Hardformat

Unknown Public is both a journal and a compilation CD, a creative music festival for the front room, beautifully packaged in a hardback book format that incorporates essays, notes and biographical details…

Unknown Public is actually more than a record company; it’s a hotline to the best things emerging in all genres of “creative music” – experimental, jazz, classical, world, left-field pop.’ – Ivan Hewett, Daily Telegraph 13/1/2007

The concept draws upon the creativity of thousands of musicians: performers, composers, DJs, producers and sound artists from every genre of new creative music. We are also looking for new approaches to writing about music, from specialists, generalists, academics, obsessives, humourists, fans, musicians and even journalists – in fact anyone with something to say about new creative music.

Unknown Public was a sonic periodical that sought to make connections across an incredibly wide range of music. Its first issue (Points of Departure) appeared in 1992, while its last (Re-invented) appeared in 2006. Each release provided a cornucopia of information, images and music. The first two editions appeared in a box as per the one illustrated here, while later issues were designed as small, handsome hardback books. These latter are still available.

Copies of the boxes are as rare as hen’s teeth nowadays. I used to own a copy of UP05, but it disappeared at some point over the years. This copy was kindly lent by the inestimable John L. Walters, co-founder of Unknown Public, musician, producer and now editor of the rather wonderful Eye Magazine.

Each box had a uniform brown paper exterior, replete with stickers, while the innards were guest designed and edited. Talking Drums is a particularly fine example designed by Jonathan Barnbrook whose music-related work to date has been all too limited (exceptions, John Foxx and the Maths).