Being page 4 of the PR; transcribed by Anna Hepworth
Due to a misspend [sic] youth (see “Paradise Lost by the dashboard light”, The Space Wastrel Vol. 2, No. 3; June ’86), Dave has a permanently settled expression of Celtic gloom on his face. This is misleading. The true Dave Luckett is a man of many talents — singer, songwriter, chef, poet and writer, to name only a few.
Although not identified by himself as a fan until the Challenger disaster in 1986, Dave has hung around with fans for much longer than that. Way back in 1977, in the days of the old West Australian Historical Wargames Society and the Hertha Road house opposite the tip, he came in contact with the newborn WASFA (see “My Roots in Fandom”, in TSW Vol. 2, No. 5; Dec ’86). He was gradually sucked further into fandom. By serenading Anne McCaffrey with Gilbert and Sullivan, he persuaded her that the fans Down Under were not as uncultured as she had always thought, and that there was indeed an outpost of civilization on the banks of the Swan. Yielding to his assurances concerning modern plumbing and the virtual eradication of kangaroos and bushrangers from suburban steets [sic], she consented to be the Guest of Honour at Swancon 5, W.A.’s first national SF convention. Dave attended parts of that convention, and even entered the masquerade (as Nicholas Van Rijn).
By Swancon 6, the fiendishly clever blanishments of Zebee Johnstone had subverted him even more. She convinced him to start displaying the fact that, unlike most filkers, he could actually sing. In tune and on key, even. He helped in the fannish renovation of the old George Hotel (then Kid’s Open Learning School Fremantle) for Swancon 6, and even attended the convention. It was at Swancon 6 that the first (and so far last) one-to-one D and D game was played, organised by Dave; and again, he entered the masquerade. Upon being part of a winning entry, he decided to geve [sic] it away and rest on his laurels.
Later in 1981, he attended his first interstate convention, Advention. Since then he has attended two other national conventions (one of which, Swancon 11, he was co-programmer for) and two world conventions. He has also been the chair of a Swancon (9) with an international Guest of Honour, and has regularly organized the Fannish Olympics at Swancons. He has also found time to produce two songbooks and to write for an Australian amateur press association and for The Space Wastrel. He is married to a long-time fan (a past president of WASFA) and produced a small, damp, smelly neofan a year or so ago.
Generally Dave has been thoroughly involved with fandom, not only locally in W.A. but interstate and worldwide, and thus is a good choice for Guest of Honour. He’s approachable, too – ask him to sing to you the British Prime Minister’s Suicide Song. Or to play Rail Baron. Or if he wants a drink. But don’t be put off by the expression; he doesn’t really dislike you on sight.