THE RECENTLY FORMED BRISTOL & DISTRICT S.F. GROUP
threw its first Fan Fawkes party on 6th November with attendees
travelling from Peterborough, London, Manchester and Birmingham
and other fan centres. Alan and Linda Rispin travelled all the way
from Newcastle for the conclave at which there were some 47 fans
crowding through the Walshes' new Bristol home. The party began
at six and a firework spectacular was staged at 7.10, after which
the drink began to flow freely, though the Phantom Punch Spoiler
was present once again. Until about ten o'clock there seemed to
be three distinct parties being conducted at the same time. There
was the back-room slide and film show, with the now-famous Breathworld
taking pride of place, the front room philosophisers, and the breakfast
room brag school conducted by who else but Phil Rogers. At 1.30
the first fifteen were laid out to sleep in the back room and at
three a further fifteen talked themselves to sleep before the stupefying
fire built by Tony Walsh in the front room for that very purpose.
A few hardies actually tried to sleep in the bedrooms, a false hope
as Tony had dismantled all the beds for wall to wall matressing
downstairs. The card school continued through the night, almost
until the eight o'clock breakfast after which the YarCon committee
held a meeting. "There," writes Tony, "is a sense
of duty for you." At 11.30 about 20 fans were still present
and so an excursion was held down to the Chopstick for an early
lunch, the party finally dispersing about 1.30pm.
Also present were: Ethel Lindsay, Diane and Dick Ellingsworth,
Peter Mabey, Keith and Wendy Freeman, Harry Nadler, Peter Weston,
George Locke, Chris Priest, Doreen Parker, Don Geldart, Bette Woodhead,
Archie Mercer, Beryl Henley, Daphne Sewell, Dave Barber, Jim Groves
and Tony and Simone Walsh. George Locke writes that it was an ideal
party but for one thing "You should have been there, Ron,"
he says. "We wanted a guy to burn in effigy." (AW &
GAL)
CONVENTION PARTY AND FAN–GATHERING SECTION
In addition to the recent B.A.D. Fan Fawkes party, November saw
the first Leeds fanclave for some few years when neo-Loiners Brian
and Frances Varley and Bill Burns gathered at the home of Michael
and Betty Rosenblum. Meanwhile, some six thousand miles away the
Los Angeles Halloween party was suffering from knife-pulling and
gun-shooting gatecrashers. Upon being thrown out the gatecrashers
were involved in a knife incident during which Owen Hannifen was
slightly cut. Shortly afterwards someone began to shoot at the house
from a passing car, one shot passing between Dian Pelz and Bill
Rotsler as they sat side by side, Dian being hit in the face and
shoulder by splintered wood.
The TriCon(24th World S.F.Convention), P.O.Box 1372, Cleveland,
Ohio 44103 which will take place at the Sheraton-Cleveland Hotel
from 2nd to 5th September next year will have L. Sprague de Camp
as its Guest of Honour. Briefly, points to note on the TriCon are
as follows: Hotel guests will have free 24 hour parking. Room rates
are $7.85 single, $13.85 double, $16.00 twin. All rooms air-conditioned,
with bath, radio and TV. The hotel sports 5 speciality restaurants.
Ceiling price on the banquet will be $5. Display tables are available
(6' x 3') at $5 per additional table, the first table being free.
Registration desk opens 6pm 1st Sept., to be followed at 8pm by
a Warm-Up Party. For the final Farewell Party on 5th (Labor Day),
the TriCon Committee is donating a room and free beer to serve in
it. Copy deadline for the 2nd Progress Report is 1st March 1966
with rates varying between $8 the page and $1 the filler for adverts.
Try TriCon in '66.
Over 60 fans have already joined the membership list of the 1966
Great Yarmouth Convention which will be held over the Easter weekend.
Details from Chairman Dave Barber, la Walsoken House, Walton Road,
Wisbech, Cambs.
Fliers relating to the 1966 Vienna Convention and the proposed
coach convention which is being organised by Tony Walsh to travel
in orbit to converge with the WienCon are being included for British
and European subscribers only. Collectors who desire the fliers
for their files may have them on request. Fandom's only News apa....
HARRISON HITS ENGLAND and other Professional Pearls
"ENGLAND IS BLESSED, Harrison is here," writes Mr.
Harry Harrison. "All fen in Greater London beware. After a
month in Spain, we have returned to these fair and rain-swept shores
for an endless visit/stay. Send Skyrack so I can laugh, cry, etc.
Roll on the con. Bring meat pies and drink. Better, stay at home
with meat pies and drink and send wife.” Aw, tourist, go home, and
other similar frenzied welcomes.
S.F. had quite a spread in the October 3rd Sunday Times Magazine
with articles on the Clarke-Kubrick 2001 A Space Odyssey, Irene
Shubik's Out of the Unknown BBC 2 series (which last week featured
Bradbury's Fox and the Forest) and on John W. Campbell in an extremely
frank manner, Good stuff ::: The Science Fiction Writers of America
is/are instituting a series of awards for the year's best SF, selected
by members of the SFWA ::: A recent note from Ken Slater included
the news that the October F&SF had not been received by Ken
from Atlas (a note to them also not having been answered) whilst
the November F&SF which has arrived directly from the States
shows that the 3/6d imprint which has been appearing both on U.S.
and British-distributed copies has been dropped from the cover.
ZENITH SPECULATION 10 (Pete Weston, 9 Porlock Crescent,
Northfield, Birmingham 31; Oct 65; 36pp 2/- or 30c) The first post-Worldcon
appearance of Britain's Hugo contender which thereby puts aside
its thoughts of passing from the zinescene. Thank Ghu. And Foo-Foo.
The editor writes on Christopher Anvil, Joe Patrizio writes on humour
in sf and Ian McAulay writes on The New Establishment which article
contains some excellent points spoiled to some small degree by both
generalisations and the fact that the article is altogether too
short. There are two very good review sections and several pages
of mature letters round off another satisfying and worthy issue.
HYDRA 6 (Nov 65; Peter Campbell, 15 Wilson Street, Workington,
Cumberland; 5/– per year) Personal slim-zine, linked in no small
way to the Hydra League. Not quite my own cup of tea, but readable.
LINK 4 (Beryl Mercer, 70 Worrall Road, Bristol 8; Nov
65 1/6d; 48pp) A very meaty latest issue of the British fanzine
which depends greatly for its existence upon the new wave femme-fan.
This is the best issue to date, with Link cutting its adolescent
and forced humour down to a happy minimum. The best article is Archie
Mercer's Utterly Longrigg (I take it that you've heard of Al Read?),
whilst the letter-column is a fanzine - and a good one - on its
own.
XERON 1 (Oct 65; John Quattromini and Michael Ashley,
9 Shurland Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent: 52p:10;1/6d). Apart from
a sprinkling of names such as Terry Jeeves, Gray Hall and Richard
Gordon, this fanzine would appear to have leapt in through the letter
box from another dimension. The duplicating and material (mostly
fiction) is generally very first-issuish. Of decided value, however,
is the checklist of recent sf. John and Michael are undoubtedly
keen and would doubtlessly improve with contributions, encouragement,
and better reviews than that they are suffering here.
VECTOR 35 (Oct 65; The Official Organ of the BSFA, edited
by Roger Peyton). A ½ foolscap printed Vector this time,
containing all the usual excellent news and review departments (my
first professional review, Graham Hall, Thank you). Bob Parkinson
takes a further look at obscurity, this time the Fantasies of Jorge
Luis Borges, David Sparrow writes a light article and Charles Winstone
uses an old Hyphen pun for the title of his brief but thorough WorldCon
coverage. I never cease to be amazed at the over-all high quality
of Vector. Riding along with V35 is the 1st issue of the BSFA's
new newsletter, four pages entitled The BSFA Bulletin. Well produced
by Archie Mercer.
Leading the trail of overseas fanzines is, once again, Bob Coulson's
Yandro of which the 151st issue has appeared (with 152 no doubt
being on its way). Yandro is available from Alan Dodd, 77 Stanstead
Rd., Hoddesdon, Herts at 1/9d per, 4 for 6/- and 12 for 14/-. Ted
White is missing this time but there is much resulting from his
recent, and excellent, series of articles on writing. Yandro also
seems to be becoming a focal point for Tolkien and Raymond Chandler
fans ::: Another leading Stateside zine well worth a try is Niekas,from
Ed Meskys and Felice Rolfe or in the U.K. from Gray Hall, 57 Church
St., Tewkesbury, Gloc (2/6d), a beautifully produced and very meaty
zine ::: Zingaro number 5 from Mark Irwin,1747 Elmwood Dr.,Highland
Park, Illinois 60035 is also meaty and worth trying but at 35c (2/6d)
is probably a little highly priced for the U.K. fan. Some very good
Midwestcon photos here, however ::: And of course there is the good
ol’ regular G2, monthly and foolscap, published by Joe and Robbie
Gibson, 5380 Sobrante Ave.,El Sobrante, Calif 94803 @ 2/25c. British
fans can obtain their copies @ 2 for 1/9d, 8 for 7/- from Colin
Freeman, Ward 3, Scotton Banks, Knaresborough, Yorks.
CHANGES OF ADDRESS: Two new addresses for one fan! Bill
Burns has a new home address in Manchester and is meanwhile studying
in Leeds: Bill Burns, 13 Swanage Road, Winton, Eccles, Manchester
and 9 Brudenell Mount, Leeds 6. Roje Gilbert, 92 St Fabians Drive,
Chelmsford, Essex. Harry Galactic Harrison, 68 Banstead Road
South, Sutton, Surrey. Beryl Henley, c/o 70 Worrall Road, Bristol
8.
And before the inhabitants of Eccles, Lancashire take up their
pens and swords, here are two corrections to previously listed addresses: Dave
and Ruth Kyle, Route 4, Potsdam, New York 13676, USA. George
H. Scithers, European Research Office, 1G Hochhaus, Zimmer 030,
6 Frankfurt am Main 1, W. Germany.
SNIPPETS: Apologies to TAFF Administrator Arthur Thomson
who sent along the enclosed flier for distribution over a month
ago. You may have noticed that Skyrack skipped an issue. Not lethargy
or apathy, just 46 children and two evening classes ::: Pyramid
is slowing down on sf; 1966 publishing schedule will see mostly
reprints ::: Oxford's big day, nay BIG DAY, is 11th December when
Brian Aldiss and Margaret Manson wed. The best of best wishes to
you both ::: Say the Scott Meredith Agency, "We've never sold
any book to Simon & Schuster so fast," Novel in question
is William F.Temple's Shoot at the Moon, slated for a late Spring
publication. A $2,500 advance already paid ::: November Books &
Bookmen gave a two page spread to Tom Boardman interviewing Harry
Harrison ::: Lowndes' Magazine of Horror has bought several R.E.
Howard poems and one unpublished short, King of the Forgotten People
::: Advent will not publish Harry Warner's Fan History or the revised
Tuck Handbook until next year. They hope however to have out The
Many Worlds of E.E.Smith later this year ::: Enterprise Films are
making Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 with Julie Christie ::: New mag
on the U.S.stands - Sol Cohen's Great SF From Amazing, reprints
naturally ::: Roje Gilbert and Brenda Piper plan a new fanzine.
Details from Roje ::: Congratulations to Peter and Betty Campbell
whose son, Brian Paul (6 lb 11 oz) was born 8th Oct ::: New London
pop group is called "The Golden Apples of the Sun ::: Thomas
Schluck for TAFF.
|