Ray Gun (magazine)
Ray Gun was an American alternative rock-and-roll magazine, first published in 1992 in Santa Monica, California. Led by founding art director David Carson, Ray Gun explored experimental magazine typographic design. The result was a chaotic, abstract style, not always readable, but distinctive in appearance. That tradition for compelling visuals continued even after Carson left the magazine after three years; he was followed by a series of art directors, including Robert Hales, Chris Ashworth, Scott Denton-Cardew, and Jerome Curchod.
In terms of content, Ray Gun was also notable for its choices of subject matter. The cutting-edge advertising, musical artists and pop culture icons spotlighted were typically ahead of the curve, putting such artists as Radiohead, Bjork, Beck, Flaming Lips, PJ Harvey and Eminem[citation needed] on its cover long before its better-known competitors. Those choices were guided by Executive Editor Randy Bookasta and an editorial staff that included Dean Kuipers, Nina Malkin, Mark Blackwell, Joe Donnelly, Jeff Castelaz (who co-founded Dangerbird Records) Grant Alden, Mark Woodlief, & Eric Gladstone.
Ray Gun produced over 70 issues from 1992 through 2000. Owner-founder-publisher Marvin Scott Jarrett (one-time publisher of a late-1980s incarnation of Creem) also created the magazines Bikini, Stick and huH.[citation needed] Jarret is currently editor-in-chief of Nylon, a New York-based fashion magazine.[1] The most notable common thread among all of Jarrett's magazines (from his latter-day Creem through Nylon) has been an attraction to dynamic next-generation graphic design.
[edit] Partial list of issues
- Ray Gun #1, November 1992. Henry Rollins cover.
- Ray Gun #2, December 1992/January 1993. R.E.M. cover.
- Ray Gun #3, February 1993. Dinosaur Jr. cover.
- Ray Gun #4, March 1993. Frank Black cover.
- Ray Gun #5, April 1993. Porno for Pyros cover.
- Ray Gun #6, May 1993. PJ Harvey cover.
- Ray Gun #7, June/July 1993. Sonic Youth cover.
- Ray Gun #8, August 1993. Iggy Pop cover.
- Ray Gun #9, September 1993. Urge Overkill cover.
- Ray Gun #10, October 1993. Teenage Fanclub cover.
- Ray Gun #11, November 1993. Swervedriver cover.
- Ray Gun #12, December 1993/January 1994 L7 cover.
- Ray Gun #13, February 1994. Ministry cover.
- Ray Gun #14, March 1994. Morrissey cover.
- Ray Gun #15, April 1994. Elvis Costello cover.
- Ray Gun #16, May 1994. Alice in Chains cover.
- Ray Gun #17, June/July 1994. Perry Farrell cover.
- Ray Gun #18, August 1994. Lush cover.
- Ray Gun #19, September 1994. Jesus and Mary Chain cover.
- Ray Gun #20, October 1994. Kim Deal and J Mascis cover.
- Ray Gun #21, November 1994. Liz Phair cover.
- Ray Gun #22, December 1994/January 1995. Keith Richards cover.
- Ray Gun #23, February 1995. Pavement cover.
- Ray Gun #24, March 1995. Mudhoney cover.
- Ray Gun #25, April 1995. Belly cover.
- Ray Gun #26, May 1995. Beastie Boys cover.
- Ray Gun #27, June/July 1995. Björk cover.
- Ray Gun #28, August 1995. Neil Young cover.
- Ray Gun #29, September 1995. Flaming Lips cover.
- Ray Gun #30, October 1995. David Bowie cover. Last issue to be art directed by David Carson.
- Ray Gun #31, November 1995. My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult cover.
- Ray Gun #32, December/January 1996. Sonic Youth cover.
- Ray Gun #33, February 1996. Smashing Pumpkins cover.
- Ray Gun #36, May 1996. Rage Against the Machine cover.
- Ray Gun #37, June/July 1996. Soundgarden cover.
- Ray Gun #39, Beck cover.
- Ray Gun #41, Mazzy Star cover.
- Ray Gun #42, December 1996/January 1997. Smashing Pumpkins cover.
- Ray Gun #43, February 1997. Nine Inch Nails cover.
- Ray Gun #44, March 1997. David Bowie cover.
- Ray Gun #47, June/July 1997. Blur cover.
- Ray Gun #48, August 1997. Wim Wenders and Michael Stipe cover.
- Ray Gun #49, September 1997. Björk cover.
- Ray Gun #50, October 1997. Oasis cover.
- Ray Gun #52, Marilyn Manson cover.
- Ray Gun #54, March 1998. Radiohead cover.
- Ray Gun #55, April 1998. Pulp cover.
- Ray Gun #56, May 1998. Pearl Jam cover.
- Ray Gun #57, Garbage cover.
- Ray Gun #60, October 1998. Kiss cover.
- Ray Gun #61, November 1998. Marilyn Manson cover.
- Ray Gun #62, December 1998. R.E.M. cover.
- Ray Gun #63, January 1999. Beck cover.
- Ray Gun #65, March 1999. Underworld cover.
- Ray Gun #66, April 1999. Shirley Manson cover.
- Ray Gun #68, June 1999. Jamiroquai cover.
- Ray Gun #71, September 1999. Chris Cornell cover.
- Ray Gun #72, October 1999. Missy Elliott cover.
- Ray Gun #73, November 1999. Jack Murphy cover.
- Ray Gun #73, November 1999. Joe Sharpe/Baby Dick cover.
[edit] Books
- Ray Gun: Out of Control by Dean Kuipers and Marvin Scott Jarrett, Simon & Schuster (1997), ISBN 0-684-83980-6.
design and art direction by Neil Fletcher and Chris Ashworth.
[edit] External links
- “Magical Mystery Tour,” by Neva Chonin, Ray Gun, May 1998.
