*sniff* one of my last, regularly (good) paying gigs too!
Not surprising though...I spoke with one of the editors there about this the other day and the writing had been on the wall for years. Andre T. actually called it early on: Scratch's goals were more or less incompatible with the ambitions that Harris had for it. The mag could have worked in a niche but it was never going to crossover.
Pity too - I know a lot of folks heaped scorn on it (much of it deserved) but there was some really good producer-oriented content and seriously, who is left out there to cover some of those angles?
Pity too - I know a lot of folks heaped scorn on it (much of it deserved) but there was some really good producer-oriented content and seriously, who is left out there to cover some of those angles?
That is a shame.
It was embarassingly bad for the first two years of its existence, but I thought Brendan Frederick had really turned it around in the past few months.
Pity too - I know a lot of folks heaped scorn on it (much of it deserved) but there was some really good producer-oriented content and seriously, who is left out there to cover some of those angles?
That is a shame.
It was embarassingly bad for the first two years of its existence, but I thought Brendan Frederick had really turned it around in the past few months.
I've been diggin it since it came out because there was nothing like it out there. I guess every issue has lost money though, so the public just didn't give a fizzle.
Pity too - I know a lot of folks heaped scorn on it (much of it deserved) but there was some really good producer-oriented content and seriously, who is left out there to cover some of those angles?
That is a shame.
It was embarassingly bad for the first two years of its existence, but I thought Brendan Frederick had really turned it around in the past few months.
Yeah, that part surprised me too - if I'm not mistaken, this next issue was only Brendan's 3rd one helming so I figured they would have given him at least five or six to try to work with.
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
This is a shame. It wasn't perfect, but it was a brave and generally readable attempt to do something different. The recent change in cover star policy did get me thinking that they were trying to make it more like all the other hip-hop publications out there, but it wasn't, and they should have worked a bit more at emphasising the difference.
Too bad. I have a subscription and I've really enjoyed it. As with WAX POETICS, I think a lot of folks' criticism of the two publications was far too harsh considering the dearth of other magazines covering topics dear to the hearts of people who post here. Sorry you're losing a paycheck, Ol*ver!
Pity too - I know a lot of folks heaped scorn on it (much of it deserved) but there was some really good producer-oriented content and seriously, who is left out there to cover some of those angles?
That is a shame.
It was embarassingly bad for the first two years of its existence, but I thought Brendan Frederick had really turned it around in the past few months.
I've been diggin it since it came out because there was nothing like it out there. I guess every issue has lost money though, so the public just didn't give a fizzle.
Yeah - ironically, I guess I should have been wary that, as a new magazine, they would afford to pay a standard writer's rate without having first tested if they could get up the circulation numbers and ad revenue to justify that.
I wonder if this niche will get filled with a more modest publication by someone else. It's still not a bad idea in terms of the content.
Maybe part of their failure has to do with the fact they gave me a years subscription but never charged my credit card. It's a regular read in my bathroom piles. I have a mint condition first issue somewhere. Bought one copy to read and one to collect.
Truuuuuuue. The last issue sounds really good...too bad it's the last issue. As a magazine dude from the outside looking in, I think it looks like Scratch is another casualty of the good editorial/lousy marketing scenario. They made a nice book, but they couldn't figure out how to position it. The crossover attempt was more or less doomed to fail.
Scratch was my hand book. I loved reading that magazine. Compared to all the other stuff (Vibe,Source,XX XL etc.) I got excited when the new issue hit shelves every month. RIP
I've had a subscription since the beginning and only recently decided not to renew it. I always got the magazine way after it had been on the shelves (is that how subscriptions are supposed to work?). I'm moving soon and I didn't want to renew a subscription with my current and soon to be old address. I wonder what happens to all the subscription fees. Do people get refunds?
I always enjoyed the magazine. It had some questionable moments, but there were always some interesting sections in each issue. It's a shame too, because there isn't really anything else giving shine to some of the people who got articles in there.
That's too bad, really. I'd agree that they were covering some pretty underrepresented angles.
Speaking of which, I highly recommend that folks interested in writing check out noz's "Triggerman" piece from one or two issues ago, as it's one of the most balanced, graceful pieces of journalism I've read in a good while. It's odd, because the writing's not really heavily stylized, and it's not real long--it's not like one of those sprawling, magisterial Dave Tompkins things where you're conscious of being in the teeth of something big, wild, and woolly--but it's engaging and crisp and informative and harmonious. I read it several times over the course of a couple days and kept thinking "Damn, there is really nothing at all wrong with this article." And anyone who thinks that's damning with faint praise must not read much. The economy of this thing is just awfully perfect, and although I'd have been happy to read it anywhere, coming across it in motherfucking Scratch Magazine (no offense to anyone here) was really something.
Oh, and I of course also highly recommend it to folks who still think that Southern-rap beats are some ahistorical preset robot shit. That, too.
That's too bad, really. I'd agree that they were covering some pretty underrepresented angles.
Speaking of which, I highly recommend that folks interested in writing check out noz's "Triggerman" piece from one or two issues ago, as it's one of the most balanced, graceful pieces of journalism I've read in a good while. It's odd, because the writing's not really heavily stylized, and it's not real long--it's not like one of those sprawling, magisterial Dave Tompkins things where you're conscious of being in the teeth of something big, wild, and woolly--but it's engaging and crisp and informative and harmonious. I read it several times over the course of a couple days and kept thinking "Damn, there is really nothing at all wrong with this article." And anyone who thinks that's damning with faint praise must not read much. The economy of this thing is just awfully perfect, and although I'd have been happy to read it anywhere, coming across it in motherfucking Scratch Magazine (no offense to anyone here) was really something.
On that note, one of their recent hires, Rob Markum, has been one of the best editors I've worked with at any hip-hop magazine. I know that's not saying much in some ways, but this guy understood style and economy in ways that I appreciated. I hope dude lands someplace good after this.
I stopped buying it about 3 issues ago, I just could not get into it anymore. I recognize that it needs commerical appeal, but it seemed to really be lacking content.
It's a shame to see it go. I've got every issue and although they wavered with quality (one month up, one month down) it was a good read, and there's nothing else like it out there. I hope someone steps up, perhaps with a more in depth view covering a few genres.
Truuuuuuue. The last issue sounds really good...too bad it's the last issue. As a magazine dude from the outside looking in, I think it looks like Scratch is another casualty of the good editorial/lousy marketing scenario. They made a nice book, but they couldn't figure out how to position it. The crossover attempt was more or less doomed to fail.
Chalk that up to a bad title. When it first debuted I was expecting non-stop articles about Dj Shadow, Qbert, Babu and similar.
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Not surprising though...I spoke with one of the editors there about this the other day and the writing had been on the wall for years. Andre T. actually called it early on: Scratch's goals were more or less incompatible with the ambitions that Harris had for it. The mag could have worked in a niche but it was never going to crossover.
Pity too - I know a lot of folks heaped scorn on it (much of it deserved) but there was some really good producer-oriented content and seriously, who is left out there to cover some of those angles?
Yes, I definitely want to read that.
Curious to see how that turned out as well.
Scratch did a piece on Carnival Beats not so long ago, so you know I support it. It would be a shame to see the mag discontinued.
That sucks. They showed me a lot of love.
That is a shame.
It was embarassingly bad for the first two years of its existence, but I thought Brendan Frederick had really turned it around in the past few months.
I've been diggin it since it came out because there was nothing like it out there. I guess every issue has lost money though, so the public just didn't give a fizzle.
Yeah, that part surprised me too - if I'm not mistaken, this next issue was only Brendan's 3rd one helming so I figured they would have given him at least five or six to try to work with.
This is a shame. It wasn't perfect, but it was a brave and generally readable attempt to do something different. The recent change in cover star policy did get me thinking that they were trying to make it more like all the other hip-hop publications out there, but it wasn't, and they should have worked a bit more at emphasising the difference.
Yeah - ironically, I guess I should have been wary that, as a new magazine, they would afford to pay a standard writer's rate without having first tested if they could get up the circulation numbers and ad revenue to justify that.
I wonder if this niche will get filled with a more modest publication by someone else. It's still not a bad idea in terms of the content.
Truuuuuuue. The last issue sounds really good...too bad it's the last issue. As a magazine dude from the outside looking in, I think it looks like Scratch is another casualty of the good editorial/lousy marketing scenario. They made a nice book, but they couldn't figure out how to position it. The crossover attempt was more or less doomed to fail.
Wow.
I wonder what happens to all the subscription fees. Do people get refunds?
I always enjoyed the magazine. It had some questionable moments, but there were always some interesting sections in each issue. It's a shame too, because there isn't really anything else giving shine to some of the people who got articles in there.
f'real. i've gotten one issue since i resubscribed.
Speaking of which, I highly recommend that folks interested in writing check out noz's "Triggerman" piece from one or two issues ago, as it's one of the most balanced, graceful pieces of journalism I've read in a good while. It's odd, because the writing's not really heavily stylized, and it's not real long--it's not like one of those sprawling, magisterial Dave Tompkins things where you're conscious of being in the teeth of something big, wild, and woolly--but it's engaging and crisp and informative and harmonious. I read it several times over the course of a couple days and kept thinking "Damn, there is really nothing at all wrong with this article." And anyone who thinks that's damning with faint praise must not read much. The economy of this thing is just awfully perfect, and although I'd have been happy to read it anywhere, coming across it in motherfucking Scratch Magazine (no offense to anyone here) was really something.
Oh, and I of course also highly recommend it to folks who still think that Southern-rap beats are some ahistorical preset robot shit. That, too.
On that note, one of their recent hires, Rob Markum, has been one of the best editors I've worked with at any hip-hop magazine. I know that's not saying much in some ways, but this guy understood style and economy in ways that I appreciated. I hope dude lands someplace good after this.
that sucks though o-dub. Your articles were interesting. Not really a fan on the whole magazine but still read it once and a while. It was alright.
tha lack of the second p in wrapped really makes that a funny sentence.
I attribute that to poor proofing on the part of the scratch editing staff.
i liked the section on up and coming producers
and some of the articles were ok.
oh well someone will step up and take the slack.
Chalk that up to a bad title. When it first debuted I was expecting non-stop articles about Dj Shadow, Qbert, Babu and similar.
Whatever. I still want my Subculture subscription money back!