ABOUT THIS BOOK

A visual history of the artists, fans, and fanzines of widely influential British punk.

Zerox Machine is an immersive journey through the vibrant history of British punk and its associated fanzines from 1976 to 1988. Drawing on an extensive range of previously unpublished materials sourced from private collections across the United Kingdom, Matthew Worley describes and analyzes this transformative era, providing an intimate glimpse into the hopes and anxieties that shaped a generation. Far more than a showcase of covers, Zerox Machine examines the fanzines themselves, offering a rich tapestry of firsthand accounts, personal stories, and subcultural reflections. With meticulous research and insightful analysis, this book captures the spirit and essence of British youth culture, shedding new light on a pivotal movement in music history and offering a unique alternative history of Britain in the 1970s and ’80s.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Matthew Worley is professor of modern history at the University of Reading. He has written widely about British culture and politics in the twentieth century, including numerous books and articles on punk and punk-related cultures. He is cofounder of the Subcultures Network and occasionally works with the artist Scott King as Crash!.

REVIEWS

"Clear headed and beautifully written, this book is an overview of fanzines that goes beyond the usual DIY/punk/music cliches. It is a smart and exhaustive analysis that deserves to be the go-to reference for those who want to learn about the bygone joys of obsolete technology, praxis and self expression long before social media influencers and gifted content."

— Liz Naylor, coeditor of "City Fun" fanzine

"Worley is a brilliant guide to the world of the fanzine, and to the extraordinary passion and creativity of their many authors and readers. Zerox Machine pays a proper tribute to all those diverse voices, and to the contribution they made to the history of popular culture and the lives of those who adore it."

— John Street, professor emeritus, University of East Anglia

"Held together by tape and spit, fanzines were given away at gigs for a minimal price or sometimes even for free. Worley has done a brilliant job of covering them as much as possible in this book. Well worth a read, and who knows, maybe it will inspire people to get printing. Long live the fanzine!"

— Steve Ignorant, cofounder of Crass

"Worley knows his stuff, showing it in this fascinating survey and dissection of the cultural, musical and political feelings expressed directly to the world through the unique phenomena of fanzines."

— Tony Drayton, editor of "Ripped & Torn" and "Kill Your Pet Puppy"

"Intensely researched and teeming with insights and fresh connections, Worley’s book is the definitive study of punk and postpunk fanzine culture. If you want to know why zines mattered—why zines got people so excited—this is where you should start."

— Simon Reynolds, author of "Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978–1984" and "Futuromania: Electronic Dreams, Desiring Machines and Tomorrow’s Music Today"

"Fanzines were the perfect reflection of the cut-and-paste DIY culture of music, clothes, hair styles and the alternative media of the fanzine culture, which I was sat at the heart of. Zerox Machine is a perfect guide to the frantic, frenetic activity that mapped out a new underground, with many of its key players moving on from their broken typewriters to becoming key players in the UK’s media battleground. More importantly, this book is a reminder of the distinctive art form and style that was at the core of the crucial culture."

— John Robb, The Membranes, editor-in-chief of "Louder Than War" and author of "The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth"

"A beautifully definitive account, both a history and an essential social document of the UK's punk and post-punk fanzine scene."

— Mike Scott, The Waterboys

"Fanzines reflected and informed the development of punk and post-punk, providing a platform for a diverse range of voices. Worley has written an engaging examination of this explosion of passionate creativity, combining meticulous research and insightful analysis to inform and illuminate. Zerox Machine is a definitive study of a culture of self-expression that continues to resonate today."

— Nicholas Bullen, cofounder of Napalm Death and preteen fanzine writer

"Worley has done a terrific job with Zerox Machine, getting the right balance between academic endeavour and the sheer excitement that the subject matter should induce—because they were exciting times. Nowadays, when any idiot can blog or use social media to expand their stupid or dodgy views, it's sometimes hard to remember that in the 70s and 80s you actually had to get up off your arse to get involved. People had to get their hands dirty: starting bands, writing fanzines, putting on gigs. They were heroic times and Worley has captured it perfectly with this book, his passion obvious on every page. Sure, there have been other books on the subject but this one definitely goes to the top of the pile."

— Mark Perry, editor/creator of "Sniffin' Glue" fanzine and singer/leader of Alternative TV

"No punk revisionist clichés but a proper and scholarly examination by Worley of a fascinating phenomenon."

— Jon Savage

"Worley is brilliant at capturing the diversity, enthusiasm and energy on show in the twelve years of zine culture he covers. . . . He has curated a knowing and wide-ranging selection of subject matter."

— International Times

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Intro I Want You, Autonomy: The Becoming of Punk’s Fanzines to 1976
Part One Viva La Rock ‘n’ Roll: Punk Fanzines, 1976–8
1 The Image Has Cracked: ‘London’ Fanzines
2 Good Missionaries: Proselytizing the Provinces
Part Two The Medium Was Tedium? Punk and ‘Post-Punk’ Fanzines, 1978–80
3 Occupied Territory: Punk-Related Fanzines
4 Paradise Lost: Art and Politics
Part Three Heard Too Much About: Punk and ‘Post-Punk’ Fanzines, 1980–82
5 Rival Tribal Rebel Revel: Fanzines Fragment
6 Don’t Tell Me You Care: Fanzines and Politics
Part Four You’ve Got Everything Now: Punk-Informed Fanzines, 1982–5
7 Is It Really So Strange? Fanzines, Functions and Formats
8 Oscillate Wildly: Fanzines and Post-Punk Culture
Outro My Little Underground: Fanzine Debate and Fanzine Reinvigoration, 1984–8

References
Select Bibliography
Acknowledgements
Photo Acknowledgements
Index

REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE

If you are a student who cannot use this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you with an electronic file for alternative access.

Please have the accessibility coordinator at your school fill out this form.

It can take 2-3 weeks for requests to be filled.