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
January 26th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of SENSIBLE GRAY CELLS
January 25th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of FANG/ NO IDEA split single
January 23rd - TOP SOUNDS - Review of THE REPLACEMENTS
January 19th - BLOG - Obituary for MARK KEDS
January 18th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of WESTERN ADDICTION
January 15th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of SUNSHINE STATE
January 9th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of DZTN 1980
January 7th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of THE LURKERS
January 4th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of Sweet Time RNR compilation
December 31st - TOP SOUNDS - Review of FACE TO FACE
December 30th - READING MATTER - Review of Anoraky In The UK
December 29th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of CRO-MAGS
December 28th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of DIRTY BURGER
December 27th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of SCREAMING AT TRAFFIC
December 19th - PODCAST - 61st Hey Suburbia Podcast
December 14th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of THE DAMNED
December 10th = TOP SOUNDS - Review of DOMESTICS/ PIZZATRAMP split
November 30th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of COCKTAILS
November 28th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of DAVE SMALLEY AND THE BANDOLEROS
November 26th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of ANSWERING MACHINE
November 22nd - TOP SOUNDS - Review of FRANKIE STUBBS
November 16th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of UNION MORBIDE

LP/ ALBUM/ CD REVIEWS
SPECTRES - Nostalgia {Artoffact}; DIAZ BROTHERS - s/t, JADED EYES - Call Of The Void, MOVING TARGETS - Humbucker, REVERSE - Empty Spaces {Boss Tuneage}; HEAVENLY - A Bout De Heavenly, LURKERS - Sex Crazy, SENSIBLE GRAY CELLS - Get Back Into The World, TALULAH GOSH - Was It Just A Dream, WILLIAM LOVEDAY INTENT - Hung Like A Thief, They Don't Know Me, Blud Under The Bridge {Damaged Goods}; FOX FACE - End Of Man, PERSONALITY CULT - New Arrows {Dirtnap}; THE REPLY - The Complete Collection {Dischord}; ESCARE - Infinity Crime {Drunk Dial}; BAD COP BAD COP - The Ride, BOMBPOPS - Death In Venice Beach {Fat Wreck}; DEALING WITH DAMAGE - Ask The Questions {Little Rocket}; MUCH THE SAME - Quitters Never Win, WATERWEED - Diffuse {Lockjaw}; DON'T SLEEP - Turn The Tide {Mission Two}; LENNY LASHLEY'S GANG OF ONE - Lenny Lashley's Gang Of One Live, SEIZED UP - Brace Yourself, TERRITORIES - When The Day Is Done {Pirates Press}; MUD CITY MANGLERS - Give Me The Hammer {Spaghetty Town}; SCHIZOS - s/t {Sweet Time}; AFFLICT - I Want It, I Need It.. Gotta Have It {TCBYML}; WYLDLIFE - Year Of The Snake {Wicked Cool}; DZTN 1980 - Ode To A Dead Earth, Scraps, JOLLY FUCKERS - At Home With..., {DIY};

7"/ EP/ CASSETTE REVIEWS 
DOWN AND OUTS - Keep Walking {Brassneck}; THE RELLIES - Isabella Is Annoying {Damaged Goods}; CAREFUL - Drunk Dial #7 {Drunk Dial}; BORTS - Preach This!, BURNT TAPES - Grower {Lockjaw}; MOVING TARGETS/ THE SWIPES - World Gone Mad {Mad Butcher}; GHETTO BLASTER - Point Blank {Mondo Trasho}; NOI!SE - Welcome To Tacoma, Base Rage On The Front Page, SLACKERS, THE - Blue, Nobodys Listening {Pirates Press}; FAST EDDY - Game Of Love {Spaghetty Town}; KNIFE CLUB - Lockdown Acoustic EP {TNS};

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

BOOK REVIEWS
Great Gig Memories {Hope}; Too Old To Die Young {Rotator};

ZINES
FlashMag #5, Is This My World?
 

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, WALTER LURE, BILLY RATH, BILLY MURCIA, TIM SMITH, NICHOLAS 'RAZZLE' DINGLEY, STIG, PHIL VANE, DAVE GREGG, DIMWIT, RANDY RAMPAGE, WILL SHATTER, RAYBEEZ, DAMIEN LOVELOCK, KURT COBAIN, WIZ, MARK KEDS, 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