Staring in the face of their 40th anniversary year, (2027), local and international, Luton-based publication is pleased to work alongside The Culture Trust to share a selection from its 1,800 archival pages at the ‘Long Gallery’. As a small publisher, ‘Clod Magazine & Books’ continue to publish their semi-satirical, semi-fictional ‘Clod’ editions, alongside editions of ‘Fold’ magazine, editions of ‘Luton Haiku’ poetry, manifestoes, photo-books and box-sets, kitchen-sink limericks, short stories, compendiums, card-sets, writer blogs, biker blogs, beer blogs, long poetic opuses, etc
Featuring enlargements of original page lay-outs, and graphics alongside Clod’s unwilting editorial narrative. Though the framed works represent specific Clod pages, they have playfully been given their own titles by the editorial team, and in this sense can be seen as stand-alone collages, and nearly like art itself.
Clod began in the Spring of 1987, and the pioneering team of four, (two sets of brothers from Caddington and Slip End), remain the sole contributors to this day.
Early editions were reproduced on works’ photocopiers, (not illegal, but certainly ill-mannered and disrespectful). After issue six, Clod switched to a commercial printers, for edition runs of between two and three hundred.Clod magazines were initially sold to gig-goers, as the team toured the country in their music group ‘Thrilled Skinny’.
Since the early 2000s, Clod has been an ever-present face at press fairs. Events such as the ‘Small Publishers’ Fair’, ‘Publish and Be Damned’, and ‘Artists Self-Publishers (ASP)’ have helped cement Clod in the independent publishing community. Recent work with the British Library has meant that much of their printed and audio work will be archived for future generations in the national interest.
