Maximum Rock AND Roll!

So the zine collection is officially open, you checked it out. You thought Burn Collector was neat, and liked that cute zine with drawings about coffee. You think “and that’s that” – right? No way!

In the past two days we added over 20 more issues of Maximum Rock N Roll, and the new issue of Give Me Back!  Let me tell you about them a little bit.

Maximum Rock N Roll is a monthly not-for-profit fanzine based in San Francisco, USA. Each issue features interviews, columns, and reviews from international contributors. As far as punk music, the publication has wide ranging coverage and is a stable of ideological influence within the punk community for over two decades.

With over 20 issues on our shelves, I’m not going over each one. Some highlights though, indeed. They are really loaded with great stuff to say the least.  Lots of great reviews of records, zines, books, movies.  They have a news section that typically focuses on leftist topics and activism news.  Most of them have scene reports such as; #284 Syracuse, NY and San Diego, California, #314 Toronto, #315 London, #292 Poland, #289 Timisoara, Romania and Copenhagen, Denmark, #225 Belarus and the Philippines.  Some have special topics – such as #310 is mostly about health, as well as a listing of the year end top tens.  Issue #308 is mostly about punks and film.

On the whole, Felix Havoc has an excellent column. Our shared background of record label and music distribution may be one reason I like it so much, especially since he discuses that often – how it changes through styles, economics and whatnot.

As far as some awesome band interviews go… No Hope for the Kids and Dropdead get interviewed well in #254.  Dropdead is fast thrash punk has been around since 1991. The lyrics typically have a hardline vegan and animal rights stance.  I’ve been a longtime fan, but when my band played with them at Richmond, Virginia’s Best Friends Day Festival it really sealed the deal!  Issue #225 has a good interview with Martin from Los Crudos about his label Lengua Armada.

Issue #284 has a really nice piece on the twenty year history of 254 Gilman Street Project.  It’s a community space and show space owned and operated by punks.  Issue #314 has a thorough history of Italian squats.

The new issue of Give Me Back is full to the brim with goodies!  First of all, Florida is represented TWICE on the cover – an interview with Gainesville’s band Dead Friends and an interview with local Jacksonville artist Sean Mahan. It also features great columns and some interviews with Pygmy Lush, Kimya Dawson and Next Victim. And over 20 pages of record, zine and book reviews!

Something for everyone is these zines! Don’t be intimidated or feel weird about how you may not know the bands. If you like punk music / community / culture – this is your free ticket to more if it!