>Bent - do you have the full broadcast there or will I have to edit 'Boys Are Wired Wrong' by Sten in from my white-label acetate?

Not the full broadcast, but I was very careful with the edits. Absolutely all the chat is left in, plus theme tune, et al. I don't know what your copy is like...I can supply some of the missing records, oh, and Eilart Pilarm is fully intact on my copy ("He looks the simpleton").

There are four Lee/Herring appearances (all of them) available for MP3age this end. When my CDR is finally sorted, I'll be making a start on the Graveyard Shift double CD (circ.70hrs)... Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Joe4SOTCAA on Sat Apr 21 17:45:37 BST 2001:

>Not the full broadcast, but I was very careful with the edits. Absolutely all the chat is left in, plus theme tune, et al. I don't know what your copy is like...I can supply some of the missing records, oh, and Eilart Pilarm is fully intact on my copy ("He looks the simpleton").

STEWART: (cackling at the CD cover) For anyone listening, he looks like the big baby man from Shooting Stars.

My copy is edited in much the same way. I think Mike's is stretched over about five or six tapes. I'm sure we can rebuild it with a bit of effort.

And if we get stuck we could always write to Peel for the full playlist ("...it was a reggae track - I think it had the word 'Jah' in it..."). Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'radpos(too tired to type out the whole thing)' on Sun Apr 22 00:11:13 BST 2001:

It's nice to know that some people had the nous to realise that these shows would be so important 5 or 6 years or so down the line. Actually, I remember them reading out a letter from someone who taped every show, and dubbed all the music onto one tape and all the other stuff onto another!

So why doesn't anyone do this with the Chris Moyles show? Eh?

(ps. cheers joe!) Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Bent Halo on Sun Apr 22 15:14:21 BST 2001:

Marc Riley programmed the playlist for the Peel shows, allowing John a handful of indulgences here and there (hence Sten). I'll contact Marc and see what he can do. Thank God I have the tx date, that's all I can say.

Riley has little memory of the Graveyard Shifts though: "All that stuff is in boxes somewhere...", said he. I'll bribe him with the complete Creepers on CD or something...

Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai had a letter read out during the Peel/L&H show, which would probably make the Chemikal Underground obsessives sweat from every pore.

Joe, do you mean we have three copies between us? Were we all editing out the rhythms?

BH Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Bent Halo on Sun Apr 22 15:18:23 BST 2001:

Whilst the tapes are nearby, those L&H shows in full:

20/06/95 MR, Lard, Richard Herring, John Hegley & Nigel.

30/07/96 MR, Stewart Lee & Lisa Germano

16/10/96 John Peel, Stewart Lee, Richard Herring & Stuart Maconie

10/12/96 MR, Lard, Stewart Lee & Richard Herring. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Joe4SOTCAA on Mon Apr 23 21:43:52 BST 2001:

Here we are then. Three lovely minutes of it.

http://mudhole.spodnet.uk.com/~frogger/corpses/peel.rpm

(This clip also includes something which will amuse Don Was...) Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'radicalposture' on Mon Apr 23 23:26:11 BST 2001:

Nice one Joe, ta very much! It's a great anecdote, even after all the airings...

Bloody hell, the Bill Oddie Dandelion single, On Ilkla Moor Naht'at, backed with Harry Khrishna... I'd totally forgotten about that. The follow up to 'We Love Jimmy Young b/w Irish Get Out'... Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Don Was' on Mon Apr 23 23:48:31 BST 2001:

What program do I need to play this? I don't seem to have it.


>Here we are then. Three lovely minutes of it.
>
>http://mudhole.spodnet.uk.com/~frogger/corpses/peel.rpm
>
>(This clip also includes something which will amuse Don Was...)

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Mogwai on Tue Apr 24 01:20:58 BST 2001:

Real Audio's "Real Player G2". It's free at:

http://proforma.real.com/real/player/player.html?
src=010413realhome_1,010413rpchoice_h1&dc=424423422 Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Justin on Wed Apr 25 18:02:22 BST 2001:

The new issue is a contender for the weakest I've ever seen. The news section is becoming a PR-fest for Eminem (translation: Pleeeeeeze come and be interviewed by us. Since Robbie stormed out in 98 (his one sensible action in the last five years of his life), we haven't had another pop star that we can try writing supposedly interesting stuff about). This week, we get "Eminem inspires gay porn lookalike". What happened to items like "Records coming out", then?

Also, cretinous replies galore from Mark Beaumont (or Steve Sutherland Junior, as he's fast becoming) on Angst whenever anyone dares to suggest that NME is balls these days. Admittedly, Jean Encoule argues that Parsons, Burchill and Bushell epitomised a better era for NME (try Baker and Morley and we might be getting somewhere), whereupon Beaumont slags them for being on the telly, and (ha!) old. What is particularly remarkable about Beaumont's ripostes, though, is that they are clearly the outpourings of a man who knows he has two options in his life: either writing badly-thought out singles reviews for The Guardian Guide in about five years time, or still being at the NME. Neither of which is progress. He even signs off with "It'd be like people in 20 years time reminiscing about Jim Wirth...", which is probably intended to be amusing, but isn't, because:
1) He sincerely wishes that "The Class Of 2001" will be remembered fondly in 20 years.
2) Jim Wirth is no good in any case.
3) I would be extremely surprised if the NME is still here in five years, the rate it's going.

Rant over. But I've saved myself a stamp. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By TJ on Thu Apr 26 13:33:32 BST 2001:

>What are Can like then?

They doo right. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'SE1' on Thu Apr 26 15:28:12 BST 2001:

>>What are Can like then?
>
>They doo right.

Well, I want more... Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Bent Halo on Thu Apr 26 16:15:36 BST 2001:

and more and more and more...

Everybody... Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Jon on Fri Apr 27 08:41:31 BST 2001:

"3) I would be extremely surprised if the NME is still here in five years, the rate it's going."

It'll be 50 years old next year. Maybe IPC will give it one last revamp. Or just switch off the life-support.

The Sutherland/Robbie thing was pitiful, just a ridiculous prima-donna throwing a tantrum because a popstar couldn't be bothered to talk to him. Maybe Robbie's agent had seen the latest sales figures and booked him to speak to some Belgian fanzines instead. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'velvetboy' on Fri Apr 27 16:06:48 BST 2001:

>Since Robbie stormed out in 98 (his one sensible action in the last five years of his life)

are you suggesting robbie is dead! say it ain't so or i shall have to phone the samaritans.
nnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Justin on Sat Apr 28 20:10:14 BST 2001:

What's wrong with *this* NME thread, then? Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Justin on Sat Apr 28 20:16:09 BST 2001:

INcidentally, after hearing about the Collins/Maconie/Quantick reunion for Edinburgh, I'm delighted to be able to predict a marvellous residency for Edinburgh August 2011:

"Chick/Empire/Beaumont - Eminem's The Only Album We Can Remember"
(A Reminiscence From Rock's Millennial Cul-De-Sac)

Meanwhile, Stephen Dalton will be reviewing cigars for The Mail On Sunday, and Victoria Segal will call a new single "vacuous" on page 9 of The Leaflet in The Saturday Telegraph.

Steve Sutherland, of course, will be collecting glasses in a student pub in Hackney, and shouting the names of unpopular rock bands every now and again. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Justin on Sun Apr 29 08:51:26 BST 2001:

I don't care, I'm carrying on with this thread. I'm just looking forward to finding some of my other ideas and opinions get pilfered virtually-word-for-fucking-word to start other important-looking NME threads further down the page.

It's not just the NME which appears to be getting thinner. The new Q features near-identical articles on Ash and Depeche Mode, and a Travis interview that I will never ever even glance at. The Ant & Dec interview, though, is pretty good. But the whole magazine took 20 minutes to read. And cost three quid. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Peter O' on Sun Apr 29 10:08:57 BST 2001:

And the Depeche mode article is exactly like all other Depeche mode articles. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Paul Kelly' on Sun Apr 29 23:15:45 BST 2001:

On the subject of Depeche Mode in Q, I was wondering it was the same article as the "Ultra" era interview/therapy session thing with some new pics tacked on........

Pity poor little Gahan Jnr.

Sob. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Andrew Collins on Mon Apr 30 09:23:54 BST 2001:

>On the subject of Depeche Mode in Q, I was wondering it was the same article as the "Ultra" era interview/therapy session thing with some new pics tacked on........

Not quite, but Dorien Lynskey's piece basically regurgitates the facts unearthed in Phil Sutcliffe's actually-newsworthy Ultra piece. That's the way with music writing. You just reycle the story from The Last Album and update it with details of The New Album. (Which is why you have to leave the world of music journalism, otherwise the magic starts to rub off.)

Did anyone else think that the new Q was unnaturally obsessed with drugs? I mean, why bother having a special Drugs Issue as they did a few months back? It smacks - ha! - of childish voyeurism to me. isn't Q supposed to be a grown-up magazine?

I speak as an ex-contributor, now underwhelmed reader. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Jon on Mon Apr 30 13:08:09 BST 2001:

"But the whole magazine took 20 minutes to read. And cost three quid."

That's terrible value for money. NME costs just over a pound, and also takes 20 minutes to read. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'velvetboy' on Mon Apr 30 13:48:07 BST 2001:

andrew> is it grown up? i dunno, last time i read it i think they had a review of daphne and celeste in it.
grown up = boring i feel. fanzines are where it's at. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Andrew Collins on Mon Apr 30 14:57:29 BST 2001:

>fanzines are where it's at.

The internet are where it's at.

Q4music.com better than Q.
NME.com better than NME.
Other unaffiliated websites better than both of them.

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By TJ on Mon Apr 30 15:24:38 BST 2001:

>>fanzines are where it's at.
>
>The internet are where it's at.
>
>Q4music.com better than Q.
>NME.com better than NME.
>Other unaffiliated websites better than both of them.
>
>

There are still some fanzines that are better than any website. And no, I _don't_ neccessarily mean mine... Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Justin on Mon Apr 30 19:16:28 BST 2001:

That Q Drugs issue was embarrassing in its attempt to woo "ver kids". Faintly disgusting, actually, not for moral reasons, simply reasons of value and interest.

I reckon you can trace the death of the music press back to August 1997, and the release of Be Here Now, the album that received five stars or ten out of ten from just about every paper, shit scared that they wouldn't get any interviews from Oasis (or no doubt, other Creation artists) if they showed any sign of disdain at what was (let's face it) an overlong piece of piss (in both senses of the word). Reviews that said "tuneless", "unimaginative", "turgid lyrics" etc. somehow ended up with full marks. Funny how the big guns almost never end up with poor marks, even though the reviews might suggest that. (A recent example: John Aizlewood's pretty good Manic Street Preachers review in the last but one Q, which somehow gets bumped up to three stars. This, given the review that precedes it, makes no sense whatsoever.) Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Jon on Mon Apr 30 19:28:03 BST 2001:

I once heard Taylor Parkes, who reviewed "Be Here Now" for Melody Maker, say that he was told to warn them if he didn't like it, so they could give the job to someone else. In the event his review got edited anyway ie. the critical bits cut out.

But then again, an album like BHN (like U2 albums, like Bon Jovi etc.) will sell pretty much regardless of what any critic says about it. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Justin on Mon Apr 30 19:43:22 BST 2001:

I've noticed in a lot of music papers (though the NME is particularly guilty), that they will give *really* low marks to any band that's clearly past its prime, and not in the interest of its readership, whereas a favourite of the readers will get a middling mark, even if the reviews are both saying "It's crap". (Perfect example: Neil Finn's 2/10 and The Stereophonics 5/10, on the same page, I seem to remember.)

I'm obviously not going to include Johnny Cigarettes giving a Stereolab album zero out of ten, because he was clearly a twat who knew nothing.

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Stuart' on Mon Apr 30 20:00:31 BST 2001:

>Other unaffiliated websites better than both of them.

Can you suggest some? Last week's NME was my last but I still need to know what's coming out.

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By TJ on Mon Apr 30 20:08:26 BST 2001:

>I'm obviously not going to include Johnny Cigarettes giving a Stereolab album zero out of ten, because he was clearly a twat who knew nothing.


Agreed.
Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Peter on Tue May 1 15:50:13 BST 2001:

Similarily, Melody Maker Gave 'Kid A' a reallly low mark and bad review, bacuase they wanted to be controversial and not really for any other reason it appeared. Near the end of its life of course. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Unruly Butler on Tue May 1 17:39:39 BST 2001:

>
>>Other unaffiliated websites better than both of them.
>
>Can you suggest some? Last week's NME was my last but I still need to know what's coming out.
>

As is the way with these things, www.freakytrigger.co.uk has gone into hibernation. That was my favourite pop website, that was. Try it in June sometime, when they'll hopefully be back up.

Now I want to know good pop websites too.
What's best for news, and what's best for bile?
Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'velvetboy' on Tue May 1 19:20:22 BST 2001:

www.drownedinsound.com was quite good, obviously not as good as the last resort, but sean who did that now writes for drownedinsound.

btw by fanzines, i was classing fansites in that area too, as many fanzines are now web based, or have web editions.

gotta go someone i know has just won tickets to see the manics in dublin. shall i go? Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Jon on Tue May 1 19:23:16 BST 2001:

Can I just join in with agreeing that Johnny Cigarettes is/was a twat? As is anyone who calls Stereolab "soulless" yet admires the tedious chest-beating of The Verve, Oasis, etc.

FACT: "Refried Ectoplasm" by Stereolab rocks harder than AC/DC. But in a different way. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'SE1' on Tue May 1 20:18:55 BST 2001:

>FACT: "Refried Ectoplasm" by Stereolab rocks harder than AC/DC. But in a different way.

Seconded.

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Andrew Collins on Wed May 2 09:05:35 BST 2001:

If you like pop and filthy gossip, you must subscribe to popbitch. It's a great weekly fix and it gives you the midweek chart positions if you care about such trifles.

Try emailing them: hello@popbitch.com Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Unruly Butler on Wed May 2 12:06:56 BST 2001:

Was EVERYONE listening to Refried Ectoplasm yesterday? Bizarre. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Jon on Wed May 2 12:35:30 BST 2001:

I've heard it so often I don't need to play the record anymore, I can just remember what it sounds like. That's the test of a truly great album. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Bent Halo on Wed May 2 14:10:01 BST 2001:

'Animal or Vegetable (A Wonderful Wooden Reason)' - cor!

Not a feeling I have towards the NME this week. ONE POUND THIRTY. Where will this all end... Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Barney Sloane on Wed May 2 15:33:36 BST 2001:

And Michael Jackson's head on Fred Durst's body! Back to the Sport again - "Pop star's fury over fake snaps..."

I'm seriously contemplating ending my twelve-year readership of the NME. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Jac' on Wed May 2 17:04:51 BST 2001:

>If you like pop and filthy gossip, you must subscribe to popbitch. It's a great weekly fix and it gives you the midweek chart positions if you care about such trifles.
>
>Try emailing them: hello@popbitch.com

Currently closed to new subscribers. I'd give it a week. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Stuart O' on Wed May 2 17:52:01 BST 2001:

What, a week till it's back up, or a week till it's shut down?

I used to subscribe to popbitch, but it didn't take long before I decided I didn't care who's snorting what drugs off whose tits. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By '12MUMBLE' on Wed May 2 19:20:43 BST 2001:

Tell you what, it saves money just reading it in WH Smiths.

The new NME is much like last week's, in as much as the news section is dominated by rap stars shooting each other ("which is, like, really exciting" for pale, wan dickheads), another non-story about Eminem, a letters page slagging off anyone with misgivings about the paper's direction (which to anyone with a quarter of a mind, is southerly with a fucking bullet), and an interview with Janet Jackson for everyone who bought last week's issue for the Destiny's Child piece.

OH yes, what's on the mobile phones of people in....ZZZZ Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'velvetboy' on Wed May 2 20:05:26 BST 2001:

actually i agree with mr collins for once. popbitch is great. well worth it if you can get it. you can still send in a request it just takes them ages to process it cos they don't have a very good server, or something.
nonetheless they keep sending repeat posts, which is getting a bit annoying.
Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Phil' on Sat May 5 01:06:51 BST 2001:

Johnny Cigarettes once wrote a column arguing that all albums should be exactly forty minutes long, presumably so he has to spend less time actually listening to them. He also gave the Cardiacs "Sing to God" 0/10 in Vox. What a fuckwit. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Jon on Sat May 5 14:21:43 BST 2001:

And he also thought "This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours" by MSP was a great album, which proves he should not be hired to review anything at all. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Jon on Sat May 5 16:37:20 BST 2001:

The actual reason why albums should be 40 minutes long is that then it'd be easier to fit them on to one side of a C90. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Phil' on Sat May 5 17:11:44 BST 2001:

Fair enough, but his argument was that no-one could possibly have the attention span to listen to anything for longer than that, which I find slightly insulting. The majority of albums are 40-45 minutes long anyway, so the whole thing was pretty pointless, much like the unlamented Mr. Cigarettes.

Is he still employed by any of the music papers? I sincerely hope not. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Jon on Sat May 5 17:15:00 BST 2001:

Went to Loaded, apparently. Despite having a go at it whilst an NME man.

Still,must have bills to pay, Regaine to buy, etc. He used to appear on "Exclusive" on C5 when it was hosted by Julia Bradbury, so he'll do anything at a price. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Jon on Tue May 8 19:16:10 BST 2001:

The new NME (9th May) is very poor quality indeed. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Bent Halo on Tue May 8 20:13:53 BST 2001:

The Fred Durst/Michael Jackson picture somehow managed to top the previous week's 'Non Existent Mogwai T-Shirt' story.

And the Mogwai article is bleak, come to think of it...one week after the "frail beauty" offence in the LP review. Has this particular phrase overtaken "sonic cathedrals" as shorthand for 'sounds important, so I'll like it to appear clever'?

Has anyone actually stopped buying NME since the relaunch or are we all trundling on regardless? 'Fraid to say that I am. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Jon on Tue May 8 20:55:53 BST 2001:

Yeah, me too.

"Sonic cathedrals" was only ever used by Steve Wright's Pretentious Music Critic, wasn't it? Then the music press belatedly acknowledged the joke. That's my recollection... Andrew Collins would be the man to know, since it all happened during his tour of duty. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'PJ' on Tue May 8 21:10:40 BST 2001:

Thankfully, my parents own a newagents, so i don't have to pay for this toss every wednesday. Does anyone know how many people went from working on melody maker to the NME? there's usually someone i've never seen before doing a terrible review of the singles. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Peter on Tue May 8 21:11:36 BST 2001:

Ahem sorry:

Thankfully, my parents own a newagents, so i don't have to pay for this toss every wednesday. Does anyone know how many people went from working on melody maker to the NME? there's usually someone i've never seen before doing a terrible review of the singles.

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Justin on Tue May 8 21:44:59 BST 2001:

>Yeah, me too.
>
>"Sonic cathedrals" was only ever used by Steve Wright's Pretentious Music Critic, wasn't it? Then the music press belatedly acknowledged the joke. That's my recollection...

The likes of Tom Hibbert and Neil Tennant used to regularly take the piss out of such phraseology at Smash Hits round about the time that U2 were becoming rather too popular for my liking (84/85ish).

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Justin on Tue May 8 21:46:40 BST 2001:

>Has anyone actually stopped buying NME since the relaunch or are we all trundling on regardless? 'Fraid to say that I am.

The work copy has not appeared in recent weeks, so I read it in WHSmith's, Streatham High Road. Takes about four minutes usually. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Stuart' on Tue May 8 22:56:26 BST 2001:

>Has anyone actually stopped buying NME since the relaunch or are we all trundling on regardless? 'Fraid to say that I am.

I gave up on it about two weeks ago. The New York issue was the last straw. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'helpful onlooker' on Tue May 8 23:30:44 BST 2001:

>Does anyone know how many people went from working on melody maker to the NME?

Only two, as far as I recall: Mark Beaumont and Andre Paine. NME had vacancies that corresponded to their MM jobs. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Bent Halo on Tue May 8 23:38:47 BST 2001:

Steve Sutherland is a significant oversight on your part, onlooker. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'helpful onlooker' on Tue May 8 23:54:12 BST 2001:

>Steve Sutherland is a significant oversight on your part, onlooker.

I guessed on reading Peter's post that he was interested in the people who moved to NME when MM closed. I couldn't hope to name all the people who have ever moved from MM to NME. Sorry for any confusion that has arisen.

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Peter on Wed May 9 01:02:41 BST 2001:

So the others must just be people they pull in off the street then? Glad to see they managed to grab the really twattish ones from MM then. Still, it can be that hard to get a job on the NME can it: "What so you think of Eminem?" "Well, it's just a bit of a laugh isn't it?" "Congratulations" Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Bent Halo on Wed May 9 01:08:38 BST 2001:

>Sorry for any confusion that has arisen.

Maybe it was me. Syntax and a bad head do not combine.
Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Peter on Wed May 9 01:12:30 BST 2001:

Is it just me, or has the NME got slightly lax in their album review section? I've bought a couple of albums recently which i'm pretty sure haven't been reviewed at all, but have in all the monthly magazines i could get my hands on. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Jon on Wed May 9 08:25:06 BST 2001:

"The New York issue was the last straw."

In case anyone's wondering, The Strokes are just a dull Velvet Underground tribute band, nothing more than that. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Wed May 9 14:33:51 BST 2001:

>>Does anyone know how many people went from working on melody maker to the NME?
>
>Only two, as far as I recall: Mark Beaumont and Andre Paine. NME had vacancies that corresponded to their MM jobs.

There were quite a few more freelancers though: Peter Robinson, John Hall, Alex Needham (?), and several more I think...

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'helpful onlooker' on Wed May 9 16:50:04 BST 2001:

>There were quite a few more freelancers though: Peter Robinson, John Hall, Alex Needham (?), and several more I think...

Well, fair enough if they're freelance; however, I'm fairly sure that John Hall had already worked for NME, and I think that he and Peter Robinson were recruited to work for NME.com in the first instance, rather than NME.

Wasn't Alex Needham features editor of The Face immediately beforehand?
Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Wed May 9 18:35:58 BST 2001:

>>>Does anyone know how many people went from working on melody maker to the NME?
>>
>>Only two, as far as I recall: Mark Beaumont and Andre Paine. NME had vacancies that corresponded to their MM jobs.
>
>There were quite a few more freelancers though: Peter Robinson, John Hall, Alex Needham (?), and several more I think...
>
>

Peter Robinson had left MM a while before to do NMEpop.com or whatever they call their patronising pop bit (trying to make the sub-S Club Boom! out to be good, indeed) and other freelancers did do stuff for NME to start with, but then most of them stopped getting asked to do stuff. I only know the whereabouts now of Sarah Bee, she writes for Playlouder.
Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By TJ on Thu May 10 00:09:12 BST 2001:

>In case anyone's wondering, The Strokes are just a dull Velvet Underground tribute band, nothing more than that.

Not quite... their single 'The Modern Age' is fucking amazing, and to be honest it reminds me more of Joy Division than it does the Velvets. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Thu May 10 00:16:59 BST 2001:

Shame the Strokes are getting NME hype really, as they are immediately treated with suspicion. They are VERY trad (Modern Age EP comes straight outta 1976) but I think they are cracking. And the pic the NME uses of them (the ON/I love NYC one) will surely be regarded as one of the great rock photos, if they do go on and become one of the great bands. a big IF of course. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Justin on Thu May 10 09:43:06 BST 2001:

Is Peter Robinson the same one who did that excellent KLF fanzine back in about 1992? I presume it isn't the same one who wrote the Richard Briers sitcom Goodbye Mr Kent. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Jon on Thu May 10 13:09:46 BST 2001:

"Not quite... their single 'The Modern Age' is fucking amazing, and to be honest it reminds me more of Joy Division than it does the Velvets."

Well, we'll have to disagree. "The Modern Age" is the one I've heard, and it sounded terribly VU to these ears. Not that that's bad in itself, though I don't see why they're getting the coverage, apart from there not being much else going on at the moment. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'james velvet.' on Thu May 10 18:34:09 BST 2001:

not heard it either, but they look pretty damn cool. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Dwight User-Syndrome' on Fri May 11 11:38:14 BST 2001:

Whats happened to Everett "Jim Broadbent" True, then? Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Jon on Fri May 11 13:22:25 BST 2001:

Last seen writing stuff at www.tangents.co.uk

Also has his record label now, apparently. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Justin on Thu May 17 19:30:49 BST 2001:

nme.com just won a best website award, which probably explains a lot. No-one gives much of a flying one about the printed word, then. Mind you, hardly surprising, given this week's NME. Absolutely dreadful Thom Yorke piece which seriously tests you on who's worse - The Artist or The Interviewer (Sylvia Patterson, I think). Some protestation about the lack of hip-hop TV shows. It seems to be getting smaller. That's about it, really. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Bent Halo on Thu May 17 22:38:17 BST 2001:

I haven't bought this weeks issue and won't be parting with the cash. It's the end of the road for me. I suspect that I'm eight years late. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Sun May 27 19:23:48 BST 2001:

ahem Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Sun May 27 21:43:02 BST 2001:

This is a bloody good thread, so I'd just like to reactivate it by suggesting that Mark Beaumont's decision to give Single of the Week to Kid Galahad's mediocre sub-baggy effort typifies the lamentable state of the NME. Now continue! Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Sun May 27 22:20:29 BST 2001:

This week's Pet Shop Boys piece not only made Tennant and Lowe sound dull, but suggested it was a bad idea for the twosome to embrace Latin while everyone else went Britpop in 1996. Yeah, sure. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Justin on Mon May 28 06:21:06 BST 2001:

>This week's Pet Shop Boys piece not only made Tennant and Lowe sound dull, but suggested it was a bad idea for the twosome to embrace Latin while everyone else went Britpop in 1996. Yeah, sure.

That was me. Forgot to leave my name.

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Mogwai on Mon May 28 14:08:41 BST 2001:

> Is Peter Robinson the same one who did that excellent KLF fanzine back in about 1992?

Yes. Also an ill-advised and short-lived Utah Saints one.

> I presume it isn't the same one who wrote the Richard Briers sitcom Goodbye Mr Kent.

No. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'jayne' on Mon May 28 16:08:39 BST 2001:

I worked for NME between 1988-89.

It was good fun to work there but they have always been up their own arse. In late 1988 NME and Melody Maker moved from different offices in Commonwealth House near the legendary Oporto pub and were rationalised into one floor of Kings Reach Tower along with the No 1 magazine (bit like Smash Hits but crap).

It appealed to my warped sense of humour that some of the deadly serious muso's who bleated on about the god-like nature of Morrisey for NME then had to sing the praises of Bananarama for No 1.

Strange Fact No368 - I think the bloke who was sacked from the SUnday Mirror for forcing the cancellation of the recent football court case was the editor or No 1.
Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'helpful onlooker' on Tue May 29 14:05:20 BST 2001:

I'm back at NME this week. I'm sitting on the 25th floor of King's Reach Tower as I write... Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Tue May 29 18:29:28 BST 2001:

Er, lucky old you. That place was diagnosed with sick building syndrome years ago. Best get out while your lungs are still functioning. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'jayne' on Wed May 30 10:55:58 BST 2001:

Do they still do the fire drills at Kings Reach where you have to run down all the stairs ? Happy Days Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Thu May 31 21:21:15 BST 2001:

>Do they still do the fire drills at Kings Reach where you have to run down all the stairs ? Happy Days

Are you Jayne of Sarah and Jayne? Wow. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By TJ on Sun Jun 3 10:38:28 BST 2001:

This week's NME - page after page after page of dance music news (including a FULL PAGE on someone crying about Ibiza or Aiya Napa or something), before we finally get to some news about a guitar band, and even that's just Catatonia.

'Alternative music'? Yeah right. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Beelzebub' on Mon Jun 4 00:31:31 BST 2001:

>This week's NME - page after page after page of dance music news (including a FULL PAGE on someone crying about Ibiza or Aiya Napa or something), before we finally get to some news about a guitar band, and even that's just Catatonia.
>
>'Alternative music'? Yeah right.

Well, thank fuck I haven't read a copy of NME since 1983.

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By TJ on Sun Jun 17 12:07:33 BST 2001:

Latest Issue's Big Story: "Some American Records Sound A Tiny Bit Like UK Garage".

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Peter on Sun Jun 17 13:06:53 BST 2001:

Hope you've been enjoying your free CD just as much as i have TJ Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'rono' on Sun Jun 17 18:49:13 BST 2001:

nme should be trying to cover music outside the mainstream.the problem is there is too many people working there sucking up to record companies.sure mention garage but theres a hell of a lot of magazines that cover it in full detail.

i put a post on nme's website saying that i had been buying it since 1984 & was now seriously going to think about canceling.this was about the miami issue.the one with miami spelled in coke on a girls breasts.i compared it with heat.this did not go down well.my post was removed.
i put a post on critising their coverage of popstars,it was laughed at.it seems that the only thing important to the editors of nme is trying to alienate their core readers.

i dont want to read about popstars in nme.nor do people 13 years younger than me.there are magazines out there that fill that purpose.
it is true that the fall of nme can be traced to "be here now".this album pretty much killed off british guitar bands.but there is bloody good bands out there.filling space with shite coverage about basement jaxx taking drugs is of no intrest.
the only way nme can recover from decreasing sales is to fall back on its core readership.ipc do seem to be in deep shit.the other option is to do with what happened with 2000ad.basically some well meaning company takes it away from ipc & gives it a better home.

sacking all the sad bastards at the same time though! Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Sun Jun 17 20:37:28 BST 2001:

The problem with the NME post-Britpop is that they tend to see music simply being either pop or irrelevant.

Pop culture isn't a hemogenous whole. In the UK there are at least three distinct cultures - Dole, Art School and Stage School - which produce our artists. It is wilful ignorance to pretend that "it's all the same".

The only way pop music has ever evolved is by taking elements from OUTSIDE the pop mainstream and making it more accessible. Think Eminem and Hip-hop, Madonna and 80s disco/house, even the Beatles and Eastern music. Pop isn't self-sufficient - it NEEDS the underground.



Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By TJ on Mon Jun 18 11:48:28 BST 2001:

>The only way pop music has ever evolved is by taking elements from OUTSIDE the pop mainstream and making it more accessible. Think Eminem and Hip-hop, Madonna and 80s disco/house, even the Beatles and Eastern music. Pop isn't self-sufficient - it NEEDS the underground.

Nick Heyward once put it very succinctly when he said "what _I_ regard as pop music became indie".
Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Bent Halo on Mon Jun 18 13:50:58 BST 2001:

I'll be at the NME offices for the whole of tomorrow. Anyone have any myths they want to shatter? I for one need to know what really gets played on the NME stereo. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Mon Jun 18 13:52:26 BST 2001:

>>The only way pop music has ever evolved is by taking elements from OUTSIDE the pop mainstream and making it more accessible. Think Eminem and Hip-hop, Madonna and 80s disco/house, even the Beatles and Eastern music. Pop isn't self-sufficient - it NEEDS the underground.
>
>Nick Heyward once put it very succinctly when he said "what _I_ regard as pop music became indie".
>

Some of the best pop I've heard in a while is present on the Shoeshine records sampler - neatly divided beween TFC-esque guitar-pop and alt-country-ish Lambchop-type musings. Tremendous pop musc for 1.99, and probably about 500 copies sold. D'oh!

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Mogwai on Mon Jun 18 19:00:19 BST 2001:

> Anyone have any myths they want to shatter?

That the staff really believe their magazine will still exist this time next year. Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By 'Jack Welsby' on Mon Jun 18 23:36:50 BST 2001:

>I'll be at the NME offices for the whole of tomorrow.

What brings you to the NME offices then?
Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Bent Halo on Tue Jun 19 00:22:15 BST 2001:

>What brings you to the NME offices then?

Quantick research (see a million posts ago). They have an on-site archive of every issue.

Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Peter on Tue Jun 19 00:30:37 BST 2001:

Can you just saunter into the office then, or have you got to ask first (i just can't really see how anyone there would care if someone turned up)? Subject: Re: NME disappearing up its own PR
Posted By Bent Halo on Tue Jun 19 01:15:53 BST 2001:

It took some arranging, yes. It's not usual practice.