The Fly (magazine)
Encyclopedia
The Fly is a free music magazine
published monthly in the United Kingdom
. The magazine is published by the HMV
owned MAMA Group
.
The magazine started as a listings leaflet in Camden
, north London, for the Barfly
music venue on Chalk Farm Road. In 1999 it went national.
Contributors, including Lisa Durrant, Hariett Gibsone, Iain Moffat, Polly Rappaport, and Alex Lee Thomson, also write for other publications including The Guardian Guide, Q magazine, NME
, Kerrang!
and online publications such as "The Huffington Post
".
The magazine has a review
section featuring new releases
(both singles and albums) and live concert reviews. The remainder of the magazine is devoted to articles and interview
s with artists generally promoting new releases or tours. The Fly also features new bands alongside more established acts in the pages of its new bands section, "OnesToWatch", which was sponsored by Levi's until 2010.
The Fly is A5-sized
, and is distributed around record shops, bars and venues around the United Kingdom
. In 2008, the magazine announced its circulation had increased to 105,212 at a time when many other publications had reported a sharp decline in circulation.
The Fly has a history for supporting bands early, having given the likes of Razorlight
, Muse
, Foals, MGMT
and Coldplay
their first cover features.
The current editor is JJ Dunning, who took over the role from Niall Doherty when he moved to Q magazine in February 2011.
, Everything Everything
, The Cribs
, Noah and the Whale
, Warpaint
, Black Lips
, Badly Drawn Boy
, The Kooks
, J Mascis
, Edwyn Collins
, Avi Buffalo
and Low
. In The Courtyard is sponsored by Russian Standard Vodka.
Music magazine
A music magazine is a magazine dedicated to music and music culture. Such magazines typically include music news, interviews, photo shoots, essays, record reviews, concert reviews and occasionally have a covermount with recorded music.-Notable music magazines:...
published monthly in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The magazine is published by the HMV
HMV
His Master's Voice is a trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone...
owned MAMA Group
MAMA Group
MAMA Group Limited is a live venue and artist management company which was founded in 2002 and is owned by the HMV Group. It is a parent company of a range of music and marketing businesses...
.
The magazine started as a listings leaflet in Camden
Camden
- Australia :* Camden, New South Wales** Camden Council ** Electoral district of Camden- England :* London Borough of Camden** Camden Town, an area in the borough* Camden School for Girls- United States :* Camden, Alabama* Camden, Arkansas...
, north London, for the Barfly
Barfly (club)
Barfly is a chain of live music venues nightclubs in the UK operating as part of the MAMA Group. It has venues in Brighton, London & York. They regularly feature live music. Their club nights tend to feature rock, alternative and independent music...
music venue on Chalk Farm Road. In 1999 it went national.
Contributors, including Lisa Durrant, Hariett Gibsone, Iain Moffat, Polly Rappaport, and Alex Lee Thomson, also write for other publications including The Guardian Guide, Q magazine, NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
and online publications such as "The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
".
The magazine has a review
Review
A review is an evaluation of a publication, a product or a service, such as a movie , video game, musical composition , book ; a piece of hardware like a car, home appliance, or computer; or an event or performance, such as a live music concert, a play, musical theater show or dance show...
section featuring new releases
Release (music)
In the music industry, a release is usually a term referring to the creative output from an artist available for sale or distribution; a broad term covering the many different formats music can be released in, and different forms of pieces .The word can also refer to the event at which an album or...
(both singles and albums) and live concert reviews. The remainder of the magazine is devoted to articles and interview
Interview
An interview is a conversation between two people where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.- Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research:"Definition" -...
s with artists generally promoting new releases or tours. The Fly also features new bands alongside more established acts in the pages of its new bands section, "OnesToWatch", which was sponsored by Levi's until 2010.
The Fly is A5-sized
ISO 216
ISO 216 specifies international standard paper sizes used in most countries in the world today. It defines the "A" and "B" series of paper sizes, including A4, the most commonly available size...
, and is distributed around record shops, bars and venues around the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In 2008, the magazine announced its circulation had increased to 105,212 at a time when many other publications had reported a sharp decline in circulation.
The Fly has a history for supporting bands early, having given the likes of Razorlight
Razorlight
Razorlight are a UK based indie rock band formed in 2002. They are primarily known in the UK, having topped the charts with the 2006 single "America" and its parent self-titled album, their second...
, Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
, Foals, MGMT
MGMT
MGMT is an American alternative rock band founded by Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. After the release of their first album, the members of their live band, Matthew Asti, James Richardson and Will Berman, joined the core band in the studio...
and Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
their first cover features.
The current editor is JJ Dunning, who took over the role from Niall Doherty when he moved to Q magazine in February 2011.
Other media
The Fly relaunched its website in April 2008 with both a virtual magazine section and an online archive of all previous issues. In Summer 2008, a new feature titled "In The Courtyard" was launched, in which bands were filmed playing stripped-down versions of songs in the courtyard outside The Fly's office. Some of the bands who've performed In The Courtyard sessions so far include Doves, ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead is an American alternative rock band from Austin, Texas. The chief creative members of the band are Jason Reece and Conrad Keely . The two switch between drumming, guitar and lead vocals, both on recordings and live shows...
, Everything Everything
Everything Everything
Everything Everything are a British indie band that formed in late 2007, originate from Newcastle, Kent and Guernsey, and reside in Manchester. The band rose to fame when they were revealed as part of the BBC's Sound of 2010 poll on 7 December 2009...
, The Cribs
The Cribs
The Cribs are an English three-piece indie rock band from Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The band consists of twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross Jarman. They were subsequently joined by ex-The Smiths and Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr who was made a formal member of the group...
, Noah and the Whale
Noah and the Whale
Noah and the Whale are an English indie folk band from Twickenham, London, England formed in 2006. The band consists of Charlie Fink , Tom Hobden , Matt "Urby Whale" Owens , Fred Abbott , and Michael Petulla .-Early years and Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down...
, Warpaint
Warpaint (band)
Warpaint is an American art rock group from Los Angeles, formed in 2004. The band's members are Emily Kokal , Theresa Wayman , Jenny Lee Lindberg , and Stella Mozgawa . The band's membership has also included actress Shannyn Sossamon and Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer...
, Black Lips
Black Lips
Black Lips are a "Flower Punk" band from Atlanta, Georgia.-History:The band formed in 1999 in Dunwoody, Georgia after guitarist Cole Alexander and bassist Jared Swilley left the Renegades, and guitarist Ben Eberbaugh left the Reruns. Alexander and Swilley were known for their crude antics both...
, Badly Drawn Boy
Badly Drawn Boy
Damon Gough is an English alternative music singer/songwriter. He was born on 2 October 1969, in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. He grew up in the Breightmet area of Bolton, Lancashire, England....
, The Kooks
The Kooks
The Kooks are an English indie rock band formed in Brighton, East Sussex, in 2001. Formed by Luke Pritchard , Hugh Harris , Paul Garred , and Max Rafferty , the lineup of the band remained constant until 2008 and the departure of Rafferty...
, J Mascis
J Mascis
J Mascis is an American musician, best known as the singer, guitarist and songwriter for Dinosaur Jr.. In 2011, he was ranked in Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.- Biography :...
, Edwyn Collins
Edwyn Collins
Edwyn Stephen Collins is an Ivor Novello Award winning Scottish musician, playing mostly electric guitar-driven pop. Collins formed the musical group Nu-Sonics in 1976, which later became Orange Juice...
, Avi Buffalo
Avi Buffalo
Avi Buffalo is an indie-pop band based in Long Beach, California founded by singer/songwriter and guitarist, Avi Zahner-Isenberg. Their self-titled debut album was released on the 27th of April, 2010, and was given positive reviews by The Onion A.V. Club, NME, Filter, Drowned in Sound and numerous...
and Low
Low
-Music:* Low , an American indie rock group from Duluth, Minnesota* Low , 1977* Low , 1994* Low , 1994* "Low" , 2003* "Low" , 1993* "Low" , 2007...
. In The Courtyard is sponsored by Russian Standard Vodka.