Due to financial and music industry self-inflicted mortal wounds No Depression Magazine will cease publication after 13 bi-monthly years of bringing it’s readers to best of “Alternative Country (Whatever that is)” From the March-April issue publishers Grant Alden, Peter Blackstock and Kyla Fairchild as its Page 2 “Hello Stranger” column and from their site –
Barring the intercession of unknown angels, you hold in your hands the next-to-the-last edition of No Depression we will publish. It is difficult even to type those words, so please know that we have not come lightly to this decision.
It’s no understatement to say that the humble blog you are currently reading and others like it would not exist if not for No Depression. ND showed that country and roots music and mutated into many interesting and thrilling varieties. You could enjoy your Grandfather’s music in a new and souped up form and there was music out there that still had the heart and soul of Cash and Haggard and might be doing it with a arm full of tattoos and a energy of any punk or metal band. Many of the bands and artists I could not live with today, the Drive By Truckers, Hank III, Meat Purveyors, Scott H. Biram…the list goes on and on.
The gaping cultural void left by ND’s sad demise will be felt directly and indirectly by fans and bands struggling against an American idolized world. ND was the place to look for inspiration and the place to hope to be featured when you had “made it” If you were featured or reviewed in ND you had cred! Fans and bands that otherwise thought they were pissing in the wind and making and enjoying music brazenly against the formulaic bile reflected everyday on the charts found a home in the pages of ND.
The passing of ND is a blow but their very existence in was a blessing. Now the Americana roots music goes back underground where it will mutate, rage and burst out once again like some dreaded cultural beast.
Adios amigos. Thanks for showing me the way.
nice tribute
Thanks Linda. Wish I didn’t have to write it.
No Depression represented the finest overview of both roots and country music .It will leave a hugh void in presenting the important artist and outstanding recording labels who suppoted them .As a fifty year fan of blues ,old time and early jazz it expanded both my exposure and understanding of a wider range and scope of current alt music and the greatly talented solo artists and bands . The articles ,reviews and passion would burn up the pages .They are continuing on with a new website .I urge to support it -tell your friends and continue to buy music and attend shows for for the working artists . I wish to express my thanks for the contribution and look forward to its next chapter online
Harry – I heard from some of the key people from nodepression.com at the Americana Music Association conference and they need everyone to go to the site and contribute what they can to make the site a success.
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