So that's what we've been doing. A few months ago hotpress made the initial move towards changing the formatting of the paper. We introduced a new logo and new typefaces, and re-organised the look and flow of the editorial material somewhat. The response to those initial design developments was hugely positive: when people said it was fresh and funky and stylish, we figured we were on the right track.
But now that we had the scent of it, we wanted to go the whole hog. There's not much point in an Art Director or a designer having the vision, if it isn't going to be reproduced accurately in the printing process. And so we decided to take a great leap forward, into the unknown. hotpress has been produced in tabloid format since its inception in 1977. Well, not any more
The copy of hotpress that you're holding in your hand ushers in a new era. We've opted for a more user-friendly size than the traditional hotpress A3. We've also raised the production values hugely. There's better paper, a higher page count, more colour, and greater consistency of approach in the layout. And above all, the quality of the printing has been vastly improved in our move to a heatset printing press.
It's hard to explain, to someone on the outside, the sense of excitement that an adventure like this involves. It's a whole new deal in that it offers the prospect, at last, that all the graft that goes into producing a magazine like hotpress will finally be properly reflected in the finished printed product. But it also poses a major challenge, to ensure that the values that have informed hotpress and made it what it is are not sacrificed inadvertently on the altar of some kind of whimsical notion of progress.
At its core, this challenge is about the quality and the depth of the writing; it's about ideas; and it's about the potential of any publication, not just to inform and entertain its readers, but also to reach and engage and maybe even, once in a blue moon, to change them - or at least to change their minds, whether it's about music, art, politics or society.
Watching the crew in action, putting the first new-look issue together over the past week or so, I felt proud to be part of the team. Throughout the building, from reception to the top floor, there was a lot of hard work, and a great sense of commitment in evidence.
The new 92-page grid went up on a board in the art room. Colour codes were invented to identify the different sections printed as units. Different paper indicators were positioned to distinguish colour forms from black-and-white. People huddled in groups to argue and debate as to how different editorial sections should flow. In the middle of it all, it was impossible not to think of other momentous events, and the people who helped to shape our destiny along the way. It was Mairmn Sheehy who, looking at the hieroglyphics and the codes on the grid, and their suggestion of an arcane mathematical system that needed some class of exegesis to be fully figured out, observed that Bill Graham would have loved it. And she was right. I imagined the late great Bill prowling in front of the board, trying to penetrate the mysteries of the brand-new editorial order, engaged in the mental gymnastics that were always and inevitably followed by his familiar exclamatory "Aaah!" Well, this one's for you, Bill.
Going through a process of renewal of this kind you become much more acutely aware of the quality and the breadth of what's going down editorially. And in that respect too, it felt good to be part of the mission. In the last issue of the magazine, in his always superb column, Bootboy had written about the fact that he had seen a pornographic video involving children - and he related what he had done about it. It was a chilling piece that touched on issues that go to the very heart of what we are, and how we define ourselves, at the turbulent start of the 21st century. Just how deep a chord that piece struck with readers was reflected in a courageous and moving letter in response, which features in Shooting Gallery on page 9 of this issue.
It is that kind of interchange which makes doing what we do most worthwhile - because it confirms that you can genuinely make a contribution at a deeper level to how people feel about themselves and how they live their lives. It is what, at its best, we hope hotpress can aspire to.
That was just one of the things that lifted my spirits as the copy came trundling through - and there were many. Eamon McCann's wonderfully intelligent, well-written and funny column. Joe Jackson's cracking interview with Patrick Bergin. Niall Stanage's excellent cover story on David Gray. Sam Snort's hilarious send-up of post modern art. Craig Fitzsimons forensic and fiercely witty film reviews.
Last issue it was Kim Porcelli on Samantha Mumba. Next time it'll be Stuart Clark or Peter Murphy hitting a big chord that genuinely resonates. So this is what we have to offer you, the reader: entertainment, humour, and irreverence for sure - but built, hopefully, on a foundation of quality journalism and writing.
Gotta keep movin'. This is just the beginning of a new era. Art director Simon Roche and his assistant James Kelleher burned the midnight lamp putting a shape on this seminal issue and did a brilliant job in chaotic circumstances (why did they have to run the European Championship while we were changing our format? I must send a memo to UEFA.) Now that we have a blueprint we can tweak it and shape it, in response to what our readers want - and expect - from the new hotpress.
It's hip to be square. The fresh and funky shape we've chosen offers all sorts of possibilities for new and exciting features. Stick with us and it'll be a hell of a ride. We intend to enjoy it. Here's hoping you will too.