Publicity For People Who Don't Want It

Sounds 02 Dec 1978 by The Invisible Dadomo

After the red record the blue record - the small record - the big record. the luminous record and sundry variations - yes - folks - it's the invisible 45.

Another marketing first occured in the Friday before last with the 'invisible release of a new Virgin '45 from Magazine. That's to say that - according to the' band's wishes - the new Magazine single 'was sent out without benefit of any kind of advertising and with no review copies being sent to pop comics and columnists anywhere. The idea behind it was - according to a Virgin spokesperson - "that people who wanted the record would find out about it and buy it anyway?"

Yes - Virgin - were a little taken aback when the non - hype tactic was first suggested to them. After all - like all record companies - they're far more used to being attacked by their artistes for not pro viding same's product with adequate publicity. However - the group's argument won the day - and so the world's first intentionally invisible 45 was born.

Attempts to winkle a quotable quote from the usually very quotable Howard Devoto came to aught last weekend. "Howard doesn't .think he can actually say anything about it - " relayed the Virgin - Press Off ice 's cheery Sally. "because then he'd be advertising the single." True to his own dictum Devoto included both sides of the new '45 in his Venue concerts last weekend without any mention of the new record.

For the benefit of any readers who care to hear the new Magazine disc for themselves - please to be advised that it features "Give Me Everything" b/w "I Love You Big Dummy" - the latter a Cap'n Beefheart revamp that goes back to Howie's Buzzcocks - days. The whole comes tastefully dressed in the same image used for the current tour posters ie The Cactus Man' by dead French artist Odlion Redon Catalogue numero? That's VS 237.

And no they didn't avoid sending Out review copies because it's a clinker. if isn t And' well maybe ads and the like don 't count for much' according to Virgin the single's matched the first week of release sales of Touch And Go' - Magazine's previous '45.

Sounds 16 Dec 1979 by Dave McCullough

At last I have Howie and chums sussed They're really The Muppets in disguisee laughing their scraggy-heads off while the hundred thousand punks STILL take them seriously. This is dreadful - the lyrics proving more cringe-worthy even than usual. "You're so oblique and easy". Look - Howie - you're as much a poet as Len Fairclough is a poet - so why don't cha sod off - you baldy little pain?

1. [Give Me Everything]
2. [I Love You You Big Dummy]

MAGAZINE : Give Me Everything (Virgin)