Trouser Press is an American rock and music magazine created in New York in 1974 and specialized in reviewing the new ( avant-garde , alternative , extreme) music of those years, at first it was exclusively British. Formally closed in 1984, the magazine actually simply changed its format - first becoming an encyclopedic almanac ( Trouser Press Guide to ... ), then an online encyclopedia of TrouserPress.com, the self-proclaimed “Alternative Rock Bible” [1] .
| Trouser press | |
|---|---|
| Specialization | music magazine |
| Periodicity | monthly |
| Tongue | English |
| Chief Editor | Ira Robbins |
| A country | USA |
| Edition History | from 1974 to 1984 |
| Established | |
| Web site | www.trouserpress.com |
History
Trouser Press magazine was created in 1974 in New York by journalist, music critic and publisher Ira Robbins, along with Dave Schulps and Karen Rose. At first it was called Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press (a reference to the song The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band , at the same time - an acronym for the name of the musical television program Top of the Pops ).
The initial purpose of the publication was to familiarize the American public with the best British bands and artists; the earliest numbers on the cover bore the slogan: " America's Only British Rock Magazine ." Among the artists interviewed here were Brian Eno and Robert Fripp ; the magazine had an extensive section of reviews. After the 14th issue, the title was shortened to Trouser Press, and the magazine gradually turned into a regular rock edition of a highly professional level with a color cover and advertising pages.
As the music of the 70s changed, the goals of the publication were adjusted. Since 1976, Trouser Press has focused on the development of punk scenes, both in London and New York. The first American analytical articles about Sex Pistols , Boomtown Rats , The Clash , The Damned , Ramones , Television appeared here long before the leading American publications paid attention to these groups.
In 1980, the America Underground column appeared in the Trouser Press, dedicated to local foci of new musical ideas and styles. Since 1982, subscribers to each next issue of the magazine began to receive flexi-disks, many of which later became collector's rarities. Despite the fact that the circulation and credibility of the magazine grew steadily, in April 1984 (after the 96th issue) the chief editor Ira Robbins decided to close it, explaining his decision by the lack of new ideas from both musicians and journalists.
The posthumous life of the magazine was predetermined by the success of The Trouser Press Guide to New Wave Records , the first edition of which was published in 1983 under the general editorship of Ira Robbins at Charles Scribner's Sons. Numerous reprints followed - under different headings and in different publishers. The culmination of the process was the 1997 release of The Trouser Press Guide To 90's Rock with articles on 2,000 groups and reviews of 8.5 thousand albums. The book is still considered the most complete encyclopedia of alternative rock of the 90s.
The abbreviated content of all five Trouser Press thematic encyclopedias is compiled on the TrouserPress.com website, which is constantly updated with new articles and reviews, as well as archival materials owned by Robbins and members of his journalistic team.