[Cover image features Fugazi]
On August 19, 2025, the book Descenes and Discords: An Anthology will be released, offering a collection of two influential Punk fanzines, Descenes, and Discords, via DiWulf Publishing.
These publications were originally printed and distributed in Washington, D.C. during the late 1970s and early 1980s, capturing “the raw energy, irreverent spirit, and revolutionary ethos” of the underground music scene, with the first being local in coverage, and the second national.
Originally published by writer and musician Howard Wuelfing, Descenes was a “hyperlocal chronicle of D.C.’s burgeoning punk, hardcore and new wave communities.” It featured scene reports, interviews, and live and record reviews of now-legendary acts like Bad Brains, Slickee Boys, and Half Japanese. Discords had a wider lens, covering bands like Black Flag, Pylon, Circle Jerks, Mission of Burma and many more.
Descenes and Discords: An Anthology presents full facsimiles of every issue of both zines, preserving “the original cut-and-paste layouts, typewritten rants, and Xeroxed charm” that speaks to the independent media of the time. The anthology is enriched with new commentary by Howard Wuelfing, reflecting on the zines’ creation and impact.
It also includes a transcribed conversation between Wuelfing and Ian MacKaye, the frontman of Minor Threat and Fugazi, where they discuss the fanzine era’s role in shaping Punk’s identity and legacy. A Foreword by D.C. cultural critic and contributor to both ‘zines, Mark Jenkins sets the historical stage for readers.
Howard Wuelfing says:
Now more than ever, people are looking back at how music scenes formed without algorithms, managers, or marketing budgets. Descenes and Discords were created in that spirit — to connect, to amplify voices, to celebrate what was happening right in front of us. Revisiting these zines is a reminder of what’s possible when people care more about passion than polish.
The book will be available via DiWulf.com and at a few select independent book and record stores. It will not be available through Amazon.
