Podcast Summary:

New Books Network — John R. Davis, "Keep Your Ear to the Ground: A History of Punk Fanzines in Washington, DC" (Georgetown UP, 2025) Host: Rebecca Buchanan
Guest: John R. Davis
Release Date: October 10, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features a conversation between Rebecca Buchanan and John R. Davis about Davis's new book, Keep Your Ear to the Ground: A History of Punk Fanzines in Washington, DC. The discussion digs into the vibrant ecosystem of DC's punk fanzines—handmade, self-published magazines that shaped and reflected the city’s punk scene from the late 1970s to today. John shares how the fanzines were vital not only for music fans, but also as cultural artifacts, political documents, artistic expressions, and catalysts for personal growth and documentation of the scene’s evolution. The book blends history, interviews, and vivid images from the zines themselves.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins and Motivation for the Book

[02:11–04:48]

• John describes his roots as a teenage participant in DC’s punk scene and his later archival work at the University of Maryland.

• A chance encounter with editor Hope LeGro at Georgetown University Press prompted the book.

  "As a teenager... I was a fanzine creator and a musician and a part of that punk scene for a pretty long time... When I started working at the University of Maryland... we built these collections here... That is what is now available for people to read."
  — John Davis (02:20)

2. Research Process and Importance of Visuals

[04:48–06:49]

• The book’s visual approach is intentional; color images showcase the “palette of punk.”

• Davis advocated for a larger, image-rich format reflecting zine aesthetics.

  "It really felt like a must for me to try to include those images and ... try to convey the palette of punk to the reader."
  — John Davis (05:19)

3. Historical Roots of Fanzines and DC Punk

[06:49–09:44]

• The first chapters place punk zines on a continuum, tracing influences from comic book and sci-fi fandom, through underground newspapers, to early music journalism.

• Davis wants the book to be inclusive for novices and deep-dive fans alike.

  "Fanzines are inclusive. Punk is inclusive. And I wanted the book to be inclusive in that way, too."
  — John Davis (07:27)

4. The 1970s and DC’s Overlooked Early Punk Fanzines

[09:44–12:47]

• DC’s early punk zines (like It’s Only a Movie, Vintage Violence, The Infiltrator, D Scene) have been underrecognized compared to NY, LA, or London scenes.

• Early zines mixed local and national content and mirrored the look and feel of underground newspapers.

  "I was eager to illuminate that aspect... The zines that were published in DC are not really known as well."
  — John Davis (10:25)

5. Archiving and Accessibility

[12:47–14:03]

• Emphasizes zines’ preservation and accessibility in archives.
• The DC Punk Archive at University of Maryland is highlighted as a resource for all.

6. Structuring the Book: Focus on the 1980s

[14:03–18:27]

• The bulk of the work covers the 1980s, a high point of hardcore punk’s emergence (Bad Brains, Minor Threat, etc.).

• Davis dissects the ecosystem of punk: it’s not just about bands, but also zines, record stores, activists, and fans.

• He distinguishes granular year-by-year accounts in the 80s, contrasted with broader sections for the 90s (due to an explosion in zine-making post-alternative rock boom and accessibility of copy shops like Kinko’s).

  "A punk scene is an ecosystem and... It's not just about the band... There is no scene without fanzines or record stores or the activists... or certainly the fans themselves."
  — John Davis (15:14)

7. Cultural Spaces: Kinko's, Clubs, Record Stores

[18:27–22:07]

• Spaces like Kinko’s copies, concert venues (9:30 Club, Black Cat), record stores, and even high school hallways were hubs for distributing and creating zines.

• Zines functioned as social currency and networking tools, especially before the internet.

  "The zine was like your introduction and a way to just... That was a language that everyone understood."
  — John Davis (19:24)

8. Politics, Activism, and Zines in DC Punk

[23:29–27:01]

• DC’s unique political context fostered a natural engagement with activism in the punk scene.

• Fanzines reflect both sophisticated and problematic political engagement, influenced by proximity to government and activism groups like Positive Force DC.

• Shows often had benefit tables and literature, exposing attendees to social issues.

  "For many younger people, their parents worked in politics... It just felt like something that was at the forefront of their consciousness... the punk scene in D.C. also had an activist group that still does, called Positive Force DC."
  — John Davis (24:11)

9. Zines as Catalysts for Personal Growth and Careers

[27:01–30:23]

• Fanzines’ accessible DIY ethos helped launch various creative/activist careers (writers, photographers, musicians, critics).

• Zine-making taught practical skills and the value of one's voice.

  "As a young person, as a teenager, that you saw that a fanzine was something that there was really very low barrier to entry to take part in... That is just a very powerful aspect."
  — John Davis (27:54)

10. Zines as Unofficial Archives and Historical Documents

[30:23–34:58]

• Zines provide primary sources—interviews, photos, reviews—of bands (famous and obscure) and the scene’s evolution.

• Interviews and features from early zines capture pivotal artists (like Fugazi, Husker Dü) at formative moments.

  "Reading those earliest interviews with them [Fugazi] in zines and fanzines is incredible... catching them at that moment. That to me is just such a cool thing about fanzines..."
  — John Davis (31:19)

11. Regional Pride and Diversity of Zine Types

[34:58–40:35]

• Punk zines are deeply regional; DC’s scene built its own identity and networks, paralleling scenes in Minneapolis, LA, Chicago, etc.

• While some zines had large circulations, “microcirculation” zines (10–50 copies) could have outsized influence.

• DC’s zines never achieved the national status of Flipside or Maximum Rocknroll but were vital for the local and connected national punk lattice.

  "I am very fascinated by the big zines... but yeah, I’m really most fascinated by the smaller ones that made a dent, even though it was just, you know, a few dozen copies..."
  — John Davis (37:33)

12. Personal Favorites and Key Zines

[41:15–44:17]

• John highlights Fake and Who Cares?, influential zines made by friends in his high school, as transformative inspirations for his own path.

• These zines bridged old-school cut-and-paste and early desktop publishing eras.

  "When I was introduced just by someone handing me a copy of Fake and of Who Cares, that was a new door opening for me... I loved music. I had plenty of opinions about it and it had not really occurred to me to share my opinions on it yet."
  — John Davis (41:15)

13. 21st-Century Zines and the Persistence of Print

[45:49–51:31]

• Common misconception: “aren’t zines just blogs now?” Davis argues that zines remain fundamentally physical, tactile, and personal.

• Early internet-era attempts to migrate zines online did not fully succeed or capture the print zine’s spirit.

• DC Zine Fest and newer zines show the tradition is vibrant, even as the “zine” form evolves to reflect more art, comics, and personal narratives over strict music fandom.

• Blogs and online sharing complement but don't replace the print zine experience.

  "The scene in DC today and certainly in the last 25 years is amazing. It's still very vibrant... the zines as well... In the 2010s start to have the re-emergence of the print fanzine again, the tactile fanzine."
  — John Davis (46:35)

14. Goals and Hopes for the Book

[51:31–55:18]

• Davis wants readers to appreciate DC’s role in the national punk fanzine story.

• He sees his book as a catalyst for renewed zine-making and exploration by new generations.

  "DC’s place in that discussion is something I really want to come out of that. And then I would just love it if people went back and found the zines using archives to be inspired and then to create their own thing..."
  — John Davis (51:54)

15. Book Availability and Events

[55:19–56:35]

• Book launched on October 1st, available via Georgetown University Press and in bookstores.
• Davis is doing a series of events and talks in DC, Baltimore, and Brooklyn (notably with Ian MacKaye at Politics and Prose, Oct. 29).
• Davis welcomes invitations to discuss the book and scene.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Fanzines are inclusive. Punk is inclusive. And I wanted the book to be inclusive in that way, too."
  — John Davis (07:27)

• "A punk scene is an ecosystem and... It's not just about the band... There is no scene without fanzines or record stores or the activists... or certainly the fans themselves."
  — John Davis (15:14)

• "The zine was like your introduction and a way to just... That was a language that everyone understood."
  — John Davis (19:24)

• “Punk really centers the humanity... Zines in particular were just this sandbox for trying things out and... giving you a space to fail and experiment and learn. And, you know, to me, that's what makes them invaluable.”
  — John Davis (30:23)

• “You see the humanity of the zine maker, the humanity of the musicians ... that are captured within the fanzine. Like, I mean, that's just part of why I love them.”
  — John Davis (31:19)

• "[Zines] are not nostalgia. It is not a retro thing. When someone makes a zine today, it is a 100% meaningful thing and the utility has changed. But the, to me, like, the importance and the power has not."
  — John Davis (51:54)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Motivation/Origins: 02:11–04:48
• Visuals in the Book: 05:19–06:49
• Historical Roots: 06:49–09:44
• DC’s First Zines: 10:25–12:47
• 80s Hardcore Focus: 14:03–18:27
• Community Spaces: 19:24–22:07
• Politics & Activism: 24:11–27:01
• Careers & Personal Growth: 27:54–30:23
• Zines as History: 31:19–34:58
• Regional Zine Networks: 34:58–40:35
• Highlighting Important Zines: 41:15–44:17
• 21st-Century Zines: 45:49–51:31
• Book’s Purpose: 51:31–55:18
• Launch & Events: 55:19–56:35

Conclusion

John R. Davis’s Keep Your Ear to the Ground is a celebration and documentation of Washington, DC’s vibrant punk zine scene, highlighting its crucial role in fostering music, political activism, and community. Davis shows how fanzines served as tools for connection, education, and empowerment from their inception to the present—reminding us that far from being relics, zines remain vital, creative, and urgent cultural forms today.

For more, check out the book at Georgetown University Press and catch Davis at upcoming events throughout the fall.