posted 09-14-2002 02:04 PM         

“Search & Destroy gives the fullest picture of what it was like to be in the punk underground at the very beginning: 1976-1979” - Last Gasp Newsletter

Here are the crucial issues No. 2 through No.10 (1977-1978), minus the first issue, which is ultra-rare but small on content, and minus the penultimate no. 11 which is mostly pictorials. If you have seen the V-Search reissue books, you are aware that the unique front & back covers were both reduced there and put on one page. Also, in the original newspaper format the double-page mid-section could be pulled out and used as a poster. (These pullouts included The Clash, Crime, Iggy, Screamers, Avengers, Dils, Weirdos, Devo, and Mutants.) In the book reissues the middle of the pullouts got cropped by the binding. Also, in the early issues, the ads appeared on the same double-page, which could be removed and tossed away.

The San Francisco based Search & Destroy was visually groundbreaking for its day, both in its layout and graphic design. It had a very talented staff of photographers that included Bruce Conner (filmmaker, artist), Charles Gatewood, Richard Peterson, Kamera Zie, Ruby Ray, Judy Parks, Marcus Leatherdale, Sue Brisk, James Stark, and many others.

These copies have been in the safekeeping of one of the original founders of the punk zine. They weren’t hermetically sealed, so there is some fading of the paper, but, since a high quality of newsprint was used, they are in remarkable condition. Remember, the ink will still come off on your hands.