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
March 4th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of KNIFE CLUB
February 27th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of DIAZ BROTHERS
February 26th - READING MATTER - Review of TOO OLD TO DIE YOUNG: Paranoid Visions, Punk Rock and Me
February 22nd - TOP SOUNDS - Review of TERRITORIES
February 16th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of MOVING TARGETS/ THE SWIPES split
February 15th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of SCHIZOS
February 12th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of MUCH THE SAME
February 9th - BLOG - Obituary for Sylvain Sylvain
February 8th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of SPECTRES
February 7th - BLOG - 2020 Year-end Top Sounds
February 6th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of WYLDLIFE
February 4th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of RUTS DC
January 31st - TOP SOUNDS - Reviews (2) of THE SLACKERS
January 30th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of JOLLY FUCKERS
January 29th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of DEALING WITH DAMAGE
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

LP/ ALBUM/ CD REVIEWS
JADED EYES - Call Of The Void, MOVING TARGETS - Humbucker, REVERSE - Empty Spaces {Boss Tuneage}; VARIOUS - 1978, Shellshock Rock {Cherry Red}; HEAVENLY - A Bout De Heavenly, LURKERS - Sex Crazy, SENSIBLE GRAY CELLS - Get Back Into The World, TALULAH GOSH - Was It Just A Dream {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}; GALILEO 7 - Decayed {Fool's Paradise}; DUNCAN REID AND THE BIG HEADS - Don't Blame Yourself {LBH}; 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  {Pirates Press}; OFF WITH THEIR HEADS -  Dont' Tell Me How To (Live), SCREECHING WEASEL - Some Freaks Of Activism {Recess}; MUD CITY MANGLERS - Give Me The Hammer {Spaghetty Town};  AFFLICT - I Want It, I Need It.. Gotta Have It {TCBYML}; VARIOUS - TNS Records Volume 4 {TNS}; DFMK - s/t {Via La Escalera}; DZTN 1980 - Ode To A Dead Earth, Scraps {DIY};

7"/ EP/ CASSETTE REVIEWS 
DOWN AND OUTS - Keep Walking {Brassneck}; THE RELLIES - Isabella Is Annoying {Damaged Goods}; CAREFUL - Drunk Dial #7 {Drunk Dial}; FROGGY AND THE RINGES - Soft G {Kibou}; BORTS - Preach This!, BURNT TAPES - Grower {Lockjaw}; GHETTO BLASTER - Point Blank {Mondo Trasho}; NOI!SE - Welcome To Tacoma, Base Rage On The Front Page {Pirates Press}; JIFFY MARX - She's My Witch {Snappy Little Numbers}; FAST EDDY - Game Of Love {Spaghetty Town}; MAX MOTHERFUCKER - s/t {DIY};

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};

ZINES
Artcore #35, 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, SYLVAIN 'SYLVAIN' MIZRAHI, 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