Rock Writ

Hans-Jürgen Klitsch - the genial straight shooter behind the indispensable Gorilla Beat ('77-'84) and Hartbeat! ('84-'98) fanzines, as well two authoritative volumes on German Beat music - opens up about his many years spent in the fanzine trenches.

Dave and Rena O'Halloran of What Wave ('84-'96) give us the lowdown on their beloved London, ON garage punk zine that had a global reach.

We close out 2023 on a high note with Eric Friedl of Wipeout, one of the great unsung, sub-underground fanzines of the early 90s.

We zoom in on the life and work of legendary photographer Justine DeMetrick, a key figure in the visual history of American hardcore punk! Shooting bands in the early 90s, vivid recollections of fave venues, artistic heroes, Intermission fanzine, and more.

Pleasant Gehman of ground-zero LA punk fanzine Lobotomy ('78-'82) treats us to a brilliant batch of stories: scoring candid interviews and photos with punk royalty, writing for Slash, a run-in with Kim Fowley, and much more.

The ultra-prolific Andy Pearson of Fear and Loathing fanzine (going strong since '89) on getting gripped by glam, rivalry among UK music weeklies, having a Nick Cave interview go wonky, and scads more.

David Elliott of the brilliant Neumusik fanzine (1979-82) tells the fascinating tale of this little-known experimental/post-Krautrock music mag that's ripe for rediscovery. 

Bruce Adams is on hand to chat about his recent book, "You're with Stupid: kranky, Chicago, and the Reinvention of Indie Music," writing for Your Flesh, touring with the Laughing Hyenas, and more!

Brad Lapin of the great SF Bay Area punk tabloid Damage ('79-'81) transports us back to the scene that hatched his crucial mag.

Ptolemaic Terrascope's Phil McMullen tells the fascinating story behind this classic UK pysch fanzine and its inspiring successor, Terrascopaedia, plus gobs of Bevis Frond and Terrastock tales.

We traipse down memory lane and discuss formative fanzines and rock mags with the hysterical Jon Wurster: Conflict, Forced Exposure, Motorbooty, No Depression, Trouser Press, and much more!

On the 30th anniversary of Chickfactor, Gail O'Hara joins us to discuss her much beloved indie pop fanzine.

Former music exec and lifer Howie Klein shares stories from his enchanted life! Sandy Pearlman, Richard Meltzer, doing time with the Fugs, partying with Hendrix, pissing off Tom Verlaine, and more.

Music journalist Bill Kopp talks about his latest book, "Disturbing The Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave" which tells the story of this influential SF punk and new wave label. 

Everything you wanted to know about this legendary DIY rag from the 70s, plus deep early Boston punk history, and a sweetly surreal Jonathan Richman story for the ages!

Tim Hinely of Dagger fanzine and the recent book "Where the Wild Gigs Were" (HoZac Books) reminisces about zine shopping at See Hear, getting snubbed by J Mascis, fave venues, and more.  

Andy Schwartz of the late great New York Rocker spills the goods on his seminal music mag. 

We roll out the red carpet for Jim "Jymn" Parrett of the legendary 70s pre-punk fanzine Denim Delinquent. Abject worship of Iggy, KISS, Greg Shaw, Ugly Things, and "unscholarly" rock writ.

Daniel Raeburn of the brilliant underground comics fanzine The Imp on Chick tracts, Mexican historietas, friendship with Chris Ware, Hüsker Dü, and his deepest artistic experience.  

The legendary Phast Phreddie Patterson regales us with tales of Oki dogs, LA pre-punk, Claude Bessy, Thee Precisions, and the legacy of Back Door Man.

John Marr of Murder Can be Fun treats us to much inspired chatter on his beloved zine, book collecting, Cometbus, early SF punk, volunteering at Maximum Rocknroll, and more.

A tell-all session with no wave obsessive Glen Galaxy! Naval academy debauchery, false starts with Trout Mask Replica, John Peel, getting no respect from the hip hop underground, and joy in Christ.

We got noted rock journo Michael Azerrad on the horn to discuss the 20th anniversary of Our Band Could Be Your Life, inspiration vs. influence, rock writing cliches, and more.

We get down with Mark Dancey of the immortal Motorbooty Magazine! Art, the superiority of satire to fandom, Michigan hardcore, Big Chief, touring with the Beastie Boys, the wrath of ICP, and more.

Gary Pig Gold—pioneering publisher of The Pig Paper and all-around go-getter—tells tales of a charmed life managing Simply Saucer, producing Pat Boone, playing in a Beach Boys tribute act, and more.

We grill the one and only Mike Stax of Ugly Things magazine about life at the helm of the ultimate rock & roll read.

Aussie underground notable Dan Stewart—of Distort zine and Total Control, UV Race, and Straightjacket Nation fame—waxes thoughtful on band dynamics, fanaticism, the Kinks, Black Flag, and heaps more.

We cornered Peter Davis - legendary booking agent and publisher of Your Flesh magazine - and pumped him for some stellar stories on life in the 80s/90s American indie underground.      

On the 40th anniversary of Flying Nun Records we spoke with Richard Langston of 1980s Dunedin fanzine Garage about the sublime sounds emanating from the Kiwi underground.

Tim Ellison - a singular voice from the 90s underground fanzine explosion - drops mad knowledge on rock writing, Richard Meltzer, The Beatles, Stereolab, The Gories, no wave, and much more.

Brian Hogg of Scotland's Bam Balam fanzine dishes on the greatest 60s-oriented music mag of all time. Seek out Brian's latest book, Cosmopolitan Scum! Edinburgh, the Arts, and the Counterculture.  

We gab with dynamic rock critic, musician and PR vet Howard Wuelfing about Creem, Forced Exposure, Richard Meltzer vs. Lester Bangs, DC hardcore, and his days at indie label JEM and Columbia Records.

Joe Carducci joins us to discuss the 30th anniversary of Rock and the Pop Narcotic—"the Moby Dick of rock-crit"—and his more recent books Enter Naomi and Stone Male: Requiem for the Living Picture.

Sean Michaels - novelist, critic, and founder of the pioneering MP3 blog Said the Gramophone - kindly lets us pick his brain on the role of imagination in criticism and the state of music writing. 

Fanzine royalty alert—Lindsay Hutton of Scotland's Next Big Thing is on hand for a wide-ranging, brisk conversation on this beloved garage rock institution. A most auspicious start to the new year!

Music journalist Tony Rettman – of 200 Pound Underground fanzine and 3 richly researched books on the history of American hardcore punk – joins us for a revealing, unpredictable, gut-busting hour.  

Welcome to Rock Writ! In this first episode we chat with Jay Hinman of legendary 90s fanzine Superdope and the current podcast and fanzine Dynamite Hemorrhage.