Pj Perez
Encyclopedia
Pj Perez is an American
editor, writer
and musician
, best known for his reports and commentary on Las Vegas
culture in such publications as Rolling Stone
. Perez was the founding managing editor
of Las Vegas-based Racket Magazine.
and poetry
chapbook
s in the early and mid-1990s while performing on the Las Vegas poetry circuit and singing in short-lived bands before beginning his freelance writing career with Las Vegas CityLife
in 2000. After writing for a number of local and regional publications including Las Vegas Weekly
and Las Vegas Mercury
, Perez was recruited in late 2006 to launch a monthly lifestyle magazine
called Racket. After Racket went on indefinite hiatus, Perez returned to freelance journalism
, writing for publications such as Six Degrees and HRH magazines. He is currently the Las Vegas Fine Arts Examiner for Examiner.com
.
In April, 2009, Perez re-launched his comic book
and pop culture website, Pop! Goes the Icon
, as a boutique publishing label, and began writing and illustrating a weekly webcomic
, The Utopian
.
in Morgana Athena, a Las Vegas-based gothic rock
band whose single "E.S.P." was featured on Dim View of the Future, a gothic rock compilation released by a subsidiary of Triple X Records
. He currently plays drums in Las Vegas-based rock
band As Yet Unbroken
.
with a dual bachelor's degree in journalism and sociology. While at UNLV, he temporarily served as editor in chief
of The Rebel Yell, the campus' award-winning newspaper
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
editor, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, best known for his reports and commentary on Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
culture in such publications as Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
. Perez was the founding managing editor
Managing editor
A managing editor is a senior member of a publication's management team.In the United States, a managing editor oversees and coordinates the publication's editorial activities...
of Las Vegas-based Racket Magazine.
Publishing
Perez made his first forays into publishing with self-published 'zinesZine
A zine is most commonly a small circulation publication of original or appropriated texts and images. More broadly, the term encompasses any self-published work of minority interest usually reproduced via photocopier....
and poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
chapbook
Chapbook
A chapbook is a pocket-sized booklet. The term chap-book was formalized by bibliophiles of the 19th century, as a variety of ephemera , popular or folk literature. It includes many kinds of printed material such as pamphlets, political and religious tracts, nursery rhymes, poetry, folk tales,...
s in the early and mid-1990s while performing on the Las Vegas poetry circuit and singing in short-lived bands before beginning his freelance writing career with Las Vegas CityLife
Las Vegas CityLife
Las Vegas CityLife, founded in August 1996, is the oldest alternative weekly newspaper in Southern Nevada and covers news about the Las Vegas Valley and surrounding areas. Coverage includes news, politics, arts, and culture reporting in print and online formats. The publication is owned by Stephens...
in 2000. After writing for a number of local and regional publications including Las Vegas Weekly
Las Vegas Weekly
Las Vegas Weekly is a free alternative weekly newspaper based in Henderson, Nevada, covering Las Vegas arts, entertainment, culture and news. Las Vegas Weekly is published by Greenspun Media Group. The paper was founded in 1992 by James Reza as a free monthly publication called Scope covering...
and Las Vegas Mercury
Las Vegas Mercury
Las Vegas Mercury was an alternative newspaper published in Las Vegas, Nevada from January 2, 2003 to March 15, 2005. The paper folded when Stephens Media purchased Las Vegas CityLife and combined the two newspapers.- Columnists :* James Barrier...
, Perez was recruited in late 2006 to launch a monthly lifestyle magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
called Racket. After Racket went on indefinite hiatus, Perez returned to freelance journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, writing for publications such as Six Degrees and HRH magazines. He is currently the Las Vegas Fine Arts Examiner for Examiner.com
Examiner.com
Examiner.com is a media company based in Denver, Colorado, that operates a network of local news websites, allowing "pro–am contributors" to share their city-based knowledge on a blog-like platform, in 238 markets throughout the United States and parts of Canada with two national editions, one for...
.
In April, 2009, Perez re-launched his comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
and pop culture website, Pop! Goes the Icon
Pop! Goes the Icon
Pop! Goes the Icon or PGTI, is an independent American comic book publisher based in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Company history:Pop! Goes the Icon started as a blog by Las Vegas-based writer Pj Perez in 2007, whose topics included comic books and popular culture...
, as a boutique publishing label, and began writing and illustrating a weekly webcomic
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
, The Utopian
The Utopian (comics)
The Utopian is a webcomic and comic book created, written and drawn by Pj Perez. It is published by Pop! Goes the Icon.-Publication history:The Utopian began running online on April 15, 2009,...
.
Music
In the late 1990s, Perez played guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
in Morgana Athena, a Las Vegas-based gothic rock
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
band whose single "E.S.P." was featured on Dim View of the Future, a gothic rock compilation released by a subsidiary of Triple X Records
Triple X Records
Triple X Records is a Los Angeles based record company. They are the label for bands such as Bo Diddley, The Vandals, Jane's Addiction, Social Distortion, Human Drama, Of Cabbages And Kings, Angry Samoans, Bad Manners, Stephen Pearcy, Dr...
. He currently plays drums in Las Vegas-based rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band As Yet Unbroken
As Yet Unbroken
As Yet Unbroken is an American alternative rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada. Formed in late 2007, the current members of the band are Tim Beck , Mark T. Zeilman , Peter Stauber and Pj Perez...
.
Education
Perez graduated from the University of Nevada, Las VegasUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
with a dual bachelor's degree in journalism and sociology. While at UNLV, he temporarily served as editor in chief
Editor in chief
An editor-in-chief is a publication's primary editor, having final responsibility for the operations and policies. Additionally, the editor-in-chief is held accountable for delegating tasks to staff members as well as keeping up with the time it takes them to complete their task...
of The Rebel Yell, the campus' award-winning newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
.
External links
- Pj Perez's Official Website
- As Yet Unbroken's Official Website
- Interview in Las Vegas SunLas Vegas SunThe Las Vegas Sun is a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper. It is one of Las Vegas, Nevada's two daily newspapers. It is owned by the Greenspun family and is affiliated with Greenspun Media Group....
- Video interview at RawVegas.tv