Magazine in concert for the Lunchroom today – recorded at Melbourne Festival Hall on September 9, 1980 and issued as a limited edition promo-only lp by Virgin shortly after.
It’s too bad Magazine broke up as early as they did. Founder and lead-singer Howard Devoto leaving Buzzcocks early on in their evolution and forming Magazine as a sort of bridge between what was the grinding simplicity of Punk and the Prog-tinged New Wave, Magazine were an interesting band to listen to. This concert points up to something different they were attempting to do. Probably more evident in this setting than in the John Peel sessions later on, or even as Magazine began fracturing and going through a myriad of personnel changes, this one captured the essence of what Magazine was trying to accomplish at the time, and subsequently became a huge influence for upcoming genres already waiting in the wings.
Magazine was an influence on the fledgling Simple Minds, who supported them on a 1979 tour and much later covered “A Song from Under the Floorboards”. Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood named John McGeoch his biggest guitar influence, and said that Magazine’s songwriting “informs so much of what we do”. Radiohead performed a cover of “Shot By Both Sides” in 2000.
Johnny Marr of the Smiths cited Magazine as an influence, particularly John McGeoch’s guitar work. The Smiths singer, Morrissey, covered “A Song from Under the Floorboards” as a B-side to his 2006 single “The Youngest Was the Most Loved“. “Floorboards” was also covered by My Friend the Chocolate Cake on their 1994 album Brood. MGMT played a version of “Burst” on tour in 2011.
Jarvis Cocker of Pulp praised Real Life saying: “this was such an important record for the time because it showed that you could still do something that had attack to it combined with a real intelligence, without going into ponce territory”. The band and their singer/lyricist Howard Devoto have also been cited as an influence on several 1980s bands, such as China Crisis and Fiction Factory.
Lolita Pop recorded a cover of “A Song from under the Floorboards” on 1989’s Love Poison. Half Man Half Biscuit have performed live covers of a number of Magazine songs. “The Light Pours Out of Me” was covered by several acts including Peter Murphy, Ministry, the Mission, Sleep Chamber and Zero Boys. The band No Fun at All did a cover of “Shot by Both Sides” on their record And Now for Something Completely Different. Mansun covered “Shot by Both Sides” for John Peel sessions. Duff McKagan cited Real Life as an influence, particularly on tracks where a chorus effect is used.
So you get the idea that Magazine’s influence has been felt in a lot of places and is still responsible for many “ah-ha” moments. Further evidence when Music is good, it’s good forever.
And on that happy note . . .
