Skip to product information
1 of 36

Heads Together – Weed and the Underground Press Syndicate, 1965–73

Heads Together – Weed and the Underground Press Syndicate, 1965–73

Regular price €52.00
Regular price Sale price €52.00
Sale Sold out
Taxes included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

Out of stock

A glorious design herbarium of marijuana ads from the great underground magazines of the 1960s and '70s.

The youth uprising, now simply called "The Sixties," was fed by one of the greatest booms in publishing history. The Underground Press Syndicate (UPS) began as a loose confederation of five papers in 1966, and within a few years swelled to over 500 across the world, reaching millions of readers. They "spread like weed," said the UPS director, weed-dealer, and eventual founder of High Times, Tom Forcade. The metaphor was apt: the UPS spurred the legalization movement, and weed became its totem.

Weed was so pervasive it became a helpful means for government agencies to crack down on the UPS. Weed came to emblematize activist groups, and added a touch of flair to the mastheads of UPS titles. Weed permeated UPS pages, with gaps in text crammed with weed-inspired "spot illustratios".

Heads Together collects these drawings, shining a light on lesser-known names in the stoner-art canon, and many who weren't names at all, as no signature was attached. It also compiles guides for growing weed from the period that were treated like contraband by the CIA. Activist-oriented, psychedelic rolling papers are showcased too.

As pot now fast-tracks toward legalization in the U.S. and beyond, its once incendiary status is brought into odd relief. Pot's profiteers of the corporate market today do not reflect those who fought for legalization, or the Black and Latino populations strategically criminalized for pot well before hippies were targeted, and long after.

The art in this book speaks to a time when pot was smoked with optimism, as something potentially good for society and people, capable of activating profound transformation in the face of corrupt and powerful forces.

David Jacob Kramer (born 1980 Sydney, Australia) is a writer based in Los Angeles. He founded Family Bookstore (2007–2021), a space dedicated to artists' books, zines, performances, and readings. His writing has appeared in various magazines and artist monographs.

Edited by David Jacob Kramer
Texts by David Jacob Kramer, Rembert Browne, Melania Gazzotti

Graphic design: Grupo 438

Published in April 2023
English edition
19 x 25 cm (softcover)
566 pages (451 ill.)
ISBN : 978-3-907236-54-3

© Edition Patrick Frey

Art •  Culture •  Graphic design •  Monograph

Shipping Information

Preparation Time
Orders are processed within 1 to 2 business days, from Tuesday to Friday (excluding public holidays) after receiving your order confirmation email. You will receive another notification when your order has shipped. Some products are likely to be in the process of restocking and may require more time to prepare. In this case, we will inform you by email.

Packing and Shipping Rates
We take great care in ensuring that our products are packed in the most protective manner possible. For posters and prints, we roll them into a sturdy cardboard tube and then pack the tube into a cardboard box. However, please note that certain products, such as books and posters, may not be able to be packed together. As a result, orders with different product types or sizes may be subject to double shipping fees.

We offer worldwide shipping via French national post service, La Poste's Colissimo, Priority Mail, or Delivengo. The shipping fees for your order will be automatically calculated based on factors such as package weight, volume, and destination. If you prefer us to use a different carrier service such as UPS, FedEx, or DHL, please contact us prior to placing your order.

Transit estimates

  • Colissimo (Siganture on delivery):
    France: 2-3 business days
    - Europe: 3-5 business days
    - Other countries: 5-8 business days

  • Standard Mail / Priority Mail (No signature required):
    - France: 2-3 business days
    - Europe: 5-7 business days
    - Other countries: 7-14 business days

  • Delivengo (No signature required):
    - Other countries: 7-14 business days

Please keep in mind that delivery times are estimates and may be delayed due to high volumes at the carrier and customs processing.

In-store pickup
You can skip the shipping fees with free local pickup at our bookshop in Paris. After placing your order and selecting local pickup at checkout, your order will be prepared and ready for pick up within 24 hours (excluding weekends and holidays). We will send you an email when your order is ready along with instructions.

Our in-store pickup hours are from 10am to 7pm from Tuesday to Saturday, from 2pm to 7pm on Sunday. Please have your order confirmation email with you when you come.

View full details