Check out this complete archive of every issue of Britain’s underground newspaper, The International Times.
The International Times, or “I.T.” as it was known, was the first publication in England to emerge from the counter culture. Along with its contemporary, OZ magazine, The International Times was heavily influenced by American publications like Paul Krassner’s The Realist, The East Village Other, The Los Angeles Free Press and The Village Voice. I.T’s staff and contributors included notables like Barry Miles, Germaine Greer, John Peel, Mick Farren, and Beat writers like Alexander Trocchi, William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg. Paul McCartney—a guy much hipper than he’s usually given credit for—often helped the magazine financially.
The Wired Jester quoted co-founder Barry Miles on I.T.‘s beginnings:
?¢‚Ǩ?ìWe had the launch party at the Roundhouse in Camden. It had been used for storing gin, and had been abandoned for seventeen years. It was just a big space with a balcony that was apparently unsafe. But it was ideal for I.T. Soft Machine and The Pink Floyd played. I remember paying them ?¢‚Ǩ‚Äú Pink Floyd got ?Ǭ£15 because they had a light show, and Soft Machine got ?Ǭ£12. Although they had a motorcycle on stage, so maybe that was a bit unfair.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù
?¢‚Ǩ?ìThe first few issues had a lot of serious articles by William Burroughs about the overthrow of the state. He used it as his platform to work out his ideas. And there was Ginsberg too. All the usual suspects. When we were running out of money, I was talking to Paul McCartney about it, and he said, ?¢‚ǨÀúWell, you should interview me, then you?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ll get ads from the record companies.?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ And I thought, ?¢‚ǨÀúhey, he might be on to something.?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ So I interviewed him, and then George Harrison, and then the next week Mick Jagger called up, demanding to be interviewed too. And Paul was right, we got ads from the record companies.?¢‚Ǩ¬ù
And while I’m on the subject, here’s a cinematic curio that emerged from the London underground scene, OZ editor Martin Sharp’s experimental film, Darling, Do You Love Me? (1968) featuring I.T. contributor and feminist icon, Germaine Greer
