Melody Maker – 7 June 1997 – Summer Issue – Blur, Oasis, Symposium, Space & The Beautiful South

Original vintage British Melody Maker music newspaper dated Saturday, 7 June 1997, featuring a colourful summer-themed cover with Blur, Symposium, Space, The Beautiful South, Oasis and a special look at Britain's summer entertainment scene.

This is an original publication from the height of the Britpop era, capturing the music, humour, personalities and popular culture of the late 1990s.

The cover features an entertaining photograph of Blur enjoying ice creams, alongside features on some of Britain's best-known alternative rock and indie bands.

A collectable period newspaper for fans of 1990s British music, particularly Blur, Damon Albarn, Oasis, Symposium, Space and The Beautiful South.

Front Cover – The Summer Issue

The front cover features a large, playful colour photograph of all four members of Blur enjoying ice creams outdoors.

The photograph captures the band's humorous and informal image during the late-1990s Britpop period.

Damon Albarn appears prominently in the foreground, wearing a dark top decorated with stars and holding an ice cream towards the camera. His expression is exaggerated and playful, with one eye closed and his mouth open.

Behind him are fellow Blur members Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree, each photographed with an ice cream.

The photograph is particularly appealing because it presents the band away from their usual stage performances and promotional portraits.

The cover features the distinctive orange Melody Maker masthead and the headline:

"Ice creamadelica!"

Beneath the photograph, the main cover announcement reads:

"THE SUMMER ISSUE"

The lower half uses colourful star graphics in blue, green and pink, introducing several featured artists and locations.

The overall design captures the light-hearted atmosphere of British music journalism during the summer of 1997.

Blur – Damon Albarn and the American Breakthrough

One of the major stories advertised on the cover concerns Blur's growing success in America.

The headline reads:

"HAVE A NICE DAMON! BLUR crack America... at last"

This is a particularly interesting feature because the newspaper was published during an important transitional period in Blur's career.

The band had released their self-titled fifth studio album, Blur, in February 1997.

The album marked a shift away from some of their earlier Britpop influences towards a more guitar-driven alternative rock sound.

Its singles included:

• Beetlebum

• Song 2

• On Your Own

• M.O.R.

The success of Song 2 helped introduce Blur to a wider international audience, particularly in the United States.

The newspaper's advertised coverage offers a contemporary perspective on the band's expanding international profile.

The combination of a full-band cover photograph and a feature about their American breakthrough makes this issue especially appealing to Blur collectors.

Oasis – Contemporary Britpop Coverage

Another prominent cover story concerns Oasis, Blur's well-known Britpop contemporaries.

The headline reads:

"HOW MUCH?!? The ultimate OASIS scam"

The issue dates from the period between Oasis's hugely successful 1995 album (What's the Story) Morning Glory? and the release of Be Here Now in August 1997.

During this period, Oasis remained one of Britain's most commercially successful and widely discussed rock bands.

The cover advertises an investigation or commentary concerning Oasis, reflecting the newspaper's interest in the business and publicity surrounding major musical acts.

The presence of both Blur and Oasis makes this issue particularly representative of the British music scene in 1997.

Symposium – Life's a Beach in Brighton

The lower-left section of the cover highlights the British alternative rock band Symposium.

The headline reads:

"SYMPOSIUM – Life's a beach in Brighton"

Symposium were part of the energetic British guitar music scene of the mid-to-late 1990s, combining punk-influenced performances with melodic alternative rock.

The advertised Brighton feature connects the band with the summer entertainment theme of the newspaper.

This is an interesting inclusion for collectors of less commonly featured 1990s British alternative rock acts.

Space – Fun of the Fair in Blackpool

The centre of the lower cover highlights Liverpool band Space.

The headline reads:

"SPACE – All the fun of the fair in Blackpool"

Space became particularly popular during the 1990s with their distinctive combination of alternative rock, electronic influences and humorous storytelling.

Their best-known songs from this period include Female of the Species, Neighbourhood and Me and You Versus the World.

The Blackpool feature fits the newspaper's summer theme and reflects the band's playful public image.

The Beautiful South – Leeds Feature

The lower-right section features The Beautiful South, accompanied by the headline:

"THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH – Grumpy old men in, erm, Leeds"

The Beautiful South were among Britain's most established alternative pop groups during the 1990s.

Known for their melodic songwriting and witty, often satirical lyrics, the band enjoyed considerable commercial success.

Their songs included A Little Time, Rotterdam (Or Anywhere) and Don't Marry Her.

The advertised Leeds feature adds another important British act to the newspaper's summer coverage.

Luton Hoo – The Summer Party Scene

The left-hand side of the cover includes the headline:

"NO SLEEP 'TIL LUTON HOO! On the road with the 24-hour party posse"

This feature reflects the late-1990s interest in music-related nightlife, entertainment and party culture.

The reference to Luton Hoo adds an unusual location-based element to the issue's coverage.

It also demonstrates how Melody Maker combined conventional band interviews with broader entertainment and lifestyle journalism.

Summer Films and Entertainment

Along the bottom of the cover, the newspaper advertises additional seasonal content:

"THE SUMMER BLOCKBUSTERS PREVIEWED!"

"THE SUMMER ALCOPOPS REVIEWED!"

These features highlight the publication's wider cultural coverage, extending beyond music to cinema, leisure and contemporary youth culture.

The summer blockbuster preview reflects the importance of major cinema releases during the 1990s.

The drinks review further illustrates Melody Maker's informal, humorous editorial style.

Steve Lamacq Joins Melody Maker

Across the very top of the cover is the announcement:

"STEVE LAMACQ JOINS THE MAKER"

Steve Lamacq was a prominent British music broadcaster and journalist associated with alternative and independent music.

His appearance in the headline is a notable piece of British music press history, particularly for collectors interested in the relationship between music journalism and radio broadcasting during the Britpop era.

Publication Details

Publication: Melody Maker

Full Date: Saturday, 7 June 1997

Cover Theme: The Summer Issue

Main Cover Feature: Blur – Ice Creamadelica!

Cover Artists: Blur – Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree

Other Featured Artists: Oasis, Symposium, Space and The Beautiful South

Additional Coverage: Steve Lamacq, Luton Hoo, summer films and entertainment

Original Cover Price: 85p

Country: United Kingdom

Language: English

Format: Large-format music newspaper

Era: 1990s / Britpop / Indie / Alternative Rock

Condition: Pre-owned vintage newspaper

SKU: NP011

Condition – Important Information

This is an original vintage newspaper from June 1997 and shows visible signs of age, previous handling and storage.

Condition has been assessed from the supplied front-cover photograph.

Front Cover

The front cover retains its original colour artwork, including the large Blur photograph, bright masthead and colourful summer graphics.

The main photograph remains clearly visible, and the cover headlines are readable.

There is some light surface creasing and general handling wear.

Paper Discolouration

The outer white margins display age-related yellowing and uneven discolouration.

This is particularly noticeable around the top and side borders.

There are also some small marks and areas of light surface soiling consistent with storage and handling.

Top Edge

The upper edge shows slight waviness and unevenness.

The paper is not perfectly flat, with minor bends visible around the upper corners.

Left Edge and Spine

The left-hand folded edge shows some creasing and handling wear.

The newspaper appears slightly curved along this side, consistent with previous folding and storage.

There are minor irregularities along the outer edge.

Right Edge

The right-hand edge shows light wear and a slightly uneven paper profile.

Some minor rippling and discolouration are visible along the outer margin.

Bottom Edge and Corners

The bottom edge shows slight waviness and minor handling wear.

The lower corners are not perfectly sharp, with light bending and small creases visible.

Surface Marks and Creases

There are minor surface wrinkles, particularly around the outer margins and lower portions of the cover.

Some light age-related marks are visible on the paper.

The principal cover photograph and printed text remain presentable.

Writing, Tears and Completeness

No obvious handwritten annotations are visible on the photographed front cover.

No major tear is clearly apparent in the supplied photograph, although minor edge imperfections may be present.

The full internal page count and condition of every internal page have not been verified from this photograph.

Overall Condition Assessment

Pre-owned vintage condition with visible age-related yellowing, light creasing, minor surface marks, edge wear and slight corner bending.

The newspaper retains an attractive and colourful front cover.

It should not be considered mint or pristine.

Please examine the supplied photograph carefully, as it forms part of the description and shows the actual newspaper being sold.

Collector Appeal

This original 7 June 1997 issue is particularly interesting because it combines a playful full-band Blur cover with contemporary coverage of their American breakthrough.

The newspaper also features Oasis during the months leading up to Be Here Now, together with other important British acts including Symposium, Space and The Beautiful South.

The Steve Lamacq announcement and unusual summer entertainment features further enhance its appeal as a period piece.

A collectable example of British music journalism from the height of the Britpop era, suitable for fans of Blur, Damon Albarn, Oasis and original 1990s music press memorabilia.

SKU: NP011