Metal mags

Greeno

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Oct 14, 2003
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What metal magazines did you read in the 80's? I started off on the typical stuff.. Circus and Hit Parader... but by the mid to late 80's I was into Metal Forces and a mag that was either called Power Metal or Thrash Metal, can't remember which.

Over the last couple of years I've been picking up any old issues of Metal Forces that I can find. It's cool to see adds and interviews with some of the obscure bands from back then. Plus the reviews are great. It's funny to read a review ripping up a "new" release that is considered classic today. :)
 
The first metal mag I bought. Ahh, the memories. I was sick at school in about 5th grade and had called my dad at work to come pick me up. On the way home he asked if I wanted some cokes and a magazine to entertain me at home. He was thinking of "Mad" or "Cracked" since I regularly got those. He about crapped when I asked if I could have the HIT PARADER with Motley Crue on the cover! I still have it. It's the one with them in the SHOUT costumes and Vince and Nikki have fire extinguishers going off. He let me get it and a metalhead was spawned. I used to love Circus, too but now Circus and Hit Parader aren't worth buying. I also used to read RIP which I loved and of course Metal Edge. Every now and then a local record store would have KERRANG and METAL HAMMER which I loved but they were always like $8 for an issue so I never got them unless somebody I really loved was in it. I do have a copy of BURRRN with Blackie Lawless on the cover and another with James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett with their "Metallica" skateboards. Killer stuff.
Now I think Revolver is about the best metal mag out.
Ted
 
The Metal Forces mag ruled!!! I consider it to be the best metal mag ever \m/
I remember the interviews with Watchtower, Twisted Sister, Pantera and Anacrusis.

The first metal mag I bought however was the Dutch mag Aardschok. I got the first issue in 1981. I still have it.
 
For me in Vt we had like 3 Metal Mags available Metal Edge, Metal Maniacs,and Hit parader Which all for exception of Metal Maniacs covered the glam/Hair Bands of the day that day being like 92' I still have pretty much every one I ever bought Cant beat those old Metal Memories Me and my Best friend were the only ones we knew that read any of those mags ........... and then ofcourse the darkages of grunge,Rap,and everything wrong with music happened but thats a whole different story!
 
tedvanfrehley said:
I also used to read RIP which I loved

Forgot about that one! That started off as a great mag but then kind of ended up like all of the other "hair mags".

How about Faces? That was another cool hair mag.

The only mag I buy today is Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. They print news about allot of different types of metal, plus it comes with a cd sampler.
 
Here's my list of magazines that currupted my youth....
RIP-They were the shit back in the day, remember the advise page by Lita Ford's mom & then Ted's mom? Lonn Friend was the shit.
Metal Edge-Has since lost it's EDGE since that editor Gerri what's her face left. That was another great source for articles & news on Hard Rock bands.
Hit Parader-This magazine was always like the "tabloid" of Rock magazines, they had their stories all mixed up & this wasn't a legitimate place for news. They sucked & I would only buy if there was something of REAL interest in there.
Guitar World/Guitar Magazine-Great place for TABS on music back in the day, both for current stuff & the classic stuff.
At the present time the only magz I buy are:
BW&BK-Great Under Ground stuff
Revolver-It's mainstream. So what?! They got some good stuff in there from time to time.
Guitar World-It's a NUMETAL Mag, I only buy when there's something of interest in there.
With the Internet, Magazines are a tough sell. By the time they roll their presses, their "news" has already been all over the net for weeks.
 
I've never read an issue of the BW&BK, but I must have about 10 of their sampler CDs. I get 'em from a metal shop here in town. I cannot recommend these enough to those who quest for new metal but are unsure about bands.

Some of my faves came from a first listen to those Kunckletracks (Witchery, Solitude Aeturnus...)
 
About the same time that I got big into metal I startred playing guitar, so I normally bought "Guitar for the Practicing Musician." It ruled the "guitar" mags. I bought a few "Hit Paraders and stuff, but it wasn't my thing.

Bryant