Maximumrocknroll is a widely distributed, monthly not-for-profit fanzine based in
San Francisco,
USA. It features interviews, columns, and reviews from international contributors. Along with
HeartattaCk and
Punk Planet—who ceased publishing in 2006 and 2007 respectively—
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 and ideologically influential presence in the ever-changing
punk community for two decades.
The first issues focused on more-local bands like musical and subcultural fixtures MDC. 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 300th 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.
Since Yohannan's 1998 death, the magazine has continued to operate on essentially the same economic principles. There have been eleven different content coordinators and two distribution coordinators in that time.
Over its years of publishing, MRR has featured a number of prominent writers, musicians, and personalities as columnists, such as Mykel Board, Jeff Bale, Chris Bickel, Jennifer Blowdryer, Anonymous Boy, Mike Bullshit, Eugene Chadbourne, Felix Havoc, Larry Livermore, Kent McClard, Nick Pell, Jack Rabid, Ben Weasel, Matt Wobensmith, Wells Tipley, George Tabb, Jen Angel, and editor Tim Yohannan. It's pages have served as the springboard for a wide variety of artists like Ted Rall and Dan Henk.
