Editing Last Hours (section)

==Rancid News==
At its inception Rancid News was a [[punk zine]], which began circulation in April 2003 with interviews from [[AFI (band)|AFI]], [[One Minute Silence (band)|One Minute Silence]], and [[Johnny Truant]], alongside articles, columns and reviews. ''Rancid News'' was initially launched at a time when the ''[[Fracture (fanzine)|Fracture]]'' and ''[[Reason To Believe (fanzine)|Reason To Believe]]'' zines were still in existence. After those publications ceased, ''Rancid News'' assumed their mantel documenting the [[United Kingdom|UK]] [[Punk subculture|punk]] [[wikt:scene|scene]]. A key difference between ''Rancid News'' and the aforementioned zines is that ''Rancid News'' was sold outside [[concert|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.<ref>Boarts Larson, Christine, ''Slug and Lettuce'' #82, August 2004</ref>

''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.

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 [[Rancid (band)|Rancid]] 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lasthours.org.uk/about/issue10/ |title=issue 10 |publisher=Last Hours |date=2007-11-15 |accessdate=2013-06-13}}</ref> 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'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lasthours.org.uk/about/issue13/ |title=issue 13 |publisher=Last Hours |date= |accessdate=2013-06-13}}</ref> 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.