MUMBAI: Iconic rock magazine Rock Street Journal or ‘RSJ’ to its army of loyal readers still has relevance in the age of computers, internet and instant messaging, the magazine’s editor Shomi Gupta said.
The magazine, the first of its kind, was founded in 1993 to cover the fledging rock music scene in the country. A little over two decades, it sells around 15,000 copies per issue and has a readership base of around 22,000.
Although it has branched out to organizining festivals like GIR (Great Indian Rock) and India Music Week, its raison de etre remains the same- discovering new acts, events and music within the rock arena in India and South Asia.
“ How relevant is our print magazine depends on how we see ourselves. I believe if we plan our costs well, we are still valid as a print magazine despite the internet. We are a niche magazine first and then we try and reach out."
He added, "Unlike (say) Man’s World magazine which can put out (Bollywood actor) Hrithik Roshan on the cover and sell copies, maintaing cost is very important for us. Conversely, more people now ask us about RSJ magazine because the base for rock music has increased. We have a strong readership base in the northeast and east, and we offer freebies like free CDs with the issues. I believe then there is the joy of picking up a magazine and reading it."
Gupta highlights that the country’s first rock magazine’s relevance to readers will be further reinforced with the rock scene (a generic term that includes heavy metal to alternative rock-pop) finally coming of age with numerous festivals promoting different geners of music and foreign acts regularly performing here.
“ India is an emerging market as far as rock music is concerned just like it was an emerging market for fashion and beauty when brands like L’Oreal entered the market and Ashwairya Rai was crowned Miss World. More international bands are coming and they know there is a market.”
Gupta also sees the domestic festival scene growing with ‘established’ names like NH7 getting bigger while new ones like Storm and Escape Festival (Naukuchiatal Lake, Uttarakhand) gaining traction despite a few new festivals folding up along the way. RSJ itself is planning to re-launch its GIR fest.
“ I see a lot of the festivals coming back and don’t see how they cannot sustain themselves. Whether festivals depends on audiences or sponsors, you work work out 2-3 year deals. And big acts like Pentagram or Indian Ocean can charge Rs one lakh easily, I assume,” Gupta points out.
He also refutes any allegation that the magazine is biased soley towards metal and the harder forms of rock music. The magazine (and its site) infact covers other categories like electronica and Blues act like Soulmate.
“ Metal fans are the most passionate and interactive, and the genre has some of the best musicians. We cover other genres and festivals like the NH7.”
Gupta however does not want gaze at the crystal ball and make predictions on the road ahead.
“ We are keeping our options open and the new management is ‘re-discovering’ the brand and its mission after the tragic demise of the magazine founder Amit Saigal early 2012.”
“ There’s space for every music and readership and audiences. We have no plans yet to got ‘mainstream’ by teaming with a TV channel or radio station. I have no idea what the future might hold for RSJ,” he said.