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Cymbiosis

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This article is about the magazine. For the biological interaction, see Symbiosis.
Cymbiosis
Volume 2, Issue 1; 1988
EditorRic Levine
CategoriesMusic
FrequencyQuarterly
FormatJournal, magazine
First issueJuly/August 1986
Final issue
Number		December 1988
5
CountryUnited States
Based inWest Covina, CA
LanguageEnglish
ISSN0895-6936

Cymbiosis is a short-lived music magazine that lasted from 1986 to 1988. Since the magazine was released with either a cassette or a CD, its tagline was "The marriage of music and magazine".

History

The magazine was conceived by free-lance music journalist Ric Levine in early 1985 while at a restaurant. The magazine contained interviews, reviews, and opinions regarding musicians associated with progressive rock, jazz fusion, and new age, though the magazine would stray to other categories deemed "innovative". The magazine also contained a complimentary cassette that includes the music covered within the magazine. In regards to the Magazine's packing, Levine told Guitar Player that the packing for the first issue "looks like a videocassette box, which caused some confusion" and that the packing was expensive at the time; the subsequent issues featured a blister pack where both the magazine and cassette are visible. Levine, alongside his wife Deborah, attempted to publish the magazine nationwide. At the peak of the magazine's run, Cymbiosis was available in 37 states and in 13 countries. However, in 1988, Levine put the magazine out of the market after four issues to rethink his efforts. In December 1988, Levine reintroduced the magazine format with CDs instead of cassettes, released the magazine as a CD booklet, and increased the length of the magazine from 48 pages to 130 pages; the magazine was also distributed by A&M Records. Only one issue was released under the new format.

Reception

Flipside wrote that the magazine's steep cover price would "appeal only to yuppies who could afford it" and that the magazine features "very few strong hooks". However, Flipside opined that the musicians featured in the magazine are great for their genre.

References

  1. ^ Darling, Cary (December 11, 1988). "RIFF". Orange County Register. p. J-18. Cymbiosis, a quarterly music magazine, has released its new issue with an accompanying compact disc featuring artists profiled in the magazine... Past issues of Cymbiosis came with cassette versions of music.
  2. ^ Mulhern, Tom (November 1986). "Cymbiosis: Magazine Meets Tape". Guitar Player. Vol. 20, no. 11. p. 14. It premiered with its July/August '86 issue and contains reviews and commentary, as well as interviews...'Well be changing the packing for our second issue...the initial package looks like a videocassette box, which caused some confusion. That particular packaging was very expensive, so we will be able to drop the price from $12.95 to $9.98. The magazine and tape will now be in a CD-like blister pack, where the tape has its own case and the magazine's front and back are both visible.'
  3. ^ Racine, Marty (April 26, 1987). "Whale 'songs' anthologized - The REAL 'new wave' music?". Houston Chronicle. p. 12. Cymbiosis....is the brainchild of one Ric Levine, former radio disc jockey, freelance music journalist and record store manager. He dreamed up the idea in a restaurant in early 1985 and quickly scribbled it on a napkin...Three months later he had the financial backing to form a corporation. First issue came out in summer of '86.
  4. ^ Newman, Melinda (March 4, 1989). "Music/Magazine Mixture Back On Market" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 9. p. 45. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  5. ^ Morris, Chris (February 21, 1987). "Cassette-Magazine Bows" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 8. p. 43. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  6. "Rewind this Magazine". Changing Times. Vol. 41, no. 8. August 1987. p. 86. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  7. ^ Kassan, Brian (May 23, 1987). "Shop Talk" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. 50, no. 47. p. 25. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  8. "New Magazine 'Cymbiosis' Offers Tapes Between The Lines". Orlando Sentinel. June 28, 1987. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  9. ^ Murray, Edward (March 1989). "Double Dip". CD Review. Vol. 5, no. 7. p. 10. The current issue-Volume 2., No.1-features a 130-page booklet...Distributed by A&M records, Cymbiosis is available through subscription and participating retailers.
  10. "Music Update". Orlando Sentinel. January 1, 1989. Archived from the original on October 17, 2015. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
  11. Coclanis, Deborah (June 1990). "New Periodicals". Notes. 46 (4). Music Library Association: 966–967. doi:10.2307/941273. JSTOR 941273. A cassette tape or, beginning with no. 5, a compact disc accompanies and constitutes an integral part of each Cymbiosis issue.
  12. "Record Reviews". Flipside. No. 52. Summer 1987. p. 30. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
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