Conor McNicholas exits NME

Conor McNicholas has stepped down as editor of the NME. He's off to become the editor for Top Gear magazine. McNicholas took over the New Musical Express in June 2002 and... all that meeja stuff involving accolades and circulation happened. So what next?

Well, for a start, there'll be some celebrating in certain circles. McNicholas has been an unpopular editor for many. There's a big number of people who have walked away from the rag, seeing the NME as Not As Good As It Used To Be. Of course, the NME is never able to be As Good As It Used To Be as, effectively, it's a magazine for young folks and as soon as you stop being young, you kinda stop getting it.

However, there is the feeling that the paper fell into the whole 'We were hanging out and drinking 'til 4am with Band X last night WHOOP!' schtick, which is never particularly cool to read. I mean, it's cock-stroking writ large. McNicholas was the snub-nose lad face of a magazine losing touch with some of it's core readers... notably, sensitive, bookish souls who like Belle and Sebastian and bands like that.

Gone were the meaty features and cutting insight in favour of a musical equivalent of Heat. Many lay that at the doorstep of McNicholas.

That said, the NME never stopped being important. It swallowed up Melody Maker and combined, it's the oldest music rag in Britain, which shouldn't be sniffed at. It still broke bands before others whether you like 'em or not. It's a good thing, right?

So, with this news, I'm personally hoping for a new editor who digs pop music as much as getting their teeth stuck into bigger issues and breaking weird, experimental stuff too. Of course, I'm not The Market for the magazine, but I'd like to see an NME that manages to please muso mongs like me, as well as championing new, exciting bands for Ver Kids. I'd like to see an English Rolling Stone magazine please. [Mof]

Comments

[David Walker]

Is that photo a reflection from a spoon or is he naturally grotesque?