A BRIEF HISTORY OF TABOO AND INDIANA ALTERNATIVE JOURNALISM FROM 1975-1985 Taboo Magazine was an alternative monthly magazine founded by Don Berry in 1982. Based in Indianapolis, Taboo was in stark contrast to Indiana's largely conservative local publications. In addition to critical commentary on local politics and issues of the day, Taboo published fiction, art, satire, interviews, and coverage of the entertainment scene. Taboo also produced its own "Taboo Parties" featuring local new wave, punk and rock bands at establishments like The Vogue and The Patio. With the help of staffers Tim Brickley and Dave Rheins, Taboo produced two editions of a video version of the print magazine, which was a novel and groundbreaking concept at that time. The video premiered at The Vogue nightclub. In this 2nd episode, we see the new offices for Taboo under construction in a former Catholic girls school at 429 1/2 E. Vermont Street in downtown Indianapolis. The building had been purchased by a dentist and reimagined as "The Indianapolis Academy of the Arts." It was home to The Indianapolis Ballet Theatre and many artists who used the former classrooms as studios. When the Baltimore Colts moved to Indianapolis, the football team's cheerleading squad rented the building's gymnasium for its cheerleading practices. On the squad's practice days, the Taboo staff often worked late. Taboo later changed its name to "The Meridian" and Berry went on to found The Broad Ripple Music Festival. He also wrote and published two editions of Indianapolis Nightlife, a guide book to more than 1,000 restaurants, bars, taverns, nightclubs, theaters, and entertainment venues in the Circle City. The publication was financed by display advertising which, by now, the 31-year-old Berry had become quite adept at selling. A natural promoter and entrepreneur, Berry went to Austin, Texas in 1985 and convinced local nightclub owners to let him produce The Sixth Street Music Festival, a 2-day event featuring 25 bands and 19 bars sponsored by the Austin Chronicle and a local radio station. To this date, many in the live entertainment industry credit Berry with providing the inspirational spark for the beginnings of SXSW. PRIOR TO TABOO: THE GENESIS OF JACK MERDE Prior to founding Taboo, Berry attended Indiana University's School of Journalism in 1974-76 and wrote for the Indiana Daily Student. In 1975, Berry began writing under the pen name of Jack Merde for Fun City!, published by the legendary Leon Varjian. Following in the HST tradition of 1st person gonzo journalism, Jack Merde quickly gained notoriety as "the Hunter Thompson of the Midwest." In 1976, Varjian left Bloomington, giving Fun City! to Berry who knew virtually nothing about the other aspects of publishing like layout, production, printing, ad sales, distribution and administration. Berry merged with another counterculture "street rag" called Primo Times. The new company launched a weekly, The Bloomington Examiner, in 1977. POST-TABOO: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Berry moved to New Jersey in 1985 where he still resides today. After a successful career in advertising sales at The McGraw-Hill Companies, he founded MagazineXperts in 2001 to provide consulting services and advertising sales representation to publishers. The company is headquartered in Newton, NJ. Many of the other writers, artists and musicians involved in the "Taboo Scene" in the early 1980s went on to successful careers. Emmy-award winning Director and Producer Tim Brickley is an Indianapolis based musician, songwriter, playwright, and videographer. Tim's recording studio, Hit City! is still cranking out the hits. After a stint in the U.S. Peace Corps, Dave Rheins went on to work for Rolling Stone, SPIN, Cosmopolitan, Corbis, and AOL Time Warner. He is currently the Executive Director and co-founder of The Marijuana Business Association. Written by Don Berry, Dave Rheins and Tim Brickley Produced and Directed by Tim Brickley Copyright © 2017 by Donald R. Berry, All Rights Reserved.

• published: 01 Jul 2017
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