The Face Magazine – The First 50 Issues

May282012

The Face Magazine – The First 50 Issues

The Face magazine was a monthly independent music publication launched in May 1980 providing a totally new slant on modern dance music, incorporating a photo-laden style more often seen in the middle class ladies magazines of the day.

It’s style changed immensely during it’s lifetime, originating from a showcase for the popular quasi-independent music acts of the time, before evolving into a lifestyle magazine focusing more on fashion and style trends of youth culture.

Beset by imitators, a loss of direction and identity, The Face began to lose its influence in a crowded market and was closed in May 2004.

These are the covers of it’s golden period, The Face magazine – the first 50 issues:

a few more issues…

Whilst scouring my treasure laden loft, which seems to be trying to imitate a time and relative dimension in space, I found these few odd additional issues of the face magazine…

Categories: Lifestyle | Author: Frank J. Wilson

42 thoughts on “The Face Magazine – The First 50 Issues”

On January 6, 2015 at 15:31 paul commented:

just been going through my music magazine collection and have just found the first 50 copies of the face all in A1 condition would love to find out if worth anything they are all in magazine protection covers bringing back some great memories

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- On January 8, 2015 at 11:12 Frank J. Wilson replied:
  
  I suggest the easiest way is to see what they are fetching on E-bay
  
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- On June 1, 2018 at 06:28 katie replied:
  
  Hi, I was wondering if you still had the complete collection of the first 50 copies? I am researching The Face for my MA thesis and they could be very useful to me. I am definitely interested in purchasing them! Please email me at katiewilkes@aol.com. Thanks!!!
  
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  - On January 22, 2019 at 23:48 Brian Wood replied:
    
    I have the majoritybof first 2-21/2 years all original
    
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On February 13, 2015 at 14:45 Jane commented:

I was interviewed in an early ‘The Face’ I think 1982 wearing a painted wedding dress. I lived in Amsterdam at the time. I would happy pay to see a copy of this issue. It was on right hand page, about a quarter page story written by a girl called ‘Robin’ please contact if you have seen/have access to this issue.
Many thanks
Jane Tarrant

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- On February 13, 2015 at 14:47 Frank J. Wilson replied:
  
  Hi Jane – I’ll take a look over the weekend to see if I can find it. I don’t suppose you know which issue it was in?
  
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- On February 16, 2015 at 09:50 Frank J. Wilson replied:
  
  Well, I scanned my way through 50 editions of the Face and couldn’t find this interview – there is a possibility though that I missed it – sorry.
  
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- On August 10, 2019 at 17:12 Corin Gibbon replied:
  
  Hi Jane. Did you ever find the interview? I have a complete collection of The Face & would be happy to have look for you. Regards, Corin.
  
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On December 21, 2015 at 15:34 David commented:

Hello,
Just curious if you might be able to help. There was an interview/article on the comic 2000ad in number 21 of the Face. Just wondering if you have that issue and if it would be possible to see it?

Thanks!

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- On December 22, 2015 at 12:54 Frank J. Wilson replied:
  
  Hi – I’ve scanned these 2 pages and zipped them up. They can be downloaded from here https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4762011/DoNotDelete/judgedredd.zip
  
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On April 17, 2016 at 23:25 Maggie commented:

Hi
I remember reading an article on Miles Davis, and I believe I also read one on Nina Simone. Very powerful. Can you tell me which issues these articles were in.

Thanks

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On April 25, 2016 at 10:52 Frank J. Wilson commented:

Hi Maggie – did a quick Google and found these for Miles Davies:

‘THE FACE Back Issue No 78 October 1986 featuring articles and interviews with Miles Davis, Arthur Tress, Was (Not Was) David Byrne.

https://www.beatchapter.com/the-face-vintage-music-magazine-no-78-october-1986-miles-davis-arthur-tress-was-not-was-david-byrne-7619-p.asp

https://www.amazon.co.uk/MAGAZINE-ISSUE-OCTOBER-DAVID-INTERVIEW/dp/B0045R7OQ2?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

Couldn’t find anything for Nina Simone I’m afraid.

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On October 22, 2017 at 23:44 Amanda DeMelo commented:

Hi i want to sell The Face Magazine collection that i have …..where can i find the price they are going for sale and who can i go to …that would be interested in the collection i have ..

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- On October 23, 2017 at 18:34 Frank J. Wilson replied:
  
  Hi – I’m afraid I do not know the answer to that.
  
  I can only suggest that you do a search on eBay to see what prices issues are fetching
  
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- On April 16, 2018 at 04:35 Guy replied:
  
  I’m interested in issue 1 for a vaguely sensible price. Let me know if you’re interested in selling. Thanks.
  
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  - On April 16, 2018 at 08:08 Frank J. Wilson replied:
    
    Sorry – not for sale. You quite often get issues on Ebay though – https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Face-Magazine-No-1-good-condition-complete-orig-NOT-a-reprint-re-issue-/192508815492
    
    Reply
On October 22, 2017 at 23:46 Amanda DeMelo commented:

thankyou

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On December 11, 2017 at 21:32 Gonzalo commented:

hi i wanted to know if you had any scans of the pages of the magazines or if you had any idea of where i could find them.
thanks!

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- On December 12, 2017 at 16:34 Frank J. Wilson replied:
  
  Hi – I have got scans of the covers only. Was there anything you wanted in particular?
  
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  - On December 12, 2017 at 21:14 Gonzalo replied:
    
    No, i’m just searching for a presentation i have to do.
    but thank you anyway ! 🙂
    
    Reply
    - On December 13, 2017 at 14:40 Frank J. Wilson replied:
      
      I suggest it may be worth doing a search or even buying a few of the cheaper copies https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/The-Face-Magazines/280/bn_21179196
      
      Reply
On May 25, 2018 at 19:27 Camille commented:

Hi Frank, I figured I’d try my luck – I was wondering if you might able to scan or take pictures of the Orange Juice feature in issue 15. I’m doing some research on the Glasgow scene in the 80s for my MA, and the last archive I visited only had The Face starting in 82! Either way, thank you for documenting those covers, it’s been very helpful!

All my best,
Camille

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- On May 29, 2018 at 08:07 Frank J. Wilson replied:
  
  Hi Camille – give me a couple of days and I’ll sort that for you
  
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- On May 30, 2018 at 09:40 Frank J. Wilson replied:
  
  Hi Camille – you can download the Orange Juice feature from here. It should be readable if you zoom in https://www.dropbox.com/s/f315jdg7ghapkey/orange-juice-the-face.pdf?dl=0
  
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On July 17, 2018 at 17:40 William Barnett commented:

Hi Frank, The Face did an article about a nightclub in Manchester called Berlin,probably late ’82 early ’83. I don’t suppose you would know what edition it was ? Thanks.

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- On August 30, 2018 at 07:40 Frank J. Wilson replied:
  
  Had a quick look but could not find anything I’m afraid
  
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On August 17, 2018 at 10:37 Sian Mills commented:

Hey there,

I reemeber an issue of The Face where the editor had to make an apology to Jason Donovan after the court case where he sued for saying he used lemon juice in his hair.

On the following page was an advert for a Sony Walkerman headphone set with a copy of Jason Donovans album proped up against it. The tag line was ‘Ensure You Get A Good Hearing”.

I recall seeingthis an thought it was ingenius – Do you know what copy that was please?

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- On August 30, 2018 at 07:38 Frank J. Wilson replied:
  
  I’ve had a look but I don’t have any issues from 1992 when this took place.
  
  Sorry
  
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- On September 20, 2018 at 10:25 Dean replied:
  
  If “used lemon juice in his hair” is a metaphor, would that be issue 44, May 1992, Boy George on the cover “Love Sees No Colour”?
  
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On August 17, 2018 at 10:39 Sian Mills commented:

Apologies for spelling errors – bleary eyed and tired. No excuse though (Keerrringge!)

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On August 21, 2018 at 08:14 John St John commented:

Thanks for this post.
It brought back memories of adolescence.
I found it odd that they seemed to have flipped the square in the top corner Prince issue.

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- On August 30, 2018 at 07:39 Frank J. Wilson replied:
  
  Glad you enjoyed it
  
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On September 17, 2018 at 20:44 Susan Pick commented:

Hi My husband is looking for the issue that featured Psychedelic music which was new at the time. It was in one of the first few issues in 1980s and there was a picture of one of his school mates in the feature. Are you able to tell me which issue it is in please so I can try and buy a copy for him. Thanks

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- On September 20, 2018 at 14:52 Frank J. Wilson replied:
  
  Looks like it’s Issue 19, November 1981 with Julian Cope on the cover. There’s 2 of this issue on eBay for about £8.00.
  
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On September 20, 2018 at 02:21 Dean commented:

Hello, I notice you are very helpful in scanning pages – there was an article in issue 4, I believe, about electronic music with some to-ing and fro-ing between the human league and other synth bands about the best synths to use ( I think the wasp was mentioned). If there was any chance of a scan of this I’d be extremely grateful – been looking for decades ( I seem to remember a pun-headline in the same issue – “here’s U2…where’s the other two?”).
Many thanks in advance,
Dean

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On January 22, 2019 at 23:44 Brian Wood commented:

Hi I have the first few years in great condition of both the Face and Smash hits. These are originals and not copies are they worth anything as being original and together?

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- On January 24, 2019 at 09:39 Frank J. Wilson replied:
  
  Not a lot I’m afraid – I can only suggest you have a look on eBay where you will find other people selling collections and individual copies.
  
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On March 17, 2019 at 22:33 Christopher Spinks commented:

Hi Frank,
I’m a mature student doing my history MA degree at the UEA in Norwich. My dissertation is on the Jam and their influence on political pop during the Thatcher administration. I wondered if there was anyway I could get a scanned copy of the interview with Weller in Issue 2.
Thanks in advance, best regards
Cri

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- On March 20, 2019 at 10:00 Frank J. Wilson replied:
  
  Hi Christopher – tried to reply to your email but got a reply saying it does not exist – you can download the article from here:
  
  https://www.dropbox.com/s/45nsh0l7qid9qe4/Paul-Weller_0001.pdf?dl=0
  
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On July 22, 2023 at 18:32 Andreas Mandas commented:

Hello
Jope you are well

Greetings from Athens Greece

Do you have the issues on pdf??

warm regards

Andreas

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On July 26, 2023 at 16:15 Frank J. Wilson commented:

No. Sorry, but I do not. Printed originals only.

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On August 22, 2023 at 20:13 Andreas Mandas commented:

Hello!

Many thanks for the reply, could you please scan the Jah Wobble interview on issue 17?

Many thanks again

Greetings from Athens

Andreas

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