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Loaded spawned stereotypes and single-handedly rendered soft porn

imagery acceptable to celebrities and readers alike.

IPC and James Brown have a lot to be proud of, but Loaded's glory days

were long ago. Brown left and FHM now outsells Loaded by two to one.

For the December issue Loaded has been "refreshed", with new fonts and

graphics and Howard Marks and Pornalikes moving earlier but I don't

think this is the answer. Loaded's problems are more fundamental. The

editorial constituents of birds, booze and humour are evident but the

intelligence has gone.

Initially sold to IPC by Brown as "Arena edited by Hunter S. Thompson,

author of cult classic Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," the early years

were sharp, funny, tasteless but never unintelligent. December's

interview with Ricky Tomlinson illustrates how far wrong it's gone.

Instead of discussing Tomlinson's principles, the article describes the

highs in his life "as though he has farted through silk undies" and the

lows as "he hit rock bottom with his dick in the dirt".

What was once maverick and provocative is now formulaic and crass. I'm

sure Brown doesn't "Feel Good" when he sees it.