Published by Darroll Pardoe, 24 Othello Close, Hartford, Huntingdon PE18 7SU, England. Subscriptions are 10/50p; free sample on request. This issue dated May 29th 1974.
AVE ATQUE VALE It looks like the story of the Globe is drawing to its close at last. The next regular meeting (Thursday June 6th) may well be the last one at the present venue, and the building itself will not be standing for much longer. As from the July meeting, (Thursday July 4th) the London Circle will be migrating to "THE ONE TUN" at 125 Saffron Hill, London E.C.1.
The nearest Tube station to the "ONE TUN" is Farringdon; on leaving the station turn right along Cowcross Street, cross Farringdon Road and proceed up Grenville Street. Saffron Hill is the first turning on the right, and the "ONE TUN" is about two doors along on the left hand side. Approaching from the other direction, that is from the "GLOBE"; go down Grenville Street, and Saffron Hill is the second turn on the left.
ISAAC ASIMOV IS COMING and will be in Britain for about a week in the middle of June. On Thursday June 13th he will lecture to the Birmingham SF Group in the West End Suite, Holiday Inn Hotel, Suffolk Street, Birmingham (8.00pm). Tickets £1 from the Andromeda Book Co. Ltd., 57 Summer Row, Birmingham B3 1JJ; please enclose a sae. On Friday 14th June Dr. Asimov will be speaking at a public lecture organised by British MENSA and the SF Foundation, at the Commonwealth Hall, Craven Street, London WC2 (8.00 pm). Tickets for this one are £1 from British MENSA Ltd., 90a Crown Lane, Southgate, London N.14, also with a sae please.
It is hoped to organise a special "GLOBE" meeting to honour the visit of Dr. Asimov, at which he will be present. I've had conflicting reports on the date of this, but Wednesday 12th June seems to be most probable. Need I point out that this may well be the last-ever meeting at the "GLOBE"?
(Dave Rowe, Peter Roberts, Gerald Bishop)
NEWCASTLE REVIVAL Don Allen writes "I am in the process of reforming the North East SF Society. First formed by yours truly in 1953, it had a membership over 100; monthly meetings; a well stocked library; newsletters and a fanzine. Letters are now going out to old members and to contacts made at TyneCon. As soon as I can find a suitable meeting place then we'll really get organised.
Jim Cawthorn, Phil Harbottle and myself had a shufti round Newcastle the other night looking into suitable pubs that might do the trick. We eventually ended up in the downstairs bar of the Royal Station Hotel! How strange the place appeared after all the fans had gone. The empty bars, the corridors and con hall where once echoed the cries and laughter of fannish voices, now silent and deserted. It's an eerie feeling going back after such an event. Almost like going into a church after the Hell-Fire Club have held a party there!"
Thanks, Don. I had the same feeling when Rosemary and I spent the first night of our honeymoon at, of all places, the New County Hotel in Gloucester, the scene of my first convention, the LXIcon (1961). A convention hotel without a convention is eerie indeed.
MEANWHILE, DOWN SOUTH... Chris Fowler reports on the Reading SF Club, which meets on the first day of the month at Reading University. The next meeting is June 1st, and will feature a discussion on the lack of original plots in SF. About twelve people attended the May meeting, which was addressed by Chris Fowler on the subject of Religious Themes in SF. Annual sub is £1, but your first meeting is free. Further details from the Chairman, Keith Freeman, 128 Fairford Road, Tilehurst, Reading RG3 6QP.
Chris also said that he is now the British Agent for "Riverside Quarterly" and subs are 5/£1.00. An order for £3.00 or more brings a free copy of "H.P. Lovecraft: A Symposium". (Chris Fowler, 72 Kenilworth Avenue, Southcote, Reading RG3 3DN).
BYE-BYE BOAK PARTY was held on May 11th at the Linwoods' to send off Gray Boak to the fanless wastes of Preston. Over 40 people were present, including Peter Roberts, Greg Pickersgill, Ann & Gerry Webb, Art Thompson, Fred Hemmings, Dave Rowe, Bob & Mary Smith, Syd Bounds, Bernie Peek, Gerald Lawrence, Arthur & Wendy Cruttenden and Chris Bursey. Highlights included a Dave (pop-up) Rowe / ATom artwork duel, and Gray's GoH speech, whose full text was reported to be as follows: "Oh, gee, thanks folks" (Collapse of stout party).
(Jim Linwood)
ALDISS SPEAKS Jim Linwood also wrote that starting on May 15th, Radio London have a weekly two-hour series of classic fantasy stories. The format is Tom Vernon reading the text to a background of music and sound effects. Stories include "House on the Borderland", "Dracula" and "Frankenstein". Brian Aldiss will be reading "Frankenstein Unbound".
SEACON 75 The venue for next year's Easter convention has apparently been settled as Coventry. Full registration is £2.00 and associate 50p (to Malcolm Edwards, 19 Ranmoor Gardens, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 1UQ). On 1st October these rates will go up to £2.50 and £1.00; in other words they want to encourage people to join early. The first progress report should be out in June.
(Peter Roberts)
BALLARD EXPOSED According to Dave Pirie's book 'Heritage of Horror' Jim Ballard wrote the script for the Raquel Welch Hammer movie "When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth" (1966).
VORPAL 1 (Richard Brandt, 4013 Sierra Dr., Mobile, AL 36609, USA) (26pp dp/spirit USQ) (usual or 35¢). Very interesting long review of Robert Kaufman's 'Inside Scientology' by Perry Chapdelaine.
LURK (Mike and Pat Meara, 61 Borrowash Road, Spondon, Derby DE2 7QE, UK) (44pp dp 4to) (OMPA, usual or 50p). Neatly produced, reproducing many Tynecon quotecards (even one of mine!). A free gift with this issue: a lock of Dave Rowe's hair, no less.
DIEHARD 4 (Tony Cvetko, 29415 Parkwood Drive, Wickliffe, Ohio 44092, USA) (44p dp USQ) (usual or 40¢). Pretty mixed this time, but the letter column is quite decent.
RATAPLAN 14 (Leigh Edmonds, PC Box 74, Balaclava, Victoria 3183, Australia) (20pp dp 4to) (usual or $A1.60/4). Very nice article by Leigh's grandmother, well worth reading.
FANEW SLETTER 7 (also from Leigh Edmonds) (2pp dp fcp) (7¢ pref. in stamps) News, mostly Australian.
MEDIA 33 (J. Mansfield, P0 Box 830, CFPO 5056, 757 Baden Baden 1, Germany) (3pp dp A4) (10¢ or news). This newsletter mainly, but not exclusively, follows the career of Diana Rigg.
ZIMRI 6 (Lisa Conesa, 54 Manley Road, Whalley Range, Manchester M16 8HP, UK) (74pp dp A4) (usual or 20p). Beautiful 4-colour cover. Fanzine reviews by that master of the knife, Greg Pickersgill.
ZYMURGY e (Dick Patten, 2908 El Costo SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105, USA) (32pp dp USQ) (usual or 35¢) Interview with well-known fan artist Sheryl Birkhead. Also a minor feud between Don Brazier and Mike Kring.
CYPHER 11 (Jim Goddard, Plovers Barrow, School Road, Nomansland, Salisbury, Wilts., UK) (48pp pr A5) (25p or 4/$1) Serious SF discussion.Speculation still has the edge on content, I think, but Cypher is around more often nowadays. Litho now, too.
FORTHCOMING SF BOOKS 19 (Joanne Burger, 55 Blue Bonnet Ct, Lake Jackson, Texas 77566, USA) (5pp dp USQ) ($1.50/6) A useful service that must take a lot of work, keeping track of what's published.
ECCE 3 (Roger Sween, Box 351, Platteville, WI 53818, USA) (52pp pr 10 1/2 x8 1/2 ) (75¢) Some good reviews, but mainly worth getting for its bibliographical sections.
SON OF THE WSFA JOURNAL 126, 134/5, 136 (Don Miller) (British agent is Eric Bentcliffe, 17 Riverside Crescent, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire CW4 7NR; 12/£1.00) Useful for its wide coverage and high frequency.
PREHENSILE 11 (Mike Glyer, 14974, Osceola St, Sylmar, CA 91342, USA) (88pp pr 1/2 USQ) (usual or 50¢). Fanzine reviews by Mike Glicksohn, and a Torcon report by Mike Glyer.
KARASS 1 (Linda Bushyager, 1614 Evans, Prospect Park, PA 19076, USA) (10pp dp USQ) (5/$1.00). My copy of this finally arrived, postmarked 17 Jan, on May 20. Yet another newszine, but as they never overlap completely with one another, I like to get as many different newszines as I can. This one has all the usual things.
PETER ROBERTS' LITTLE GEM GUIDE TO SF FANZINES has now been published, and a good job of work it is too, all the newcomer to the mad world of fanzines needs to know. The listing of current fanzines is sufficiently comprehensive that I can recommend it to established fans also, who might want to extend the circulation of their own fmz. The LITTLE GEM GUIDE is available from Peter Roberts, 6 Westbourne Park Villas, London W.2 for 10p a copy (out of the UK, for two International Reply Coupons).
SARF EFRICAN NEWS Brian Lombard and Nick Shears are planning a special commemorative publication for the Aussiecon devoted to Ursula LeGuin and her works. They urgently need new material (articles, reviews, poetry, letters and artwork, especially artwork) as well as details of previously published material by or about Mrs LeGuin. Details of where to find it or offers of sale or loan of the relevant fmz or magazines would be appreciated. The address to write to is: Brian Lombard, PO Box 4490, Cape Town 8000, South Africa.
COA Nick Shears, College House, Main Road, Rosebank 7700, South Africa.
JEAN MUGGOCH is reported to have died at the beginning of May; I don't have much information as yet, does anyone know the details? Jean was well known to London and British fans, and at one time was very active in fostering international relations between fans in Britain and in Europe.
APAs IN BRITAIN For those who don't already know, here are the two British APAs:
OMPA (Off-Trail Magazine Publishers' Association) is the old-established one (founded 1954); AE Mike and Pat Meara, 61 Borrowash Road, Spondon, Derby, DE2 7QH.
ROMPA (Rival Off-Trail Magazine Publishers' Association) is of recent vintage but has got off to a good start (despite the silly name): AE Ian Maule, 13 Weardale Avenue, Forest Hall, Newcastle NE12 0BX.
Various British fans are members of foreign-based APAs such as PAPA, ANZAPA, CANADAPA, ELANOR, etc. but to anyone thinking of joining one for the first time, I'd recommend sticking to one of the two above, at least until you know your way round.
UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL DEPARTMENT "All the manufactured impact of a school essay"... G. Pickersgill.