One of the leading magazines of the Underground Press.
[NEVILLE, Richard, Editor]. Oz Magazine. Issue 20, April 1969. London: Oz Publications Ink Ltd., [1969].
8vo., original paper wraps with Hell's Angels cover printed slighly askew, present in most copies of this issue; pp. 48 inc. covers; aside from mild toning and creasing, a near-fine copy, with one old staple to the top right hand corner of the upper cover.
Issue 20, printed on cheaper newspaper stock and featuring a Jimmy Page interview by Felix Dennis.
‘Oz’ was ‘a revolutionary, anti-establishment underground magazine which ran to 48 issues in the UK from 1967 until 1973. A parallel version was published in Australia from 1963. Edited by in both countries by Richard Neville, and co-edited in London by Jim Anderson, Felix Dennis and Roger Hutchinson, the magazine was initially produced in a basement in Notting Hill gate and rose to fame when it became subject to the longest obsecenity trial in British Legal history in 1971. The three editors were subject to numerous police raids and pleaded guilty to the charges. They were sentenced to harsh jail terms, although were eventually aquitted on appeal.
The magazine’s use of striking psychedellic artworks and printing techniques such as fold-out posters, metallic foils and new fluorescent inks were innovative at the time. Printing was only carried out in black and white when the funds could not be raised for the more-expensive colour. The magazine was also popular for its biting satire on controversial subjects such as sex, drugs, homosexuality, politics and war. Covers were produced predominantly by Martin Sharp, cartoons by Robert Crumb, and issues included radical feminist manifestos by Germaine Greer. As one of the former Art Directors Jim Anderson wrote: “Everything the establishment hated was in Oz”.
The magazine ceased publication in November 1973 due to a £20,000 debt.
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