Many of us at New Jersey Stage grew up reading The Aquarian at clubs around the state. For 50 years, the alt-weekly newspaper based in Little Falls has been covering the music scene with a print edition, but the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the publication to temporarily suspend the print edition for the first time in its history and move to an exclusively online format.
"It was with very heavy hearts that my partner Chris Farinas and I decided to temporarily suspend the print edition," said The Aquarian's co-publisher, Diane Casazza. "For 50 years The Aquarian has not missed a beat: we survived the Vietnam War, the AIDS epidemic, the mass media online migration, the Great Recession, 9/11, Superstorm Sandy, and all the milestones that have shaped our region and our country."
Since 1969, The Aquarian has provided readers in New York City, New Jersey, and Philadelphia with insightful commentary on music, art, and culture every week. Now, the publication aims to provide that same content online via its website, theaquarian.com, and its social media platforms.
Long-time Aquarian writer Bob Makin, who brought his Makin Waves column to New Jersey Stage in 2017, said, "I have been writing for the Aquarian Weekly for 32 years, and I'll betcha we'll be both be around for me to write 32 more! Stay strong New Jersey!"
Positioned between the East Coast's most renown musical meccas—New York City, Asbury Park, New Jersey, and Philadelphia—The Aquarian has observed the evolution of the musical landscape from a unique perspective. The paper was an early champion of a then-unknown boardwalk drifter by the name of Bruce Springsteen. Meanwhile in Manhattan, writers raved about what was happening at a club called CBGB and the artists playing there: Patti Smith, Talking Heads, Blondie, and of course, The Ramones. Today, these artists are nothing short of household names, but during their salad days, they were simply rock ‘n' roll hopefuls, honing their craft in tiny shore town bars and gritty, downtown clubs until success came calling—and The Aquarian was there every step of the way, chronicling their journey from unknowns to icons.
"The Aquarian has worked tirelessly through the years to create a platform where national, regional, and local acts all have equal footing in terms of exposure and opportunity," said co-publisher Chris Farinas.
In 2012, the newspaper was accepted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Library and Archives, the world’s preeminent research collection of written and audiovisual materials relating to the history of rock and roll.
"We've never lost sight of the fact that music brings people together," said Managing Editor Daniel Alleva. "It creates memories, inspires creativity, and forges bonds. We've prided ourselves on being an independent magazine, but we've always approached every story we publish with a universal mind, and I think that shows in everything we do."
"We have kept the dream alive for so many big and small musicians," added Casazza, "and we pray that we can continue to do so."
