About

The early 2000s were very special years. The independent music scene was alive and well, experiencing a “Golden Age” of emo, pop punk, and hardcore.

In New Jersey, a 16-year-old girl started attending local shows and wondered how she could further support the bands she loved. Without the slightest clue of how to actually do it, she decided to start a music magazine.

Stars and Scars was born in May 2002 and quickly became a DIY dream come true. A young Elyse Jankowski was suddenly backstage, on stage, and on tour buses interviewing and photographing her favorite bands. Word spread as the zine gained contributors, advertisers, sales at record stores across nine states, and recognition from SPIN and Rolling Stone. Five issues were printed before S&S converted to an online format in 2005.

In 2008, Stars and Scars was registered as a concert promotion company and organized successful local shows for two years. After a thrilling eight-year run, S&S went defunct in 2010.

In May 2017, 15 years since its inception, Stars and Scars was rebooted as an online music magazine for the original emo kids and the next generation of forever fans. As of May 2021, the website is no longer updated and serves as an archive, featuring select content from the old zine along with more recent features and photos from an international staff of contributors.

Friends of Stars and Scars