On the state of play in Oz - he's away, so it might take a couple of days to find out.

I too subscribe, but the last time I checked, my local Borders at Kotara (Newcastle NSW) was selling The Word. You could get the current edition (about a month behind the UK) at normal price or the *really* current edition by airmail for three times as much.

Borders, The Word and JB Hi-Fi... Everything an ex-pat needs.

I live out in the sticks and the newsagent used to stock it but I haven't seen it for the past few months.
He has re-arranged everything though so Motorhome Enthusiast is now perilously close to Razzle and Empire is now best mates with Escort Readers Wives.
I'm now too scared to look for Word.

I usually only see it in Borders. I missed an issue when my subscription briefly lapsed, but at that point I was on holiday in Melbourne. I found it in a specialist magazine shop on Greville St, at a vastly inflated price (I think it was $20- about £12). I bought it anyway and didn't regret it at all. Please, no-one tell me where I could have got it cheaper...

I'm returning to live in the UK in July (after 4 yrs) and I'm excited about receiving 'Word' on time again!

The last issue I saw on the shelves was the Ian Dury one and I had to search to find that.

Perhaps Fraser can explain this, you can get the near-current NME in Melbourne fairly cheaply, the last I saw a few weeks back was marked 27th March or so but Word Mojo Uncut etc are always months behind. What makes the NME so special, do they just date their covers differently? I realise it's little more than a newspaper but it seems odd.

They are always in the same section so the difference in dates is hard to miss. I know which one I'd pick up if I hadn't already gone through a NME phase given the choice of...

Mojo Word Uncut Q January/February editions for $12.00
or
NME April $6.50

..as a loyal subscriber I care not a jot.

You can get them at most Newsagencies in Brisbane, I think we're pretty up to date and the Bob Dylan issue should be out in a couple of weeks. Borders in Brisbane does air freight copies for $19.00 and the one in store when I went on the weekend was last months.

Well I travel a bit -dont see it any of the airport stands which all carry mojo , uncut, classic rock etc

the specialist mangazine shop on elizabeth in melb no longer carries ..it seems. Not much point asking them to get it in as I'd feel obliged to buy when I will already have a copy.

I tend to not go to Borders but will check

As I said , I'm a subscriber, but it is handy to tell people you can get a copy at ........ so thanks for the feedback .

It's part of the sense of victory in the hunt when I track down a copy of The Word. I found the Ian Dury issue last week in a newsagent in a mall. All the more sweet...

Borders? Personally I wouldn't shop there; the damage they've done to independent bookselling in the UK by their Wallmart tactics (move into occupied, established territory, massively undercut using bullyboy behaviour, close down opposition) is incalculable. I'd hate to see them do the same in Aus where independent retailing is generally more healthy. Having said that, independents need to up their game to compete properly.

I often forget that Aus is a small market compared to the UK and US and diversity doesn't exist to the same extent. I was spoiled in London with the massive choice. Here the things on the margins don't survive for long.

I've been really suprised where you can get the Word, If found it at Airports, Small little Newsagents and even a small Newsagent at the University of Queensland which is where I first started to pick it up, I've seen it in the Newsagent on Ackland Street in St Kilda and in Sydney as well. I really should subscribe but while the $200.00 Subscription works out cheaper in the end it's a week and a halfs rent for me and the mental barrier is a bit strong.

whilst there may be nooks and crannies where it is available I no longer see it in places that previously i saw it

The newsagents at Wynyard station and Town Hall station carry it, as do Borders. Town Hall even has the air freight fast arrival, but they're asking $22 so stuff that. It shows up in a number of other places including my inner west suburban newsagent, but it appears to get to them a week or two after the city places. I haven't seen the new format Word appear anywhere but Town Hall so far.

Well maybe we should start a thread and we can write every single Newsagency where we've ever seen a Word Magazine.

it's not as freely available as Mojo, Uncut, RS etc.

I'm a subscriber so doesn't bother me but sometimes I mention it to friends and they've never heard of it.

And like a couple of people up above I've seen it in the strangest out of the way places but not where it "should" be (eg my local newsagency in Bondi Rd)

Does anyone have recommendations of Local bands,

Can I mention

Little Scout
John Steel Singers
Little Lovers
Nathan Hollywood
Mexico City
The Gin Club
Flamingo Crash

have any Aussie subscribers received the latest issue yet (John Peel cover)?

Stiiiiilll waiting

..that there Volcano.

Postmarked Frankfurt - but don't mention the war

expecting to be greeted by it when I get home