Round About
Music scene gets new voice
Three Lawrence residents publishing Mass Magazine to promote unsigned bands
By Joy Marie Lofton Special sections reporter
Two weeks before anyone knew The Note, a local music publication, was folding, Jack Burrows was planning a new magazine to promote the Lawrence music scene.
Mass Magazine premiered June 15 in Lawrence, the Kansas City area and Columbia, Mo. The monthly magazine includes interviews with and articles about local and national bands, as well as concert calendars, artwork, poetry and an Internet column. The magazine is free.
Burrows, co-editor of the magazine, said Mass Magazine was a service to promote unsigned bands. Cover stories would focus on unsigned bands while readers would see national bands only on the inside pages.
Burrows said July's cover band, Rocket Fuel Is the Key, received 10 calls from recording labels within a week of the publication of that issue.
"They are now in negotiation with a label in New York." Burrows said.
Burrows meets with with co-editors Megan Arnaud and Darrel Brannock at the beginning of each month to decide the content of that month's issue.
He said this was an essential part of running a
magazine with three editors.
"Since we don't have a central office, it's important that the communication lines remain open," Burrows said.
"I am the typical dreamer—full of ideas, but Megan and Darrel were very instrumental and essential to getting it up and running," he said. "They put things in perspective for me."
Burrows called the June issue a big learning
process. He said that the graphic design, a unique perspective and genuine honest writing would keep the magazine different from others.
Burrows said 50 percent of the reviews did not come from the editors. Ads in the magazine encourage writers and artists to submit material to the magazine.
"We try to keep it as true to the authors' voice as possible," Burrows said.
David Day, a Wichita senior who has written for
In addition to co-editing, Burrows handles advertising and promotions for the magazine. He said that several advertisers were eager to participate.
"We try to keep it as true to the authors' voice as possible."
Burrows said the number of advertisers doubled by the second issue and was increasing every month. He said the magazine needed to hire a sales staff
"I found out which stores are supportive of local businesses and which ones were skeptical of our capabilities." Burrows said.
the magazine, said Mass Magazine had the look of a well thought-out major magazine.
Bob Deck, art director for Mass Magazine, is responsible for graphic design. The magazine's style is experimental and unconventional, he said.
"The design is the first thing that grabs your eye," Day said. "The typefaces are nowhere near standard and that keeps your interest."
Jack Burrows co-editor, Mass Magazine
and sell ads on a national level.
Burrows and his staff use seed distribution to make Mass Magazine not just a local, but a national magazine. In seed distribution, the magazine is sent to one large city each month in addition to its regular markets. So far, Minneapolis, Seattle and Chicago have received copies of the magazine.
This month's issue was distributed on campus and in stores downtown on Sept. 4. Also, Mass Magazine shared a booth at the Spirit Festival, held during Labor Day weekend, with Recycled
Sounds, 622 W. 12th St., an area music store.
Day said the magazine was needed and fit the kind of music coming out of Lawrence.
Although Mass Magazine inherits its readership from a failed publication, Day doesn't see that as a problem.
"I think it'll be around a long, long time," he said.
Hill • September 13, 1995
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