Every week, British music fans would eagerly wait for the latest music newspapers to come out… Melody Maker, New Musical Express.. with reviews of new albums coming our, interviews with artists, news about tours and masses and masses of gig ads for the small pubs and clubs up and down the backbone of Britain. They sold in their millions.
Advertising also appeared in these newspapers – with the creative geniuses within Island Records coming up with new and risque designs to catch your attention.
Neil has included some of the crazy advertising, sorry creative adverting in Volume 2 for your pleasure.
On the occasion to create an advert to promote In the Court of the Crimson King, Pete Townshend of The Who did the advert … he starts off
“An uncanny masterpiece… but I’ve got the ace card, ‘cos I’ve the album weeks before the release to review no less. What depth one has to stoop to to hear new albums before everyone else. How marvellous is the feeling when I walk into a room and say ‘You haven’t heard it? More’s the pity’ Cos I have and its f**king incredible.”
That was only the first paragraph, after a few hundred words of wisdom from Pete in the full-page ad – he ends with…
“and by the way, Thunderclap Newman, Same to you”
But … then the world exploded in the music press
From The Music Centre of Cornwall, Newquay,
“I am ex-army, broadminded and tolerant of the tastes of the younger generation but when I read the full page advertisement for King Crimson, your periodical sank in my estimation. In fact, I tore it out as my daughter also likes to read your paper. I have one married woman and two teenage girls in my department. I must say here and now if you are lowering your journalistic standards to that of the ‘gutter press’ then you can cancel my subscription here and now and refund any cash balance due to me. I have no doubt there must be many reputable dealers who feel likewise.”
ah….yes… well… just one of the reactions from Record Retailers’ readers page… there’s more, so many we’ve got a spread on the advert and the meltdown it caused.
