Option (music magazine)

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Option

Issue #69, July/August 1996.
Executive editor Scott Becker
Categories Music magazine
Frequency Bimonthly
Circulation 14500 (1989)[1]
27000 (1995)[2]

Publisher

 Scott Becker
First Issue March-April 1984
Final Issue
— Date
— Number
July-August 1998
81
Company Sonic Options Network
Country United States
Language English
Website
ISSN 0882-178X

Option (subtitled Music Alternatives, then Music Culture) was a music magazine based in Los Angeles, California.[3]

Contents

[edit] History

Originally called OPtion, it, along with SoundChoice, were the dual successors to the earlier music magazine OP, published by John Foster and the Lost Music Network and known for its diverse scope and the role it played in providing publicity to DIY musicians in the midst of the cassette culture.[4] When Foster infamously ended OP after only twenty-six issues, he held a conference, offering the magazine's resources to parties interested in carrying on;[5] attendant journalist David Ciaffardini went on to start SoundChoice, while Scott Becker, alongside Richie Unterberger, founded Option.[6] Whereas SoundChoice was described as a low-budget and and "chaotic" publication in spirit, Option was characterized as a "profit making operation" right at the start, in competition with the newly founded Spin.[6]

The magazine began as a small press publication, described by the New Music Periodicals review of the Music Library Association as "encompassing rock, jazz, classical, and electronic forms".[3] The New York Times noted its dedication to coverage of indie music releases, with each issue containing "hundreds" of reviews: "not all rock by any means, but it's hard to imagine the existence of Option before punk rock."[7] The magazine employed 40-50 reviewers at a time, none of whom were professional critics.[1]

One given issue's musicians profiled included "New Orleans's proto-jazz outfit the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and bluesman Walter "Wolfman" Washington; Indian pop-traditionalist Najma; vanguard composer and pianist Cecil Taylor; Yugoslavia's ideological rockers, Laibach; Texas R&B veteran Doug Sahm; Brit dance funkateers Wolfgang Press".[8] According to Becker, the editors conscientiously debated as to whether cover subjects such as Frank Zappa and Siouxsie & the Banshees were "too well known".[1]

By the late 1980s, Option had built up a reputation for its coverage of alternative and underground music scenes, regardless of genre or nationality. The San Francisco Chronicle called it "the top all-round music mag in the States today" in terms of "covering music from anywhere but the mainstream",[9] and The Washington Post called it the "best" for "a broader spectrum of contemporary music".[8] In 1989, the magazine had subscribers in 26 countries outside the United States.[1]

1995 saw a graphical re-design of the magazine, focused mainly on improving readability. The logo typeface was also changed to Frutiger, and the subtitle became instead Music Culture.[2]

In July 1998, Becker announced that Option would go on hiatus, in order to consider the issues of finances and online competition;[10] however, the July/August issue proved to be its last. The Los Angeles Times later attributed the end of the magazine to a mid-1990s jump in the price of paper, which the size of the publication could not accomodate for.[11]

[edit] Staff

Scott Becker was Option's publisher for its entire history. Following its closure, he has since become a full-time artist.[12]

Richie Unterberger served as editor from 1985 to mid-1991, and subsequently became a major contributor to All Music Guide.[13]

Mark Kemp succeeded Unterberger as editor from 1991 onwards, until being hired by Rolling Stone as an editor in 1996.[14] His successor, Jason Fine, was also hired by Rolling Stone a year later,[15] and remains there to date.

[edit] Spin-offs

An issue of UHF magazine.
An issue of UHF magazine.

[edit] UHF

In January 1995, Sonic Options Network launched UHF (Ultra High Frequency), an alternative fashion magazine, after including it in Options itself as a supplement for two issues.[16] The magazine targeted ages ranging from teens to 20s, focusing on concerns such as affordability; early issues were distributed at Urban Outfitters outlets.[17] Later, in 1997, Becker characterized the launch as a failure.[15]

[edit] Option.FM

Option.FM was a 1998 electronic dance music compilation album released in conjunction with Moonshine Records.

  1. "Westway" – Dub Pistols
  2. "I Am the Freshmaka" – The Freshmaka
  3. "We All Want to Be Free" (Skull Valley dub) – Tranquility Bass
  4. "Why?" (DJ Vadim remix) – Gus Gus
  5. "You Don't Get Me" (Urban Takeover mix) – Espiritu
  6. "Frequency 019" – Snow
  7. "Children of Summer" – Color Filter
  8. "Ballet Mechanique" – DJ Spooky with Burro Banton
  9. "Banano's Bar" – Plastilina Mosh
  10. "Halfway Around the World" – Thievery Corporation
  11. "Billy Club" (original) – Junkie XL
  12. "Madness" (DJ Dara remix) – Keoki
  13. "Neon Ray" – Lunatic Calm

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Abrams, Garry (March 2, 1989), "An Unconventional Option for Fans of Far-Out Music", Los Angeles Times: 1, ISSN 0458-3035
  2. ^ a b Hochwald, Lambeth (April 15, 1995), "Option's new spin", Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management 24 (7): 55, 0046-4333
  3. ^ a b Fry, Stephen M. (December 1985), "New Music Periodicals", Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association 42 (2): 268-273, ISSN 0027-4380
  4. ^ Polansky, Larry (1991), "Publications Reviews: News of Music: Access to Discussion and Information / Electronic Cottage: International Magazine", Leonardo Music Journal 1 (1): 115-116, ISSN 0961-1215
  5. ^ Woodward, Josef (March 14, 1991), "Profile: The 'Choice' Is His", Los Angeles Times: 12, ISSN 0458-3035
  6. ^ a b Campau, Don (December 2005-February 2006). Robin James Interview. CassetteCulture.net. Retrieved on March 23, 2007.
  7. ^ Pareles, Jon (April 24, 1986), "CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK; IS PUNK ROCK'S OBITUARY PREMATURE?", The New York Times: C18, ISSN 0362-4331
  8. ^ a b Harrington, Richard (July 18, 1989), "The Word on New Musical Currents", The Washington Post: D07, ISSN 0190-8286
  9. ^ Brand, Stewart & Jeanne Carstensen, eds. (September 14, 1988), "The Music Press / The independent scene", San Francisco Chronicle: 7Z1
  10. ^ Anonymous (August 9, 1998), "POP MUSIC; POP EYE", Los Angeles Times: 69, ISSN 0458-3035
  11. ^ Carpenter, Susan (July 3, 2001), "Regarding Media; It's Publish and Perish in L.A.", Los Angeles Times: E1, ISSN 0458-3035
  12. ^ Becker, Scott Marc. Artist Bio. Arts & Labor. Retrieved on March 26, 2007.
  13. ^ Prindle, Mark (2002). Richie Unterberger - 2002. Mark's Record Reviews. Retrieved on March 26, 2007.
  14. ^ Kemp, Mark (May 11, 2005). And Now, For Something Completely Different. Creative Loafing Charlotte. Retrieved on March 26, 2007.
  15. ^ a b Gremillion, Jeff (May 5, 1997), "Editors play out their 'Option'", Mediaweek 7 (18): 52-53, 1055-176X
  16. ^ Anonymous (April 1, 1995), "New magazines", Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management 24 (6): 61, 0046-4333
  17. ^ Gottschalk, Mary (February 10, 1995), "UHF MAGAZINE'S ON FASHION FREQUENCY", The Sacramento Bee: SC8, 0890-5738

[edit] References

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