zuma Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 http://www.pastemagazine.com/paste/the-cam...save-paste.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
myboyblue Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Damn, every music subscription that I have keeps flapping away. I don't mind donating but I'm afraid that the money will go the same place my 2 year subscription to Harp went. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duck-Billed Catechist Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Think of all the paper we're going to save with all of these magazines and newspapers closing up shop! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gueringray Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 IMO Paste killed itself with Lackluster writing, asinine reviews, and decreasing quality of artistic management (layout, photos, etc.). Those are the reasons I canceled my subscription to this once great mag, and why I don't want to support them now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KevinG Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 IMO Paste killed itself with Lackluster writing, asinine reviews, and decreasing quality of artistic management (layout, photos, etc.). Those are the reasons I canceled my subscription to this once great mag, and why I don't want to support them now. I totally agree. Paste has very poor writing and very poor editing. I don't think it is worth saving. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 IMO Paste killed itself with Lackluster writing, asinine reviews, and decreasing quality of artistic management (layout, photos, etc.). Those are the reasons I canceled my subscription to this once great mag, and why I don't want to support them now.  i just never liked any of the stuff they covered. it's ironic that they focused on 'signs of life' given the fact that most of the stuff they cover is totally adult alternative MOR. sorry to see them go. their office is not more than 2 miles from where i live. the problem is that there is nothing good to cover any more. not to mention the fact that any piece of news one might want about a favorite band is available instantly on the internet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
explodo Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 IMO Paste killed itself with Lackluster writing, asinine reviews, and decreasing quality of artistic management (layout, photos, etc.). Those are the reasons I canceled my subscription to this once great mag, and why I don't want to support them now.This is the truth. Every month, for awhile, they were changing the format. And that whole "we're not going to post scores for reviews anymore" wasn't a good idea. Especially when it forced you to read the piss-poor writing in the review. Most of the time, when I'd actually bother to read something, I'd end up having no idea whether or not they actually liked the record. And the art/design/layout just kept getting worse. Stuff was all over the pages, making it hard to read without getting distracted. Â Also, the last issue is like half the size it used to be when I actually read it. I noticed that at the store the other day. What happened? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 didn't they quit the sampler cd and make it only downloads? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
explodo Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Yeah, they did. So that makes it thinner, but it was also like 70 pages. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lodestar Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Also, the last issue is like half the size it used to be when I actually read it. I noticed that at the store the other day. What happened? Just a guess, but I'd imagine that has something to do with their aforementioned lack of funds? I'll be sad to see it go. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Paste magazine is a for-profit endeavor. A "campaign" by artists to "save" a magazine that operates as essentially free advertising for them seems a bit much. They even have a "Donate Now" button. Wow. I'll donate my cash to charity and spend my money on magazines with something interesting to say. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Just a guess, but I'd imagine that has something to do with their aforementioned lack of funds? I'll be sad to see it go.To be precise, lack of funds from a lack of advertisers, which is something the entire mediaverse is going through. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 So, what, they think they can hit up their subscribers indefinitely? This kind of appeal, if it works at all, tends to work only once. Perhaps they'll raise enough money to put out a few more issues, but then what? I doubt they could go back to that same well again. Of course, they're hoping the recession ends soon and advertising dollars magically return. Good luck with that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sureshot Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I took these guys up on their "pay what you want" special offer last year (yes, I did it for free. sue me). I'll be honest, I wasnt impressed with the mag. I'd often flip through it in under 15 minutes, and just found it to be lacking in a whole lot of areas, many of which were mentioned above. I dont like seeing music mags die, but this one dosent seem particularly special, and on a more personal level, their focus (adult/commercial alternative) dosent appeal to me at all. It felt like they were trying to be all things for all people, which is usually a recipe for disaster. And yes, if nothing else their graphic design team needs to be fired. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
myboyblue Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Tough crowd. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moss Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 So what is the best music mag to get now? MOJO? Q? Magnet? Under the Radar? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tweedy Bird Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 We subscribed to Paste since its inception and agree that the mag has fallen off in quality in the last two-three+ years. Â Personally, I'm not inclined to donate $$ to save it. In fact, if I did send $$ I would almost surely jinx it as I did when sending $$ to DoubleTake mag, the Oxford American mag (I'm still incensed that Marc Smirnoff let all that $$ get stolen), Backstreets fanzine, No Depression. Can't think of another mag I've supported that's gone under but I'm sure there must be more. Â Nope. It's sad to see these mags go but can't foot the bill for them any more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 We subscribed to Paste since its inception and agree that the mag has fallen off in quality in the last two-three+ years. Â Personally, I'm not inclined to donate $$ to save it. In fact, if I did send $$ I would almost surely jinx it as I did when sending $$ to DoubleTake mag, the Oxford American mag (I'm still incensed that Marc Smirnoff let all that $$ get stolen), Backstreets fanzine, No Depression. Can't think of another mag I've supported that's gone under but I'm sure there must be more. Â Nope. It's sad to see these mags go but can't foot the bill for them any more. Â It's amazing how often such a thing goes on these days. Â Oxford American Staffer Arrested for Embezzling $30K Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zuma Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 interesting article about the paste situation:Â http://blurt-online.com/news/view/2266/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmait Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 >Tough crowd. Â Tell me about it. You'd think we're talking about Spin here, the People magazine of music. Paste is not that bad of a mag. It might not be the music version of the New Yorker, but it usually has a handful of decent articles and covered up-and-coming bands. Maybe it will have better luck being online only. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brianjeremy Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 My subscription dollars should be enough for the mag. I ain't sending another dime. I like my subscription okay, it was better than my blender subscription, but enough with the begging for money already! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 What Paste's situation proves is that content truly is king. In the newspaper industry, the phase before this phase of death we are currently in was characterized by lots of newspapers becoming parts of publicly held corporations, which cut and slashed and beat the living shit out of them to maximize profits. The papers began to suck and people started to not care. Now, in a recessionary economy, they shrivel up and croak. It's not good enough to be good - you have to be great, or die. Content is king. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Paste magazine is a for-profit endeavor. A "campaign" by artists to "save" a magazine that operates as essentially free advertising for them seems a bit much. They even have a "Donate Now" button. Wow. I'll donate my cash to charity and spend my money on magazines with something interesting to say.  that does seem to be the case with paste. ANYONE who puts out a cd can advertise in that mag. even some no name from the middle of georgia. i think that's why they cover so much shit. whoever sends them some cash with a promo gets talked about. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Hollinger. Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 So what is the best music mag to get now? MOJO? Q? Magnet? Under the Radar?  UTR is probably the only decent rag out there anymore. I miss Harp. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 I miss Creem. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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