Maximum Rocknroll Issue #1

Maximum Rocknroll (also known as MRR) is a widely distributed, monthly punkzine based in San Francisco, USA. It features interviews, columns, and reviews from international contributors. Along with Punk Planet and HeartattaCk—both of which were directly influenced by MRR in terms of content—Maximum RocknRoll is considered by many to be one of the most important presences in punk, not only because of its wide-ranging coverage, but because it has been a constant presence in the ever-changing punk community for two decades. Maximum RnR cover #1: placed in public domain on their website. ... A punk zine (or punkzine) is a fanzine devoted to punk rock music, bands, or the DIY punk philosophy. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Punk Planet is a 16,000 print run punk fanzine, based in Chicago, USA, that focuses most of its energy on looking at punk as a sub-culture rather than as simply some music that teenagers listen to. ... HeartattaCk is a zine like Punk Planet and Maximum Rock and Roll with a strong bent towards hardcore punk and anticonsumerism. ... Punks at a music festival The punk subculture is a subculture/counterculture based on punk rock. ...

Maximum RocknRoll was an off-shoot of a Berkeley punk radio show in the early 1980s but it is in its zine form that MRR exerted its greatest influence and became as close to an institution as punk ideology allows. It was founded by Tim Yohannon in 1982 as the newsprint booklet in Not So Quiet On the Western Front, a compilation LP released on the then-Dead Kennedys' label Alternative Tentacles. The compilation included 47 Nevada and Northern California bands. Berkeley is a city on the east shore of San Francisco Bay in northern California, in the United States. ... This article cites very few or no references or sources. ... A zine—an abbreviation of the word fanzine, and originating from the word magazine—is most commonly a small circulation, non-commercial publication of original or appropriated texts and images. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Tim Yohannon, born 1946, died April 3, 1998 in Berkeley, California, California of cancer, was the founder of Maximum Rock and Roll, a zine documenting the punk scene around the world. ... A gramophone record, (also phonograph record - often simply record) is an analog sound recording medium: a flat disc rotating at a constant angular velocity, with inscribed spiral grooves in which a stylus or needle rides. ... (GREATEST BAND) The Dead Kennedys (often known by their initials DK, as in decay) are a hardcore punk band from San Francisco, California. ... Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

The first issues focused on more local bands, such as the Dead Kennedys or MDC. The coverage soon expanded to national coverage, and by issue five, the cover stories were features on Brazilian and Dutch underground punk. In the '80s, MRR was one of the very few US fanzines that insisted on the international scope of the punk movement, and strove to cover scenes around the world. Today the zine has surpassed its 280th issue, and continues to include international content and a strong political bent. As one of punk's largest zines, its reviews sections - MRR reviews records, demos and other fanzines - is one of the most comprehensive. It also reviews books, films, and videos. (GREATEST BAND) The Dead Kennedys (often known by their initials DK, as in decay) are a hardcore punk band from San Francisco, California. ... MDC are a punk band formed in Austin, Texas in 1979. ... A zine—an abbreviation of the word fanzine, and originating from the word magazine—is most commonly a small circulation, non-commercial publication of original or appropriated texts and images. ...

Ethics

MRR has a large and dedicated all-volunteer staff. MRR reinforces the values of the punk underground by remaining independent and not-for-profit in contrast to the small number of the major media conglomerates which control most music produced today. Every month, MRR publishes many submission-based band interviews. In addition, scene reports from across the globe keep the worldwide punk scene connected. This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

MRR has always had a policy of not giving coverage to, nor accepting advertising from, bands that record on major labels; that policy was soon extended to bands that are "distributed" by major labels, and MRR has also banned or sharply criticized certain "independent" labels which it felt to be acting in too corporate a manner. For many years the magazine turned a large profit, but nearly all of the money was re-invested into community projects, the most notable of which was probably the Gilman Street Project, which created 924 Gilman Street, one of the world's most important and longest-lasting volunteer-run, nonprofit punk rock clubs. MRR also directly sponsored The Epicenter Zone, a volunteer-run record store and show space in San Francisco. Furthermore, the zine gave thousands of dollars to other fanzines and community spaces around the world. The 924 Gilman Street project, aka the Alternative Music Foundation, is the Berkeley, California street address, and the official business name of the all-ages, non-profit, collectively organized music club usually referred to by its fans simply as Gilman. ...

Since Yohannan's 1998 death, the magazine has continued to operate on essentially the same nonprofit principles, run by a large staff. There have been eleven different content coordinators and two distribution coordinators in that time.

Criticism

The fact that MRR has become so large has not been without controversy; the zine has many critics on a number of issues. Editorial policy has sometimes been accused as narrow-minded or even elitist, causing some labels to boycott advertising in the zine or sending releases for review. The fact that punk is often considered as a movement opposed to authority and large institutions (see Punk ideology) has also been an argument used to criticize the zine, which has sometimes been referred to as the 'Bible' of punk. This criticism spawned the creation of Punk Planet and HeartattaCk Fanzine. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Punk Planet is a 16,000 print run punk fanzine, based in Chicago, USA, that focuses most of its energy on looking at punk as a sub-culture rather than as simply some music that teenagers listen to. ...

Musicians have also spoken out against the magazine. Jello Biafra claimed the magazine's criticism of him inspired people to assault him at a 1994 performance at 924 Gilman Street, though his assailants were not known to be affilliated with MRR in any way. He also claimed that their narrow definition of punk music amounts to a new form of political correctness. According to Biafra, "If "Holiday in Cambodia" were released today, it would be banned from Maximum Rock N'Roll for not sounding punk.[1] Eric Reed Boucher (born June 17, 1958) is more widely known by the stage name Jello Biafra. ... The 924 Gilman Street project, aka the Alternative Music Foundation, is the Berkeley, California street address, and the official business name of the all-ages, non-profit, collectively organized music club usually referred to by its fans simply as Gilman. ... Original US 45 rpm single picture cover: The Dead Kennedys - Holiday In Cambodia Holiday in Cambodia is a single by the hardcore punk band Dead Kennedys released in May of 1980. ...

References

External links

• maximumrocknroll.com - official website, includes the online version of MRR Radio.
• MRR Archive - read old issues online