Bullit - another UK music mag for you to pore over and dissect if you wish

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www.bullitmagazine.com

Anyone read it?

(yes, this is a tiny bit of a plug, since I've contributed something to it, but I'd like to know what you think, uh-huh?)

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 1 December 2003 12:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Saw it in my local newsagent - left it on the shelf. Doesn't offer anything different, therefore what is the point.

Bullit is just another dull mainstream rock title: NME/ Q/ Bang etc

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 1 December 2003 12:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Here's the front cover of Issue 1 by the way:

http://www.bullitmagazine.com/latest_issue/launchissue.jpg

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 1 December 2003 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

if Select magazine still existed in 2003, it would be Bullit

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 1 December 2003 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Feeder AND the Chili Peppers? They are spoiling us.

― Nick H (Nick H), Monday, 1 December 2003 13:25 (twenty-two years ago)

as we are on uk rock mags, this just incoming:

Q says White Stripes' Elephant is album of the year
http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/story/sm_843161.html?menu=entertainment.music

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 1 December 2003 13:30 (twenty-two years ago)

And Blur is at #2! Yeesh, some dreams die hard.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Monday, 1 December 2003 13:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Bullit is just another dull mainstream rock title: NME/ Q/ Bang etc

The term "mainstream rock" just doesn't describe anything in 2003. The mainstream music of today is hip-hop/dance/R&B, not rock. Rock is in the underground, ignored by most teenagers (and they are the ones who buy singles)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 1 December 2003 13:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I assume Martian meant "mainstream title which covers rock music" as opposed to "title which covers mainstream rock", Geir.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 1 December 2003 13:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Geir, a lesson on British culture in 2003 - a large growing percentage of teenage kids in Britain like "mainstream rock" as it gets played on the radio, they even sell these CDs in supermarkets ! Darkness, Strokes, White Stripes, pop punk bands like Blink 182/ Good Charlotte, Evanescence and Muse. Teenage kids listen to Zane Lowe on Radio 1, they vote for rock music on the mtv2/nme chart.

Mainstream Rock, I define as the music that gets played on Virgin Radio. http://www.virginradio.co.uk/

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 1 December 2003 13:49 (twenty-two years ago)

re: the Q chart - i thought "Justified" Came out last year?

― jed (jed_e_3), Monday, 1 December 2003 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I liked it this much:

<---------------->

I really don't think there's enough magazines in the market of "rock" and "indie". I often go into a newsagent and I'm really hunting high and low for a music magazine that might feature both the Mars Volta and the Flaming Lips.

But now, thank the stars, there is Bullit - I wouldn't say I was now spoilt for choice, but any publication that adds to this woefully neglected section of WH Smiths is one more notch on the post for hungry readers desparate to know about the Von Bondies and Feeder.

Great title too, really capturing the something. And to put Suede on the cover of a big launch issue really is a coup.

I was lucky to get a copy, to be fair. Perhaps I'll fill in one of those little forms so the newsagent can reserve me one. Who's on the cover of the next issue I can only wonder. The Kings Of Leon? Broadcast? The Boo Radleys? It's almost unbearable.

― Hedwig, Monday, 1 December 2003 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Mainstream music (regardless of genre) I define as the music 10-12 year-olds are most familiar with. That is, hip-hop, R&B, boybands and dance.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 1 December 2003 13:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Q magazine had their top 50 of 2002 [last year] on the shop shelves around November 9th/10th last year, everyone thought it was absurd they must have voted late october re publishing deadlines

According to amazon.co.uk justified came out 4th Nov 2002

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 1 December 2003 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)

geir, you prize chump ofcourse rock music can be mainstream ! [as well as underground]

Your definition of mainstream is bonkers !

current UK albums chart
http://www.virginradio.co.uk/music/albumchart/index.html

mainstream rock bought by over 40s: Rod Stewart, Sting, Meatloaf, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 1 December 2003 14:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Mainstream music (regardless of genre) I define as the music 10-12 year-olds are most familiar with.

I didn't know you worked in the dictionary field. Sound stuff.

How is getting Suede a coup? They've split and they haven't done anything good in 9 years!

― Nu-Enrique (Enrique), Monday, 1 December 2003 14:10 (twenty-two years ago)

if ever! '';)''

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 1 December 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Geir, Last year in the UK Rock albums outsold pop albums. Also the singles chart is selling less than ever as people move to albums. Many complain the singles chart isnt representative of what people listen to. The best selling albums in recent years have been by Oasis, Coldplay, Travis,The Verve, Manic Steet Preachers, Stereophonics, Paul Weller, The Darkness amongst many others.
So please explain why rock is 'underground'?

― Ryan A, Monday, 1 December 2003 14:18 (twenty-two years ago)

..but Geir has an excuse he is Norwegian - he doesn't know what's really 'appening in the UK.

Rock is Underground in Norway: with it's legion of Black Metal/ Heavy Metal bands

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 1 December 2003 14:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Geir, On behalf of Britain I would like to thank Norway for giving a free Christmas Tree to London each year. Also some us Brits apologise for inflicting The Darkness if/when they reach Norwegian radio.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 1 December 2003 14:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Ahh I see I wasn't aware Geir was from Norway. The way he talks about Britain I just assumed he was from here.

― Ryan A, Monday, 1 December 2003 14:33 (twenty-two years ago)

How is getting Suede a coup? They've split and they haven't done anything good in 9 years!

Seriously Nu-Enrique? I feel the original poster was being a bit sarcastic!

― 39 Steps + 40 Winks (39 Steps + 40 Winks), Monday, 1 December 2003 14:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Let's see how long it lasts, hey? The music magazine industry has suffered a massive sales decline in the last few years, and NME are only really keeping their heads above the water!

Bullit might actually bite the name it suggests, but if it offers more than the rest, then it deserves attention. There's a glut of "mainstream-indie" rags on the marketplace, and you've gotta sort out the wheat from the chaff!

Do we really need another clogging up shelf-space in your local newsagency? Dunno yet, I live here in Oz but I will undoubtedly check this one out when it arrives! The design layout looks like our music monthly "Juice" actually.

― herbalizer12 (herbalizer12), Monday, 1 December 2003 14:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Mainstream music (regardless of genre) I define as the music 10-12 year-olds are most familiar with.

Geir, are you serious?

*slaps self for asking silly question*

What I mean is that isn't mainstream music that which is most covered by the media and bought by the public? Public meaning everyone, not just 10-12 year olds.

― Nick H (Nick H), Monday, 1 December 2003 15:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Looks ace, if only somebody would drive a few copies up to Manchester so I could actually buy one...

― Kate Jane Connolly (fixitgirl), Monday, 1 December 2003 16:10 (twenty-two years ago)

drive down south more like ;-) that Bullit hq is up north: Sunderland

this is their wacky press release: http://www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/bullit/first.htm

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 1 December 2003 16:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I give it 3 issues.

― 39 Steps + 40 Winks (39 Steps + 40 Winks), Monday, 1 December 2003 16:29 (twenty-two years ago)

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,6903,1096108,00.html

"'Bullit will appeal to the lapsed Q reader, and will fit in between readers of Q and the older classic rock monthlies like Uncut, Mojo and Word,' claims its editor, Steve Janes. It may also attract readers from music weekly NME, which has also been accused of betrayed its 'indie' heritage by featuring more pop acts in recent months."

Ugh. So, like Q/NME but without their semi-redeeming feature of having lots of pop.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 1 December 2003 17:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Two fonts and a lens flare. Pfah. You'd think it'd at least take some stylistic cues from its namesake and get Pablo Ferro to design the masthead or something.

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Monday, 1 December 2003 17:45 (twenty-two years ago)

The cover looks a bit like the (free, local) mag I work at looked like back in about 1996. That's not a compliment by the way.

No, can't see this one going anywhere.

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Monday, 1 December 2003 18:07 (twenty-two years ago)

The design layout looks like our music monthly "Juice" actually

Oh god, say it ain't so! Juice, for those uninformed, is a dreadful tabloid-dressed-as-glossy mix of Empire and Q, with all the gravitas of Hello! and the knowledgeability of yr average Sun "Bizarre" reader.

But on the plus side, Juice is pretty well designed, whereas Bullit, right now, needs a massive style makeover...already! They are aware, incidentally, that the cover makes it look like Brett Anderson is in the Flaming Lips - and I've already had a quiet word in their ear about the apparent total lack of recognisable house style.

Sadly, as has been pointed out upthread, the mag's main office is in Sunderland, so out of the reach/control of most of its editorial staff (Editor excluded). I'm fighting to get more pop into it, and more electronic music - next month's front cover is a good one, mark my words, and hopefully the cover itself will be a whole mess more inviting too.

Give it time, it's only a baby...Rock Sound looked unbelievably shoddy when first it hit the shelves, and it's alright now.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 1 December 2003 18:56 (twenty-two years ago)

The point is Rock sound fills a niche of sorts, and ticks over perfectly fine as a result. I cannot for the life of me work out what the yawning chasm of a demographic is waiting for this publication, on the evidence presented thus far. I hope it's good (haven't read it yet) and have no interest in trashing it for the sake of it - if a mag that reminded me of Select circa '93-'95 could thrive in this climate, I'd be that bit happier.

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 10:49 (twenty-two years ago)

if a mag that reminded me of Select circa '93-'95 could thrive in this climate, I'd be that bit happier.

I'm hoping it will blossom into exactly that, since I feel similarly. Wish us luck, I guess!

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 10:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Ahahahaha the editor is the former editor of Get Rhythm, which is one of the most poorly designed/written/edited magazines in the history of the world. Lack of house style is nothing compared to what was wrong with Get Rhythm...

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:07 (twenty-two years ago)

The drum magazine? Do you have a clandestine life "pounding the skins" then?

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 14:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I only have one copy, bought for its mammoth Tori Amos interview... I can't remember whether it was a specifically drum-orientated, but given the presence of Ms Amos I'd assume not. It was really amateur.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Ahh... I had visions of you perched behind a massive kit, possibly including gong... but it was all for Tori.

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 14:53 (twenty-two years ago)

What I mean is that isn't mainstream music that which is most covered by the media and bought by the public?

Mainstream music is covered by gossip media (the kind more interested in celebrities than music) and played on Top 40 radio.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 15:08 (twenty-two years ago)

The gossip media here have been all over your beloved Chris Martin like a fucking rash this year (not for his animal magnetism, I'll grant you), I could find you any number of people who are more interested in The Strokes' "celebrity" than their music, and there's no Top 40 radio here per se. Next.

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 17:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, I've bought a copy now, and I think the early signs are good, although I haven't had a chance to sit down and read it properly, I read the British Sea Power and Flaming Lips articles. It's good and weighty, looks like it might take a while to read the whole thing, the writing's ace and the layout's all good as well.

― Kate Jane Connolly (fixitgirl), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 08:59 (twenty-two years ago)

ideologically I do like the idea of a music mag based in Sunderland, although that won't necessarily make it any good ...

― robin carmody (robin carmody), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 13:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm not at all sure about this Jessica Stein though.

"Casablancas is known for being contrary, voraciously self-disciplined and highly analytical about the human condition. In a word, he is complex"

As opposed to just, er, really really boring. I know there's nothing wrong with this paragraph technically, but ugh! ugh!

― Kate Jane Connolly (fixitgirl), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 13:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Bullit is designed in Sunderland and the Editor is based there, but the majority of the editorial staff are, as seems to be traditional, mainly based in the south-east. I believe it's only based in the land of the Macum because it was originally a north east-only publication.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 13:22 (twenty-two years ago)

NB I believe "Jessica Stein" is a nom de plume:

http://www.foxsearchlight.com/kissingjessicastein/fwstatic.jpg

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

That film looked really crap to me, don't know if it was. I don't like her writing anyway, whatever.

That Von Bondies article though, that's proper writing.

― Kate Jane Connolly (fixitgirl), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 13:27 (twenty-two years ago)

i read it in the corner shop - it has 'arts grants' written all over it, does it not? shitty cover.

― cool kid, Wednesday, 3 December 2003 13:29 (twenty-two years ago)

It should employ a few northern music writers... ;-) That's interesting that there's a music magazine actually being put together in Sunderland (my home, though i'm often away at University).

― Tom May (Tom May), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 13:35 (twenty-two years ago)

yebbut you northerners have it easy - your accents are all over Radio 1 :). it's us westcountryites who are *really* discriminated against in popcult, so it seems ...

― robin carmody (robin carmody), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

er, that Bullit cover posted upthread IS completely fake right?

also Geir has never been more wrong than on this thread

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 14:15 (twenty-two years ago)

It's real - i saw it wiv my own eyes. It does look rather dated, infact in 1992/ 1993 at the start of Suede - the aesthetics of that cover would still have been inappropriate. It looks more like a sc-fi mag for Blake's 7, circa 1980.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)

No Steve, it's not I'm came across a copy yesterday, although I haven't had time to read it yet.

― Anna (Anna), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 14:29 (twenty-two years ago)

i don't know about blake's 7, but it reminds me a lot of the X-files.
very mid-90's,indeed.

― joan vich from madrid, Wednesday, 3 December 2003 19:03 (twenty-two years ago)

The cover reminds me of early-mid 90's Alternative Press. Time Warp!

― Blood and sparkles (bloodandsparkles), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 19:39 (twenty-two years ago)

three months pass...

Yeah and it didn't even make it to the third issue - a damn farce of a magazine. Still, a decent film section.

― SG Howard, Thursday, 1 April 2004 14:57 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

Whatever happened to this rag? I've heard all kinds of wild stories about it and its, ahem, problems with paying writers. Is it coming back?

― GG Marquez (Huey), Thursday, 27 May 2004 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

DON'T TRY IT.

(ok, after a bloody huge gap, the new issue is out tomorrow as it happens, Ash on the cover, I'm assured much goodness within, please can everyone buy it so we can maybe finally get paid for ALL THE WORK WE'VE DONE?)

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Thursday, 27 May 2004 15:23 (twenty-one years ago)

bullit seems ok to me but the design is quite horrible.

as far as rock not being mainstream, well i dont think the problem is that bullit is another mag covering mainstream rock (well not entirely), more that it covers it in a typical, nothing-new to offer-whatsoever type of way.

― thesplooge (thesplooge), Thursday, 27 May 2004 17:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Here's the front cover of the new issue - looks a million times better than the previous covers anyway...

http://www.bullitmagazine.com/subscribe_latestissue/issue2.jpg

But can I find it anywhere? Can I bollocks. Must've been to 30 newsagents in the last seven days but it's nowhere to be seen :-(

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 09:10 (twenty-one years ago)

i heard that this had gone pop. yes/no ? i never have seen a copy anywhere ..

― mark e (mark e), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 09:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Lostprohets and Razorlight are both one-word names Charlie :(

(it does look better though, granted)

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 09:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Haven't they spelled Tarantino wrong there?

― udu wudu (udu wudu), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 09:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh my god. They are utterly incompetent. Why do i bother? Fuck that makes me angry.

Naturally, i had no hand in the spelling of the names there, although i did, for my sins, write three of the pieces. i can't believe they've managed to cock it up after three full months of preparation!

it's out on Friday apparently. No, really.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 09:46 (twenty-one years ago)

will look around bristol. or is this london only based.

― mark e (mark e), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 09:51 (twenty-one years ago)

i cant find this anywhere either. i get the emails about each issue but struggle to actually find it. the misspelling of tarantino is pretty bad though.

― thesplooge (thesplooge), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 09:58 (twenty-one years ago)

IT'S OUT ON FRIDAY, PEOPLE.

apparently. maybe they're reprinting the cover, hence the delay...

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 10:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I've heard so many excuses for the lateness of this publication, from printers errors, through to failures by distribution and advertisers. A number of writers are still waiting to be paid from January, so God knows what's going on.

― Andy Writer (AWriter), Wednesday, 16 June 2004 12:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the magazine must be Sunderland only based and by that I mean it must only exist in the minds of the Bullit office - still nothing and the company are ignoring all emails. I remember they took horrible great delight in celebrating the death of Bang mag - maybe it's time to sound the trumpets on this one.

― Andy Writer (AWriter), Thursday, 17 June 2004 09:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Word has it that this rag is out in some stores (a copy was spotted at Borders, but not sure which area of the country). Filled with errors apparently, but minus the Tarantino cock-up. Well if they sell a copy it means a writer may see £2.80

― Andy Writer (AWriter), Friday, 18 June 2004 13:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Bit disgruntled are we?

― Rock Bastard, Friday, 18 June 2004 13:51 (twenty-one years ago)

So yay, they fixed the Tarantino bungle, but "Devine Comedy" is quite hard to swallow!

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Friday, 18 June 2004 14:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Assuming that there have actually been some issues featuring the non-Tarantino bungle printed, does this mean that any featuring the Tarantino bungle itself - henceworth referred to as "the Tarentino" - (not to mention the whole lostprophets and Razorlight horrors) - were actually printed?

Perhaps we could auction off one of these fabled copies so the writers could get paid? Or perhaps Bullit's offices might like a phone that actually rings, so they can answer it.

― Huey (Huey), Friday, 18 June 2004 14:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe the proof reader is the same guy who does the job at Metal Edge.

― Rock Bastard, Friday, 18 June 2004 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Norway had an unprecedented baby boom in 1992-94, followed by a very harsh winter. 90% of the population is aged between 10 and 12 years of age. It's an extraordinary fact, but it's true nonetheless.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 18 June 2004 15:10 (twenty-one years ago)

"Devine Comedy" is quite hard to swallow!

It's spelt right on there - you mean to say they went back and changed it?

(My mates have this running joke that the mag I work at employs someone to add in the typos in the subbing stage)

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Friday, 18 June 2004 15:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Don't think they have a proof reader now as I understand the last one is still waiting to be paid for the first issue

― mattyj, Friday, 18 June 2004 20:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Well I'm sure that proofer is part of a very long queue.

― Andy Writer (AWriter), Friday, 18 June 2004 20:56 (twenty-one years ago)

"Word has it that this rag is out in some stores (a copy was spotted at Borders, but not sure which area of the country). Filled with errors apparently, but minus the Tarantino cock-up. Well if they sell a copy it means a writer may see £2.80"

Ahh but £2.80 between so many ain't going to go that far :(

― mattyj, Friday, 18 June 2004 21:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Latest news is that the editor is planning on jumping ship to another magazine - leaving a lot of people unpaid.

― Andy Writer (AWriter), Wednesday, 30 June 2004 14:59 (twenty-one years ago)

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