It was 1967...

that John Lennon graced the first cover..of the Rolling Stone..a magazine that is still a business operated by one man, the founder Jann Wenner. He owns 60 percent while his ex-wife owns 40 percent. He is also still the head cheese, running the magazine as he has from its inception..His right hand man, Kent Brownridge is retiring at the start of the year, some folks say at the boss's request. Bear in mind that Mr. Brownridge has been running the show at RS for over 20 years and he's no spring chicken to put it bluntly. Neither is Jann Wenner who turns 60 next year..but afterall..he is the boss.

He borrowed the money to start it from his future in-laws, a mere $7500..that in and of itself says alot. The RS was a major player in investigative and political journalism at its inception, mirroring the leftwing views of its founder Wenner. Top notch writers and photographers such as Tom Wolfe(The Right Stuff,Bonfire of the Vanities), Hunter S. Thompson,David Weir, Lester Bangs, Chet Flippo, Joe Klein, Tim Cahill, Tom Hayden, David Harris, Cameron Crowe, Joe Eszterhas, David Felton, Tim Ferris, Ben Fong-Torres, Howard Kohn, Jon Landau, Dave Marsh, Annie Leibovitz, Greil Marcus, Grover Lewis, Abe Peck, John Morthland, Paul Scanlon, Marianne Partridge, John Burks, Timothy White, Sarah Lazin, Charley Perry, Michael Rogers, Roger Black, Ed Ward, Charles Young, Christine Doudna, Harriet Fier ..the list is endless..all wrote for or photographed for RS. Wenner made them all stars and he got rid of them when they grew too big for their britches or clashed with his ideals or his viewpoints. It hasn't been published in San Francisco for years..its out of NYC now.

I remember reading it when it came out in pulp form, like a newspaper. It was cutting edge back then politically..now its a shell of its former self. It's not on top of the music biz anymore either, refusing to showcase rap or hiphop artists for the most part. And its glossy and glitzy ...like Jann Wenner himself.

But its still making money and occasionally it breaks new ground although not often enough for me to subscribe or read it anymore. In 2007 it turns 40 years old.

....which makes ME feel very very old.