Web Monkey, Jon Iverson, has informed me that today is the 40th birthday of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, held at Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York. I really don't know much at all about Woodstock. I haven't read any of the books or watched any of the movies. I know that Richie Havens opened (and played and played until he couldn't play anymore), but I've only just recently acquired that bit of knowledge. I know that Jimi Hendrix tore through an angry version of the "Star-Spangled Banner." I know that Janis Joplin was there. I've seen that funny video of Joe Cocker singing "With A Little Help from My Friends." And I've heard that many of the performances absolutely sucked.I guess it had something to do with all the drugs. I mean, it's hard enough to play well when you're a wee bit tipsy on the booze (not that I would know), but to perform when totally blitzed on the brown acid? Pretty much impossible. Still, there's evidence that at least some of the bands were tight. Take, for instance, Santana, that radical juggernaut of Latin rhythm and rock fire. Jon Iverson sent me this video of the band performing a 10-minute version of "Soul Sacrifice."
Santana played on Saturday, after John Sebastian and before Canned Heat. If I was Canned Heat, I would have refused to take the stage.
Listen to that sick bass line. It's like a lasso, roping you into the maddening groove.
I love the fact that the video begins with naked bodies wading through the water. Listening to Santana makes me want to get naked. I wonder if I would have gotten naked had I been there. Probably not. Would I have taken the brown acid? I don't think so. Would I have driven hours to get to Woodstock, only to turn around and drive all the way back home upon having witnessed the daunting crowds? I sure as hell hope not. I've heard stories, though.
Do you have any Woodstock stories? Did you get naked? Drop any hits of sunshine?
Web Monkey, Jon Iverson, has informed me that today is the 40th birthday of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, held at Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York. I really don't know much at all about Woodstock. I haven't read any of the books or watched any of the movies. I know that Richie Havens opened (and played and played until he couldn't play anymore), but I've only just recently acquired that bit of knowledge. I know that Jimi Hendrix tore through an angry version of the "Star-Spangled Banner." I know that Janis Joplin was there. I've seen that funny video of Joe Cocker singing "With A Little Help from My Friends." And I've heard that many of the performances absolutely sucked.I guess it had something to do with all the drugs. I mean, it's hard enough to play well when you're a wee bit tipsy on the booze (not that I would know), but to perform when totally blitzed on the brown acid? Pretty much impossible. Still, there's evidence that at least some of the bands were tight. Take, for instance, Santana, that radical juggernaut of Latin rhythm and rock fire. Jon Iverson sent me this video of the band performing a 10-minute version of "Soul Sacrifice."
Santana played on Saturday, after John Sebastian and before Canned Heat. If I was Canned Heat, I would have refused to take the stage.
