Contact: Renata Nyul at 617-373-7424

(2-14-07) BOSTON, Mass. – “No experience necessary” is a statement usually not included among the requirements for starting a magazine. But a group of Northeastern University music majors decided to publish one without any of them having any experience in journalism, let alone in building a publication from scratch. The result is a brand new music magazine, Tastemakers magazine, with its third issue hitting stands soon.

“We love music and we just believed we could make up the rest as we go along,” says Clara Rice, Editor-in-Chief of Tastemakers. “The interviews we do with bands are as much for our entertainment as they are for those who read them.”

Created by the Northeastern chapter of MEISA (Music & Entertainment Industry Student Organization), Tastemakers is now an official campus media group, with an office, a computer, and some cash to grow. The magazine offers interviews, trend opinion pieces, concert schedules, and CD and concert reviews. Many of the featured bands have played at Northeastern University’s music and entertainment club, AfterHOURS, as well as major Boston venues.

Unlike other music magazines currently out there, Tastemakers is designed specifically for college students by the college students. Its originality lies in a fresh, young, witty approach that is not hindered by limits sometimes imposed upon well-established magazines. This attitude is reflected by the mission statement in the first issue: “We take our music seriously, and take our magazine less seriously, and we encourage you to do the same.”

As the issues get bulkier, the Tastemakers editorial staff members are discovering their chops as interviewers and writers, and bringing their own unique talents to the table. While Rice, a photography enthusiast, has been taking pictures of the featured bands, fellow staff members/design majors are responsible for the look of each issue. Meanwhile, another group of students are burning up the phone lines selling ad space. The editors are also open to contributions from anyone who wants to write about music.

“We are hopeful that the distribution will eventually spread beyond Northeastern University,” says Rice. “In the meantime, we are busy trying to come up with creative ways to spread the word on and off campus.”

For more information on Tastemakers magazine, please visit www.tastemakersmag.com.

About Northeastern: Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university located in the heart of Boston. Northeastern is a leader in interdisciplinary research, urban engagement, and the integration of classroom learning with real-world experience. The university’s distinctive cooperative education program, where students alternate semesters of full-time study with semesters of paid work in fields relevant to their professional interests and major, is one of the largest and most innovative in the world. The University offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in six undergraduate colleges, eight graduate schools, and two part-time divisions. For more information, please visit www.northeastern.edu.