In Cold Storage

The story begins with a ringing phone: at the other end is Bruce, Doll by Doll's manager, telling of the problems facing the planned European tour, which ultimately look like knocking it out for the time being. At the centre is bass player Robin Spreafico's “involved and twisted” state of citizenship. He was born in Italy, moved to Holland, then Britain, then to the south of France for some two years of work, and then came back specially to join Doll by Doll; drummer Dave McIntosh had travelled to France to invite him. Somewhere along the line he had been “bafflingly” banned from Germany, a ban that now appears to have been lifted. On top of that, his foreigner's and EEC ID cards had expired, and because he had lived in Britain only for a limited period he remains an Italian citizen who needs the necessary papers.

He was literally en route to the airport when word came through that if he touched Italian ground he would be accosted by the police, there being a warrant out for his arrest as a deserter. The reason for this “astounding state of affairs” is that when he was 22, two years earlier, he failed to send in a form detailing his absence and the reason for it, his work abroad; he never realised the form should be sent. A small organisation looking after health and social security problems of Italian migrants in Britain has stepped in, but by no means is the air clear yet. Spreafico cannot enter Italy until the warrant is smashed and therefore cannot sort out the passport and ID situation: “A real dead end.”

The issue also carries, on page 4, the news that Doll by Doll play a benefit concert at the Factory in Chippenham Mews, London, on Saturday 9 June 1979, with all proceeds going to the Caribbean Labour Solidarity Organisation. The report is unsigned, and the OCR text of the scan is patchy in places.