Editor of The Face magazine, Matthew Whitehouse, discusses fun magazine creation, leaving Twitter, learning to drive at 35, and touring with Morrissey. Topics include brain worms, savory flan, Mr Brightside, and making media consumption engaging and entertaining.
The podcast guest draws inspiration from childhood magazines to create a tone of sincere mockery in The Face, aiming for engaging content.
Online discourse around music critiques highlights a shift towards participating in discussions rather than focusing solely on enjoying the art itself.
Valuing the hunt for content over the content itself is discussed, pointing out how engagement often revolves around everything but the art itself.
Deep dives
The Influence of Music Magazines on Creativity
Reflecting on childhood experiences, the podcast guest discusses how magazines like the B-no influenced his creative approach. The irreverence and genuine tone of these publications inspire him to infuse sincerity and lighthearted mockery in the face magazine, aiming for a tone that breaks the fourth wall and engages the reader.
Shifting Dynamics of Online Discourse
The podcast delves into the immediacy and pressure of online discourse surrounding music releases like Beyonce and Taylor Swift albums. The constant demand for opinions and hot takes contrasts with a desire for genuine enjoyment without the need to form a critical stance. This highlights a shift towards participating in discourse rather than purely enjoying the art itself.
Art's Evolution in Media Consumption
Examining modern media consumption, the podcast touches on the idea of valuing the hunt for content over the content itself. Examples like the movie 'Challengers' showcase how engagement often centers around everything except the actual art, leading to extensive discussion and preconceptions before experiencing the work firsthand.
Origin of the Ice Cream Job
The speaker shares their experience of working as a professional ice cream pourer, mentioning a humorous incident where they won a competition and received a pair of monogrammed pouring gloves. Working in the Lake District among Italian ice cream families, the speaker highlights the importance of mastering the tilt and twist technique for a perfect cone. Receiving an unexpected email from Morrissey's nephew led to the band touring with Morrissey, but a mishap with their guitar tech almost resulted in their removal from the tour.
Interactions with Morrissey
The speaker recounts their interactions with Morrissey during the tour, detailing strict rules set by Morrissey's henchmen, including avoiding eye contact and not being side of stage while Morrissey was vulnerable. A misunderstanding where their guitar tech was near Morrissey on stage almost led to their expulsion from the tour. Despite a rocky start, a heartfelt letter and a funny mishap with baguettes led to a surprising turnaround in Morrissey's demeanor towards the band.
Matthew Whitehouse is the editor of The Face magazine. We spoke with him from London about Chris in San Francisco, Bobby Brainworms, Savory Flan, the Crown's WeWork, summertime in the LDN, Mr Brightside, Springsteen, Dennis The Menace, how to make a magazine fun, how to not get tired of hearing about things, he left Twitter two years ago, why he's learning to drive at 35, his previous career as a soft serve pourer, and many moons ago, his band opened for Morrissey.
