TeenSet, Teen Fan Magazines and Rock Journalism: A Book Review

 

I often pick up a book and think I know what it is going to be about, just to be disappointed that it was something different.  For some reason, the main part of this book was a biography about Judith Sims, the editor of TeenSet magazine in the 1960s, and the story of how it and other Teen magazines came to be.  And while it does tell that story and includes some biographical information about Sims and delves into the creation of Teen fan magazines in the 1960s, I am happy to say that it was so much more than that.  I was not disappointed that I was wrong about TeenSet, Teen Fan Magazines, and Rock Journalism by Allison Bumsted because it was much more than I ever could have expected. 

In this book, Bumsted argues that Teen magazine, especially TeenSet, is a vital part of rock journalism and they are just as crucial to the history of rock music as Rolling Stone and Creem.  And after reading this book,  I am a believer.  Judith Sims, along with the photographers Jim Marshall and Bob Bonis, wrote thought-provoking articles and pushed the boundaries in TeenSet.  They conducted some of the most notable interviews with rock stars, including Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.  The photographs of Jim Morrison and Grace Slick, along with the coverage of the Monterey Pop Festival, are not found elsewhere.   And yet TeenSet is not considered to be a serious archive of music history because it was labeled with the name "Teen" and therefore thought of as "less-than" the other music magazines on the scene. 

Much of the book discusses the Beatles and Sims' time with the band.  She toured with the Beatles during the 1966 North American tour, and her coverage is what I personally use when researching that tour, as she provides a thorough account of what happened along the way, alongside photographs that are not found anywhere else.   Judith was also in the studio when the Beatles were recording Sgt. Pepper (see photos), making her part of the Beatles' history.  

This book explores the women who wrote the articles, as well as the music scenes in Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, and elsewhere.  It is an academic book (I can envision it being required reading in a college class), so before you begin, you need to put yourself in that frame of mind.  It isn't a quick summer beach read, as it tackles a heavy topic and raises many thought-provoking issues. 

Having said that, I do feel that it is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the history of rock music journalism and the impact women had on the rock scene in the 1960s.  The research Bumsted conducted is outstanding.  You will not be disappointed. 

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