150 edition and still kicking

1996-1997
Starting February 1996 content-wise we had a division between Techno and Trance with the first reports about the then mushrooming Psytrance-scene in Hamburg. Psytrance got the better during the months. Since there were Germanwide trance parties, but yet no magazine covering this development, there was a call for national distribution of the magazine.

1998-1999
We said goodbye to the topic Techno/House and starting early 1998 the mushroom was a German magazine for the PsyTrance scene only. To publish such a magazine out of the nether county became more difficult and so we moved homebase to Hamburg.Out of a flat we shared, with an office to boot Alpha and me, later also Liese an Sina worked from August 1998 at a growing Trance magazine. The „Free Spirit Room’, a co-operation with Free Form and Spirit Zone, (February 99 at the Hamburg Gaswerk) was until then the most intense mushroom party. Shortly after followed by the very successful mushroom tour, which also took us to foreign countries. DJ Fred Giteau, author of the English column „Full On’probably was one of the first to get us to go global with mushroom magazine. Then, we still thought this a bit too precarious as we were head over heels to set up our CD mailorder and moving into still larger rooms including preparing for a CD Shop in Hamburg-Ottensen which was to be decorated each month by a new Deco Artist.

2000
And it went on like that, because what followed in the spring of 2000 was even another mushroom tour and our first mushroom Open Air in co-operation with Zang Do Palri and Frank Traumraum. In August Alpha left us. Succeeding him was die.jennie who brought along a lot of new creative ideas like articles about deco artists and sound theories.

2001
In 2001 we were very busy with creating our own website mushroom-magazine.com, which went online in September, shortly before the planes hit the World Trade Center. The globe was lopsided, yet, we started our already planned international mushroom in January of 2002 featuring a legendary article about trance history by our very own star-editor Kai Mathesdorf.

2002
Whereas one still had a chance in 2001 to trace single copies of CD s the MP3 Format and fast growing bandwidth created the possibility to distribute music through the net. As a result we had to close down our CD shop in the summer of 2002 and sell the mailorder shop to trance-shop.com. The CD shop was being continued by Astrid and Thorsten from Kisch Kusch. The worldwide effects of 9/11 and the bursting of the Dot Com bubble also resulted in empty purses of the Trance-scene. So, clearly, the mushroom suffered too.

2003
A reduced team had the idea of dividing mushroom magazine from the category drugstore, to be able to present to media agencies a „clean’ mushroom and sell ad-space for trademark products.

The drugstore was meant to be especially dedicated to the different currents of this topic. While Intershroom-editions were intended to further the international branch of the magazine. A special NRW-part within the mushroom in co-operation with Wir Formen from Bochum, being distributed between Waldfrieden and Cologne, should have been the new voice for the large party community of this region. Unfortunately, this bloated plan failed.
Yet, the chief-editor of the drugstore, Claus Baldauf, fortunately remained with mushroom and in September 2003 already started with the so-called Reset!-edition into a new era of the the mushroom, after we had caused a big sensation at the VooV Experience when pronouncing it officially dead with the edition of August. Yet, during the bustle of this aimlessness new ideas emerged, which are still working today as for example the Trancecard, which makes for many cheaper parties for many trancers in co-operation with organisers. And also the artist sticker card being awaited for with longing by our subscribers with each mushroom.

2004-2005
And thus we have reached the 10th birthday of the mushroom in the spring of 2004, which we had planned to celebrate with a really huge „E-Future’ indoor festival in an overpressured, huge location in Hamburg. But due to a storm one month before the great event this ballonhall was ripped and collapsed. Yet, the start of the Trancers Guide To The Galaxy, the Trance Travel Guide which is distributed worldwide in co-operation with Chaishop.com, went successfully. Furthermore, the going international of the mushroom with irregular bilingual editions in the years 2004 and 2005 went well.

2006 In 2006 we ventured into monthly bilingual editions with a lot of support by our shroom-traveller Krzys. Topic specials like technology, fashion and our Anne Clark Remix Contest in which 250 persons participated were successes as well. Through a Psyradio.fm-co-operation in October 2006 we tried to join radio and magazine, but we split up after only a couple of months because of differing opinions.

2007
But the co-operation with Goabase was successful. As of spring of 2007 organisers can announce their parties automatically with us and do not have to serve two datenbases for parties. Additionally, there are again a lot of party photos under Goabase Picture Page in each edition, like in the old days.
In order to make the project mushroom magazine a thriving one, we are currently seeing another big change, because since October 2007 we only have one magazine in two months and at the same time are working on enlarging mushroom-magazine.com very much. Also, we started a news-letter in October and…

2008
… in February of this year a flash-based mushroom magazine, which growing in large measure already comprises 200 webpages. And also while number 150 of our magazine is being published we are renovating our smaller mushroom office with affection, so our smaller team will be content there after our shift too. The impeding number 151, by the way, marks almost exactly the 14th mushroom birthday, which we want to celebrate with you at a large free and outside happening during the 10. Altonale (big district festival in Hamburg).

Thanks!
Of course, during 150 editions many, many people have accompanied us, worked with us in the team or freelance or have otherwise supported us. Therefore, in the name of the team I want to express my thanks for your support, the joint effort and work you put into the global trancescene.

Mat Mushroom

Thank you all:

Adam Alien, Alexander Botar, Alpha, Amalesh, Andre Hensen @ Vibez + Team, Andre Theophil, Andre Wagner, Andrea Flick, Andrea Wibker, Andreas Pufal, Andrenalin, Astrid B, baq, Basssti, Bastian Alleinstein, Benedikt Christopeit, Björn Eilertson, Björn Grashorn, Carsten Bekkema, Carsten Claus, Carsten Winterhoff, Catrin Poppe, Chemicalhead, Chrille @ Tribal Tools, Christian Krebs, Christiane Brüning, Claudia Gundelach, Claudio & Free Form Team, Cynthia Grief, Dagny Peuyn, Dan Firoiu, Dennis Zettl, Divyan, Sören Pawlik, Fabian Hinkeldey, Falk Peters, Florian Veer, Frank Traumraum, Franziska Gangloff, Fred Giteau, Friedemann Becker, Funplastica, Gerd @ Cartel + Team, Golden Boy, Gunnar Ehlers, Gunther Nann, Heiko Mohrdieck, Helder, Hocker, Ice Elfe, Ilse, Jan Breyer, Jan Koch, Jan Leven, Jan-Gerit, Jennie Becker, Jens Rauhut, Jens Stelten, Jessica Ruge, Joel Krohn, John Doe, Jonas Hinkeldey, Kai Mathesdorf, Kim Adam, Kisch Kusch (Astrid & TCK), Klinki, Kobold, Konstantin, Kris Holst, Krzys Heaton, Lana Cooper, Lauscher, Lena Kühl, Lenny Gross, Liese, Luna, M.Kloroom, Maik Hotz, Maike Michaelis, Mandy Günther, Mania Hermann, Manu, Marc-Oliver Reichel, Marcel Drache, Marcus Sterth, Marina Glöckner, Markku Salmi, Marleen Schnipkoweit, Marlene Kunold, Martin E, Matt604, Matthias Junghans, Matthias Lorch, Melanie Usang, Michael Berger, Michael Daum, Michael Wöbke, Mirko Hallpapp, Moona, Moonchild, Mouji, Natalie Schmutnig, Nicole Jesse, Nils Kradel, Nori Abassi, Olga, Pablo von Waldenfels, Pati Rakete (Lucy Loop), Peter Märtens, Pierre Ode, Poriya Rezaimanesh, Prahlad, Rene Zada, Roberdo, Rolf Maihöfer, Rüdiger Schmolke, Sam @ Chaishop + Team, Schuni, Simona Franke, Sina Karow, Soltek, Sonja Martel, Stefanie Voß, Steffi Hoyer, Step, Stephan Fuhrmann, Stephan Seld, Stivi, Sven Gensike, Sven Johanssen, Tamahuka, Tatjana Wegener, Tibor Harrach, Timo Gorff, Tom Rom, Triggerhappycoco, Tulla, Tuso, Ulrich Pufal, Uwe Scholz, Valentina Jost, Webgrrl, Wiebke & Jona, Wolfgang Brückner, Wolfgang Sterneck, Yoyo, Zahra Hussain, Zippy, all other reporters, distributors, supporters and at least of course all our advertising clients which makes mushroom magazine possible.