Mark H
@blackhole.bsky.social
Horror movies, 1970s paperbacks (especially New English Library), building original Lego models, synthesizer music, movie locations, Blade Runner, Lon Chaney, Peter Cushing, Amicus films, David Lynch…
Gay, and in the UK.
Gay, and in the UK.
Terry Harknett them started several more western series, under yet more pennames (because he didn’t think his own sounded authentically american). Apache and Adam Steele also ran for dozens more novels.
For someone not invested in westerns or violence, Terry at least found something that sold.
For someone not invested in westerns or violence, Terry at least found something that sold.
November 30, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Terry Harknett them started several more western series, under yet more pennames (because he didn’t think his own sounded authentically american). Apache and Adam Steele also ran for dozens more novels.
For someone not invested in westerns or violence, Terry at least found something that sold.
For someone not invested in westerns or violence, Terry at least found something that sold.
I did not know that!
November 30, 2025 at 1:20 PM
I did not know that!
I have that postcard!
November 30, 2025 at 1:17 PM
I have that postcard!
Never ever liked Steve Wright. TOTP2 focussed that feeling.
November 30, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Never ever liked Steve Wright. TOTP2 focussed that feeling.
PS This is as far as my paltry online research went.
I’ve no idea what Mr ‘Keef’ MacMillan has done since.
Anyone know his story for the last 35 years?
I’ve no idea what Mr ‘Keef’ MacMillan has done since.
Anyone know his story for the last 35 years?
November 30, 2025 at 1:29 AM
PS This is as far as my paltry online research went.
I’ve no idea what Mr ‘Keef’ MacMillan has done since.
Anyone know his story for the last 35 years?
I’ve no idea what Mr ‘Keef’ MacMillan has done since.
Anyone know his story for the last 35 years?
What's missing are all the Brilliant singles 1982-1984 that track the change from Youth, still in Killing Joke mode, to getting a band getting more punky/funky.
There was even an unreleased album Escape From New York (1985), that finally had a limited vinyl release (in 2019).
There was even an unreleased album Escape From New York (1985), that finally had a limited vinyl release (in 2019).
November 29, 2025 at 6:39 PM
What's missing are all the Brilliant singles 1982-1984 that track the change from Youth, still in Killing Joke mode, to getting a band getting more punky/funky.
There was even an unreleased album Escape From New York (1985), that finally had a limited vinyl release (in 2019).
There was even an unreleased album Escape From New York (1985), that finally had a limited vinyl release (in 2019).
I’ve been hoping that Justin Marriott and friends would pool their extensive research and interviews into one tome.
At present the story is spread over dozens of editions of Paperpack Fanatics (many out of print), and hundreds of blogposts.
There’s no bibliography, no guide to pen names etc…
At present the story is spread over dozens of editions of Paperpack Fanatics (many out of print), and hundreds of blogposts.
There’s no bibliography, no guide to pen names etc…
November 29, 2025 at 5:46 PM
I’ve been hoping that Justin Marriott and friends would pool their extensive research and interviews into one tome.
At present the story is spread over dozens of editions of Paperpack Fanatics (many out of print), and hundreds of blogposts.
There’s no bibliography, no guide to pen names etc…
At present the story is spread over dozens of editions of Paperpack Fanatics (many out of print), and hundreds of blogposts.
There’s no bibliography, no guide to pen names etc…
In closing, the man really should have a biography, simply titled 'From Dracula and the Virgins of the Undead to Star Test'.
From four tiny letters on the back of an old paperback I bought fifty years ago, a fun deep dive connecting many books, albums, pop videos and TV programmes.
Thanks, Keith!
From four tiny letters on the back of an old paperback I bought fifty years ago, a fun deep dive connecting many books, albums, pop videos and TV programmes.
Thanks, Keith!
November 29, 2025 at 5:31 PM
In closing, the man really should have a biography, simply titled 'From Dracula and the Virgins of the Undead to Star Test'.
From four tiny letters on the back of an old paperback I bought fifty years ago, a fun deep dive connecting many books, albums, pop videos and TV programmes.
Thanks, Keith!
From four tiny letters on the back of an old paperback I bought fifty years ago, a fun deep dive connecting many books, albums, pop videos and TV programmes.
Thanks, Keith!
The history of recent British TV lies mostly undocumented (unless it's cult), hidden on the paper pages of Broadcast and Televisual's archives.
As far as I can tell, Keith 'Keef' MacMillan may have invented the format for ITV's The Chart Show and is credited on Star Test and Network 7!
As far as I can tell, Keith 'Keef' MacMillan may have invented the format for ITV's The Chart Show and is credited on Star Test and Network 7!
November 29, 2025 at 5:23 PM
The history of recent British TV lies mostly undocumented (unless it's cult), hidden on the paper pages of Broadcast and Televisual's archives.
As far as I can tell, Keith 'Keef' MacMillan may have invented the format for ITV's The Chart Show and is credited on Star Test and Network 7!
As far as I can tell, Keith 'Keef' MacMillan may have invented the format for ITV's The Chart Show and is credited on Star Test and Network 7!
Final switch in Keef's career was to a TV producer. Pop videos led to him directing live concerts (no mean feat) like Rock for Kampuchea, Kate Bush - Live At The Hammersmith Odeon and TV specials for The Beach Boys and Queen...
He could now return to using his name Keith MacMillan as his credit.
He could now return to using his name Keith MacMillan as his credit.
November 29, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Final switch in Keef's career was to a TV producer. Pop videos led to him directing live concerts (no mean feat) like Rock for Kampuchea, Kate Bush - Live At The Hammersmith Odeon and TV specials for The Beach Boys and Queen...
He could now return to using his name Keith MacMillan as his credit.
He could now return to using his name Keith MacMillan as his credit.
(Sorry, I should have been calling him 'Marcus Keef' all along)
On IMDB there's a glorious entry for 'Keef' for some of the music videos he directed (1977-1986)
Most of Kate Bush's early singles!
Blondie's 'Denis' and (gasp) 'Rapture'. RAPTURE!
Blancmange, lots of Paul McCartney, Simple Minds...
On IMDB there's a glorious entry for 'Keef' for some of the music videos he directed (1977-1986)
Most of Kate Bush's early singles!
Blondie's 'Denis' and (gasp) 'Rapture'. RAPTURE!
Blancmange, lots of Paul McCartney, Simple Minds...
November 29, 2025 at 5:04 PM
(Sorry, I should have been calling him 'Marcus Keef' all along)
On IMDB there's a glorious entry for 'Keef' for some of the music videos he directed (1977-1986)
Most of Kate Bush's early singles!
Blondie's 'Denis' and (gasp) 'Rapture'. RAPTURE!
Blancmange, lots of Paul McCartney, Simple Minds...
On IMDB there's a glorious entry for 'Keef' for some of the music videos he directed (1977-1986)
Most of Kate Bush's early singles!
Blondie's 'Denis' and (gasp) 'Rapture'. RAPTURE!
Blancmange, lots of Paul McCartney, Simple Minds...
But yes, what next for Keef / Marcus Keef? Real name Keith Stuart MacMillan, he'd used nicknames professionally because there was already another famous (fine art) photographer called Keith McMillan, whom he's still confused with, after his death.
His career changed to... music video directing!
His career changed to... music video directing!
November 29, 2025 at 4:41 PM
But yes, what next for Keef / Marcus Keef? Real name Keith Stuart MacMillan, he'd used nicknames professionally because there was already another famous (fine art) photographer called Keith McMillan, whom he's still confused with, after his death.
His career changed to... music video directing!
His career changed to... music video directing!
The photographic effects, the gothic covers for Black Sabbath, the use of countryside locations, that Keef Marcus had been using since for album and single covers since 1968, now make sense that he'd be hired for New English Library cover shoots.
This blog post has many more of his album covers...
This blog post has many more of his album covers...
Whatever happened to Marcus Keef, album sleeve designer…?
Marcus Keef is responsible for some of the most iconic and enigmatic album cover sleeves of the late 1960s and early 1970s, easily on the same level (if not better in some instances) than the highl…
rarerecordscollector.com
November 29, 2025 at 4:36 PM
The photographic effects, the gothic covers for Black Sabbath, the use of countryside locations, that Keef Marcus had been using since for album and single covers since 1968, now make sense that he'd be hired for New English Library cover shoots.
This blog post has many more of his album covers...
This blog post has many more of his album covers...
Thanks to the New English Library page on Facebook who linked NEL's 'Keef' to photographer/designer 'Keef Marcus' creator of dozens, if not hundreds of record covers in the 1970s, after being talent spotted while he was still a student, by Olav Wyper creative director of Philips/Phonogram Records.
November 29, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Thanks to the New English Library page on Facebook who linked NEL's 'Keef' to photographer/designer 'Keef Marcus' creator of dozens, if not hundreds of record covers in the 1970s, after being talent spotted while he was still a student, by Olav Wyper creative director of Philips/Phonogram Records.
Almost all of the dozen Keef photo covers are for horror fiction from 1974.
Effective camera techniques make Plastic Man surreal.
The lone Glam rock cover and the only exterior, a misty gothic church for Village of Fear, both make more sense when we link him to his main occupation at that time…
Effective camera techniques make Plastic Man surreal.
The lone Glam rock cover and the only exterior, a misty gothic church for Village of Fear, both make more sense when we link him to his main occupation at that time…
November 29, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Almost all of the dozen Keef photo covers are for horror fiction from 1974.
Effective camera techniques make Plastic Man surreal.
The lone Glam rock cover and the only exterior, a misty gothic church for Village of Fear, both make more sense when we link him to his main occupation at that time…
Effective camera techniques make Plastic Man surreal.
The lone Glam rock cover and the only exterior, a misty gothic church for Village of Fear, both make more sense when we link him to his main occupation at that time…
Most of Keef’s NEL photographic covers are shot in a studio.
The memorable ‘Horror’ and ‘Specialist’ series begged to be collected. The Tigerman was the earliest one published (December 1973) that I could credit.
It appears he was hired for his affinity for the gothic…
The memorable ‘Horror’ and ‘Specialist’ series begged to be collected. The Tigerman was the earliest one published (December 1973) that I could credit.
It appears he was hired for his affinity for the gothic…
November 29, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Most of Keef’s NEL photographic covers are shot in a studio.
The memorable ‘Horror’ and ‘Specialist’ series begged to be collected. The Tigerman was the earliest one published (December 1973) that I could credit.
It appears he was hired for his affinity for the gothic…
The memorable ‘Horror’ and ‘Specialist’ series begged to be collected. The Tigerman was the earliest one published (December 1973) that I could credit.
It appears he was hired for his affinity for the gothic…
Terrifying thread.
Great news for dictators who like their masses mindless.
Surely all these uni students will be chucked out after their first year?
Great news for dictators who like their masses mindless.
Surely all these uni students will be chucked out after their first year?
November 29, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Terrifying thread.
Great news for dictators who like their masses mindless.
Surely all these uni students will be chucked out after their first year?
Great news for dictators who like their masses mindless.
Surely all these uni students will be chucked out after their first year?
Karen Black should be the largest photo in that advert!
November 29, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Karen Black should be the largest photo in that advert!
Should’ve used him for the Naked Gun reboot.
November 29, 2025 at 6:17 AM
Should’ve used him for the Naked Gun reboot.
Have you seen the Cold Prey films? Authentically snowy slashers.
November 29, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Have you seen the Cold Prey films? Authentically snowy slashers.