MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SMASH HITS – 10.2.1988

In answer to their question, appearing on the cover of Smash Hits is probably a good sign that Bros are famous. They found being on the cover of Smash Hits to be weird, having read the magazine at school.

As you open the magazine, there is a poster of Morrissey.

In competitions, you could win an Eddie Cochran single and a Levi’s T-shirt, or you could try to win an AC/DC satchel. Larry Mullan Jnr is interviewed, where he reveals people ask him to hold their umbrella for them while they got Bono’s autograph.

The American and Australian versions of Smash Hits had their Readers Polls, with the results being published. Duran Duran were popular in America, while Australian acts were unsurprisingly popular in Australia.

There is a profile of American star Taylor Dayne, riding high in the charts with Tell It To My Heart.

Kylie Minogue gets a poster an and interview, where she reveals she doesn’t like her teeth.

Debbie Gibson gets a double page interview, where she offers readers a guide to America.

In tours, you could see Pink Floyd, Robert Plant or Erasure if you wished.

Beastie Boys get a double page interview, where they say they want to start a Heavy Metal TV channel.

The Bangles get interviewed where Susanna reveals that her favourite music is Terence Trent D’Arby, Peter Gabriel and Rolling Stones.

Patsy Kensit reviews new singles, giving her favourite to Sting, and admitting to liking early Echo and the Bunnymen, but not knowing who The Doors were.

In concerts, Tiffany gets reviewed as she tours UK shopping centres.

The magazine ends with a double page interview with cover stars Bros.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SMASH HITS – 9.10.1985

The odd couple of Morrissey and Pete Burns are the cover stars of this issue of Smash Hits. That’s not my opinon of them, that’s what the headline says.

As you open the magazine, there is a poster of Simon Le Bon wearing shorts and a rugby top.

In news, Jimmy Somerville has a new band, called The Communards.

Cover stars Morrissey and Burns get four pages where they talk about their friendship.

Robert Smith of The Cure gets a three page interview.

Radio 1 DJ Andy Kershaw gets profiled, where he reveals he buys his underpants from M and S.

Single Reviews sees The Long Ryders get awarded Best Single.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : Q – SEPTEMBER 1992

Morrissey, without a shirt, with the headline “Talking up Your Arsenal”, is the cover star of Q, as he prepares to release his latest solo album, Your Arsenal.

Garry Bushell feels Q’s wrath, as the subject of their “Who the hell does ……” column.

In news, Axl Rose surrendered himself to police on charges of provoking a riot, a full year after a concert in St Louis ended in a riot.

Kylie Minogue stated she was only friends with Prince.

Pat Roberts, new singer of The Stranglers, interviews celebrity Stranglers fan Stuart Pearce for their fan club magazine.

Pearce complained that a local radio show he was asked to guest DJ on had censored some of his picks, such as The Clash, The Damned and The Vibrators.

Pearce also said that his music videos “get howled off” in favour of dance and soft rock by his team-mates.

Not sure if the interview did Pearce any good, as Nottingham Forest got relegated that season.

Meanwhile, Sinead O’Connor has recorded some backing vocals for Peter Gabriel’s new album.

The BBC were forced to issue a denial that they were on the verge of cancelling Top Of The Pops.

Sophie B Hawkins, having had a Transatlantic hit with Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover, gets a double page feature.

Another female getting the double page treatment is Betty Boo, determined not to be seen as a flash in the pan, declaring “I don’t see myself rapping in 10 years time. I do eventually want to sing. I’m capable of writing songs”

The subject of “Where Are They Now?” was Adam and the Ants, it was revealed that Adam was working on a rockier solo album with Bernard Edwards from Chic, and Larry Blackmon from Cameo.

Reading Festival gets a four page feature as it celebrates it’s 20th anniversary.

Michael Jackson’s new tour gets a feature, looking at the excessive record company promotion of Jackson.

Q’s big Morrissey interview sees him issue his wrath on Johnny Rogan, the author of a biography of him and Johnny Marr, which he had refused to co-operate on, stating, “It was billed as the definitive story of The Smiths. The only definitive story of The Smiths is my story, if I ever tell it”

When questioned on a song that seems to sympathise with football hooligans, he simply replies “Well, they have such great taste in footwear”, before ending “As long as people don’t die, I am amused”

On Politics, he adds “I don’t want to be European, I want England to remain an island”

To accompany the article, Q gets musicians such as David Bowie, Justin Currie, Siobhan Fahey, Carl Smyth and Brett Anderson to list their favourite Morrissey song.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SELECT – JUNE 1992

Kylie Minogue and Bobby Gillespie, an unlikely pair, are the cover stars of Select in the early summer of 1992.

In news, Morrissey is the subject of an autobiography, which he hates, despite the fact he hasn’t read it.

Saint Etienne are subject to an interview as they visit a waxwork museum and get photographed with their favourite pop stars. Bob Stanley announces that the band were looking to get their album finished by June, mainly so he could take time off to watch Euro 92 and Wimbledon.

In competitions, you could win tickets to see James, Sisters Of Mercy t-shirts, or a book about REM.

Reviews that month included The Charlatans in Manchester and Suede in Tunbridge Wells.

U2 take out an full page ad for an anti Sellafield concert in Manchester that they were headlining.

Select sets up an interview between Kylie Minogue and Bobby Gillespie. Kylie shies away when Bobby asks her about the 1992 UK General Election, saying she only cares about the environment.

Kylie gets asked about U2, stating “To be honest, i’ve never thought to myself that U2 are sexy”

Bobby then asks Kylie when she is going to do a Primal Scream cover, and suggesting they could be the “Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood of the 90s”

The magazine ends with Richard Fairbrass of Right Said Fred being interviewed, stating that Hardcore Techno isn’t finished, Sarah Ferguson would be suited to Donald Trump, they met Faith No More in America, who told them that Right Said Fred were their favourite band, and had talked to their record company about supporting them on tour.

50 YEARS OF TOP OF THE POPS : DEC 26 – DEC 31

The final episode of the series, which i’ve enjoyed writing and sharing with you.

You never know, the BBC might bring it back on a weekly basis. Let’s go out on a high with some classics, and some not so classic.

I’ll probably rehash this in 2024 for 60 Years Of Top Of The Pops. If not, i’ll see you in 2048 for 50 Years Of CD:UK.

And finally, Bobby Farrell died four years ago, on the same day, and in the same city as Rasputin.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : Q – JUNE 2006

The summer of 2006 is the focus of the latest “Magazine Archive”, as Oasis, on tour in Argentina, are the cover stars of Q, as part of a special themed “On Tour” edition, which also featured “20 Greatest Live Albums” and “50 Most Insane Tour Stories”

The magazine came with a free CD of covers from songs between 1986 and 2006, as Q geared up to celebrate it’s 20th anniversary later that year, with artists like Franz Ferdinand, Sugababes and Elbow contributing.

The spineline reads “Yo Soy El Diego”, which translates as “I am The Diego”

“Yo Soy El Diego” is the title of Diego Maradona’s autobiography. Diego Maradona makes a surreal appearance in this magazine, in the form of an article about the time he met Queen in 1981, sporting a hairstyle that is best described as “Mini Brian May”

George Galloway was the subject of that months “Cash For Questions” with the standard Galloway answers you would expect.

The monthly chart round-up was not including downloads. The Number One download was “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley.

Morrissey topp the album chart while being joined in the Top Ten by X-Factor rejects Andy Abraham and Journey South.

A double page spread is dedicated to a feature called “Rewind : Great Moments In Music” focusing on Diego Maradona meeting Queen in 1981, with Freddie Mercury weaing an Argentina top while Diego Maradona wears a Union Jack. The image of Maradona has been used on a piece of Banksy art.

The Argentina theme continues with seven pages dedicated to Oasis on tour in Argentina.

As well as the download chart, new technology also made an appearance with three pages dedicated to Podcasting, including a guide with everything you need to know about Podcasting.

Joe Cole also makes an appearance, talking about how Arctic Monkeys are his favourite band. This however, couldn’t inspire England to glory at the 2006 World Cup which was taking place at the same time.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : Q – NOVEMBER 2002

The latest edition of “The Magazine Archive” focuses on Q in November 2002, when U2 Foo Fighters, Graham Coxon and Vanessa Carlton were the cover stars.

The spineline simply reads “Stuart Morgan”. Unable to get it immediately, a quick websearch reveals that Stuart Morgan was an art critic who died in August 2002.

U2 are the main feature on the cover that month, which saw the release of their second Greatest Hits compilation “1990-2000”, while Graham Coxon speaks about his departure from Blur.

John Squire is the subject of “Cash For Questions” ,where readers submit their questions (and successful entrants get a cash prize, hence the feature title) with the questions, unsurprisingly, focusing on all things Stone Roses.

The album chart in late 2002 was topped by Atomic Kitten, with Enrique Iglesias and Nora Jones making appearances in the Top Ten alongaside Oasis, Ash and Coldplay.

Graham Coxon speaking about his departure from Blur gets a 3 page feature while Vanessa Carlton, then enjoying success in the charts with “A Thousand Miles” also gets a 3 page feature.

U2 get a a mammoth 10 pages dedicated to them. As at that time, they were promoting their 1990s Greatest Hits compilation album, the article mainly looks back at U2’s productivity during that decade, with quotes from all 4 members of the band.

Concert reviews that month focus on Rolling Stones, Morrissey, Avril Lavigne and Oasis.