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==Contributors==
==Contributors==
[[File:Peter dale scott.png|thumb|right|Lobster contributor, Peter Dale Scott]]
A wide range of writers contributes work (unpaid) for publication, mainly because of Lobster's reputation and its refusal to follow mainstream news agendas.
Contributors to ''Lobster'' have included (in alphabetic order: [[Dan Atkinson]],<ref>e.g., Dan Atkinson, "Challenge to Democracy by Ronald McIntosh" (Book review), ''Lobster'' Issue 52, Winter 2006/7</ref> a British journalist and author &bull; Daniel Brandt,<ref>e.g., Daniel Brandt, "An Incorrect Political Memoir", ''Lobster'' Issue 24, December 1992</ref> founder [[NameBase]] &bull; [[William Blum]],<ref>e.g., William Blum, "United States foreign policy", ''Lobster'' Issue 46, Winter 2003</ref> American author and historian &bull; [[Colin Challen]],<ref>e.g., Colin Challen MP, "The crony capitalists: a fond farewell to some regular guys?", ''Lobster'' Issue 56, Winter 2008/9</ref> the Member of Parliament for Morley and Rothwell from 2001 until 2010 &bull; [[Kevin Coogan]],<ref>e.g., Kevin Coogan, "The League of Empire Loyalists and the Defenders of the American Constitution", ''Lobster'' Issue 46, Winter 2003</ref> American investigative journalist &bull; Sebastian Cody,<ref>e.g., Sebastian Cody, "After Kelly: After Dark, David Kelly and lessons learned", ''Lobster'' Issue 55, Summer 2008</ref> co-founder of British television production company, [[Open Media]] &bull; [[Alex Cox]],<ref>e.g., Alex Cox, "Letter from America", ''Lobster'' Issue 31, June 1996</ref> a film-maker &bull; [[Richard Cummings (writer)|Richard Cummings]],<ref>e.g., Richard Cummings, "The fiction of the state:The Paris Review and the invisible world of American letters", ''Lobster'' Issue 50, Winter 2005/6</ref> an author, playwright, theorist and critic &bull; [[Mark Curtis (British author)|Mark Curtis]],<ref>e.g., Mark Curtis, "A 'great venture': overthrowing the government of Iran", ''Lobster'' issue 30, December 1995</ref> investigative journalist and author &bull; Anthony Frewin, assistant to the late [[Stanley Kubrick]] &bull; [[Robert Henderson (writer)|Robert Henderson]],<ref>e.g., Robert Henderson, "Laissez faire as religion", ''Lobster'' [http://www.lobster-magazine.co.uk/issue58.php Issue 58]], Winter 2009/2010</ref> British writer &bull; [[Jim Hougan]],<ref>e.g., Jim Hougan, "Mark Felt, Jason Blair and 'Misty Beethoven'", ''Lobster'' Issue 50, Winter 2005/6</ref> author of ''Decadence, Spooks, and Secret Agenda'' &bull; [[John Newsinger]],<ref>e.g., John Newsinger, "The Myth of the SAS", ''Lobster'' Issue 30, December 1995</ref> author and professor of History at Bath Spa University &bull; Scott Newton, Professor of Modern British and International History at Cardiff University &bull; [[David Osler]],<ref>e.g., David Osler, "New Labour, New Atlanticism: US and Tory intervention in the unions since the 1970s", ''Lobster'' Issue 33, Summer 1997</ref> a British author and journalist &bull; [[Greg Palast]],<ref>e.g., Gregory Palast, "Systemic Corruption, Systemic Solutions", ''Lobster'' Issue 38, Winter 1999</ref> author and a freelance journalist &bull; Bernard Porter, Professor Emeritus of Modern History at [[University of Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle University]] &bull; [[Dave Renton]],<ref>e.g., Dave Renton, "An Unbiased Watch? the police and fascist/anti-fascist street conflict in Britain, 1945-1951", ''Lobster'' Issue 35, Summer 1998</ref> historian, barrister, and political activist &bull; [[Paul Rogers (academic)|Paul Rogers]],<ref>e.g., Paul Rogers, "A note on the British deployment of nuclear weapons in crises - with particular reference to the Falklands and Gulf Wars and the purchase of Trident", ''Lobster'' Issue 28, December 1994</ref> Professor of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford &bull; [[Peter Dale Scott]],<ref>e.g., Peter Dale Scott, "The United States and the overthrow of Sukarno, 1965-67", ''Lobster'' Issue 20, November 1990</ref> a former English professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and a former diplomat &bull; [[Michael John Smith (espionage)|Michael John Smith]],<ref>Michael John Smith, "In camera injustice", ''Lobster'' Issue 52, Winter 2006/7</ref> convicted of espionage &bull; [[Giles Scott-Smith]],<ref>e.g., Giles Scott-Smith, "The Organising of Intellectual Consensus: The Congress for Cultural Freedom and Post-War US-European Relations (Part I)", ''Lobster'' Issue 36, Winter 1998/9</ref> a political researcher &bull; [[Kenn Thomas]],<ref>e.g., "A Letter from Kenn Thomas", ''Lobster'' Issue 34, Winter 1998</ref> conspiracy theorist, writer, editor & publisher of Steamshovel Press

These include:

* [[Alex Cox]]
* Anthony Frewin, assistant to the late [[Stanley Kubrick]].
* Bernard Porter, Professor Emeritus of Modern History at [[University of Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle University]]
* Scott Newton, Professor of Modern British and International History at Cardiff University


==Regular Sections==
==Regular Sections==

Revision as of 22:49, 14 August 2012

Lobster
Cover of Lobster No.2 (1983)
TypeBiannual magazine
FormatA5 (issues 1-9)
A4 (issues 10-57)
A4 PDF Online (issue 58+)
Founder(s)Robin Ramsay
Stephen Dorril
PublisherLobster
EditorRobin Ramsay
Founded1983
Headquarters214 Westbourne Avenue
Hull HU5 3JB
United Kingdom
53°08′35″N 2°22′39″W / 53.142988°N 2.377529°W / 53.142988; -2.377529
ISSN0964-0436
Websitelobster-magazine.co.uk

Lobster is a twice-yearly British magazine focusing on the influence of the intelligence and security services on politics, conspiracy theories, and contemporary history and politics.[1][2] Later issues have also included analysis of subjects such as UFOs and remote viewing.[3]

In 1986, Lobster scooped the national newspapers when it was the first publication to break the operation Clockwork Orange story involving Colin Wallace,[4][5] a Northern Ireland Army Intelligence office who claimed that he was instructed to smear British politicians,[6] resulting in Members of Parliament asking questions in the House of Commons.[7]

Lobster was launched in 1983 by Robin Ramsay and Stephen Dorril. The name was suggested by Dorril, who had previously wanted to call a band 'Lobster'. In 1991 they described themselves in Lobster 22 as Dorril is a Freudo-anarchist, with Situationist tendencies; and Ramsay is a premature anti-Militant member of the soft old left of the Labour Party.

Format

Since issue 27, the magazine has been A4 size, desktopped and unillustrated. It costs £3 per issue.

When first launched, it was photocopied, A5 size and produced on manual typewriters. After issue 17, the publication became phototypeset.

The Dorril/Ramsay split

After writing the much-admired Smear! Wilson and the Secret State (about plots against Harold Wilson), the two parted in circumstances that remain unclear.[8]

Dorril claims Ramsay was suffering from a mid-life crisis and wanted more recognition, and that he "unceremoniously ejected [..] Dorril, stole the Lobster name, subscription list and back copies".

Ramsay claims that Dorril was too busy with other research projects (notably, co-authoring Honeytrap with Anthony Summers) to contribute to the magazine: Ramsay claims he therefore took Dorril's name off the magazine and the two have not spoken since.

Lobster is now edited and part-written by Ramsay, from his home in Hull.

Circulation and reception

Lobster's circulation, when in print format was thought to be fewer than 1,000 copies of any issue.

Lobster is widely-respected among journalists, who often use Lobster as a source and Ramsay as an advisor for difficult stories.[citation needed]

Content

Lobster is eclectic, and features items spanning a wide range of subjects from modern history to current events. Occasionally these turn out to be major news stories.

Lobster was the first publication, for example, to publish details of the Colin Wallace/Clockwork Orange affair.

It also follows new developments in 'old' cases. For example: years after the event, it was found that when Timothy McVeigh blew up the Alfred Murrah building, he had also destroyed thousands of records of servicemen from the 1990 Gulf War and a TOW antitank missile that the Government was storing in a locker several floors above the building's daycare center.

From Issue 22, in 1991: The first eight Lobsters have not been kept in print for a number of reasons...some of them contain material which we learned subsequently was disinformation.

Contributors

Lobster contributor, Peter Dale Scott

Contributors to Lobster have included (in alphabetic order: Dan Atkinson,[9] a British journalist and author • Daniel Brandt,[10] founder NameBase • William Blum,[11] American author and historian • Colin Challen,[12] the Member of Parliament for Morley and Rothwell from 2001 until 2010 • Kevin Coogan,[13] American investigative journalist • Sebastian Cody,[14] co-founder of British television production company, Open Media • Alex Cox,[15] a film-maker • Richard Cummings,[16] an author, playwright, theorist and critic • Mark Curtis,[17] investigative journalist and author • Anthony Frewin, assistant to the late Stanley Kubrick • Robert Henderson,[18] British writer • Jim Hougan,[19] author of Decadence, Spooks, and Secret Agenda • John Newsinger,[20] author and professor of History at Bath Spa University • Scott Newton, Professor of Modern British and International History at Cardiff University • David Osler,[21] a British author and journalist • Greg Palast,[22] author and a freelance journalist • Bernard Porter, Professor Emeritus of Modern History at Newcastle University • Dave Renton,[23] historian, barrister, and political activist • Paul Rogers,[24] Professor of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford • Peter Dale Scott,[25] a former English professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and a former diplomat • Michael John Smith,[26] convicted of espionage • Giles Scott-Smith,[27] a political researcher • Kenn Thomas,[28] conspiracy theorist, writer, editor & publisher of Steamshovel Press

Regular Sections

  • Parish notices - namechecks, thanks and updates on contributors
  • Re: - a round-up of news, mainly on 'fringe' issues (see catchphrases and quotes, below)
  • View from the Bridge - an editorial section, on the centre pages, written by Ramsay and consisting of short pithy observations on the news or discussing little-recognised aspects of recent developments and history
  • Historical notes - A 'long view' of events, written by Scott Newton.
  • Tittle-tattle - the self-effacing title of John Burne's column, which is actually quite well informed
  • Reviews - mainly of books, but occasionally of other media. A variety of reviewers contribute.
  • Letters

References

  1. ^ Kenn Thomas, Cyberculture Counterconspiracy, publisher Book Tree, 1999, ISBN 1585091251, 9781585091256, 180 pages, page 71
  2. ^ Lobster Issue No.1, Sept 1983, which states that it is "a journal/newsletter about intelligence, parapolitics, state structures and so forth"
  3. ^ Thom Burnett, Conspiracy Encyclopedia, Publisher Franz Steiner Verlag, 2006, ISBN 1843403811, 9781843403814, 320 pages, page 91
  4. ^ Steve Beard, Aftershocks: The End of Style Culture, Publisher Wallflower Press, 2002, ISBN 1903364248, 9781903364246, 180 pages, page 66
  5. ^ Robin Ramsay, "Kitson, Kincora and counter-insurgency in Northern Ireland", Lobster, Issue 10, January 1986, ISSN 0964-0436.
  6. ^ Francesca Klug, The Three Pillars of Liberty: Political Rights and Freedoms in the United Kingdom, Publisher Routledge, 1996, ISBN 0415096413, 9780415096416, 400 pages, page 164
  7. ^ For example, by Kevin McNamara M.P., HC Deb 27 November 1986 vol 106 c309W, retrieved 14 August 2012
  8. ^ "Captain Moonlight's Notebook: As pink as two Lobsters". Independent on Sunday. 14 March 1993. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
  9. ^ e.g., Dan Atkinson, "Challenge to Democracy by Ronald McIntosh" (Book review), Lobster Issue 52, Winter 2006/7
  10. ^ e.g., Daniel Brandt, "An Incorrect Political Memoir", Lobster Issue 24, December 1992
  11. ^ e.g., William Blum, "United States foreign policy", Lobster Issue 46, Winter 2003
  12. ^ e.g., Colin Challen MP, "The crony capitalists: a fond farewell to some regular guys?", Lobster Issue 56, Winter 2008/9
  13. ^ e.g., Kevin Coogan, "The League of Empire Loyalists and the Defenders of the American Constitution", Lobster Issue 46, Winter 2003
  14. ^ e.g., Sebastian Cody, "After Kelly: After Dark, David Kelly and lessons learned", Lobster Issue 55, Summer 2008
  15. ^ e.g., Alex Cox, "Letter from America", Lobster Issue 31, June 1996
  16. ^ e.g., Richard Cummings, "The fiction of the state:The Paris Review and the invisible world of American letters", Lobster Issue 50, Winter 2005/6
  17. ^ e.g., Mark Curtis, "A 'great venture': overthrowing the government of Iran", Lobster issue 30, December 1995
  18. ^ e.g., Robert Henderson, "Laissez faire as religion", Lobster Issue 58], Winter 2009/2010
  19. ^ e.g., Jim Hougan, "Mark Felt, Jason Blair and 'Misty Beethoven'", Lobster Issue 50, Winter 2005/6
  20. ^ e.g., John Newsinger, "The Myth of the SAS", Lobster Issue 30, December 1995
  21. ^ e.g., David Osler, "New Labour, New Atlanticism: US and Tory intervention in the unions since the 1970s", Lobster Issue 33, Summer 1997
  22. ^ e.g., Gregory Palast, "Systemic Corruption, Systemic Solutions", Lobster Issue 38, Winter 1999
  23. ^ e.g., Dave Renton, "An Unbiased Watch? the police and fascist/anti-fascist street conflict in Britain, 1945-1951", Lobster Issue 35, Summer 1998
  24. ^ e.g., Paul Rogers, "A note on the British deployment of nuclear weapons in crises - with particular reference to the Falklands and Gulf Wars and the purchase of Trident", Lobster Issue 28, December 1994
  25. ^ e.g., Peter Dale Scott, "The United States and the overthrow of Sukarno, 1965-67", Lobster Issue 20, November 1990
  26. ^ Michael John Smith, "In camera injustice", Lobster Issue 52, Winter 2006/7
  27. ^ e.g., Giles Scott-Smith, "The Organising of Intellectual Consensus: The Congress for Cultural Freedom and Post-War US-European Relations (Part I)", Lobster Issue 36, Winter 1998/9
  28. ^ e.g., "A Letter from Kenn Thomas", Lobster Issue 34, Winter 1998
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