Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.

Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology. Q was first published in October 1986, setting itself apart from much of the other music press with monthly production and higher standards of photography and printing. In the early years, the magazine was sub-titled "The modern guide to music and more". Originally it was to be called Cue (as in the sense of cueing a record, ready to play), but the name was changed so that it wouldn't be mistaken for a snooker magazine. Another reason, cited in Q's 200th edition, is that a single-letter title would be more prominent on newsstands.

Content[link]

The magazine has an extensive review section, featuring: new releases (music), reissues (music), music compilations, film and live concert reviews, as well as radio and television reviews. It uses a star-rating system from one to five stars; indeed, the rating an album receives in Q is often added to print and television advertising for the album in the UK and Ireland. It also compiles a list of approximately eight albums, which it classes as the best new releases of the last three months.

Much of the magazine is devoted to interviews with popular musical artists.

The magazine is well known for compiling lists. It has created many, ranging from "The 100 Greatest albums" to the "100 Greatest '100 Greatest' Lists". Every other month, Q — and its sister magazine, Mojo (also owned by Bauer) — have a special edition. These have been about musical times, genres, or a very important/influential musician.

Often, promotional gifts are given away, such as cover-mounted CDs or books. The January 2006 issue included a free copy of "The Greatest Rock and Pop Miscellany … Ever!", modeled on Schott's Original Miscellany.

Every issue of Q has a different message on the spine. Readers then try to work out what the message has to do with the contents of the mag. This practice — known as the "spine line" — has since become commonplace among British lifestyle magazines, including Q's sister publication, Empire and the football monthly FourFourTwo.

Usual features include The Q50, wherein the magazine lists the top 50 essential tracks of the month; Cash for Questions, in which a famous celeb/band answers question sent in by readers — who win £25 if their question is printed; Ten Commandments, wherein a particular singer creates their very own ten commandments by which to live; and Rewind, in which they take us back in time through the history of music via archive issues of Q. On March 4, 2007, Q named Elvis Presley the greatest singer of all time.

[edit] Q today

Q's current editor is Andrew Harrison.

In 2006, Q published a readers' survey; the 100 Greatest Songs Ever, won by Oasis' Live Forever.^[2]

In the April 2007 issue, Q published an article containing the 100 Greatest Singers, won by Elvis Presley.^[3]

Q has a history of associating with charitable organisations, and in 2006 the British anti-poverty charity War on Want was named its official charity.

In late 2008 Q revamped its image, with a smaller amount of text and an increased focus on subjects other than music. This "Rolling Stone-isation" has led to criticism from much of the traditional Q readership, though it is yet to be seen if this change in attitude will dramatically affect sales.

Lady Gaga posed topless in a shoot for the April 2010 issue of the magazine, which was banned by stores in the United States due to the singer revealing too much of her breasts.^[4]

The magazine has a close relationship with the Glastonbury Festival, producing both a free daily newspaper on site during the festival and a review magazine available at the end of the festival.

Q Radio[link]

After a few years as a radio jukebox, Q Radio launched in June 2008 as a full service radio station with a complete roster. Shows and presenters include Drivetime with Danielle Perry and Q the 80s with Matthew Rudd. The station is transmitted on the digital television networks in the UK and online.

Coldplay were involved with the launch of the station by giving an exclusive interview on Q's flagship programme QPM on the launch day.

It is based in Birmingham with Kerrang! 105.2 after moving from London in 2009.

Other Q brands[link]

There is also a Q TV television channel in the UK, although it is due to close on 3 July 2012.^[5] Q also holds a yearly awards ceremony called the Q Awards.

Criticism[link]

Some critics and readers of the magazine have believed that it has lost its edge, and is now opting to play safe with who and what it covers, focusing more on the popularity of bands rather than their music. ^{[6] [7]} The award of five stars to the 1997 Oasis album Be Here Now (widely criticised elsewhere and subsequently dismissed as self-indulgent by the band's songwriter Noel Gallagher himself) has been seen as a turning point.

In a 2001 interview in Classic Rock, Marillion singer Steve Hogarth criticised Q’s refusal to cover the band despite publishing some positive reviews:

I don’t understand why Q Magazine won’t write about us. The most memorable review they gave us was of Afraid of Sunlight which said, ‘If this were by anything other than Marillion it would be hailed as near genius’. And they still wouldn’t give us a feature. How can they say, 'this is an amazing record. . . no, we don’t want to talk to you'? It’s hard to take when they say, 'here’s a very average record . . . we’ll put you on the front cover'. Why don’t they just stop pretending that it’s all about music and admit it’s really about money? Then put the top-selling five bands on the cover and tell everyone else to fuck off.^[8]

At the 2006 Q Awards, Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner criticised the magazine’s choice of boy band Take That for their “Idol” award. Commenting on the winners of the night, he said:

A lot of people make jokes about having awards for no reason just for the sake of having awards, and pretending they were good when they weren't. I'm not old enough to know a lot of them, but even I know Take That were bollocks.^[9]

Album series[link]

A series of 'Q' albums have been released

1. Q The Album Volume 1 (1991)
2. Q The Blues (1992)
3. Q Rhythm and Blues (1968)'
4. Q Country (1994)
5. Q Awards The Album (2000)
6. Q Anthems (2001)
7. Q The Album (2003)
8. Q The Essential Music Quiz (2006) (DVD)
9. Q The Album 2008 (2008)
10. The Anthems - Q (2009)

Promotional gifts[link]

Countless CDs have been released free in Q magazines. One notable series of CDs are the 'occasional moods' series, consisting of 'Essential Chill Out' and 'Essential Dance' froom 2001. Another series is The Best Tracks from the Best Albums of [year], containing Q's opinion of their favourite tracks from the years' favourite albums according to Q.

• World of Noise (CD in issue 104, 1995)
• Q Sounds New Music Now (CD with free-mini mag, 2004)
• Q Essential Jukebox (CD, 2004)
• Q Here Comes the Sun (CD, 2005)
• Q Born in the USA (CD, 2009)

Sometimes, new subscribers to Q will be given a free CD, such as OK Computer by Radiohead if the subscription was made in January 2011.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Q website
• Q Magazine lists

v t e Bauer Media Group Bauer Radio Bauer Place Portfolio Northern England CHR stations: CFM Radio · Hallam FM · Key 103 · Metro Radio · Radio City 96.7 · 96.3 Radio Aire · 97.4 Rock FM · TFM Radio · 96.9 Viking FM Scotland CHR stations: 102.5 Clyde 1 · 97.3 Forth One · Tay FM · 97.4 MFR · Moray Firth Radio 1107AM · Northsound 1 · Radio Borders · 96.7 West FM · West Sound FM Northern Ireland: Cool FM  · Downtown Radio Magic Network: Magic 105.4 · Magic AM · Magic 828 · Magic 999 · Magic 1152 · Piccadilly Magic 1152 · Magic 1161 · Magic 1170 · Magic 1548 Scottish AM stations: Clyde 2 · 1548 Forth 2 · Northsound 2 · Tay AM · West Sound (AM) Other Place radio assets: Wave 105 · City Talk 105.9 Bauer Passion Portfolio: Kiss Network: Kiss 100 · Kiss 101 · Kiss 105-108 Kerrang Radio (West Midlands FM and quasi-national digital) Digital stations: Heat · The Hits · Q · Smash Hits Publishing UK Consumer Titles: Angling Times · Bella · Bike · Bird Watching · Car · Classic Bike · Classic Cars · Closer · Country Walking · Digital Photo · Empire · FHM · First · Freesail · Garden Answers · Garden News · Golf World · Grazia · Improve Your Coarse Fishing · Heat · Instant Beauty · Kerrang! · Land Rover Owner International · Landscape · Match · Model Rail · Mojo · More! · Mother & Baby · Motor Cycle News (MCN) · New Woman · Parker's · Performance Bikes · Pop · Practical Classics · Practical Fishkeeping · Practical Photography · Pregnancy & Birth · Puzzle Magazines · Q · RAIL · RiDE · Sea Angler · Shopping for Baby · Skiing · Steam Railway · Spirit&Destiny · Take a Break · That's life! · Today's Golfer · Top Sante · Total TVguide · Trail · Trout & Salmon · Trout Fisherman · TV Choice · Waves · What Bike? · Your Horse · Yours · Zoo US Consumer Titles: ASTROgirl · First for Women · In Touch Weekly · J-14 · Life & Style Weekly · Life Story · M · QuizFest · Soaps in Depth · Twist · Woman's World German Consumer Titles: Bravo · Das Neue Blatt · Volksstimme Business Publications: AM · Fleet News · Pet Product Marketing · Sewells Information and Research Distribution: Seymour · Frontline Box Television (50%) The Box · 4Music (run by Channel 4) · Kiss · Magic · Kerrang! · Q · Smash Hits! Category

Damien Rice
Damien Rice performing in Villa Arconati, Milan.
Background information
Birth name	Damien Rice
Born	(1973-12-07) 7 December 1973 (age 38)
Origin	Kildare, Ireland
Genres	Folk, indie pop, folk rock
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, record producer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano, clarinet, percussion
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Vector Recordings, Republic, Heffa, Warner Bros., DRM/14th Floor
Associated acts	Juniper, Bell X1, Lisa Hannigan
Website	www.damienrice.com

Damien Rice (born 7 December 1973) is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who plays guitar, piano, clarinet and percussion.

Rice was raised in Celbridge, County Kildare, Ireland and began his musical career as a member of the 1990s rock group Juniper. After leaving the band he worked as a farmer in Tuscany and busked throughout Europe before returning to Ireland in 2001 and beginning a solo musical career.

In 2002 his debut album O reached #8 on the UK albums chart, won the Shortlist music prize and generated three top-30 singles in the UK. Rice released his second album 9 in 2006 and his songs have appeared in numerous films and television episodes.

Rice's personal activities include musical contributions to charitable projects such as the Songs for Tibet, Freedom Campaign and the Enough Project.

Early life[link]

Rice was born to George and Maureen Rice and raised in Celbridge, County Kildare, Ireland.^[1]

Career[link]

Rice began his music career using the stage name "Dodima" Rice^{[citation needed]} and formed the rock band Juniper along with Paul Noonan, Dominic Philips, David Geraghty and Brian Crosby in 1991. The band met whilst they were attending Salesian College secondary school in Celbridge, Co. Kildare as students. After touring throughout Ireland the band released their debut EP Manna in 1995.^[2]
Based in Straffan, Kildare the band continued touring and signed a six album record deal with Polygram. Their recording projects generated the singles “Weatherman” and “Single of the Fortnight” which received favorable reviews.^[2]

After achieving his musical goals with Juniper, Rice became frustrated with the artistic compromises required by the record label, and he left the band in 1998.^[3] Rice moved to Tuscany in Italy and took up farming for some time, then returned to Ireland before busking around Europe.^[3] After returning to Ireland a second time, Rice gave a demo recording to his cousin, music producer David Arnold who then gave Rice a mobile studio.^[4][5]

2000 to present[link]

Damien Rice at Coachella in 2007

In 2001, Rice's song "The Blower's Daughter" made a top 40 chart.^[4] Over the next year he continued to record his album with New York drummer Tom Osander aka Tomo, Paris pianist Jean Meunier, London producer David Arnold, Dublin vocalist Lisa Hannigan and cellist Vyvienne Long.^[5] Rice then embarked on a tour of Ireland with Hannigan, Tomo, Vyvienne, and Dublin bassist Shane Fitzsimons.^[5]

In 2002, Rice’s debut album O was released in Ireland, the UK and the United States.^[6] The album peaked at #8 on the UK albums chart and remained on the chart for 97 weeks, selling 650,000 copies in the US.^[6][7] The album won the Shortlist music prize and the songs "Cannonball" and "Volcano" became top 30 hits in the UK.^[7][8]

In 2006 Rice released his second album 9 which was recorded during the two years prior.^[9] That year he also recorded at Abbey Road Studios for the program Live from Abbey Road.

2007 was a year of heavy touring with Rice appearing at England's Glastonbury Festival and the Rock Werchter festival in Belgium. That same year he performed with David Gray at the UK leg at Wembley Stadium, London and played at the T in the Park music event in Scotland. Rice also performed at the Latitude Festival in Suffolk, the V Festival in Stafford, Staffordshire, Hylands Park in Chelmsford, Essex and the Osheaga Festival in Montreal.^[10] He made additional appearances in Ireland and North America.

In 2010, Damien played at the Iceland Inspires concert held in Hljómskálagarðurinn near Reykjavík centrum.^[11]

Rice recorded a cover of the Juniper track, "Crosseyed Bear" for the compilation, Help: A Day in the Life. Rice's albums are published under his record label Heffa (originally named DRM) in Ireland and Vector Records in North American. Records released in the UK, Europe and other countries are published by 14th Floor Records via Warner Music.^[12]

In spring 2011, Rice featured on the debut album by French actress and singer Melanie Laurent. He appears on two tracks on her debut album En t'attendant while collaborating on a total of five tracks which feature on the album.^[13]

In November 2011, the compilation album "AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered" was released to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of U2's Achtung Baby album. AHK-toong BAY-bi features Damien Rice in a cover of "One," a stripped-down, piano-driven interpretation of one of the most popular U2 songs.^{[citation needed]}

In December 2011, his song "Cannonball" was used as the winner's single on The X Factor (UK series 8). Little Mix, the winners released the song.^{[citation needed]}

In May of 2012, Rice's song "Volcano" was covered by American Idol finalist Phillip Phillips, drawing praise from the judges and Steven Tyler specifically, stating "Thats the kind of song I could listen to over and over on my headphones (sp)." ^[14]

Personal life[link]

Rice participated in the Freedom Campaign, the Burma Campaign UK and the U.S. Campaign for Burma to free Burmese democracy movement leader Aung San Suu Kyi.^[15] He campaigned for her release by writing and performing the song "Unplayed Piano" at the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo.^[16]

In 2008 he participated in a music album called Songs for Tibet in support of the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso and Tibet.^[17]

In 2010, he contributed the song "Lonely Soldier" to the Enough Project which supported women's rights in the Congo.^[18]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Live albums[link]

EPs[link]

Singles[link]

Film and TV contributions[link]

Rice's songs have been heard on numerous television shows including American Idol, The L Word,True Blood, Hidden Palms, Bones, The Cleaner, Jericho, ER, The Black Donnellys, The OC, Alias, Lost, Huff, Crossing Jordan, Grey's Anatomy, Criminal Minds, House, Spin 1038, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Inbetweeners, One Tree Hill, and the Korean drama, Spring Waltz.^{[34][35][35][36][37][37][38][39][40][41]}

Rice's songs have appeared in films such as Reservation Road, Higher Ground, Closer, I am David, Stay, In Good Company, The Girl in the Café, Shrek the Third and Dear Frankie.^{[42][43][44][45]}

His music is referenced in the 2009 novel The Suicide Club by Rhys Thomas and his songs have been used in professional figure skating competitions.^[46][47]

Collaborations[link]

• "Be Yourself" with Jerry Fish and the Mudbug Club (September 2002)^{[citation needed]}
• Skylarkin' with Mic Christopher (November 2002)^{[citation needed]}
• "Get The Party Started," cover version performed with Lisa Hannigan (2003)^[48]
• "The Power of Orange Knickers" with Tori Amos (February 2005)^[49]
• "Don't Explain" with Herbie Hancock and Lisa Hannigan (August 2005)^[50]
• Live At The Olympia with Aslan (2005)^{[citation needed]}
• "Que Sera Sera" with David Gray (November 2007)^[51]
• "To Love Somebody" with Ray Lamontagne on Taratata^[52]
• "Making Noise" with The Cheshire Project ^[53]
• "There Are Debts" with David Hopkins on There Are Debts (December 2010)^[54]
• "Back to Beginning" on Lamb's album 5 (2011)^[55]
• "Everything You're Not Supposed To Be" with Mélanie Laurent (2011)
• "Uncomfortable" with Mélanie Laurent (2011)

See also[link]

• List of songs performed by Damien Rice

References[link]