Jim Testa
Jim Testa is a zinester from New Jersey, U.S.A.
Jim Testa published the first issue of his zine Jersey Beat in 1982. It covers the music scene in New Jersey and beyond; in 2007, the zine stopped publishing print issues but expanded its online presence and continues as a website, blog, and regular podcast. Jersey Beat covers a wide cross section of music but most particularly Punk and its many off-shoots, including Hardcore, Old-Skool, Pop Punk, Synth Punk, Anti-Folk, etc. The print issues generally appeared three times a year and comprised 150 pages. Several well-known zine writers have contributed to Jersey Beat over the years, including Donny The Punk, Jim DeRogatis, Karen Schoemer, Chris Frantz, Ben Weasel, Joe Queer, Johnny Puke, and Tris McCall.
Editor Jim Testa has also written for Maximum Rock N Roll, Rolling Stone, Guitar World, The Jersey Journal, and Punk Planet. He currently freelances for The Newark Star-Ledger, NJ.com, and Ghetto Blaster magazine. Testa was also a member of the Alternative Press and Radio Council (APRC) in the 1980's. As well, during the 1980's he published a couple of other zines, called Teen Punk and Grot.
On March 25, 2007, Jim Testa was one of the zinesters participating in the Bluestockings Zine Reading Extravaganza, where he read from Jersey Beat. Jersey Beat can be found online and features regular columns by Phil Rainone, Joe Warzyrniak, Rich Quinlan, Johnny Puke, and others, and a regular Podcast.
Zines
Contributions
- Maximum Rock 'N' Roll
- Punk Planet
- Ghetto Blaster
- Guitar World
- The Jersey Journal
- The Newark Star-Ledger
- Rolling Stone
