Classic Rock Magazine

Don't know if anyone was following the story before the holidays, but Team Rock Limited, the company the publishes Classic Rock Magazine and some others was taken over by another larger corporation and laid-off a huge chunk of their staff right before Christmas.

While the "official" statement is that they are re-assessing their options and blah, blah, blah corporate jargon, don't be surprised if they cease publication of the magazine. Their website hasn't been updated since the take-over either. Just a corporate message and some old posts.

Quote :

ADMINISTRATORS APPOINTED – TEAM ROCK LIMITED - 19 DECEMBER 2016
Thomas Campbell MacLennan, Alexander Iain Fraser and Jason Daniel Baker of FRP Advisory LLP were appointed as Joint Administrators of Team Rock Limited (“the Company”) on 19 December 2016. The affairs, business and property of the Company are being managed by the Joint Administrators, who act as agents of the Company and without personal liability. The Company is being managed on a care and maintenance basis only whilst a buyer for the assets is sought. Accordingly, the TeamRock website will be unavailable for the foreseeable future. The administrators are assessing the position regarding publication of magazines.

Another sign of the times I guess. The print media is just another dinosaur that's going extinct. While I wasn't a subscriber or fanatical reader, I did enjoy picking up a copy from time to time. Discovered some cool bands with the free cds they included too.

Some more news here...
http://www.rockfeed.net/2016/12/20/avenged-sevenfold-posts-moving-tribute-metal-hammer-donates-families-affected/

I wasn't a regular reader of Classic Rock or any of the other pubs in the TeamRock stable (issues tended to be kinda pricey in the US due to import fees) but I have a few random copies of 'em in my mag stash.

Since I work for a newspaper, I am quite aware of the issues facing print media. My company was recently sold and the new owners made a whole bunch of cuts as soon as they were handed the keys. Fortunately I have (so far) managed to dodge the bullet, but who knows what the future may hold?

So the news isn't a surprise, even tho it sucks. Magazines in general are becoming an endangered species, rock music mags especially so.

Just a sign of the times. Too bad. Sucks to see people lose jobs.

007 wrote:

Just a sign of the times. Too bad. Sucks to see people lose jobs.

True. Sad enough.

Yeah there was some kind of fundraiser for the laid off workers as they didn't even get their paycheck for the last month and were left high and dry for Xmas.

That said it is about time that magazines like this died. I know someone who worked for Metal Hammer and they left because of the good reviews for advertising revenue thing, nowadays there is an internet full of people like us that will review a record honestly and for free.

I think it sucks that it died, and at the moment all the magazines have ceased publication. I read it every month, so I will miss it.

Sadly this particular magazine, Classic Rock Magazine did not die due to lack of sales but corporate over reaching of bad business decisions.

Metal Hammer and Classic Rock Magazine are saved (for now):

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/jan/08/heir-guitars-rock-and-metal-music-publisher-teamrock-saved?CMP=share_btn_fb

I think that is great news, and Future Publications is who owned those mags originally

Good news indeed. I just hope it's not a temporary fix. It's still a dying format.

To me, magazines are like cds. An internet article will never replace the pleasure of holding a mag in your hands.

Apparently the "new" owners of Classic Rock/etc. are actually the previous owners. They sold the magazine line to the current publishers for big bucks some time ago, now they're buying them back from them at fire-sale prices.