Tim Yohannan
Encyclopedia
Tim Yohannan, born August 15, 1945, died April 3, 1998 in San Francisco, California
of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, was the founder of Maximum Rocknroll
(MRR), a radio show
and zine
documenting the punk
scene around the world. As the zine became popular and profitable, Yohannan donated those profits to zines and collectives, even as he continued blue-collar work in the Lawrence Hall of Science
at University of California, Berkeley
.
Also known as Tim Yo, he is remembered for popularizing "Punk Rock Infrastructure", essentially an informal ideal of necessary worldwide community among punks. He gathered a number of like-minded partisans for the burgeoning punk genre and established a number of collectives in the DIY spirit, such as 924 Gilman Street
, Blacklist Mailorder, and the Epicenter Zone community center.
Yohannan helped to mold the early 1980s American punk scene and tied in various international punk scenes as well, documenting them in MRR Scene Reports. Yohannan was always mindful of the central conflict between punk rock's essentially ungovernable force and the apparent need for punk rock infrastructure. This conflict could be considered a sort of dualistic driving force which ensured his project's success.
As a self-appointed herdsman of the punks, Yohannan had a reputation as being notoriously difficult. He was a hardened ideologue with a strong puritanical streak but—luckily—also a sense of humor; he also had an extremely practical side that was results focused, and so his projects arguably avoided the problems of some collective endeavors which get bogged down in debate. Instead, Yohannan would simply declare what he perceived as "right", and move forward. Yohannan was also a 1960s counterculture-era leftist
. Still, this ideological element created many rifts in the punk scene. His divisive personality was described in the NOFX
song "I'm Telling Tim" in which if Tim found out you were doing things not in accordance to Tim's beliefs, you would get "ostracized like Lawrence" (Livermore).
Tributes: MDC Millions of dead cops did a tribute song titled "Timmy Yo" a great song on their album corpses of the ultimate dominators.
—Tim Yohannan, 1984
"What's important about punk rock is its independence of government & of corporations & its network that exist outside of that. That is what is political...not the words, not the music as much as the independence..."
—Tim Yohannan
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, was the founder of Maximum Rocknroll
Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum rocknroll is a widely distributed, monthly not-for-profit fanzine based in San Francisco, USA. It features interviews, columns, and reviews from international contributors...
(MRR), a radio show
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and zine
Zine
A zine is most commonly a small circulation publication of original or appropriated texts and images. More broadly, the term encompasses any self-published work of minority interest usually reproduced via photocopier....
documenting the punk
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
scene around the world. As the zine became popular and profitable, Yohannan donated those profits to zines and collectives, even as he continued blue-collar work in the Lawrence Hall of Science
Lawrence Hall of Science
The Lawrence Hall of Science is a public science center featuring hands-on exhibits and activities. Located in the hills above the University of California, Berkeley campus, LHS is also a resource center for preschool through high school science and mathematics education.Established in 1968 in...
at University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
Also known as Tim Yo, he is remembered for popularizing "Punk Rock Infrastructure", essentially an informal ideal of necessary worldwide community among punks. He gathered a number of like-minded partisans for the burgeoning punk genre and established a number of collectives in the DIY spirit, such as 924 Gilman Street
924 Gilman Street
924 Gilman Street is an all-ages, not for profit, collectively organized music club usually referred to by its fans simply as "The Gilman." It is located in the West Berkeley area of Berkeley, California about a mile and a half west of the North Berkeley BART station and a quarter-mile west of San...
, Blacklist Mailorder, and the Epicenter Zone community center.
Yohannan helped to mold the early 1980s American punk scene and tied in various international punk scenes as well, documenting them in MRR Scene Reports. Yohannan was always mindful of the central conflict between punk rock's essentially ungovernable force and the apparent need for punk rock infrastructure. This conflict could be considered a sort of dualistic driving force which ensured his project's success.
As a self-appointed herdsman of the punks, Yohannan had a reputation as being notoriously difficult. He was a hardened ideologue with a strong puritanical streak but—luckily—also a sense of humor; he also had an extremely practical side that was results focused, and so his projects arguably avoided the problems of some collective endeavors which get bogged down in debate. Instead, Yohannan would simply declare what he perceived as "right", and move forward. Yohannan was also a 1960s counterculture-era leftist
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
. Still, this ideological element created many rifts in the punk scene. His divisive personality was described in the NOFX
NOFX
NOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
song "I'm Telling Tim" in which if Tim found out you were doing things not in accordance to Tim's beliefs, you would get "ostracized like Lawrence" (Livermore).
Tributes: MDC Millions of dead cops did a tribute song titled "Timmy Yo" a great song on their album corpses of the ultimate dominators.
Quotes
"Records are not just records any more. They come with lyric sheets & there's all sorts of information in them, political stuff, addresses, iconoclastic representations of existing society."—Tim Yohannan, 1984
"What's important about punk rock is its independence of government & of corporations & its network that exist outside of that. That is what is political...not the words, not the music as much as the independence..."
—Tim Yohannan