When we launched the first issue of Fireworks in June 2000, I never imagined I would still be publishing the magazine 26 years later. Longevity is something of a rarity in dedicated melodic rock and AOR publishing, making the journey of Fireworks all the more remarkable.

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1988 — WHERE IT STARTED

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The story actually began much earlier, back in 1988, when I moved from Scotland to Stockport. While browsing the classifieds in Kerrang!, I discovered Boulevard, a fanzine produced by Mark Ashton, one of the biggest AOR fans I had ever met. I contacted Mark, we met, and before long I had joined the team, taking responsibility for design as well as contributing articles.

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It was during one of those early get-togethers that the idea of producing a professionally printed magazine first emerged. We wanted something that could get into the shops, attract advertising and look like a proper publication. We needed a name. I suggested Imaginator, but we eventually settled on Fireworks, partly inspired by my love of Bonfire.

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2000 — FIREWORKS ARRIVES

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Fireworks finally arrived in June 2000, with Crown of Thorns on the cover. The first issue was a very clear statement of intent, featuring Firehouse, Fair Warning, Hugo, Bonfire, Stan Bush, Danger Danger, Danny Vaughn, Two Fires, Kane Roberts and an exclusive interview with Marcie Free, among others. It ran to 56 pages, included a free 17-track CD and cost just £3.

 

GETTING INTO THE SHOPS

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A distribution deal with World Wide Magazine Distribution soon followed, putting Fireworks into HMV, Virgin and Borders stores and giving the magazine a far wider audience.​​​​

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THE FIRST BIG LESSON

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​​There was an important lesson to come with issue six. Until then, I had happily put my favourite artists on the cover. When Harem Scarem appeared on the front of issue six, the sales figures came as a shock, with more than half the print run returned unsold. I realised that, while I might love a particular band, the average reader walking into HMV might not know who they were.

From that point onwards, we took a different approach to our covers, using better-known and more recognisable artists to attract readers, while continuing to champion the music and artists we loved inside the magazine.

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FROM MAGAZINE TO COMMUNITY

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Over the years, Fireworks has continued to grow, both in quality and reach. We've built a fantastic team of writers, expanded our distribution and developed a growing presence online.

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There have been some memorable spin-offs along the way, most notably Firefest, which I launched with fellow Fireworks writer Kieran Dargan in 2005. The festival brought together some of the finest melodic rock and AOR acts around, while also helping resurrect bands many thought they would never see again, including FM, Romeo's Daughter, Valentine, White Sister, Blue Tears and Strangeways.
 

The journey hasn't always been easy. Covid, in particular, saw our physical sales fall by around a third. Rather than reduce the magazine, we went in the opposite direction, maintaining our 164-page format and eventually adding a proper cover CD to give readers even more value.

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Our online journey has evolved too. Our first website gave Fireworks a much-needed digital presence, but like the magazine itself, we eventually outgrew it. The current site, developed under the watchful eye of Pete Arnett, has helped bring Fireworks firmly into the modern age.

And that's where we are today.

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26 YEARS LATER

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Fireworks remains a labour of love. Our writers give their time because they believe in the music, the artists and the readers. We're incredibly proud of what we've built and of the people who continue to make it possible.

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We do this for the music.
We do this for the fans.
We do this for you.

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Enjoy!

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Bruce Mee, CEO