Melody Maker Magazine 6 September 1997 Republica Saffron Placebo Dannii Minogue NP008

Original Melody Maker Magazine dated 6 September 1997, featuring Republica and their lead singer Saffron as the main front-cover attraction.

This distinctive late-1990s issue is presented as “The Sex Issue”, combining celebrity interviews, alternative rock, pop culture and a special CD-ROM promotion.

The cover features a large, striking portrait of Saffron wearing a dark, floral-patterned, Chinese-inspired outfit with a short bob hairstyle and dramatic eye makeup.

The main cover headlines read:

“OOH! AAH! REPUBLICA”

“Saffron gets saucy in THE SEX ISSUE”

The photograph is credited to Stephen Sweet.

The issue captures Republica during their prominent period in the British alternative rock and electronic music scene, making it an interesting original publication for collectors of Republica, Saffron and 1990s Melody Maker memorabilia.

Main Features and Cover Personalities

The left-hand side advertises an extensive collection of celebrity interviews under the heading “IN BED WITH”.

The following names are clearly listed:

• Denise Van Outen – television presenter.

• Brett Anderson – lead singer of Suede.

• Louise Nurding – pop singer, later known as Louise Redknapp.

• Brian Molko – lead singer of Placebo.

• Jayne Middlemiss – television and radio presenter.

• Jamie Theakston – television and radio presenter.

• Dannii Minogue – Australian singer and television personality.

• Nina Cardigan – named on the cover.

• Stars of Friends – the American television sitcom.

• Stars of This Life – the British television drama.

These advertised features give the magazine a broader appeal beyond music, particularly for collectors of British television, celebrity interviews and 1990s popular culture.

Chumbawamba – The New Anarchy Explosion

The upper-right section features:

“RIOT HERE, RIOT NOW! CHUMBAWAMBA and the new anarchy explosion”

This provides another notable connection to the British alternative music scene of 1997.

Free CD-ROM Special

The magazine prominently advertises a free CD-ROM across both the top and lower-right sections of the cover.

The advertised CD-ROM features:

• Republica

• Death In Vegas

• Lionrock

• Roger Sanchez

• A computer game

Important: The CD-ROM itself is not visible in the supplied photograph, so its inclusion cannot be confirmed. The listing is for the magazine shown.

Additional Cover Interest

The combination of Republica, Chumbawamba, Brett Anderson, Brian Molko, Dannii Minogue and the television-related features makes this an interesting example of late-1990s British music journalism.

It is especially relevant to collectors interested in alternative rock, electronic music, Britpop, 1990s celebrity culture and original Melody Maker publications.

Magazine / Item Details

Condition

Pre-owned vintage condition with noticeable age-related handling and storage wear.

The assessment below is based on the single supplied front-cover photograph.

Front Cover: The main photograph remains clear and colourful, with the printed headlines generally well preserved. However, there is visible surface wear, light creasing and some wrinkling, particularly around the lower half and outer margins.

Spine / Left Edge: The left-hand edge shows visible compression, handling creases and slight waviness. There is some light wear along the folded edge, with minor roughness and softening towards the lower-left corner.

Right Edge: The right-hand edge appears slightly uneven, with visible waviness and light roughness to the thin paper stock. Some age-related discolouration is noticeable along the pale outer border.

Top Edge: The upper margin shows slight waviness and minor handling wear. The upper-left corner appears softened and slightly bent.

Bottom Edge: There is noticeable light creasing and surface waviness along the bottom border. Small bends and irregularities are visible, particularly towards the lower central area and bottom-right corner.

Corners: The corners show general softening and minor bending from age and previous storage. The lower-left corner has more noticeable wear and a small irregularity along the paper edge.

Discolouration: The cream-coloured outer margins show age-related yellowing and toning. Some darker marks and light surface discolouration are visible, especially towards the left-hand border.

Surface Marks: Minor scuffs, rub marks and handling marks are visible. There is also a noticeable light-coloured rubbed/creased area across the central cover photograph, around the lower part of the Republica headline.

Tears / Damage: No substantial missing section is visible on the photographed cover. Small edge irregularities and minor paper damage are present around the outer margins.

Interior Pages: The interior pages and back cover have not been photographed, so their condition and completeness cannot be fully assessed.

Overall, this is a genuine vintage reading and collecting copy with visible signs of age and use. The Republica cover remains visually striking despite the handling and storage wear.

Please examine the supplied photograph carefully, as it forms an important part of the condition description.

Packaging & Postage

The magazine will be carefully and safely folded and packed inside a protective cardboard box for posting.

It will be securely packed to help reduce the risk of crushing, excessive bending and further damage during transit.