If you have a subscription to Blues Revue Magazine you may have noticed that for the last year the issues have not been coming on time. I forget the actual timing, but I didn’t receive my Issue #135 with Tab Benoit on the cover, until well into the spring of 2013. That was supposed to be the July/Aug 2012 issues. And issues have been coming sporadically ever since. I got issue #137, with Gary Clark on the cover in May 2013 though it sequentially should have been Nov/Dec 2012.
Actually in the last year, communications from the company online have been… well… strange.
Then I received this on May 17, 2013 via email…
“MojoWax Media Inc. has severed ties with Visionation, Blues Revue and Publisher Charles Eagle. We are no longer responsible for publishing Blues Revue.
We are now publishing Blues Music Magazine in both print and digital format. The production staff of Jack Sullivan, Art Tipaldi, Andrew Miller, and Kyle Morris are all a part of the MojoWax Media team and will continue to produce this new outstanding Blues Music Magazine.
MojoWax Media is pleased to announce that many of the incredible writers and photographers whose work have appeared in Blues Revue have joined our team.”
It also said…
“We cannot speak to the status of Blues Revue, but we will be sending all current Blues Revue subscribers Blues Music Magazine. All booked advertising will appear in this issue and future ads booked will appear according to the schedule.”
Meanwhile I have not received any print publications from either entity for several months.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out something’s going on with Blues Revue. But finding out exactly what is a bit frustrating. There’s nothing online discussing the situation. A search for “blues revue changes” brings up nothing about changes.
And a search for “Blues Music Magazine” does bring up their website. Although nothing is said on the site about Blues Revue. And the new issue of the Blues Music Magazine, with Ruthie Foster on the cover, has not arrived and there is no digital version on the site.
What will actually be happening is still up in the air. But if I had to guess… I think Blues Revue will be going away and Blues Music Magazine will be taking it’s place. Although nothing is said on the Blues Revue website. Most of the writers and advertisers from Blues Revue have already jumped ship to BMM so it’s probably just a matter of time. And I know there is some litigation going on… so it may take some time before the dust settles.
Unfortunately, the losers in this are the subscription holders who miss the magazine and miss being able to keep up with the blues world. I for one, can’t wait for things to get finalized.
Dear Honeyboy,
I fear it’s even worse. I received an E-mail from Blues Music Magazine that Blues Revue forbids them legally to take over the subscription of the once Blues Revue subscribers. I don’t even want to guess what will happen to the money that is paid in advance to Blues Revue. Shame on Blues Revue (and Vizztone Records?) to leave their subscribers standing in the cold.
With kind regards,
Jan Aardenburg
Netherlands, Europe
Actually….I have been wondering the same thing…I did receive the Blues Magazine you speak of but it didn’t verify that it was taking the place on our subscription to Blues Revue….last BR we received was #138. This is the only thing I have been able to find that even suggested there had been a change. They both have FB pages but can’t find anything on there about changes either…..
The last issue I got was #137 with Gary Clark on the cover. I suspect the publication died but nobody informed me (: not good. I understand if they went under, but notify all the subscribers of Blues Review.
I spoke with Kyle at Blues Music Magazine yesterday. he too said that legally BMM cannot fulfill my “pre-paid” subscription with Blues Revue…of which I still am owed a year and a half.
He did tell me that if I subscribe to BMM for a year (another $35) he would make the subscription for 2 1/2 years. It seems that he is trying to make people happy, but as a very long time subscriber to Blues Revue (over 17 years) I too say “shame on you Blues Revue for walking away from the people that have kept you going all these years.”
I’ve been searching the web to find out something about all the missing issues. My subscription to Blues Revue runs(?) through issue 161.
This is pretty lousy of the people behind Blues Revue to not even send a message to their subscribers explaining what is happening and what will happen in the future.
I have not received any issues from Blues Music Magazine.
Thanks for your information. Please continue to inform us of what’s happening.
i orderd for one year blues revue by the new magazinecity that is now 5 month’s ago and got nothing no repley no magazine i live in belgium and had the blues revue for the last 15 years paying cash money in envelop