MOJO-NAVIGATOR

The legendary "Mojo-Navigator Rock & Roll News" was a music zine by Greg Shaw and David Harris. MOJO was one of the earliest (and most important) music zines, major news source for counterculture and alternative music in San Francisco. It ran for 14 issues and was a precursor to landmark rock magazines. Considered to be the precursor to later alternative journalism (Crawdaddy and Rolling Stone and later fanzines). Issues between 3 and 34 pages, and have become very rare now. The first issue was published August 8, 1966 as a mimeographed newssheet of two pages with concert announcements at the Matrix, Fillmore and Avalon. This issue in colour facsimile. ALL OTHERS ARE ORIGINAL FIRST PRINTS -No. 2, August 16, featured news of The Straight Theatre, and Jim Gurley, local musician from the band Big Brother & The Holding Co. -No. 3, August 23, is three sheets, with news of SF Oracle launch, band news, rumours and gossip, and record reviews (Bob Dyland etc) -No. 4, August 30, is now four sheets, and is mainly devoted to an interview with the Grateful Dead, plus a feature on Country Joe & The Fish by Greg Shaw. -No. 5, September 7, is given over to the second half of The Grateful Dead interview, and a response to the SF Oracle's unsympathetic article on the SF rock scene. - No. 6, September 18, is three sheets, reporting on record releases, New York radio, and upcoming concerts. Report of the publication of "The I.D. Band Book"; news that "the Velvet Underground has released a lousy single on Verve Records - Andy Warhol produced it, Nico sings (hah-hah) on it. It's the musical equivalent of a painted Brillo box which sells for $400"; a report on NY radio; record reviews (incl. "Sunshine Superman"); upcoming dates by The Byrds, Grateful Dead, etc. -No. 7, September 27 is four sheets, and features an interview with SF DJ Tommy Saunders, and Big Brother & The Holding Co., plus ads for upcoming concerts by Country Joe & The Fish, Takoma, and Freedom Highway. -No. 8, October 1966, is six mimeo'd sheets, and features an interview with Janis Joplin and Big Brother & The Holding Co. , plus news on The Doors, a review of The Seeds, and a full page ad "A Prophecy Of A Declaration Of Independence" for the "Love-Pageant" rally in the Haight-Ashbury (a psychedelic celebration held on Oct. 6 to coincide with the outlawing of LSD, and incl. Big Brother, the Dead, and Ken Kesey with his Prankster bus). - No. 9, October 17, is six sheets, and features a Jim Kweskin interview, Dootone Records, new, events, and an original Stanley Mouse handbill announcing The Daily Flash with Country Joe & The Fish at the Avalon, stapled in as last page.(scarcer yellow and grey colour variant). Mick Jagger photo front cover. 3pp. Jim Kweskin interview; Dootone Records; news, reviews, gossip, events. - No. 10, November 8, is nine sheets plus a printed photo cover. It incorporates an two colour Tom Weller handbill for Country Joe & The Fish at the Jabberworck, and a two colour Steve Renick-designed handbill for the 13th Floor Elevators and Moby Grape at the Avalon, and a photo of Jerry Garcia. Also featured was an interview with The Mystery Trend, and news of Bill Graham banning Mojo-Navigator editor Dave Harris from The Fillmore.terming the paper "a rag" and screaming "I'm not mad, you are beneath my anger"; full-page Stanley Mouse ad. for Big Brother & The Holding Co.'s first single on Mainstream Records; Jerry Garcia photo; record reviews - No. 11, November 22, is seven sheets and has part two of The Mystery Trend interview, and an interview with Country Joe & The Fish, who are also on the cover, plus a two colour Tom Weller-designed handbill for the band's upcoming show at the Jabberworck. As well, a photo of Bob Weir, and an Victor Moscoso-designed handill for Country Joe & The Fish, Bug Brother & The Holding Co, and Quicksilver Messenger Service at the Avalon, plus letters about the riot on Sunset Strip,the police heavy handedness, and the differences between the scenes in LA and SF. Correspondence between Bill Graham and Chet Helms; photo of Bob Weir - No. 12, December 22, is eight sheets, with a printed photo cover of Ed Saunders, incorporating two Victor Moscoso-designed colour handbills, with The Grateful Dead and Moby Grape at he Avalon, and Country Joe & The Fish at the California Hall. Featured ar ethe conclusions of the Country Joe & The Fish and The Mystery Trends interviews, and the article "The British Blues Scene" by David Harris. -No. 13, April 1967, is 30 page, black and white printed with cover photo of James Gurley from Big Brother & The Holding Co. Featured is a Blues Magoos interview, reviews by Greg Shaw and Gene Sculatti, editorial on the ris of new rock criticism, Mike Daly on Phil Spector, Rick Griffin psychedelic artwork, incorporating a photo by Gene Anthony of The Grateful Dead. - - No. 14, August 1967, is 38 pages, with cover photo of Jimi Hendrix, and an interview with The Doors, coverage of the Monterey festival, article of Eric Clapton, record reviews, news, and a Tom Weller designed psychedelic ad for Country Joe & The Fish. ADDED MATERIAL: 1) an original multi-coloured psychedelic drawing entitled "The Mojo Navigator" (27.5x21.5cm.), uncredited but probably by the magazine's artist, Geoff Evans (who hand-drew similar artwork on denim jackets worn by the editors); 2) a small card with a hand-drawn design by Greg Shaw in purple and green, possibly an early idea for the magazine's logo, stamped with his San Bruno address (thus pre-dating the first issue); 3) an early Mojo-Navigator flyer, featuring a b/w cartoon (Crime/Justice 4) a vintage 10x8 b/w photo of Brian Jones onstage in Cincinnati, 1965, sporting the look that Greg Shaw sought successfully to emulate (caption to verso written out in Shaw's hand).