Bass Guitar Magazine editor

[xilddx]

[quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1354739712' post='1889944']
I used to be an avid buyer of the old bassist magazine and still have quite a few copies which I dig out and re-read from time to time, for the last few years I have been playing guitar in a band and was buying both Guitar and Bass and the now defunct Guitar Buyer magazines, I have to admit that towards the end I got increasingly fed up with the "metal" direction Guitar buyer seemed to be going and I stopped buying it. I decided to give BGM a try and have brought 3 or 4 issues but I have really struggled to engage with them.

I think the bass world is really lacking some of the big personalities of old and I also think that mainstream music is missing those equally big basslines of old (the likes of Stevie Wonder, Pino with both Paul Young and Gary Numan, the whole new romantic scene with the likes of Heaven 17 and Duran Duran etc) I maybe wrong but the bass doesn't seem to be as cool as it once was.

I had commented to my wife whilst looking at a recent issue that nearly every bass reviewed was a 5 or 6 string monster offering it's future well heeled owner little change from 3 grand, something that after 20 plus years of playing to a good standard I still cannot ever envisage paying for a guitar, especially a brand new instrument! I am not afraid of spending decent money on a bass but find the high end exotica often reviewed of little or no interest and judging by the bands I am seeing they are not finding their way on to many stages.

Ok so to me you have limited perzazz to work with at the moment and sometimes it feels like there is a wealth of really low budget starter (and give up quickly) basses and lots of ultra high end (if only I could get a mortgage) basses and not a lot of exciting ones in between, so what would I like to see...you cant beat a good old shootout....how does a standard stingray compare against a similar priced Ibanez or Fender, what else fits the bill, what barges it's way into the shootout and says "I might not have the badge image but I can beat you all for quality and sound" I would like to see back to back comparisons between digital amps, transistor amps and good old heavy valve amps...I would like to see recommendations about used bases and guides as to their values and finally I would like to see recommendations as to where to find those great basslines that people must still be writing.

Whilst writing this I was racking my brain to think about what I really liked about the BGM's that I brought and one series of articles stood head and shoulders above everything else for me and that was what other musicians look for in a bass player, having just gone back from guitar to full time bass I found those articles really informative.

I would like to fall in love with your magazine and I will keeppicking up issues and see where it goes
[/quote]

Good post.

[urb]

[quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1354739712' post='1889944']
I used to be an avid buyer of the old bassist magazine and still have quite a few copies which I dig out and re-read from time to time, for the last few years I have been playing guitar in a band and was buying both Guitar and Bass and the now defunct Guitar Buyer magazines, I have to admit that towards the end I got increasingly fed up with the "metal" direction Guitar buyer seemed to be going and I stopped buying it. I decided to give BGM a try and have brought 3 or 4 issues but I have really struggled to engage with them.

I think the bass world is really lacking some of the big personalities of old and I also think that mainstream music is missing those equally big basslines of old (the likes of Stevie Wonder, Pino with both Paul Young and Gary Numan, the whole new romantic scene with the likes of Heaven 17 and Duran Duran etc) I maybe wrong but the bass doesn't seem to be as cool as it once was.

I had commented to my wife whilst looking at a recent issue that nearly every bass reviewed was a 5 or 6 string monster offering it's future well heeled owner little change from 3 grand, something that after 20 plus years of playing to a good standard I still cannot ever envisage paying for a guitar, especially a brand new instrument! I am not afraid of spending decent money on a bass but find the high end exotica often reviewed of little or no interest and judging by the bands I am seeing they are not finding their way on to many stages.

Ok so to me you have limited perzazz to work with at the moment and sometimes it feels like there is a wealth of really low budget starter (and give up quickly) basses and lots of ultra high end (if only I could get a mortgage) basses and not a lot of exciting ones in between, so what would I like to see...you cant beat a good old shootout....how does a standard stingray compare against a similar priced Ibanez or Fender, what else fits the bill, what barges it's way into the shootout and says "I might not have the badge image but I can beat you all for quality and sound" I would like to see back to back comparisons between digital amps, transistor amps and good old heavy valve amps...I would like to see recommendations about used bases and guides as to their values and finally I would like to see recommendations as to where to find those great basslines that people must still be writing.

Whilst writing this I was racking my brain to think about what I really liked about the BGM's that I brought and one series of articles stood head and shoulders above everything else for me and that was what other musicians look for in a bass player, having just gone back from guitar to full time bass I found those articles really informative.

I would like to fall in love with your magazine and I will keeppicking up issues and see where it goes
[/quote]

Yes really great post - I may write for the mag in a limited capacity these days (I'm a busy bastard with life and work etc) but I think you've highlighted lots of the issues around making the whole 'bass' scene exciting today and or some very constructive suggestions for some great review-led content for future issues. I think there are the big name players today but perhaps they lack some of the characterful fire - much like some of the music around today - of old... I guess that's where we're at now - and to be honest having listened far and wide to much of the music that's happening now a lot of really exciting players are more on the fringes of stuff now and therefore much less well known than say messers Entwistle, King and McCartney et al... 'bass' is a very broad subject in fact - and yes it is a way of life for some people - while most players out there fall into the semi-pro and weekend warrior categories, and obviously myriad novice or enthusiastic beginners - so appealing to everyone is almost impossible. I guess it comes down to underlining the excitement of playing, listening and learning about music from a bass perspective - not an easy thing to achieve - but all these suggestions are certainly food for thought.

Thanks again

Mike

[ezbass]

This month's looks good on first flick through. It brought this to my attention, a certain nodding Welshman on fretless.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTPY4QbnCOA[/media]

Check out the link to 'The Shouting Stage' at the end for more OC2 goodness

Edited December 15, 2012 by ezbass

[Sambrook]

If Mr McIver is still following this thread, thanks for allowing so much feedback; I think the mag reflects some of that feedback. I would like to suggest an interview with James Hutchinson, Bonnie Raitt's bass player. To me, he kind of represents the ideal- talented but modest, with a lovely feel for the fretless, and I would enjoy hearing his views. Thanks.

[Bilbo]

As a writer myself (oooer! did I say that out loud?), I can sympathise with the difficulties that journalists face in trying to tell the same stories again and again (try writing 440 pages on one musician without repeating yourself......(you can't )).

Learned bass off my dad/brother/sister/friend....
First bass was ....
Main influences are ....
Favourite bass/amp/pedal....
Latest recording is...
what it is like playing for *insert name of megastar in here....

...where else can anyone go?

I stopped buying music magazines a long time ago and gave my old back issues away to someone on here (I think he was called Jake?). I found that I was just reading the same things over and over and over again. Maybe everyone just uses them at a certain point in their development and then moves on.

[Len_derby]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1355934815' post='1904725']
As a writer myself (oooer! did I say that out loud?), I can sympathise with the difficulties that journalists face in trying to tell the same stories again and again (try writing 440 pages on one musician without repeating yourself......(you can't )).

Learned bass off my dad/brother/sister/friend....
First bass was ....
Main influences are ....
Favourite bass/amp/pedal....
Latest recording is...
what it is like playing for *insert name of megastar in here....

...where else can anyone go?

I stopped buying music magazines a long time ago and gave my old back issues away to someone on here (I think he was called Jake?). I found that I was just reading the same things over and over and over again. Maybe everyone just uses them at a certain point in their development and then moves on.
[/quote]

I'm a subscriber and, for now, will continue to be so.
But, maybe there just isn't enough material to publish a quality bass magazine of that kind each month. Personally I enjoyed BGM more when it was out every two months.

[toneknob]

[quote name='Sambrook' timestamp='1355933486' post='1904695']
If Mr McIver is still following this thread, thanks for allowing so much feedback; I think the mag reflects some of that feedback. I would like to suggest an interview with James Hutchinson, Bonnie Raitt's bass player. To me, he kind of represents the ideal- talented but modest, with a lovely feel for the fretless, and I would enjoy hearing his views. Thanks.
[/quote]

Hutch was in the July 2012 copy of Bass Player mag. You should be able to pick one up on eBay.

[ezbass]

I have to say that despite my flick through looking very promising, this month's issue was actually a bit of a let own. I was especially looking forward to reading the Glenn Hughes/Andy Fraser piece. Unfortunately they interviewed each other and it became a bit of a mutual love in, "You're so good." "Thank you, so are you." The other features and reviews were just a bit 'beige' for me , with the exception of the Pino feature. Sorry Joel.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

Two identical reviews of a Fender acoustic bass in this month's issue...

[White Cloud]

[quote name='Joel McIver' timestamp='1341383351' post='1717895']
Hi all

Just a quick note to say hello. I recently became the editor of Bass Guitar Magazine and have been reading the posts here about the magazine with interest. I've noticed a few complaints about the content and some queries about why we do certain things, so I thought I'd better post here and if you have any questions, you can put them to me directly.

Thanks to Bass Chat for letting me do this, it's an amazing forum.

Cheers

Joel McIver
[/quote]
Hi Joel and welcome.

Personally I really enjoy the magazine...so keep up the good work.

I had some communications with one of the previous editors a couple of years ago requesting an interview with one of the countries most overlooked prolific players...fretless genius/virtuoso/innovator Percy Jones. Too many young players havent even heard of him and that is a travesty.

An incredible British legend....get him in print & put a smile on my face!

[fender73]

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1358021671' post='1932080']
Two identical reviews of a Fender acoustic bass in this month's issue...
[/quote]
Yep - spotted that too.

[chardbass]

[quote name='fender73' timestamp='1358025045' post='1932127']
Yep - spotted that too.
[/quote]

At the expense of the Mike Lull 4 string review It was the first thing I flicked to.

[ThomBassmonkey]

I've not read BGM in a while, but since Top Gear's been mentioned and I watch that and don't read BGM, I'll say why (apologies if there's been a similar post, I've only read the first 7 pages or so of this).

TG is entertainment, it's about cars and does include some factual things but it's primarily a general entertainment show that can be watched by anyone, even if they're not into cars. Lots of entheusiast mags can go too far the other way and concentrate on presenting facts and figures, interviews with respected players etc but lose the entertainment side.

If you can strike a good balance between articles such as interviews with well known bassists and technical articles with sillier things that would appeal to more people, then it would probably appeal to a wider audience. People just starting out are unlikely to buy the mag because of one or two bits of tab that they could find online and interviews with Pino (who a lot, especially younger players, wouldn't have heard of) and reviews of £3000 basses (basses just aren't as exciting as a car that can be raced or wheelspun).

Coming on a forum like this is a good thing though and has my respect. BGM doesn't have the best rep here and signing up and facing up to that, offering us to give our opinions is admirable and hopefully it'll help turn opinions on the mag.

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1358021671' post='1932080']Two identical reviews of a Fender acoustic bass in this month's issue...[/quote]

As in - the exact same copy duplicated, or two models of bass so similar that the reviews more or less read the same?

If it's the former then that's unforgiveable, & a massive breakdown in QC. An odd para yes, but a whole article?

[Guest]

Is there a problem with the Ipad App ?
I just paid for another six months and now can't the mag.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1358034471' post='1932305']
As in - the exact same copy duplicated, or two models of bass so similar that the reviews more or less read the same?

If it's the former then that's unforgiveable, & a massive breakdown in QC. An odd para yes, but a whole article?
[/quote]

The former!

[Big_Stu]

Ouch! I worked 25 years in design for print, including magazine/book work, writing, QC, proof-reading the whole nine yards.
That would definitely be a "pick a windae, you're leaving" situation.

Edited January 14, 2013 by Big_Stu

[xilddx]

I started a thread about four years ago about how poor the quality of BGM seemed to be. It seems like nothing has changed, or perhaps it's got even worse. I can't understand why, after all this time and with it being pointed out so often, it continues to be amateur hour quality, it's embarassing. I know some people don't care about typos (they annoy the f*** out of me and make the mag look unprofessional), but the bigger errors and the poor quality are unacceptable. There are some good writers on the mag, Joel is an experienced journalist, Mike Flynn writes brilliantly, the tutorial stuff has some luminaries in there. It's not much of a step from getting the really hard work of generating decent content to proofing the mag is it? Why the f*** can't they get this right ffs?!

[BigRedX]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1358174941' post='1934230']
I started a thread about four years ago about how poor the quality of BGM seemed to be. It seems like nothing has changed, or perhaps it's got even worse. I can't understand why, after all this time and with it being pointed out so often, it continues to be amateur hour quality, it's embarassing. I know some people don't care about typos (they annoy the f*** out of me and make the mag look unprofessional), but the bigger errors and the poor quality are unacceptable. There are some good writers on the mag, Joel is an experienced journalist, Mike Flynn writes brilliantly, the tutorial stuff has some luminaries in there. It's not much of a step from getting the really hard work of generating decent content to proofing the mag is it? Why the f*** can't they get this right ffs?!
[/quote]

I'm with Big_Stu on this. When I was running the artwork department for a decent-sized design agency, a cock-up like this would most likely seen the perpetrator receiving their P45. In fact most of the constant artwork and typographic errors that keep on cropping up month after month in BGM would have had me having a word with whoever was responsible and telling them that they needed to pay more attention to detail in order to justify their pay.

I've offered my services twice now to BGM, at what I would consider a bargain rate (because I'd like to see a magazine like this look professional and thrive) and either they don't care, or the artwork budget is so small that they are paying peanuts and as a result getting chimps.

[xilddx]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1358179772' post='1934354']
I'm with Big_Stu on this. When I was running the artwork department for a decent-sized design agency, a cock-up like this would most likely seen the perpetrator receiving their P45. In fact most of the constant artwork and typographic errors that keep on cropping up month after month in BGM would have had me having a word with whoever was responsible and telling them that they needed to pay more attention to detail in order to justify their pay.

I've offered my services twice now to BGM, at what I would consider a bargain rate (because I'd like to see a magazine like this look professional and thrive) and either they don't care, or the artwork budget is so small that they are paying peanuts and as a result getting chimps.
[/quote]

Yep. Well, they have lost a subscriber here and they will need a vast improvement to get me back. I hear a lot of people saying it's good, UK based, and we should support them, but that will never wash with me, get it together BGM, this is not an acceptable way to run a business or set an example. Britain seems infected with poor quality being taken as acceptable.

[RandomBass]

I thought I'd seen that Lull M4V on page 52, somewhere else. Page 44 it seems... erm, no that's a Fender acoustic.

Now, two articles on Yolanda Charles would be excusable

Edited January 16, 2013 by RandomBass

[The Dark Lord]

Being realistic, bass playing is a minority activity. There are not that many bass players out there in the UK - certainly not enough to provide a reasonable audience for a magazine.

That means niche (in fact very small niche) publishing.

The publisher is not going to have the revenue to provide enough staff and certainly it will not be enough revenue to employ talented journalists.

That's the real world.

In reality, we get our bass info from places like Talk Bass, Basschat, Youtube, the Internet in General, Youtube and our local shops.

No place for a bass magazine in today's world. Sorry.

[Jacqueslemac]

I remember emailing an earlier editor who confessed that he could find good journalists and he could find good bass players to review the basses, but couldn't find many who could do both.

I still think the money they could spend on a good proof-reader (I even offered to do it for a free subscription!) would be a worthwhile investment.

Anyway, I've just subscribed again as their introductory offer is so good. Let's see how it goes.

[danthevan]

[quote name='kennyrodg' timestamp='1358070573' post='1932477']
Is there a problem with the Ipad App ?
I just paid for another six months and now can't the mag.
[/quote]

I just got a notifications of the new issue............ £6.99? Seems a bit on the steep side?

[Grassie]

Hell, I'm no journalist, but I reckon I could review BGM's basses for them. Regular gigging with a band that plays various styles of music means I could give a review bass a thorough seeing-to (providing BGM don't mind shipping a bass down to the IOW....)

I'm almost serious....