Okay, so I haven't seen all of the new issue of Bauer's Q magazine, which has been redesigned this month, but from what I have seen (the cover) I am already disappointed. AC/DC on the front cover? Oh come on. A bloke in a school uniform? That joke wasn't funny first time around or the second, third or fourth.For a magazine that says it is pursuing a new agenda, a more broadly entertainment based one, with a focus on everything from travel and film to books and gadgets why would you choose to put a band on the front cover who have been around for 35 years?
Funnily enough I can answer that question for you. Q is always a magazine that has been accused of playing it safe. It has previously been the epitome or middle of the road and this revamp does not shift from that Liberal Democrat like philosophy. Call me a crazed radical, but the relaunch issue is the one chance to go somewhere new, no? Maybe not. Maybe all Q readers are like Jason Bateman in Juno? Bona fide suburban rock dads.
Sure it remains market leader, but leader of an ever dwindling band of readers. With 17,000 deciding that they would no longer travel down the Q road according to the last ABCs. I'm guessing they have gone off to read errrr nothing. Instead they make do with weekend supplements, god knows we have enough of those to make us think twice about parting with the best part of a fiver (£3.90).
The revamp takes it down a path similar to IPC Media's Uncut, which also includes film and entertainment coverage alongside music. I like Uncut, I really do, but again this month when I looked at my copy I had to think Dylan again? Is there nothing else that is new worth featuring on the cover and is there really anything more to say about Bob other than 1) Everyone should own some 2) Blood on the tracks is a great album. Lets move on, which I think the odd editor might need to do so as well before music magazines really do go the way of the dinosaurs.
Follow me on Twitter
Never read it. Never will.
Gordon Macmillan
Blogging for:
Member since: 03 Jun 2008
Last login: 24 Nov 2009
Total Posts: 1,618
