CLASSIC POP Magazine - ILM's Ideal Magazine for Old Farts?

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http://www.classicpopmag.com/

Classic Pop is the magazine for all lovers of great pop music. We have the golden age of pop from post-punk to Live Aid at our heart - but there's plenty more on what led to the New Wave and what followed in its wake. Sign up to our newsletter, find out more and check out special subscription offers...

http://www.classicpopmag.com/about/

Classic Pop is the new bi-monthly magazine that finally gives pop music the recognition it deserves. After decades of rock magazines wallowing in the 60s and 70s, Classic Pop truly celebrates the explosion of creativity and diversity that shook up music in the late 70s, defined the sound of the 80s, and continues to influence today. Whether it’s New Wave, synth-pop, indie, ska or the New Romantics, Classic Pop gives the artists and music in-depth coverage in a glossy, high-quality magazine.

look out for Issue One – on sale Thursday 4 October!

It amuses me that news of this appears just as we run FORGET THE ROLLING STONE CANON HERE IS ILM'S HARD STICK OF 1980'S ROCK POLL ALBUMS/TRACKS VOTING THREAD. (Voting closes September 20) (all welcome to vote inc Lurkers)

So who is planning on buying it?

"If you can remember when things were better than they are now...."

(Does anyone remember that Denis Norden show?)

So this is Mojo for Gen X Smash Hits readers?

1st front cover is this
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51C4ypLMl9L._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Here are some dummy covers

http://www.classicpopmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/CPcovers400px1.jpg

classic pop artists like kate bush and depeche mode!

sounds like rockist popism. oh wait this is a u.k. thing, right? that explains it.

It's by the same publishers a 'Electronic' magazine, which I was quite keen on buying until I saw the price, £7.99! I assume this is a smilasr deal' in which case it's a pass regardless of content, which looks too nostalgic fwiw.

£7.99!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????????

No way would I have bought it then even if they had stocked it.

surprised nobody picked up on this We have the golden age of pop from post-punk to Live Aid at our heart

so this is not like, in-depth reportage on billy ocean and miami sound machine? "here's paula abdul remembering things about '89".

Has this got something to do with Word maagzine folding

The proliferation of these overpriced nostalgia publications would signal that this is the only kind of topic that sells well. From classic rock to retro gaming mags - why are people buying these and not publications about 'new' stuff? I wonder what other 'Keep The Faith'-style titles we can look forward to?

Win95 Monthly
Nineties Snackforce
Millennium Bugz
Electroclasher

Did this start with the magazine that was really gothcentric last month, THE Cure & other dark wavers or whatever t was called?

That seemed to be part of the Classic Rock/Prog etc umbrella & to want to be an ongoing zine but I hadn't seen the series before. Could be I'm missing releases from the U.k. here in Ireland.

Whether it’s New Wave, synth-pop, indie, ska or the New Romantics

Still no New Pop, then.

What we want is New Pop era quality of writing about stuff that's happening now, e.g. long-form analysis of Channel Orange that's as good as 1982 Paul Morley would have done it but not done by 2012 Paul Morley with endless lists, Manchester/Joy Division/my dad/kids today etc.

Would-be novellists are often told "write about what you know"

Seems that goes for music writers, now...

The thing is, the only people who are going to buy this are the same as who buy all the other ones, i.e. Al Murray As The Pub Landlord looky-likeys who go to MVE with printed lists.

You know, that might actually be Al Murray in his 'I'm nothing like that in real life you know' guise...

I would actually read music mags if the content and writing was you know, good...

It's those darn internet so-called "critics" that have done the music mags in...

I often wonder if that's not the only reason though. People still like to buy a magazine, to read on the train or flick through before bed. Sure the internet's taken a big part of the market, a huge part, but why do the existing mags have to be so damn feeble and joyless.

I hate to slag em off too much as they were the ones who gave me my first published writing gig and do a lot to help break new writers, but the average feature in Clash reads like a university essay. It's not that they're necessarily misinformed or badly written, just so staid and lifeless. It's a long time ago now but part of the reason I used to enjoy reading mags was because aside from being informative they were also fun to read.

I wouldn't say so much a university essay, more an application form (the bit you write in the "Why should we give you this job?" section).

Unfortunately when you have certain monthly magazines which forbid the use of the first person singular anywhere, it's hard to carve out a readable careeer as a music writer.

But then these magazines are not really meant for you and me, more for the audience their advertisers would like them to have, i.e. proceed on the basis that they know nothing and need to be told everything. "Passing trade," as I believe is the journalistic term.

"Classic Pop is the new bi-monthly magazine that finally gives pop music the recognition it deserves."

this is the silly part for me. as if nobody gives recognition to kate bush or depeche mode and the pet shop boys. but i'm guessing this is aimed at people who haven't listened to kate bush, depeche mode, or the pet shop boys SINCE thew 80s.

it just looks like a new wave mojo to me. which is fine. but mojo covers the 80's too! and so do the other brit classic rock mags.

and, yeah, most of these mags aren't looking for cranks like us to buy.

"Classic Pop is the new bi-monthly magazine that finally gives pop music the recognition it deserves."

this is the silly part for me. as if nobody gives recognition to kate bush or depeche mode and the pet shop boys. but i'm guessing this is aimed at people who haven't listened to kate bush, depeche mode, or the pet shop boys SINCE thew 80s.

I think it's taking a sort of retro-popist "yah boo all you Mojos and Words banging on about Dylan and the Beatles all day. Fuck offs cunto grandad, we know when the real good era of music was and it was the 80s"...

The latest Mojo's Smiths cover article is an extract from a book. The Kraftwerk article in the same issue is also an extract from a book. Whilst admirable and interesting I would rather read articles which are specially commissioned and 'of a piece', so they tell a full tale rather than part of one.

This Classic Pop mag sounds... uninteresting. 80s nostalgia. I was there at the time, I don't really want to go there again unless it tells me something new. And eight quid is a lot of money to ask for it without some prime hook (no free CD?). Frankly for two quid more I could get two Simon Reynolds books in HMV and probably get more pleasure.

that'll be the same Simon Reynolds who spends most of his time these days apologising for liking everything he raved about in the eighties.

I'll also be contributing to a panel discussion hosted by the Quietus and titled 'The Avant Garde is Only Good If You Can Fuck, Dance or Take Drugs To It'

I mean, who said you couldn't?

and, yeah, most of these mags aren't looking for cranks like us to buy.

I don't care if the mag appeals to our level of music knowledge or not. I'd just like it to read less like an instruction manual and more like something you'd WANT to read. They managed it with Select in the nineties and I knew little about music at the time, but the quality of coverage led me to buy that mag every month. If I were a young reader with a passing interest in music it wouldn't take much more than a quick flick through the current newsstand offerings to realise that I'd better look elsewhere; never mind being put off new music entirely by this bone-dry dross.

Clash is just...so bad, so lifeless, so unengaging. One of those weird music magazines where no one writing for them seems to be that enthused by anything they're having to cover.

Bit of self-promo and not entirely relevant so shoot me down if needs be, but Crack magazine (bad name, I know) who I do bits and bobs for, is usually worth a read. Its free too. The writers are usually pretty knowledgeable, interested, and more importantly not gushing about stuff.

Does artrocker still exist?

Artrocker seems to still be going. Latest issue has Tim Burgess on the front cover.

Last one I saw was this one. Uhhh...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A2cMOhLCMAIu-MM.jpg

If I were a young reader with a passing interest in music it wouldn't take much more than a quick flick through the current newsstand offerings to realise that I'd better look elsewhere; never mind being put off new music entirely by this bone-dry dross.

idk if I was 15 or whatever and more or less a blank slate when it came to getting into 'music culture', I'd probably be taken in by the overenthusiasm of NME and/or Kerrang. monthly magazines, yeah maybe not much for Today's Teens out there right now

still think ppl have a very [puts on shades] selective memory when it comes to Select and the amount of landfill they gushed about

very selective memories about Select on ILM

xpost Select did cover a lot of guff (as well as good/interesting things), but I never remember the features and writing being boring nor particularly gushy or PR-led. Dwight Yorke is right about Clash and other mags like it - it's as though the writers don't actually give a monkeys about their subject and everything's just written in this prescribed "come on just a few more words about Micachu and the Shapes and we can all go home" kind of way.

yep, for the most part Select really wasn't all that. You don't get music mags giving away free packets of Rice Krispies these days, though.

Man, the day that cereal packet came out was amazing for 15 y/o me.

wow, did i have that? i totally remember buying a brit magazine that came in a big cereal box. thought it was awesome.

Mini can of Tango as well, iirc.

pretty much guarantee the cereal and the Tango wd be better than any of the artistes in the mag

Funny how we'd rather remember a 90s mag than talk about a new mag that remembers the 80s.

Select did mixtapes - or rather told you what to put on the tape, provided you with a sleeve and left you to get on with it. These days they would just direct you to Youtube links.

Maybe Select and it's writers will relaunch one day as a Britpop Nostalgia mag? After all, they started Britpop.

There was a point in history when I adored Select. I think it was roughly 92/93. Graham Lineham wrote the movie reviews and I purchased a hot streak of albums on the strength of their reviews. But when I think back I was easily impressed back then and the only ones I can remember are Gravediggaz, The Jesus Lizard, The Pharcyde, The Silver Jews, Redman and Royal Trux. A lot of the stuff that followed was suede/blur/oasis. Thats when I blanked them out. There was a point where they seemed to get it right, I just cant date it from memory. I know when they started they were just another shit british rock mag with Bono on the cover with wrap around shades. The point where I stopped reading it every month was when I bought Gentlemen by The Afghan Whigs on the strength of one of their reviews and considered it absolutely awful.

that's a great album

I absolutely loathed it at the time. I was only about 20 at the time and still feel the same about it. It just doesn't do anything for me and is very laboured and dead.

It was Jon Ronson who took over from Lineham on film review duties. He had the balls to say that Hal Hartley's Amateur was better than Pulp Fiction. We are now in an era when Bradshaw gives 4 stars to Guy Ritchie movies in The Guardian.

I find it sad that I didn't even have to look this up. All from memory.

Sometimes I struggle to remember my wifes birthday.

Blimey, the mini-can of Tango - I remember that. Also the "mixtape" whereby you had to go and buy all the music yourself and compile it, until they saw the circulation figures and started giving away free tapes (not that any of them were that good).

But reading the monthlies now is like listening to over-zealous Radio 2/6Music broadcasters - ex-Select writer S Maconie, I'm looking at you - who over-explain and over-compensate and make listening to music radio about as sexy and exciting as a Wednesday morning in Hendon with Joy "Naughty Naughty Naughty" Sarney. You're waiting for the blackboard, chalk and lectern.

Someone at R2 actually admitted that their programmes were aimed at sad middle-aged men who have been collecting vinyl for thirty years and only want to be told what they already know, over and over.

When they play The Mekons' "Where were you" in preference to "Teenage Kicks" just *one time*, then we'll talk, Radio 2.

The only amusing bits on Radcliffe and Maconie's 6music show are when they get all pissy about having to play anything even slightly outside their comfort zone.

Even when he does his Freak Zone programmes, Maconie still comes across as a middle-aged university lecturer doing his desperate bit to get down with Teh Kids. Further to which, even calling the programme The Freak Zone is tantamount to putting up towers of barbed wire to passing/casual listeners and scrawling TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED. But that’s enough about BBC radio.

But reading the monthlies now is like listening to over-zealous Radio 2/6Music broadcasters - ex-Select writer S Maconie, I'm looking at you - who over-explain and over-compensate and make listening to music radio about as sexy and exciting as a Wednesday morning in Hendon with Joy "Naughty Naughty Naughty" Sarney. You're waiting for the blackboard, chalk and lectern.

This, or they may as well just publish the PR sheet verbatim.

A lot of them do (naming no names).

I don't mind Maconie's OU lecturer act on Freak/Freakier Zone. Then again i don't need or even want the act of listening to radio to be "sexy".

Haven't listened to Maconie since the 90s but gushy radio presenters who constantly blether away about how much they luuurve the record they just played is one of my biggest bugbears. Actually I think this was the subject of my first ever ILM thread. I don't mind a bit of enthusiasm, especially if it's genuine and more importantly interesting, but all this "I was sitting in my kitchen the other day when this song came on and I have to say that this will blow you away" thing is so dully condescending it makes me want to switch off immediately.

You have to be able to balance it out. Too much enthusiasm and you wonder: "which PR company is paying the DJ to say this?"

I'd rather have sexy radio than Aspergic radio.

i.e. explain every last thing about the Clash as though brains or Google or YouTube didn't exist because you're afraid if you don't your listeners will switch to BetterMusicMix FM where they can hear "London Calling" 200 times an hour.

I think it's a common problem with music radio and music publishing; it's an industry based not on love, but on fear.

Print media is just more risky these days. At least with digital if you cover something niche you're sort of guaranteed someone will be interested, and even if they aren't it's not the end of the world. Once you start having to factor in printing and logistical costs it all becomes hedged bets.

But again it's not so much what is covered that gets me, it's how it's covered. We're at a stage where prestige for a written article has switched from print to digital, so a respectable writer would more likely appear online than in one of these shallow rags.

which is why people like Morley are pathologically grumpy about So-Called Internet Critics superseding "traditional gatekeepers." Someone from '76 calling himself a "traditional gatekeeper," oh my sides.

Something mags used to do was take the piss quite a bit - out of musicians, out of the music industry, out of themselves even. There was a kind of irreverence, a "who gives a hoot, it's only music" attitude that I don't see much any more even in the best publications and sites and certainly not in mainstream alt-monthlies where even a mildly disparaging review is considered daring.

was thinking about how much i LOVED buying magazines and how many magazines i used to buy! i would go to a barnes & noble 10+ years ago and buy, like, 15 magazines at a time. i never buy magazines anymore. i'll buy ugly things once or twice a year or however often it comes out and maybe once a year in the winter during a blizzard i might get some new mags at the drug store if i think i'll be inside all day.

turns out most of the planet can live without them.

i'd guess a lot of the demographic who used to buy magazines when travelling have portable dvds/internet/whatever that takes away their need to read

http://khu.music.s3.amazonaws.com/songify_504f6c10e6a0e.mp3

Celeb gossip magazines still sell shitloads and that stuff is all over the internet too.

Picked up this 'Classic Pop' thingie.
Editorially, it ticks off all the right boxes for a 40 yr old raised on synths n ABC n mtv, but the writing is flat and uninspired and the layout is kinda ugly. Oh well.

Can't see this lasting very long.

http://www.classicpopmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/CP01.CoverUK-250px-210x300.jpg

The story of Trevor Horn's ZIT

couldn't have been less entertaining than their story of Trevor Horn's ZTT!

mr.raffles, man he was mean (but probably fair)

btw what was the 'influence of Kraftwerk' article like? I'd like to imagine that it was just some blank pages with a note at the top saying 'If you've bought this magazine you can probably write this article yourself.'

On The Road With Madness - Adam Ant

^^^ you're ALL doing a much better job than CP did!

@sno - every article is a 'you could've written it yourself!' no real insight at all in these pages.

The Kraftwerk bit is an excerpt from 'Publikation' btw.

There's quite a bit of cobbling together features from existing sources.

Now with Added Vintage Rock Magazine

http://www.vintagerockmag.com/subscribe/

We were once given some tickets to see Goldfrapp supporting Duran Duran at the M.E.N Arena. It was a bit of a shock to see middle-aged people in cardigans *losing it* for the headliners. Classic Pop reminds me of that sometimes but it does have some very good writers.

how much is this mag now?

found out that Classic Pop is not part of the classic rock/prog etc stable and is just cashing in on the name

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NWHJMH3

Who should win the best ever 80s album? Tell us your favourite albums from the 80s and be in with a chance of winning 20 classic 80s albums courtesy of Universal. You can choose between one and 10 albums. Get your thinking cap on!