BALLARD, J.G. The Sound-Sweep [in Science Fantasy Vol. 13, No. 39, 1960]. London Nova Publications Ltd. 1962 Signed

8vo.; original coloured pictorial wrappers; pp. 110, one black-and-white illustration; a very good, bright, clean copy with a shallow indentation to top edge of book block and light external dusting, internally clean throughout.

Containing the first appearance of a 39-page, illustrated, novelette by J.G. Ballard (pp. 2-39), later reprinted in the collection “The Four-Dimensional Nightmare”. Signed in ink by Ballard to second page of the issue. Also including “The Ship From Home” by J.T. McIntosh; “Not a Sparrow Falls” by W. T. Webb, and “Suspect Halo” by Clifford C. Reed.

Ballard plays with sonics as a plot theme. In a world where traditional music here has been rendered obsolete due to advances in “ultrasonic music” a mute boy befriends an opera singer living in an abandoned recording studio. This described future, in which audible music is superseded by developments in technology, reportedly inspired the lyrics to The Buggles’ song “Video Killed The Radio Star”.