First Issue Review – Front
Front Cover – Frontfront is a new men’s lifestyle magazine and one of the first new launches by Cabal Communications. In an interview with Newsline, Cabal Communications’ managing director, Andy Sutcliffe, stated that front ‘aims to provide for young men what magazines like Sugar and Bliss provide for young women.’ This is a sector in which he cannot envisage any direct competitors (see Newsline).
No doubt, news of another men’s lifestyle title elicits a moan from potential customers, drawing immediate comparisons and parallels to the obvious FHM and Loaded – but this one does have a difference. Perhaps it only occurs to me because I am a girl reviewing a magazine aimed at boys, but there is certainly a childish quality to this magazine, the likes of which will not be found in its most obvious competitors.
The content of front is best described as a menagerie. Not only does the subject matter range from cars and sex (much the same thing) through to gangsters and clothes, but the style and quality of writing also varies wildly from one page to the next. The staple music and film review pages, fashion slots and girlie interviews are punctuated by articles of an engaging and insightful nature.
This issue features an interview with Dave Courtney, the Kray brothers’ ex-right hand man, and the indescribably cool Samuel L Jackson, as well as a look at the punk movement. Unfortunately, the entire magazine is scattered with so many bare breasts, 3D bare breasts in this case (glasses provided), in the honour of the first issue, that the credibility which a selection of the writing deserves is lost, but as we all know – sex sells.
Despite this,front is an undeniably entertaining read. One can only laugh at the state of the editor, who is pictured with his head clasped between a woman’s firm thighs inside the front cover and later appears in a feature on pornography – as the cameraman! Such salacious arrogance can only be laughed at really, and a pat on the back to the man for stooping to the level of his subjects! The interview with Tracey Shaw, Coronation Street’s Maxine, does little more than demonstrates she has a better pair of breasts since she stopped being anorexic, a rather double edged message for girls perhaps, but more positive than negative for those suffering from eating disorders – pity the lovely lass is engaged to Darren Day!
Although the whole magazine has a rather trashy feel, and uses language reminiscent of 17 year old London rude boys – not necessarily a bad thing – it is fun, and rather less depressing to read than the likes of FHM and Loaded. In a sense, it almost fails to compete with those other men’s titles due to the marked difference in its attitude, aiming certainly for substantially younger lads than other male lifestyle titles. At the bargain price of £1 for the first issue, I’d give it a go, but bump it up to £2 next month and I might be getting my cheap laughs elsewhere!
front went on sale this morning, with a print run of 400,000. The first issue has a relatively low ad:ed ratio of 17:83. Advertisers include Sky Moviemax, Pepsi and the Territorial Army.
Reviewer: Deborah Bonello