IDJ Magazine Dies

British dance music magazine IDJ has closed, over ten years after it was launched as a rival to Mixmag and DJ magazine.

The monthly print magazine disappeared with little fanfare, culminating in a a series of Twitter messages posted on September 23.

“iDJ fans: greetings from a long time ago. As you may be aware, in July iDJ sadly closed its doors, leaving issue 140 to be the last,” they confirmed.

“It has been a sad time for all involved. We had a lot more to give, but unfortunately the circumstances were beyond our control. We may return to you one day, in this life or the next. But until that point, continue to listen, dance and support quality electronic music.”

“Thank you all. iDJ Magazine. 2001 – 2011,” they concluded.

Rival publication DJ magazine were blunt in their assessment in a forum posting noting the closure (one month earlier).

“With dwindling copy sales and increasing print costs it was only a matter time before IDJ was going to close,” said DJ Mag.

“Neil Evans, who is handling the sale of IDJ, told DJ Mag something we had suspected for sometime, ‘IDJ only has 200 or so subscribers’.”

In more British magazine news, onetime Muzik editor Conor McNicolas (who presided over a dramatic sales decline which saw Muzik close in 2003) faced more troubles of his own this week after a High Court Judge gave Morrissey permission to personally sue him and NME.

The former Smiths singer issued proceedings three years ago over a 2007 article published in NME headlined "Morrissey Big Mouth strikes again", which Morrissey claims portrayed him as a bigot.

In a statement following the Judge’s ruling, he welcomed the upcoming court battle.

"In 2007 the NME viciously attacked me and labelled me a racist and a hypocrite. Last week they sought to avoid facing me in court to settle the matter once and for all,” he said.

“I am delighted that the NME's attempt to stifle my claim was unsuccessful and that as a result I will be able to use the very public forum of the high court in London to clear my name, loud and clear for all to hear,” he predicted.

http://www.muzikmagazine.co.uk (all the back issues in full)

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff