While it seems a lot of kids his age were playing Fortnite or tormenting the family cat, 10-year-old Arlo Lippiatt created a music fanzine that’s become a cult hit during the UK’s lockdown.
“My mum asked what I like to write about,” the Pint-Sized Punk publisher explains in a BBC interview, “and I said I’d like to write about some bands.”
He explains his passion for punk music, in particular, saying “I like how the drum and guitars and vocals all go together … like a big punk sandwich.”
The project got its start as a home-based English project, explains his mum Hannah Lippiatt, who is trained as an English teacher and runs a tutoring company, putting Arlo in a sweet position for success when his school went online during the UK lockdown.
Arlo interviewed musicians online and edited them for English credit, designed the magazine on the computer for ICT credits, and counted up expenses for math. He even got art credit for the original drawings he included in his fanzine.
According to his mum, Arlo is getting fantastic feedback on his work, because “he asks the questions that nobody else does, and he speaks to every person on the same level.”
His passion for and knowledge of the genre is evident, and bands from as far away as America and Australia are asking to be included in upcoming issues. His first edition sold out, and the second issues saw orders coming from the U.S.
“Now it’s just like strangers texting us, asking for a copy of the ‘zine,” he says. “It’s really amazing.”
Amazing it is, and reassuring to know that diving into your passion and creating great work around it can be met with success when the heart and mind are fully engaged. With media coverage growing in the UK, we hope this pint-sized publisher meets with king-sized success.