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
October 16th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of MEMBRANES
October 15th - BLOG - Obituary for KIM SHATTUCK
October 14th - READING MATTER - Review of PUNKS AROUND #3 zine
October 12th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of JONNY MANAK AND THE DEPRESSIVES
October 8th - PODCAST - Hey Suburbia #58
October 7th - READING MATTER - Review of JUGGALO COUNTRY book
October 6th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of SNFU
October 5th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of GRAHAM DAY AND THE GAOLERS
September 30th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of TOTAL DEFEAT
September 27th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of BONY MACARONI
September 24th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of ABUSEMENTS
September 23rd - TOP SOUNDS - Review of LENNY LASHLEY'S GANG OF ONE
September 21st - TOP SOUNDS - Review of PANDEMIX
September 20th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of SINGING LUNGS
September 16th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of STEVE IGNORANT'S SLICE OF LIFE
September 14th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of THE PROLETARIAT
September 13th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of TITUS ANDRONICUS
September 9th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of SPEAR OF DESTINY
September 8th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of IN DIRE FUCKING STRAITS
September 7th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of VIOLENT PLAYGROUND
September 5th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of JILTED JOHN
August 31st - READING MATTER - Review of An Unofficial Guide To... BUZZCOCKS
August 30th - TOP SOUNDS - Review of MOUNT WYCHEPROOF
August 28th - TV PARTY - Review of D.O.A. - A Right Of Passage DVD
August 23rd - TOP SOUNDS - Reviews of CASUAL NAUSEA and BILLY CHILDISH
August 22nd - TOP SOUNDS - Review of ABOLITIONIST
August 17th - BLOG - Obituary for Damien Lovelock

LP/ ALBUM/ CD REVIEWS
ABOLITIONIST - Ugly Feeling {1859}; THE HANGMEN - Cactusville {Acetate}; INTERROBANG - s/t {All The Madmen}; EARTH MOTHER FUCKER - I Fuck Therefore I Am {Antigen}; ANTI-SYSTEM - Live In Durham City, DANGER!MAN - Weapons Of Mass Distraction, MOVING TARGETS - Wires, PERSECUTION - The Last War, SPERMBIRDS - Go To Hell Then Turn Left {BossTuneage}; VARIOUS - 1977: The Year That Punk Broke, VARIOUS - Optimism/Reject {Cherry Red}; GRAHAM DAY AND THE FOREFATHERS - Good Things {Damaged Goods}; DERELICTS - Life Of Strife, HIP PRIESTS - Stand For Nothing {Digital Warfare}: DOTS - Dots {Dirt Cult}; STEVE ADAMYK BAND - Paradise {Dirtnap}; BRACKET - Too Old To Die Young, CJ RAMONE - The Holy Spell, CLOWNS - Nature Nurture, COKIE THE CLOWN - You're Welcome, GOOD RIDDANCE - Thoughts And Prayers, JOEY CAPE - Let Me Know When You Give Up, LAGWAGON - Railer, LEFTOVER CRACK - The E-Sides And F-Sides, MEAN JEANS - Gigantic Sike, SNUFF - There's A Lot Of It About, TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET - Stay Rad!, TOMMY AND JUNE - s/t {Fat Wreck}; MISS JUNE - Bad Luck Party {Frenchkiss}; CANDY SNATCHERS - Moronic Pleasures {Hound Gawd}: HIGGINS AND THE MAGIC OF THE MARKETPLACE - Dream Consumer Dream! {JSNTGM}; MUCH THE SAME - Everything Is Fine {Lockjaw}; JOHNNY THUNDERS - Madrid Memory {MVD}; CHARGER - s/t, SUBHUMANS - Crisis Point, VICIOUS CYCLES - Motorcycho {Pirates Press}; JORDAN JONES - s/t, LOS PEPES - Positive Negative, SWEET THINGS - In Borrowed Shoes {Spaghetty Town}; UNION MORBIDE - Freely Chosen, VERNON WALTERS - Present History {TCBYML}; BATTALION ZOSKA - s/t, BILLYCLUB GENERATION - Time Bomb, DROOGETTES - Clockwork Girls, FATAL BLOW - Hope Not Hate, OLDE TIGERS - Build An Illusion Of Safety {Violated}; DOLLYROTS - Daydream Explosion {Wicked Cool}; DECENT CRIMINAL - Bliss {Wiretap}; GOATZILLA - Muthafukasaurus {DIY};

7"/ EP/ CASSETTE REVIEWS 
CTMF - Marc Riley Session 2019, JOHNNY MOPED - Hey Belinda, SNIVELLING SHITS - Bring Me The Head {Damaged Goods}; KIRA JARI - Spooky Freak, SUSPECT PARTS - You Know I Can't Say No, WEIRD NUMBERS - Minotaur Dreams {Dirt Cult}: SCHOOL DRUGS - Relative Suffering {Hell Minded}; AUTOGRAMM - Bad Day {Jarama 45RPM}; RE-VOLTS - Leeches, VARIOUS - 4-Way Split {Pirates Press}; BRUTALLIGATORS - Friends I Wish I Had {Real Ghost}; KILLER HEARTS - EP {Spaghetty Town}; STATE FUNERAL - Built For Destruction {Static Shock}; CAS PRAWDE - Last Hour Of Warning {TCBYML};

DVD REVIEWS
ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE - We Are The League, 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}; The Angry Brigade {PM Press};

BOOK REVIEWS
Hardcore Anxiety {Microcosm}; Dayglo: The Poly Styrene Story {Omnibus}; 

ZINES
Drunk Punk: Getting Sober Without Gods Or Masters

HEY SUBURBIA POCAST

The Scanner zine Hey Surbubia Podcast now has a new home!!  You can still stream it direct from this site (now via a natty player) and you can still download it. Hit HERE to access recent broadcasts. Previous Podcasts can be found by clicking this link 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, TOMATA DU PLENTY, MIKEY 'OFFENDER' DONALDSON, ARIANNA 'ARI UP' FORSTER, PAUL RAVEN, PHILIP CHEVRON, NIDGE BLITZ MILLER, D. BOON, TONY KINMAN, DAVE INSURGENT, FRED 'SONIC' SMITH, ROB TYNER, DAVID BOWIE, NIKKI SUDDEN, PETER LAUGHNER, IAN CURTIS, ROBERT QUINE, PHIL 'PHILTHY ANIMAL' TAYLOR, PHIL LYNOTT, SID VICIOUS, TIM YOHANNON, GREG SHAW, JOHN PEEL

Individual hits since July 2004:

Geographical hits since October 2009