International Times magazine

The International Times was a London-based hippie magazine which was forced to change its name fairly quickly to IT after objections from The Times newspaper, but which never really shook off its original name. It was first published in the 1960s and was printed (albeit sporadically) throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s. It was relaunched briefly in 1986. It was contemporary to the other radical underground London magazine, Oz, and many people who wrote for one also wrote for the other.

The logo for IT was a black and white photo of Theda Bara, vampish star of silent films. In fact the original idea was to use an image of actress Clara Bow, but Theda Bara was used accidentally.

The launch party for the magazine on October 15, 1966, at the London Roundhouse featured performances by Pink Floyd and The Soft Machine.

Many people who are now prominent UK figures wrote for IT, including such luminaries as the feminist critic Germaine Greer, poet and social commentator Jeff Nuttall, artist Caroline Coon, and the DJ John Peel. Leading contributors to the late 1970s IT were Heathcote Williams, Max Handley, Mike Lesser, and Chris Sanders. There were many 'part-time' contributors such as Patrick Emek and Georgina Churchill. In 1986 IT was passed on to performer Tony Allen and writer Chris Brook.