WF Street Mag!

[HARD]

There has been a lot of talk recently about getting some new/more players to gigs/local metal. There is the computer savvy going on the WF/myspace/facebook and the people who have a radio listening to C.M. and A.M etc, I think the left out medium would be print. Think of little johnny red neck from Midland who doesn't have a ipad.
 RedD was in a small underground New Zealand magazine a while back which gave me the idea.(see link below)

 I don't have time or the speling to produce a magazine but thought I would put the idea out there anyway... The thing is to put METALLICA/ACDC on the cover but put local bands on the inside. Doesn't have to be a book or even in colour, but perhaps 12 pages or something

 Trick the youngens/ACDC fans into a metal education!!

http://www.houseofnoizz.com/slaughterama.php

[ironguardian]

Something like that would be cool. I've thought about it a few times in the past myself. Jez's album reviews would fit right in, the month's gigs would fit right in, and news about local metal bands would fit right in. A collaboration between local labels/promoters/bands might be the way to go, with one person in charge and a few others contributers and such.

Bi-monthly might work out alright. We'd need a sponsor or two to fund the project though, if we want them to be free like the X-Press, rather than purchased like Terrorizer. If it wasn't free, there would definitly need to be something of extra value to make it worth while. A demo cd or something.

[Ormsby_Guitars]

This is a mammoth task. Don't kid yourselves.

But, if the presentation is right, I'll take a look at sponsorship proposals.

[hatefueled]

Yeah I've been talking to people about starting one but getting it off the ground is the hardest and first step. I'd love to be evolved if wf started a street mag.

[chancellorisgod]

If someone can get it off the ground and it looks presentable i'll happily let them use my gig photos...

[schist]

Why don't we just do it the old-fashioned way and hold punters at gunpoint after international metal gigs?

[mhorgl]

I'd be keen to help out with layout and production.

[ironguardian]

If no-one like Dysie or Daz are interested in directly holding the reigns for this, I wouldn't mind giving it a shot.

We've a large pool of talented writers, reviewers, photographers and artists here in Perth. It would just be a matter of organising for it all to be put done into one place, and then printed up. It'd be a mammoth task to get started, but once up and running, the local metal scene is active enough that we'd never run out of potential material.

[Ormsby_Guitars]

If no-one like Dysie or Daz are interested in directly holding the reigns for this, I wouldn't mind giving it a shot.

We've a large pool of talented writers, reviewers, photographers and artists here in Perth. It would just be a matter of organising for it all to be put done into one place, and then printed up. It'd be a mammoth task to get started, but once up and running, the local metal scene is active enough that we'd never run out of potential material.

You've got a spell checker, right?

[Merlok]

If no-one like Dysie or Daz are interested in directly holding the reigns for this, I wouldn't mind giving it a shot.

We've a large pool of talented writers, reviewers, photographers and artists here in Perth. It would just be a matter of organising for it all to be put done into one place, and then printed up. It'd be a mammoth task to get started, but once up and running, the local metal scene is active enough that we'd never run out of potential material.

 

that would be awesome!!

anything i can do to help 

 

[Manny]

I've good working knowledge of desktop publishing/graphics and pre-press...but it's a question of time...what would be a good frequency of release? ie quartelry?

[ironguardian]

I've good working knowledge of desktop publishing/graphics and pre-press...but it's a question of time...what would be a good frequency of release? ie quartelry?

Quarterly would allow for a fair amount of time between each issue to get everything sorted out without too much of a rush. However, quarterly would limit the number of local gigs that could be promoted, as only the largest are known about 3 months in advance. Quarterly would probably be the best way to start things off, but bi-monthly might be best in the long run, ibce things are set up and running smoothly.

[EvilElvis]

This was done about 10 years ago by Danny Estrin and Clayton (original WF 'inventor').

They put together a 'zine called 'Benighted West'. There were only 2 issues released - one with Celtic Frost on the cover and the other had Behemoth on the front.

The other old folks here should have a copy at home somewhere  

They ceased to carry on because Clayton got busted printing them at work on night shift and was sacked. 

[Merlok]

i have the front cover of that somewhere, just not the insides 

[hatefueled]

I've good working knowledge of desktop publishing/graphics and pre-press...but it's a question of time...what would be a good frequency of release? ie quartelry?

Quarterly would allow for a fair amount of time between each issue to get everything sorted out without too much of a rush. However, quarterly would limit the number of local gigs that could be promoted, as only the largest are known about 3 months in advance. Quarterly would probably be the best way to start things off, but bi-monthly might be best in the long run, ibce things are set up and running smoothly.

could always throw in gigs that are ready for promo while the rest of the mag is in production then do the gig guide last? throw in all the gigs that'll be that week or 2 after print? include a line about who to email gigs to so its all in one spot rather than hunting round for them. after a while there would be a few people emailing in about the gigs.
It could get sponsored by a print shop, in exchange for an add thrown in, they print the mag with a big discount?

[Catalyst]

Wow Dustin, if you aint a walking metal catalogue.  I was so fucking young in that photo.   

I love this idea.  Other than writing the reviews, how can I help to get this happening?

[hatefueled]

Wow Dustin, if you aint a walking metal catalogue.  I was so fucking young in that photo.   

I love this idea.  Other than writing the reviews, how can I help to get this happening?

you can be the final spell check before it goes top print. even computer ones miss stuff if its the wrong word but spelt right.
*notices she unwittingly just made one of those typos. 'goes top print' ha ha

You could interview bands too?

[Mago_Haydz]

if it ever gets big enough to expand out of the city, I could be the Mid West agent. 

[The_Peeper]

This was done about 10 years ago by Danny Estrin and Clayton (original WF 'inventor').
The other old folks here should have a copy at home somewhere  

Still got mine  Now.... nap time!!

[Damo]

I think it would need to be a free publication (at least until the general population can get hooked on it) otherwise I fear the only people that would pay for it would be the crew on here, which is noble but not sustainable long-term.

[TnT]

If no-one like Dysie or Daz are interested in directly holding the reigns for this, I wouldn't mind giving it a shot

Dyson already had a crack at a Metalzine (Eviscerate). Not sure he really wants to go through that again


Behold a copy of Western Front Magazine - Issue One, May 1999

Front cover has an interview with Kin (+ pic. Yes Jez, you're a superstar  )

Inside has an interview with Guy Bell Mate (Enforce)
a CD review of Smokin' Tailpipe Action (Choke)
a 2 page poster of Mind's Eye
plus a page of websites for local bands

Back cover has ads for 2 gigs;
Metal Siege at the Swanbourne (Pagan, Erebus, Enforce, Plague)
plus the Sepultura 'Against' tour at Metro City

a solid 8 pages   

FOR FREE !!!!!!!!

Yeah, exactly.. Western Front had in it's origins a print magazine (funnily enough I just received the renewal form for the business name yesterday which is still under "The Western Front Magazine"), and along with the founders doing the Benighted West magazine. Unfortunately, even then when print media was more of a rage these things tended to only manage to go for a few editions.

I'm not trying to be a naysayer at all but it could be tricky to get people to contribute consistently enough, either not always having the time, or inclination, for it, and even if there were enough people to want to volunteer their time on a regular basis you'd be hard pressed for finding someone wanting to shell out money for the printing which they'd probably not see again.
As Damo mentioned, I don't think initially there would be enough people willing to part with their cash for a magazine they don't know, especially in this day and age of online wizardry / I'll just get it off the internet mentality. Maybe you'd be better off making it an iPad application.

Having said that (CYE ), perhaps there is a possibility of getting a grant to give it a kick start, and then once it's established using it to impress some sponsors / advertisers onboard to help foot the running costs.
In any case, I'd be more than happy to help promote it - could even offer a downloadable PDF version of it on WF to get people hooked on it.

[BaileyHorizon]

I think that if it wants to be aimed at a larger audience, like the young ones, there needs to be more all ages shows. If I was under 18 reading about all these cool bands and couldn't see them, I'd be pissed.

[Damo]

Theyll have to suck it up Matty - we've all been there

Besides, it makes it more rewarding seeing the shows once they DO reach 18

[BaileyHorizon]

Wrong Bailey Damo

Hahaha it does give you butterflies inside when you finally get to a metal show after your 18th birthday.

Oh the number of shows I missed though.

[Damo]

Wrong Bailey Damo

Doh! I knew that too...

Yeah, I remember going to my first few gigs once I turned 18 - was an awesome feeling.