In October 2011 it will be 50 years since the first edition of Private Eye was published.
Adam Macqueen – an Eye hack since 1997 – is working on a definitive history of the magazine, to be published as a lavishly illustrated coffee table book in time for the anniversary. He – oh, alright, I – will be making occasional updates on my progress here (and trying to avoid, at any point, using “blogging” as a verb).
I’m keen to hear from the readers who have been such an important part of the magazine’s history over the past 47-and-a-half years. Did you buy the first edition? Did you attend the Mass for Vass or campaign for Willie Rushton in the Kinross and West Perthshire by-election where he stood against Lord Home?
Did you purchase a Stuff Your Own Quentin Hogg Cushion Kit, as demonstrated by Peter Cook? Did you attend the Rustle of Spring or any of the other various legal-cost fundraisers over the years? Was your photograph used to illustrate a joke?
Or do you just have one fondly-remembered – or historically loathed – feature you feel ought to be featured in the book, and you think I might have missed?
I’d love to hear from you. Apparently you can leave a comment below.
Nice picture!
Comment by Dave — February 17, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
Please do feel free, of course, to use “blogging” as a gerund.
I should have liked to order Mr Cook’s Screaming Hawaiian Grass but alas, did not learn of the Eye’s existence until long after said promotion had ended.
Comment by Lyle — March 31, 2009 @ 3:36 pm
I managed to blag over 500 issues of Private Eye from Oxfam the other day for £20, absolute BARGAIN!
I like reading them when I go for a shite, needless to say it will keep me going for a while.
Comment by Mixmatosis — April 2, 2009 @ 10:18 am
Great work, well researched
Comment by Tamiflu — May 1, 2009 @ 10:22 pm
Is there an accurate, up-to-date, listing of all the Eye publications and memorabilia produced since 1961? If so, how are we Eyelets able to look at it? Somehow I don’t think that we can consult Wikipedia
Comment by Stephen Buckley — May 14, 2009 @ 2:18 pm
There isn’t – not even in the office! – but it’s one of the things I’m planning to include in the book. Flexidiscs and all. One of my jobs for today is to listen to the copy of “Record Damages” (free with the Christmas 1987 edition) which is sitting on my desk. That’s if I can remember how the record player works…
Comment by Adam Macqueen — May 15, 2009 @ 9:30 am
I used to have a flexidisk back in the early 70’s with a song that started; “Neasden! You won’t be sorry til you’ve freezed in… the traffic lights and yellow lines, and the illuminated signs…” I think… As you can see, I still hum it to myself, but have long since forgotten the rest. I may even not be remembering the start correctly. Do you know if this still exists anywhere, if so, any chance of this being in the book?
Comment by Chris Reynolds — October 18, 2009 @ 2:39 pm
Chris – it was Willie Rushton singing it, and I don’t have my notes to hand to check which of the flexidiscs it featured on, but it was at least two of them (and it was performed at one of the benefit concerts following one of the big libel payouts – gigs which also involved such unlikely names as Bob Monkhouse and Arthur Mullard). You’ve slightly mis-remembered the first line – it was actually “Neasden! Neasden! You won’t be sorry that you breezed in!” which may be one of the finest couplets dedicated to flimsy vinyl. It will feature in the book, don’t you worry…
Adam (who for some reason can only comment as Admin at the moment)
Comment by admin — October 20, 2009 @ 1:56 pm