Ellen Metro is a woman living in South Philly who probably still drinks too much coffee and is definitely still trying to prove to new people whom she meets that "Yes, Metro really *is* my real last name".

Ellen has been living in Philly for the past 19 years. Originally from Pittsburgh, her greatest existential crises involve being torn between the Eagles and the Steelers and whether to become a scientist or a writer when she grows up.

Just some of Ellen's favorite things include living alone with her 2 rescue cats, conversations about everything and nothing, 90's hip-hop, and the triumphant return of Mom jeans.

When I was a senior in high school, I interned at Bar-None Records, demoing CD’s (Sharpieing through bar codes to make them unsellable before sending them off to radio stations and blogs). I loved Glenn and Mark, the heads of the label, and have kept in touch with them since 2009 (!), so proud that a local business based in Weehawken has had such an impact in the world of indie music. Glenn reached out a few years ago to let me know I had to check out his newest signee, this sea-punk redhead with a Buddy Holly hiccup and a complete distaste for censorship. I was in love immediately, and now have a photo of Avery Mandeville, Little Hag’s frontwoman and one of the first people I texted when Scandoval broke, in my wallet. Avery graciously agreed to an interview, and I was all too happy to use this to promote her new single, “You Blew It!”

Little Hag was formed in 2016 in the suburbs of central Jersey by Mandeville, guitarist Matt Fernicola and drummer Owen Flanagan; joined in recent years by bassist Mitchell Warren-Devlin and keyboardist/vocalist Cara Introcaso. Fern and Avery came up together in the local open mic scene, eventually hosting their own at the legendary Inkwell Coffeehouse in West Long Branch where they worked on what would become Avery’s debut self titled material. After signing to Hoboken’s Bar/None Records in 2020, they released Whatever Happened To Avery Jane, a compilation of older tunes with the new summer bummer pop single “Tetris” about the mortifying feeling of COVID induced lust. Then came the truly messy, NSFW heavy hitters on 2021’s Breakfast EP, an unholy trinity of "Piss,” “Blood" and "Cum.” Their following sophomore LP Leash was abrasive and daring, calling out a variety of shitty dudes - exes, alcoholics and old man stalkers - and the ugly ways we self sabotage. The power of these feminist anthems saw Little Hag take the late stage performing with Bright Eyes, Alex G, Interpol and Spoon in their hometown of Asbury Park, with Naked Giants in L.A. and at Feile Na Greine festival in Limerick, Ireland.

​Izzy Maxson is a writer and performance artist. The author of several collections of poetry including "Maps To The Vanishing" and "The Whisper Gallery", they live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Tara Giancaspro (she) is the creator of xoxo Gossip Giancaspro, a weekly Substack including personal essays, pop culture commentary, and the various and sundry of her silly little life. She has released music under the name Sweaty Lamarr, available to stream everywhere, including "Abbey, I'm Sorry I Stole Your Man," a Jolene sequel from Jolene's perspective. She has been published in Wig-Wag Mag and Drunk Monkeys Literary, is a Cancer sun, and got bit by a dolphin once - establishing a potentially generational blood feud. Giancaspro can be found on Instagram and Twitter at @SweatyLamarr. She is based in New Jersey, if you couldn't tell by the hair.

taragiancaspro.substack.com

Anthony Robinson lives on the side of a mountain in rural Oregon with an orange cat named Raúla. Sometimes he writes poems.

Meca'Ayo (Tameca L Coleman) is a singer, multi-genre writer, itinerant nerd, intermittent zine maker, massage therapist, and point and shoot art dabbler in Denver Colorado. Their multi-genre writing and digital photography are featured in literary magazines, art exhibits, newspapers, and other venues and publications. Their first book an identity polyptych debuted from The Elephants in 2021, and considers familial estrangement, being in-between things as a mixed-race Black person, and moving towards reconciliation. Meca’Ayo leads community-centered projects with a collaborative bent, and they have been working in the healing arts since 2011. For more information about Meca’Ayo’s work, you can find them on social media with the handle @sireneatspoetry.