Over the years there was a number of occasions when people talked about how CLUAS should do a print version. I never even entertained the notion. A printed music magazine targeting the Irish market is just a complete non-starter. As long as Hot Press is on the scene there will not be enough 'oxygen' to go around to sustain a second domestic publication. Alas State - and many others before them - have discovered that way the hard way. Their spin on the formula (a publication printed on high quality paper, and distributed for free) made success an even tougher proposition.

Yeah it is a pity. Hotpress is the Microsoft of Irish print media at the moment, to Foggy Notion or similar's Mac: one's got 95% of all sales, but the other's just, well, better. Let's not get into a Hotpress debate now. State wasn't the best, but at least they tried. I guess in a way print media's falling behind online media in the same way that album sales are falling behind internet downloading... I didn't see that Abba cover...explain?!

Our dear Host is right in his observation of the popularity of the free-distribution papers. They to combine the best of both print and online music journalism, i.e. the absence of worry about sales and popularity and big acts etc etc means music-loving is still the priority, but they pay, so you still have to prove yourself (and be pretty good) to work for them, so they're often of quite a high standard. (Cluas still has both - that's why we're all still here I guess)

Posted By Archie on 20 Jan 2009 12:53 PM 
I didn't see that Abba cover...explain?!

Last August, Abba were on the cover and inside there was an interview with Bjorn and Benny to coincide with the release of the 'Mamma Mia' movie. Cue lots of indignation on the usual forums (fora?) that a 'proper' music mag was pitching mainstream rather than featuring something new on its cover.

I bought an issue of State once - must've been the Iggy cover shoot that made me do that.. I dunno why, coz though I love the Stooges, Pop's interviews are usually fairly lame affairs. "Yeah - you we're electrocuted as a kid & then became a junkie fuck up??? Christ, I'd never have guessed that."

And Mamma Mia is actually quite an enjoyable movie in the right company!