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Anyone Else Disenchanted with Bass Player Magazine?
- Thread starter BassHappy
- Start date
“Definition of rock journalism: People who can't write, doing interviews with people who can't think, in order to prepare articles for people who can't read.”
― Frank Zappa, The Real Frank Zappa Book
...always liked Zappa's explanation of "Disco Music".
― Frank Zappa, The Real Frank Zappa Book
...always liked Zappa's explanation of "Disco Music".
I'm sorry but this is just simply not true... If you would like I could go through the last years worth of issues and there is a large amount of variety and artists covered that were never covered before... I just don't get where this argument comes from .... the same one or two bassists all the time... and exactly who do they cover "all the time" ???
Enlighten me, please....
I've stopped paying attention to BP because most of what I want to find out about has already been on TB for months (or so it seems). Everything from NAMM, anything new that manufacturers put out... All here. Sometimes if there's a bassist profile of someone who interests me, that might interest me...
To those of you who have supported the magazine over the years, thank you. If it's no longer your thing, best of luck. Really.
This thread is full of opinions. Great. On behalf of the magazine, I can take criticism. But when those critiques are ill-informed, inflammatory, and based more in fantasy than fact, that doesn't leave me with much to work with.
So let's play ... Fact or fiction?
"There's a ceaseless turnover of staff."
I've been here since 2004. Not sure about other industries, but that seems a semi-respectable tenure. Fiction.
"It's the same three guys on the cover every month."
It's been 33 issues since I've taken over as editor in chief. In that time, 22 of those covers have been artists or gear that had never been on cover since the publication began in 1988. (Choice, not coincidence.) Geddy Lee happens to be one of those 11 that had. Sue me. Fiction.
"Once Ed Friedland took over the direction...."
Much respect to Ed and all he's done (and continues to do) for BP. Aside from the scope of his columns, he's never taken over direction of the magazine. Fiction.
As for gear, that's a more nuanced discussion that we've had here over the years, but misconceptions have a nasty tendency to self-propagate. Reviews and advertising are treated separately. As the one who oversees the reviews, I maintain relationships with dozens of manufacturers -- some who advertise, some who don't. I have nothing to do with advertising transactions. Really. Seriously. Haters are gonna hate, doubters are gonna doubt, but that's the truth.
It seems that some people want nothing more than to read a review saying "The xxx bass is a total piece of sh*t. Don't waste your time." Is that a nuanced, or even remotely helpful review? Have you ever read anything like that in any other magazine? When there are problems with a piece of gear, whether it's a microphonic pickup, a tendency to overheat, whatever -- we make note of it. Otherwise, we focus on what the gear is intended to be ("a chorus pedal that maintains low end," "an ABG built for volume," etc.) and judge it on those merits or shortcomings. We just choose not to write bitter, profanity-laced screeds.
Finally, my email is printed in the magazine. If you're a reader with a legitimate gripe and a vested interest in the community, write me. If, rather, you just want to flame the magazine and the people who make it in a semi-anonymous boys-club setting, well, flame on.
This thread is full of opinions. Great. On behalf of the magazine, I can take criticism. But when those critiques are ill-informed, inflammatory, and based more in fantasy than fact, that doesn't leave me with much to work with.
So let's play ... Fact or fiction?
"There's a ceaseless turnover of staff."
I've been here since 2004. Not sure about other industries, but that seems a semi-respectable tenure. Fiction.
"It's the same three guys on the cover every month."
It's been 33 issues since I've taken over as editor in chief. In that time, 22 of those covers have been artists or gear that had never been on cover since the publication began in 1988. (Choice, not coincidence.) Geddy Lee happens to be one of those 11 that had. Sue me. Fiction.
"Once Ed Friedland took over the direction...."
Much respect to Ed and all he's done (and continues to do) for BP. Aside from the scope of his columns, he's never taken over direction of the magazine. Fiction.
As for gear, that's a more nuanced discussion that we've had here over the years, but misconceptions have a nasty tendency to self-propagate. Reviews and advertising are treated separately. As the one who oversees the reviews, I maintain relationships with dozens of manufacturers -- some who advertise, some who don't. I have nothing to do with advertising transactions. Really. Seriously. Haters are gonna hate, doubters are gonna doubt, but that's the truth.
It seems that some people want nothing more than to read a review saying "The xxx bass is a total piece of sh*t. Don't waste your time." Is that a nuanced, or even remotely helpful review? Have you ever read anything like that in any other magazine? When there are problems with a piece of gear, whether it's a microphonic pickup, a tendency to overheat, whatever -- we make note of it. Otherwise, we focus on what the gear is intended to be ("a chorus pedal that maintains low end," "an ABG built for volume," etc.) and judge it on those merits or shortcomings. We just choose not to write bitter, profanity-laced screeds.
Finally, my email is printed in the magazine. If you're a reader with a legitimate gripe and a vested interest in the community, write me. If, rather, you just want to flame the magazine and the people who make it in a semi-anonymous boys-club setting, well, flame on.
After ready through this whole thread, I decided to read some Guitar Player mags that a friend gave me when I was in the hospital earlier this year.
Holy crap! There's a lot of pages, interviews, gear reviews, ads, just like everybody said. They must have a huge staff. I understand the size of the mag is based on circulation and sales, and there are a whole lot more guitar players than us.
I just wish BP would last a little longer than 1 or 2 trips to the bathroom. I will still subscribe because there may be a transcription I can use, or a good interview with somebody like Geezer.
Sometimes, though, the rest can be rather light in content and detail.
And quit changing the format. We bass players don't like change.
Holy crap! There's a lot of pages, interviews, gear reviews, ads, just like everybody said. They must have a huge staff. I understand the size of the mag is based on circulation and sales, and there are a whole lot more guitar players than us.
I just wish BP would last a little longer than 1 or 2 trips to the bathroom. I will still subscribe because there may be a transcription I can use, or a good interview with somebody like Geezer.
Sometimes, though, the rest can be rather light in content and detail. And quit changing the format. We bass players don't like change.
Brian Fox:
When I think I can do better..I'll start my own mag publications.
Until then, I am continuing both G P and BP subscriptions.
When I think I can do better..I'll start my own mag publications.
Until then, I am continuing both G P and BP subscriptions.
I'll subscribe to the mag for a while and then let my subscription lapse. In my opinion, BP jumped the shark when they put Wolfgang on the cover. I didn't renew after that.
Speaking from experience (you can shuffle back and read my post about it) you can change the subject matter for pretty much any magazine and these comments hold true.
And FWIW, as an art director, I like the new format, and I liked the new design direction. Very well done, especially with regards to compartmentalizing the subjects in the magazine.
I'm with you. I prefer Bass Guitar Magazine. I also read some on-line mags as well. BP has gone downhill in recent years. Someone ought to remind them they're not the only game in town.
Brian Fox is right up above you in this thread, and requested reader feedback. Feel free … 
Lots of threads on this over the years. Yes, the era of a monthly magazine if pretty much over. I would guess their readership is getting smaller and smaller and older and older, resulting in less money, and hence less to work with.
I still get the magazine. It takes me about 5 minutes to go throughHard to compete with the immediate reviews and info on Talkbass. I view my subscription cost as kind of 'charity' at this point as part of the bass community helping keep this classic mag afloat, even though it is pretty much irrelevant at this point. IMO.
I think No Treble has better reviews and info than TB, but that's only my opinion.
I yearn for the day when I submit myself for 'Introduce Yourself ' ,but I don't want to show all of my basses and rigs and then admit I am currently a has been..LOL..
Maybe they can have a similar spot for wanna-bees, has-beens and fossils like mysef..LOL.
Maybe they can have a similar spot for wanna-bees, has-beens and fossils like mysef..LOL.
I'm not sure it's fair to compare a magazine with a $60 annual subscription rate (Bass Guitar) with a magazine with a $19 annual ($27 for two years) subscription rate (Bass Player). While I have been a little disappointed with BP recently (and have informed them directly of my reasons), I think I get a fair return for my money.
I wouldn't consider Bass Player "rock journalism" though. I've seen (and read) articles on people who play funk (Bootsy), Jazz (Jeff Berlin), and some who defy categories (Les Claypool). Then there's Musicians like Sting. This is Bass Player not "Metal Hammer" (not that there's anything wrong with Metal Hammer, I read it occasionally) Or some rock rag.
They cater to musicians, specifically Bassists. While I've preferred the writing in Bass Guitar Magazine for some time now, if I see a cover story or a featured story in Bass Player that interests me, I'll buy it. They've covered Marcus Miller, Steve Bailey, Victor Wooten, Sting, Prince, Tony Levin, Stu Hamm, Lee Sklar, Gary Willis, Ron Carter, and Jaco Pastorius .... Hardly simply "rock journalism".
While I'm a big fan of Frank Zappa, and am often entertained by the things he's had to say, I don't feel this particular quote applies to the conversation.
Considering I'm buying a British publication in America, I think the cost is comparable. As far as I know, the Pound and the Euro are both worth more than the dollar. So, the combination of the difference in currencies and the distance it has to be shipped to reach me, I fully expect to pay more for BGM than BP which is produced here in the states.
Due to tight finances, I'm not subscribing to any magazines right now. I used to subscribe to both BGM and BP. When things free up, I will be re-subscribe to BGM and will revisit whether or not to re up with BP. FWIW, I think I'm getting a fair return for my money with BGM, even though it hits the news stands a month late (not the case when you subscribe).
I've read the "Letters to the Editor" column, I'm not going to be one of those guys (no offense).
