Golden Nugget - John Michael query

[David Mosley]

As an aid to my Michael Moorcock biography, I'm currently working on a 'definitive' bibliography detailing all known appearances of Mike's work during the 1950s and '60s. Now, I've found the following comment in the Fictionmags Index - http://users.ev1.net/~homeville/fictionmag/t429.htm regarding the Golden Nugget magazine, which originally published the 'The Girl Who Killed Sultry Caine' short story:

Golden Nugget was the first attempt by the Gold family at producing a men's magazine and of defininte fictionmaggish interest thanks to the involvement of New Worlds veterans Mike Moorcock, J. G. Ballard and Langdon Jones. Jones was working for the Golds as a photographer and editor (and as Assistant Editor on New Worlds) and was probably the editor and art editor here. Moorcock (as Bill Barclay) was Features Editor and, as you would expect, the magazine included articles by and about J. G. Ballard and William Burroughs in these two issues. "John Michael" was probably a Moorcock - full name Michael John Moorcock - pen-name; he was certainly behind the Hank Janson story in issue 9 (subsequently revised for inclusion in Fabulous Harbours). The other Janson stories were written by James Moffatt.

Can Mike confirm whether 'John Michael' was a pseudonym he ever used? If so, does that mean that he's the author of:

In the Sweet Buy and Dry - John Michael - (short story)

which appeared in GN #6? (August 1966)?

And if that is so, what are the chances that it's the same 'John Michael' who wrote the article 'Buy Our Cars' which appeared in Ace magazine May 1966? Since this appears to be an American 'soft porn' magazine (price 50c) I suspect the chances are very slim. It's not entirely impossible that its a coincidence, or that John Michael was simply not MJM.

What's the likelihood that you would have submitting articles about cars to US 'mens' magazines in 1966, Mike?

[Michael Moorcock]

Actually, I was the editor of Golden Nugget -- if 'editor' was quite the word. We stripped out some of the US content and my job was to add UK content -- thus the heavy reliance on articles about Burroughs, Ballard and so on, some short stories by me. Lang, it's true, did much of the UK photography, mostly using our girlfriends. There's also a long article about Portobello Road with pix by Bryce Atwell (I think his name was) and text by James Colvin. But, believe it or not, I wasn't John Michael.
The pseudonyms are all 'regulars' used at Compact.

[David Mosley]

Thanks for the clarification Mike. Appreciate it.

Btw, I'll be posting my bibliography here in due course for 'peer review' as it were. :)

[Marca]

A bit of info on Golden Nugget in this oldish thread as well:

[broken link]

That unusual Moorcock story Environment Problem apparently first appeared in Golden Nugget too.

I want one of those magazines...

[Whiskers]

Here are some hits at Google. Search string used:

+ "Golden Nugget" + Moorcock

http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...2+%2B+moorcock

[Whiskers]

Just found a couple Golden Nugget covers:

http://www.philsp.com/data/image042.html

Google Search:

+ "Golden Nugget" + cover -hotel -casino + magazine -"Golden Nuggets" -game -team

[David Mosley]

That unusual Moorcock story Environment Problem apparently first appeared in Golden Nugget too.

Have you got a reference for that, Aral? My information is that it appeared in Space-1 (1973) although there's no reason why it couldn't have been written (and published discretely) in 1966, I guess. :?

[Marca]

The White Wolf US edition of Earl Aubec lists the story as appearing in Golden Nugget in 1966 - the UK edition doesn't seem to have the listing of story appearances, although I think Mike says in his introduction that several of the stories appeared in 'various Compact publications in the mid 60s'.

It seems to fit in with some untypical MM stories that were appearing around that time like Wolf and Consuming Passion.

[Michael Moorcock]

Basically stories I hadn't sold at the time they were written! But I wasn't paid for them, either, because the budget was so small. I used them to expand the available cash a little.

[Governor of Rowe Island]

The show must go on , eh, Mr. M? There's a little of you in Una Persson I'd imagine.

[DeeCrowSeer]

There's a little of you in Una Persson I'd imagine.

That, sunshine, is libellous. I'm sure they're just good friends.

(Sorry :oops: )

[Governor of Rowe Island]

Aw shucks. :oops:

Now I realise how that sounds!

[GuyLawley]

Just found a couple Golden Nugget covers:

http://www.philsp.com/data/image042.html

Google Search:

+ "Golden Nugget" + cover -hotel -casino + magazine -"Golden Nuggets" -game -team

Blimey, that's a first! Well done, Berry.

Again, as with the NW cover archive which you found, I suggest we "borrow" these for our image gallery. All those in favor say "Aye"

[Whiskers]

aye

[Michael Moorcock]

I think the cover with Hank Janson, Ballard etc. was the one with The Girl Who Shot Sultry Kane and the 90s Pin Up feature was from my own then extensive collection of 1900/1920s pinups!