DEATH BECOMES US:

   In a short period of time, our world, at least my world, my musical world, has changed substantially. While their recorded music remains  some of my favorite artists have “left the arena” causing me difficulties, especially in reference to those whom I had the pleasure of seeing/hearing “live”, the way music should be heard.

   I’m still reeling from the death of my all time favorite guitarist, one who we saw “live” only a few weeks before, JEFF BECK, when we hear the news that DAVID CROSBY passed away.To be brutally honest, DAVID CROSBY was a unbelievable singer, one who offered angelic harmonies but I could do without his pre-song rants. Over the years I had the opportunity to see him four times, in1969 &1970 @ FILLMORE EAST with CSN&Y, then in 2022: FREEDOM OF SPEECH REUNION TOUR again with CSNY and most recently December  of 2013 @ CITY WINERY,NYC as a solo artist. The boy could sing.

   JEFF BECK on the other hand avoided the microphone at all costs, he let his guitar “sing” for him. We were fortunate enough to have seen BECK in nine variations of his band(s).“It’s so difficult because I didn’t sing. Eric [Clapton] said, and it was words of great wisdom, ‘Get used to the fact that you hate your voice, because I did.’ And I went, ‘But you sound good, I sound unbearably bad. I loathe it. I would never enjoy it even if we had another single like [Hi Ho] Silver Lining, I just couldn’t bear it,’” said Beck. 

   But only just a few weeks ago we had the passings of:

   FRED WHITE (drummer EARTH,WIND & FIRE), he a fabulous time keeper.

   ANITA POINTER (singer) Way back in 1971, sitting for two shows at FILLMORE EAST the ELVIS BISHOP GROUP rocks the house. He had not one but 4 female singers on the stage with him, The four were 3 POINTER SISTERS (yes, those POINTER SISTERS) and JO BAKER lead singer. They were magical, upbeat, and F-U-N.

   DINO DANELLI: One of my all time favorite drummers (1968 THE RASCALS @ SINGER BOWL, then The “Once Upon A Time” tour, December 13 and 15 ,2012 The Capitol Theater- Port Chester and again April 27,2013 @ The Richard Rogers Theater on Broadway).

   KIM SIMMONDS: Guitarist/Founder of SAVOY BROWN; numerous time with an ever changing cast of players but my favorite times (twice) with CHRIS YOULDEN on vocals, Roger Earl on the kit, Tone Stevens-bass, and Lonesome Dave- guitar/vocals.

    CHRISTINE McVIE: She was the one and only, the true soul of FLEETWOOD MAC. After PETER GREEN left there was a huge void in what was FLEETWOOD MAC. Christine filled that void as best she could AND kept the band moving on.Her songwriting, playing, and singing was extraordinary.August 1970@ Fillmore East.

   GARY BROOKER: PROCOL HARUM; an original founding member of the band, keyboardist and vocalist. I saw/heard the band live with MATTHEW FISHER (twice) and ROBIN TROWER (5 times) but only once after their departures. 

 Also 2022: In alphabetical order:

THOM BELL: The TRUE SOUl of PHILADELPHIA SOUL

LAMONT DOZIER of Motown’s famed songwriting partnership HOLLAND,DOZIER, and HOLLAND.

OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN: Singer, actress

NAOMI JUDD: The Judds

SAM LAY: drummer

JERRY LEE LEWIS: rock innovator

RAMSEY LEWIS: jazz pianist “The In-Crowd”

LORETTA LYNN: Country music icon

IAN MCDONALD:multi-instrumentalist(Mellotron) King Crimson

MEATLOAF: singer “Bat Out Of Hell”

BOBBIE NELSON: pianist/ Willie Nelson’s sister.

PHAROAH SANDERS:saxophonist par excellence

JIM SEALS: Seals and Crofts

RONNIE SPECTOR: The One and only…

REST IN PEACE

ON THE TURNTABLE:and the year was-1970

ON THE TURNTABLE: And the year was…1970
Every few weeks I post a review of the albums I listened to in a particular year. So today is one of those postings…AND THE YEAR WAS:1970

Strange freaking year for me.January of 1970 I just turned eighteen years old, awaiting graduation from high school, applying to colleges and possible facing the military draft. No matter what transpired the night before or what each morning brought upon us, we partied on.My job at the cassette factory recently closed so I had to find gainful employment to keep my obsession of attending live shows and buying recorded music. I found not one job but two; One working in a boat yard part time after school and full time on the weekends, as well as working evenings as a substitute cleaner/custodian in the local schools when called upon, which was regularly.That custodian gig paid off big time years later, but that’s another story altogether.I graduated high school in June, worked the summer, and headed off to college in September. There I immediately landed on the college radio station doing Friday night 11PM to Saturday 7 AM as well as an occasional afternoon show.

1970 Music: in no particular order or favor:

To me NEIL YOUNG’s third album “After The Gold Rush” (August 70)was better than CSNY’s (March 70)“Deja Vu” but not nearly as exciting as Neil’s “Everybody Knows…”. It’s 1970, so “…Gold Rush” is the perfect collection for the 8-track tape players we all installed in our cars. One copy of “Gold Rush” moved from one friend’s cars to other friends cars. Perfect “pot smoking music” was how it was once described.

After I and II the new LED ZEPPELIN album had to entitled “ III”.They are original…or maybe not, anyway “Immigrant Song” kicks it off, on from there it was electric, acoustic,electric back to acoustic. Cool stuff. The tune“Since I’ve Been Loving You” was copped directly from the obscure “Grape Jam”. Robert Plant was good friends with BOB MOSLEY of MOBY GRAPE so Zep stole from every one, being unscrupulous,unmerciful, but good.

VAN MORRISON’s “Moon Dance” was another staple on the ole turntable, as well as the new turntable/stereo which I had updated at this time. I now had an actual stereo system with true speaker separation… And loud,too.

THE WHO- “Live at Leeds” I bought this (vinyl), threw it on, cranked up the stereo and almost blew out the windows to my room.Simply said, it’s “DA ‘HO”…played it a 1000 times.

THE BEATLES “Let It Be” well… everyone bought this. No biggie here for me, I did buy it but hardly ever played it. I did buy the “Naked” version years later and must say I like the Naked better.

TRAFFIC: “John Barleycorn Must Die”-Summer of ’70, six songs, thirty five minutes, bravo. I was so glad BLIND FAITH was over and TRAFFIC together for another go round. This was a quite different TRAFFIC sound and another great tape to bring out with the boys on the corner.

Two from ELTON JOHN, “Elton John” and “Tumbleweed Connection”- After seeing ELTON JOHN (the trio) open for LEON RUSSELL @ Fillmore East, I was sold, this guy would be huge, but how huge I did not know.

BAND OF GYPSYS “Band of Gypsy’s”-I appreciated his uniqueness, his innovative approach but still was not a huge fan as were most of my friends. Don’t get me wrong, his first album was a gem, and “Electric Ladyland”, wow. Then I wanted to go to this FILLMORE EAST show, New Years Day 1970, even had tickets but that’s another story. After I got this album, I really regretted not going and had a higher appreciation of the artistry known as HENDRIX.

THE DOORS- “Morrison’s Hotel”, this is their fifth album. Their fourth sucked, horns and all. This was a “return to the blues” so said one reviewer. Which blues, I’ll never know. Better than “Soft Parade”, I’ll give you that.

CSNY “Deja Vu” Funny how I liked most of the tunes, except the Graham Nash ones. To this day, I still laugh at the words to “Our House”.With “Two cats in the yard”…”flowers in the vase”…yuck, this is rock and roll, Graham.

T.REX- “T.Rex”(1970 release) After reading about T. Rex and DAVID BOWIE in MELODY MAKER I contacted the record company and received a copy of the album for the radio station in January 1971. I took it home on the winter break and never brought it back.

DEREK and THE DOMINOS-“Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs” I saw the band at FILLMORE EAST in October before the album was released. November ,we get it at the radio station, and I throw it on in the lounge. “Little Wing” grabbed my attention, then that “Layla” tune was kinda special. We saw the band again in December at Suffolk Community College (another story), they never played “Layla” but we did on the station, constantly. During one of my overnighters I played the entire album along with the original version of some of the blues numbers.

THE GRATEFUL DEAD- “Workingman’s Dead” and “American Beauty” both were heavy rotation on my show and in my room.

MILES DAVIS: “Bitches Brew”- “Miles Runs The Voodoo Down” followed by DR JOHN’S “ Gris Gris Gumbo Ya Ya” can get one in a bit of controversy with the radio staff, especially when you are the new guy (me) and the offended party is the outgoing “thinks he is a big shot Assistant Program Director”, a guy who regularly plays a “Melanie Half Hour”. I still swear he removed “Bitches Brew” from the record library. Smart me, I’ll bring my own and play it again, just for fun.

Speaking of fun…THE STOOGES “Fun House” was not welcomed at my parent’s home nor at the radio station…no fun zone, I guess. Nor was the VELVET UNDERGROUND’s “Loaded” welcomed but I played “Sweet Jane”, “Who Loves The Sun” and “Rock & Roll” to no end. Throw in the MC5 “Back In The USA” and one can see why I was hosting a very late night radio show. rather than “the Breakfast Hour”.

And then there was THE KINKS “Lola Versus Powerman and The Money Go Round”, JETHRO TULL’S“Benefit”, VAN MORRISON’s “His Band and Street Choir” wonderful follow up to “Moon Dance”,
WOODSTOCK “TheSound Track, JOE COCKER’s“Mad Dogs and Englishmen”, ROD STEWART’s “Gasoline Alley,THE BEACH BOYS “Sunflower” and of course SPIRIT “Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus”.

Funny, by Spring of 71 I was in charge of the record library at the station, a true benefit for any record collector, AND was doing Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, with a weekend show… 16 hours total air time…AND NO HOLDS BARRED.

ON THE TURNTABLE- Best of 1969

ON THE TURNTABLE -1969:

Putting out my BEST OF for this past year made me nostalgic in a way. So I dug out some listings from yesteryear and over the next few weeks I’ll post a few.My brother and I actual compiled lists of our favorite records but this listing is from most of the records I bought that year, in no particular order or preference.

It’s 1969 and my record collection was growing in leaps and bounds. Seems like the more money I had the more records I bought. However, my stereo was not what one would expect of a serious record collector.  I was using an old split speaker (in a case) record player propped up on my desk. But hey, the sucker did the job. That and my portable single speaker cassette player tucked along side my portable PANASONIC AM/FM stereo radio made up my “sound system”. I also had an AM/FM radio bedside. A friend had a huge stereo unit, one with humongous speakers,a turntable with a “stylus” no less, but alas he had virtually no records, always borrowing mine.

Records In My Rotation throughout that year included:

The debut album from LED ZEPPELIN “Led Zeppelin”, I bought this early on in the year after a recommendation from my work buddy, Pete, who saw this “unknown” band open for IRON BUTTERFLY. This album was amazing and it took me a few days to realize that this JIMMY PAGE was the same JIMMY PAGE from THE YARDBIRDS. Later, in the year after its release and after seeing the band live twice I copped LED ZEPPELIN II. Geez, these recordings were unique, and the band was …WOW.

THE BEATLES “Abbey Road” was and still is a hard listen for me, yet when it first was released I played it continuously, usually picking out a song or two before moving on to some other record .It was probably the Harrison tunes that I liked the most.

THE WHO “Tommy” is another difficult record to listen to all the way through, but that year I did see the band perform “Tommy” in its entirety twice, and I must say, live WHO was better than any record.

KING CRIMSON’S “In The Court Of The Crimson King”was/is a great record, one that for its time was truly original. This band blew me away when I saw them in the fall of 69, opening for FLEETWOOD MAC and JOE COCKER. After their 34 minute set, I bought the album the next payday. Speaking of FLEETWOOD MAC “Then Play On”( their 3rd album) drew me to see them live and I became a PETER GREEN fan that night. This collection showed the originals of the name sake take their blues influenced and mostly refurbished recordings a step further. I must have recited the opening of  “Oh, Well-Part 1” a million times to friends, to the point where I was annoying. I still am, say some. And JOE COCKER’s “With A Little Help From My Friends” which I grabbed in the early summer after hearing some of his tunes on the radio and before seeing him and THE GREASE BAND open for The AIRPLANE at FILLMORE EAST was a goodie, but again, live he was a trip.

Also, there was NEIL YOUNG’s masterpiece “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere”, along with FRANK ZAPPA’s “Hot Rats” which help change my musical perspective and soon led me to CAPTAIN BEEFHEART  “Trout Mask Replica”.

Two debuts, one from CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH, a summer hit and Blind Faith’s one and only official release, which I thought was a mess, as was their show at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN. “Nashville Skyline” by BOB DYLAN was a pleasant surprise, even my POP liked it, well, it had JOHNNY CASH on it.THE FLYING BURRITO BROS “Gilded Palace of Sin” was a good pick up and  ISAAC HAYES’ “Hot Buttered Soul” arrived unannounced when I did not respond in time to a record company selection deadline but boy was I glad I got that gem. CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY’s debut double set before they shortened their name to CHICAGO, and coincidentally was the only record I ever bought by them. JETHRO TULL’s “Stand Up” was a mainstay on the turntable along with the profane MC5’s “Kick Out The Jams” which was played on minimal volume as not to upset the parents. And then there was the profanity nestled in JEFFERSON AIRPLANE’s “Volunteers” another record which kept a low profile when played.

I practiced my drums listening to  THE GRATEFUL DEAD’s “Live Dead” but was not enthused with The DOORS “Soft Parade”, and

PINK FLOYD’s Ummagumma was, well, just listen to “Careful With That Axe ,Eugene” and wonder why my Mom would yell, “What is that? Please, no more.” She didn’t particularly enjoy THE STOOGES “The Stooges”, either, no matter how many times I played it. Speaking of Mom’s taste, THE VELVET UNDERGROUND “The Velvet Underground” was more to her liking as was THE KINKS “Arthur”.

JOHN MAYALL’s “Turning Point” was bought the same day as PHAROAH SANDER’s “Karma”, late 1969. Both late night incense burning albums.

and of course, THE ROLLING STONES Beggar’s Banquet which never left my turntable and the follow-up release Let It Bleed (see blog Oct. 20, 2018)

PROCUL HARUM’s “A Salty Dog” which was actually my kid brother’s record found it’s way into my room many a night, along with his SLY and The FAMILY STONE’s “Stand” and JANIS JOPLIN’s “I Got Dem Ole Kosmic Blues Again Mama” but not any of his CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL or his “Odessa” by THE BEE GEES. Just the red felt cover on that one turned my stomach.

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:Neil Young-Solo @Carnegie Hall-January 9,2014

January 9,2014: NEIL YOUNG Solo @ Carnegie Hall

Including stints with CSNY, Crazy Horse, Booker T and The MG’s, and solo I have seen Neil Young perform nine times and this was by far one of the best.Neil, his guitars, keyboards, harmonicas, and a slightly nasty attitude toward the audience members whom were yelling out requests, he was in a zone. Two sets with a slight intermission, and a few encores, while the tickets were expensive, they were worth every penny.

From Billboard: But the highlight of the evening was the sheer strength of the performances of the classic material. Young played versions of songs like “Only Love Can Break Your Heart,” “Ohio,” “Old Man,” “After the Gold Rush” and “Comes A Time” as powerfully and cleanly as you’ve ever heard him play those songs. Performances of 30 or 40-year old songs are rarely so breathtaking and compelling. The gravitas of the venue was a likely contributor to that feeling, but a room can’t carry an entire performance. The credit for that goes entirely to Neil Young, who, at age 68, still has an abundance of grit and fortitude. These songs are giants, and at Carnegie Hall, they were performed as such.

Set 1:

From Hank to Hendrix

Helpless (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song)

On the Way Home (Buffalo Springfield song)

Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Love in Mind

Birds

Mellow My Mind

Are You Ready for the Country

Someday

Changes (Phil Ochs cover)

Harvest

Old Man

Set 2:

Goin’ Back

A Man Needs a Maid

Ohio (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song)

Southern Man

Needle of Death (Bert Jansch cover)

The Needle and the Damage Done

Harvest Moon

Flying on the Ground Is Wrong (Buffalo Springfield song) After the Gold Rush

Journey Through the Past

Heart of Gold

Encore:

Comes a Time

Long May You Run (The Stills-Young Band song)

TICKETS TORN IN HALF: After The Springfield- Three Nights with CSN&Y

After Buffalo Springfield:CSN&Y

Winter was slowly turning into Spring of1967, while me as a 15 year old spent some afternoons watching “WHERE THE ACTION IS” with its usual cast of characters featuring the likes of PAUL REVERE and THE RAIDERS,DON and THE GOODTIMES,when the show’s host Dick Clark introduces a new group, BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD.Two night later the same band is on THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS COMEDY HOUR. A few weeks hence, same guys (or so I thought at the time-see bass player arrested) wearing cowboy hats and fringed leather jackets were on HOLLYWOOD PALACE (verified by angelfire.com).Who are these guys? More importantly, Where do I get their music?

In short order I have their 45, “For What It’s Worth” b/w “Do I Have To Come Right Out And Say It?”. Not enough, I needed more. So I hop on the bus to the neighboring TSS store which had a great record department. There I pick up a mono copy of the band’s first album but while at the register the guy behind the counter informed me this collection in hand did NOT have the “For What It’s Worth” single on it.He suggested I pick up the newer copies, the ones with “Newest Hit Single Included” sticker on it, to which I did.Looking back, as I vinyl record collector I wish I would have purchased the original copy, worth a few bucks today. Anyway,I digress, this is where my Neil Young, and in many parts Stills and Furay, story begins…I loved listening to the Buffalo Springfield, however short their time in the limelight was.

POST SPRINGFIELD:

SEPTEMBER 20,1969: CROSBY, STILLS, NASH and YOUNG/ LONNIE MACK @ FILLMORE EAST

During the Summer of 1969 I purchased 2 tickets to see CROSBY, STILLS and NASH who would be headlining a bill with COUNTRY JOE for the weekend of July 25/26 (3 weeks BEFORE Woodstock)at FILLMORE EAST.Great seats arrived. Their debut album was on heavy rotation on my turntable and needless to say I was excited to see them live.But as fate would have it, they cancelled.Then mid-August, a FILLMORE EAST ad in THE VILLAGE VOICE announced shows for September and October. BINGO, Crosby Stills and Nash were advertised but it included Neil Young a part of the group???“Seriously”, I thought, “no way they added NEIL YOUNG”!!! Oh, I must go. Great seats, fourth row center arrived.

Now, its’s a month after Woodstock and here they are, CSN&YOUNG. Ahhhhh… The opening act, Lonnie Mack was playing his legendary Flying V Gibson offering a very tasty, short and sweet set. Along with 2600 others I waited patiently as the crew prepared the equipment for the next act. A Hammond B-3, huge drum riser, plenty of different models and types of amps, racks of beautiful guitars, and more microphones then I ever saw graced the stage.Bill Graham did the intro and the band (CSN) seated on strolls, playing acoustic guitars kicked off with the album’s opening track, Suite:JudyBlue Eyes. After a few more tunes a bass player and drummer join in as did NEIL YOUNG. What was already a great show, a 10 out of 10, but once Neil Young plugged in he pushed the band into the stratosphere. The highlights of the night for me were Broken Arrow, Wooden Ships and the closer, Down By The River.

Set List:

SUITE: JUDY BLUE EYES

BLACKBIRD (Beatles cover)

HELPLESSLY HOPING

GUINNEVERE

LADY OF THE ISLAND

GO BACK HOME

4+20

ON THE WAY HOME

BROKEN ARROW

I’VE LOVED HER SO LONG

YOU DON’T HAVE TO CRY

Second Set:

PRE-ROAD DOWNS

LONG TIME GONE

BLUEBIRD REVISITED

SEA OF MADNESS

WOODEN SHIPS

DOWN BY THE RIVER
Nine months later, a life time for an 18 year old in 1970: JUNE 7: CROSBY, STILLS, NASH and YOUNG

Earlier that spring Bill Graham announced the listing of shows booked for the remainder of the season. He also told the crowd that a new FILLMORE EAST sound system would be installed over the summer, as if this place needed a new one, already having the best system around.  One of the announced shows was a six night engagement featuring Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, no opening act, one show per night at 9PM. These tickets sold out in an unprecedented time. My SASE returned without tickets, a true first for me. I was disappointed but hey, I saw them once.

The Friday night of the CSNY run I attended my girlfriend’s senior prom. There at the table, the 8 of us, four couples, vowed to attend the next night’s show. Even if we did not get tickets we would stay outside listening to the music. Arriving early in hopes of scoring tickets we wandered around the famed venue in our attempt to get tickets. But to no avail. Our lady friends took it upon themselves to wait on line for “stand by” tickets. The show was scheduled for 9PM, and the box office usually released the “stand by” tickets about an hour before show time.  However, tonight was different as the woman in the ticket booth, after listening to our girl’s tale of woe took pity on them. The girls bought two tickets each, totaling eight tickets, all seated together in the fourth row center.

The CSNY show was recorded each night and the best performances from that week were compiled and released a few months later as FOUR WAY STREET. Our show started with solo sets from each performer doing a few of the classic tunes they were known for. KING MIDAS IN REVERSE, a HOLLIES classic was done by Nash. Stephen Stills did manic solo piano work on 49 BYE BYES, Crosby scored with TRIAD. But for me the highlight was acoustic Neil Young. Geez, what a great start to a show. And the band didn’t even do their collective electric set yet. It only got better.

Acoustic Set:

Suite:Judy Blues Eyes

Blackbird

On the Way Home

Teach Your Children

Tell Me Why

Triad

Guinnevere

Another Sleep Song

Man in the Mirror

Don’t Let It Bring You Down

The Loner

Cinnamon Girl

Down By The River

Black Queen

49 Bye-Byes

America’s Children

Love the One You’re With

Electric Set:

Pre-Road Downs

Long Time Gone

Helplessly Hoping

Southern Man

As I Come of Age

Ohio

Carry On

Encore:

Woodstock

Find the Cost of Freedom

36 Years Later:

I lost interest in CSN and/or CSNY as a collective unit early on, probably about the time I first saw the NEW YORK DOLLS. Somehow, guys sitting on a stool playing acoustic guitars made little sense to my rock n roll mind. Don’t get me wrong, I would go see Neil Young at the drop of a hat and did many times. Stills, once solo at a good show in Tramps, and Crosby once recently at City Winery NY, he still has the pipes. Nash showed up at the Steve Earle benefit last year, and well, best left unsaid. But 1970-2006 I had zero enthusiasm for the band(s)CSN/CSNY recorded or live. Then, my buddy’s wife bought a bank of 20 tickets expecting my bride and I would join the gang.

August 22, 2006: CSNY Freedom of Speech Tour @ Jones Beach

My notes are limited so I leave it to a review from VARIETY:

For the half of the 3½ hour show in which Young took the spotlight, you could believe that music may have the power to change events. He and a band that includes longtime Young collaborators Spooner Oldham and Ben Keith performed songs with a raggedy intensity that perfectly suits the material’s broadside emotions.

He opened the show with “Flags of Freedom,” a compassionate account of a family sending their son to fight in Iraq; they ended the second set with “Find the Cost of Freedom,” accompanied by thumbnail photos of the war’s 2,576 fatalities. He’s especially offended by the fact that President Bush has yet to attend a funeral of a fallen soldier (a fact twice mentioned on the “Living With War” news reports that run during his songs). With CSN adding their harmonies in place of the 100-voice choir on “War,” the new songs bristle with a righteous anger.

The other three never left their late ’60s/early ’70s comfort zone. You could argue that Nash’s “Military Madness” has some relevance today, but it’s hard to make that case for Crosby’s “Almost Cut My Hair” or Nash’s “Chicago” — for most people nowadays, the image of someone “bound and gagged” and “chained to a chair” does not bring up memories of Mayor Daley and the ’68 Democratic Convention. And closing the first set with “Deja Vu” only served to remind people that, yes, we all have heard this all before.

Their attitude turned protest into nothing more than a pose; it’s as if they believe that by replicating the sounds of ’60s protest, they’ll be able to ignite a similar movement today. Like one of the peace signs on their backdrop, the band is looking a little worse for wear. Nash’s voice is often strained, while Stills’ is ravaged. When he takes the lead, the results are sad to hear; unlike other singers whose voices have aged badly, he doesn’t seem to have figured out ways to get around it. On “Wounded World” and “Treetop Flyer,” he veers into Bob Dylan territory. Crosby, on the other hand, ignores all medical science, retaining his voice against all odds.

For all its faults, a show like CSNY’s brings up some intriguing questions about what protest music in the 21st century should sound like. In our more corporate time, in which record labels and radio stations tread lightly on controversial topics, perhaps only a band such as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, which no longer cares about radio airplay and has a loyal cadre of fans, can get away with calling for the president’s impeachment and project the lyrics of Young’s indictment onto giant video screens. They may be preaching to the choir, but it’s still good to hear.

Band: David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, Neil Young, Spooner Oldham, Chad Cromwell, Rick Rosas, Ben Keith, Tom Bray. Reviewed July 31, 2006.

ME: Needless to say, the bill should have read NEIL YOUNG with…

Flags of Freedom

Carry On

Wooden Ships

Long Time Gone

Military Madness

After the Garden

Living With War

The Restless Consumer

Shock and Awe

Wounded World

Almost Cut My Hair

Immigration Man

Families

Déjà Vu

SET 2

Helplessly Hoping

Our House

Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Guinnevere

Milky Way Tonight

Treetop Flyer

Roger and Out

Southbound Train

Ole Man Trouble

Carry Me

Southern Cross

Find the Cost of Freedom

ENCORE

Let’s Impeach the President

For What It’s Worth

Chicago

Ohio

What Are Their Names

Rockin’ in the Free World

ENCORE

Teach Your Children

 

 

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:September 20,1969-CROSBY,STILLS,NASH AND YOUNG/ Lonnie Mack@FILLMORE EAST

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:September 20,1969-CROSBY,STILLS,NASH AND YOUNG/ Lonnie Mack@FILLMORE EAST

We two, my girl and I, were back at FILLMORE EAST, middle section a few rows back from the stage to see Crosby Stills Nash who now added Neil Young.This show was originally schedule as CROSBY,STILLS and NASH for August but was postponed. Now, a month after Woodstock here they were as CSN&YOUNG. Ahhhhh… The opening act, Lonnie Mack playing his Flying V Gibson was very tasty, and of course he did his version of Memphis.

The week of the Led Zeppelin show in May I had purchased a new pair of boots from a shoe shoppe on West 8th Street, a few doors down from Orange Julius and ElectricLady Studio. The night of CSN&Y I was wearing these boots and my girlfriend noticed Graham Nash had on the same identical boots. At seventeen years of age, sitting at a Fillmore show with a slight glow on, listening to Graham’s Nash playing his  acoustic guitar, while wearing the same boots as me,yes, life was great.

CSN played Suite:Judy followed by a few tunes before Neil joined in as did a bass player and drummer. The highlights were Broken Arrow, Wooden Ships and the closer was Down By The River.

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD- CHAPTER 31: BACK TO SCHOOL: SENIOR YEAR (Part1)

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD- CHAPTER 31: BACK TO SCHOOL: SENIOR YEAR (Part1)

With only one full day of my senior year of high school under my belt I needed a rest so I took the afternoon off from work and travelled back to The Pavilion grabbing tickets at the door to see The MC-5, The Stooges with David Peel and The Lower East Side. These bands, two from Detroit, and Peel from NYC,were not my usual fare of British blues bands or San Franciscan hippies. These guys were what has been called “radical chic”. After seeing a TV news segment about The Stooges I knew that this band intrigued me and I should make an attempt to see them LIVE whenever they hit town. This particular show was enlightening to say the very least. It started late, finished later, and the crowd, not as dense in population as the Led Zeppelin show a week earlier, can best be described as “crazy”, made up of mostly drunken guys,who were also very high and a bit dirty, so my outfit for the evening did NOT fit in. But, did I fit in either? That was the question.

The Stooges had a nice droning sound with a lead singer with….ah, charisma? Eventually he had no shirt and pants that barely stayed on his hips while shaking his skinny ass toward the crowd. His performance had every one’s attention…I WANNA BE YOUR DOG, 1969 OKAY, What were they doing? What were they saying? I didn’t exactly know what was happening musically but I knew this was different, very, very different.

The stars of the evening,The MC5 were awesome, almost in the way The Who did it for me a few months previously. These guys were loud, fast, riotous, revolutionary, all with a coordinated choreography. The dance steps were just as amazing as the music was loud. I took something away from this show… on the car ride home I heard a new Creedence song on the FM radio and thought to myself, “What is that shit?”, yeah, The 5 and Stooges helped steer me in new direction; guitars, bass and drums…loud and louder if possible, and the lead singer doesn’t necessarily need to know how to sing. Who needs love songs anyway? And I needed to skip school the next day.

It was about this time that I thought I should buckle down for my last year of high school. I survived so far with a B+ average which should have been higher but I didn’t care. I had all the necessary credits to graduate already chalked up except English 12. Religion and PE were required but didn’t count as full credit courses. To fill my schedule I continued taking art classes and two history electives. My schedule had a study hall every other day first period which would be a problem for my brother as I would like to hit the diner those morning. If he rode with me in the car, it was the diner for him too. I didn’t mind paying the 25 cents school fines for being late, and an additional 25 cents for signing in while being out of uniform as my tie and jacket would remain in my locker.

At this time a bunch of us planned on attending TEN YEARS AFTER at FILLMORE EAST. I grabbed some good Orchestra tickets for the Saturday night early show fully anticipating another great night of scorching TEN YEARS AFTER blues/rock. The show was as advertised, great. The Flock, a horn ensemble with a violin player to boot opened the festivities for the evening and closed their set with a KinKs tune, TIRED OF WAITING. Very cool. Mother Earth was next up. “Boring as boring can be”is the way I described that act to my friends. Still to this day one of my all time LEAST FAVORITE ACTS is Tracy Nelson fronting MOTHER EARTH.

TYA, that’s what was printed on the buttons we were handed as we entered the venue, rocked the house (Spoonful,Good Morning Little School Girl, I Can’t Keep From Crying, Hobbit,Help Me and of course I’m Going Home, the same exact set as played a few weeks ago in Freeport (and I bet same set they played at Woodstock) with a few Chuck Berry encores thrown in. TYA did Chuck Berry better than Chuck Berry. Alvin Lee was tearing it up, Leo Lyons’ head bouncing along to his bounding bass, Chick Churchill standing, clapping, leading the audience from atop his Leslie, and Ric Lee pounding out the back beat. Sold, they were my new FAVORITE  live band, a sentiment which could change nightly. Sweating we hit the night air totally satisfied and spent. The gang walked slowly through the Village proudly wearing our TYA buttons.

 

A few days later I took the program from the show to school. A (attractive) female classmate who paid no attention to me the last three years noticed the program, perused it, and we, she and I, became instant music buddies, opening a whole conversation with a whole new sphere of friends for me. Ah, senior year was not going to be a drag after all. Not only did I feel differently, the way I was seeing things or being seen was different.

The following weekend we two, my girl and I, were back at the same hall, almost the same orchestra seats as the TYA show, middle section a few rows back from the stage to see Crosby Stills Nash who now added Neil Young.This show was originally schedule as CROSBY,STILLS and NASH for August but was postponed. Now, a month after Woodstock here they were as CSN&YOUNG. Ahhhhh… The opening act, Lonnie Mack playing his Flying V Gibson was very tasty, and of course he did his version of Memphis.

The week of the Led Zeppelin show in May I had purchased a new pair of boots from a shoe shoppe on West 8th Street, a few doors down from Orange Julius and ElectricLady Studio. The night of CSN&Y I was wearing these boots and my girlfriend noticed Graham Nash had on the same identical boots. At seventeen years of age, sitting at a Fillmore show with a slight glow on, listening to Graham’s Nash playing his  acoustic guitar, while wearing the same boots as me,yes, life was great.

CSN played Suite:Judy followed by a few tunes before Neil joined in as did a bass player and drummer. The highlights were Broken Arrow, Wooden Ships and the closer, Down By The River. Again I brought the program to school, and met some more like minded classmates. My new music buddy (female) from last week invited me to smoke a joint behind the school at lunch. Somehow, I should have sensed that this might not be a good thing. Not that smoking a joint behind the school was a new thing to me but with this girl…

NEWS: What the hell is going on? Chicago is at it again, this time it’s the WEATHER UNDERGROUND- a radical group known as The Weatherman- who are demonstrating in protest of the CHICAGO EIGHT TRIAL. The National Guard is called in.

Hundreds of THOUSANDS of people are demonstrating against the WAR and in baseball world the NY METS win the WORLD SERIES, 4 games to 1, over the Baltimore Orioles.YOU GOTTA BELIEVE.

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:August 19,1996-NEIL CRAZY w/CRAZY HORSE@Madison Square Garden

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:August 19,1996-NEIL CRAZY w/CRAZY HORSE@Madison Square GardenNeil w/ Horse are playing at Jones Beach, a closer venue, a few night later but I opt for MSG because nothing beats that place in “arena” rock. Tonight Neil w/Crazy Horse are on their BROKEN ARROW tour which will be the fodder for the video/cd/etc THE YEAR OF THE HORSE. YOUTUBE.COM has the entire footage of MSG available for viewing.

HEY,HEY,MY,MY

POCAHONTAS

BIG TIME

SLIP AWAY

THE NEEDLE AND THE DAMAGE DONE

HEART OF GOLD

SUGAR MOUNTAIN

CINNAMON GIRL

FUCKIN’ UP

CORTEZ THE KILLER

MUSIC ARCADE

LIKE A HURRICANE

SEDAN DELIVERY

PRISONERS OF ROCK N’ ROLL

TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT

 

Neil Young’s Appeal Crosses Generations At Energetic Show

 

By Frank Scheck, Special to The Christian Science Monitor SEPTEMBER 6, 1996

NEW YORK — Neil Young may be a critics’ darling, but the tumultuous audience response to the blistering show he and Crazy Horse put on at Madison Square Garden made it clear that audiences adore him, too. The crowd, which largely consisted of people too young to walk when he started his career, knew that Young is the real goods, the godfather of grunge, and that the years haven’t dimmed his rock-and-roll passion.

The anomaly is that Young and his cohorts put on what could be considered a greatest-hits show, with many of the selections dating back two decades or more, but he totally avoids the stigma of being an oldies act. A vital artist who still releases an album a year (or more) of passionate, powerful music, Young is a shining example that a rock legend doesn’t have to burn out or fade away.

That was demonstrated by the first song, a version of “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)” that was just as powerful as it was during the “Rust Never Sleeps” period. The crowd was instantly galvanized and stayed that way during a two-hour set.

Young and Crazy Horse ranged through their entire career, performing incendiary versions of classics and lesser-known titles like “Cinnamon Girl,” “Sedan Delivery,” the 10-minute long “Cortez the Killer,” “Tonight’s the Night,” the appropriately themed “Prisoners of Rock and Roll,” as well as several cuts from the new “Broken Arrow” release. As Young played the guitar, his body language was nearly as compelling as the sounds he was making. During the lengthy guitar instrumentals that punctuated most of the songs, he and Poncho Sampedro (guitar) and Billy Talbot (bass) would stand in a circle playing to one another.

Young, looking suitably grungy in baggy shorts and a dingy T-shirt, also played a compelling solo acoustic set, consisting of such classics as “Sugar Mountain” and “Heart of Gold.”

The highlight was the show-ending “Like a Hurricane,” which ended in frenzy of guitar fury in which Young made his instrument produce a sound like the rumble of a hurricane; then, with a theatrical flourish, he tore every string of the guitar, practically destroying it in the process. It was a bit of shtick that would have made a punk rocker three decades his junior envious.

The show is a good deal for the dollar, with such strong opening acts as The Afghan Whigs and the singer Jewel.

 

 

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD- CHAPTER 29: WOODSTOCK

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD- CHAPTER 29: WOODSTOCK

Joni Mitchell did not attend WOODSTOCK. Her agent DAVID GEFFEN in his ultimate wisdom thought it would be best for her to remain in the CHELSEA HOTEL in Manhattan resting up for her appearance on the DICK CAVETT television show the following Monday night. The afternoon of the Cavett taping, surprise, many of her friends, those who performed during the legendary weekend arrived to sit in on the taping.They were David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Jefferson Airplane.

In the months and years that followed the giant festival, it would be the “Woodstock” song that Joni Mitchell had written about the gathering which she composed on the basis of reports from her then boyfriend Graham Nash, plus what she saw on television.

I didn’t go to Woodstock, thought about it and planned to go with 3 friends but decided against it at the last minute. I never regretted giving the tickets away. No doubt the music was amazing but I enjoy the modern convinces of food, bath, etc. Festivals are not made for me, or me for them. I’d much rather be in a small club seeing a few bands then be in a large, muddy field hearing (might not be seeing) many, many groups. However, The WOODSTOCK MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL was a pivotal moment in history circa 1969.

As a historian I studied who played and when they played, what they played, how much they were paid, the weather they played in, the traffic problems in getting the artists to the stage,as well as the hundreds of filed news reports which later documented the financial dilemma of the festival ,and ultimately,information regarding the movie. So here goes, whether you want it or not…

Originally the promoters established a cap set at $15,000 per artist (band) to perform, except Hendrix ($18,000) which was a story unto itself.

After being denied permits for the original site (Wallkill, NY), which was near WOODSTOCK (hence the name)  the promoters of the festival found a good soul of a farmer located in BETHEL (White Lake),NEW YORK (43 miles away from original site) named MAX YASGUR who received $10,000 to lease the land (damage estimate to his fields was over $50,000).

Ticket prices were advertised as $6.00 a day (single day tickets) or $18.00 for the entire weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday). Prior to the event 186,000 tickets were (reportedly) sold. (My math: tix sales $3,348,000…band fees $139,825)

Looking years hence, one “bargain” group for the festival would be SANTANA, paid a measly $750.00 as they were unknown act managed by Bill Graham. And then there was IRON BUTTERFLY for not showing up to collect a $10,000 fee, which was a hefty price to pay a band on a sharp decline. The WOODSTOCK movie would have been 4 hours longer if IB showed up and played IN A GADDA DA VIDA.

The first band to agree to perform, and given a hefty fee ($10,000) as well as being offered a prime spot in the line up, was CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL. Until that agreement the promoters found it difficult to find any band to perform. Once CCR was announced the other “big named” acts signed up. A note of importance: CCR under the leadership of John Fogerty refused to be taped for the movie and Fogerty bitched about the GRATEFUL DEAD “putting the crowd to sleep” prior to CCR hitting the stage.

Friday Aug.15th- THE LINEUP

Richie Havens 5:07 pm – 7:00 pm

Swami Satch 7:10 pm – 7:20 pm

Sweetwater 7:30 pm – 8:10 pm

Bert Sommer 8:20 pm – 9:15 pm

Tim Hardin 9:20 pm – 9:45 pm

Ravi Shankar 10:00 pm – 10:35 pm

Melanie 10:50 pm – 11:20 pm

Arlo Guthrie 11:55 pm – 12:25 am

Joan Baez 12:55 am – 2:00 am

Richie Havens ($6000) 5:07-7:00PM

Richie Havens opened the festival with a rousing performance. He was asked to continue playing by the promoters as other acts were delayed due to the traffic problems, the roads leading into the small upstate New York town and the major highway feeding it were at a virtual standstill. Knowing he had run out of tunes, Havens improvised a tune he called “FREEDOM” which is actually an old spiritual known as “MOTHERLESS CHILD”.

From The Prison

Let’s Get Together

From The Prison (reprise)

Minstrel from Gault

I’m A Stranger Here

High Flying Bird

I Can’t Make It Anymore

With A Little Help From My Friends

Handsome Johnny

Strawberry Fields Forever/Hey Jude

Freedom (Motherless Child)

Next up was SWAMI SATCHIDANANDA (7:10-7:20PM) who offered his blessing to the masses in the audience.

SWEETWATER ($1,250) (7:30-8:10) Actually Sweetwater was scheduled to open the festival but were stuck in traffic and had the pleasure of an additional stop requested by NYS Troopers. These conditions slowed their arrival to be the first ACT to perform but they were the first BAND to play and what do they open with one might ask:

 

Motherless Child.

Look Out

For Pete’s Sake

Day Song

What’s Wrong

Crystal Spider

Two Worlds

Why Oh Why

Let The Sun Shine In (from Hair)

Oh Happy Day

BERT SOMMER (fee unknown)was “the hair” from the Broadway play HAIR. Bret was once a member of THE LEFT BANKE before landing on The Great White Way . He penned a few tunes for The Vagrants (Leslie West’s band of old). Bret on his own( with a few side men) offered a ten song set.(8:20-9:15)

Jennifer

The Road To Travel

I Wondered Where You’d Be

She’s Gone

Things Are Going My Way

And When It’s Over

Jeanette

America (Simon Garfunkel tune)

A Note That Read

Smile

TIM HARDEN: ($2000) 9:20- 9:45 plays a very short set. As short as it was it was a great set of tunes. Mr. Harden was overwhelmed, reportedly due to his heroin addiction and his fear of performing, after seeing the massive crowd out front.

(How Can We) Hang on to a Dream

Susan

If I Were a Carpenter

Reason to Believe

You Upset the Grace of Living When You Lie

Speak Like a Child

Snow White Lady

Blues on My Ceiling

Simple Song of Freedom

Misty Roses

RAVI SHAKAR ($4,500) played for about a half hour (10:00- 10-35) and I can’t really spell the ragas he played but he played three.

MELANIE: ($750)  plays at 10:50-11:20 in place of THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND who refused to play in the rain. Hmmmm, strange, an acoustic ensemble afraid of the water. So MELANIE steps up and offers the following set list:

Close to It All

Momma Momma

Beautiful People

Animal Crackers

Mr. Tambourine Man

Tuning My Guitar

Birthday of the Sun

ARLO GUTHRIE:($5000)11:55- 12:25AM

Coming into Los Angeles

Wheel of Fortune

Walking Down the Line

Arlo Speech: Exodus

Oh Mary, Don’t You Weep

Every Hand in the Land

Amazing Grace

JOAN BAEZ: A pregnant Joan Baez was paid $10,000 bucks to close out  Day 1 aka The Folk Segment.

Oh Happy Day

The Last Thing On My Mind

I Shall Be Released

Story about how the Federal Marshals came to take David Harris into custody

Joe Hill

Sweet Sir Galahad

Hickory Wind

Drug Store Truck Driving Man

I Live One Day at a Time

Take Me Back to the Sweet Sunny South

Let Me Wrap You in My Warm and Tender Love

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

We Shall Overcome

Saturday Aug. 16th  DAY TWO SCHEDULE

Quill 12:15 pm – 12:45 pm

Country Joe McDonald 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Santana 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm

John Sebastian 3:30 pm – 3:55 pm

Keef Hartley Band 4:45 pm – 5:30 pm

Incredible String Band 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Canned Heat 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Mountain 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Grateful Dead 10:30 pm – 12:05 am

Creedence 12:30 am – 1:20 am

Janis Joplin 2:00 am – 3:00 am

Sly & Family Stone 3:30 am – 4:20 am

The Who 5:00 am – 6:05 am

Jefferson Airplane 8:00 am – 9:40 am

QUILL (12:15- 12:45)

They Live the Life

That’s How I Eat

Driftin’

Waitin’ for You

COUNTRY JOE McDONALD – solo (1:00- 1:30PM)

Janis

Donovan’s Reef

Heartaches by the Number

Ring of Fire

Tennessee Stud

Rockin’ Round the World

Flying All the Way

Seen a Rocket

“Fish” Cheer / I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag

SANTANA ($750) 2:00- 2:45PM

Waiting

Evil Ways

You Just Don’t Care

Savor

Jingo

Persuasion

Soul Sacrifice

Fried Neckbones And Some Home Fries

JOHN SEBASTIAN ($1000) 3:30- 3:55PM

John Sebastian was there as a spectator, one allowed to pitch a tent in the backstage area. When the managers realized they had a huge time lapse after SANTANA they asked Sebastian if he would sing a few ,offering to pay him $1000.00  Before that moment he had no intention of performing but said okay. With no true (rehearsed) set list and a BORROWED guitar he hit the stage, loaded as all get out in his tie dyed outfit. One thousand bucks for a five song 25 minute set. Not too shabby, and a great way (after the movie) to revitalize his career.

How Have You Been

Rainbows All Over Your Blues

I Had A Dream

Darlin’ Be Home Soon

Younger Generation

KEEF HARTLEY BAND: (4:45-5:30) ($500.00)

The first question most ask is: WHO?. KEEF Hartley was a drummer of some renown having taken the drum throne in RORY AND THE HURRICANES when RICHARD STARKEY  aka RINGO STARR left for greener pastures. KEEF later joined forces with JOHN MAYALL playing drums on Mayall’s solo endeavor THE BLUES ALONE.  At Woodstock , their FIRST American gig, KHB performed as a Big Band complete with horns, ala Blood Sweat and Tears.

Spanish Fly

Think It Over

She’s Gone

Too Much Thinking

The Halfbred

Believe In You

Rock Me Baby

Medley: Sinnin’ For You, et al.

THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND (6:00-6:30)($2250.00) Imagine you are the acoustic ISB at Woodstock,it’s late Saturday afternoon and you are called upon to perform for a crowd that is in PARTY mode. Good luck, especially since you refused to play Friday night in the rain.Karma is a bitch.

Invocation (Spoken Word)

The Letter

Gather Round

This Moment

Come With Me

When You Find Out Who You Are

It’s early Saturday evening and everybody is here. It’s time to BOOGIE. Hey, after The Incredible String Band you could get thunderous applause for tuning up for an hour and get the crowd going.

CANNED HEAT 7:30-8:30 ($6500)-  to me this is a huge fee to pay the band as Harvey Mandell replaced Henry Vestine on guitar only a few days before.

I’m Her Man

Going Up The Country

A Change Is Gonna Come/Leaving This Town

I Know My Baby

Woodstock (Refried Hockey) Boogie- (45 minutes long)

On The Road Again

MOUNTAIN: ($2000.00) (9PM-10PM)

Blood of the Sun

Stormy Monday

Theme for an Imaginary Western

Long Red

For Yasgur’s Farm (named later)

Beside the Sea

Waiting to Take You Away

Dreams of Milk and Honey > Guitar Solo

Blind Man

Dirty Shoes Blues

Southbound Train

THE GRATEFUL DEAD: (10:30-12:05) ($2500.00)

Rumor has it that this was one of the worst Dead performances. Mid show they stood without playing, just tuning up for ten minutes.

The Dead’s lifeless show pissed off John Fogerty who with Creedence was scheduled to go on next but The Dead put everyone to sleep, he said.

St. Stephen

Mama Tried

Dark Star

High Time

Turn On Your Lovelight (45 minutes)

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL (12:30 AM-1:20 AM)($10,000) Crazy money but these swamp rockers were huge that summer.

Born on the Bayou

Green River

Ninety-Nine and a Half (Won’t Do)

Commotion

Bootleg

Bad Moon Rising

Proud Mary

I Put a Spell on You

The Night Time Is the Right Time

Keep on Chooglin’

Suzy Q

JANIS JOPLIN (2AM-3AM)$7,500

Raise Your Hand

As Good As You’ve Been To This World

To Love Somebody

Summertime

Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)

Kosmic Blues

Can’t Turn You Loose

Work Me Lord

Piece Of My Heart

Ball and Chain

SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE(3:30-4:20 AM)$7,000

M’Lady

Sing A Simple Song

You Can Make It If You Try

Everyday People

Dance To The Music

Music Lover

I Want To Take You Higher

Love City

Stand!

THE WHO (5AM- Sunrise 6:05)$11,200 (fee is questionable) Abbie Hoffman made a surprise cameo and met Pete’s boot.

Heaven And Hell

I Can’t Explain

It’s A Boy

1921

Amazing Journey

Sparks

Eyesight To The Blind

Christmas

Tommy Can You Hear Me?

Acid Queen

Pinball Wizard

*Abbie Hoffmann Incident*

Fiddle About

There’s A Doctor I’ve Found

Go To The Mirror Boy

Smash The Mirror

I’m Free

Tommy’s Holiday Camp

We’re Not Gonna Take It

See Me Feel Me

Summertime Blues

Shakin’ All Over

My Generation

Naked Eye

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE “Good morning people” 8AM -9:40 ($7500)

The Other Side of This Life

Somebody to Love

3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds

Won’t You Try / Saturday Afternoon

Eskimo Blue Day

Plastic Fantastic Lover

Wooden Ships

Uncle Sam Blues

Volunteers

The Ballad of You & Me & Pooneil

Come Back Baby

White Rabbit

The House at Pooneil Corner

Sunday Aug. 17th (Day 3)

Joe Cocker and The Grease Band 2:00 pm – 3:25 pm($1,375)

Jam (without Cocker)

40,000 Headmen (without Cocker)

Dear Landlord

Something’s Coming On

Do I Still Figure in Your Life

Feelin’ Alright

Just Like a Woman

Let’s Go Get Stoned

I Don’t Need No Doctor

I Shall Be Released

Hitchcock Railway

Something to Say

With a Little Help from My Friends

THUNDERSTORMS-DELAY

Country Joe and the Fish 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm($2500)

Rock & Soul Music

(Thing Called) Love

Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine

Sing, Sing, Sing

Summer Dresses

Friend, Lover, Woman, Wife

Silver and Gold

Maria

The Love Machine

Ever Since You Told Me That You Love Me (I’m a Nut)

Short Jam (instrumental)

Crystal Blues

Rock & Soul Music (Reprise)

“Fish” Cheer / I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag

Ten Years After 8:15 pm – 9:15 pm ($3250)

Spoonful

Good Morning Little Schoolgirl

Hobbit

I Can’t Keep from Crying Sometimes

Help Me

I’m Going Home

The Band 10:00 pm – 10:50 pm($7500)

Chest Fever

Don’t Do It

Tears of Rage

We Can Talk

Long Black Veil

Don’t You Tell Henry

Ain’t No More Cane on the Brazos

This Wheel’s on Fire

I Shall Be Released

The Weight

Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever

Johnny & Edgar Winter 12:00 am – 1:05 am($3750)

Mama, Talk to Your Daughter

Six Feet Under the Ground

Leland Mississippi Blues

Mean Town Blues

You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now

Mean Mistreater

I Can’t Stand It (With Edgar Winter)

Tobacco Road (With Edgar Winter)

Tell the Truth (With Edgar Winter)

Johnny B. Goode

Blood, Sweat & Tears 1:30 am – 2:30 am ($15,000)

More and More

Just One Smile

Something’s Coming On

I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know

Spinning Wheel

Sometimes in Winter

Smilin’ Phases

God Bless The Child

And When I Die

You’ve Made Me So Very Happy

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young 3:00 am – 4:00 am ($5000)

Stephen Stills said, “This is the second time we’ve ever played in front of people, man. We’re scared shitless.”

(Set One – Acoustic)

Suite: Judy Blue Eyes

Blackbird

Helplessly Hoping

Guinnevere

Marrakesh Express

4 + 20

Mr Soul

Wonderin’

You Don’t Have To Cry

(Set Two – Electric)

Pre-road Downs

Long Time Gone

Bluebird

Sea Of Madness

Wooden Ships

(Encores)

Find The Cost Of Freedom

49 Bye-Byes

Paul Butterfield Blues Band 6:00 am – 6:45 am (fee unknown)

Born Under a Bad Sign

No Amount of Loving

Driftin’ and Driftin’

Morning Sunrise

All in a Day

Love March

Everything’s Gonna Be Alright

Sha Na Na 7:30 am – 8:00 am($700)

Get A Job

Come Go With Me

Silhuettes

Teen Angel

Jailhouse Rock

Wipe Out

(Who Wrote) The Book of Love

Little Darling

At The Hop

Duke Of Earl

Get A Job (Reprise)

Jimi Hendrix 9:00 am – 11:10 am($18000)

Message of Love

Hear my Train a Comin’

Spanish Castle Magic

Red House

Mastermind

Lover Man

Foxy Lady

Beginnings

Izabella

Gypsy Woman/Aware of Love

Fire

Voodoo Child- slight return

Stepping Stone

The Star Spangled Banner

Purple Haze

Woodstock Improv

Villanova Junction

Hey Joe

 

 

FEES:

Jimi Hendrix – $30,000 for two sets plus $2,000 for expenses. Note- There was a cap of $15,000 per artist at Woodstock so a deal was made for Hendrix to play two sets, an acoustic set and a set with his band.Actually he made $18,000.

Blood, Sweat & Tears – $15,000

Joan Baez – $10,000

Creedence Clearwater Revival – $10,000

The Band – $7,500

Janis Joplin – $7,500

Jefferson Airplane – $7,500

Sly and the Family Stone – $7,000

Canned Heat – $6,500

The Who – $6,250 (also reported at $11,200 but Variety claimed that number was inaccurate)

Richie Havens – $6,000

Arlo Guthrie – $5,000

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – $5,000

Ravi Shankar – $4,500

Johnny Winter – $3,750

Ten Years After – $3,250

Country Joe and the Fish – $2,500

Grateful Dead – $2,500

The Incredible String Band – $2,250

Mountain – $2,000

Tim Hardin – $2,000

Joe Cocker – $1,375

Sweetwater – $1,250

John B. Sebastian – $1,000

Melanie – $750

Santana – $750

Sha Na Na – $700

(photos and clippings may or may not be from WOODSTOCK. Just representations of artist which performed there.)

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD- CHAPTER 28: TWO WEEKS BEFORE WOODSTOCK

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD- CHAPTER 28: TWO WEEKS BEFORE WOODSTOCK

Not much happening on the concert circuit as the FILLMORE was closing down in anticipation of WOODSTOCK. My first festival, not WOODSTOCK, was a one night event called the LONG ISLAND ROCK FESTIVAL @ Freeport Race Track, August 6,1969 (2 weeks before Woodstock) featuring CANNED HEAT, TEN YEARS AFTER, CAT MOTHER AND THE ALL NIGHT NEWSBOYS, and a Boston band ORPHEUS. TEN YEARS AFTER was the tease for me. In total after all is said and done, I have seen TYA eighteen times with this being the first time. Prior to attending this “festival” I put in a full day at work and a short visit to the doctor. While working the “hi-lo”moving skids filled with boxes from the floor to the high shelving area I inadvertently almost cut off two fingers. Slightly bleeding but breaking the skin to the bone, the nurse in the factory took care of the wound and suggested a shot from the doctor. Tetanus and novocaine were administered, and I was given the rest of the day off, big deal 15 minutes. At home, I quickly dressed for the show hoping to get out of the house before my parents saw my bandaged fingers. And I did.

ORPHEUS was good with a nice version of their hit record CAN’T FIND THE TIME. CAT MOTHER, a New York ensemble did their hit GOOD OLE ROCK AND ROLL and finally TEN YEARS AFTER, the band I really wanted to see. They were unbelievably good, remember this is two weeks before their legendary performance at Woodstock. They played SPOONFUL, GOOD MORNING LITTLE SCHOOL GIRL, HOBBIT (drum solo), I CAN’T KEEP FROM CRYING, HELP ME, and I’M GOING HOME.

After an extensive intermission CANNED HEAT, the full ensemble with the Blind Owl in tow, closed the show. A 45 minute boogie was a bit much for me as the novocaine didn’t work any longer. I nodded off while laying on a blanket with my girlfriend. TYA made my night.

A few nights later the evening news showed horrific scenes depicted later to be labeled as the TATE-LOBIANCA murders, aka Charles Manson and family.

IT’S BEAUTY THAT KILLED THE BEAST: It’s a week before those “3 Days of Arts, Music and Fun” aka WOODSTOCK that Fillmore East hosts JEFFERSON AIRPLANE and JOE COCKER. SPONTANEOUS SOUND, a one man percussionist (if that’s what he was) ran amok on the stage, banging, hitting cymbals, drums, bells, the works, with his long hair flowing and having no shirt on; What an idiot, I thought.  After his fifteen minutes of fame was over I was both confused and amused.  Joe Cocker was up next and having had his first LP on heavy rotation in my room, Cocker turned out to be not what I expected at all. He was a visual experience with hands gesturing wildly as he sung, yet this British white dude sounded a bit like Ray Charles. Familiar cover songs he introduced and as they were played each seemed to take on a new persona, they became Joe Cocker tunes: LET’S GO GET STONED, FELLIN’ ALRIGHT, BYE BYE BLACKBIRD and of course WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS.

The AIRPLANE was a trip, really a trip. I had been waiting a long time to see these guys, back since that NEWSWEEK article and that conversation with my neighbor many months ago. Now here I was. As the final scene from the King Kong movie played behind the band, they tuned up and  “It wasn’t the airplane, it was beauty that killed the beast” and away we went with Ballad of You, Me and PoohNeil with The Glenn Mc Kay Headlights behind the band projecting images on the screen.The amps were cranked up, three vocalists sang, a bass player stalked around the stage,  while the drummer who with his cowboy hat looked like a sheriff meshed with a guitarist who was making the strangest feedback. Was I high or where they THAT good? They were that good.