NME

Three years ago I swore an oath never to purchase a copy of NME ever again. I found it's content to be shallow waffling about what you can and cannot like in music, in order to be "cool". I found the articles to be arrogant and petty, as if they were written by spoilt seventeen year old teens. The magazine really didn't shed light upon anything I wanted to know about in the music industry. Therefore, I stopped buying it.

For the past month or two I have been skipping through NME's pages in news agent's and shock horror, even buying a phew copies to bring home. I haven't gone mad, or suddenly felt the need to know "what's cool". Quite simply, I want to see if anything has changed and figure out what the hell NME's on about.

The copies I browsed through in the shop seemed pretty dull. Every week a lot of the same bands crept up in pointless articles. And nothing really drew me to the magazine apart from the glossy cover.

So, after a phew weeks I decided to buy a phew copies to read at home and give NME a chance to impress.

12th April

I plunge into the glossy pages of the New Musical Express. On the cover, staring at me is a "Stars in their eyes" look a like of Noel Gallager, "New Manc Messiah's" being the title. The article was mediocre, chatting with some gentleman foreseeing him as the next Morrisey or Oasis, even though he looked as if he belonged in a tribute act. I was disappointed. 

Another article in this weeks issue was actually quite compelling. It was an article about Sophie Lancaster who died last August at the age of 20, after she and her boyfriend were brutally attacked by a group of teens for being dressed as  "Goths". It was nice to see NME using their power and influence for good. I was really quite relieved and proud to see such an article in the magazine, even though I felt the tasteless title, "Killing in the name of?" was unnecessary.

Also, some other nothing articles and mentions of Pete Doherty, The Enemy, and  the "Things we Love" list of the week, which included some Gnarls Barkley pint glasses, a drummer t shirt and a limited edition Slash guitar. Eh!

It is NME after all.

19th April

Your weekly pointless jargon on Pete, (I take it that he sells copies).

An article on the Manic Street Preachers, discussing rumors about a new album, nicknamed "The Holy Bible Mark 2". This was a fairly good article to be honest. It's a band I love therefore I was bound to be interested.  But the article did give the reader some  interesting information so, Good article.

Also in this weeks issue was a "chat" with Glastonbury arranger Emily Eavis, questioning her on the slow sales this year. I was instantly drawn due to the fact that I have already purchased my ticket, but the article was rather dull and really didn't shed light on any more than I already knew.

Again, "What we Love", The Enemy, adverts ...Blah Blah Blah!

26th April

This week, "The Future 50." seems alright, perhaps a phew tip offs for the future I thought.

A numb article on the tired Oasis boys, (I'm a fan) but let 'em go please.

A section of "Your letters" surprised me when some of the readers sent in their comments on the "Manc messiahs", sharing  the same views as myself. I am now confused with which audience the magazine is meant for, and who buys it, if so many readers disagree with the points and issues raised. Do the magazine writers, write articles in order to get a reaction from readers, be it positive or negative? The Future fifty is a bit disappointing. It's basically just a list of people and bands whom the magazine claims are innovators for driving music forward, with a little bit of writing by each picture. Not much food for thought really.

To be honest the repetitive structure's getting a bit boring now, so I find myself skipping lines and pages rapidly in order just to get from cover to cover.

2nd May

Bought "Q" instead.

It seems that I'm still confused with The New Musical Express. I still find it a magazine filled with "fads" from cover to cover.

I just don't "get it". Am I just to Old? Who knows, at 21... I might just be "passed it".

NME