CASTLECON CAPERS
THE 1964 CASTLECON took place in the thousand year old
castle of Marquartstein, Bavaria, over the 1st/2nd August weekend,
with a hotel proprietor who startled Gerfan attendees with behaviour
wilder than the wildest fans. The Convention opened on Friday afternoon
31st July with an official business meeting of the SFCD, followed
in the evening by a public dance in the Castle yard. On the Saturday
morning Richard Koch spoke on ‘Cybernetics and SF’, coming to the
conclusion that robots will eventually take over the world. In the
afternoon Dr. H. W. Franke, the Austrian scientist, who has been
writing some very interesting novels, discussed the reviewing of
the genre by the general public. In the evening the fancy dress
party took place, with Archie Olaf Mercer well in evidence with
his axe swinging among the twenty or so attendees who dressed up.
The letting off of celebratory fireworks led to the traditional
visit by the local police. Sunday seemed to be film day, with documentaries
shown, as well as a fannish slide show produced and directed by
Ethel Lindsay and Eddie Jones. Attendees included Ina, Norman, Janet,
Roy, Linda, Alan and Gavin Shorrock, Eddie Jones, Norman Weedall,
John Humphries and John Roles (of LiG, all of whom were holidaying
at nearby Konigssee), Archie Mercer (who was first to arrive), Ethel
Lindsay, Peter Mabey, Dave Barber, Tony, Simone and Sarah Walsh,
George Locke, Wolfgang Thadewald, Tom Schluck, Horst Evermann,
Rolf Gindorf, Burkhard Bluem, and George O. Smith. (T.S.)
SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS to Honorary Boy Hero Racing Driver,
one-time SKYRACK Stateside rep., Robert K. Pavlat, who was married
in Hyattsville, Maryland, on 20th June to leading debutante femme-fan,
Peggy Rae McKnight. The social occasion of the season, and every
good wish to both of you.
EVEN THE LEAST OBSERVANT will have noticed that there
has been a gap between issues of SKYRACK. Plans were well in hand
to produce this issue on 12th July, but life has been a little hectic
of late. I returned to Liverpool on 9th July from a flying visit
to Harrogate to find that I’d been recalled to teaching, beginning
13th July. Accordingly, we packed and left Liverpool hurriedly,
only to run into accommodation problems in Harrogate which was packed
solid for the Great Yorkshire Show. We spent a couple of weeks in
Leeds, during which time Liz spent a week in hospital and I went
back to working for a living supply teaching. Finally, we’ve managed
to settle in here in our little stone country cottage on the edge
of Harrogate Golf Course. The Newcastle Road and Chandos Terrace
addresses will still find us but of course mail will reach us quicker
if addressed here.
ACTUALLY WITNESSING the birth of one’s son is a tremendous
experience which I can heartily recommend. 8lb 1oz Andrew Ralston
Bennett made his scheduled appearance at 2.50pm Thursday 6th August.
The three of us are doing well and goshwow and gee and like that.
I WAS A TRANSYLVANIAN OIL-SHEIKH FOR THE ALIENS. On 5th
July the Delta Film Unit in Salford, comprising in the main Messrs.
Nadler, Partington and Edwards, hosted several visiting fen, with
the ulterior motive of obtaining cheap labour for their latest 8mm
colour epic FRANKENSTEIN & THE REVOLTING PEASANTS and we’ll
leave the obvious gag out of it, shall we? Farmer Eddie Jones, Auntie
Nell Gwynn Nuttall, Stan Rochester Nuttall, Rob Roy Roles, Harry
Lime Bentcliffe, Grandmother Liz Bennett, Jeff Eric Shipton Cooper
and yours truly had a great outing and the sooner Liverpool and
Salford are moved nearer Harrogate the better.
THREE CHEERS FOR PETER WESTON, who supplied the following
listing of brand new Stateside SF. Knopf’s SANDERS ($4.95), Carl
Jacobi’s PORTRAITS IN MOONLIGHT ($4. Arkham. Due Sept), Knight’s
CENTURY OF SHORT SF NOVELS ($4.95, Dial), Lovecraft’s AT THE MOUNTAINS
OF MADNESS ($6. Arkham), Ballard’s BURNING WORLD (50¢. Berkeley),
Hamilton’s BATTLE FOR THE STARS (50¢. PB Library), Hunter Holly’s
TOMORROW’S PIPER (40¢. Avon. Due Sept), Knight’s FRENCH SF
(40¢. Bantam), Irwin Lewis’ TO INVADE NEW YORK (50¢. Avon),
EFR’s THE SURLY SULLEN BELL (50¢. PB Library. Due 15th Sept),
Jeff Sutton’s APOLLO AT GO (Popular Library. Due Sept).
AH, JUST DIG THIS MODESTY. Michael J. Moorcock, well known
friend of David Redd and Bob Lumley, wrote as long ago as mid-June:
“The change over to pb format seems to have done wonders. On a higher
print run than Nova’s NEW WORLDS, we sold out in the first week
and have now increased our order to an even higher figure – one
more jump and we shall be producing double the figure of the Nova
NEW WORLDS at the end. This is due, I feel, to the format, mainly
to the covers, and perhaps to a more high powered distribution than
was available to Ted. I take no personal credit. SCIENCE FANTASY
also sold well on the first new format issue. Encouraging.” It is,
indeed. Mike also writes that Jenkins have taken the second Elric
book, STORMBRINGER, which has been completely revised to form a
coherent novel. Great, great.
SNIPPETS: Latest out-of-the-woodwork-er is Pete Campbell
of “Every Issue Bigger” ANDROMEDA (c.1953/4) fame, with a new zine,
HYDRA. Two issues to date, both very slim. Don’t let him slip away
this time. Write c/o Birkdale Cottage, Brantfell, Windermere, Westmorland
::: Congratulations to Harrogate 62 Con attendee Guntram Ohmacht,
safe driving certificate holder and mountaineer extraordinaire,
married 31st July to Sabine Brama. Best wishes you two ::: And congratulations,
Mario Kwiat on the CastleCon weekend birth of a 6lb daughter, Silke.
HARLEQUIN (May 1964; John Berry, 31 Campbell Park Ave.,
Belfast 4, N.I. A minimum of 2/6 per copy) This one-shot contains
reprints of vintage Berry material, liberally sprinkled with Atom
illos. There are over sixty pages of this qualitative melange and
the zine is certainly worth the cash for the proceeds go to TAFF.
Copies from John Berry or Ella Parker.
GESTALT 8 (Summer 64; Jim Marshall, 32 Millway,
Sheriff Hill, Gateshead 8, Co. Durham; 1/6) From out the woodwork
comes the old North Eastern fan group of the mid-fifties, boosted
by the vitality of Phil Harbottle, and their fanzine, dear ol’ GESTALT.
The time lag between issues shows through, for obviously missing
is the self confidence of an editor who has several issues under
his belt. Despite good material by Phil H., and John Berry, and
a pleasant little column by a long-missed “Bushy Hedge,” the issue
is marred by moans at poor quality material in other fanzines, moans
which are immediately followed by the worst humour I’ve seen in
fanzines for years. Come on, fellas, we haven’t waited all these
years for that!
NEXUS 1 (June 64; Pete Weston, 9 Porlock Cres., Birmingham
31) Slim, personal chatterzine which includes outside material by
Archie Mercer and up and coming Beryl Henley. Neat illos by Atom
and Dick Howett. A very pleasant interim zine, though it’s a pity
Pete’s ability to handle a duplicator isn’t matched by an ability
to handle his native tongue.
ALIEN 9 (June 64; Harry Nadler, 5 S. Mesnefield Rd., Lower
Kersal. Salford 7, Lancs. 1/3) Devoted, as a specialist zine, to
sf and horror fantasy. Some well produced stills, film reviews by
Alan Dodd, book reviews and a short Peterborough convention report,
with photos.
NADIR 3 (Jun/July 64; Charles Winstone, 71 George Rd.,
Birmingham 23; 1/3) Another chatty Brumzine, small and personal
with some outside material. The two most interesting articles, on
collecting stamps and cigarette cards, both well slanted towards
sf, only begin to touch the surface in reader interest.
SQUEAK 2 (Tony Glynn, 144 Beresford St., Manchester 14)
Extremely well produced. General ramblings on Dublin and Manchester,
wanderings in Japan, a glimpse of the magic world of old films,
a visit to Haworth and a look at the first world war. This is a
good, highly-talented zine and it is naturally recommended as a
must. (Ah, if only our younger and newer fan writers had such a
command of English!)
NORTHLIGHT (July 64; Alan Burns Goldspink House, Goldspink
Lane, Newcastle-upon-Tyne 2;) A short article on home movie making
and an editorial farewell to the zinescene, for this is NORTHLIGHT’s
last issue. NORTHLIGHT, which has appeared irregularly but frequently
for the past six or seven years, has never attained the heights
reached by the greats but will be sorely missed for its editor’s
literate commentaries and particularly some very revealing travelogues.
VECTOR 27 (o-o BSFA, Roger Peyton, 77 Grayswood Park Rd.,
Birmingham 32) Ken Slater’s ‘General Chunterings’, sf films, book
and magazine reviews, a good column by the latest Dr. Peristyle,
letters, comments and opinions. A good issue which contains everything
for the do-it-yourself, stay-at-home sf enthusiast.
THE SHUDDER FANZINE (Mike Higgs, 138 Barrow Rd., Birmingham
11; 1/-) Worth more than a 3-line mention, with golden reminiscences
of AUTHENTIC S.F., Captain Marvel and several old pulps.
CHANGES OF ADDRESS: Greg & Jim Benford, Apt 141,
Seahorse Inn, 526 Grand Ave., Del Mar, Calif 92014, USA; RON
& LIZ BENNETT, 51 Fairways Dr, Harrogate; Art Hayes, 540
Bridge St., Bathurst, N.B., Canada; Brian Jordan, 25c Brocco
Bank, Sheffield 11; Alan J. Lewis, 15739 Mulholland Place, L.A.,
Calif 90024, USA; Richard Mann, c/o Maj. E. O. Mann, 46th Bomb
Sqdn, Grand Forks AFB, No. Dakota, USA; Bob & Peggy Rae
Pavlat, 9710-47th Pl., College Park, Md., USA; Wally (TAFF)
Weber, Box 632, Huntsville, Alabama 35804, USA.
SNIPPETS: Once again we have pleasure in finding that
Eric Bentcliffe’s MI is flying with us. And my apologies to Eric
for the delay in producing this issue. And to Sonia, too, for not
having the opportunity of meeting her on her first visit to England.
Salford was a near miss ::: Thanks, attendees, for the apt CastleCon
card. Hope you didn’t drink too much and get schlossed ::: THE ONCE
& FUTURE KING-based CAMELOT finally opens in London next week,
with Laurence Harvey taking the Burton role ::: Congratulations
Brian Jordan, married 28th July (to whom, Alan?) Alan Rispin best
man ::: The Most Noble Order of St Fantony is being revived (cheers
both off- and on-stage). All information from Keith Freeman, 1a
Hamlyn Ave., Anlaby Road, Hull, Yorkshire ::: The Bob Richardson
Memorial Fund wound up with £61’s worth of Premium Bonds being
handed on to Bob’s daughter ::: More congratulations! Cliff Teague
engaged to Lesta Holmes and ZENITH’s Pete Weston engaged to Mary
Reed ::: Death announced of Donald Suddaby, Worcester juvenile SF
author ::: Bill Rotsler is collecting quotes for a column in PAGEANT.
Further details on request ::: Card from Ohrid, Jugoslavia, where
Brian Aldiss, camping by a lakeful of trout, send grretings to “all
the fraternity.” ::: Ken Cheslin wants issues of LES SPINGE 13 :::
John Humphries is not now being transferred to Belfast ::: BSFA
have member in Riga, Latvia, USSR ::: STARSPINKLE reports that Betty
& Gene Kujawa ditched their car 24th July attempting to avoid
an idiot. No bones broken. Get well, schnell, bruises ::: Nominations
for the TAFF campaign to bring an American fan to the London 65
Worldcon (if we get the bid – vote London, you Pacificon II attendees)
close 31st this month. Two wonderful candidates so far in William
Donaho and Terence Carr ::: Loncon 65 hotel announced in STARSPINKLE
as the Mount Royal at Marble Arch.
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