Has The NME Got Good?

& mostly shite

I guess that's why Radiohead have been getting blanket critical slatings for the past 15 years as well

Thom Yorke is apparently quite high maintenance though isn't he? I mean, the guy from Travis seems like a lovely guy... worst mistake you can make I reckon. I bet him and Terrorvision are a great laugh down the pub.

Thom Yorke is paranoid and at times rather arrogant in his unwillingness to be a pop star. Those guys from Dodgy and Travis are just fairly cool guys, and less interesting to write about than, say, Oasis. Chris Martin has started to act a bit more like a pop star after he became one, and this may be the reason why the press hasn't tired of Coldplay to the same extent.

that nme cover is next level

Thom Yorke has, famously, wanted to be a pop star ever since he was born.

At the point where you achieve your *ambition*, you had better have some more reason or raison'detre than when you were three.

So, by then his "popstarness" is firmly established, and the ability to walk through walls is implicit, hey he can look as 'disinterested' and he knows it won't matter.

When he sang that song about "oh such a lovely garden, oh such a lovely house", i suspected he was a hypocrite as it would be fairly certain he'd have a huge house someplace, and fair enough. Eventually some article showed he did have a huge place, but it was fairly castle-crumbly and the garden hadn't been mowed for decades. Still, though.

^exterior life of Thom Yorke

mark g prefers songwriters who have no idea what they're talking abt

blimey, I do!

It is so odd how Geir writes like he has stolen every line from an old copy of Q on whatever subject is bought up, like he is *schoolin'* us. No more, no less.

Schooly G

The Music 1999 - 2011: Why They'll Be Missed

It came as a cruel irony today that midway through our first listen to the godforsaken new Brother record, news landed that The Music were splitting up.

RIP guys, heaven needed a ropey Verve knock-off.

Ropey Verve probably the worst era to knock off.

Has anyone read this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/images/1907554483/ref=dp_image_z_0?ie=UTF8&n=266239&s=books

Briefly skimmed through it at Waterstones to see if Mr S1nk3r late of this parish was in it and he wasn't or any mention of his U2 review being spiked. So if it's missing something as key as that, I wonder how thorough it is with the rest of the history.

That's this book btw.

http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/richmedia/images/cover.gif

Oh ffs, just click the link instead http://www.amazon.co.uk/History-NME-Worlds-Famous-Magazine/dp/1907554483/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331055546&sr=8-1

I did suggest to mr S that there could be a fascinating book about the 'tribes' that inhabited NMEworld back in the day, and how they evolved/mutated. He seemed to srsly consider the idea, laffed even.

for those who, like me, didn't know the story:

U2/NME versus Sinker

is the full review anywhere online?

Pat Long was assistant editor at NME during the 2000s.

yyyyeeah, this doesn't sound more promising than re-reading the reminiscences in the 40th anniversary issue

Pat is a cool dude and a good writer iircimho

I also only skimmed it in aforementioned book chain but unless I totally missed it there was next to no coverage of the last 10-15 years

Don't think anyone cares or wants to read anecdotes from The Killers about the Conor McNicholas era, even taking into account declining relevance of print media etc etc. My guess is it ends post-Britpop?

I did suggest to mr S that there could be a fascinating book about the 'tribes' that inhabited NMEworld back in the day, and how they evolved/mutated. He seemed to srsly consider the idea, laffed even

I would definitely read that book.

I don't the NME has been relevant for a long time, so it makes sense that coverage would end about 10-15 years ago.

Pat's a sound guy, a great writer and I think it's reasonable to end the book at the start of the internet age.

There are severe problems with proofing, subbing though...

shame.

despite the fact i am no longer target audience, every time i have flicked through the nme recently have been impressed with the changes krissi has brought in :

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/apr/12/nme-krissi-murison-sunday-times?CMP=twt_fd

of course, if an ilm'r steps up ..

Yeah she made a decent job of it, it seemed a much less blinkered and, well, condescending publication over the last few years. Conor McNicholas tended to treat his readership like idiots who could only focus on three bands at once.

Co-signed. Sadly McNicholas had already wrecked that ship by the time she took over.

I'd be perfectly happy to send in my CV but unfortunately I am at least twice the age of whoever they're looking for.

It's a decent paper once again, even if not for me thesedays, yes.

oh well looks like marcello, didn't get the job.

from CMJ mailout :

IPC yesterday announced the promotion of NME's Deputy Editor Mike Williams to the role of Editor. Williams, of course, replaces Krissi Murrison, who announced this year that she was moving on to become Features Editor of The Sunday Times Magazine.

Williams joined NME in 2010, prior to which he founded and was editor of Kruger magazine for six years. Initially freelancing for the music weekly, he then took on the role of Features Editor before moving up to become Murison's deputy.

Upon the announcement, Williams told CMU: "I'm super excited to be the new editor of NME. As far as dream positions go, it really doesn't get any better than this. Krissi Murison has done an amazing job as my predecessor, and I'm totally honoured to pick up the baton from her. My challenge is to make NME magazine and the wider NME brand even sharper, our message more coherent and to engage even more with NME's audience of passionate music fans. With the brilliant team we've got in place, I can't wait to get started!"

Meanwhile IPC's Publishing Director Emily Hutchings added: "After an extensive recruitment process, I am absolutely thrilled to announce Mike Williams as the next editor of NME. He brings with him a wealth of editorial experience as well as knowledge in managing multiplatform brand extensions. Mike demonstrated a clear strategic vision and passion for NME that will help take the brand on to even greater success".

The NME print publication, of course, is in terminal decline despite gallant efforts by Murison to overhaul the magazine, though the wider NME brand remains as strong as ever, with future potential almost certainly locked to online and digital innovations

I've known the dude for years - nice guy - no real idea what he'll be like editing the NME but it's cool by me

I didn't apply.

So, is it good, bad, somewhere in between, or who cares anyway?

Isn't it Libertiones one week 1980s Mojo Heritage the next atm?

Just the two Noel Gallaghers, one Kurt Cobain and one Richey Edwards so far this year.

Good grief they actually put the Prodigy on the cover this year, who on earth is that meant to please?

their record label who ponies up the advertising?

ooh .. you cynical b*stard.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jul/06/nme-to-go-free-with-larger-circulation

Confirmed.

Wonder if this will see the levels of Arctic Monkeys and Johnny Marr front covers plumetting

Wonder if this will see the NME basically becoming nothing more than an advertorial for whoever the industry needs to sell.

This move doesn't surprise me at all.

No magazine has ever become smarter after switching to free distribution (witness the miserable travesty that is Time Out these days), but the cover should be a non-issue given there's likely to be wrap-around advertising on every copy.

guess the writing really is on the wall when this rag can't even inspire much of an ilm point n'laff pile-on.

I remember when Zig-Zag magazine became a freebie given away at Our Price shops. lasted 2 editions, yeah?

more details from the NME of the new free magazine:

A statement to the media confirmed that music is "firmly at the heart of the brand" but there will also be "film, fashion, television, politics, gaming and technology".
Read more at http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/86702#bycyB6vkzCsv1KW3.99

so could the new NME be like a combination of: The Guardian Guide, i-D, Dazed, New Statesman, Mashable, Engadget UK and Wired UK - plus the core Music coverage.

Seems the NME will also be more like Ireland's Hot Press magazine, that has always had a wider politics & current affairs / films / culture / sociology remit.

Maybe the NME will take inspiration from magazines from the past like,

The Face
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Face_(magazine)

e.g the end of year 1985 edition, dated jan 1986 had Grace Jones on the front cover and 1985 the year in review covering: Music Film Fashion Politics Television Design
see
http://fullscream.com/how-old-designers-are-wrong-and-new-designers-are-taking-risks/

so what NME are proposing in reality is reinvention of The Face magazine for modern times. in 1985: Music Film Fashion Politics Television Design in 2015: "film, fashion, television, politics, gaming and technology". gaming and technology rely on good design to succeed. It's the same remit.

additionally, the last relaunch of NME in October 2013,
http://www.theguardian.com/media/media-blog/2013/oct/07/nme-david-bowie-front-cover-music-magazine?CMP=twt_fd

..had a design that some suggested was inspired by The Face. red and white block graphics

so with the design and content - the NME could become The Face magazine for modern times.

another magazine with a similar style content was

Sleazenation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleazenation
"An ideal for living through fashion, art, music and design".

The NME's closest new competitors in terms of content could be

i-d
http://i-d.vice.com/en_gb

dazed
http://www.dazeddigital.com/

...alternatively the new NME could be a disaster of The Fly magazine + Buzzfeed content lite + promotional branded "native advertising"

Or they could just slip it into copies of the upcoming Libertine album

s

and all future Noel Gallagher projects while they're at it.

when they say its not going to focus on indie guitar acts so much does that mean they will cover other music or does it mean less indie music as its covering politics/fashion/whatever in its place but the music focus is sill narrow?