Touch and Go: The Complete Hardcore Punk Zine '79-'83

Touch and Go: The Complete Hardcore Punk Zine '79-'83 compiles all issues of the influential Michigan-based punk zine that documented the early American hardcore scene. The collection preserves the raw, DIY aesthetic of the original publications, including show reviews, band interviews, and scene reports from the dawn of hardcore punk. The zine's creators Tesco Vee and Dave Stimson captured pivotal moments with now-legendary bands like Black Flag, Minor Threat, and Bad Brains through candid photographs and interviews. Their coverage extended beyond music to include controversial editorial content and irreverent humor that defined the punk attitude of the era. This anthology serves as a primary source document of American punk rock's transition from its first wave into the hardcore movement of the early 1980s. The complete collection reveals how a small Midwest photocopied fanzine grew to become one of hardcore punk's most important voices and eventually spawned Touch and Go Records. The book stands as a testament to punk's DIY ethos and the power of independent media to build and document subcultural movements. Its unfiltered perspective captures both the intense idealism and confrontational spirit that characterized hardcore's formative years.

Readers appreciate this collection of the Touch and Go zine for documenting early American hardcore punk through interviews, reviews, and raw commentary. Many note its value as a historical record of the 1979-1983 Midwest punk scene, particularly in Detroit/Ann Arbor. Readers liked: - The crude humor and irreverent tone that captured the punk ethos - Coverage of now-legendary bands before they were well-known - High-quality reproductions of original pages - Inclusion of venue flyers and scene photos Common criticisms: - Offensive language and attitudes that don't translate well today - Inside jokes and references that can be hard to follow - Price point is high for some buyers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.45/5 (40 ratings) Amazon: 4.8/5 (19 ratings) One reader called it "an unfiltered time capsule of punk's early days," while another noted it's "not for the easily offended but captures the era perfectly."

Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk by Legs McNeil, Gillian McCain First-hand accounts document the birth of American punk through interviews with musicians, artists, and scene figures from the 1960s-1970s.

We Got the Neutron Bomb: The Untold Story of L.A. Punk by Marc Spitz, Brendan Mullen Oral histories from participants chronicle the Los Angeles punk scene from 1977-1982 through stories of concerts, clubs, and band formations.

American Hardcore: A Tribal History by Steven Blush Band members and scene participants provide documentation of the hardcore punk movement across the United States from 1980-1986.

Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azerrad Underground music history covers thirteen influential bands from Black Flag to Minor Threat that shaped the American indie rock scene from 1981-1991.

Get in the Van: On the Road with Black Flag by Henry Rollins Tour diaries and photographs detail Black Flag's history through journal entries written during their peak touring years from 1981-1986.

🔸 Touch and Go began as a punk rock fanzine in Lansing, Michigan and later evolved into Touch and Go Records, one of the most influential independent record labels of the 1980s and 1990s. 🔸 Co-author Tesco Vee was the lead singer of The Meatmen and became notorious for his deliberately offensive lyrics and outrageous stage persona during the early hardcore punk era. 🔸 The zine featured early coverage and interviews with now-legendary bands like Black Flag, Minor Threat, and the Dead Kennedys before they achieved wider recognition. 🔸 Touch and Go helped document the transition from punk to hardcore punk, capturing the moment when the music became faster, heavier, and more aggressive than its predecessors. 🔸 The complete collection includes all 22 issues published between 1979 and 1983, preserving crucial documentation of the American Midwest punk scene when few other publications were covering it.