Charles Apple

John Koblin of The New York Observer received a prototype of a proposed new-and-improved Rolling Stone.

His take:

The test issue is the same size as your Vanity Fair, your Gourmet, your Lucky. It’s glossy and perfect-bound (goodbye, staples!), and the spine has all sorts of type on it making it perfect for your bookshelf: the dates, the issue number (RS 1056/1057), and a peek of what’s inside: BARACK OBAMA/BONNAROO/ AMY WINEHOUSE / RUSH / GREENLAND. The logo-type in the test issue is a brighter shade of red and smaller.

Inside the magazine, it appears the content is all there, just jammed into tighter spaces with sleeker-looking photos. The paper seems a bit glossier. The binding makes the magazine feel more substantial; a heavier object at 146 pages rather than the broader 120-page classic look. That’s one of the few positive things we can say about it. Otherwise, it just feels so … generic. It doesn’t retain any of the flavor of the old Rolling Stone, and the way that a magazine feels in your hands is half its game. Also, the scented ads for Diesel and Armani Acqua di Gio kinda smell more and an eight-page, heavy-stock ad for Chevy feels enormous in the new binding.

Read it in the Observer.

Share on Facebook