KERRANG!

'''Kerrang!''' is a weekly heavy metal magazine published by EMAP in the United Kingdom.

Contents

Origins

International Editions

Other Media

''Kerrang!'' Radio

''Kerrang!'' TV

''Kerrang!'' Messageboard

Staff

References

See also

External links

Origins

The magazine's title is onomatopoeic and derives from the noise made when smashing an electric guitar.
''Kerrang!'' was first published on the 6 June, 1981, edited by Geoff Barton, initially as a one-off supplement in the ''Sounds'' newspaper devoted to the current New Wave of British Heavy Metal (or 'NWOBHM' for short) and the rise of other hard rock acts such as AC/DC, who appeared on ''Kerrang!''’s first cover.
During the 1980s and early 1990s the magazine placed many thrash and glam metal acts on the cover (like Mötley Crüe, Slayer, Metallica, Poison, Testament) but later discarded them when grunge acts such as Nirvana rose to fame. Readers often criticise the magazine for repeating this process every time a new musical trend becomes popular; for example, there are many complaints about ''Kerrang!'s current emphasis on emo music, particulary stemming from the fact that the magazine continuously printed issues with My Chemical Romance on the front cover for several weeks, following the release of their album, The Black Parade.
''Kerrang!'s most successful period came under editor Paul Rees at the turn of the millennium, at which time, the nu-metal genre, featuring bands such as Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park, was becoming more popular. In 2002, the magazine overtook rival ''New Musical Express'' to become the biggest weekly music magazine in the UK.^[1] Rees went on to edit ''Q'' and Ashley Bird took over as editor from 2003 to 2005. Unfortunately for Bird, the decline of nu-metal in 2003 meant ''Kerrang!''’s sales went quickly into decline^[2] which eventually prompted his sacking.
When Paul Brannigan took over as editor in April 2005, the focus of ''Kerrang!'' was restructured to be more musically diverse, whilst also respecting the magazine's past. In the following months, ''Kerrang!'' covered more stylistically varied acts, such as My Chemical Romance, HIM, 30 Seconds to Mars, Avenged Sevenfold, Senses Fail, Mastodon and Bullet for My Valentine. Simultaneously, the magazine covered older bands, such as Metallica, Slayer, Iron Maiden (who have starred on the cover more times than any other band), Nirvana, System of a Down and Green Day. More recently, the magazine has facilitated the rising popularity of British bands, such as Bring Me The Horizon, Enter Shikari, Lostprophets and perhaps most notably Gallows.
According to the latest Audit Bureau of Circulations figures published on 17 August 2006, ''Kerrang!'' has again overtaken ''New Musical Express'' to become the biggest weekly music magazine in the UK.^[3] As of 15 February 2007 ''Kerrang!'' sells over 12,000 more copies per week than its rival.^[4]
''Kerrang!'' also includes a satirical comic strip called ''Pandora'', named for its main character, who is seen every week making fun of recent events in the rock world. The strip is written and drawn by Ray Zell. Other characters include Wek and Web. Wek, the "work experience kid" is a love interest who leaves Pandora and opens a tearoom. He is featured occasionally in strips. Web replaced Wek, and is a "work experience brat". Web has an obsession with Ville Valo of the band HIM. She even has a locket with one of Ville's discarded cigarette butts in it.

International Editions

Emap launched ''Kerrang! Australia'' in the late 1990s. Unlike its weekly counterpart in the UK, the Australian edition was published monthly. Due to stiff competition from free local music publications, ''Kerrang! Australia'' was closed in 2004.

Other Media

''Kerrang!'' Radio

In 2000 Emap launched ''Kerrang!'' as a digital radio station, across the UK. On June 10 2004, Kerrang! 105.2 was launched as a regional radio station in the West Midlands with an advertising campaign by London-based creative agency ODD. During the day the ''Kerrang!'' Radio network broadcasts more accessible acts such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oasis and Kaiser Chiefs. In the evening and at weekends they have a number of specialist programmes dedicated to the many subgenres of rock music.
In 2006 ''Kerrang!'' stated on their website that they are trying to bring a radio station to South Wales.

''Kerrang!'' TV

In 2001 Emap launched Kerrang! TV. As with the radio station, the TV channel covers the more mainstream side of the rock music as well as classic rock bands like Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses and Whitesnake.

''Kerrang!'' Messageboard

In 2001 Kerrang launched its own online forum with the "rants and raves" section taking up most of the traffic. Though initially extremely popular, the number of users began to peter out around 2005 with the number of people online dropping to as low as 10 when previously it had been closer to the 100 figure. Surprisingly, despite being initially an online forum created in order for readers to be able to provide feedback and discuss the contents of the magazine (with quotes from the messageboard being posted in that week's issue), most users have admitted to not reading it regularly or in some cases, ever.

Staff

★ Paul Brannigan (editor)

★ Simon Young (news editor)

★ Steve Beebee (journalist)

★ Malcolm Dome (journalist)

★ Daniel Lane (deputy editor)

★ Scarlet Page (photographer)

★ Ian Winwood (journalist)

★ Ben Myers (journalist)

References

1. BBC.co.uk News
2. Blabbermouth.net
3. Themusic.com
4. Mad.co.uk

See also

★ NME

★ Melody Maker

★ Q magazine

★

External links

★ Official Site

★ Kerrang! Radio

★ Myspace Group