Joly MacFie on punk and IT

My career as Music Editor at International Times

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at 10:39pm



Simon Reynolds has taken to introducing me to people as 'A former music editor' at International Times..

Although true I find it a little embarassing as it was 1) only brief, 2) very late in the life of the illustrious UK underground paper, and 3) being the during the punk period I was able to eschew all professional practices and just scribble on my badly pasted up pages.

I sold the paper at the Better Badges Roundhouse badge stall and our greatest moment, without a doubt, was in Jan 1977, putting out an issue with the screaming headline PUNK IS DEAD! just as most people were catching on.. Apart from that I just used it to plug a few of my hippie pals like the Pink Fairies, Hawkwind, and their offspring like Motorhead and the Lightning Raiders. I'd also give mentions to the punk bands I was making badges of.

Simon just forwarded me a link to a pretty comprehensive (but not full) archive of the publication and I am thus able to present the actual evidence..

The server I'm sorry to say is a bit slow!

My first (anonymous) appearance in IT - this front page story, which occurred in my (mother's) Morris 1100
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1970-08-13_B-IT-Volume-1_Iss-85_001
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1970-08-13_B-IT-Volume-1_Iss-85_003


When IT, after a hiatus, was restarted in 76 it didn't have a music editor. A college pal
Nigel Cook was art director so I joined in. There was an IBM Selectric but I just scribbled
most of the copy.

Jan 77
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-01-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-5_026
Tipi People. Lightning Raiders. Motorhead. Hawkwind. Pink Fairies. Patti Smith. Ramones.

Feb 77
The aforementioned "PUNK IS DEAD!" cover
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-02-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-6_001
and here, my contrib to the issue, note more DIY typesetting, inspired by PUNK mag
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-02-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-6_028
w pic of Barbara & Sue Gogan
and also
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-02-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-6_027
w/pic of Mark P
The laundro piece got IT banned from a number of left-wing bookstores as the last
straw in sexism..


and in Mar 77
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-03-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-7_028
can't think how I came to add that J.Airplane item
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-03-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-7_029
Censorship at Sniffing Glue shock horror!

Apr77

http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-04-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-8_026
Hippie news
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-04-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-8_027
Punk reviiews w/mashed up layout - Sandy Robertson aboard
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-04-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-8_028-029
Pete Sinfield interview over my objections and Stable Diet an old it regular
I take the piss by adding the Hendrix Lives badge, but looking now I see Stable was onto GBH
years ahead..

Also in this issue the beginning of the wide awake papers by Hetty & Angus
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-04-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-8_015
I got on with them, an old hippy couple. It was only later that I found out Angus MacLise was
a founding member of VU..

May 77

http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-05-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-9_027
evidently had my first visit from Gretton hence Slaughter
'Do The Standing Still' blew me away
Did John Cale's band really quit after he snuffed a live chicken at The Greyhound?
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-05-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-9_028
Stable trashed. QUintessence for the hippies. Radio Stars are big!
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-05-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-9_015
Angus & Hetty assimilate punk

Jun 77
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-06-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-10_028
Twink coins ACID PUNK. I theorise that the Sex Pistols are the new Pink Fairies.
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-06-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-10_029
Stable trashed. 3rd Ear Band revamped. Sandy reviews Chilton. Ongoing Lightning Raiders campaign.

Jul 77
Pages 20/21 missing!!
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-07-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-11_030-031
Better Badges Mail Order & Bizzarre Distro ads

Aug77
I've got a feeling that the new tight-ass typeset look and style led to me to quit
during this isuue
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-08-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-12_025
Clash in studio - That's my headline alright
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1977-08-01_G-IT-Volume-Q_Iss-12_026
typeset Adverts/Johnny Moped - untouched by me by look of things


Sep-Dec77 are missing

Feb78
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1978-02-01_H-IT-Volume-4_Iss-2_026
I write a column. Better Badges ad.

Mar 78
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1978-03-01_H-IT-Volume-4_Iss-3_030
Better Badges ad mentions 2p royalty

This is when I got seriously busy with badges and I believe purchased the
PMT camera, hence sophisticated layout and screened pix on next piece.

Apr 78
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1978-04-01_H-IT-Volume-4_Iss-4_029
I get to do my own typesetting! Usual Twink/Raiders stuff + PVC from Berlin
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1978-04-01_H-IT-Volume-4_Iss-4_030
Same BB ad

May 78
There's a Sex Pistols interview that si nothing to do with me.
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1978-05-01_H-IT-Volume-4_Iss-5_015
Same BB AD.

Jun 78
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1978-06-01_H-IT-Volume-4_Iss-6_015
New BB ad - you know I was rushed/out of it when I put the DEVO asterisk badge in twice!
RAF requested by Strummer. I totally don't recall what Dr Death was about.
Note Prag-Vec opening at Acklam.

Jul 78
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1978-07-01_H-IT-Volume-4_Iss-7_014-015
same BB ad


May 79
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1979-05-01_I-IT-Volume-5_Iss-2_008-009
BB Ad
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1979-05-01_I-IT-Volume-5_Iss-2_015
Hard Lines ad - BB side business offering t-shirts/fanzines/DIY cassettes
also Animal Lib Badges ad

Jun 79
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1979-06-01_I-IT-Volume-5_Iss-3_011
Same BB Ad

jan 80
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1980-01-01_I-IT-Volume-5_Iss-5_022
Set of badges made for IT

Jun 80
http://www.internationaltimes.it/page.php?i=IT_1980-06-21_I-IT-Volume-5_Iss-6_024-025
BB/ Hard Lines/Fanzine Ads - listings of other products: GAS Tapes / Fuck Off Records / Kill Your Pet Puppy.

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