Barracuda (magazine)
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Barracuda Magazine was founded in 1998 in Los Angeles, California by writer Jeff Fox.
It is a "Men's Magazine" or "Lad's Magazine" that takes design and theme cues from the pulpy "stag" of the 1950s and 1960s, featuring tasteful "rugged tales of he-man adventure." Barracuda features retro-styled pin-ups in sexy but purposefully tame and modest photo spreads. It is all done with a tongue-in-cheek style.
The magazine was originally intended to be a men's magazine that reflected blue-collar values--a counter to super-glossy, cosmopolitan, upscale men's magazines. Editorial content of this magazine focuses heavily on do-it-yourself articles, tikis, hawaiiana, old-school hot rods and kustoms, and auto repair. It is considered part of the Kustom Kulture or Lowbrow Art movements. Barracuda is not part of the new wave of glossy men's mags, which rely heavily on star power models for photo spreads. Barracuda features primarily unknown models, but it has also featured cult celebrities and burlesque performers like Julie Strain, Dita Von Teese, Sabina Kelley, Paget Brewster, Heidi Van Horne and Tera Patrick. Barracuda has featured cover illustrations by some of the best-known Kustom Kulture artists, including SHAG (Josh Agle), Coop, Derek Yaniger, Jim Krewson and Japanese pinstripe artist Makoto.
In 2003, Barracuda celebrated its fifth anniversary with a live concert at the Key Club on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, CA. The show was headlined by Don Ho, with his daughter Hoku. The show also featured surf band The Dynotones and the Tiki Goddess Burlesque Exotica show.
Barracuda was named "Best Men's Magazine in Los Angeles" by the New Times newspaper.
