Tuesday, April 15, 2008


Faber strikes chord with music mag
14.04.08

Faber is launching a pop music magazine with Domino Recording Company, the independent label behind Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand. The first issue of Loops, billed as an antidote to the "hype, snark and solipsism of current music journalism," will be published in July 2009. The twice-yearly magazine will retail for £12.99 in the UK and be sold through both newsstands and bookshops.
The magazine is the latest in a series of ventures for Faber outside its normal publishing programme. Last week it gave rights director Jason Cooper responsibility to develop new businesses exploiting its 79 year-old brand.
Non-fiction editor Henry Volans has now been promoted to the new role of head of digital publishing with a brief to ramp up the company's digital licensing programme and exploit other digital opportunities. Faber is also relaunching its website and recently went into an online partnership with film production company Focus Features.
A joint publishing venture between the two companies, Loops will be edited by Faber publishing director for fiction Lee Brackstone and Domino's Richard King. The editorial board will include Faber crime editor Angus Cargill and novelists Hanif Kureishi and Jonathan Lethem. Essays being commissioned and considered for the first two issues include Ian Rankin writing about glamrock band The Pleasures, Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore on jazz vocalist Patty Waters, Guardian columnist Marina Hyde on the "celebrity contestant vocal style," and a tour diary by the American punk roots rocker Bonnie "Prince" Billy.
"This is a coming together of great independents from the worlds of music and books," said Brackstone. "Loops aims to be a haven for adventurous long-form music writing."

Faber looks beyond books

Faber is to develop new businesses to exploit its 79 year-old brand outside its core publishing business. New ventures will include merchandising, events and seminars. Stephen Page, Faber c.e.o, said the initiatives would be a "spin off from Faber's literary identity and history".

The push will be spearheaded by rights director Jason Cooper, who has been named director of rights and new business development. Cooper will be aided by Patrick Keogh, formerly export manager who becomes business development manager. Page said: "Faber's brand has long resonated with the wide community of literary writers and readers around the world and we believe that we can find new ways to serve and connect with those readers in the future beyond our role as a publisher of books."

Faber is also restructuring its editorial team. Lee Brackstone and Julian Loose, both currently Faber editorial directors, move to the newly created posts of publishing director for fiction and publishing director for non-fiction respectively. Page said Brackstone and Loose would adapt Faber's list to the "changing modern market".
Additionally, editor Angus Cargill will take up take up extra responsibilities, taking over the strategic development of Faber's expanding crime

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