Memoir of a Magazine #7: Starman
Gary Raymond answers the questions from Wales Arts Review writers and readers.
Gary Raymond co-founded Wales Arts Review in 2012. It was born out of a conversation in a pub during half-time of a football match that was on the tele. Twelve years later, Wales Arts Review is read all around the world by hundreds of thousands of people. It has published the finest writers and artists of several generations that Wales has produced, and on a stunning range of topics. Over the next few weeks, this series will aim to explore and celebrate the life of the magazine.
If you missed the full introduction to this series, you can find it here.
What was the most gratifying piece you’ve published?
I think it was the Bowie tribute. It was certainly the most successful of the “compendium features” we did when I was editor. Everyone I asked wanted to write something about him. It meant we went from opening the platform for people to talk about him, to publishing what amounted to a career retrospective from some of Wales’ most interesting writers and artists. And it meant I got to speak with Deke Leonard on the phone not long before he died. That was something of a highlight for me.
But the Bowie thing meant that Wales had a chance to reflect on a major cultural icon passing in a way it just wouldn’t have otherwise. Wales is mostly ignored when these things happen.
And Dean Lewis did some spectacular artwork for it.
I’ll keep this answer short, as your time would be much better spent clicking on the link and reading the Bowie stuff.
If you have a question for Gary Raymond about the life of Wales Arts Review email him at gary@walesartsreview.org
Gary Raymond is a novelist, author, playwright, critic, and broadcaster. In 2012, he co-founded Wales Arts Review, was its editor for ten years, and is currently its executive editor. His latest book, Abandon All Hope: A Personal Journey Through the History of Welsh Literature is available for pre-order and is out in May 2024 with Calon Books