The Correspondent

In 1987, Jolene Siana began a three-year career of writing to Skinny Puppy vocalist Kevin Ogilvie (aka Nivek Ogre); her obsessive project helped stop her from taking her own life. Highlighting Siana's cathartic release, the letters and journal entries featured in Go Ask Ogre: Letters from a Deathrock Cutter (www.goaskogre.com) are voyeuristically intriguing, to say the least. We observe her world through quirky eyes as she shares memories ranging from dealing with family dysfunction, to experimentations with drugs and "cutting," to candid encounters with the band. Jolene's story is both a nostalgic visit to the world of '80s goth culture, and an honest account of brutal teen angst. More importantly, her former cries for help now stand as a frank reminder for anyone suffering from depression that they are not alone. Mike Adair