The Magic Researcher – Joe Riding ‘The Commercial King of Magic’

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Phil Lawson
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The Magic Researcher – Joe Riding ‘The Commercial King of Magic’

Postby Phil Lawson » June 4th, 2021, 11:49 am

In my latest article I take an in-depth look at magician Joe Riding. Titled - Joe Riding ‘The Champion of Commercial Magic’; This is the most in-depth look ever at Joe Riding, both his magic and his life. Tributes and memories have been shared by his friends, including Wayne Dobson.
https://themagicresearcher.wordpress.co ... ial-magic/

Tom Gilbert
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Re: The Magic Researcher – Joe Riding ‘The Commercial King of Magic’

Postby Tom Gilbert » June 4th, 2021, 9:48 pm

Amazing job!

Martin Perry
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Re: The Magic Researcher – Joe Riding ‘The Commercial King of Magic’

Postby Martin Perry » June 5th, 2021, 6:55 pm

Long time fan of Joe Riding and that was an excellent and informative read. Thank you for taking the time to put it together. As a teenager I remember writing to Joe and ordering a few tricks which I still perform to this day, some three decades later!

I also seem to recall there was some controversy regarding the origins of the trick “Fred” and several letters back and forth in Abra, possibly in the late 70s?

Let’s hope one day a Collected Works appears as this would be a deserved tribute, and also make Joe’s often brilliant ideas available to a wider readership.

Phil Lawson
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Re: The Magic Researcher – Joe Riding ‘The Commercial King of Magic’

Postby Phil Lawson » June 6th, 2021, 8:00 am

Thanks Matthew. I did document the controversy surrounding FRED in detail. However I did decide to pull it at the last minute, I didn’t think any good would have come from it, but you are right, it was controversial and there were two sides to the matter.
Absolutely, an essential Joe Riding book would be a fantastic idea!

Phil Lawson
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Re: The Magic Researcher – Joe Riding ‘The Commercial King of Magic’

Postby Phil Lawson » June 11th, 2021, 2:25 am

Hi Martin,

As a lot of people have mentioned joe riding in relation to FRED since I released the article I have decided to include the sub article. Please remember it is just my opinion.

Thanks
Phil



Martin Perry wrote:Long time fan of Joe Riding and that was an excellent and informative read. Thank you for taking the time to put it together. As a teenager I remember writing to Joe and ordering a few tricks which I still perform to this day, some three decades later!

I also seem to recall there was some controversy regarding the origins of the trick “Fred” and several letters back and forth in Abra, possibly in the late 70s?

Let’s hope one day a Collected Works appears as this would be a deserved tribute, and also make Joe’s often brilliant ideas available to a wider readership.

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Q. Kumber
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Re: The Magic Researcher – Joe Riding ‘The Commercial King of Magic’

Postby Q. Kumber » June 11th, 2021, 7:19 am

Thank you for all the posts about Joe Riding.

To watch Joe in a room or bar was an amazing experience. He'd generate interest and laughter and within a couple of minutes have the place in uproar. One of my interests is magic auctions and car boot sales. I'd buy up anything of Joe's who really knew how to entertain an audience. Living in Manchester, pre-Covid we had six auctions a year, never mid Alex Powell's twice yearly car boot sales near Birmingham.
Always gems to be found.

PressureFan
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Re: The Magic Researcher – Joe Riding ‘The Commercial King of Magic’

Postby PressureFan » June 11th, 2021, 12:28 pm

A wonderful article Phil.
Joe’s Think of A Card and Cold Reading were the foundation of all my studies for a long time.

I’ve searched on and off for ten years for a copy of Joe Riding’s Ultimate Cards Across. If anyone has a copy they are willing to sell please let me know.
My VHS copy of An Evening With Joe Riding (No. 0224) hasn’t survived very well and my old paper notes are awful.

BarryAllen
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Favorite Magician: Joe Riding & Chan Cansta.
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Re: The Magic Researcher – Joe Riding ‘The Commercial King of Magic’

Postby BarryAllen » June 11th, 2021, 3:04 pm

Phil has done a truly superb job with the Joe Riding tribute.

Pressure Fan - 'an evening with Joe Riding' was available until recently as a L&L download. Not sure who's now taken control of their business.

As for FRED. Joe's version was different to any named card effect at the time - as far as I'm aware, most other versions used two packs - and these weren't brought into play until after the card was named. With Joe Riding's FRED, the (single) pack was already on the table before the card was even mentioned.

To be honest, it's completely insignifcant anyway - given the amount of commercial magic that Joe Riding offered the Magic Community, there's so much more to focus upon and remember.

Joe Riding's routines have made up three quarters of my act for the past 40 years. His approach to magic (and routining) was quite unique.

Moreover, he was the most underrated magician that I've ever known here in the UK - but then Joe was Joe; and he was never part of the 'old boys back-slapping club'.

Phil Lawson
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Re: The Magic Researcher – Joe Riding ‘The Commercial King of Magic’

Postby Phil Lawson » June 14th, 2021, 4:46 am

Thanks Barry, the article owes a lot to you. The article is not static and I will update it with details, i'm looking to get some detail from Mark Lewis etc.. I agree that Joe's version of FRED is excellent and i'm very surprised i've not seen it more. This is why I've taken the decision to reintroduce my article about it. https://themagicresearcher.wordpress.co ... s-of-fred/

Phil Lawson
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Joined: May 7th, 2020, 4:48 am
Favorite Magician: Daryl Martinez

Re: The Magic Researcher – Joe Riding ‘The Commercial King of Magic’

Postby Phil Lawson » June 14th, 2021, 4:47 am

I do have this booklet, it's a great routine. I'll re-watch the evening with Joe Riding, there's a possibility he explains it here.

PressureFan wrote:A wonderful article Phil.
Joe’s Think of A Card and Cold Reading were the foundation of all my studies for a long time.

I’ve searched on and off for ten years for a copy of Joe Riding’s Ultimate Cards Across. If anyone has a copy they are willing to sell please let me know.
My VHS copy of An Evening With Joe Riding (No. 0224) hasn’t survived very well and my old paper notes are awful.

PressureFan
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Joined: January 11th, 2015, 4:17 pm
Favorite Magician: Brian Gillis
Location: Pirate, AR

Re: The Magic Researcher – Joe Riding ‘The Commercial King of Magic’

Postby PressureFan » June 14th, 2021, 11:05 am

To be clear, Joe does perform and teach Ultimate Cards Across on An Evening with Joe Riding under the title Six Card Repeat.
For completeness I want to have a copy of the 1985 Ultimate Cards Across booklet. There's always something in the printed version that's not in the video and vice versa.

BarryAllen
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Joined: November 15th, 2009, 6:33 am
Favorite Magician: Joe Riding & Chan Cansta.
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Re: The Magic Researcher – Joe Riding ‘The Commercial King of Magic’

Postby BarryAllen » June 15th, 2021, 3:58 am

Just to confirm that the effect Joe presents on 'An Evening with Joe Riding' is his Counting the Cards Routine, for stand-up/cabaret.

He later created a version for Close-up, titled 'Counting the Cards Revisited'.

There was another routine of Joe's titled 'Too Many Cards' - the concept being that you start with a full pack and work your way down to just one card. It's a work of creative genius!

Neither effect is his Ultimate Cards Across. That is something pretty ground-breaking - as it's a repeat cards across routine. I don't think many people ever used it, as it uses the Gamblers Cop throughout; and to be perfectly honest, in my experience, Magicians haven't really got the confidence to use it. I don't know why - it's a beautiful move.

PressureFan
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Re: The Magic Researcher – Joe Riding ‘The Commercial King of Magic’

Postby PressureFan » June 15th, 2021, 10:33 am

Barry, thank you for clarifying!


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