Fracture Fanzine

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Fracture was the first free, national, UK based fanzine.

It was produced in Cardiff, South Wales until 2003. Hailed as the UK's answer to the legendary Maximum RocknRoll, editors Monk Dave (also known as David Hopkin, formerly of Mad Monks fanzine) and other regular contributors such as Leeds (Russell Remains, previously of Charred Remains fanzine)delivered the usual columns, interviews, reviews and rants with a passion and design quality atypical of most underground zines. Fracture was produced in newsprint and the last few issues had glossy full-colour covers.

Distributed throughout the UK through a tight knit network of shops, distros and promoters, and in the US by No Idea Records, Fracture was well-respected for its refusal to deal with unscrupulous businesses and for supplying the fanzine for free (or £1 postage-paid.) Dave stopped work on the fanzine (as well as the popular distro Assembly Line Music) to concentrate on the record label Newest Industry, established with his girlfriend Jo in 2002.

It lasted 25 issues before finally calling an end to it in late 2003. There was a promise that a smaller print run zine would emerge from the ashes of Fracture, but this has so far not occurred. Some subscribers claim the editors stole their money because had issues outstanding when it finished, for which they were not refunded. Fracture went down at the end of 2003, being owed over a thousand pounds for advertising by record labels that found it hilarious to rip the magazine off, then watch it fail after 5 years of hard work.

[edit] External links

• Fracture Forum
• Newest Industry
• Assembly Line Music (defunct)