I used to hate Mark Ellen. David Hepworth especially. They were awful TV presenters when relaunching Whistle Test in the mid 80s and their smugness got out of hand as editors/writers when Q proved to be a success in the late 80s.
Their worst crime was their almost singlehanded (and successful) promotion of the most offensive album ever made and then the Ugly Rumours business.
Of course they have now come good by becoming real life publishers and launching Word magazine earlier this year. Its new seventh issue suffers from Dido on the cover but is redeemed by the excellent Tom Cox, an interview with Kevin Rowland, and insightful staff on Dan Hicks, That'll be the Day, The Deer Hunter, The Coral and the fantastic Jake Arnott.
It used to be Roy of the Rovers, It used to be NME, It used to be Mojo. For thirty years I've been in love with the Radio Times. Yet I now love Word. I still hate Mark Ellen though.
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