We’re back! It sounds a bit cheesy calling this new issue a comeback issue, but truth be told, this is an absolute fact. Here we are again sharing our pseudo-musical knowledge, our strange editorial choices and somehow pretending that we know what the fuck we are doing here, in a business that is a risk and shows us how superficial and shallow this industry is. But, let’s be completely direct and frankly honest about it, we know our place in this industry and we are completely aware of the role and importance that we aim to achieve.
By the end of 2018, we went in an indefinite hiatus. Let’s say that at the time things were not fun anymore. So, we took some time off, and some time for ourselves too. Over that period of time, I observed how much I hated the current affairs in music media, found myself taking notes and ideas from others outlets outside the classic and cliché music magazines and websites, and I continue to see how fucking wrong and irresponsible some of the music features I was reading are: it was frightening to see how many music outlets were saying the same thing about the same release almost every single week.
With no deadlines whatsoever, we decided a few months later that we should start working in something different, but we’re not saying that this new issue is completely different: we’re already trying new things, new pieces and a new approach on how we think and idealize a music magazine should be nowadays. Our next issue will probably be a bit bolder and will push the boundaries a bit further yet again. As editor in chief and designer of the magazine, I think we should be in constant evolution, change is nowadays more normal than ever. Let’s say that building a new issue always brings you back to ground zero. There’s a minimalist, almost anarchic approach in the way we connect the design with the content – probably the way we present ourselves to the world is today more important than ever, rethinking and refreshing in order to innovate and escape the boringness that music media has become nowadays.
On this new issue we decided to publish some great interviews that were left unpublished during our “brief” hiatus, we worked constantly on editing pieces and features, doing constant corrections, checking pages, finding the right pictures, the perfect order on how everything should relate, writing more than 100 reviews, listening to more than 800 albums, searching in our archives and beyond that in order to bring you new ideas and also left so many out. All of this was and is only possible if we were able to skip some of daily operations, planning days and nightmarish deadlines. In all our editorial weirdness, we were able to create a new edition that is rich in content, but also goes beyond the mundane complexity of creating content nowadays. It’s direct and straight-forward, our interviews are like café conversations with artists that bring new perspectives about so many issues and share their problems, their passions, lessons and some inspiring life experiences. We like to think that we go further: in the future, we’re going to have more essays, opinions… some of the content is already so detailed that sometimes it’s quite easy for me, as editor in chief to feel overwhelmed, but weirdly proud sometimes, but never completely satisfied.
Looking back now, with a little more perspective on how we are going to relate with what is happening around us, I constantly reflect on what we should do, always have my mind set in the understanding of our independent voice and in our constant capacity of learning, always exploring the infinite possibilities that music journalism gives us.
Henry Rollins said recently that: “I think there’s going to be a huge rejection of this really antiquated bigotry… what you’re seeing right now is the old guard kicking and screaming as it’s dying off. And that, to me, is 2019 punk rock.” With that in mind, it’s easy to witness how the world continues to wrestle with economic and political uncertainty, where countries and companies line up to enter the disinformation business, even in music media everything seems driven for hits, there’s no such thing as editorial stand and content carefully delivered.
There is the almost-inevitability of the chaotic Brexit, and also the imminent and alarming news that the UK, US, China, Germany and many other important economies are on the verge of recession is just a bit more fuel to this already sore clash of arguments. We can also see the rise of the far-right (Greece, US, Brazil, US, Australia, Poland, Italy, Spain, Austria and even in Germany), where old-fashioned bigotry, misogyny, racism and homophobia are used to justify what is unjustifiable, and this shows how fragmented this world is and how democracy was never an easy thing to achieve. Nothing new, right?
And mark my words, we are heading into a dangerous journey, a clash of generations is already on the way. Climatic change and inequity are something that we are strongly committed to fight, and our outspoken views on animal rights are something that we are not ashamed to talk about, we are very active on that issue and will keep fighting against animal cruelty and their shameful exploration. The time to change is now! Cheers and thank you for your support.
—> READ THE NEW ISSUE
PS: Right now, the amazon forest is burning and the repercussions are devastating. The Amazon is home to 10% of all the wildlife species we know about, and there are probably many more yet to be discovered. The Amazon rainforest is also home to almost three million indigenous people – who all play an important role in its protection and conservation. Help protect animals living in the jungle with WWF. Go to act.greenpeace.org and make your voice heard!