Maximum Rocknroll
Maximumrocknroll, often written as Maximum Rocknroll and usually abbreviated as MRR, is a not-for-profit monthly online zine of punk subculture and radio show of punk music. Based in San Francisco, MRR focuses on punk rock and hardcore music, and primarily features artist interviews and music reviews. Op/ed columns and news roundups are regular features as well, including submissions from international contributors.
Also recorded as MaximumRocknroll · MRR · Maximum Rock 'n' Roll · Maximum Rock and Roll
Maximum Rocknroll
- Founded
- 1982
- Headquarters
- San Francisco
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Maximum Rocknroll. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q1914259 · wikipedia · Maximum Rocknroll
In this article
Overview
Overview
MRR is considered to be one of the most important zines in punk, not only because of its wide-ranging coverage, but because it has been a consistent and influential presence in the ever-changing punk community for over three decades. From 1992 to 2011, it published a guide called Book Your Own Fuckin' Life. Since 2019, MRR has been an online-only publication.
Key facts
Key facts
• Category — Music magazine • Frequency — Monthly • Founder — Tim Yohannan • Firstdate — 1982 08 • Finaldate — 2019 05 • Finalnumber — 432 • Country — United States • Based — Berkeley, California • Language — English • Website — maximumrocknroll.com • Issn — 0743-3530 • Oclc — 10553172
Background
Background
Maximumrocknroll originated as punk radio show on Berkeley's KPFA in 1977 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 Yohannan in 1982 as the newsprint booklet insert in Not So Quiet on the Western Front, a compilation LP released on the then-Dead Kennedys' label Alternative Tentacles. The compilation included forty-seven bands from Northern California and nearby areas. The first issues focused on the local and regional music scenes, but the coverage soon expanded to the entire continent and, by issue five, cover stories included 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 400th issue, and continues to include international content and a strong political bent. It also includes artist interviews, letters, commentary, guest columnists, and extensive sections for independent reviews of punk recordings, demos, books, films, videos, and other zines. In 1987, MRR published a photo zine of hardcore bands, If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pit? The first regular issue devoted entirely to photography was published in 2010. Along with the published (and later online) zine, MRR also produces a weekly radio show called MRR Radio which was played on multiple radio stations. The format of the show consists of at least one DJ playing punk rock songs for about an hour.
Institutional history
Dated record
Institutional history
Explore 1982
The full dated record · 3 entries
1982
Maximum Rocknroll established.
1982
Maximum Rocknroll is recorded from 1982.
1982
Maximum Rocknroll was established or created on 1 January 1982.
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". 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 affiliated 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." Jared Swilley, bassist in Atlanta punk band Black Lips, has criticized the magazine saying in an interview with Clash that it is the "most bullshit piece of fuck garbage poor excuse for a magazine ever. They’re like: ‘Oh, we want to keep everything ‘authentic’...’ And I’m like, fuck them! Don’t use a computer, don’t use a car, don’t drink Coca-Cola. Move to a field, grow your own food." Against Me!'s frontwoman, Laura Jane Grace, wrote in her autobiography that Maximumrocknroll had urged readers to sabotage their performances and that she quoted the article in a court case over a fight before a gig in Tallahassee to demonstrate the hostility against her.
Primary material
Context
The circumstances in which Maximum Rocknroll stands. Established or created on 1 January 1982. Rocknroll has its headquarters at San Francisco. Situated in United States. Founded by Tim Yohannan. Recorded as record label. Rocknroll lies within California.
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Maximum Rocknroll, revision 1351478576 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Heller, Jason. With zines, the '90s punk scene had a living history · Fear Of A Punk Decade · The A.V. Club. The A.V. Club.
- 2.Jolly, Nathan. Book Your Own Fucking Life: the pre-internet guide that connected the indie scene. The Industry Observer. June 1, 2018.
- 3.Rife, Katie. MaximumRocknroll to cease print publication after 37 years. The A.V. Club. January 15, 2019.
- 4.Maximum Rocknroll: If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pit? (Photozine, 1987). Archive.org. 1987.
- 5.Doctorow, Cory. Punk photography from Maximumrocknroll. Boing Boing. May 17, 2010.
- 6.All the Maximum Rock and Roll Bands Ever Played. bayareapunk.com.
- 7.Bad Subjects: Interview with Jello Biafra.
- 8.Clashmusic.com. Black Lips Q&A | Features | Clash Magazine. 2015-10-21.
- 9.Grace, Laura Jane. Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout. Hachette Book Group. 55–56. 2016.
- 10.Grace, Laura Jane. Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout. Hachette Book Group. 154. 2016.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Music memorabilia
44,045 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Maximilian SteinbergPerson
- Maximilien SimonPerson
- Máximo Arrates BozaPerson
- Máximo Diego PujolPerson
- Maxine BrownPerson
- Maxine FeldmanPerson
- Maxine SullivanPerson
- MaxwellPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own an object connected with Maximum Rocknroll?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.