After Hours #1, 1979

From the pressing plants to the concert halls we want some control!

Jon and Charles did a sterling job with this fanzine - the Scritti Politti and The Raincoats interviews are excellent and I advise downloading the pdf for those alone. Apart from the eds., After Hours had  input from John Lipnicki, James Fox, Jo, Neil Andersen, Shirley O'Loughlin and Neil Clifford. Sniffin' Glue, Dirt and Black Dwarf cited as inspiration. Interviews with The Raincoats (7 pages given over), The Prefects, and Scritti Politti; articles featuring Soubrette Perverse, Who Really Runs Rock 'n' Roll? (the music industry scutinised), Prag VEC, Fireplace, Superman, and Wayne Kramer. Again, this scant write-up does no real justice to this fine zine. Issue 2 is equally superb and will appear on ee in the near future. 

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After Hours #1

No More of That #1, 1981

It's written in their rules

To put missiles before hospitals

A smashing little fanzine is this No More of That. Assembled by Bobby Gray in Airdrie, it's a somewhat slim affair - just the 12 pages but enough is packed in to be of interest. Interviews with Crass, Six Minute War (quite a lengthy effort by 6MW standards - it may be the longest interview I've seen with those DIY wunderkids) and The L Plates. There's a wee feature on the band End Result, Kelly Woz Nowhere focuses on a TV programme entitled, Kelly Woz Here, and Oi the Farce has a critical look at Garry Bushell's brainchild. Overall it's a very entertaining little number. I'm rather desperately trying to get me mitts on issue 2 of NMoT so if any soul out there can help me out that'd be ace…the desolate sound of tumbleweed…

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No More of That #1

All the Poets #2, 1980

We talk from dark places

Words fall from our lips

Deaths on

Indifferent Tongues

 

As promised here's issue 2 of Mark Schlossberg's and John Tottenham's, All the Poets. Shouts go out to the Savage Prodigals: Billy Carless, Anna, Maureen, Lynn, Bernard. Annie Anxiety contributed also and there's a Syd Barrett effort resurrected too. Issue 1 can be seen here along with a rake of poetry tinged offerings. Work on this exceptional atrefact was overseen by Better Badges supremo, Joly McFie who commented recently: "looking at it, I remember the big development here was that I fugured out how to do cheapo colour seperation on our process camera using colour filters and angled screens, and making the plates myself. Like 5 quid versus 100 quid for the pro version". Isn't it heartening to know that behind the scenes there acted such a conscientious soul seeking to improve the quality of fanzine printing whilst striving to keep the printing costs at a minimum. Coming soon will be an ee megapost featuring input from Joly along with recollections about some notable BB produced fanzines - keep your eyes peeled for that.

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All the Poets #2

Ripped & Torn #10, 1978

And now for something completely different…

I thought I'd bang on another of these big hitters. Here's issue 10 of Tony D's essential Ripped & Torn - it's a legend in itself. Tony was aided and abetted here by David Yuratich, Phil Smee, Jem Gibbs, Alex Fergusson and Caris. Issue 10 is absolutely rammed with charts, an interview with David Bowie, A Non Reply from His Highness being something of a swipe at Richard Hell), Today Your Love Tomorrow a Press Conference featuring  The Ramones, Rockabilly Uprising (has a gander at Whirlwind / Levi & the Rockats, A Pop Band Who Care features an extensive letter from Tom Robinson, an article about Smokey (not the Bradford band), LP reviews of Blondie, Wayne County & the Electric Chairs, Whirlwind, 7" reviews of 999, Kim Fowley, Raped, Buzzcocks, The Wasps, Penetration, The Rezillos, Metal Urbain, The Viletones, Harry Toledo, Human Switchboard EP. Elsewhere we have Antz images and Heroin Lyric. Again, this write up just about scratches the surface. Brill!

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Ripped & Torn #10

Stringent Measures #3, 1981

A Kind of Ferocious Holiness

Hailing from Leamington Spa, issue 3 of Chris Coleman's Stringent Measures was predicted and proved to be the final issue - which is a shame given the charming contents of this lovingly crafted fanzine. Following on from the extensive introduction we have an interview with The Sussed; articles about the Shrinking Men, New Antiques, Futurama 1981 Stafford (Blue Orchids, Theatre of Hate, Diagram Brothers, Eyeless in Gaza, UK Decay, Bow Wow Wow, The Passions, Ponderosa Glee Boys, 23 Skidoo, Revenna & the Magnetics, Cry, Bauhaus, Gang of Four, Virgin Prunes, Modern Eon, Doll By Doll…'anyway, the weekend was £10…well…er…well it was £10 spent'.), Altered Images (article and photos by Mark Webb), Persons Unknown, The Membranes, U2 (1 page gig and LP review), La Peine, and a 1 page essay on fanzines. Elsewhere there are reviews of Rudi, Bits, Joy Division, Alvin the Aardvark, The Human League, Sussed, ABC, The Membranes, Sonar + The Unofficial Nikki Sudden Fan Club.

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Stringent Measures #3

The Beat Goes On #1, 1979

Do Not Adjust Your Set

 

I wanted to post this back in July following the sad news of Alastair Donaldson's passing but I couldn't locate the TBGOs in the archive - anyway, I found the blighters - 2 editions TBGO and the dinky Daily Raj - issue 2 and DR will follow in a wee while. TBGO hailed from Edinburgh and appears to be a sole effort by Bob Jefferson (of earlier Rezillozine, 2000AD fame) though shouts did go out to Mark Wollrich and Nick Kershaw. TBGO marked the period following the demise of The Rezillos and the emergence of The Revillos. Issue #1 of this neat little gem features Do Not Adjust Your Set (stills from the band's The Old Grey Whistle Test appearance), an interview with Faye and Eugene, a letter from Faye, The Life &Times of William Mysterious, Rezillos' Bits & Pieces, Shake Rattle and Roll being a squint at Jo Callis' 'new' project, TBGO's playlist in Our Fave Discs and a review of Mission Accomplished…..It Gets Me!

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The Beat Goes On #1

Blam #6, 1982

They Went Bravely Through All The Motions

 

Here ya go - this is issue 6 of Peter Hall's cool fanzine, Blam - I did say I will be posting lots of Blams and I hope to have the full run up here eventually since it's one that I particularly enjoy. This issue has interviews with The Insane Picnic, I'm Dead, The Delmontes, The Go-Betweens, and The Sounds; a 1 page reviews of Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft's 'Fur Immer' by Albert Hardwick + 2 pages of tapes; articles on/about Where's Lisse, The Great Divide, A Cheap Holiday in Other People's Misery (spotlight on festivals including Stonehenge, Glastonbury and Womad), Living on a Nerve End by Martin Newell, 'being an account of a D.I.Y. cassette maniac', Tinguely at the Tate Gallery, 23 Skidoo, Meat for Monsters (by Steve Lamacq), Stress, Get Smart, Joy Division (unofficial discography), and Metamorphosis. All of that + some odd bits & bobs and a rather decent fanzine round-up for good measure. 

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Blam #6 

Jamming #11, 1980

Punk is where you find it!

I'm just on with reading Jamming Ed., Tony Fletcher's new book, Boy About Town, and very enjoyable it is too with some ace insights into the world of fanzines. Not least, there's a particularly excellent section on Tony's introduction to Joly McFie, that wonderful guru of UK fanzinedom  - I thoroughly recommend you cop hold of it. Anyroad, here's issue 11 of Jamming - easily one of the best fanzines published anywhere, ever! It quite simply has the lot - great interviews and articles and an abundance of interesting bits & bats bulge and spill from its fabulously colourful pages. Interviews - Zeitgeist, The Beat, The Dead Kennedys, and The Shout; articles - Swiss Wave (Felix Fischer Ed. of Swiss fanzine, Jamming [confusingly] mentioning 101, Sick of the One Day Kick, Nasal Boys, Sperma, Dogbodys, Yello, Troppo, Hertz, No Fun [fanzine], Kraft Durch Freude, Mutterfreuden, Kleenex, Liliput, TNT, Glueams, Mother's Ruin, Liars, Gauzone, Technicolor, Zero Heroes, Bastards, and Tickets); It's 4 Years Later and What Have We Got? (Tony ponders the lack of decent venues and the notion that 'rock 'n' roll is dead'; Birmingham's Burning (Dave Jennings has a squint at Brum notingThe De-Go-Tees, Vision Collision, Duran Duran, Dance, The Nightingales); The Jam Effect appraises the Sound Effects and the attendant live tour; excellent fanzine Round-Up [A-M] + an appreciation of Better Badges; LPs - Adam & The Ants, Sector 27, Spec Records, The Fall, The Damned; 7"s - Wah Heat, Art Objects, Soft Touch , Louder Animal Group, Cabaret Voltaire, The Naughtiest Girl Was A Monitor, Furniture, Non/Smegma, The Gist, Dogma Cats, This Heat, Dayshift, Essential Logic, Methodishca Tunes, Ian Dury, Josef K, Orange Juice, Girls At Our Best, Delta 5, Jona Lewie; Jamming Charts; Gigs and Ligs - Another Pretty Face/TV 21, Buzzcocks/The Things; Letters; and brief bits of news on Louder Animal Group and Paul Weller. Superb stuff!

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Jamming #11

Panache #14, 1981

Hello Snotrags 

Here's issue 14 of Mick Mercer's ace fanzine. Folk may be interested to learn that by and large all the photography featured in Panache was snapped by Mick himself - if you're interested in scoring a bit of it or having a gander at Mick's online magazines take a peek here. This issue features: interviews with UK Decay, Security Risk, The Uglies, and the Leopards; articles on Temporary Title, and Maitresse [1975 film]; a brief live review of Brian Brain; snippits of Ski Patrol, The Innocents, and The Petticoats. Really there's much more to this fanzine than my write up might suggests.

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Panache #14

Let's Be Adult About This #1, 1979

anyone taking the name seriously ought to be shot

Here's a very stylish fanzine. Let's Be Adult About This was edited by Vicki Bonnet and features a great deal of input from future Foetus man, Jimmi Thirlwell. There's an excellent assortment of interviews here with The Monochrome Set, Swell Maps, Scritti Politti, The Atoms and The Door & The Window (Nag and Bendle of course - but Mark Perry gets to chip in). The interviews are accompanied by a taster of each band's lyrics. Also featured are Deutsch Amerikanischen Freundschaft, The Passage, The Original Mirrors, Dr. Mix & The Remix, Viva, Books, Methodischa Tune, The Scars, Destroy All Monsters, The Tea Set, Cuddly Toys, Music Club, Classix Nouveaux, The The, Balloons, and Manicured Noise in brief articles in which Vicki and Jimmi each have their tuppence. There are reviews of singles by Pink Section, God's Gift, Flowers, Cabaret Voltaire, Phones Sportsman Band, Swell Maps, Josef K, Stepping Talk, English Subtitles, Holger Czukay, Come One, The Sound, Art Bears, Special Affects, Spitfire Boys; a Red Crayola Colouring Competition + a playlist apiece from Vicki and Jimmi. Yet again, another superb fanzine brought to you by…you guessed it - Better Badges!

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Let's Be Adult About This #1

Sometimes It's Worth Living? #1, 1980 (UPDATED)

A tidy little number is this Sometimes it's worth living? As far as I know it's a one-off. Bristol-based editor, Bridget Peters notes that most of the editorial were situated in Manchester, and that's where Siwl? was printed. Despite being one of the sparser examples; it clocks in at a mere 12 pages, the slightly arch approach to interviewing niftily lifts Siwl? out of the sycophant sink. Mostly comprised of: A Different Way of Thought & Vision - Alternative Reasoning with Steve Ignorant of Crass; Adam Ant Puts His Guts on a Plate for You to Consume or Throw Up; The Art Objects interviewed in Quite Arty Cutey; and essaying Magazine in Culture Vultures. Crass, The Needles, Echo & The Bunnymen, Girls At Our Best, Magazine, The Teardrop Explodes, and the mooted The Square Hyena EP (The Manchester Mekon, Spurtz, The Waste, The Bathroom Renovations) being the concessionary reviews. So yes, however brief, it sure is worth living. 

Here's some lovely commentary just in from contributor, Mary:

Thanks for posting this, what a blast. This is the fanzine I made with my sister – she was in Bristol and I was in Manchester. You’re right, it was a one-off, although that was not the original intention. We started work on issue 2 but we didn’t get around to finishing it.

We sold this at gigs – the most memorable being a Teardrop Explodes gig at the Factory at the Russell Club in Manchester, when a middle-aged man showed an interest in what I was doing and I told him to fuck off (for no particular reason that I can remember now) and he just laughed. I walked away and was immediately surrounded by people asking, admiringly, if I knew him. I didn’t, so they told me it was Tony Wilson and that he owned the club. I’d never heard of him but I was grudgingly impressed that he hadn’t thrown me out or said “do you know who I am?” Years later, I saw 24 Hour Party People (set a few years later, in the Hacienda days) which has a scene where Tony Wilson walks past a queue of people waiting to get into the club and is told to **** off by a girl in the queue for no particular reason. I guess it must have happened to him a lot.

Anyway, good times. We enjoyed making this fanzine and it’s really great to see it here and read your comments. Thanks for scanning this in.

Excellent!. Many thanks for dropping by and commenting, Mary.

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Sometimes it's worth living? #1