>Has anyone else seen the new version of Country Music magazine? It's now
based
>in Nashville, and is completely unrelated to its previous format except for
>Hazel Smith's column. Rich Kienzle and Patrick Carr have been replaced by
>articles such as "Get Martina's Look" and photo spreads on up and coming
>singers (although one is Monte Warden). It's kind of a cross between New
>Country and Twang.
>
>ugh!
>
>jim catalano
I suppose it's trying to appeal to the larger audience Country Weekly has,
but they did warn us of prospective changes last fall. I often liked the
observations Carr would put forth at times, yet several letters from
previous issues just proved that the vocal majority rules. Read this issues
letters also
for a real sendup "don't let the door hit you on your way out" bronx cheer
to Carr. Did they really have to publish those...or were they just trying
to make a humiliating point? I mean, the man was already let go, the
letters just added salt to the wounds. Not a classy move, in my opinion no
matter what anyone may personally have thought of Carr.
They apparantly will continue to publish "The Journal" for those who spent
the extra $1.98. This issue has an article on Brenda Lee, Jimmie Rodgers
and some background info on Bill Anderson's song, "City Lights". I don't
know what's happening to country music magazines. I do take Country Weekly,
but then again, I take it more for the gossip and the latest doings than the
articles, which I find are only starry-eyed musings. Country Music Roundup
is another which focuses on aspects of the chatty, star-gazing mainstream
(or should I have said Top 40 acts), but includes some music sheets incase
subscribers want to play along on their guitars or sing along. Country
America is a little bit of this-n-that regarding country music, lifestyle,
food, etc; So, at one end, we have No Depression which focuses away from
mainstream and all of the other printed periodicals seem to focus on Top 40
acts with maybe a smattering of varying styles somewhere within. It seems
we have to be alert enough to catch informative and intelligent essays and
articles in newspaper publications, either on the Web or by paying attention
to our local papers and/or trades. Frustrating, isn't it? What I have been
reading for some time is the website Country Standard Time, which I think
does a pretty good job of informing us on the doings of all matters country
in an objective format. Come to think of it, if they published a magazine I
would subscribe...except I'd like to see more in-depth reviews and articles.
Yet, I believe the editors keep these relatively short in order to conserve
space.
Concerning Country Music - the editor's page outlines the changes and asks
us to to tell him/them what we think. Maybe a really good letter or
thousand would do....
I'm going to give it a shot.
Tera
>
