25.
A group of six underground publications printing news, articles and information on the Arts Labs:
i) IT #45 (November 29th, 1968). Includes 1pp. article on the Arts Lab split, with separate contributions from Jim Haynes, David Curtis, Lee Harris, Will Spoor, David Jeffrey and Martin Shann + qtr.-page ad. listing the Sensual Laboratory’s ‘Water Yam’ event (December 1st). Also: Herbert Marcuse; Miles on albums by Captain Beefheart, Soft Machine, the Grateful Dead and the Beatles; “A Letter from Banana Moon Observatory” by Daevid Allen (2pp.); Victor Schonfield on free jazz; John Peel column. Very Good;
ii) IT #47 (January 1st, 1969). Includes David Mairowitz’s review of the Alchemical Wedding (items #27-29). Also: Miles on the Deviants, CS&N, James Taylor, Charles Olson; Hermine (Demoriane?) on the SCUM Manifesto (“A few months ago some masked girls marched into IT offices and announced themselves as SCUM. They left no castrated editors. Only leaflets.”); ads. for Tyrannosaurus Rex at the QEH, Pink Floyd at Middle Earth, and Gandalf’s Garden. Very Good plus;
iii) IT #56 (May 9th, 1969). Includes Lee Harris’s “Notes on Love Play”, with photo of cast members on the Arts Lab roof (a different shot to item #31) + ‘Labia’ (news from regional Arts Labs) + brief news that “The Galaxies’ old pad at 99 Balls Pond Road has been sold.” Also: “The Little Boy of Brussels” by Obi Egbuna (a British Black Panther imprisoned in HM Brixton); Miles on The Who, Frank Zappa and Bob Dylan; interviews with Ron Geesin and Jimmy Page; full-page ads. for the Living Theatre at the Roundhouse and Zapple label, and half-page ad. for The Mothers of Invention’s UK tour; back page prints “Kral Majales” by Allen Ginsberg (not in Morgan). Very Good plus;
iv) IT #66 (October 10th, 1969). Prints Nicholas Albery’s full-page list of over 50 nationwide “Arts Labs & Related Phenomena”, beginning with Beckenham (“contact David Bowie”), and a definition of them by Jim Haynes, whose Drury Lane Lab provided the model: “…we are more interested in bringing people together in a real involved way; not very interested in ‘marketing’ art or anything for that matter” (David Curtis notes in London’s Arts Labs that the unattributed “listing… was probably based on research by David Bieda for an article for Rolling Stone”; it also appeared in Albery’s Arts Labs Newsletter [item #33]). Plus a 1pp. feature on Jane Arden, including a photo by David Redom and an extract from her play, “Vagina Rex” (first performed at the Arts Lab in January 1969), and her views on women’s liberation, Valerie Solanas and more + news of police raid on Drury Lane Arts Lab in search of copies of Suck (a raid apparently videoed by Hoppy; none were found). Also: notes on the feminist movement in New York (W.I.T.C.H. + extracts from the SCUM Manifesto); anti-psychiatry; “An Open Letter to the Underground from the London Street Commune” (2pp., photos by David Redom); Plug ’N Socket insert (Edgar Broughton, Mott the Hoople, Arthur Brown interview, Miles on The Deviants); Mal Dean artwork; ad. for ‘Chappaqua’ at the Electric Cinema; ad. for Suck subscription (“available only under plain cover from Amsterdam”). Small corner clipping, o/w Very Good plus;
v) THE EAST VILLAGE OTHER Vol. 4, #47 (NY: c. October 1969). Includes Alex Gross on the Arts Lab split, plus news of Suck (2pp., photo-illus.). Also: letter from John Sinclair to Leni; electronic music; Lil Picard on Charlotte Moorman; lengthy article on The Band; Allan Katzman. Slightly edge-worn, o/w Very Good;
vi) OZ #25 (December 1969). Includes “Arts Lab Death” by Jim Haynes. Also: cover photograph by Keith Morris; Martin Sharp’s Tiny Tim 2pp. cartoon/collage; interview with Peter Fonda (reprinted from the Georgia Straight); the Chicago Conspiracy Trial; David Widgery’s 2pp. Jack Kerouac obituary ; John Hurford artwork; Bob Harris on The Byrds; back cover photo by Gerard Malanga. Very Good.