| About Abigail... | I am currently studying a Journalism degree at the London College of Communication. I grew up in Basford, love Nottingham nightlife, and am regularly seen propping up the bar at Liar's Club, Stealth V.S. Rescued and Bugged Out. I like fashion, graphic design, magazines and photography. |
Shadowplay was first printed in June 2003 while Alex was attending Arnold Hill Comprehensive. His publication has evolved into a recognisable name on the fanzine circuit and now has its own show, ‘ShadowPlayboys’, on student radio. Shadowplay revolves around a variety of music, transcending barriers between electronica, indie, folk and hip hop. The 'zine features reviews bands from and performing in Nottinghamshire and beyond. For the less enlightened, Alex defines a fanzine as, "a small, photocopied magazine - usually about A5 - created by one person on their own… [they’re] usually done by young people and [are] mainly a spilling of the ego onto paper." Fanzines boomed during the late 70s, when punk rock ruled the charts, and have become a popular cult phenomenon. Some leading national publications, such as i-D Magazine and the NME, began their shelf-lives as fanzines, and originated as inky student rambles in murky photocopying rooms. Shadowplay boasts a traditional ‘cut and paste’ format, featuring illustrated covers. Despite having obtained a respectable degree of success, its production methods remain true to DIY ethics, as Alex explains: "I type it up on the computer, print and cut it out, then lay it out on a background, and cut out the front and back covers and glue them by hand." | "I would never sell out in terms of the passion, and I wouldn’t start only talking about bands signed to major labels." | | Alex Lawson |
Shadowplay’s driving force is pure, unadulterated passion: "It’s something I’ve been doing since I was a kid… The only sane reason I can find is passion toward the music." Alex explains why going glossy or large-scale doesn’t appeal to him, citing resentment for some of the free magazines in Nottingham: "I just don’t think they value what they write… because they know they get their money through advertising, I don’t think they actually value their readership very highly. "If I did do Shadowplay like that, it would certainly be different, I would never sell out in terms of the passion, and I wouldn’t start only talking about bands signed to major labels." Having unsuccessfully appealed to Arnold Hill for help with printing costs, Alex turned to his family and his employers, who graciously offered use of their photocopiers. Alex has recently received backing from Sheffield University, and is now able to print 300 copies per issue. Alex is studying BA Journalism at Sheffield University, and continues to produce Shadowplay on a regular basis. Shadowplay is available from Selectadisc in Nottingham and on the website. | 
