Fireball Mail

[PirateHook]

Anyone of you who has or know someone who wants to sell old Fireball Mail numbers? I have only found 5 old from 1971 in my country Sweden.

[wolfgangguhl]

As some of you may have noticed I have been removed as the German representative, just as Marla has been removed as the US representative. I don't have a problem with that, just would have appreciated it if anybody of the magazine would have gotten in touch with me to let me know about this decision. On the other side they also never told Christian when they decided to replace him with me. I thought that was very disrespectul and unprofessional towards Christian as well. I rarely contributed the last couple of years simply because Jerry was not that active and there was little to contribute. Also in times of the internet there is the question in whether there is any point in having a printed magazine like that at all. Sadly Wim is no longer able to run the business the way he used to and now other people are in charge.

From now on detailed reviews of shows I visit will be exclusively posted on Ian's forum. Watch out!

[martin bates]

Will look out for your reviews Wolfgang. This site is always my first port of call after shows -sadly Facebook has overtaken in recent times as the place for the up to date information. I've always enjoyed all forums that discuss Jerry & I enjoy his wider family as well, that I know not everybody is so keen on. ( as well as many other artists of course!). The number of people contributing here has certainly dwindled but your contributions are always well worthwhile-apart from.the occasional spat ! Sorry also you've 'lost'your position at FBM if it was something you enjoyed. I don't know the goings on there so I can't comment.
Martin.

[thrund]

It was a strange procedure at the time you took it over from Christian....both of you did a good job over the years...without any fanfare, just proper info and facts. Thank you for that.
Also I have to agree with Martin about this forum here. My favourite place for getting info & details too.
Facebook is confusing me sometimes, full of experts...they know everything about everything.
Good Ian keept the forum alive.

Thomas

[bailbath]

It was a strange procedure at the time you took it over from Christian....both of you did a good job over the years...without any fanfare, just proper info and facts. Thank you for that.
Also I have to agree with Martin about this forum here. My favourite place for getting info & details too.
Facebook is confusing me sometimes, full of experts...they know everything about everything.
Good Ian keept the forum alive.

Thomas

It's you guys that keep the forum alive and a special mention yo David Hamer who hosts it.
Ian

[PirateHook]

If they really wanted more subscribers to the magazine then more photos from the 1950/1960s would get them more because many love to see him from those years. and if they wanted rare photos i can contribute.

[wolfgangguhl]

It seems this magazine does no longer exist. Does anyone know when the final issue was released and which number it was?

[PeterC]

It seems this magazine does no longer exist. Does anyone know when the final issue was released and which number it was?

I'm not sure (I haven't kept all my old issues), but it's sad that it didn't go out with one big 'farewell' issue.

[Piet]

It seems this magazine does no longer exist. Does anyone know when the final issue was released and which number it was?

I'm not sure (I haven't kept all my old issues), but it's sad that it didn't go out with one big 'farewell' issue.

I will look for it tomorrow as I have that magazzine hidden in my basement, along with the others.

[wolfgangguhl]

According to Jeroen who just sent me an e-mail, this is the last issue:

"The last issue of the FBM is no. 1 summer/winter 2017, vol. 53.
It has Jerry & Fats on the cover."

It is sad, but printed magazines (& also daily newspapers and to some extent even books) in general are almost a thing of the past. People almost exclusively check the Internet for information these days and there is a lot of interesting things to find inbetween all the fake news and low quality contributions. As a nerd and collector who prefers to hold stuff in his hands I don't like the magazines to entirely disappear though, but there is little hope to change this trend. Many have tried it, almost all have failed. To be honest I also do not have an idea what to do against it. And all that talk about climate change will even worsen the situation for the few magazines that are left.

The FBM certainly reached its climax in the days before the Internet when it was very difficult to obtain information. Wim did an amazing job keeping Jerry's fans up-to-date for many decades through FBM. When the Internet came up I think the demand vanished even though some oldies who never warmed up to the Internet still informed themselves almost exclusively via FBM. In later years I especially enjoyed reading the detailed articles by experts like Pierre. Quality material you won't get on the Internet.

[PeterC]

I believe specialist magazines such as 'Now Dig This' and 'Record Collector' still do OK, but yes, fan club fanzines devoted to a particular artist are almost a thing of the past.

Books however remain popular. Covid has helped the situation, but most of my own books have each sold several hundred copies each ('Let's Stomp!' is by far the most successful), and that's without a major publisher. Surprisingly, at least 90% of my sales are paperback (fiction tends to sell mostly e-books).

I really wish other experts would attempt to write a book. I'd certainly be the first in line if it came from Pierre Pennone, Graham Knight, Andrew McRae or Kay Martin, to name just 4.

[Piet]

I believe specialist magazines such as 'Now Dig This' and 'Record Collector' still do OK, but yes, fan club fanzines devoted to a particular artist are almost a thing of the past.

Books however remain popular. Covid has helped the situation, but most of my own books have each sold several hundred copies each ('Let's Stomp!' is by far the most successful), and that's without a major publisher. Surprisingly, at least 90% of my sales are paperback (fiction tends to sell mostly e-books).

I really wish other experts would attempt to write a book. I'd certainly be the first in line if it came from Pierre Pennone, Graham Knight, Andrew McRae or Kay Martin, to name just 4.

Not mine?

[wolfgangguhl]

I believe specialist magazines such as 'Now Dig This' and 'Record Collector' still do OK, but yes, fan club fanzines devoted to a particular artist are almost a thing of the past.

Books however remain popular. Covid has helped the situation, but most of my own books have each sold several hundred copies each ('Let's Stomp!' is by far the most successful), and that's without a major publisher. Surprisingly, at least 90% of my sales are paperback (fiction tends to sell mostly e-books).

I really wish other experts would attempt to write a book. I'd certainly be the first in line if it came from Pierre Pennone, Graham Knight, Andrew McRae or Kay Martin, to name just 4.

Not mine?

A book about Phoebe?

[Piet]

I believe specialist magazines such as 'Now Dig This' and 'Record Collector' still do OK, but yes, fan club fanzines devoted to a particular artist are almost a thing of the past.

Books however remain popular. Covid has helped the situation, but most of my own books have each sold several hundred copies each ('Let's Stomp!' is by far the most successful), and that's without a major publisher. Surprisingly, at least 90% of my sales are paperback (fiction tends to sell mostly e-books).

I really wish other experts would attempt to write a book. I'd certainly be the first in line if it came from Pierre Pennone, Graham Knight, Andrew McRae or Kay Martin, to name just 4.

Not mine?

A book about Phoebe?

I wrote enough on this forum so you could read how Phoebe was taking care of her father and never have you read anything of her not taking care of her father.
Let the other people write books but most of them didn't get so close into the family for so long as we did and believe me, I know much more than I have written but I know to keep my mouth shut.

[PeterC]

I know to keep my mouth shut.

I don't!