Founded in Sydney in 1963, the satirical magazine OZ was unquestionably one of the most significant publications of the underground press of the 1960s and early 70s.
Dare it be mentioned that the cover on the first edition of Oz included Queen Elizabeth ll on rollerskates !
Well before the end if its long life, which was divided between its two Australian incarnations and its later (and arguably better-known) U.K. one, it had become synonymous with Western counterculture.
OZ was renowned not only for its open-minded stance on sex and drugs, its cynical attitude towards conservatism and imperialist politics, and its incredibly hip pop art style, but also as a brave defender of freedom of expression: the magazine’s publishing ethos (its content was not copyrighted) and successful court battles in the arena of censorship are surely among its most enduring legacies.
OZ survived obscenity trials in Australia in 1963-4 and in London in 1971, following the banning of the infamous “schoolkids” edition of the magazine. Many issues of London OZ were also banned in Australia because of what was deemed to be pornographic content.
It includes complete sets of the two Austalian editions of Oz ,the later "newsletter- ,format edition has possibly never been offered complete before – together with a complete set of London OZ.
These sets are supplemented by a small group of choice ephemeral items, including a rare 1964 programme for an OZ theatre revue in Sydney, an original collage created for an issue of London OZ, an invitation to the 1971 Obscenity Trial, and a poster for the final issue.
Upon receiving iformation about the extraordinary Oz offering , Little Darwiin immediatety phoned Pete Steedman , in Melbourne, , who had been involved with the colourful Oz team ,which included Richard Neville, Richard Walsh ,Martin Sharp, Felix Dennis, Tim Anderson , Germaine Greer .
Steedman ran the London office of the magazine while Oz was fighting obscenity charges in the Old Bailey ,later acquitted .
Hairy Steedman, left ,on poster of a cover of an Oz magazine purporting to be the American undergound newspaper, Berkeley Barb , which satirised outlaw chic . promising fun, trouble and adventure for all the family.
Father Pete was wearuring a Digger's hat ; the child was the son of Robert Hughes, art edior of Time Magazine, and the woman brandishing the automatic weapon was Jamaican model, Mynah Bird..
While recently sorting out his vast collection of files, books and magazines,, mentioned in this blog, Steedman said he had given a run of Oz magazines to the Victorian state library .Knowing they are now worth a King Charles lll ransom, we suggested he might ask for them back, convert them into bitcoins.
NO! Pete firmly said he liked the idea of public libraries being a source of free information. However, he did wonder if Broadside , a lively magazine he edited in Melbourne in l969 , before going to London , is now worth a bundle..
Steedman featured in the 2017 Scribe book Dissent The Student Press in 1960s Australia, by Dr Sally Percival Wood
Still in his possession are runs of many American and British magazines .
