'The Face' magazine : Classic or dud

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Is it a magazine that's always been at the forefront of what's cutting edge or is it just a tragically hip style bible?

― Michael Bourke, Saturday, 28 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The latter. Feeble and pointless.

― the pinefox, Saturday, 28 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Both? Neither? Whatever, it's been correct enough of the time that I'm prepared to ignore its intentions/pretentions and go with classic. I mean, even ignoring their more obvious championings of Daft Punk, Basement Jaxx etc., this was also the first major magazine in the UK to recognise the greatness of Timbaland, Destiny's Child, UK Garage...

― Tim, Saturday, 28 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Say no more.

― the pinefox, Saturday, 28 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Only bought a few copies over the years, does anyone over 25? read The Face.

― DJ Martian, Saturday, 28 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I've never been excited by it, but aspects of it are classic, as Tim points out.

― Robin Carmody, Saturday, 28 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

DJ Martian: no, I only look at the pictures.

― Stevie Nixed, Sunday, 29 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Well, the issue currently on the newstands is a classic, but only because they were the victim of the cruel hoax that was their "coke survey". Heh heh.

However, normally, dudder than dud.

― kate the saint, Monday, 30 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The first 10-20 issues of the Face were really quite good, back when it was a music mag. Then recently I decided I would buy it every month because as Tim points out it features all the good music more than most people do.

But I couldn't bring myself to. Finally I did and I read it and felt a bit hollow: it's not a bad magazine but it's a magazine I feel wouldn't like me very much if it met me, and I never enjoy reading those.

― Tom, Monday, 30 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sad to admit this, but there are those of us in post-industrial areas of the UK, for whom the "Hard Times Chic" that they were pushing back in the days of thee satanick mrs thatcher will NEVER BE FORGIVEN, even if it was a decent magazine, which it isn't. And wasn't.

― norman fay, Monday, 30 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Whilst not my favourite ‘80s magazine – The Fred wins that honour – I read it for a while back then. For me The Face peaked between 1983-1985 when Ray Petri and Nevile Brody made it the definitive visual document of the period. It never had a similar influence after this period – though it has remained attentive to dance and pop trends. I felt it should have closed when rave culture ended the designer decade. That it still doesn’t seem terminally awful says much about the failures of Dazed, Tank et al to provide a vital replacement.

― Guy, Monday, 30 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

So I'll be the one who says classic. Always fun to read, on the money with music trends, occasional amazing fashion spreads. I dunno around 95 The Face just looked so more exciting than say MM. Nothing to take too serious but it beats bloody Mojo ;)

― Omar, Tuesday, 1 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

the face is nice to look at, rather like mine really.

― jane r, Tuesday, 1 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

For:

- Gavin Hills' articles in general, but especially the one on Sarajevo

- Putting the Spice Girls into very grown up Agent Provocateur undies while the rest of the press was still portraying them as cartoon characters

- Finding All Saints before anyone else

- Often amazing photography that's been much copied - I've often found fashion spreads in Vogue or Elle which were very close to stuff I'd seen in the Face a couple of months earlier and then there was the blatant plagiarism in En Vogue's video for Whatever...

- It put me onto a number of authors I'd otherwise never have heard of back in the good old days when computers had black screens and green writing

Against:

- Goes through good phases and bad and currently it's not so great. I can't stand the layout, most of the articles are of no interest to me and I don't know much about hoaxes, but the fact that the latest issue comes sealed in a bag with COCAINE writ large all over the front was a total turn off. I haven't bought it

- The barometer. I notice that the, er, new and improved Guardian Weekend section now also features one of these infuriating space fillers

― Madchen, Wednesday, 2 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

five years pass...

What's the nearest thing to The Face now?

― NI, Thursday, 26 April 2007 01:14 (eighteen years ago)

Apart from my shoes which are under the coffee table where a bunch of issues are kept, lolzzzzer. No, which website/magazine/other does the job of The Face in 2007?

― NI, Thursday, 26 April 2007 01:24 (eighteen years ago)

I-D? Purple Fashion? Another Magazine? Butt? I dunno...

― I know, right?, Thursday, 26 April 2007 08:54 (eighteen years ago)

one's neck.

― Mark G, Thursday, 26 April 2007 08:58 (eighteen years ago)

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l288/SUPERSUPERFOTO/cover.jpg

― Noodle Vague, Thursday, 26 April 2007 09:00 (eighteen years ago)

oh plz

― r|t|c, Thursday, 26 April 2007 10:03 (eighteen years ago)

Did Walt Disney throw up?

― pisces, Thursday, 26 April 2007 10:12 (eighteen years ago)

HA! Super Super is basically a strange little fanzine that no-one buys, insn't it? It's a scene thing like Faith or Socialism but instead of writing it has pretty pictures. The Observer Weekend magazine has more in common with The Face than that...
Tank was a brief contender for The Face crown, but then it kind of got a bit rubbish and it's not mass market enough.
Oh and I'd go for The Face = classic. Great articles and fun not dour like I-D and Dazed.

― Debord, Friday, 27 April 2007 00:31 (eighteen years ago)

I miss the Face.

― Spencer Chow, Friday, 27 April 2007 00:32 (eighteen years ago)

man glad i'm not the only one who finds i-D a dour slog

― moonship journey to baja, Friday, 27 April 2007 00:41 (eighteen years ago)

I find it weird that the only magazine I would probably still buy is not published anymore (see also MUZIK).

― Spencer Chow, Friday, 27 April 2007 00:43 (eighteen years ago)