Theme
- Place of Publication: North Hollywood, CA
- Language: English
- Date of Publication: 1953-1957
- Periodicity: 12 nos., irregular
- Editor: A. James Valentine
- Publishers: Theme Publications
- Type: Full Text
A magazine published in North Hollywood, California and edited by A. James Valentine, Theme’s subtitles changed from “Your Guide to Music and Records” (1953-1954), “Music News from Hollywood” (1954-1955), and “Modern Music, West Coast” (1957). From extant copies, it seems four issues were published in 1953 and 1955, two in 1954, and two in 1957. It is unclear whether issues were published in 1956. RIPM’s copy represents all that could be located.
Theme began with a focus on record collecting and collectors, having taken over the subscription list for Record Exchange (Toronto, 1948-1953). These early issues contain record information and reviews of jazz, classical, country western, and popular song. Within a few issues, Theme began to focus primarily on jazz, with small reviews of classical recordings. J. Lee Anderson and Bruce Dexter served as jazz editors while contributing record reviews and articles on modern and traditional jazz respectively. Information on musical happenings in Hollywood is regularly reported in the “Scene: West” column; John Brandt created often striking designs and drawings throughout.