Rolling Stone marks 40th anniversary

SAN FRANCISCO, July 2 (UPI) -- This week's issue of Rolling Stone celebrates San Francisco publisher Jan Wenner's decision 40 years ago to ignore a rock group's cease-and-desist order.

A double-issue of the pioneering rock magazine is the first of three such issues marking its debut in November 1967, the Los Angeles Times reported. This week's edition features a geographic history of the Summer of Love, including an essay by Graham Nash and comments by David Crosby, Chris Hillman and John Densmore.

"I don't actually look back much or reflect on my career or the magazine's long run that often. We're too busy and, I'm happy to say, the magazine is vital and vibrant and continues to extend a strong point of view," Wenner said.

The American Society of Magazine Editors in May handed Rolling Stone the general excellence award for publications with a circulation between 1 million to 2 million.

The November anniversary issue will use the past to frame issues of the present, Wenner said.

"In my many years, I think I've never felt it more urgent than today to learn from our past and really engage the present so we can save the future," he said.