Underground scene is just his type - interview with ‘Ray Gun’ publisher and editor Marvin Scott Jarrett - Word One
Alternative magazines aren’t necessarily the fly-by-night operations that some magazine observers seem to think. Consider the 60,000-circulation Ray Gun. The one-year-old Santa Monica, California-based title has caught the attention of some pretty major publishing talent, including Esquire editor in chief Terry McDonell. The monthly, with its quirky design and offbeat editorial approach, has been spotted not only on some East Coast magazine racks, but also at some hip New York restaurants. Word One spoke to its founding publisher and editor, Marvin Scott Jarrett, about the secret of its appeal.
Word One: Why did you launch Ray Gun?
Jarrett: I’ve been a musician since I was 16. But I didn’t want to be a starving musician. I always liked the blend of marketing and music. I wanted to do a magazine dealing with alternative music and pop culture that had an underground feel to it. I wanted to take advantage of this niche.
Word One: Who reads your magazine?
Jarrett: We have a couple of distinct audiences. The music lovers in college, people in their early twenties, and we have a strong design following because of |design consultant~ David Carson. They like the contributors and the art and the magazine’s freeform feeling.
Word One: What makes Ray Gun different from other publications?
Jarrett: It takes a radical approach. There is no grid format. It’s not your typical GQ or Entertainment Weekly. We change the logo in every issue. Our readers are trendsetters and they love that attitude of the magazine.
Word One: Which magazines inspire you?
Jarrett: I’m into foreign magazines like Face and Max out of Italy, Pop Gear and Pump out of Japan. I even like Japanese hobby catalogs. They’re so cool.