar photographers, writers, and designers to share their art with the world in a cohesive final product that is each and every issue of Alternative Wave Magazine. 

We are a group who looks at the old industry ways with a plotting smirk on our faces because what we're on is much more evolved. Others will laugh at us. Others will mock us. They will say were crazy. But you know what? You gotta know to know, you know? Of course you do. That’s why you’re here.

Today, AWM is a globally recognized publication, both digitally and in print, that works with the best of the best riding the alternative culture wave. Alt Wave offers our views of live shows, behind the scenes, in depth interviews, documentaries, and deep dives of questions the community as a whole ponders. We are and will continue to be a strong voice that cuts through the noise of the music industry today. Standing steadfast in our art to bring print media and live music coverage back from its early grave. Venturing far past the current bounds of what’s considered “the standard” in live show photography. With a dedication to capturing moments that are far from conventional. We don’t write in the normal editorial way either. We write as if we were talking to a friend. Because we are! We’re talking to you! Yes you, the one reading this right now. And we are so grateful to have you here. Through this expression of photography and writing, we strive to find more and more people like you who resonate with this movement. Bringing us all together for a big party every month as each new issue drops. 

We will always and forever hold Truth and Authenticity at the most high. Forged in the fire and from the ashes, we shall rise. 

This is more than a magazine. This is your alternative hub. By alt, for alt. 

The Alt Wave Riders and Lead Crew all continue to come together under our core values:

1. Truthful Authenticity

2. Connection Over Perfection

3. Having Fun is #1

 

Well. That's what we have so far! Nearly 3 years in, and this is how far we have come. I had to wipe a lot of tears when putting this together. It's been more difficult than words can say. The words just don't exist to describe how hard starting and maintaining something like this is. It's straight up alchemy. I had nothing before Alt Wave. I was nothing. Because I wasn't following my purpose. I wasn't pursuing what I was put on this earth to do. And it's this. Alternative Wave Magazine. Forged in the fire and from the ashes, we shall rise. We will never stop rising. Up, up, and up even further. I can't thank each and everyone of you enough, Riders. You all mean the world to me. Your support, kindness, and love has and continues to keep me going day in and day out. I'm always going to be here pushing this needle forward. That's a promise to you all. All of you help in that quest to push the needle all the way to victory.

Let's keep it moving. Let's keep pushing. Never stop. Never give in. Just keep going. 

I love you all! I gotta get back to putting this mag that just dropped (1.018) together. So imma log off for now. Until next time. 

Sending you all the love from PHX, AZ <3

~ Maddawgg (Editor in Chief)