Categories music Publisher Nick Saloman Company Woronzow Records | Frequency twice a year First issue May 1989 | |
Editor Phil McMullen (1988–2005)
Pat Thomas (2005–present) | ||
Ptolemaic Terrascope is a magazine covering old and new music, usually of a psychedelic nature. It has been published irregularly since 1989. Originally published by the Woronzow record label, it covers a wide variety of bands and artists from the 1960s to the present day. Issues typically come with a 7" vinyl record or latterly a CD, and sometimes also special inserts such as artwork, scrap books, and discount coupons.
In March 2005, editor Phil McMullen announced that the magazine would be coming under new management and relocating from Britain to North America. The terrascope.co.uk domain name has been retained by McMullen for the website Terrascope Online, featuring reviews, interviews, articles and artwork by the majority of the former Ptolemaic Terrascope staff.
The Terrascope Online website also acts as a focus for the semi-annual Terrastock indie rock festivals which, since 1997, Phil McMullen has curated.
According to the magazine, the name Ptolemaic Terrascope has no real meaning. Their official web page explains, "Ptolemy is a tortoise who lives at Terrascope Towers. Terrascope is a word Phil made up because (a) it matched the artwork we'd designed for the first issue, and (b) we like the Captain Beefheart song 'Tarotplane'."