I know some people felt that State magazine was a bit of a let down when it was first released back in April 08. Most thought of State as the magazine that was going to take over where Foggy Notions left off. Then for their debut front cover they threw on a massive photo of Michael Stipe with his beautiful shiny head and our hopes were immediately slashed.
In saying that my heart did sink today when I read that State will cease to exist as a print publication. From here on in they will continue on as an online magazine exclusively. I’m guessing as a pitchfork style deal.
This is what state.ie had to say:
The announcement of a new issue of State is usually a cause for celebration. In this case, our tenth issue is tinged with a certain sadness. This month is a little different to what’s gone before as there will be no printed version of this issue. It has been a real year of ups and downs for the magazine. We’ve had a ball in the last twelve months but circumstances beyond our control have interfered. We always felt the magazine was something which was sorely missing from the dialogue around music in Ireland, which judged Irish artists on the same criteria as international artists and treated music as the important cultural art it has become to us all.
Though State, as a magazine is in a better shape creatively in 2009 than it ever was, there are certain palpable economic circumstances which mean that the costs involved in printing a magazine of such high-quality (in our opinion, as that is our currency) have become even more difficult to meet. We have always been an entity in transition, learning as we went, incorporating that knowledge into making a deserved better product for music fans. Sadly though, State felt the cold, icy hands of the recession in the last two months. Advertising has become an increasingly difficult prospect for any industry which relies on it and the standards which we had set for ourselves were no longer achievable.
Fret not. As you’re reading this on State.ie, you will be all too aware of the resource it can be. So our plans for the future involve us shifting our focus wholly to State.ie, which will now become the hub of all our activity with reviews, interviews, mp3s, news and everything else in the navigation above. As a parting gift from State Magazine and as a way to pass the baton to state.ie, we offer up to you our tenth issue as a digital issue so you can see for yourself what would have looked amazing on paper. State remains free to all… (who have broadband internet access) and we will STILL BE producing a monthly digital issue every month to complement the website.
What struck me straight away was that it appears as if any sort of "independent" music publication that takes a stab at the Irish market, fails. It’s a real shame that they just can't seem to exist successfully in this country. This is true recession or not.
So who will be next on the chopping block on it’s way to magazine heaven? Analogue? We certainly hope not!
Unfortunately I fear that the likes of Hotpress are like Ozzy Osbourne; immortal and destined to live on forever just to piss us all off.
2 comments:
I hear Analogue have signed up a new writer who might be worth a look.
'cant remember his name, but he is very handsome.
oh that's sad! but yes, their front covers were weird choices..
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