El Rincón del Zine by Luis A. Valdés: Safeguarding Cuban Rock History

September 29, 2021 marked the birth of The Cuban Zine Corner on the Telegram platform, which although it began as a compilation, ended up becoming a living archive, not only of printed words, but also of the songs and melodies that define Cuba's rock and metal scene.

I connect with Luis Antonio Valdés Montiel through a phone call. His gentle voice conveys the warmth of the city of Sancti Spíritus, his camaraderie is palpable and, in a matter of seconds, he envelops me in a sense of familiarity as if our friendship extended over a lifetime. At 36 years old, his soul beats to the beat of rock and metal, genres that have not only marked his career, but have also sculpted his identity.

In the midst of his quest to find new sounds, fanzines manifested themselves in Luis Antonio's life as an authentic treasure, becoming an indispensable connection to the world of rock. These publications, full of passion and rebelliousness, became a compass that guided his exploration of the less traveled paths of music, offering him a broad and diverse panorama of a musical genre that defied all conventions.

"I define myself as an ordinary Spiritan, whose professional life has revolved around accounting and economic consulting.", has been basically what I have dedicated myself to throughout my professional life (and I love it). Although I am currently dabbling in the field of communication, because I deeply admire and respect research and journalism.", confesses.

For Luis Antonio, music is his refuge and his inspiration: "Music is always present in me and I select it according to my mood or what I'm doing that day. I wake up in the morning listening to Nevermind Nirvana, and the next I'm drinking three Cradle of Filth albums in a row, and the next I'm walking home from work listening to Diana Krall. It all depends on the moment.".

If there is something that really moves his life, it is the world of rock. The odyssey of Luis Antonio Valdés in the vast rock universe is an epic of self-discovery and adventure, nourished by the melodies that since his childhood filled the corners of his home.

"I remember [as] a kid listening to songs at home that I loved because of their rhythm, especially the guitars. My sister back then played songs from Paisaje con Río, Monte de Espuma, Tanya and Frecuencia Mod, but I also grew up with programs like a cappellaand every night on Radio Sancti Spíritus, I would tune in to the half hour corresponding to the Blues Treehosted by Jorge Luis Lorenzo; a radio program dedicated to Anglo-Saxon popular music that, in my opinion, has been one of the most memorable that has ever existed on Spiritualist radio".

On an island where rock was not exactly the dominant genre and where technology and access to music were scarce in the early 2000s, Luis Antonio's passion for musical exploration knew no limits. The peñas and festivals of his province became his musical sanctuaries, true oases where he sought to quench his thirst for new sounds and emerging bands.

"I think it's important to choose the soundtrack of your life, and in my case it has been rock and metal. Nobody imposed it on me, nobody suggested it. I chose it and it has accompanied me in the best and worst moments of my life, even making it easier for me to discover new topics of interest. It is a genre that has an evolution and a history of survival just like human civilization itself, because it has been unfairly judged over the years and tried to [be made invisible] for decades (especially in our country), by politics itself, aesthetic incomprehension or stereotypes".

"Fanzines, in those days without internet, were lanterns in the dark. Windows to stories, news and a wider world. They were the direct connection to the bands and the global rock community. And in Cuba, where recordings were often home-made, fanzines and demos became the threads that wove our music scene from province to province."

Luis Antonio always felt attracted to this type of publications, until, moved by an impulse of conservation, he decided to undertake the task of compiling all those amateur editions that documented the pulse of the Cuban rock and metal scene. He has always been a fervent advocate of cultural exchange and a passionate collector who finds joy in sharing music, books and magazines with those who also share his enthusiasm.

According to Luis, "all music deserves to be listened to and every fanzine deserves to be read, as an act of respect for the passion and effort invested in them", and that is the origin of his initiative to compile everything that has been written about rock in Cuba that goes beyond the mere act of preservation. Thus was born his collection of fanzines.

"It is imperative to safeguard historical memory and we, collectors, devote special attention to this task. Besides, it was in Sancti Spíritus where the first meeting of fanzine editors from all over Cuba, known as Hoja Lata, was held. Therefore, I asked myself... is there a more suitable place than my own land to start this project? Given the scarcity of printed copies and the inevitable loss of fanzines over time, I decided to embark on a personal crusade to safeguard this valuable legacy. My mission? To create a digital collection that would preserve every page, every review and every photograph of those printed treasures. So I began meticulously scanning each fanzine I treasured, creating a digital archive that would transcend time and paper deterioration, ensuring that the story told through these media would endure for future generations."

When asked if he considered that the fanzine phenomenon in Cuba has been undervalued, Luis Antonio answered me as follows:

"There is something very true: 'what is not seen, does not exist,' and perhaps this is the reason why almost everything that is born in the underground stays in the undergroundand the fanzine, unfortunately, is not exempt from the rule".

According to Luis Antonio, the key to changing this reality is visibility, something that can only be achieved with the tireless efforts of promoters and researchers. Since then, his collection, both physical and digital, is a testimony of his commitment to the history of rock and metal in Cuba and a legacy he seeks to share with present and future generations.

"To be honest, I never imagined that my project would have a significant impact, but I discovered that many enthusiasts in our community were in search of demos and bands, hidden treasures that seemed unreachable in the vast corners of the internet. Having access to these materials, I decided to share them on the channel, which eventually led me to the idea of merging both worlds: fanzines and music. The response has been surprisingly positive. I receive constant messages requesting material, while others express their gratitude at finding editions they thought were lost forever, including some editors who had lost track of their own creations. This warm reception not only validates the effort invested, but also fuels my passion to continue this project, enriching and sharing our culture with the community.

For Luis Antonio, El Rincón del Zine Cubano transcends the concept of collection and becomes a personal mission, a commitment to posterity to preserve the living chronicle of rock and metal. made in Cuba. Its aspiration is that each musical genre of the island has its own digital repository, accessible to all and that it serves as a window to the world to show the richness and diversity of Cuban music.

"I am of the opinion that everything that is done from the heart and with good will has to turn out well. I have spent more than half of my life listening to Cuban rock, researching, reading and nourishing myself with all the information I could find. If with this project I can contribute to the preservation of our historical memory, then I have fulfilled my goal with the creation of El Rincón del Zine," he says.

"It is essential that each musical genre that is part of our rich culture has a repository, whether digital or physical, that is accessible and searchable by all. In today's era, where technology is advancing by leaps and bounds, the creation of these digital archives should become a necessity, allowing us to access them from anywhere in the world. This universal accessibility not only preserves our musical heritage, but also democratizes it, opening a portal to Cuba's sound diversity for the enjoyment and education of all".

Actions such as those of Luis Antonio Valdés from Espiritu convey a strong message to future generations of cultural promoters and journalists: the visibility and deepening of the history of each of the genres that make up our musical history should be crucial, and we should consider this visibility and deepening not only as an act of respect, but also as a commitment to the preservation of the legacy of all those who came before us.

"There is still a lot to be argued; every point of view is valid and contributes one more grain of sand to the understanding of a complex and nuanced genre. We must not let it be forgotten. It is part of our job as promoters, fans and Cubans in general, because there is nothing more satisfying for a Cuban rocker than to see the triumph of a style that for so long was underrated (we are still struggling to give it its true value and I have faith that one day it will be achieved)".

The volatile, controversial, heterogeneous and complex rock and metal scene in Cuba never ceases to transform. However, Luis Antonio Valdes Montiel stands as a small beacon that seeks to make the history of these genres in our country resonate through time. His crusade becomes a vibrant reminder that the history of Cuban rock will continue to be written as long as there are hearts willing to listen and hands ready to preserve its immortal symphony.