British Magazine "In the Basement"

While cleaning out a closet, I came across a copy of this magazine from late 2004. As near as I can recall, I had special ordered it or bought it on Ebay because it had interviews with two of my favorite ladies, Denise LaSalle and Margie Joseph. I had completely forgotten that I owned it.

It is similar to the American magazine Goldmine but judging from this issue at least, it is wayyyyyyyyy better than Goldmine ever was. For one thing these two interviews I spoke of were quite detailed. Secondly the magazine had LOTS of CD reviews and in fact it will be fun to cross-check and see how many of those might still be available on sites like Discogs.

So do any of you remember this magazine? Does it perhaps still exist?

I fondly remember this magazine.

My cousin bought an issue [maybe at Tower?] and knowing how much I love music, he gave it to me. After that, I don't know if I bought a subscription or if I bought it monthly at Tower. But I definitely have a collection of them stored in my basement [pun intended]. I don't believe they are still in existence.

It stopped being published several year ago. It went digital for a while but David closed that too. Such a shame as it was the best soul magazine ever.

There was also a great magazine dedicated to Motown and music of Detroit. I don't remember the exact title, maybe MOTOWN MEMORIES or something like that and then later its name was changed to something like SOULSTAR. I'm sure someone here knows the correct name. But it was really well-put together and I used to look forward to receiving it.

I should also mention Marc Taylor's A TOUCH OF CLASSIC SOUL. Great interviews were included in that one as well.

David Cole's In The Basement was hands down THE best soul magazine ever published, bar none! RIP to a great magazine, just one more victim of the internet.

I think they stopped printing about ten years ago. It was a quarterly publication from memory, certainly not monthly, 65 editions in total. An independent one-man band set up, run by David Cole in Brighton, UK. He used retail outlets, mainly record shops to distribute or you could subscribe by mail. I think I went for ten years or so up until he scaled it down to website only. Internet did contribute to its demise but hikes in printing and particularly postage costs basically made it impossible for him to break even. The website "disappeared" a few years ago so I've no idea what happened to him. It's a shame as he was obviously a "gent" from the communication I had with him. In my opinion, this was the last quality soul publication of its time over here. It filled the void left by Blues & Soul going west for several years. The cd reviews usually cost me money every time an edition landed. Very informative and sadly missed.
David compiled this cd by the way which might give you an idea what the mag was about.

Basement Tracks - Soul Ballads From The Heart Of Black America [[2002, CD) - Discogs

I think I've still got a complete set of "In The Basement". The magazine is much missed.

In The Basement was published from February 1996 to Spring 2012. As stated above it was a quarterly magazine that lasted for 65 issues. I did correspond by email with David Cole at the time of its demise and he explained it was mainly financial issues that led to him ceasing production. An excellent magazine and a sad loss. David also compiled a second double CD set entitled 'Tears Full of Soul' in 2007 which is well worth seeking out.

I checked and I still have all 65.