Tony Gallichan is Mildly Perturbed by... The State of Fitzroy Tavern 'Zines... (George Macfadyan is NOT a happy bunny...)
(Note - written after Tony has literaly just got back from the Tavern of 6/11/2003....so expect more nonsense then normal)
Dear, oh dear, oh dear. What a sorry state of affairs.
Tonight, myself, Andy and the Dunn's wonderful wife, Karen, went to the Fitzroy Tavern. For those who don't know, it's where the crème de la crème of Doctor Who fans go every first Thursday of the month. It used to be the One Tun pub, but we outgrew that place 15 years ago. Oh, and some nobodies go there too (Hello!). Now, as some people might tell you, if asked not very nicely and using something painfuill, I used to be a Tavern regular. However, I somewhat cocked things up and the last Tavern I went to as a regular was 12 years ago. I did go to a Tavern 2 years ago, but that doesn't count, lol.
We didn't go up empty handed,of course. That just isn't the done thing where I'm concerned. You see, I used to be the editor and publisher of Private Lives, a zine done for the Tavern. I'll admit here and now, all I ended up doing was collate the material. (Oh, and write the odd piece of nonsense). You see, that most intriguing of creatures, Paul Cornell, an old friend, had come up with the wonderfull suggestion that I try to get different people to "re mix" each issue. Acordlingly, the first people to do it were Cornell and Steven O' Brien. Issue 2 was by Gary Russell, issue 3 by David Howe and Mark Stammers, issue 5 (the truth can now be told) was by Jonathan Way and Steve Wickam and issue 7 by Anthony Brown. The gaps were filled in by the Crawley mob. So, every 3rd Tavern I'd turn up with a new issue.
Normally of around 36 pages.......
Tonight I recived 2 zines, each not much longer then 8 pages, if that.
Dear me.
You see, the zine was about the Tavern regulars. Jokes were cracked, insults printed, extreme sillyness was had. We had contributions from the various remixers as well as some very familiar names to Who fandom. (Heh, you weren't a real Zine unless you had a piece of Topping Johnny Chess fiction, ,lol)
But these zines I got this evening were a pale shadow of Private Lives, The Hippo And Bowling Ball and J. Sorry guys, but either you've missed the point or I have.
Now, I'll admit, I've so far only skimmed them....I'm a little "unwell", but from what I've seen I'm a tad disapointed.
However, the one by Tat was, though small, up to his usual standard.
It does make me wonder just what reaction the free, "Mini Staggering Stories" disc will get. Groans of "oh dear, how sad" or "wow! We could do that!"?
So, be warned. I might just be turning up at Tavern more often.
As it was, it was so wonderfull to see old friends again. The pharse that pays for the evening was most definatly "What, has it really been 12 years?"
Friends like Cornell, Percy, Anthony Bown, JJ and Paula, Tony Clark and most wonderfully, Jon Head who I haven't seen in God knows how long....um, 12 years, probably. Ladies and Gents, it was fantastic to see you again. Let's not leave it so long next time, huh?
Oh, and I also met Jean Riddler's arch nemesis, Jon Preddle. That BSB weekend still haunts her...
So, I'm now wondering just what reaction we will get to the free audio cd/cd roms we gave out. Will anyone bother to come and see us here? I do hope so. I might have been out of touch for an age and a day, but I do hope that certain fires haven't burnt themselves out....
Tony Gallichan is "tiddly" (and no, Adam, you can't make a sly innuendo....)
Don't forget that you can discuss this, even tell us your own stories, in the Musings: The Comeback Forum!