A little bit of a deviation from the usual today, folks. I have something that I'd like to get off my chest, so to speak.
About 12 years ago or so, there was a magazine that introduced itself as a collector's magazine about the Beatles which would discuss various LPs and memorabilia related to the Fabs. The magazine was entitled "Beatlology" and was produced in Toronto. I immediately signed up and sent my subscription and noticed that the crew from the magazine would attend Beatlefests and Beatles gatherings and things like that to promote the magazine. I received the first issue and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the articles as well as the format. It was full colour and was very well done for the time. Articles included such Beatles "experts" as Bruce Spizer, Jeff Levy, etc. Yours truly also contributed with an article or two and a book review. Over the years, the magazine gained somewhat of a positive acceptance and was featured in a lot of Beatles books as one of the better publications.
Now...three years or so ago, the issues started to get thinner and thinner. I don't think it's the fact that there were less articles and news to write about, but the publisher (Mr. Andrew Croft) started to let the issue release lapse. What would happen is that the issues started to get later and later past deadline and a lot of subscibers would write in the Beatles newsgroups wanting to know why this once-prestigious magazine had fallen by the way side. Mr. Croft would respond to the newsgroups (Beatles fans, subscribers) that he had other priorities and how it was difficult to keep up with magazine due to his family, commitments, job, etc. Eventually, the complaints got to a point where Mr. Croft simply left the newsgroups due to the fact that a lot of people were getting annoyed at the excuses and wondered why their annual subscriptions were not being honoured.
The magazine started to suffer. There were less pages, the Beatles news was old - in fact sometimes months old due to the fact that the issues were not delivered on time. Subscribers started to get two thin issues packaged together rather than the standard issue due to the tardiness and overall "rush job" of the newer issues.
Finally, I received my last copy on or about October 2008. After that.....nothing.
The "Beatlology" web site is still available but it has not been updated for over a year. I subscibed for the last time about two months ago (Sept. 2009) as I thought maybe I forgot to subscribe last year. The money I had sent through paypal ( 46 dollars US ) was quickly taken two days later. I said to myself "Good. Now my back issues should arrive". Nothing.
There were emails on various egroups wondering where the magazine issues were. I started to get worried. I emailed their order department and I have not received one word from them. Incredible!!!!!
I guess there is no problem taking my hard earned money but not delivering the service. In fact, there has been no word from Mr. Andrew Croft about any plans for Beatlology or if it is even up and running. Shame !!! The least he could do is take down the website and refund the money owed or produce back issues for those of us who have subscribed and supported the magazine for all these years.
OK. There you go. I'm done. Now back to our regular scheduled program.
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I also subscribed this past May 2009. Paid $42 (US dollars). Haven't recieved any issues. I am in agreement with you. If the magazine HAS folded, fine. However, they need to disable their website so as not to accept subscription payments! I have E-Mailed numerous times, and have even written a handwritten letter. No response. I even said that i would accept a few random back issues for the $42 I paid. Again, I received no response.
ReplyDeleteMr. Croft is a dead beat.I too subscribed to this once fine magazine and never recieved my last 4 issues. Then he has the damn nerve to write me a letter and make it sound like it was my fault. I contacted the BBB and they contracted him. He said he would be contacting everyone in the New Year. That was 2009. Nothing yet. I met him at the Beatles convention on Orillia. I even contacted the people that published the magazine and they told me that Croft never gave them any go ahead to publish any more mags. I did lots of leg work trying to get this dead beat bastard and got no results. This is the world today. If you are a crook you can do what they hell you want and in most cases you are not held responsible. I went to Toronto to where the box office was looking for him, hoping he would be there getting his mail, but no luck. In return, I got my car towed and had a $125.00 towing bill. Good ole Toronto. This prick should have been thrown in jail!!!
DeleteI subscribed to the mag for a few years. I used to really look forward to its arrival especially after the demise of Beatles Monthly mag. The articles were great. But as time went on the issues got later and later and thinner and thinner. I too am owed issues/money from these people. They haven't responded to my emails (sent to every department). I find the whole thing disgusting practice - They are just liars and thieves of the worst kind
ReplyDeleteHe was at the 2009 Beatlefest with his latest edition (Volume 11 No.1 September/October 2008. Keep in mind that this was late March 2009.
ReplyDeleteHe has said from email group
"Add to this the ongoing pressure to make payments for printing, mailing,
web hosting, bookkeeping services [she makes MORE from the mag than I do
if you can believe it] and it becomes a matter of not only when a magazine
is ready, but when funds are in place to print and mail. Each issue costs
$6,000 to print and mail. I could print them in B&W on newsprint if you
like but then no one would be happy about the quality, most certainly not
me."
Well what has he been doing with all the money from the missing editions?
Exactly, Andrew Croft the self proclaimed Beatles expert is a loser. I met him several years ago at Beatlefest and he is an egotistical ass. Not only does he screw you with his magazine , be leary of him if he puts something on e Bay. Item he had up for auction was won and never rec'd the item. Saw him at Beatlefest and guess what . the item that was won he was trying to sell at his table. His excuse was he was having problems with his e mails.
ReplyDeleteHe lost lots of us as contributors for many reasons. One reason was editing our submissions. Mine anyway. What a shame.
ReplyDeleteJeff Levy - Author... Applelog
I thought I was the only one who lost money to Andrew Croft. You may want to let him know that you are disatisfied:
ReplyDeleteCall Inhouse Productions at: 416-270-7635
e-mail: andrew@inhouseproductions.on.ca
http://www.inhouseproductions.ca/
Or you can file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Branch of the Ontario Government. Call 416-326-8800 and press 0 to talk to a person. Mention both Andrew's name and Inhouse Productions. The person I talked to said that even though the amount of each person's loss is not much and below their threshold, they will act on the complaints if they get enough.
very sad. what a jerk Andrew Croft must be. I hope he is shunned from the collecting community. Luckily my subscription was just about done when the magazine stopped. I was a subscriber from day one, and I am currently putting the whole collection on ebay one volume at a time. It was avery good magazine for collectors. You should be ashamed of yourself Andrew Croft. Stealing peoples hard earned money is not cool. No excuses. You suck.
ReplyDeleteReally liked it for what it was. Since the main focus was rarely on news, well, at the best of times, the news was old news. I read it for the articles that you wouldn't see anywhere else (i.e., the "Ringo's Yellow Submarine" story), and the bootleg reviews. (True, a good deal of the articles in the new issues were reprints from previous issues, or from TWBF.) Due to also enjoying having a roof over my head and food in the fridge, I let my subsciption lapse. Little did I know that Beatlology had also lapsed. Yet, I received two e-mails requesting I re-subscribe, y'know so I wouldn't miss out on anything. Once my financial situation improved, I re-subscribed. Sigh. Apparently, the two bricks in this pyramid scheme, Andrew Croft and his bookkeeper, will not walk away from a fool and his money, Sonny.
ReplyDeletePS: Don't wish to be anonymous, but that's the option. Otherwise, I'm known as Harry Oatmeal.
This email was sent to me earlier this year. So, yes, Beatlology is actively seeking subscribers to a magazine that has ceased publication. Act now and they'll throw in renewals to Strawberry Fields Forever and Good Day Sunshine!
ReplyDeleteIt's been a long, long, long time...
since you've had an issue of
Beatlology Magazine!
Our records indicate that your subscription has ended some time ago and we have not received a renewal from you. We understand that life can happen to you while you're busy making other plans... so we'd like to welcome you back with a free issue!
Subscriptions rates for one year (six issues) are:
- $30US for North American, and
- $40US for International subscriptions.
To Renew Online by Credit Card:
You can renew online using a credit card or PayPal at any time using our secure online processing system - only the processing service and your bank can view the transaction so there is no need to worry about using a credit card online. To renew online click here.
To renew by cheque or money through the mail:
You can also mail your renewal payment to:
Beatlology Magazine,
Box 90 - 260 Adelaide St. East,
Toronto, ON M5A 1N1 Canada.
We accept personal cheques, bank drafts and money orders [no postal money orders please]. Please do not mail your credit card information as we cannot process this info, you will need to renew online. Please be sure to include sufficient postage for mail outside your country.
PS Perhaps AC could reduce some of his overhead by cutting out the web hosting expense. Unless that pays for itself, hmmmm?
The subscription! How about the poor suckers who paid for binders!!! Burn in hell you chubby little thief!!!
ReplyDeletevery sad that AC was still asking people to send in money up until last year. my last mag was the Sept./Oct.issue of 2009. The little thief owes me $20! It wasn't my last $20 by any means, but it's just the principal of the whole thing,rite? I phoned the little weasel todayto let him know how I feel! Today, I also filed a complaint with Ont.consumer protection!
ReplyDeleteHe got me on the Binders too! Still have a paypal receiept from Sept 28, 2007 for Vol 9! What a Dink.
ReplyDeleteI had a subscription that stopped before it ran out. I mentioned it to AC at Beatlefest, but he didn't offer to do anything for me. So later I thought well, perhaps I should give them another chance and I resubscribed through Paypal. Never saw anything. Stay away from this thief
ReplyDeleteAndrew Croft is a smug little arrogant mouse of a man who should be ashamed of himself.
ReplyDeleteWill be filing a complaint as well........
He is still buying and selling sheet music on ebay. profile:acrofthdevoy
ReplyDeleteThis modern day thief is now using technology the internet to continue to rob people of their money and they get nothing in return.You fat slob Andrew Croft. You had this scheme all worked out. Did you not ever think that the more the magazine grew, the more of you time that would be required? You still owe my 40 bucks!! Am I allowed to collect interest. I would love to see what kind of house you live in. I guess I have paid your hydro bill for a while. Your a useless asshole. No, wait, a asshole is useful. How about I call you a scum bag. They are down there with the cock roach. I wonder if this crook still goes up to Orillia in September????
ReplyDeleteHi, Nice letter you wrote. Mine is the same date as your surprisingly. You asked if this scum bag croft goes to the Yearly Beatle mania events? I don't know. But if I see him, he will be getting a piece of my mind. He owes me $24.00 or four magazines. He is a lazy modern day prick that just comes up with one excuse after the other as to why the magazines are not out on time. I told him if you cannot get the mags out on time, then get the hell out of the business, or hire someone to take up the slack. He said it was secondary. That we all have jobs, family, etc. I then said, you should have thought of that before you got into it. Live and Learn. The world is full of lazy bastards like Croft that are just like politicians. They are content to live off other peoples money and actually think it is their due, to do so. Piss on him. I will be going to Beatle fest in Orillia this year, next month, and if his name comes up, I will not be the least bit shy to voice my opinion. I would imagine many of the dealers up there know all about him. If he shows up and has any brains between those two fat ears of his, he should have body guards with him. He is a loser and a scum bag. That is the nicest thing I can think to call him. I will be on the look out for him.
DeleteDid anyone make it to the Beatles Orillia this year? 2012. Major disappointment. It was nothing like the first year. I was in shock to see how little the town had done to promote this. They had children up there on stage about ten years old playing Beatles music. They charged five bucks to get into the parking lot and walk around to see the venders stuff. I found out once I got home and read the program that Andrew the thief Croft was giving a talk for an hour or so in a building nearby. I was at the Marina at this time. If I had only known, this prick would have heard from me. I even brought up with me my last issue of his long dead and forgotton magazine. I cannot see this event going on much longer unless they get the people back there they had the first couple of years. It has gotton much smaller. To Croft? Stay the hell away from it. You know shit about Beatles stuff. What the hell did you do with all the money you stole from us Beatles fans? And the Better Business Bureau has long been waiting for you contact all the people you screwed over, you FAT PRICK.
ReplyDeleteHi all,
ReplyDeleteA bit late to the party, I am in Ireland & complained the my issues were getting later & later, I was in touch with some female who, when she replied, gave evasive replies, so when I "vented" my dissatisfaction & requested to be put in touch with Andrew Croft, he sent a rant back to me wit the expression, & I quote; "Give me a freakin' break"
So, I did!
I did not renew my subscription, I also ended my response by suggesting to him that if he continued in the manner he treated me that he would not stay in business for long, I didn't realise how prophetic I would be.
While I am not in to name calling, I think "shyster" would be applicable to Mr.Croft.
If he appeared at a show here, I don't think words would be exchanged, it might be a little more confrontational!
I see that Croft has reappeared as a member of a Beatles Collectors facebook group, occasionally commenting on posts. I would guess most people do not know of his history
ReplyDeleteHi, read my 8 year old e-mail.
ReplyDeleteI never got any reply and my money was gone.........
Sent: Friday 25 december 2009 13:17
To: 'editor@beatlology.com' ; 'publisher@beatlology.com' ; 'orders@beatlology.com'
Subject: Still in bussiness????????????
Hello,
The last 3 months I tried to contact you by sending many e-mails and a written letter.
It’s about my renewal to Beatlology-magazine.
I think that the last issue that I received was the jan/feb 2008 issue.
(please check your file).
On 28-09-2009 I paid $162.00 through paypal for three years subscription:
2008/2009/and 2010 (3 x $54.-)
Since then I never got any reaction from you.
Could you please contact me soon and explain the situation to me?
I’m very upset and I am getting very suspicious about the whole matter!
Hope to hear really soon from one of the staff…….
E.M.
THE NETHERLANDS
Despite all: best wishes for the new year!