Antonio Melechi

Michael Hollingshead, born Michael Shinkfield in 1931, was a British researcher focused on psychedelic substances like LSD and psilocybin. His early involvement with LSD began in the early 1960s after receiving a sample from Dr. John Beresford. Hollingshead famously claimed his first experience with LSD involved licking a spoon used for LSD-laced cake icing.

Following this, he connected with Aldous Huxley, who directed him to Timothy Leary. Hollingshead met Leary in 1961, subsequently living with him and teaching at Harvard, where he introduced Leary to LSD. He participated in the Concord Prison Experiment and later worked with psychedelic therapists, residing at Millbrook, New York. Hollingshead established his own project in New York with Jean Houston, which he stated formed the basis for Masters and Houston's "The Varieties of Psychedelic Experience." He later founded the World Psychedelic Center in London in 1965.

Hollingshead also engaged in experimental film, contributing to Scott Bartlett's "A Trip to the Moon." He was associated with the Castalia Foundation and contributed to publications like the Psychedelic Review. He interviewed Robert Anton Wilson for High Times magazine in 1980. Hollingshead died in 1984 in Bolivia from a stomach ulcer, according to his daughter.

Michael Hollingshead's engagement with psychedelic research began in the early 1960s. After obtaining a gram of LSD from Sandoz Laboratories via Dr. John Beresford, Hollingshead conducted early experiments, including one observing spider web-weaving under the drug's influence. His own initial experience with LSD, reportedly from licking a spoon used in preparing LSD-laced icing, led him to contact Aldous Huxley. Huxley then suggested he connect with Timothy Leary. In September 1961, Hollingshead met Leary at Harvard, where he was invited to reside and teach. Shortly after their meeting, Hollingshead introduced Leary to LSD, marking a pivotal moment in the burgeoning psychedelic movement.

Following his initial work with Leary, Hollingshead was a participant in the 1962 Concord Prison Experiment alongside Leary, Ralph Metzner, and others. For several subsequent years, he collaborated with psychedelic therapists and lived at the Millbrook, New York, commune with Leary and Richard Alpert. He later initiated his own project in New York with Jean Houston, focused on guided psychedelic experiences and data collection. Hollingshead claimed that the data from this project became foundational for Masters and Houston's influential book, "The Varieties of Psychedelic Experience." In 1965, he relocated to London and established the World Psychedelic Center.

Beyond his direct research and community involvement, Michael Hollingshead engaged with other cultural and artistic endeavors. He worked in experimental film, notably collaborating on the 1968 short film "A Trip to the Moon" by Scott Bartlett. Hollingshead was also associated with the Castalia Foundation and contributed writings to the Psychedelic Review. In 1980, he conducted an interview with author Robert Anton Wilson for High Times magazine. Hollingshead's influence extended to introducing numerous prominent figures to LSD, including writers, musicians, philosophers, and artists.