SCANNERZINE.COM - Punk rock wise man Steve Scanner's impressive website started off as a long-running UK-based print zine in the late 90s, only to be reborn in a cyber format upon his relocation to New Zealand in 2005. Since that time, Steve has created quite a monster. Scanner Zine is filled to the brim with interviews, reviews, and interesting features of our heroes dedicated to bashing out the I-IV-V.
One of the first things I check whenever I run across a new zine is the reviews: are they all positive? Are we just another nodding head, begging for records and gushing with positive praise to support 'the scene'? Well, kudos to Steve, as his reviews are real reviews with plenty of actual criticism to help fans of the genre make a buying decision. His review of the recent HERESY reissues were piognant reminders of how great those Brits were, and how long it's been since I blasted "Against the Grain". Audio reviews are listed in the site index under "Top Sounds", and DVD reviews are listed seperately under "TV Party".
Interview-wise, the site is equally impressive, covering many different styles of punk from class of 77-type stuff to 80s hardcore and beyond. Steve's questions are thought-provoking and the interviewees consistently provide stimulating responses. Look over his interview section for exchanges with subjects like THE FREEZE, 999, DOA, Mike Hudson from THE PAGANS, and even our old buddy Tom from Dead Beat Records.
Another standard I use for judging or potentially bookmarking a source is by determining what lies beyond the standard reviews and interviews. Well, Scanner Zine scores again with an editorial section featuring the works of several contributors (look under the 'Columns/Articles' section), an extensive collection of punk rock book reviews, tons of punk-related polls, and even a section for punk bands to publish their tour diaries. It's obviously a labor of love, and I'd strongly suggest anyone with a burning interest in punk rock get over to the Scanner Zine and start clicking!
URL: www.scannerzine.com
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