Another State Of Zine...

Scanner was born in a hail of phlegm, defiance and attitude as an A5 print zine back in the Summer of 1998, in the English hamlet of Ipswich, Suffolk. It ran for near-on five years, culminating with a 92-page whopper in January 2003, which featured the likes of AVAIL, Exene Cervenka and Winston Smith.
From small beginnings - the first issue was a comparatively small 40-page minnow - the zine grew steadily in stature with a final print run of over 1,000 and distribution throughout the UK and in various parts of Europe and America plus Australia and New Zealand with further readers in Japan and South Africa.
The zine stopped not due to my personal lack of interest in the world of Punk Rock, or any kinda burgeoning disillusionment in an overtly commercialised and tame Punk Rock scene. Admittedly, I was getting tired of generic releases from say-nothing bands and ‘Punx’ who cared more for the shade of their hair dye and brand of sneaker than they did for the ideals behind MDC or SUBHUMANS. Thankfully, this was constantly countered by bands like FOUR LETTER WORD, DILLINGER FOUR and many bands like them that released vital, energetic, intelligent and out-spoken releases. Of course, the old faithfuls - surely I don’t need to name names - always revitalised the soul and scorched the ears.
Nope, Scanner in print form stopped due to a life-changing move. In March 2004, I packed my bags and headed to New Zealand. At the time I had no idea whether it would be a long-term move. I sure wanted it to be, but due to seemingly limitless bureaucratic red tape bullshit from the Immigration Services, I had to wait a year to see if my future here in NZ could be even semi-permanent. During that year I set up this website in an attempt to continue where the zine left off.
Move forward to August 2005... My application for Residency in NZ was approved and here I remain with no plans of leaving. From here, Scanner on-line continues and will continue until I either go back to a print form zine or get so disillusioned by the whole bloody world of Punk Rock and its seemingly increasing links to the safe, corporate and sponsored world of mainstream society that I would rather vomit all over my crotch than face another tiresome safe, major label band desperately wanting to be ‘dangerous’ and/ or ‘cool’. Fuck ‘em!
Where is this website gonna go from here? Well, I hope it’s just gonna get bigger and better, just as the print version did. I did have a ‘News’ section, but due to lack of release news etc being forwarded, I ditched it. Except for a few notable labels - Fat Wreck, Revelation, Household Name, Recess and Alternative Tentacles in particular - I had no release news sent despite requests and adding myself to mailing lists.
You can forward all review material to the address above that’s shadowed by The Replacements. For electronic contact, hit this LINK and send me an email. My review policy remains the same - all releases sent WILL be reviewed, but anything on a major label does not run parallel to my ideals of Punk Rock. Period. Get over it and concentrate on your lucre-lusting contracts.
Also hit the LINK if you wanna join the mailing list to receive emails of each and every update as it happens. OK - get on with it - self-explanation over. Enter and enjoy....

Latest Updates
September 18th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of CROCODILE GOD
September 13th - PODCAST - Hey Suburbia #60
September 11th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of HAWKWIND
August 30th - ZINES - Reviews of Artcore and Gadgie
August 30th - BLOG - Obituary for Tim Smith
August 29th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of DEE DEE RAMONE
August 28th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of KILLER HEARTS
August 26th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of THE COURETTES
August 22nd - TOP SOUNDS - Review of D.O.A. and DAYS N DAZE
August 21st - TOP SOUNDS - Review of ABOLITIONIST
August 20th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of SICK BAGS
August 17th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of FLOAT HERE FOREVER
August 12th - BLOG = Obituary for Ken 'Mr Chi Pig' Chinn
July 31st - TOP SOUNDS - Review of DAVE SMALLEY AND THE BANDOLEROS
July 30th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of JADE HAIRPINS
July 28th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of STAY HOME - RAMONES tribute
July 27th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of THE PRIMITIVES
July 24th - BLOG - Obituary for STEVE HANFORD
July 24th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of KNIFE CLUB
July 18th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of ABRAZOS
July 11th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of FAZ WALTZ
July 10th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of THE DAMNED

LP/ ALBUM/ CD REVIEWS
SPECTRES - Nostalgia {Artoffact}; HAKAN - III {Brassneck}; THE PARTISANS - 1981-84 {Cherry Red}; CHATHAM SINGERS - Of The Medway Delta {Damaged Goods}; PERSONALITY CULT - New Arrows {Dirtnap}; THE REPLY - The Complete Collection {Dischord}; BOMBPOPS - Death In Venice Beach, FACE TO FACE - Live In A Dive, SUICIDE MACHINES - Revolution Spring, WESTERN ADDICTION - Frail Bray {Fat Wreck}; LITTERBUG - Abstract Melodies Saying Terrible Things, PUNCH DRUNK - Sassy {JSNTGM}; LION'S LAW - The Pain, The Blood And The Sword {Pirates Press}; MY LIFE WITH THE THRILL KILL KULT - Sinister Whisperz III: The Rykodisc Years {SleazeBox}; SCHIZOS - s/t {Sweet Time}; UNION MORBIDE - Freely Chosen {TCBYML}; WYLDLIFE - Year Of The Snake {Wicked Cool}; ANSWERING MACHINE - Bad Luck {Wiretap}; SUNSHINE STATE - The Mess, TRANSISTORS - Shortwave {DIY};

7"/ EP/ CASSETTE REVIEWS 
DOWN AND OUTS - Keep Walking, EPIC PROBLEM - Grace {Brassneck}; SINGING LUNGS - Mutter {Count Your Lucky Stars}; SPIDER - Energy Gone Wrong {Cpyrt Cntrl}; RABIES BABIES - EP, WILLIAM LOVEDAY INTENTION - My Love For You {Damaged Goods}; SUSPECT PARTS - You Know I Can't Say No {Dirt Cult}: FANG/ NO IDEA - Split {Just4Fun}; DOMESTICS/ PIZZATRAMP - Split, TOKYO LUNGS - s/t {Kibou}; SUNLINER - Structure {Lockjaw}; BAR STOOL PREACHERS - Soundtrack To Your Apocalypse, TERRITORIES - Quit This City {Pirates Press}; THE SCANERS - X-Ray Glasses: On {Spaghetty Town}; SOMETHING HAPPENING - Q {TCBYML}; PSYCHIC PIMPS - Agents Of Instant Karma {DIY};

DVD REVIEWS
DUST - Full Circle, PUSSY RIOT: Act And Punishment, The Color Of Noise, Its Gonna Blow, Records Collecting Dust II, Room 37: The Mysterious Death Of Johnny Thunders {MVD};

BOOK REVIEWS
Face It: Debbie Harry {Harper Collins}; Dayglo: The Poly Styrene Story {Omnibus};

ZINES

HEY SUBURBIA PODCAST

The Scanner Hey Suburbia Podcast now has a new home!!  It's now hosted by Podbean - still downloadable, still an on-screen player - but a way more stable app.  Hit HERE to access recent broadcasts.

The history of the Podcast and what bands have been played, can be access HERE

Gone but not forgotten...

This website will forever remember those who provided inspiration and continue to inspire.  Let us never forget those that paved the way for where Punk Rock is today and made some of the most refreshing, rebellious and raucous music ever.  R.I.P. guys...

STIV BATORS, JOHNNY THUNDERS, JOEY RAMONE, DEE DEE RAMONE, JOHNNY RAMONE, TOMMY RAMONE, JOE STRUMMER, PETE SHELLEY, DARBY CRASH, BOB STINSON, RANDY 'BISCUIT' TURNER, PIG CHAMPION, LOU REED, RON ASHETON, SCOTT ASHETON, DAVE ALEXANDER, MALCOLM OWEN, PAUL FOX, POLY STYRENE, MIKE HUDSON, KIM SHATTUCK, DICKIE HAMMOND, JOHN 'STABB' SCHROEDER, STEVE SOTO, VI SUBVERSA, IAN 'LEMMY' KILMINSTER, LANCE HAHN, DENNIS DANELL, JIM CARROLL, JEFFREY LEE PIERCE, LUX INTERIOR, NICK KNOX, JERRY NOLAN, ARTHUR KANE, BILLY RATH, BILLY MURCIA, NICHOLAS 'RAZZLE' DINGLEY, STIG, PHIL VANE, DAVE GREGG, DIMWIT, RANDY RAMPAGE, WILL SHATTER, RAYBEEZ, DAMIEN LOVELOCK, KURT COBAIN, WIZ, STEVO, MIA ZAPATA, MATTY BLAGG, KID KRUPA, DAVE GREENFIELD, TOMATA DU PLENTY, MIKEY 'OFFENDER' DONALDSON, ANDY GILL, ARIANNA 'ARI UP' FORSTER, PAUL RAVEN, PHILIP CHEVRON, NIDGE BLITZ MILLER, D. BOON, TONY KINMAN, STEVE HANFORD, DAVE INSURGENT, FRED 'SONIC' SMITH, ROB TYNER, DAVID BOWIE, NIKKI SUDDEN, PETER LAUGHNER, IAN CURTIS, ROBERT QUINE, PHIL 'PHILTHY ANIMAL' TAYLOR, PHIL LYNOTT, BARRIE MASTERS, SID VICIOUS, TIM YOHANNON, GREG SHAW, JOHN PEEL

Individual hits since July 2004:

Geographical hits since October 2009