Never even seen the mag.

And you post here often, I recognise yr name.

That's interesting

I first bought it when on holidays at the Gold Coast. Having bought Rolling Stone and Musician for years I welcomed its UK focus and tone. I preferred it to Mojo though I still buy that fairly regularly. Love the blog and the podcast. Feel bad for not subscribing (enneagram 1) would save some money but the process seems complicated but I would prefer not to wait to know what the blogs are about. My wife is subscribing for me for Christmas so hopefully that will work out. I like the CDs - has brought masses of new music and artists. I play them in my car with my daughter (9) and we discuss the merits of the tracks. I would like for some obsessive to review all the CDs so I would know which to spend more time on. For example the CD from 2005 that begins with 'The Former Miss Ontario" is a great album in its own right. I really like the one that has Aimee Mann's '31 today'. I ran to that one regularly during a rather cold week in winter so I feel quite attached to that as an album too. Feel jealous of the UK massive meet ups.

I like on the CD and never bother with it anymore but I like the mag ( I am a subscriber ) and the website. I don't listen to the podcasts.

Magazine.
Website/Blog.
Meet ups in the pub.
Podcast.

But they are all indispensable and treasured.

It's never less than beautifully written and always lovingly put together.

Give me a five hour plane journey and a crisp new copy of The Word and I'm like a pig in shit.

The podcast comes a close second, depending on the guests.

The blog I find is most entertaining when it sticks to music. But it sometimes annoys the hell out of me with its "we're all one big happy family" smugness. I still drop in for a look most days, however.

The CD is really just landfill.

I just think the whole package is a great service. I subscribe, I post, I go to meet-ups, I listen to most of the podcasts and there has never been a cd on which I haven't found something I really like. Keep it up, I say.

is that, as a UK based subscriber, Mark Ellen and David Hepworth come 'round my gaff in person once a quarter to DJ and perform popular standards on guitar and tambourine at a dinner party.

I really think this a unique part of the UK subscriber's package, and it keeps me signed up year after year.

It's such a shame you folks in Oz and elsewhere in the colonies miss out on this.

Mag
Blog
Podcast
Massive meets
CD

All very close actualy, in one complete complementary entity.

The CD is least essential for me - I find the odd gem but much of it isn't interesting enough. Recently I went through the Word tracks on my iPod and rated them and the vast majority were 3 stars, and as we know, we don't need any more quite good songs. I like the themed ones Mojo do occasionally.

... I kind of view everything provided as complementing one another beautifully. The magazine hooked me in, everything else ensures I remain hooked, but I haven't spotted any dip in quality in the mag and I always admire the fact that the large articles tend to be a lot more imaginative than just straightforward interviews with musicians.

But I'm biased. Two bits of nonsense in The Massive Attacks this month! This makes me extremely cheery indeed! *dances a little victory jig*

... but I don't pay the extortionate $22 price for the super-rapid airmail version that appears in the Sydney shops about a week after UK edition comes out. I save my pennies and wait for the regular $11 issue a month later. Occasionally lurk around the blog, never bothered with the CD or podcasts.

The Magazine is great, the CD is often great (when I get a chance to listen to it), the blog is very good as blogs go. I don't listen to podcasts.

Love the magazine, both quality and width. (Nice to not be talked down to; Rolling Stone's Australian issue is pretty mainstream-U.S.-centric in its sensibilities). Love the think pieces. I have, however, also stopped buying the airmail version. With a 2 year old it was becoming more difficult to justify spending 20 dollars apiece on Word, Mojo and Q, (much less finding the time to read them all!) Occasional forays into Uncut but its relentless Americana has turned me off. I agree with many on here that Q has gone downhill - it used by eagerly awaited - but I'm not sure if it's Q per se or if there just doesn't seem to be as much happening at the moment that's exciting me. One of Q's recent covers suggested Jay Z, Lady Gaga and Dave Grohl were the most exciting people in music right now. Jaysus! Sure, Gaga's interesting, but Dave Grohl! I like the Foo Fighters but c'mon...

Also, Word seems to be more willing to review Australian groups on their merits instead of trotting out Q's standard "Aussie post-punks new effort. Wait! Come back!" line.

The CD I always used to enjoy but, again, don't have quite the same leisure time I used to! Occasional listens to the podcast when something intrigues but not as often.

The blog is almost always a daily stop. One of my top 5 bookmarks easily. Really like the atmosphere as an interested observer. (Have posted and commented on a couple of occasions but, for whatever reason, haven't enjoyed the experience as much. Bad timing perhaps but have felt a few comments a little bit Championship Vinyl and perhaps needlessly harsh. ("Aussie post-punk comments on blog! Wait! Come back! :)) Still, no matter. Happy to enjoy the vibrant community here.

Love the magazine, both quality and width. (Nice to not be talked down to; Rolling Stone's Australian issue is pretty mainstream-U.S.-centric in its sensibilities). Love the think pieces. I have, however, also stopped buying the airmail version. With a 2 year old it was becoming more difficult to justify spending 20 dollars apiece on Word, Mojo and Q, (much less finding the time to read them all!) Occasional forays into Uncut but its relentless Americana has turned me off. I agree with many on here that Q has gone downhill - it used by eagerly awaited - but I'm not sure if it's Q per se or if there just doesn't seem to be as much happening at the moment that's exciting me. One of Q's recent covers suggested Jay Z, Lady Gaga and Dave Grohl were the most exciting people in music right now. Jaysus! Sure, Gaga's interesting, but Dave Grohl! I like the Foo Fighters but c'mon...

Also, Word seems to be more willing to review Australian groups on their merits instead of trotting out Q's standard "Aussie post-punks new effort. Wait! Come back!" line.

The CD I always used to enjoy but, again, don't have quite the same leisure time I used to! Occasional listens to the podcast when something intrigues but not as often.

The blog is almost always a daily stop. One of my top 5 bookmarks easily. Really like the atmosphere as an interested observer. (Have posted and commented on a couple of occasions but, for whatever reason, haven't enjoyed the experience as much. Bad timing perhaps but have felt a few comments a little bit Championship Vinyl and perhaps needlessly harsh. ("Aussie post-punk comments on blog! Wait! Come back! :)) Still, no matter. Happy to enjoy the vibrant community here.

is a particularly good one. I just chose it at random and there is a nice variety of stuff and low strummy indy count.

(i) The magazine - been buying since le issue premiere, not missed one yet. Brilliant stuff. Love the columnists, the letters, hell, even the top 10s. Its at its best when writing about the media in general eg where now for radio, or newspapers, or the musical press; I greatly appreciate the almost-Wired levels of enthusiasm for new technologies too, whether this be Spotify, e-Readers, and the like - when I saw there was an article about gaming a while back I groaned, expecting the usual reactionary nonsense you'd expect from the likes of the Daily Heil ("My little Timmy played Grand Theft Auto : Ambleside for 3 days straight then went off and done a bad murder!" Ban this sick filth!), and saw that it was anything but. More please.

It might seem strange but its some of the music articles that I find somewhat inessential - when I see yet another piece on, say, the Beatles I think 'its been 40 years; what's left to write about? Doesn't everyone already know this?' And certainly most of the artists that the main writers evangalise about, both established and new, leave me cold. Which feeds into ....

(ii) The podcast : when its the combined gestalt entity of Hepworth / Ellen / Lewry its essential listening, as was the last one (mentions in dispatches for Andrew Harrison too); if there's a guest on then it varies - someone like the recent Will McDonald, then great; if its some new earnest singer-songwriter then it gets deleted faster than Shed 7's back catalogue.

(iii) The blog : some of the recent threads have been absolutely riveting, even on occasion incendiary; ones that have stuck in my memory include those touching on politics, economics, science, and the latest reissue of 'Station To Station'. As others have said, the occasional thread can descend into a smug circlejerk, at which point ... I stop reading them - problem solved!

(iv) The CD : I don't even bother these days, a cursory glance at the back, a quick read of the rundown of artistses hoping for something electronicy or dancey, then its frisbyed ino the lower reaches of the bin. Glad I don't keep any backcopies of Word, the CD routinely destroys the frontcover - we've put a man on the moon, split the atom, and invented Bombay Badboy flavour Pot Noodle - surely an easily detachable CD is within the scientific reach of this nation's top boffins?!

BR
FT

it's a great pleasure, although it's only on sale in about three locations, and I've never seen it anywhere else here in Japan; I make a point to look out for it whenever I am up in town. I have also enjoyed this blog this year, will always check the podcast, but to be really honest I'm generally not so into the music selections.

I've been a Word subscriber for the past two years. Every single copy of the magazines is in store in the attic, still shrinkwrapped and resolutely unread. However I've listened to every single podcast, as it's worth the price of the subscription alone, and is one of the few things worth listening to anymore.

starts with the mag. The cd is brilliant for me because otherwise I would probably never discover anything new, the podcast makes me laugh and I have only ever contributed to the one blog - this one and the Word community are a good bunch. Is the fiver in the post Mark ?

pays for the podcast and, I suspect, this 'ere blog.

then the blog.
I enjoy the podcast, and the CDs - but if they stopped I would still buy the magazine and the read the blog.

Pod
Blog

CD - hmm......*some* interesting stuff has passed my ears (new B-52's record and the A Camp one) but as someone else pointed out, there's only so much mid tempo indie strumming a boy can take....

Podcast
Blog
Magazine
CD

The CD is the part I'd miss least and with work ending soon I reckon the magazine may rise up the list.

Not made any of the meets yet but I will one day.

Magazine first and foremost. Each issue seems to last the full month for me.

The blog. It's a warm place to post ephemeral bollocks with affirmation the most regular result. No bile or spleen. Much.

The Podcast. I feel myself agreeing with the recently voiced point of view that it seems to work best when it's core Word staffers alone. Because then it is like earwigging in a pub as they chunter away on tangents. Star guest casts are naturally more structured and deferential. Though the Boo Hewerdine one was splendid. Possibly because he's cut from the same wit cloth.

The CD. Last on the list but not because I don't like it. I enjoy the expectation. 'Oh, I wonder what's on here?' Gems do pop out but not that often. Still, it's a positive thing rather than a negative.

all this "oh the blog\mag\podcast is so smug, safe and up its own arse, I don't know why they bother" schtick is really getting on my breasts.

This is a mostly calm and friendly blog. Not like the majority of the rest of net message boards with their casual xenophobia, personal attacks and violent swearing. Cunts.

This easy going vibe has led to people meeting up now and again whether at the Word sponsored gigs or nights out organised off their own backs. Not a backslapping 'Gee ain't we grand' kind of way but just to put names to faces, shoot the shit and have a laugh.

The 'Word Reader Awards' were like that. The idea that this was a serious, fiercely contested event treated with due deference is so far away from what took place it is lunacy to think otherwise. It was a drinkie with a disparate (motley?) collection of people who had a bit of a chat.

Last night 4 people who had never met before except online met in a pub to do a pop quiz. They tried, failed, came fourth (no, not a circle jerk) and had a bloody good laugh. As did a couple of Canadian Suede fans who joined us. And we will do it again on a regular basis after Xmas. Because its fun. Even when we lose. Nice food too.

If there is any harm or smugness in either of those things then I'd really like to know where. There is no cliquishness involved, the message is "come down, join us and you'll have a good night". I'm not good at these social things I would be the first to admit but I have thoroughly enjoyed the ones I have been to so far.

You don't have to take part in these things but FFS don't pour scorn and deride those who enjoy the Massive off and online.

although like others, the CDs don't get much of a spin.

The magazine's a great read. Well written and interesting, and Dylan, Springsteen and The Beatles aren't on front cover rotation.

The podcasts are a laugh, and often delivered with unbridled enthusiasm.

Without the blog I'd have never have bought this at the bargain price of $60Aus, and many other recommendations
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Forever-Changing-Elektra-1963-1973-Limited/dp/B0...

I really enjoy the magazine, and the podcast, and I enjoy this place. It's a friendly, civilised, web hangout.

I listen to the CDs half-heartedly, it's not often that something leaps out at me. That's me being jaded, though, not the fault of the music. I'm not saying it's no good, just that the music that grabs me tends to be older, and when I hear most of what's on the CDs I can see what they drew on to get there.

I've been to a couple of the London meetups and the Glasgow ones : they have all been great fun, with everyone a little nervous at first and then unwinding and blethering about music and life

answer's obvious - you're in Oz and therefore you need cheering up, obviously - renew and what will happen in the rest of the Ashes won't seem quite so bad. Bugger, that's cursed us now. Make that a tenner now Mark.

...when I found a dozen of the CDs for sale in a local charity shop a few years ago. I ripped them to my iPod and discovered a lot of music through them that was new to me.

I then found the podcast round about the time Danny Baker appeared on it, and over a matter of a few weeks listened to all of the back issues.

Finding a newsagents that stocked the magazine was a little more tricky, but I tend to buy it these days more often than I don't, to the point where I'm considering springing for a subscription in the New Year. Before I do that, though, I'm trying to reconcile myself to two "problems" - firstly, the feeling of smug virtue I get by currently giving my money to a local shop for my copy of the magazine; and secondly, the feeling that you have somehow "got me" by subscribing. I suppose the thing I'm trying to resist is the thought of getting bored with the magazine, still paying for it but eventually finding half-a-dozen unopened copies still in their mailers (cf. "Private Eye" which I have only recently cancelled.)

David Hepworth's column
Fraser's camel-festooned freezer
Mark Ellen's laugh
Hannah's cakes
Kate Mossman's appreciation of Jeff Beck
Stimpy's 111+ Grateful Dead albums
The photo of David Hepworth with a pipe
Rob Fitzpatrick's Rush pig
DH's use of the word "Ulp!" on the blog after listening to The Mahavishnu Orchestra
The HORA
Evaluative comparison of vacuum cleaners

I love it all.

then magazine. Never really bothered with the podcasts. How do you find the time?

CD - I've diligently ripped them to itunes and over the last year I've amassed a large volume of stuff I don't really like and about three tracks I love dearly. Unfortunately I don't know what those three are called so will have to make a special effort next time they come up on shuffle to identify them so I can ditch the rest.

Blog.
Magazine.
Podcast.
Way of life. The way of life is right at the bottom: it's shit.

I keed. Actually my favourite bit is the meet-ups, about joint top with the blog. It's all pretty bloody great, though.

Podcast - cannot recommend it highly enough to those who haven't heard one
Blog - really should spend less time on it
Mag - a reflection of how good the podcast and blog are, rather than any weakness in the mag. Besides, it's the centrepiece of the enterprise, and pays for the rest
CD...probably the only part I wouldn't miss all that much, although there have been a few gems.

Can't comment on the meet-ups yet, may do if the Oxford one happens after all.

Podcast is magnificent and compulsory listening, blog is always an interesting site to visit anytime of day or night, Magazine doesn't really do it for me, my musical tastes are mostly in the 'classic rock' and blues genres and rarely if ever does the Word cross into that area, ( I don't include Springsteen, Neil Young, Richard Thompson, Nick Lowe et al in my definition of Classic Rock) . That said, there's always something interesting to read so I subscribe for that, and also as I do realise that the stuff I do enjoy is effectively paid for by the Mag. No interest in the cds, tried them a couple of times, and never found anything remotely to my taste.

For me, The Word is groaning with "Classic Rock". The writing is fantastic but I wish there was less CR (as I think there used to be) to differentiate our mag from Mojo and other pipe-and-slippers publications.
As for the cds you won't like most of the tracks but I credit NHT/WOM with introducng me to great new music (The Decemberists, The National, Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens, James Hunter, Hal, Beirut, Cherry Ghost...) as well as reminding me of those still producing great work (Ry Cooder, John Prine, Nick Lowe, Half Man Half Biscuit, Saint Etienne, Tracey Thorn...).
And the blog is just a lovely place to be.

My heart sank when I flicked through this month's mag on the way back from the shop. Fuckin X factor etc. I appreciate there are those here who like trash TV but I don't and I wouldn't have bought it had I taken 15 seconds to see what was inside rather than buying on faith as I usually do.

I spend more time on the Blog than I do reading the magazine,only listen to the occasional Podcast, rarely if ever listen to the cd and have never met anyone socially, bit of a hermit on the quiet

Anyone?!!!

Entitles you to receive the occasional "export-only" issue that contains material that cannot be issued within the UK for either legal or copyright reasons. The DVD giveaway of Kate Bush's 1986 "Sauna Sessions" was particulary eye poppin'.

Mag (inevitably pay the extra for the airmail copy here in Melbourne)
Podcast on the bike on Beach Road
Blog for distraction
CD, more often than not, straight in the bin. Too much work for the very occasional jewel

The claim to fame? I wrote a comment in the very early days about how great and innovative the "movies books and music mix" was, the wording of which escapes me. (It certainly ended with '... about time.')

Word repackaged and reused it as a banner ad on the fledgling Word website, 1.0, together with a charming note of thanks.

I've always loved it. My advocacy continues.

the likes of:

Arcade Fire
The National
My Morning Jacket
Sufjan Stevens
Decemberists
Broken Family Band

and many others. Maybe I'd have discovered those anyway, but in all of the above cases, the first time I'd heard them was on the Word CD. And they're all among my favourite bands now.

There haven't been too many highlights recently, but I'm sure they'll throw up something great soon.

In order, my preferences are

Mag (subscribe)
Podcast (subscribe)
CD (rip them to itunes)
blog (check it almost every day

being in Australia, I don't get to meetups, but I would if I could

the mag, the blog & the podcast in that order. The cd goes in the bin. But this month the mag can go in with it. I don't want to harp on but X Factor?, Strictly? A big HMV ad? Widdecoombe? Stephen bloody Fry? What is there for me to read? I liked the Joe Boyd piece & Hep's review of the Zig Zag album (strange when they release a live album of a gig you went to 35 years ago!) & thats it.
As a dedicated Wordist I am very dissapointed. Still next month will have Roy Harper on the cover.

Mag gets read cover to cover (funnily enough one of the first since Ellen and Hepworth's past glory - Smash Hits)
Podcast have listened to every one. And enjoyed 99% percent of it.
Blog I've only just signed on to.
CD - bizarrely considering I'm getting a free CD every month for the last x years, I've listened to about 2. Mind you one of those had the Decemberists on, thus sparking me buying their albums. Maybe I ought to rip them and see what other gems are in there.

That's where I first heard these classics:

and many, many others

I deeply love the podcast. I like the mag a lot but rarely buy it as it's expensive here in Sweden and I don't want the CD. I'm also not really interested in reviews. I just want to know if something's worth watching or listening to and make my own mind up about it.

Never heard of it.

Hang on, this is a bit like asking me to rank my kids in order of how much I love them. I entirely adore the mag, the blog and the meet-ups, OK? But if I have to order them, it goes like this:

1) The magazine
2) The blog
3) The meet-ups
4) The CDs
5) The podcast

Well, I guess the magazine is the most important for me, as it's what bought me here in the first place and what (I assume) enables everything else in the Wordiverse to exist.

Just squeaking into second place is this blog. I love it, and most everyone who sails in it, followed a nanosecond later by the meet-ups.

(which might be surprising given that I organise the London Massive chapter drinks, but it's because *everyone's* on the blog, but not everyone can get to the meet-ups, plus the blog is part of my everyday life whereas we only have meet ups every few months). (but as I said above, it's so close I could barely get a hair between them)

A long way behind my top three are:
The CDs... loved them before I had kids. Rarely find the time to listen to them these days.
The podcast... I'm sure I'd enjoy it, but I've never listened to it, for similar reasons to the CDs. (The podcast came along post-kids, which gave it zero chance...)

the e-mail newsletter? The only one of its type that doesn't get deleted instantly. God only knows how many others I've unwittingly subscribed to, but the one from The Word always has at least two or three fun links.

And to those who've never listened to the podcasts: listen to the podcasts. About a hundred hours of quality radio there for the taking. Fill yer boots.

... but I really like the CDs. Not everything, all the time, but more than often I find most of the stuff good to listen to.

I like the magazine and the website.

I've not yet tried the podcasts.

...that most people can't find *anything* on the CDs. I have found (or re-found) quite a few artists from them and some that will be favourites forever.

Magazine first for me, and, to me, the CDs are part of that. I enjoy the podcasts and the blog too of course.

... It's just the magazine & the cd.

Personally I hate the blog and never spend any time posting on it ;-)

too much 'new old' requires my attention. I'll get round to the bands on the CD in 20 years :-)