John R. Davis
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jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis
@jrdarchivist.bsky.social
620 followers 200 following 130 posts

Archivist, musician, curator, writer, DJ on WOWD

My book, "Keep Your Ear to the Ground: A History of Punk Fanzines in Washington, D.C.", is out now:
https://press.georgetown.edu/Book/Keep-Your-Ear-to-the-Ground

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Economics 23%
Art 15%
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jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · 3d
Concerts I Attended: The Paul Collins Beat at Soho Lounge/SXSW in Austin, TX. - March 15, 2008. This was a great, much-deserved revival period for Paul, whose 1979 album, "The Beat," is one of the best records ever made. #concertsiattended #powerpop #musicsky #paulcollins

youtu.be/3XQoxitioEU?...
Paul Collins Beat - SXSW 2008 - Let Me Into Your Life
YouTube video by LW
youtu.be

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · 3d
The 1989 episode of my radio show on WOWD, This Year's Model, is up for listening now! With guest co-host Sarah Grady, we'll hear Beastie Boys, Fugazi, Pixies, De La Soul, Janet Jackson, Replacements, Throwing Muses, REM, The The, XTC, Public Enemy, Nirvana & more.

www.mixcloud.com/thisyearsmod...

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · 3d
Thank you, @imleor.bsky.social! A nice preview of my upcoming event/conversation with @caboosezine.bsky.social for "Keep Your Ear to the Ground: A History of Punk Fanzines in Washington, D.C." at @quimbysbookstore.bsky.social in Chicago this Friday, January 16 at 6:30pm. #DCpunk #Zines #Fanzines

Reposted by John Davis

imleor.bsky.social
Leor Galil @imleor.bsky.social · 3d
New Gossip Wolf:
@griefeaterisaband.bsky.social celebrate their (great!) new album at Subt!
@intlanthem.bsky.social presents two chances to see Gilles Peterson!
@jrdarchivist.bsky.social talks D.C. punk fanzines @quimbysbookstore.bsky.social!
And more!
Local shoegazers Griefeater celebrate one of the great unsung albums of 2025 - Chicago Reader
Griefeater celebrate one of the great unsung albums of 2025, UK DJ Gilles Peterson visits for two events with International Anthem, and more
chicagoreader.com

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · 9d
Znz, one of my favorite places to track down old punk fanzines for sale, put together a batch of old D.C.-area zines that they're selling, most of which are written about in my new book, "Keep Your Ear to the Ground: A History of Punk Fanzines in D.C." You can definitely find some classics there--->
Keep Your Ear To The Ground
Celebrate the rich history of zines and counterculture in the greater Washington, DC area. Check out John R. Davis' book, published via the Georgetown University Press.
getznz.com

Reposted by John Davis

umd-arhu.bsky.social
College of Arts and Humanities at UMD @umd-arhu.bsky.social · 11d
Revolution Summer reshaped D.C. punk in 1985. Forty years later, its cultural and political impact lives on through the UMD Libraries D.C. Punk Archive, a leading collection documenting punk’s DIY media, political expression and community.
Read more via WAMU: wamu.org/story/25/12/...
In 1985, D.C. punks declared a "Revolution Summer." Its legacy resonates today
In 1985, D.C. punks sought to reset the politics and music of the D.C. punk scene. 40 years later, punks carry Revolution Summer into middle age.
wamu.org

Reposted by John Davis

umd-arhu.bsky.social
College of Arts and Humanities at UMD @umd-arhu.bsky.social · 11d
Our Dean, Stephanie Shonekan, is featured on today’s 1A rebroadcast discussing protest music, Afrobeats, and Fela Kuti’s legacy of political resistance. The segment highlights her research on his mother and her influence on his life and music. the1a.org/segments/pro...
Protest songs, Afrobeats, and Fela Kuti's legacy of political resistance (Rebroadcast)
Musicians have had a lot to say about the state of the world.
the1a.org

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · 13d
Always happy to see Leon Berkowitz getting attention. His art is among my favorite (plus the D.C. connection). It's like the visual equivalent of Laurie Spiegel's "The Expanding Universe" -- depth, awe, gravity, warmth, mystery, beauty.

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · 13d
Quimby's has asked for people interested in attending to register here, if possible: www.eventbrite.com/e/john-davis...

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · 13d
Chicago! I'll be appearing at @quimbysbookstore.bsky.social in conversation with Liz Mason (@caboosezine.bsky.social) on Friday, January 16 at 6:30pm. We'll be talking about my book, "Keep Your Ear to the Ground: A History of Punk Fanzines in Washington, D.C." and I'd love to see you there.

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · 13d
For folks who were asking (especially record stores!), my book, "Keep Your Ear to the Ground: A History of Punk Fanzines in Washington, D.C." is now available to purchase from Dischord Records both for mailorder and for stores to carry!

dischord.com/release/GUP1...
John Davis - Keep Your Ear to the Ground (GUP1)
In Keep Your Ear to the Ground, the archivist and musician John R. Davis unveils the development of punk fanzines and their role in supporting DC's hardcore and punk scene from the 1970s into the twen...
dischord.com

Reposted by John Davis

caboosezine.bsky.social
Liz Mason @caboosezine.bsky.social · 17d
I'll be talking with John R. Davis about his excellent new book Keep Your Ear to the Ground: A History of Punk Fanzines in Washington, D.C. at @quimbysbookstore.bsky.social on 1/16. What a great way to kick off the new year! Come join us! www.quimbys.com/blog/store-e...
Cut and paste-style graphics of zine covers with the cover of the book that reads "Keep Your Ear to the Ground: A History of Punk Fanzines in Washington, DC -- John R. Davis in Conversation with Liz Mason at Quimby's on Friday 1/16 6:30"

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · 24d
A great one-two punch of videos ("Listen to Me" and "Places That Are Gone") from Tommy Keene's major label debut album, Songs From the Film. Both directed by Rocky Schenck. Transferred from a VHS tape in the Tommy Keene papers at the University of Maryland.

hdl.handle.net/1903.1/103866
Tommy Keene, "Listen to Me" and "Places That Are Gone" videos, 1986 - Avalon
hdl.handle.net

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · 25d
This exhibit from last year at UMD's Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library is no longer up, but this video we made still has some interesting/timeless elements about the career of the D.C. area musicologist and audio engineer, Boden Sandstrom.

youtu.be/dUKrthJnw1Q?...
Boden Sandstrom: Cultivating Music, Community, and Feminism on Display through May 2024
YouTube video by Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library
youtu.be

Reposted by John Davis

dcsuburbanite.bsky.social
Steve Kiviat @dcsuburbanite.bsky.social · 29d
exhibitions.lib.umd.edu/dc-punk

Lots of of scanned flyers, zine covers, photos & some interviews from the dc punk scene
Persistent Vision: The DC Punk Collections at UMD
an in depth exploration of the D.C. punk collections at the University of Maryland (UMD)
exhibitions.lib.umd.edu

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · Dec 16
Here's an online presentation I did on D.C. punk fanzines a few weeks ago for the D.C. Mondays series at the George Washington University Museum and Textile Museum
vimeo.com/1143127959
D.C. Mondays: A History of Punk Fanzines in Washington
Fanzines are DIY print publications made in small runs by fans, for fans. Washington, D.C.'s influential punk rock community has generated countless fanzines…
vimeo.com

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · Dec 16
The 1984 episode of my radio show on #WOWD, This Year's Model, is up now! A great year for music with songs from REM, Prince, Madonna, Die Kreuzen, the Spongetones, Husker Du, Laraaji, Nick Lowe, Meat Puppets, Marginal Man, and tons more. #radiosky #communityradio

www.mixcloud.com/thisyearsmod...
TYM0015: This Year's Model: 1984 - November 26, 2025
This episode of This Year's Model focuses on the music of 1984. Features songs from Husker Du, Laraaji, R.E.M., Prince, the Spongetones, Madonna, Nick Lowe, Meat Puppets, Tones on Tail, Huey Lewis and...
www.mixcloud.com

Reposted by John Davis

dcsuburbanite.bsky.social
Steve Kiviat @dcsuburbanite.bsky.social · Dec 7
Went to 5 pm interview of John Davis regarding his DC Punk Fanzines book @ People’s Book; now @ 7 pm interview of Selamino from Ibex and Roha Bands from Ethiopia at the Sitar Center. He has been living in dc area for awhile

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · Dec 4
I guest lectured at UMD's "We Are The World" class earlier this semester DC's Revolution Summer & punk percussion protests starting in 1985, highlighting a parallel/alternate form of creative activism the same weeks "WATW" was breaking. Dean Shonekan is a great, imaginative scholar & instructor.
Listening in on Lessons From ‘We Are the World’ | Maryland Today
Dean Teaches ARHU Course on Arts and Humanities of a Single Song
today.umd.edu

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · Nov 29
41 years ago today - Gray Matter and Rites of Spring concert flier, Food For Thought, Washington, D.C. - November 29, 1984. Art by Steve Niles. From the Sharon Cheslow punk flyers collection at the University of Maryland. #DCpunk @dischord.com #Emo #Punk #PunkRock #PunkFlyers #PunkArchive

Reposted by James A. Hodges

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · Nov 28
My book on the history of fanzines created by Washington, D.C.'s punk community was just published last month via @georgetownup.bsky.social. It's called "Keep Your Ear to the Ground: A History of Punk Fanzines in Washington, D.C." and more info is available here: press.georgetown.edu/Book/Keep-Yo...

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · Nov 25
The new episode of my radio show, This Year's Model, is up! This one focuses on 1998, so we'll hear from Elliott Smith, Outkast, Aaliyah, Braid, Komeda, Belle & Sebastian, JAY-Z, Fugazi, Massive Attack, Lauryn Hill, @remhq.bsky.social, & more.

www.mixcloud.com/thisyearsmod...

#radio #1990s #WOWD

Reposted by John Davis

dotdashdc.bsky.social
Dot Dash @dotdashdc.bsky.social · Nov 25
➡️ washingtoncitypaper.com/article/774737/beats-me-is-back-with-new-music-from-black-fortune-phil-ade-and-kind-of-christine/

@wcp.bsky.social @krecs.bsky.social @dcsuburbanite.bsky.social

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · Nov 21
A solid tune from Tommy Keene's great "Songs From the Film" album. What a privilege that we have Tommy's music in the world. I once got to share the stage with him for a duet on "Ruby Tuesday." I remember looking across the stage while we harmonized and just being like "whoa, that's Tommy Keene!"
TOMMY KEENE : Listen To Me - Directed by ROCKY SCHENCK
YouTube video by Rocky Schenck
youtu.be

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · Nov 10
I'll be talking about "Keep Your Ear to the Ground" with the great Emily Flake (who wrote the foreword) this Friday Nov 14 at Books Are Magic's Smith Street location in Brooklyn at 7pm.

RSVP here!:

www.eventbrite.com/e/in-store-j...

#DCpunk #Booksky #BooksAreMagic

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · Oct 31
For D.C. punk fanzine archives in person, visit us at the University of Maryland or see our friends at @dcpubliclibrary.bsky.social for their great D.C. punk archive.

Online, at UMD, we have an exhibit of our digitized DC punk materials, including many zines: exhibitions.lib.umd.edu/dc-punk
Persistent Vision: The DC Punk Collections at UMD
an in depth exploration of the D.C. punk collections at the University of Maryland (UMD)
exhibitions.lib.umd.edu

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · Oct 31
Ah, good question! Favorite zines = Vintage Violence or Infiltrator (both from the late 70s), Truly Needy or Thrillseeker (early to mid 80s), Turn Around or Greed (mid to late 80s), Fake, Who Cares, Uno Mas, or Teenage Gang Debs from the early 90s ... ok, sorry, it's too hard to narrow it down!

Reposted by John Davis

akashicbooks.bsky.social
Akashic Books @akashicbooks.bsky.social · Oct 31
Swiz book and Keep your Ear to the Ground spotted in the wild! Quintessential reading necessary to bolster your street cred!

www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/swiz/
#punkrock #punk #punkflyers #punkrockers #diy #rockbooks @dischord.com

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · Oct 30
Thanks to the folks at @wamu.org for this article and for talking about "Keep Your Ear to the Ground: A History of Punk Fanzines in Washington, D.C." on the radio these past few days!

#DCpunk #Booksky #Zines #Fanzines
In 'Keep Your Ear to the Ground,' local author and archivist traces the history of D.C. punk fanzines
In "Keep Your Ear to the Ground," University of Maryland archivist and former Q and Not U drummer John R. Davis traces the history of D.C. punk fanzines.
wamu.org

jrdarchivist.bsky.social
John R. Davis @jrdarchivist.bsky.social · Oct 29
The latest episode of This Year's Model -- my radio show on WOWD/Takoma Radio -- is up now. This one covers music from 1976, like the Damned, the Slickee Boys, Stevie Wonder, Bohannon, Mort Garson, Selda Bagcan, the Saints, AC/DC, Max Romeo, Crime, and lots more.

www.mixcloud.com/thisyearsmod...