the Fanzine
In the 1980s, Leicester gave birth to one of the UK's richest live indie music scenes.
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There was big hair and big sounds, cool girls and crazy guys and it was all recorded and documented at the time by a horde of individuals who loved it and lived it.
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See what they saw and read what they said in the magazine that cornered the market in music news during what could be described as pretty much a cultural revolution, for me at least, as a former teenage punk from a small town, in one of the UK's most creative cities.
(Some of)
What happened in the years between Showaddywaddy and Kasabian...
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There were six Fanzines covering the indie scene plus one later publication covering all genres. Use the menu at the top of the page under 'Fanzine Intro' to view each magazine in its entirety or click on the links above/below.
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Heartfelt thanks to all who contributed including:
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*Neil E
*Sue at The Fan Club
*The Haymarket Theatre
*Janice at BBC Radio Leicester Prime Time
*Greg, Dave and all at Leicester Community Printing Press
I could not have produced The Fanzine by myself and it could not have been made particularly interesting without massive assistance.
There were many talented writers and artists who contributed and there were also several friends who helped to put it all together. They have been credited in each magazine and I thank them again for making the production even more fun and for their part in getting the news out there to the independent clothes shops, record shops, to the cafes, bars and clubs and to the people who were soaking up the new spirit emerging from the heart of the city and around the county.
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Thanks are due also to Leicester Community Printing Press, funded by the City Council, where the whole production process took place, totalling seven magazines.
Well, I did do it my way but quite often my way was shxte. Apologies to Neil E, who helped produce several issues. We might have grown into bigger and better things had I not gotten possessive about it all! Sorry Neil.
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However, I thank everyone for what they did as I look back at what we achieved - a fitting tribute to the talents and creativity of the city's musicians, who had given excitement and pleasure to a generation and provided so much fun and fascination to a small-town boy who made many friends in the big city and loved every minute.
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Eddy
The Fanzine
January 2026
Somewhere inside -
news views reviews on:
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(links to interviews underlined)
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> The Bomb Party
> Hunters Club
> Sister Crow
> Just Like Jane
> Gaye Bykers On Acid
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> Wellphead
The Marmite Sisters
> The Soviets
> Diesel Park West
> Yeah Yeah Noh
> Blab Happy
> Company For Henry
> Cucumber Three Pack
Listen to some of the musical high spots:
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Crazyhead
"What Gives You The Idea That You're So Amazing Baby?"
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Self- described as an "urban bastard blues band"
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Gaye Bykers On Acid
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"Played gigs dressed as women under the name 'Lesbian Dopeheads on Mopeds', supporting themselves, and thus getting paid twice."
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Hunters Club
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"Grebo rock at its finest"
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The Bomb Party
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"The godfathers of grebo"
and "a Molotov cocktail of hardcore grebo gothability lying somewhere between The Cramps and Bauhaus"
> good things
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> bbc primetime
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> charts
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Sponsors:
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- The Fan Club
- Underpass Records & Comics
- Haymarket Theatre
- Helsinki Bar
- Pactronics
- The Princess Charlotte
- Zig Zag
- Ainleys Records
- Fun Fish Clothing
- Basement Bar
- Zap Comics
- Oddity Records
- The T-Shirt Bar
- Raddle Books
- Femme Fatale Clothing
- Mantini Hair Salon
- Into Magazine
- Hoskins Beers
Published in 1989, "Good Things" was the seventh and final magazine in this collection. As well as spotlighting the indie scene, it also looked at blues, reggae, soul and rock in the city and was written by some very well-informed musicians who were also accomplished artistes in their fields.
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Throughout all the magazines, you will find some excellent artwork in the form of the advertising submitted by our sponsors, in particular, The Fan Club, Haymarket Theatre and the Helsinki Bar. Some of these gems are showcased below and more can be found by clicking on the link.
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Also on display on this page is a collection of the interviews of national and international artists given to, and gratefully received by, The Fanzine by BBC Radio Leicester's Primetime show, including Doctor & The Medics, Hugh Cornwall of The Stranglers and Phil Oakey of the Human League. There is also an interview with Curiosity Killed The Cat courtesy of Leicester Mercury's Marc Astley. Click on the links.
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Finally in this section is a collection of the music charts given to us by, amongst others, The Fan Club, Ainleys Records and the HMV store, which place the stories and the news of Leicester's bands within the context of one many of the nation's rich, exciting and varied musical eras. Scroll down the page or click on the links to view them.
creative advertising
> go to adverts feature
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bbc radio leicester's
primetime interviews
> Dr & The Medics
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> it's immaterial
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> age of chance
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> Human League
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> hugh cornwall
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> ghost dance
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we looked good on the dancefloor, didn't we..?!! the charts:
and finally,
in the beginning...
