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In January of 1985, the Smiths are getting ready to release their politically-charged album, “Meat Is Murder.” In a December 1984 interview with NME, the band is asked about their new songs and how they focus on specific instances instead of abstract ideas. Morrissey’s influence has inspired students all over the country to go vegetarian. This is a matter of great importance.
In the magazine Smash Hits, Tom Hibbert’s initial inquiry for the vocalist is: “What is troubling you?” Hibbert speculates that Moz’s consistent fatigue could be attributed to his vegetarian diet consisting of yogurt and bread. He interrogates him about his idols’ eating habits and the food he provides for his cat, and concludes with the question, “If you passed away tomorrow and met Colonel Sanders, the face of Kentucky Fried Chicken, in heaven, what would you say to him?” Morrissey suggests a swift kick to the groin. Hibbert points out that it is a trap question: “You should have responded that Colonel Sanders would not be in heaven.”
“Oh.”
This Q&A focused on a single issue is a perfect example of the Hibbert method. During his time at Smash Hits and Q magazine in the 80s and 90s, he exposed pretentiousness by sticking to the truth and used absurdity to determine if celebrities were aware of their absurdly fortunate circumstances. Seemingly mundane questions often revealed more than expected: for example, what is the color of Tuesday? Sometimes, he didn’t even ask any questions and instead sat back and smoked while his interviewees squirmed and ended up revealing more than intended. His descriptive pieces used a playful language that combined elements of PG Wodehouse and Geoffrey Willans’ Molesworth with a psychedelic twist, but they were always grounded by his careful observations. Surprisingly, much of this took place in a teenage pop magazine, leading to a generation of “dear readers” who were excited to be taken seriously by a writer who saw the value in taking pop culture seriously, even at its most lighthearted.
Hibbert’s absence may have prevented the creation of Popworld, Popjustice, and the Guardian Guide (which is now discontinued). However, his skill in exposing inflated egos may have resulted in a decline of lighthearted and celebrity-focused journalism once he was no longer involved. For instance, Ringo Starr was offended and walked out of an interview with Hibbert, feeling disrespected towards the “actual bloody legend” in front of him. Even after 13 years since his passing at the age of 59, Hibbert’s impact is still evident. His colleague and Q co-founder Mark Ellen recalls hearing a phrase coined by Hibbert, “it all went horribly wrong!”, being used on a political story on the Today programme by Amol Rajan.
The book “Phew, Eh Readers?” is a collection of Hibbert’s writings, spanning from his early essays about his love for the Byrds to his letters for the short-lived magazine New Music News, which was created during the NME and Melody Maker strike in 1980. It also includes essays written by Hibbert’s friends and colleagues. Pete Selby, publisher at Nine Eight Books, was a dedicated reader of Smash Hits in 1981. When Hibbert joined a few years later and the magazine entered its “imperial phase,” Selby was thrilled to read his unique take on all things he held dear.
Neil Tennant, who was the deputy editor of the magazine at the time (and would soon become a member of the Pet Shop Boys), provided Hibbert with an opportunity. Hibbert had previously worked for DIY magazines and attempted to make it as a musician before joining New Music News. In 1982, he also wrote a well-received book called “Rare Records.” Ellen was also employed at New Music News, but later left for Smash Hits when the magazine was struggling. Tennant asked Hibbert to contribute some reviews, and upon reading them, he remarked, “Who wrote these? They’re incredibly amusing!” Ellen recalls one review in particular, where a Genesis single was reviewed as a play, featuring three mundane men with expensive sound systems discussing their tweeters and woofers. They tested out the new single by playing it, resulting in a clever and humorous review.
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When Hibbert was hired in 1983, he truly brought out the eccentricity of Smash Hits, according to Tennant. He added a touch of baroque to the magazine’s already established voice. Outdated pop stars were dismissed as “the dumper” while alcohol was referred to as “sauce” or “rock’n’roll mouthwash”. The use of inverted commas indicated irony, and the letters page was managed by a character named Black Type, who was created by Hibbert himself. Ellen recalls that Black Type would come to life at night when everyone else had left, and would respond to letters with witty and psychedelic comments. As a prize, the best letter of the fortnight would win a Black Type tea towel – an odd choice for a magazine aimed at preteens, but perfectly in line with Hibbert’s quirky style.
When Christopher Hibbert, a renowned historian and father of Hibbert, came to Tom’s garden in Fulham, Ellen noticed the origins of Hibbert’s perspective. He asked, “How do you achieve such beautiful flowers?” Tom replied, “It takes some fertilizer, watering, and tender loving care.”
“They were all artificial daffodils. I was fascinated by the notion that they originated in a world where people created these elaborate illusions.”
Although Hibbert was known for his creativity, Chris Heath, who worked with him on Hits, emphasizes that accuracy was always a top priority. Many people assume that content aimed at teenagers is not held to a high standard and can be made up as we go, but we were committed to ensuring that everything was factual. We aimed to highlight the ridiculousness and lack of gravity in our work, while also treating it with the utmost importance.
Sylvia Patterson relocated from Perth, Scotland to join Smash Hits magazine in 1986. During her job interview, she impressed Hibbert by expressing her preference to meet Stan Cullimore from the Housemartins over Madonna. Meeting Hibbert was a “serious hero moment” for Patterson. Together, they livened up the news in the Bitz front section, while Hibbert kept focused on his work. Patterson recalls him as a great comic writer who was constantly amused by his own jokes. She found it exhilarating to see what he would come up with, as he never wrote to fit anyone else’s specifications. His “total creative freedom” influenced Patterson, who has been making the world of music journalism a more humorous place for almost four decades. He encouraged her and others to find their own voice and there were no strict guidelines to follow. This spirit stayed with Patterson throughout her career.
In the late 1980s, a young Nadia Shireen was living in Bristol, thoroughly engrossed in the popular magazine Smash Hits thanks to her older brother’s influence. They even wrote letters to each other using the magazine’s language and created a fanzine about their family in the same style. Shireen later worked for Smash Hits from 2002 to 2004, following in the footsteps of her idols, Hibbert and Patterson, despite the magazine’s decline. Now a successful children’s author and illustrator, Shireen still incorporates elements of Hibbert’s writing into her work. In her book The Bumblebear (2016), she pays homage to Smash Hits with the line “What the jiggins!” which is a hit with young readers. Shireen even unknowingly borrowed this phrase from a past Smash Hits feature titled “What the jiggins is Morrissey going on about now?”
Such was Hibbert’s reach that in 1987 (wearing a rented suit), he interviewed Margaret Thatcher for Smash Hits, her people being keen to have “you, the youth of the nation, batting on her team”, as Hibbert wrote – in other words, the magazine’s 800,000 readers. Her evasiveness was no match for his waffle detector. Her florid answers were peppered with the classic Hits “(???–Ed)”, and her disconnection from young people became brutally apparent.
However, Hibbert expressed his frustration with Smash Hits and ultimately agreed to join Q magazine when Ellen and David Hepworth extended an invitation around 1987. While Q’s overall tone was enthusiastic, Ellen believed they needed some substance and thus created the recurring “Who the Hell?” feature for Hibbert to interview less self-aware celebrities, such as John Lydon.
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The profiles provide insight into the pretentiousness and arrogant self-satisfaction of musicians, as well as their disappointment with the shallow content being promoted to young listeners as the music industry becomes increasingly focused on profit. Roger Waters cleverly avoided answering whether he is the most gloomy man in rock, instead revealing his disdain for the decline of pop music. His subtle approach is admirable, such as when he responds to Status Quo’s derogatory comments about women, gay men, and Italians with a simple statement: “The Quo are not very politically correct, are they, readers?” (Editor Jasper Murison-Bowie explains that Hibbert’s 1990 Q profile of Jimmy Savile, in which he brings up rumors of Savile’s fascination with dead bodies and is told “I’m not a necrophiliac,” was not included in the new book to avoid overshadowing it.)
Q managed to avoid consequences for these executions by deceiving PRs and substituting Hibbert for the initial writer. Tennant states that Q was bold in his actions and even shares that for many years, the Pet Shop Boys’ PR would inquire about an interview with Q and they would question if it was for “Who the Hell?” magazine. Tennant believed that they were eager for the opportunity.
Following his involvement in the musical group Q, Hibbert went on to author a unique music column for the Mail on Sunday. He also wrote a peculiar column for the Observer detailing his unsuccessful bid for the now defunct Whig party. However, in 1997, he was admitted to the hospital due to pneumonia and acute pancreatitis, and was in a medically induced coma for four months. According to his widow Allyce Hibbert, he never fully recovered from this ordeal. After three years, she relocated to Hong Kong as she became hopeless in Hibbert’s unwillingness to recuperate. He never returned to work and passed away in 2011. In Allyce’s words, “It was a terrible experience. Everything just came rushing back. But then I could start appreciating him again because I didn’t have to face the harsh reality of his condition.”
As the 90s came to a close, Hibbert’s impact was diminishing. The Smash Hits publication that I was accustomed to reading as a child had transformed into a flashy magazine for kids and ultimately shut down in 2006. The music industry was becoming increasingly artificial and public relations firms were exerting more control. Interviews with mainstream newspapers intentionally aimed to provoke and challenge, but lacked Hibbert’s keen sense of foreseeing the world’s possibilities, as described by Heath.
Popjustice, a popular pop website created by Peter Robinson in 2000, stood out from the rest due to its irreverent nature. Robinson admits that his frustration with the music press praising all pop music and the “serious” music press dismissing it as rubbish was his motivation for starting the website. The website shared similarities with the chaotic Stool Pigeon newspaper and Channel 4’s Popworld, where interviews were often conducted with loudhailers in a car park. However, Popworld eventually ended in 2007 due to its rebellious attitude turning off celebrity guests.
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Nowadays, it is becoming increasingly uncommon to have interviews with popular music icons that are not overly complimentary, making one question the terms of the interaction. According to Michael Cragg, who wrote Reach for the Stars, a verbal record of British pop between 1996 and 2006, the balance of power has shifted in favor of the stars, particularly with the rise of social media allowing them to directly communicate with their fans. Additionally, there is a trend of asking more profound questions and expecting pop stars to address serious topics, which contradicts the optimistic belief that pop music deserves genuine admiration just as much as rock music.
In the 1980s, there was a sense of naivety surrounding the emergence of pop superstars through MTV. However, in today’s world, there is a greater awareness of mental health and exploitation in the industry, which can make the mockery of certain pop stars uncomfortable. The decline of pop magazines has also eliminated the space for lighthearted features and the sense of camaraderie in newsrooms that attracted readers. With the recent layoff of Pitchfork’s long-serving staff by Condé Nast, it is worth noting that hiring dedicated music journalists who are committed to improving the quality of your publication is a simple way to ensure a consistent tone and voice. Robinson, who currently works as a therapist and media trainer, emphasizes the importance of this approach.
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Currently, there are still individuals who carry on the legacy of Hibbert: Heath is in charge of editing the annual publication of the Pet Shop Boys, known as “Annually,” which is filled with interesting tidbits. One recent inquiry from a reader asked if Tennant and Chris Lowe have ever gone horseback riding. Tennant’s response was no, while Lowe shared that he had ridden a donkey, and not just any donkey, but Paul McCartney’s horse. In the upcoming issue, Heath hints that there will be a discussion on whether they put on socks or underwear first – ultimately useless information that surely adds to the joy of nations. Cragg’s “Reach for the Stars” delves into the details of a shiny era in pop music that many may not consider worth examining closely. Shireen has sold two authorized reproductions of Ellen’s “Black Type” tea towel, with the second one raising funds for the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing. It wasn’t until I read a previous collection of “Who the Hell?” features 12 years ago that I realized how much I had adopted the Hibbert lingo through conversations with older friends. And it is widely accepted that quotation marks signify irony.
Heath was happy to learn about the new Hibbert collection. He believes that Hibbert’s voice is often overlooked because he writes serious and analytical analyses of popular culture. While many people associate Smash Hits with 80s nostalgia, Heath sees it as a significant and influential platform for discussing culture, celebrity, and the world. He feels fortunate to have joined the team during that time, surrounded by intelligent and creative individuals who approached their work in a thoughtful manner.
Hibbert once expressed his admiration for Alex Chilton by stating, “There are not many heroes left.”
Source: theguardian.com
