How about this for a novel idea? Combine an album of new and established acts with an over-sized 64-page page magazine attached to the inside of the gatefold sleeve. There will be features and interviews with the bands on the album, as well as travel pieces, music news and album, concert and movie reviews. Could something like this work? Well, Debut, a monthly that started in Germany and expanded to the UK, had a nice go at it for about a year between 1984 and 1985 ('83 in Germany, I believe). There's something to be said for in-depth reading about a band you've never heard while actually hearing them. Of course, now, many of us do that every day online, but this was somewhat new territory back then. The concept didn't quite work for me because, put simply, the music wasn't interesting enough. Every album had a couple of nuggets, including B-sides and alternative versions, but 'C81' and 'C86' these were not. There were far too many Billy Oceans and Wang Chungs in the mix.
Here are a couple of songs from issue 03. If you're interested in anything else from this one, I'll be happy to rip it for you. Just give me a shout. That song from Bourgie Bourgie is an alt version, and the song from Prefab Sprout was a B-side from the 'Swoon' era. I skipped the one from the fabulous Friends Again because they will get their own day a little later in this series.
Side A
Bourgie Bourgie - Breaking Point
Friends Again - Moon 3
The Bluebells - Everybody's Somebody's Fool
Folk Devils - Chewing the Flesh
Prefab Sprout - Spinning Belinda
Side B
Shriekback - Suck
King Kurt - Riders in the Sky
Fashion - Hurricane
Red Guitars - Within Four Walls
Blancmange - Vishnu
7 comments:
DEBUT!!!!! I have 7 issue. My favorite issues were Issue 1 with Pale Fountains, and Fiat Lux, Issue 2 with Ultravox, Orange Juice and Illustrated Man and the best of them all - Issue 11 with Tears For Fears, New Order, Adventures, Colourfield, Monochrome Set and Kirsty MacColl!! Man, I just got really excited thinking about those issues. It really was a special thing while it was around.
Right on, Echorich. issue 11 was the best. If I'm not mistaken, it might have been the last. I also have a soft spot for issue 1 because the entire endeavor was kicked off with Big Country's Harvest Home.
Breaking Point is such a classic record.
Yes, that Bourgie Bourgie track is a belter. And who are those two blokes on the cover of the mag?
I like that one too, Judge Pop. JC over at the new vinyl villain is a big fan and has featured them several times.
That's Blancmange, George. In hindsight, interesting they got the cover.
I'd totally forgotten about this magazine until now. I believe that I only ever bought one issue, but unfortunately it has long since gone. Weren't there also a couple of Cassettezines around briefly in the 1980s as well?
Yes, 'Debut'! I still have #6 with, amongst others, The Smith (sic), 'What Differences (sic again) Does It Make' plus Special AKA's 'Nelson Mandela': great stuff!
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