The Big Takeover
Encyclopedia
The Big Takeover is a bi-annual music magazine
published out of New York City
since 1980 by critic Jack Rabid.
of Manhattan
that was home to the magazine for 25 years.
Jack is known for championing what he calls “Music with Heart.” This could consist of any kind of music that requires attention, regardless of trends or popularity. This means the magazine is a diverse mixture of independent and major label bands from punk to electronica to slowcore. The magazine has been criticized for having a limited scope, mostly because of Rabid’s personal dislike of hip-hop and rap.
. The title of the fanzine was taken from Bad Brains
. The first issue was one page, front and back, printed from copy machines and given out for free at local punk shows. Stein left the fanzine to Rabid after one issue and Rabid has remained the dominant creative force behind the magazine since.
personality Tim Sommer
. During the first half of the 1990s, The Big Takeover began using professional layout design and by the end of the decade had become a semi-glossy, color magazine. Circulation is currently around 15,000.
guitarist Doug Gillard
’s first solo album Salamander and Last Burning Embers’ Lessons In Redemption, featuring Rabid on drums. The label has continued to sporadically release albums by mostly NY-area groups as well as distribute albums not in print in the US, such as Don McGlashan
’s Warm Hands.
In 2005, The Big Takeover launched a redesigned website featuring contributor’s blogs, top ten lists and a large forum area. The website was relaunched with a new design and organization in July 2010.
. New York. Mark Burgess
and The Avengers are among the 16 acts scheduled to appear.
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
published out of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
since 1980 by critic Jack Rabid.
Overview
The Big T usually appears in June and December, with most recent issues coming in around 200 pages. The review section, featuring Jack’s Top 40 for the issue, is regularly 60-80 pages long. The magazine also features lengthy, in-depth interviews with favorite artists transcribed verbatim, sometimes stretching over two issues. In 2006, the magazine relocated to Brooklyn from the apartment on Eldridge Street on the Lower East SideLower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
that was home to the magazine for 25 years.
Jack is known for championing what he calls “Music with Heart.” This could consist of any kind of music that requires attention, regardless of trends or popularity. This means the magazine is a diverse mixture of independent and major label bands from punk to electronica to slowcore. The magazine has been criticized for having a limited scope, mostly because of Rabid’s personal dislike of hip-hop and rap.
History
Jack Rabid and Dave Stein began publishing the Big Takeover as a fanzine dedicated to New York punk band The StimulatorsThe Stimulators (disambiguation)
There have been at least two music groups called The Stimulators:*An early-80s New York City punk band with the young Harley Flanagan on drums; credits include a pair of bonus tracks on the reissue of the classic 1982 compilation New York Thrash....
. The title of the fanzine was taken from Bad Brains
Bad Brains
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
. The first issue was one page, front and back, printed from copy machines and given out for free at local punk shows. Stein left the fanzine to Rabid after one issue and Rabid has remained the dominant creative force behind the magazine since.
Fanzine to magazine
The Big Takeover moved from the more primitive fanzine style to the black-and-white, stapled magazine style around issue 26 in 1989. During this period, Rabid worked during the day and was still doing most of the writing, all the layout and advertising sales. Other notable contributors to the magazine in the early days included former MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
personality Tim Sommer
Tim Sommer
Timothy Andrew Sommer is an American musician, record producer, former Atlantic Records A&R Representative, WNYU DJ, Trouser Press journalist, MTV News correspondent, and VH1 VJ. Tim is perhaps best known as a bass player in the slo-core, dreampop bellwether Hugo Largo and the creator and host of...
. During the first half of the 1990s, The Big Takeover began using professional layout design and by the end of the decade had become a semi-glossy, color magazine. Circulation is currently around 15,000.
Multimedia
In 2003, Rabid and longtime Big Takeover contributor Jeff Kelson launched Pink Frost/Big Takeover Records, initially releasing two albums: former Guided By VoicesGuided by Voices
Guided by Voices is an American indie rock band originating from Dayton, Ohio. Beginning with the band's formation in 1983, it made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard...
guitarist Doug Gillard
Doug Gillard
Doug Gillard is a guitarist and songwriter from Cleveland, Ohio who has performed with bands and artists such as Death Of Samantha, Gem, Cobra Verde, Guided by Voices, Richard Buckner, Children's Crusade, Starvation Army, Yuji Oniki, My Dad is Dead, The Mice, Bill Fox, Fence Lions, Zest Of Yore,...
’s first solo album Salamander and Last Burning Embers’ Lessons In Redemption, featuring Rabid on drums. The label has continued to sporadically release albums by mostly NY-area groups as well as distribute albums not in print in the US, such as Don McGlashan
Don McGlashan
Don McGlashan is a New Zealand musician and songwriter who has been a member of bands such as The Plague, From Scratch, The Whizz Kids, Blam Blam Blam, The Front Lawn, The Mutton Birds and, from 2009, The Bellbirds. He composed several pieces for the Limbs Dance Company...
’s Warm Hands.
In 2005, The Big Takeover launched a redesigned website featuring contributor’s blogs, top ten lists and a large forum area. The website was relaunched with a new design and organization in July 2010.
Thirtieth Anniversary Festival
On July 30-31, 2010, "The Big Takeover" will celebrate its thirtieth anniversary with a two-day music festival at The Bell House, a venue in the Gowanus area of Park Slope, BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. New York. Mark Burgess
Mark Burgess (musician)
Mark Burgess is an English singer, bass player and songwriter. He was the lead singer, co-founder and main force behind English post-punk band The Chameleons. He currently resides in Germany and the UK.-Biography:...
and The Avengers are among the 16 acts scheduled to appear.