Sounds 06 May 1978

Sounds 24 Jun 1978

NME 8 Jul 1978

NME Jul 29th 1978

Sounds 25 Nov 1978

The Venue London - John Orme.

Since openly declining a role in the race for This Year's Intellectual (hence winning by a mile - in some observers' view) - Howard Devoto has resolved to let public awareness of his music come in a gradual - organic way rather than having his distinctive features spread again on the front of the public sheets.

"Real Life" - his first studio work with Magazine - won general praise for its wide range of musical ventures - its strength of production and broadness of view. The one remaining doubt was his ability to cut it live - and last Thursday's early show proved that the mix is - very much as before the spirit of Devoto the writer and musician hangs dominant over the proceedings - but Devoto the singer and front man goes about his business with a lack of passion - clarity and persuasion.

The now-infamous house PA left full appreciation of his lyrics to lip-readers - and certainly during the opening number Devoto had the bored charisma of a passenger waiting for a train as Magazine worked their distinctive magic behind him - with Dave Formula's heavy synthesizer lines sending deep shards of sound over carefully placed piano fills and the hunting pace of John Doyle's drums.

"OK - this is our secret if it will stretch as far as I can see" intoned Devoto as his enigmatic introduction to "The Great Beautician In The Sky" still one of the band's most enduring compositions with its chilling chorus line ringing over the song's spry keyboard textures.

One of the initially attractive and continuingly compulsive qualities of Magazine is the band's ability to create wide-screen musical pictures while maintaining the drive and urgency that marks it as one of today's creations.

A song like "Burst" piled through with great open drumming building the song through rousing instrumental I changes before a careful aching guitar line that should have come flooding out of the speakers but was reined back by the Venue's mix.

Into "My Tulpa" and the magic was there - with Formula building a rolling fairground sound over a brisk drum pattern as John McGeoch's guitar quivered under the crisp smash of the cymbals. The song did much to demonstrate that - with Devoto's highly personal and often intangible lyrics generally lost to the PA - Magazine have the instrumental resource to holds encourage and advance on an audience.

There were times in the set when McGeoch and bass player Barry Adamson worked together with total and seductive efficiency "Motorcade" took them from the jaunty - slightly menacing opening atmosphere through a persuasive build-up to a slipstream beat with Devoto's harsh vocals straining against the metal of the guitar as Formula coaxed the band along with spiral keyboard motifs: a thrilling and powerful performance.

A new song called - I thinks "Looking At You" - demonstrated Magazine's care with the dynamics of their music - a sharp - stimulating opening that gradually settled into the slick - big - driving beat.

The encores of "Parade" - a deliberate piece of sultry dissonance and the classic "Shot By Both Sides" - this version of the original with the sound system losing the important guitar under the full cry of the percussion - gave enough of an indication that Magazine's lone wolf stance will elevate them to yet higher rank. The pack is running.

Sounds 2 Dec 1978

Melody Maker 10 Feb 1979

Record Mirror - SANDY ASHE

Howard Devoto, his face void of arty expression spits out the words. The guitars flash while lie keyboards scream. You are listening to Magazine and you'd better believe it.

I had heard a lot about Magazine out but never bothered to Investigate. I thought they were just another band surfing on the 'New Wave' (and one must admit this 'New Wave' caper was getting pretty mundane.)

That has all changed. Magazine are here to save the day. Musically they have a lot to offer. Intricate backing to complex lyrics portrayed by epileptic marionettes who have been resurrected by the stark white light which floods the stage.

Devoto pale faced with just a hint of eye make up, gives his all. Half way through the first song ('Back To Nature'), the perspiration is cascading down his face. The crowd goes wild.

Devoto is a profound writer. The ominous 'Feed The Enemy' send shivers running up my spiny Whether it is the song itself or the way it is delivered is immaterial It leaves a lusting impression and that's what counts.

Comparisons just won't do this band justice. In some respects they're like early Roxy Music with a good helping of The Velvet Underground and a hint of Ultravox (see what I mean.)

A lot of thought went into this show, it was a well balanced act mid Devoto even chose the point at which to smile with exactness, Nothing seemed spontaneous but this didn't distract from the entertainment. It all had to be just so - and it was.

Perfection is hard to come by but Magazine are pretty close to it with their brand of sterile communication. The only way you are going to understand what I mean is by seeing them.

Sounds 5 May 1979 - Sheffield by Pete Scott

thOUGH NOT as sustained an overall effort - 'Secondhand Daylight' Is a worthy successor to Magazine's debut LP - 'Real Life' - It confirms Howard Devoto as a force to be reckoned with (for better or worse) and establishes conclusively that Magazine have one of the most astutely contrived and - above all - one of the most recognisable Sounds in modern musick. Its great - looming - gothic feel suggests a weird cross-mating of Bowie - circa 'Low'/'The Idiot' -. John Barry and Dr. Phibes.

Onstage Magazine reproduce their recorded sound very faithfully - with very little variation. They began tonight with an almost note-perfect version of 'Back To Nature' - a clumsily-structured song - with obscure and inane-sounding lyrics. Though played well and sung in Devoto's finest terse and exclamatory tones - it wasn't the most auspicious of openers. it was followed by a i pretty comprehensive selection of material from 'Daylight' - of which the highlights - were arguably 'Feed The Enemy' and 'Permafrost'. They - are - respectively - the first and last songs on the album - and here each complemented the other perfectly. 'Permafrost' was an appropriately chilly excursion to. the outer limits of human behaviour - and 'Feed The Enemy' - with lyrics reminiscent of a Ballard scenario (especially the imagery of the first verse) and cryptic - evocative chorus - was spoiled only by some character out of the audience jumping up onstage to pogo with Howie.

Magazine also did a fair amount of stuff from 'Real Life'. Their reworking of 'Definitive Gaze' sounded disappointingly clumsy and top-heavy - but it was set off perfectly by a streamlined and irresistible 'My Tulpa'. Then came 'Great Beautician In The Sky' - with Dave Formula attacking his bank of keyboards with all the magic aplomb of Phibes himself.

Magazine did various other things - including 'Tough (sic) And Go' and 'Gimme Everything' - left the stage - returned after much ritualistic clapping - stamping and cheering on the part of the audience - and encored with some new stuff - Beefheart's 'I Love You - Big Dummy' etc. The set was a look at reality as seen through the distorting lens of Howard Devoto's personal vision 'So this is real life' and It was absolutely wizard. Howie's a star 'cos he behaves like one. His lyrics may occasionally suggest more than they actually deliver. and his may not be the most pleasant voice around (though it's distinctive enough) - but he positively exudes charisma and he's gonna get bigger and bigger

NME by PETER ESCRETT

FROM THE hour of birth some are marked out for subjection and some for command. Once up on the stage there's no doubt as to what Magazine were destined for.

The set was an aural thriller even Hitchcock would have been proud of 'Back To Nature' is based on a starkness - the brooding keyboards creating the feeling of a Presence -'Feed The Enemy' was full of diverse structural ingenuity, highlighted by the creeping sax. 'Rhythm Of Cruelty' is an ominously odd and haunting tune.

Devoto prowled around his personality portrayed almost miraculously providing a binding force for the superb musicianship of the band. So calm and controlled you'd 'think he was picking daisies.

Having appeared on the Old Grey Whistle Test quite recently. Simple Minds show style and panache.

Their perception is discerning, composed stealthfully of a balanced power and access ability. Musically they don't have limits set by social statements, but rather produce songs to last any test of time whatever the current vogue. Jim Kerr, the articulate lyricist shines on 'Chelsea Girl' one of the strongest compositions.

NME 24 Apr 1979

NME by Graham Lo??

Simple Minds remind the of all the early/mid 70s groups I especially dislike Queen, Cockney Rebel, Sparks, Ultravox.

Essentially, they're a minor power pop, group with pretensions. Basic riffs are embroidered with fussy arrangements that smack more of the self-consciously clever than the functional, and they are they padded out with layers of pompous synthesizer.

Jim Kerr wanders the stage aimlessly, vocalising in a whiney see-saw voice that conveys nothing beyond the singer's inability to phrase or project. Not that the lyrics are exactly gripping - they run the standard art-pop gamut from dated (and sometimes male chauvinist) versions of romance to vacuous atmospherics and the archetypal meaningless gabble.

The music is a bruising sure of noise The synthesizers are employed with less than a note of imagination - a typical mid 70s keyboards extravaganza that swamps everything else. There are no shades or spaces in the music, no finesse, no excitement.

Simple Minds are like a cut-up of all the worst aspects of 1974.

Safe, stale pop with a thin gloss of arty cleverness to

garner the label `progressive'. But it would be difficult to think of a more regressive,

irrelevant and dull approach to pop. By the and of the most of the audience were in the bar, drinking to forget.

Magazine, brought us back to 1979 with a sharp, streamlined set of modern beat entertainment.

They're a frustrating group, with two albums on which the gems nestle amidst an embarrassment of obscure lyrics and fractured music. And Howard Devoto persists in the bourgeois myth that art and intelligence are somehow special, beyond the pale of everyday life and ordinary people.

His carefully nurtured image us This Year's Einstein is laughable. After all, he is just another ex-student who failed his degree.

And his taste for enigma is a giveaway. Genuine intellects prefer clarity, where as Devote tends to fetishise his confusion and make it a commodity 'Permafrost' for example, is nothing but a glorified rape fantasy, though typically he tries to disguise his personal hang-up as a 'significant' futuristic love song.

Live, it's a different kettle of facts. There's a neatly synched light show. The band meshing perfectly into a tight, hard unit of seamless sound.

And Devoto is suitably intense, fixing the audience

with a stare and jerking through some brief robotic manoeuvres.

Even relatively weak songs - 'I Wanted Your Heart', 'Great Beautician in The Sky' - gain a new power live, while the better ones become almost immaculate. They climax with frantic, beautifully controlled versions of 'The Light Pours out Of Me' and 'Shot By Both Sides', then maintain the drive with a deliciously sly, stone-funk encore of 'Thank You For Talkinq To Me Africa', Complete with accapellas interlude.

The close is 'I Love You' Big Dummy - accompanied by appearance of numerous sails which flap and swirl around the stags in random disarray. An eerie, witty and brilliantly surreal piece of theatre.

If only the records could embody those qualities with more consistency Magazine would be a lot less like second hand obfuscations.

NME 23 Feb 1980

Sounds 3 May 1980

MAGAZINE/BAUHAUS/DAF/LAST DANCE Lyceum May 2nd (sic) by Hia Synth POCKETS BULGING with Camus and chemicals - it was a serious minded audience that turned out in force to witness four equally serious-minded bands on stage at the Lyceum this Thursday. All the shades of henna under the sun and then some - my dears.

In fact - there were times when the audience was more fun to peruse than the bands and - I must admit my attention wandered more than it should whilst The Last Dance were on. Because it was their first large-scale gig and because they were performing without the benefit of a sound-cheek - I'll confine my comments to the observation that Suzzee - their vocalist - should try and sound less like Siouxsie without a larynx and throw away that daft fan of hers. Otherwise they just might live up to their unfortunate choice of name.

Better things were forth-coming from DAF - a shorthand version of Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft - and you can see why. Somewhere between the musical gap bridged by Throbbing Gristle and Crass - DAF's lyrics were a mite impenetrable to this non-German speaking gal - but since they were probably about alienation - I suppose it's no real beef to beat. Just arrived back from Dusseldorf where they've been recording with Connie Plank - they'll be the subject of a lot of talk - most of it favourable - I'll warrant.

I'd seen Bauhaus before and I wasn't too cheered by the prospect of a rematch. The lead singer used to wrap himself around a swathe of black lace - an adornment that improved neither participant.

Thankfully - they've shed both the lace and the laxities that went with it and tightened themselves up into a furiously frenetic combo whose wonderful version of Bolan's "Telegram Sam" was the nugget of the night. Strobes and band horizontal hold effect alike added an excitement to the evening's affairs.

Despite the lack of music-between-bands and an absence of introductions - everybody knew when Magazine were on. Against a backdrop that looked like a cross between a Habitat-type Japanese lampshade and a reject set from the 'Outer Limits' - our Howie teased out the kind of form that first brought him a just attention before he let both his ego and the pop press get to him.

Liberally sprinkling the old stuff like "The Light Pours Out of Me" with tunes from "The Correct Use of Soap" - he compiled a set that was both terse and dramatic. The tense force of his attack more than made up for the audience's relative unfamiliarity with the new material - but his renditions of "You Never Knew Me""Because You're Frightened" and "I Want to Burn Again" will convince them to remain in ignorance no longer.

Take it from me - old onion-head is back - and he'll bring tears to your eyes.

Record Mirror by CHRIS WESTWOOD

JUST TOOK at this the children coming out to play haircuts aligned with that groups they like the most. The Lyceum like a Hornet's nest in bondage I know - I've stepped info a punk Ken Russell movie.

Justin time to miss The Last Dance I'm sorry. Or maybe shouldn't be. There are three spectacles left.

DAF: tortured Germanic soundtrack music as distinctive primal and threatening as PiL or The Pop Group or early Can. Watts of tormented synthesiser and guitar, fractured demented drumming schizophrenic singing - they're a perversely European Interpretation of Euro-influenced Brit hands. Their music has holes and dents all over the place they're 'together' in a very untogether way (or vice versa) Their presentation ought be criticised for shadiness, distance but DAF have resources beyond all that, their organised chaos is unsettingly jumpy at times, their lyrics foreign, but wham! - they cruise. DAF are full blooded and massively physical.

Bauhaus are Massively physical too, but in a different way. Bauhaus are horrible ! They cling to dark corners, clutch at stand-bys like white blinding lights and treacly cranked-up really high guitars, deranged satanic visuals. They also sound very angry about something, though I fail to work out what or why.

From ritual to romance: Magazine come into the picture on a wave (sic) of Silvikrin shampoo music looking ant sounding enthusiastic enough to make me forget Bauhaus exist. Two groups - these and DAF waking me up at the Lyceum of all places they deserve an award.

There's something going on here, In fact suddenly Magazine are sparkling, livelier. cuddlier and more illuminated than I ever imagined they could be. The Correct Use Of Snap' was a hint then the Lyceum appearance is a hefty confirmation of the sudden tightening binding positivity that's come over their music. It was possibly there all the time but now they're letting it out, bringing it into perspective.

Devote stalks around in a relaxed, easy manner. swaying gently around, all poise and hardly a pose in sight, offhand when he needs to be, desperate, incisive and positive when duty calls.

Look at all this spontaneity, the Magazine-as-art-object image/myth topples. They were human, beings all the time.

Magazine arc becoming vivid instead of vague, alluring instead of aloof, communicative and warm instead of cold and withdrawn, all when I least expected it.

The set is lengthy though not overdrawn, it ends. logically in chaos. Devoto idiot-dancing to 'Definitive Gaze' - arms and legs threshing in the air catapulting the microphone stand over as he races from the stage. A very rock and roll climax, it's not harmful.

Magazine at the Lyceum refreshed and excited me their music has assumed a curious new logic, one of compassion and care, one of exuberant healthiness. Their mystique is dribbling away, slowly, and I like what I see beneath it all.

Howard Devoto has come out of his shell: it's a pretty sight

NME 26 Jul 1980

NME 26 Jul 1980

nme

MAGAZINE are again without a lead guitarist, following the departure last week of Robin Simon, who joined the band only a few months ago as replacement for John McGeoch. And already there's a divergence of opinion as to whether he walked out or was sacked.

Simon, who was formerly with Ultravox claims that during his time with Magazine - 'they failed to achieve a genuine and practical basis for collaboration', and he alleges that he was not receiving due credit for his writing contributions.

Magazine's viewpoint is that 'although we were very happy with Robin's work on our American and Australian tours earlier this. year we found it necessary to seek a replacement because we felt a lack of the kind of personal commitment for creative communication that we require '

The remaining members of the band are at present writing and rehearsing new material for their next album and they sell hope to complete a new single by Christmas for February release it's understood that McGeoch, who's recently been touring with Siouxsie & The Banshees will be rejoining them on temporary basis for this session. But they are anxious to find a permanent new guitarist as quickly as possible and are now busily looking for the right player

NME 06 Jun 1982

HOWARD DEVOTO has quit Magazine and - as a result - the group has ceased to exist. His decision to quit the band to pursue "other ideas" comes only three weeks prior to the release of their fourth studio album 'Magic - Murder And The Weather' - which now becomes their farewell set. He informed the other members of his intention to leave three weeks ago - and they've since been considering their future Ä but they've ruled out the possibility of continuing to use the name Magazine. Devoto first came to prominence in 1976 as co-founder with Pete Shelley of The Buzzcocks and - after quitting them - he put together Magazine in late 1977. They were signed by Virgin - and have so far released three studio albums and the live LP 'Play' Commented Devoto: "The timing of my decision may seem odd - with the new album just coming out - but I really feel that a change for me has been long overdue I didn't want to tour to promote the LP Ä and even if the album was hugely successful - I'd still want to leave So what was the point in waiting" "As to where I go from here - it's too early to be specific I can only say that I won't be forming another group - though I intend to continue writing and recording Whether this will be the traditional 'going solo' vein - or something altogether more anonymous - I haven't yet quite decided." The remaining members of Magazine Ä Dave Formula - Barry Adamson - drummer John Doyle and newly recruited guitarist Ben Mandelson Ä are now taking a break while pondering future plans. Said a spokesperson on their behalf: "Nobody wants to see endless permutations of post-Devoto Magazine To continue Magazine beyond the release of the new album wouldn't do justice to the band's past or to everyone's future" However - it has probably not escaped Devoto's attention that Pete Shelley is currently unattached

Record Mirror

MAGAZINE BIT the dust this week with the announcement that Howard Devoto has decided to leave the line up.

The future of the other four members. Dave Formula, Barry Adamson. John Doyle and Ben Mandelson isn't yet known and details will be released when Formula and Adamson come back from holiday. But a spokesman for Virgin said that they wouldn't be reforming as Magazine.

'We all feel somewhat precious about what Magazine was and nobody wants to see endless permutations of post-Devoto Magazine.' he said.

Magazine's latest album 'Magic Murder And The Weather' is still due for release in three weeks time and Devoto told Record Mirror this week, 'the timing of my decision to leave might seem odd what with the new album coming out, but I really feel that a change for me has been long overdue. I could have held it off for another six months but I didn't want to tour to promote the album.'

Devoto originally formed the Buzzcocks with Pete Shelley in 1976 and after finishing with them he formed Magazine in 1977. He says that he'll now be concentrating on 'other ideas.'

Howard Devoto

NME 2 July 1983

Luxuria

Bernard Szajner

Puck's Party

By Tony Barratt

Bernard Szajner - Lyric Theatre Hammersmith - MM 25May83 by Adam Sweeting The intimate but faintly artificial atmosphere of the Lyric Theatre proved to be well suited to the elaborate artifice of Bernard Szajner. Preceded by a smattering of scene setting Brecht/Weill and accompanied by a five piece group of rare accomplishment - Bernard picked his way carefully through a variety of moods. Sometimes he became too mannered for his own good - but elsewhere he hit upon passages of scorching lucidity.

His group delivered a particularly fine line in walloping almost rock spearheaded by Gut Califfa's malicious drum patrols. At times you could fancy you were hearing the dread "fusion" music with Szajner applying layer upon layer of synthesiser though other sections verged on heavy metal.

Bernard had plenty of tricks up his sleeve. He played a beautifully fluid duet with his saxophonist - lit by tracers of lasers which seemed to be a harp whose strings were laser beams. To play it the artiste manoeuvred his hands among the beams - thus triggering his array of synths. The sight of the aquiline Bernard conjuring with this unlikely device raised a few titters but its certainly an image that lingers in the memory.

The moment most of the audience had been waiting for was the arrival of the enigmatic Howard Devoto who materialised for a couple of guest spots. Apart from anything else it was refreshing to hear a voice among the instrumentation - though Howard's lyrics were suitably opaque. Nonetheless he seemed to be enjoying himself - capering around his falsetto register with aplomb.

Howard's final contribution was a kind of poem which he recited while strolling about in an artificial snowfall while a giant baby was lowered from the rafters.

Pretentious ? Of course - but well in keeping with the puckish spirit of the evening.

Sounds 2 Dec 1978

buzzkunst

Weekend Punks NME.com Sep00

Howard Devoto

Howard Devoto - Back with his old sparring partner again BUZZCOCKS founders PETE SHELLEY and HOWARD DEVOTO are to premiere several new songs at a rare live show this coming weekend. The pair will pop up to play a brief set at Irregular at The ICA on Saturday (September 2) - part of two days at the venue featuring and celebrating the artists on Mute Records. Shelley and Devoto, performing their brief set under the temporary name 'buzzkunst' will join Speedy J, Echoboy, Barry Smith from Add N To X and a number of other DJs. Devoto left The Buzzcocks in 1977 in order to form Magazine, leaving Shelley to become lead singer and lyricist. There is no release date yet on the new material, nor any suggestion on new material's direction, though the pair have said "it'll be kind of different, we think you'll find".

buzzkunst/Goldfrap

The ICA London by Chris Roberts