| Metal Hammer |
Article Index for Metal |
Website Links For Metal |
Information AboutMetal Hammer |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT METAL HAMMER | |
| music magazines | |
| british magazines | |
| publications established in 1983 | |
|
''Metalhammer'' (sometimes MetalHammer) is a monthly Heavy Metal magazine in the UK , and in Germany , Austria , Poland and Switzerland by a different publisher. Featuring mainstream and more unusual bands from the wide spectrum of Metal Music , it gives a critical and sometimes rather opinionated view of today's metal scene. It is the second-largest selling rock magazine in the UK behind '' Kerrang! '' and was often viewed as the more underground magazine, but in recent times has moved towards the mainstream metal market which it originally shunned. In Germany, Metalhammer has been the market leader since it was launched in 1984. London-based Wilfried F. Rimensberger instigated the concept of Metalhammer magazine in 1983 . At the time, he suggested to the infant ''Kerrang!'' magazine in London to publish a German version. '' Kerrang !'' was not interested. Rimensberger took the idea to Jürgen Wigginghaus , Publisher of German ''MusikSzene'' magazine where Rimensberger was Chief-Editor , and proposed the idea of a multi-lingual rock music publication. He also approached some of Europe's largest publishers such as Springer, Ringier and Bauer. None were interested. Eventually, Wigginghaus used the ''Dortmunder Rocknacht'' as a test ground for the publication in Germany and Rimensberger started Metalhammer UK from London. He developed the multilingual concept that propelled the magazine to a monthly circulation of over 1 million and, during its peak, published in 11 different languages across the globe - at the time outselling ''Kerrang!'' by miles. Metalhammer had local language editions in countries such as Japan , Serbia , Spain , The Netherlands , Italy , Poland , France . Metalhammer was also the first Western youth publication in the USSR. Rimensberger's original and, at the time, unique concept of a heavy metal lifestyle magazine that was embedded in a network of Metalhammer branded radio shows, aired in various countries, Awards , tours, Festivals , recordings, etc. made the publication into the leading Genre platform of the 80's - and a global leader. Rimensberger, who started and owned Metalhammer UK Ltd and the registered rights in the name, later sold out to Wigginghaus whilst remaining in the background until the early Nineties as an adviser to Wigginghaus. Rimensberger was the promoter of the first Metalhammer Lorelei Festival with leading metal acts such as ( Metallica , Mötorhead , Venom etc. and recommended Metallica to Peter Mensch ( AC/DC ) for management. Rimensberger also linked the name Metalhammer with other successful brands such as the BBC (Tommy Vance Rock show), MTV Metal Show with Bailey Brothers and Castle Donington Monsters Of Rock Festival . Rimensberger joined the start-up crew of MTV Europe as a consultant to the director of Network Development. He also became a co-producer of Tom Galley's Phenomena project, organising its worldwide record deal and linking it with some of the best rock musicians and singers. He co-produced with Tom Galley Penomena's best selling '' Dream Runner '' album, which has become somewhat of a rock classic uniting the best rock voices of the time on one studio album. Rimensberger also represented Stiletto Entertainment Los Angeles in Europe and produced Nina Corti at the Royal Albert Hall and various TV productions for Swiss, German and UK TV. In the 1990s, Wigginghaus lost control over the publication and, advised by Rimensberger, sold the German edition to Jürg Marquart , the publisher of '' Penthouse '' and '' Cosmopolitan '' magazine in Germany. Later, Wigginghaus had to sell the remaining UK publication to cover personal financial liabilities. MetalHammer UK changed hands several times and is now with Future publishing. The German Metalhammer edition is now owned by Springer publishing. There remain Greek and Italian Metalhammer publications, both published independently. Today, Rimensberger is Founding Chairman of The Childrens Art Academy CAA [www.thechildrensartacademy.com in London and is further involved in international magazine publications and media productions. Wigginghaus is now publishing a local event publication in Germany. WEBSITE AND FORUM A key part to the MetalHammer website has been it's Messageboard . In the early days it was totally unmoderated and acted as a rare example of a uncensored forum hosted by a UK magazine. Early in 2001 this was changed due to ongoing problems with spamming and trolls, and a few people became Forum Moderators as a result. The forum became infamous in 2004 after a spate of groomings, resulting in the details of several users being handed over to the police. It was only a timely intervention from Boblin The Great, King of Metal Hammer, that stopped the forum being closed for good. Boblin now reigns over the forum with a strict but amiable regime, opposed only by his arch enemy, Antibody, known as "The Dark Lion" to his follower. Other noteable events in the forum history include the multiple accounts of long-term unemployed Australian, Don Dokken, the discovery that the poster AJ was infact a chimp from London Zoo and Markboy was scared of a bin on fire in Liverpool . Lo! The mighty knight Make_Tonight of Manchester, formerly Markyboy, set off for the cursed city of Blackpool , accompanied by his faithful squire Tatty. Upon climbing over the crumbling walls he spied a hideous harpy fluttering at a crossroads. "Observe, my servant!" spake he, "I shall run this hag through and through! Allow me to wrap my shaft doubly against damage." The knight's impressive sword bent against the crone's magic, however, and was the cause of much mirth to her. Traitorous Tatty ignored his vow of silence and spoke of this incident to the trolls at Metal Hammer Bridge and the knight was shamed forever.
Today the forum rarely talks about Heavy Metal , and most topics seem to revolve around Girls Aloud vs Sugarbabes, How To Put On Weight, Best Toilet Paper and the shocking revelations that dog fun is Jewish . SEE ALSO
EXTERNAL LINKS
|
|
|