International Times

Infobox Magazine
title = International Times


image_size = 230px
image_caption = (it Jan–Feb '69)
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language = English
category = Newspaper, Music Magazine
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editor = Tom McGrath
firstdate = 1966
country = United Kingdom
website = [http://www.international-times.org.uk international-times.org.uk] The "International Times" ("it" or "IT") was an underground paper started in 1966 in central London, UK. Editors included John Hopkins, Barry Miles, Jim Haynes, and playwright Tom McGrath. Jack Moore, avant-garde writer Bill Levy, and Mick Farren, singer of the The Deviants, were also involved. Paul McCartney donated to the paper.cite book | author=Miles, Barry | title=Many Years From Now | publisher=Vintage - Random House | year=1998 | id=ISBN 0-7493-8658-4 | pages =p232] The name "International Times" was changed to just "it" for a time after objections from "The Times" newspaperfact.

The iconic logo for "IT" was a black and white photo of Theda Bara, vampish star of silent films. The original idea had been to use an image of actress Clara Bow because she was iconically known as "The IT girl" - but an image of Theda Bara was used accidentally and once deployed, it was never changed.

History

International Times was launched on 14 October 1966 at The Roundhouse at a gig featuring Pink Floyd. The event promised a 'Pop/Op/Costume/Masque/Fantasy-Loon/Blowout/Drag Ball and featured Soft Machine, steel bands, strips, trips, happenings, movies. The launch was described as "one of the two most revolutionary events in the history of English alternative music and thinking. The "IT" event was important because it marked the first recognition of a rapidly spreading socio-cultural revolution that had its parallel in the States" by Daevid Allen of Soft Machine. [ [http://www.furious.com/perfect/Sydbarrett.html "Lost In the Woods" by Julian Palacios (May 1998)] Retrieved Aug. 8, 2004] A benefit gig, "The 14 Hour Technicolor Dream," was organised by "IT" and held on 28 April 1967 at the Alexandra Palace in London which demonstrated the importance of the quickly developing UK Underground. Bands who appeared included Pink Floyd, The Pretty Things, Savoy Brown, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Soft Machine, The Move, and Sam Gopal Dream.

The newspaper was printed throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s. It was relaunched in 1986. There have been a total of 205 issues. It was a contemporary of other radical underground London magazines, "Oz", "Friends" and "Ink".

Contributors

Many people who became prominent UK figures wrote for "IT", including feminist critic Germaine Greer, poet and social commentator Jeff Nuttall, and DJ John Peel. There were many original contributions from underground writers such as Alexander Trocchi; William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg.

Leading editorial contributors to the late 1970s "IT" were Heathcote Williams, Max Handley, Eddie Woods (Amsterdam editor), and [http://www.schmoontherun.blogspot.com Chris Sanders] .

In 1986 "IT" was passed on to performer Tony Allen and writer Chris Brook.

References

*Turner, C. (April 27, 1997) [http://www.pinkfloydz.com/PF_4.htm Personal memories of "The 14 Hour Technicolor Dream"]

ee also

*Hapshash and the Coloured Coat

External links

* [http://www.international-times.org.uk International Times site]
* [http://www.arsydd.btinternet.co.uk/edobituary.html Obituary of Ed Barker]
* [http://www.thewiredjester.co.uk/2007/04/barry_miles_and.html Quotes from a talk by Barry Miles on International Times]
* [http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dg6n6657_59c8ftjw Allen Ginsberg interviews the Maharishi] , International Times, February 26, 1968