'A big tree has fallen': the sad demise of fRoots, bible of British folk

For 40 years, the magazine was a guide to Britain’s pulsating underground and a champion of thrilling weirdos. Its closure leaves a chasm in the grassroots music sceneWhen much-loved magazines fold, tributes quickly gush about how they captured new trends or scenes. But some magazines, like fRoots, have always sat outside time. A champion of the local and the international underground for over 40 years, it announced its closure last week after advanced discussions with a new publishing company fell through; an official statement online added that “decreased advertising support in the digital age, along with current political and economic uncertainties” hadn’t helped.Take a look at its recent 40th-anniversary edition: it’s like a huge fanzine created by a groovy uncle, occasionally gazing at the mainstream but much happier exploring the margins. Its going out guide is staggeringly broad, revealing a fertile UK festival and gig scene rarely covered by the national press. Features include a dig into Kate Bush’s traditional roots, reports on the qawwali ensembles of Pakistan and a free desert festival in Morocco, plus Scottish folk musician Alasdair Roberts celebrating new artist Burd Ellen’s songs about women. The huge reviews section takes in London’s Cafe Oto, Korean experimentalist Park Jiha and Topic Records’ 80th-anniversary CD. Trendy bells and whistles are few, but it’s a rich treasure trove. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2019-07-08 09:55:29 UTC ]
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Yellow Jersey hat trick at British Sports Book Awards

Publication Date: Tue, 10/05/2011 - 08:24 Random House imprint Yellow Jersey Press has scored a hat trick of wins at the British Sports Book Awards, with W H Smith also taking home the best sports book retailer prize. Catrine Clay's Trautmann's Journey won best biography, while Promised Lane by... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hat trick #taking home #rugby book


British Bookshops' creditors to receive less than 10% of money owed

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 09/05/2011 - 15:41 The administrators of British Bookshops and Stationers has said it can only pay back eight-10p in every pound owed and expects the level of claims to increase. A recent document published on Companies House said the former... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #unsecured creditors #british bookshops #money owed #companies house


The Big Children's Books of BEA

Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle and James Dashner's the Maze Runner trilogy are both drawing to a conclusion, while noteworthy collaborations from Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman, and Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, set sail. Also look for fresh ventures from William Joyce, Maggie... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #maggie stiefvater #lane smith #jack gantos #middle-grade debut


News.me, the iPad News Aggregator Blessed By Big Publishers, Gets Ready To Launch [MediaMemo]

The 99-cents a week-service looks like the kind of thing that could drive the New York Times and the Associated Press batty. Instead, they've signed on for a piece of the action. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2011-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #big publishers #ve signed


Osprey to expand British heritage range

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Mon, 11/04/2011 - 14:34 The Osprey Group is to acquire Old House Books and Maps on 28th April, expanding its range of British heritage titles. Osprey previously acquired Shire in 2007 and Angry Robot in 2010. Rebecca Smart, Osprey Group managing... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #osprey group #28th april #angry robot #rebecca smart


Big Green Bookshop reaches 96% of its financial target

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Tue, 05/04/2011 - 08:28 The Big Green Bookshop is celebrating after achieving 96% of its path to financial safety. The indie retailer based in Wood Green, north London, sent out a mass appeal to its customers a month ago asking them to buy one extra... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hodder and S&S' "Big Fat" scoop

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 01/04/2011 - 10:34 Hodder & Stoughton and Simon & Schuster are both capitalising on a guilty pleasure, acquiring Big Fat Gypsy Weddings and Will and Kate's Big Fat Gypsy Wedding respectively. H&S senior editor Fenella Bates... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Taschen's First 3D Books Are Big

Always adventurous publisher Taschen is launching its first line of 3D books, and, as you’d expect from a house known for its outsize books--and subjects--the first Taschen books getting the 3D treatment are Taschen’s Big Body Parts series: The Big Penis Book and The Big Book of Breasts. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #big book


WH Smith reopens shops under British Bookshops deal

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 28/03/2011 - 08:54 Seventeen former British Bookshop & Stationers stores have held their first weekend of trade under WH Smith ownership. Nine venues opened their doors as WH Smith stores and eight re-opened under their original name of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In Paperbacks, Big Names on Top: Facts & Figures 2011

It's the Stieg Larsson show in 2010 paperback bestsellers. The first two books of his enormously successful trilogy racked up sales of more than 10,942,000 in their mass market and paperback editions. That's more than the combined sales of two other stellar sellers—James Patterson and Nora... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Big French publishing houses to return to Paris Book Fair

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Wed, 16/03/2011 - 09:03 The new-look Paris Book Fair will open on Friday [18th March] for four days as five of the leading French publishers ponder the raids by the European Commission competition officials a fortnight ago. Hachette Livre, Bayard... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Big Green Bookshop half-way to fundraising target

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 07/03/2011 - 15:05 The Big Green Bookshop has raised nearly half of its fundraising target to secure its future at the beginning of its appeal week. Owners of the London independent bookshop, Simon Key and Tim West, appealed to 1,000 loyalty... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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UK's big four could be worst hit in REDgroup collapse

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 25/02/2011 - 08:45 The UK's big four publishing groups—Penguin, Hachette, Random House and HarperCollins—could be the worst hit in terms of exposure to the ANZ market according to Nielsen BookScan data, following REDgroup's collapse in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Big Green Bookshop appeals for 1,000 customers

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Fri, 25/02/2011 - 08:38 The Big Green Bookshop is appealing to 1,000 of its loyal customers to help secure its future by buying one book each. Owners Simon Key and Tim West of the indie in Wood Green, North London, have also set up an online donation... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #loyal customers #tim west #wood green #north london


British Bookshops to cease trading within a month

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Tue, 15/02/2011 - 17:04 All remaining 28 British Bookshops and Stationers stores will shut up shop within a month, unless a last-minute deal can be made with any interested parties. The programme of closure will begin over the next week, with around... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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WHS acquires 22 British Bookshops stores

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Tue, 08/02/2011 - 09:10 W H Smith has acquired 22 stores previously run by British Bookshops and Stationers in a £1m deal. The bookshops will continue to trade under BB&S until a "phased takeover" begins later this month in stores in Teddington... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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R&J titles receive a big boost

Written By: Caroline Horn and Philip Stone Richard and Judy’s children’s book club initiative, which launched a week ago, saw average sales across the 18 selected titles grow by some 226%. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Davis probes British industry for Little, Brown

Written By: Charlotte Williams Little, Brown will be examining Britain’s industries with a title by Evan Davis, “Dragons’ Den” and “Today” programme presenter. Made in Britain will be published on 5th May as an £18.99 hardback, tying-in to a three-part BBC2 series of the same name, fronted by... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Big comics line up for this autumn

Written By: Charlotte Williams Rob Brydon, Steve Coogan and John Bishop are among the latest big-name celebrities to have been snapped up for autobiographies, as comedians look set to dominate the hardback celebrity memoir market again this autumn. “Gavin and Stacey” star Rob Brydon’s memoir is... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #steve coogan #john bishop #michael joseph