1. [Definitive Gaze]
2. [The Great Beautician In The Sky]
3. [Give Me Everything]
4. [My Tulpa]
5. [Back To Nature]
6. [Shot By Both Sides]

When vocalist Howard Devoto left the Buzzcocks in January 1977 after only a handful of gigs and the release of the seminal "Spiral Scratch", it was generally thought that he'd had his fifteen minutes of fame and that was the last the music world would hear of him.

Determined to move behind the limitations of Punk and Power Pop and to add some new dimensions to the energy of both those musical styles, he based himself in his native Manchester and recruited guitarist John McGeoch, bassist Barry Adamson, drummer Martin Jackson and keyboardist Bob Dickinson. Naming themselves Magazine, they made their live debut at the last night of the legendary Electric Circus, Manchester in late 1977 where Virgin Records, suitably impressed by the bands slower paced moody style, quickly signed them up. However, Dickinson left before the release of the band's debut single "Shot By Both Sides" and was replaced by Dave Formula. Described by Rolling Stone Magazine as "The best Rock and Roll record of 1978, Punk or otherwise" the single climbed to No. 41 in the UK charts and was actually an old Devoto/Shelley composition from his time in The Buzzcocks.

Further critical acclaim was showered on the band following the release of their June 1978 debut album "Real Life". A UK No. 29 hit set the style for which Magazine would be best known - driving bass, prominent keyboards, black humour and Devote's deranged vocal style - and as this CD shows, they were more than capable of reproducing their studio feats on a live stage. Jackson was replaced in October 1978 by John Doyle as Magazine undertook a heavy gigging schedule that included tours of Europe, America and Canada followed by the release of their second LP, 1979's "Secondhand Daylight" which spent two months in the UK charts, peaking at No. 38.

The early part of 1980 saw the band enter the studio with producer Martin Hannet to begin work on their third LP, "The Correct Use Of Soap" which was probably Magazine's most accessible and popy album and spawned the UK hit single "Sweet Heart Contract" (UK No. 54) whilst the LP reached the No. 28 spot. McGeoch left soon after the LP's release to join Siouxsie And The Banshees and was replaced by ex-Ultravox guitarist Robin Simon who toured with Magazine through Europe, America, New Zealand and Australia, where the concerts were recorded resulting in the live "Play" album released in September 1980 and a UK No. 69 hit. However Simon's stay with the band was only brief and his place was taken by ex-Amazonolades guitarist Ben Mandaloon for 1981's "Magic, Murder And The Weather" album (UK No. 38) though three weeks before it was released Devote felt he'd gone as far as he could artistically with Magazine and disbanded the group.

Innovative, challenging and experimental, they most definitely were and between 1978 and 1981 they released some of the most effective and enduring examples of the British New Wave Scene. And like so many musical pioneers' they were ahead of their time and highly influential. Their position in Rock and Roll's 'Hall Of Fame' is undoubtedly assured.

Mark Brennan