Threatening Society was a fanzine started by two high school friends in Philadelphia -- Tony and Mickey -- around 1987. We released seven issues over a few years, and had plans for an eighth, but it proved impossible, as we went to college in different cities and school took too much time.
However, we did had the chance to connect with some amazing artists, some of whom have become music legends in the punk/metal scene.
Have a peek at the back issues.
ISSUE 1
(1987)
Our friend, Scott Helig, had a fanzine called Total Thrash. He encouraged us to start one of our own. We mailed out a bunch of questions to bands. We interviewed bands from our high school. We probably stole the cover illustration from a show flyer. We wrote impassioned essays. Content compiled on Tony's family home computer, and laid out via cut and paste at the central library of Philadelphia.
Bands Interviewed:
ISSUE 2
(1987)
The first issue to include a cover illustration from our friend, Caleb. A back-issue advertisement in issue 4 indicated that in issue 2 "the printing is kind of blurry, but you can still figure out what's going on." Hey, when you're trying to run off copies for free at any opportunity, quality is sacrificed!
Bands interviewed:
ISSUE 3
(1987)
This one was memorable because of an interview with Harley from the Cro-Mags. Maximum Rock N Roll called us out for not pushing back on some of Harley's more controversial comments. They were probably right! Anyway, we started figuring how to ask better questions to bands other than, "Are you straight-edge?" or "What's your scene like?" The illustration on this cover is EPIC, courtesy of Caleb.
Bands interviewed:
ISSUE 4
(1988)
A wonderfully diverse issue, with lively, lengthy interviews with West Coast legends Uniform Choice and Justice League. We also connected with influential NYC metal icons Prong. Throw Dutch hardcore legends BGK in the mix, and this is one of the best we published.
Bands interviewed:
- BGK
- The Dehumanizers
- Desecration
- Justice League
- Last Option
- Prong
- Uniform Choice
- Youth Under Control
ISSUE 5
(1988)
We gave a lotta love to the Philly scene in this issue, with interviews with hardcore legends Flag of Democracy, the incredibly underrated Homo Picnic, and controversial skins, The Uprise. We round it out with interviews of NYC hardcore legends Token Entry and Side By Side.
Bands interviewed:
ISSUE 6
(1988)
After a year of pestering Ian MacKaye for an interview, he relented -- just when Fugazi was starting. We also connected with one of the better-known Philly bands, Pagan Babies. The issue features an article about Agnostic Front, and a chat with White Flag's front man Pat Fear (RIP).
Bands interviewed:
ISSUE 7
(1988)
One of our best issues -- and unknowingly our last. We planned on continuing, but college and distance made it very difficult to continue collaborating. (Remember, this was before the Internet was mainstream.) FANTASTIC meaty interviews with a bunch of great bands, especially King Face and Underdog. And an interview with Bill Stevenson from All super-early in their tenure. (We had a much more extensive interview with him years later -- keep scrolling for those links.)
Bands interviewed:
NEVER PUBLISHED
(1989-1991)
After the seventh issue, we made some efforts to rekindle the zine, but never got the momentum. However, these were fantastic interviews that deserve to see the light of day!
Bands interviewed:
- 7 Seconds
- Lawrence Livermore (Lookout! Records)
- Soulside
- Bill Stevenson (All/Descendents): article
- Bill Stevenson (All/Descendents): interview