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New Rock magazine 25-Jul-2012 At 5:08:27 PM Will_P

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I'd do a comparative review of VL and Rock, but it'd get me too worked up. I have a paid subscription to a mag that was once of relevance to climbing in Australia, and have just read the second edition of an online only, free publication, and the gulf between the two is staggering.

Compare, for example, the interviews - David Lama in Rock, asked questions like 'Do you ever wish you had a sibling?' and 'What would your singles profile read like?' (an inane question that received an appropriately-juvenile response); against Damien Gildea, our own Damo666, in VL, who, while asked pretty predictable questions, gives riveting answers.

Or check out the gear reviews - neither publication risks revenue by slagging off a product (it's been a long time since I've seen that, but I've got some gear I'll happily criticise in a funny but informative way for any magazine who'll publish it), but there's what appears to be a balanced assessment of form and function (VL) versus verbatim reprinting of what the manufacturer has written (Rock). That's just plan lazy.

More to come, Rock. I have some ideas about how you can become what you were again.