Smoke

IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
I work for Borders and I have to speak to the guy on the phone to pay for the mags but I'd never actually read it until a friend said it was quite good. I bought the latest one and I thought it was really funny in parts and also very interesting. It mentions a load of stuff that I know nothing about and that's got to be a good thing. On the other hand I can see that some people might consider it smug (because it is).
 
benjybars

benjybars

village elder.
idlerich, you beat me to it.. been meaning to do a Smoke thread for ages...This is my favourite magazine/journal type thing ever!

i disagree totally about it's 'hipness', in fact it's completely the opposite - it favours genuinely interesting and illuminating writing about London rather than aiming to pinpoint/promote various scenes/trends etc.

Anyway, a really great magazine which i encourage everyone to buy.
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
"i disagree totally about it's 'hipness', in fact it's completely the opposite - it favours genuinely interesting and illuminating writing about London rather than aiming to pinpoint/promote various scenes/trends etc."
Click to expand...
Agreed totally. I wouldn't describe it as a hipster magazine at all, in fact I wonder who it's audience is. I would never have noticed it if my friend hadn't recommended it, comparing it to Patrick Keiler's "London" film. It seems that it should be of interest to all of the people here who enjoy Sinclair or Ackroyd (although I do seem to remember a pretty funny piss-take of London Orbital in one edition).
Perhaps I was a bit harsh to say it was smug as well. I said that to my girlfriend and she said "people often say that as a knee-jerk reaction when something is clever and witty" and I guess she might have a point.
 
john eden

john eden

male pale and stale
It's a good idea but I think it's a bit polite for my tastes, if that makes sense.

Reminds me a lot of Robert Elms' show on Radio London/GLR or whatever it's called these days.
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
Robert Elms? Name rings a bell but I can't for the life of me....
"I think it's a bit polite for my tastes"
Click to expand...
I guess it is polite but I don't think that's a criticism of an eccentric little magazine like this.
 
john eden

john eden

male pale and stale
Robert Elms - used to write for The Face, I think? Sort've messenger boy journo for Spandau Ballet. Radio show is alright - daytime BBC London, people phoning in with weird questions or anecdotes about London and stuff.

There are worse things to be than polite, but that is the reason I don't really like it!
 
benjybars

benjybars

village elder.
I wouldn't describe it as 'polite' really... it's just not remotely brash, that's all. It's tone is one of friendly interest, like an erudite friend who takes you to a really good pub you've never heard about before and tells you loads of interesting things about London.

I don't understand how anyone can dislike it!
 
W

wonk_vitesse

radio eros
i find it charming, bit of shame Time Out ripped off totally though. I love all the little numbered series of things, "London's Campest Statues" being a real hoot. The photography is often excellent. Because it's black & white it does rather remind me of the dull winter months when London is so grey and dreary. People sitting on buses thinking up ideas for articles or reading the graffiti.
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
"I love all the little numbered series of things, "London's Campest Statues" being a real hoot."
Click to expand...
I love those, I especially like the incredibly specific ones such as "Things on the East London Line That Are Probably Not As Much Fun As They Sound". I'm guessing that series didn't run too long but the one I saw featured something called the "Sump Pump Room".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top