AMERICAN BEAUTY

I recently received the first issue of my new subscription, and I had to write and tell you how much I’m enjoying the magazine. I’d been reading it over the past several months, but living in the US I wasn’t always able to find it so easily. A subscription seemed the only solution, and in spite of the costs of shipping it overseas, it’s worth every penny. I particularly enjoyed the cover story on Joy Division. I hope Anton Cobijn’s film sees a video release at some point because I doubt any theatre where I live is likely to screen it. But the piece was typical of your magazine in that even when you’re covering an act I don’t follow or think I’m particularly interested in, I read the article and suddenly find myself wanting to hear the band’s music, and to learn more about them. It seems nothing escapes your notice or is beyond your scope. Whether it’s Joy Division or Fairport Convention or Anne Briggs or David Bowie or anyone else, I know it’ll be handled with style, and depth. An album I just recently picked up is a new release from the Bomp label in the US and is a tribute of sorts to the label’s late founder Greg Shaw, titled He Put The Bomp In The Bomp. I’ve read, too, that a book by Suzy Shaw (who manages the business end of Bomp’s mailorder business) and writer Mick Farren, about the label’s history is also being offered soon from Ammo Books. I would love to see a feature in RC about it (by coincidence there is an item about Bomp in next month’s issue. – Ed). Keep up the great work. I really look forward to each issue. There’s not a better music magazine in the world.

by Tim Frueh
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