SHINDIG! READER SURVEY 2010

Thanks to everyone that took the time to fill out our "reader survey". The response was astounding. We had an inclination that Shindig! was a cherished publication that had become more of fellowship than a magazine, yet your comments still floored us.  "Oh boy," I was heard to emotionally extol, "we've done it. Our readers really care. They love us. The comments at the end of the survey prove how much they think about what we do. They get it. And team we must listen carefully to what they say.  Let's give them what they want and satisfy these people that have so ably supported us from the start." As I stood on the table, fist raised, tears streaming down my cheeks it was suggested I get down, have a drink of water and get back to shaping the next issue. But your passionate and supportive remarks got to us all. Andy Morton still keeps a print out of the survey in his back pocket.

So what were the results of our first major reader survey? Like the magazine they were somewhat eclectic. We have female readers in their teens and older male subscribers in their 70s, some want to read only about music whilst others are keen on more cult film and TV coverage. Others want us to predominantly cover music from the mid-60s to mid-70s -- but there were also plenty of you that expressed a strong interest in the new bands we write about that adhere to the Shindig! ethos. In relation to this, our covermount CD that was given away with issue 12 was very well received with many requests for CDs of interesting new bands to be included with each issue. Many who were less that au fait with current young bands were amazed at the high standard of musical talent mined.

In general though, a Shindig! reader is 90% male, aged between their mid 30s and mid 50s, relatively well paid and suffering with a healthy addiction to buying CDs, vinyl and cultural clutter. The main features rate highest in the reason for buying the magazine, and readers seem very happy. Although there was minor criticism in some areas by and large readers have stated that the standard of writing is high and the nature of the music covered entirely unique for a high street music publication. Reviews had been criticised for being at times too complimentary, which was discussed at great length at an editorial meeting. We believe this has now been rectified. Bar that the scope of material featured was described as excellent. New music is the one area that appears to have divided readers: one camp believes there is no space in Shindig! for current artists whilst the other claims that as long as they are sympathetic to the music that drives Shindig! and are doing something new with it, rather than mirroring the past, there should be more new music in Shindig! Getting the balance right is something we are currently striving to achieve. So please, let us know your thoughts.

Our Texas and country-rock issues were a major success and a number of readers have stated that they would like to see more issues given over to genres or local scenes. It also seems we can never run enough on both US '60s garage and British psychedelic. Soul and prog-rock on the other hand seem a little like Marmite in the Shindigverse. Some of you want far more whilst the others want less, even none.

A few suggestions we are currently discussing and considering is the introduction of interactive content on the site allowing comments to be made and, more in keeping with the '60s, a reader's classified section. Embracing the old and new is very much what we are about. Interactive content will allow readers to offer comment and additions far more and the old classified section will be an ideal way for readers and small traders a forum to trade CDs, DVDs and general epherama.