It’s coming up to the one year anniversary of Crack Magazine Supporters – a subscription plan which helped us survive last year and is shaping the future of what we do as a publication.
As well as monthly access to our digital magazine, limited edition prints from amazing artists, all kinds of discounts and regular mailers, we want our Supporters community to be a place for new ideas and stories curated by, and for, music obsessives.
We’re proud to share the line-up for the debut Supporters Week – a weeklong programme of conversations and screenings exclusive to Crack Magazine Supporters.
British punk firebrands, Turner-prize winning artists, mind-expanding video game soundtracks and conversations with the people building the industry of the future. It’s all here, and you can sign up for a 30 day trial and access the lot for free.
This discussion featuring Jenzia Burgos, founder of the Black Music Library, Luke Owens, founder of label Death Is Not the End and Andy Linehan, curator of The Popular Music Collections at The British Library, will examine the role of music archives, the changing approach to curation and, ultimately, the stories they tell about us.
Australian multi-instrumentalist, composer and serial collaborator Warren Ellis is perhaps best known for his work with The Bad Seeds and Grinderman. But parallel to his illustrious career in rock, Ellis has cultivated a reputation as an award-winning composer for film, both in partnership with long-term creative partner Nick Cave (Wind River, The Road) and solo (Mustang, Django). In a year that will see Ellis release albums with Nick Cave and Marianne Faithfull, this special lecture will offer an opportunity to receive a classical music education sure to be unlike any other.
Sparked by the troubling rise of fascism in late 70s Britain, photographer and activist Red Saunders founded Rock Against Racism – a series of demonstrations and free concerts to stand up against the far right extremism propelled by the National Front. By joining the powerful cultural forces of punk, new wave and reggae, the documentary, directed by British-Australian filmmaker Rubika Shah, features The Clash’s Mick Jones and Joe Strummer, Sham69, the Tom Robinson Band and more. White Riot, in all its energising rebellion, captures a compelling snapshot of a grassroots political movement whose potency is still felt today.
When reflecting on the last 12 months in music, Bandcamp’s revolutionary artist initiative provides one of the few rays of light. To learn more about how they are reshaping the framework for independent artists and labels, and how best to use their platform, head of Artist and Label Relations Andrew Jervis and UK/EU label representative Aly Gillani will sit down for a special Supporters Week discussion.
Mark Leckey is a Turner prize winning artist from The Wirral who through immersive, multidisciplinary art pieces, a monthly NTS radio slot and a lifelong obsession with pop culture has explored nostalgia loops and the ancient, timeless search for euphoria through rave and beyond. Leckey will join us via Zoom for a rare interview on Supporters Week.
Narrated by Laurie Anderson, Sisters With Transistors documents the uncelebrated pioneers who shaped electronic music as we know it today. Composers and artists such as Maryanne Amacher, Bebe Barron, Suzanne Ciani, Delia Derbyshire and Laurie Spiegel were all instrumental in using tape machines, synthesisers and first-wave computer systems to create bold new sounds. But, somehow, their names are never quite as prominent in the history books. Lisa Rovner’s acclaimed 2020 documentary uses rare archive footage and gorgeous storytelling to help remedy that.
Poly Styrene: I am a Cliché traces the story of feminist punk hero and X-Ray Spex front woman Poly Styrene through the eyes of her daughter, Celeste Bell. Co-directed with British-Singaporean filmmaker Paul Sng, Bell dives deep into her mother’s archives to uncover a tale of hidden struggles, but also liberation – from capitalism, misogyny and racism. Her untimely death in 2011 is still one deeply felt in the global punk community – reinforced by interviews with Neneh Cherry, Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna and designer Vivianne Westwood – but her rebellious wails and defiant spirit continue to live through these frames. A moving portrait of an artist who refused to be anyone but herself.
Earlier this year, Big Dada – the influential, independent label distributed by Ninja Tune – announced that it would be relaunching as an imprint dedicated to Black, POC and minority ethnic artists. In a mission statement, the imprint said that it would deepen its cultural heritage, provide resources to artists and shift the narrative around music made by artists of colour. Founded in 1997 by hip-hop journalist Will Ashon, who later left the label in 2014, Big Dada is responsible for pushing landmark releases by Run the Jewels, Roots Manuva and more. Meet the team behind the label, and listen in as they talk the future of Big Dada.
MikeQ is a ballroom scene hall-of-famer. The New Jersey born-and-raised DJ, producer and Qween Beat label boss has been heavily involved with the East Coast ballroom and vogue-house community ever since his teenage years. Over time, he’s become a prominent figure within ballroom and taken on a stewardly role to help share its music and culture with audiences around the world. As part of Supporter’s Week, we catch up with MikeQ and reflect on his story so far.
From Yellow Magic Orchestra sampling chiptune music in the late 70s to grime artists making beats with gaming sounds, the influence of video games on music can’t be understated. Video game music in itself traverses across a broad spectrum of genres, and the field has been permeating popular culture for decades. Delve into this immersive world with video game music expert Dr Jennifer Smith.
William Basinski’s The Disintegration Loops series was made from deteriorating tape loops and is comprised of nearly five hours’ worth of haunting noise. The poignant collection is considered to be a masterpiece of the ambient genre, and sees Basinski offering an elegy to the events of 9/11. In a new film directed by David Wexler, Basinski reflects on the album‘s legacy, with a particular consideration given to the upcoming 20th anniversary of 9/11. As well as the screening, Basinski and Wexler will join Crack Magazine for a virtual Q&A via Zoom and broadcast exclusively to Supporters.
Our Supporters really do power everything we do; as an independent media publication this community is vital to sustaining us. Sign up and get a load of benefits in return, including discounted festival and event tickets.
