... a rather undeserved kicking round these parts. I maintain it's still the best at what it does, and though I admit their reliance on HJH, Floyd & Dylan can rankle, as jimmyshoes says, who else out there covers that range of artists? I was especially pleased to see Swans & Scritti this month, plus an XTC "How To Buy"...

but not too sure about the Jack White Beefheart tribute...

My first thought when I saw the new issue was that there’s not a lot for me this month. The only story among those listed in the OP that I’ll definitely read is the one on Richard Thompson.

There’s usually about one issue a year like this, I find. Most months I read Mojo from cover to cover.

...and extol the virtues of small independent magazines that don't happen to be owned by German multi-nationals.

I know this may make me sound horribly priggish, but I do think it is bad manners to advertise a rival mag on the Word website.

I know, I know, but this website is free, supported by the mag, and, I don't know it just seems off to me. Also hypocritical, because the mention of Scritti Politti has me pricking up my ears.

EDIT: I wrote this before David H had written his bit, but couldn't post. Thought I would anyway. You can award me an Order of the Brown Nose in due course.

the virtues of a magazine on this website is surely no different from recommeding a particular record, film or TV progamme. For what it's worth I used to read MOJO, but the endless articles on the HJH, Dylan, Pink Floyd and so on became rather tiresome overtime, and don't get me started on UNCUT.

Bad form to bang on about them here - at the very least they could pay for an ad...

And actually, whilst I bought the last one cos it had Neil Young on the cover (and I'm a sucker for anything to do with Neil) the issue itself wasn't fit to lick Word's boots.

I say this as a reader of all magazines for over 20 odd years, and Word since issue one, and in direct response to the person who was disappointed by the December issue...a poor Word is worth ten of any other M***, U****s or otherwise.

(and that isn't just cos Heppo's listening)

as a music fan among other music fans. And this seems to be the only place I get to talk about music with people now all my friends are cleaning up baby puke every waking moment.

but I subscrbe to both Word and 'The Publication That Dare Not Speak Its Name'. Both are great. Never been to any gigs/ events organised by The Other One or been on its website*. Am I still allowed in the treehouse?

* although did win a rare White Stripes 7" via them

a rival to the Word? To me the Word is a completely different type of magazine to M***, with a far wider range of articles and features, that's why I read it. I also read Private Eye which is completely different again.

On basis that the Word editorial have spoken on here and in the magazine about magazine titles no longer published are we to assume we can only talk about defunct magazines? It seems pretty odd if this is the case. I have been a subscriber to Word since its second issue, I love everything about the mag and this site and didnt consider the OP any more of an advert than the famous posting about the merits of Fray Bentos pikes being an advert.Surely the beauty of this site (as opposed to the magazine) is that the people on the site set the content. For David to ramble on about Mojo being owned by a German multinational was a bit crass. No doubt I will be kicked by all and sundry for expressing this view but c'est la vie. I love steak and chips but occasionally I might want fish instead - I think that was the intent of the post, no more no less.

Are you coming out Mr Turner?

...I wish I'd never said anything.

...showing what an indecisive thing I am. I really can see both sides of both sides on this one.

Also, I can't help enjoying the irony of the magazine getting fair more attention by us bumping it to the top every time we post.

I buy Word (subscription) **** and ***** and I love all of em..The last **** I bought which had Dylan on the front and talked about the Greenwich Village days was superb. I dont find the majority of articles on Floyd, Beatles etc to be repetitive or uninteresting and they tend to have new angles of interest on the well worn stories...I love Word but I think it's going through an identity crisis period, it doesn't seem to know what it wants to be, yet it has an abundance of talented writers (Gill, NuDoyer, Hep, Ellen, Mossman etc). I await the Adam Ant with interest..as for *****, I like A**** J**** and admire his unstinting enthusiasm for music old and new....and yes the **** site is crap where as this one is as warm and familiar as my favourite jacket! May all continue to thrive!

where other music publications have been mentioned before

http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/so-what-other-mags-do-we-subscribe...

http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/trans-atlantic-alternatives

why the sensitivity all of a sudden? I've not been mad on the past few issues of That Magazine Of Which We Cannot Speak and their pet bands, but the latest edition has some good articles about bands that Word have not covered (i.e. Swans).

TMOWWCS is not perfect (we won't mention XTC and the magazine's awards ceremony) but it IS a music magazine. Not something that Word claims to be, so why the umbrage?

the last issue of Word was the best in the last year. Fantastic tribute to Captain Beefheart and a great article on cover versions. I think it is pretty hard for any of the magazines to have an issue crammed full of articles I like every month which is why I tend to buy all three (mojo and uncut being the other 2). The bottom line is I like music and like reading about it. I even bought Oxford American music magazine last month which with postage was more than £10.00 - havent checked the publishers but dont think they are German (only kidding David).

Cheers jimmyshoes! Now that you've alerted me to the existence of another music magazine (and owned by those nice Germans too!) I'm outta here...

(The defence rests)

It's a bit like having dinner with Alice and Ted in their home and saying that the food you had at Bob and Carol's was nicer.

In my view, The Word are remarkably tolerant hosts.

.

...represents an investment, not only of money, but also of time. There aren't many magazines in which the writers and editorial staff interact with their readers to the extent that the people at WORD do. It's a really big deal. Somebody on the team understands that the way your product is portrayed online reflects on the physical publication that makes its way into the shops every month. It isn't enough to host a message board or a blog and then leave it to find it's own level. You have to nurture it and be involved.

Obviously the WORD is not above criticism. There are things that I like about it and things that I don't. Saying that you like or dislike something is a bit different from announcing (on a board paid for by sales revenue) that you don't buy the magazine, or that you prefer a competitor. Thanks to a policy of open discussion, these are things that you are perfectly at liberty to say, but that doesn't mean that you should. It's like being invited to dinner at a friend's and then spending the evening telling everyone about the brilliant meal you had at someone else's house. It's rude and insulting to your hosts.

I read everything in the WORD, which is the reason that I continue to buy it. Many other publications (some mentioned above) fell by the wayside because when the next issue came around, the previous one was only partly read.

ok, try this one then

GREAT ARTICLE BOUT NIRVANA AND ENLIGHTENING PIECE ON SCRITTI POLITTI

*gets carted off by Mr H & E (Health & Efficiency?) in white coats*

*Escapes*

I see nothing wrong with the OP's point and he wasn't doing The Word down. Even Eastenders mentioned Coronation Street the other week. I didn't fight in two World Wars...admittedly etc

but what about Q? Tin hat on!

This month's issue of Practical Caravan is a belter. "First Look" at the Vanmaster TB; and the Coachman Amara versus the Lunar Lexon 530 in the "Twin Test" slot. Useful guide to the best sites near London for the Royal Wedding too. The Fleetwood Heritage spotlighted in the "Used Van" review. The towcar buying survey was lame though. A bit corporate.

made me cry. At work. And I'm f*ckin nails, me. That bloody Jude Rodgers. Maybe when Mojo can boast a contributor half as good as she *then* I might pick it from the shelf.

Is a Mojo filter.

mojo working

so let me just declare that

I read The Word now and again
I read Mojo now and again
I read Uncut now and again

I read Classic Rock every month.

I've just realised I don't really know which business conglomerate or multinational owns these mags or which publishing house puts them out, or which agency, distributor or whatever delivers them to WH Smith. And to be honest, I couldn't care less.

I think the other two are pretty much like buying random chapters in various biographies and I can't be bothered to continually dip my middle-aged toes into their 'play some old' baths. However, if I have a train journey at a point in the month where I've already bought and read The Word, then I occasionally succumb to a bit of U**** & M***. Got no interest in their websites, no idea if they're good or bad. This one's great. The podcast's great.
I would still buy Word regularly even if it was owned by Germans as long as the writing was of the same standard. As for the multi-nationals bit you've lost me there. I've never checked out who owns what.

So there!

I subscribe to Word , i buy other mags occasionally usually on what records are being reviewed or a feature article that appeals.

There is a trade off in purchasing decision- air freighted mags are close to 20 bucks aussie.But as I subscribe to word that's a locked in sale

The german multi national jibe was uncalled for. Suppose the Word gets an offer too good to refuse ,an offer to secure the retirement of Messrs Ellen and Hepworth - will we be encouraged to cancel our subscriptions on the basis of the change of ownership?

I don't think it is good etiquette to plug issues of other mags on the word blog.An article can be discussed if it makes a particularly interesting point - but plugging an issue ..not good form.

I still think the Word's music review section is underweight and should be better. There is too much about British TV much of which is not seen in my part of the world.

I think the team are excellent,all are v. good wrtiers, I appreciate David sticking his neck out and interactibng with the massive and Fraser is the very model of the reasonable man -except whwen he bags aussies;D

Probably 90% of the so-called 'free mentions' the competitors get on this blog either strongly imply or state outright the superiority of the wonder that is Word. Surely that's something to welcome and be proud of?

Though of course it's fallen in a heap since you eviscerated the reviews section.

Weren't you people paying attention to Mr Hepworth's original post? He said:

"I do hope you go on their site and extol the virtues of small independent magazines that don't happen to be owned by German multi-nationals."

So I have gone over into enemy territory and done just that. Thank me later!

http://ubb.mojo4music.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=407769&#Pos...

Subscribe to the excellent archive service at http://www.rocksbackpages.com and you'll never have to buy Mojo again.

Are you at QEH on the 7th Feb? Maybe see you there, I'm in Row B.

Ain't what they used to be, so it is rare that I even look them out on the newsagent's shelf. So take heart, Messrs Hepworth and Lewry, I am now almost entirely faithful to The Word, which is the only magazine that I subscribe to (other than Granta which is an entirely different kettle of fish).

It's looking very dated. A tweak or two would be useful. And I HATE the black and white covers they keep doing.

I tell you, if I didn't get it for free I'd rarely buy it.

I used to like Mojo's themed CDs and it is certainly more up my musical Tin Pan Alley. But it does not offer me the Massive, the quality of writing on a diverse range of subjects - they do not produce a superb Podcast and there is no decent web-site where I can contribute bollocks.

I quite like reading Mojo once in a while, aswell as Shiding and Ugly Things but I CARE about The Word - not sure Mojo would engender such a feeling amongst it's readership.

Apologies if this has already been said but i havent got time to read the whole thread. The main reason being that i have Word, Mojo,
Uncut and even Q to read this month. I have to buy them all because they each have a slightly different area of quality that keeps me coming back.
The perfect mag then would have the intelligence, humor and inclusiveness of Word, the musical lleanings of Mojo and their fab themed cds and be as rammed to the rafters as Uncut with features.As for Q i only really buy it these days because theyre usually first out of the traps, but stilltakes a promising cover. In short i buy them all nearly probably like many of your readers and not one at the exclusion of the other. Chin up Word people, you have your USP and i'm here for the long haul! ;-)

...and I'm just back from Tesco's.

I didn't buy it.

I've been busy all day. I can't believe this damned thread is still here in the recently updated list.

If it carries on like this it will end up on the hot topics - 4 weeks list. Imagine how grumpy Lord Hepworth of Cleckhuddersfax would be then?

that would be a shame

Yours

The League of Evil German Multinationalists

the point was merely that there was an article that may have been of interest to Word readers. It wasn't saying 'so buy Mojo instead this month'.
Bargepole subscribes to both of the above and buys Classic Rock on and off too. In any given month one of the three may be more interesting, but that's just the way it goes depending on what's inside!

In response to the OP I perused it in the newsagent and after a couple of minutes decided there was nothing therein to entice me to part with the best part of £5.

this isn't a library, beat it kid!

I went out and bought GQ.

The Dylan jones piece reinforced that, but i thought it was a really insightful article. Would Mojo produce something like that?

I hope you lot realise that every time another reply is added to this thread, it only bolsters its position in the Hot Topics list.

Oh bugger.

it's easy to nick magazines, if you know what you're doing. I lifted this month's Q and used it to wipe my arse with.

long, strong and very absorbant

the point in time immediately before Mojo started and all we had was Q mag.

That meant you'd often get the unsettling situation where a 6 page Spice Girls' feature was followed by an in-depth interview with Rory Gallagher.

Kylie Minogue would rub shoulders with Frank Zappa and Rick Astley was often cheek-by-jowl with John Martyn.

Great days, but clearly the market was crying out for some kind of demarcation.

Imagine that - a magazine full of nothing but music you could relate to.

Mojo - we may be slagging it off now, but at the start it was a absolute masterstroke, wasn't it?

...the free cover-mounted CDs, 'cos that's the kind of cheap tart I am.

The Word ones keep me up-to-date with new releases, whilst the competition (really just M**o now, I suppose) introduces me to some older and broadly genred stuff I might not have got to know otherwise.

In terms of the writing, I err towards The Word, and agree that M**o and U***t can, at times, be going over the same old stuff to the point where I refuse to have any of such artists' work in my collection (HJH, Dylan, Stones, Bowie).
However, I do like M**o's extensive round-up of re-issues which will generally lead me to one purchase every couple of months.

As someone mentioned above, it's all about music, and music is life. There are none of us here without it.

[just registered on the site today, so as first contributions go, I hope it meets with approval]

If that was the title of the OP then everyone would be happy

is possibly the most honest magazine of the lot. And yet it's somehow the most depressing.

It seems to be saying. "Let's face it, you're getting old and anyway, all this modern music is crap. Just stick with your Purple, Sabbath and Bad Company LPs and everything will be OK. By the way, have you had that prostate test done this year, like we told you?"

CR is pitched squarely at my age bracket (I grew up in the 50s & 60s) yet every time I read it, my heart sinks as I reach for the metaphorical pipe and slippers and the key to the allotment shed.

On page 107 of the March issue (price £4.60) they have the following offer: "Pay only £9.50 an issue when you subscribe to UNCUT."

censored. How special. I am not allowed on the Hot Topics thread.
I feel dangerous.

when you're being subversive.

Viva la revolution.