Magazine (band)

Devoto formed Magazine in Manchester, shortly after he left Buzzcocks in early 1977. In April 1977, he met guitarist McGeoch, then an art student, and they began writing songs, some of which would appear on the first Magazine album.[1] They then recruited Barry Adamson on bass, Bob Dickinson on keyboards and Martin Jackson (previously of the Freshies) on drums, forming the first lineup of the band. After signing to Virgin Records, Magazine played their debut live gig at Rafters in Manchester on 28 October 1977.

"Motorcade" co-writer Dickinson, whose background was in classical and avant-garde music, left shortly after several gigs in late 1977. In early 1978, the band released their first single, "Shot by Both Sides", a song Magazine recorded as a quartet. It featured a guitar-bass-drums sound similar to punk rock. Shortly after the single's release, Dave Formula, who had played with a briefly successful 1960s rock band from Manchester called St. Louis Union, joined as keyboardist. "Shot by Both Sides" used a chord progression suggested by Pete Shelley, which was also used in the Buzzcocks track "Lipstick".[2] The Magazine single just missed the UK top 40. The band, with Formula on keyboards, made its first major TV appearance on Top of the Pops in February 1978, performing the single.

Following a British tour to promote their debut album, Real Life (which made the UK top 30), Jackson left Magazine in late July. He was replaced briefly by Paul Spencer, who performed with the band for gigs across Europe and some television appearances, including The Old Grey Whistle Test, where they played "Definitive Gaze". Spencer quit partway through the tour, joining the Speedometors shortly afterwards. He was replaced in October by John Doyle, who completed the Real Life promotional tour and remained in the band.[3]

Magazine's second album, Secondhand Daylight, was released in 1979, reaching the UK top 40. The album featured a greater use of synthesisers. That same year, McGeoch, Adamson and Formula joined electronic project Visage, recording and releasing the single "Tar".

After the release of Secondhand Daylight, Devoto decided to change producers. He chose Martin Hannett, who produced their next album, The Correct Use of Soap, released the following year and again making the top 30. Following its release, McGeoch left the band, tired of Magazine's low sales and their less guitar-oriented songs. He soon joined Siouxsie and the Banshees. To replace him, the band hired Robin Simon, who had been in Ultravox and Neo. That lineup toured Europe and Australia, recording their next release, the live album Play. Simon made some initial recordings and rehearsals for what would be the next Magazine album, including co-writing the song "So Lucky", but he left the band before the album was released so that he could record the John Foxx solo album The Garden.

Again without a guitarist, Devoto called in his former college friend at Bolton, Ben Mandelson (a former Amazorblades member). This lineup completed the 1981 recording of the band's fourth studio album, Magic, Murder and the Weather, but Devoto quit that May, months before its release, and the remaining members disbanded. A year later, After the Fact, the first Magazine compilation, was released.

Adamson continued collaborating with Visage, and also began to work with Shelley, the Birthday Party and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Jackson later played with the Chameleons, Swing Out Sister and the Durutti Column. Formula continued as a member of Visage and joined Ludus, and Mandelson joined the Mekons.[4] Doyle joined the Armoury Show in Scotland in 1983, which also featured McGeoch; the latter later played guitar for Public Image Ltd. After a brief solo outing and two albums with Luxuria, Devoto quit music to become a photo archivist, until a new collaboration with Shelley produced the Buzzkunst album in 2002. McGeoch died in 2004, aged 48.[5]

The Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood named McGeoch his biggest guitar influence, and said that Magazine's songwriting "informs so much of what we do".[10] Radiohead performed a cover of "Shot By Both Sides" in 2000.[11] Johnny Marr of the Smiths cited Magazine as an influence, particularly McGeoch's guitar work.[12][13] Morrissey covered "A Song from Under the Floorboards" as a B-side to his 2006 single "The Youngest Was the Most Loved". "Floorboards" was also covered by My Friend the Chocolate Cake on their 1994 album Brood. MGMT played a version of "Burst" on tour in 2011.[14]

Lolita Pop recorded a cover of "A Song from under the Floorboards" on 1989's Love Poison. Half Man Half Biscuit have performed live covers of a number of Magazine songs. "The Light Pours Out of Me" was covered by several acts including Peter Murphy, Ministry, the Mission, Sleep Chamber and Zero Boys. The band No Fun at All did a cover of "Shot by Both Sides" on their record And Now for Something Completely Different. Mansun covered "Shot by Both Sides" for John Peel sessions. Duff McKagan cited Real Life as an influence, particularly on tracks where a chorus effect is used.[15]

In April 2022, a biography of McGeoch, his life and his legacy was released on Omnibus Press. The Light Pours Out of Me: The Authorised Biography of John McGeoch features recent interviews of guitarists and acts who admire McGeoch's work: the author of the biography met Jonny Greenwood, Johnny Marr, John Frusciante and many other musicians, relatives and friends, including Siouxsie Sioux and Devoto.[16]

Classic line-up

• Howard Devoto - lead vocals (1977–1981, 2009–2011)
• John McGeoch - guitar (1977–1980)
• Barry Adamson - bass guitar (1977–1981, 2009–2010)
• Dave Formula - keyboards (1977–1981, 2009–2011)
• John Doyle - drums (1978–1981, 2009–2011)

Other members

• Martin Jackson - drums (1977–1978)
• Bob Dickinson - keyboards (1977)
• John Scott - guitar (1977)
• Paul Spencer - drums (1978)
• Robin Simon - guitar (1980)
• Ben Mandelson - guitar (1981)
• Noko - guitar (2009–2011)
• Jonathan "Stan" White - bass guitar (2010–2011)

Timeline

The Magazine discography consists of five studio albums, four live albums, seven compilation albums, two video albums, one extended play and 10 singles.

All titles were released by Virgin Records, except where indicated.

• Chase, Helen (2009). Magazine: The Biography. Northumbria Press. ISBN 978-1-904794-36-3.
• Sullivan-Burke, Rory (April 2022). The Light Pours Out of Me: The Authorised Biography of John McGeoch. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1913172664.

• List of new wave artists and bands
• List of Peel sessions
• List of post-punk bands
• Music of the United Kingdom (1970s)

• Magazine discography at Discogs