Rancid News
Encyclopedia
Last Hours is an anti-authoritarian publishing collective. From 2003 to 2008 it produced a fanzine, initially called Rancid News until issue 9, changing its name to Last Hours from issue 10 till the final issue, 17, in May 2008. All 17 issues were edited by Edd Baldry before he stood down as editor. Since 2008 Last Hours has become a publishing collective, launching a website, and releasing two books in the autumn of 2009, Excessive Force and Diary of a miscreant
, which began circulation in April 2003 with interviews from AFI
, One Minute Silence, and Johnny Truant
, alongside articles, columns and reviews. Rancid News was initially launched at a time when the Fracture and Reason To Believe zines were still in existence. After those publications ceased, Rancid News assumed their mantel documenting the UK
punk
scene
. A key difference between Rancid News and the aforementioned zines is that Rancid News was sold outside gig
s, and in record and comic stores rather than being available free. It was compared to San Francisco-based Maximum RocknRoll
, due largely to similar political beliefs and style of music covered.
Rancid News was often connected with the Household Name records scene
, featuring most of the label's bands between 2003 and 2005. Rancid News was also distributed by many of the Household Name Records bands, including Five Knuckle
, Captain Everything!
, Adequate Seven
, Howards Alias
, and Antimaniax
amongst others. At its height Rancid News distributed around 4,000 copies around the UK and Europe. The zine was printed on newsprint
and most issues were 116 pages long, with a colour cover, and saddle stitch binding.
and it was felt that it forced contributors to focus too heavily on music. The final issue of Rancid News, published in February 2005, gave an indication of the changing direction, with a greater emphasis on radical culture in general and with particular focus on political articles, vegan recipes and longer columns.
The name Last Hours was agreed on in a meeting in March 2005, with the first issue - issue 10 - of the fanzine being released in June 2005, with subsequent issues to be released every six months. It maintained a balance between interviews with punk bands and political articles. It was published under the strapline 'Radical culture and punk rock'.
The print production remained the same as Rancid News until issue 13, when the fanzine again changed direction with the first perfect bound edition, and an issue dedication to 'Punk rock and comics'. It marked the first time that interviews, articles or reviews relating to punk rock took up less than 50% of the fanzine.
After issue 13 each issue of Last Hours was themed in one way or another, most often around the principle article of the zine. So, issue 14 focussed on acoustic punk rock, issue 15 on anarcho-punk compilations, issue 16 on DIY punk rock houseshows, and issue 17 on radical illustration. In all of the issues of Last Hours anarchist politics and radical culture took prominence over the music.
social centre in Russel Square, where Last Hours put on, amongst others, The Steal
, Ghost Mice
, Attack Vipers and The King Blues
. During 2007 Last Hours continued to put on gigs in squatted social centres around London, including The Vortex, in Stoke Newington, and The New Camberwell Social centre off Camberwell New Road, Kennington. In late 2007 Last Hours live started putting on gigs at the Cross Kings, Kings Cross, to launch Last Hours issue 16, and for the first five months of 2008 had monthly gigs at the venue, including one of Fall of Efrafa's few London shows.
In addition to putting on gigs members of the Last Hours/ Rancid News collective have been involved in a number of squatted social centres, for example in 2003 with involvement in the Blackstar collective, 2004 with the In Arms Reach collective, which squatted a building off London's Oxford Street
for a two week punk festival, and 2005 at the Institute for Autonomy on Gower Street, London.
, Teal Triggs, Barcelona Zine Library, and Alex Wrekk
from Portland, USA. Up until 2010 the event had been organised by members of the Rancid News or Last Hours collective.
Last Hours, in 2010, aims to publish books about the London Zine Symposium, the squatting movement in the UK and a series of posters offering alternative perspectives on subjects such as anarchy, prisons and the general election. It will also be creating a film about the UK small-press
and fanzine
community.
Rancid News
At its inception Rancid News was a punk zinePunk zine
A punk zine is a zine devoted to punk culture, most often punk rock music, bands, or the DIY punk ethic. Punk zines are the most likely place to find punk literature....
, which began circulation in April 2003 with interviews from AFI
AFI (band)
AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
, One Minute Silence, and Johnny Truant
Johnny Truant
Johnny Truant was a British, Brighton-based metalcore band, formed in 2000 under the name Severance. The band recorded 3 demos under this moniker before renaming themselves after the lead character of Mark Z. Danielewski's novel House of Leaves...
, alongside articles, columns and reviews. Rancid News was initially launched at a time when the Fracture and Reason To Believe zines were still in existence. After those publications ceased, Rancid News assumed their mantel documenting the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
punk
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
scene
Scene
- Arts and media :* Scene , an element of a larger fictional work such as a play* Scene , a part of action in a single location in a TV or movie, composed of a series of shots* Scene , a BBC drama anthology for teenagers...
. A key difference between Rancid News and the aforementioned zines is that Rancid News was sold outside gig
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s, and in record and comic stores rather than being available free. It was compared to San Francisco-based Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum rocknroll is a widely distributed, monthly not-for-profit fanzine based in San Francisco, USA. It features interviews, columns, and reviews from international contributors...
, due largely to similar political beliefs and style of music covered.
Rancid News was often connected with the Household Name records scene
Household Name Records
Household Name Records is a DIY punk rock record label, based in London, UK. It has been home to notable artists including Howards Alias, Lightyear, and Adequate Seven. It was started in 1996 by David "Lil" Giles and Katherine "Kafren" Vik to promote unknown UK bands...
, featuring most of the label's bands between 2003 and 2005. Rancid News was also distributed by many of the Household Name Records bands, including Five Knuckle
Five Knuckle
-History:Five Knuckle from Bristol, England formed in 1998, playing punk & hardcore influenced by Minor Threat, Refused, Anti-Flag, At the Drive-In and Choking Victim amongst others...
, Captain Everything!
Captain Everything!
Captain Everything! are a punk band from Watford, United Kingdom. They met at Parmiter's School. Formed in 1998, the band play high tempo pop-punk, which was branded "Bubblegum Thrash". Renowned for their heavy touring schedule, they have played all over the UK and Europe, touring with bands such...
, Adequate Seven
Adequate Seven
Adequate Seven were a seven piece punk band from the UK who blended music styles such as hip hop, hardcore, punk, and funk who formed in 2000 and split in December 2006.-History:...
, Howards Alias
Howards Alias
Howards Alias were a band in the modern UK underground punk scene. They formed in 1999 in Southampton, England and blend an eclectic mix of rock, progressive, punk and ska influences into their own musical output. They permanently disbanded in April 2008....
, and Antimaniax
Antimaniax
Antimaniax is a four-piece skacore, lyrically anti-authoritarian band from Austria that was formed in 1998.-History:Though they released a demo recording, We're Tryin'... in 2000, their first official release came in the form of a mini album, As Long As People Think on Household Name Records in 2002...
amongst others. At its height Rancid News distributed around 4,000 copies around the UK and Europe. The zine was printed on newsprint
Newsprint
Newsprint is a low-cost, non-archival paper most commonly used to print newspapers, and other publications and advertising material. It usually has an off-white cast and distinctive feel. It is designed for use in printing presses that employ a long web of paper rather than individual sheets of...
and most issues were 116 pages long, with a colour cover, and saddle stitch binding.
Last Hours
In early 2005 the name Rancid News was considered a hindrance. People mistakenly assumed the fanzine had something to do with the punk rock band RancidRancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
and it was felt that it forced contributors to focus too heavily on music. The final issue of Rancid News, published in February 2005, gave an indication of the changing direction, with a greater emphasis on radical culture in general and with particular focus on political articles, vegan recipes and longer columns.
The name Last Hours was agreed on in a meeting in March 2005, with the first issue - issue 10 - of the fanzine being released in June 2005, with subsequent issues to be released every six months. It maintained a balance between interviews with punk bands and political articles. It was published under the strapline 'Radical culture and punk rock'.
The print production remained the same as Rancid News until issue 13, when the fanzine again changed direction with the first perfect bound edition, and an issue dedication to 'Punk rock and comics'. It marked the first time that interviews, articles or reviews relating to punk rock took up less than 50% of the fanzine.
After issue 13 each issue of Last Hours was themed in one way or another, most often around the principle article of the zine. So, issue 14 focussed on acoustic punk rock, issue 15 on anarcho-punk compilations, issue 16 on DIY punk rock houseshows, and issue 17 on radical illustration. In all of the issues of Last Hours anarchist politics and radical culture took prominence over the music.
Last Hours live
Last Hours regularly put on gigs in London under the nomicker Last Hours live. During 2006 these were most often at The Square, a squattedSquatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
social centre in Russel Square, where Last Hours put on, amongst others, The Steal
The Steal
The Steal were an English hardcore punk band, from Kingston upon Thames and Brighton.-History:They formed in late 2005, and are influenced by Minor Threat, 7 Seconds and Kid Dynamite. In 2006 they completed a UK tour with American punk bands Set Your Goals and Lifetime...
, Ghost Mice
Ghost Mice
Ghost Mice is a two-piece folk-punk band from Bloomington, Indiana. Both members, Chris Johnston and Hannah Jones, have been in a handful of pop-punk bands together: namely Disarm, The Devil is Electric and Operation: Cliff Clavin...
, Attack Vipers and The King Blues
The King Blues
The King Blues are a punk band from London, England, credited for fusing ska and folk together with influences from punk rock and hardcore punk. Tariq Ali described the band's sounds as 'rough, radical music that should unsettle the rulers of this country. A new generation of musicians are...
. During 2007 Last Hours continued to put on gigs in squatted social centres around London, including The Vortex, in Stoke Newington, and The New Camberwell Social centre off Camberwell New Road, Kennington. In late 2007 Last Hours live started putting on gigs at the Cross Kings, Kings Cross, to launch Last Hours issue 16, and for the first five months of 2008 had monthly gigs at the venue, including one of Fall of Efrafa's few London shows.
In addition to putting on gigs members of the Last Hours/ Rancid News collective have been involved in a number of squatted social centres, for example in 2003 with involvement in the Blackstar collective, 2004 with the In Arms Reach collective, which squatted a building off London's Oxford Street
Oxford Street
Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, United Kingdom. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, as well as its most dense, and currently has approximately 300 shops. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road which began at Newgate,...
for a two week punk festival, and 2005 at the Institute for Autonomy on Gower Street, London.
London Zine Symposium
In 2005 two members of the Rancid News collective established the London Zine Symposium, which for the first year was held in the Institute for Autonomy. It has become an annual event, and in 2009 had over 1,000 attendees with talks given by Roger SabinRoger Sabin
Roger Sabin is a writer about comics and lecturer at Central St. Martins in London, England. He is best known for his book titled Comics, Comix & Graphic Novels: A History of Comic Art and has also written newspaper articles on the topic of comics.-Books:...
, Teal Triggs, Barcelona Zine Library, and Alex Wrekk
Alex Wrekk
Alex Wrekk is the pen-name for a Portland, Oregon, DIY, feminist, zinester and author. The self-published writer is most commonly known for her book, Stolen Sharpie Revolution, and her ongoing zine, Brainscan....
from Portland, USA. Up until 2010 the event had been organised by members of the Rancid News or Last Hours collective.
Hiatus
After issue 17 Last Hours was placed on a brief hiatus as Edd Baldry stepped down as editor of the publication. Other members of the collective pushed for the publication to be migrated to the internet, and a regular resource for the anti-authoritarian and punk communities in the UK. The website was relaunched in early 2009 and long articles written about the protests against the attack on Gaza, photo essays about the G20, and responses to Ian Tomlinson's death. It also started publishing a podcast and offering regular vegan recipes."Creative resistance"
During 2009 Last Hours changed its strapline from 'Radical culture and punk rock' to 'Creative resistance', indicating a greater focus on radical politics and a move away from punk culture. In the autumn of 2009 Last Hours released its first two books. 'Excessive Force' was a 150 page comic's anthology against the police, with the subtitle, 'Police everywhere, justice nowhere'. It featured artwork from 17 international illustrators about abuses of power by the police. It was a benefit for FitWatch and LDMG, two organisations working to curtail police abuses. Excessive Force was the first, of what will become, a regular comix anthology being produced by Last Hours. At the same time the collective was working on 'Diary of a miscreant', a book collecting ten years of the comic zine Morgenmuffel, by Isy Morgenmuffel. It offered a document on the anti-globalisation movement through the prism of an anarcha-feminist, vegan who was heavily involved in the manifestations during that period.Last Hours, in 2010, aims to publish books about the London Zine Symposium, the squatting movement in the UK and a series of posters offering alternative perspectives on subjects such as anarchy, prisons and the general election. It will also be creating a film about the UK small-press
Small press
Small press is a term often used to describe publishers with annual sales below a certain level. Commonly, in the United States, this is set at $50 million, after returns and discounts...
and fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
community.