The Music Weeklies

nobody@vox.com(Helpless Dancer) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:30:06 +0000

"Last week's biggest-ever New Musical Express awards show at London's O2 Arena should have been a triumph for Britain's longest-serving rock weekly. It was, says the Editor, Conor McNicholas, “one of the greatest nights on my life” watching Klaxons, Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs and Manic Street Preachers play to 15,000 indie/rock fans.

But there were glum faces and dark mutterings among the assembled media insiders. One key reason for this gloom was the magazine's circulation figures for the second half of 2007. Averaging around 64,000 per issue, they are the lowest ever, and a steep decline on previous years.

Given NME's growing profile online, on TV, at festivals and branded tours, these figures seem a strange and bitter pill. Some industry commentators are even speculating that the print version could close within months. “Who reads the NME then?” Ricky Wilson of the Kaiser Chiefs singer asked pointedly."

The above quotation is from www.timesonline.co.uk and it would appear that the NME as a paper medium may shortly expire.

The music weekly papers were a major source of knowledge for me through the 70's and 80's and as they generally lost out to the new age of glossy monthly magazines it was the NME that held firm though it also, whilst remaining weekly, adopted a magazine format.

Wednesdays used to be special when you picked up your weekly fix of music news and reviews in a traditional broadsheet format, hands would be covered in ink and pictures and articles would be cut out for the wall or a scrap book.

I remain a fond reader of the new range of Music Magazines, many of which feature in this blog (Q Mojo Uncut), which are bright and colourfull and full of good well written articles but as usual nostagia can get the better of you and the fondness remains for the old newspaper format.

Below is a trawl through my memory lane via the front pages of the papers of the past which featured my all time favourite band The Who.

New Musical Express May 1970

This is now somewhat of an iconic edition as this front page has been reproduced as a limited edition signed poster print run and 980/1000 hangs on my office wall.

Sounds May 1976

Sounds was actually the first music paper I bought, this edition lives forever in my memory as it came out during the build up to my first Who concert at Celtic Park on June 5th 1976. The stadium tour, the first of ot it's kind also played at Charlton and Swansea football stadiums under the banner of "Who Put The Boot In"

Who Put The Boot In Poster

New Musical Express June 1976

This edition of the New Musical Express carried the reviews of the concert and was cut up and sellotaped to my wall for many a year.

Melody Maker September 1977

Following the explosion of punk The Who like many of the big bands of the time were accused of being "boring old farts" here Townshend got his own back, after punk lost it's street credibility it was not surprising to read how The Who were a major inspiration to many of the bands.

New Musical Express August 1978

By August 1978 production was beginning on the film "Quadrophenia" and the New Musical Express ran a competition to win the chance to be an extra in the film.

A month later and The Who needed a new drummer following the death of Keith Moon resulting from an accidental over dose of prescription drugs.

Melody Maker October 1978

Melody Maker followed Townshend on the set of "Quodrophenia" as he struggled to come to terms with Monn's death and any future for The Who.

Melody Maker January 1979

The year 1979 would see the release of two films "The Kids Are Alright" and "Quadrophenia" and would see the decision to carry on with The Who with Kenney Jones as Moon's replacement.

Record Mirror August 1979

Record Mirror was never a regular purchase for me, as a paper it was popular in the 60's reflecting the chart scene, the early 70's was a bit of a bleak patch for it as it never really grasped the concept of non-chart rock and it wasn't until punk and new wave stormed the charts that it had any real following again.

Melody Maker May 1979

This is another iconic image for me as it records my second Who concert, the summer of '79 saw the premier of "The Kids Are Alright" at the Cannes Film Festival, whilst in France The Who played their first gig without Moon as reviewed in the above edition.

A week later the film was premieried in Glasgow and to tie in a low key concert was arranged at the Apollo, tickets were put on sale at 9am on the Saturday morning for the concert the following Friday, an overnight sleep on Renfield Street secured the necessary tickets for what was an emotional night for all.

Daltrey's hair cut was as a result of his filming of "McVicar".

Melody Maker October 1980

Meet the new boss the same as the old boss.

NME April 1980

NME is born, I liked the New Musical Express better myself.

Melody Maker January 1981

!981 saw The Who release their first post Moon album "Face Dances" and whilst it produce a hit single and TOTP appearance for "You Better You Bet" it and it's successor "It's Hard" found it difficult to match up to past achievements.

After tours to support both albums The Who went on a long sabbatical by the time they re-emerged the world of music journalism had progressed to the magazine medium where they continue to appear on a regular basis with many other artists of their generation saisfying the nostagia market for us 40+ folk with more money than sense.

The images used and many more can be found at White Fangs brilliant Who Site www.thewho.info an essential visit for even the most casual of Who fan.

04 You Better You Bet

The Who

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The Music Weeklies