Woodstock

[yogini]

Were you one of an estimated 500,000 people that attended a 3 day festival of love, peace and music Aug. '69? It has been written up as the best party ever on Planet Earth. I'm not sure. Remember being very soggey but I doubt anyone who was at Woodstock was ever quite the same afterwards. I am looking for fellow villagers to participate in a discussion group on Tues. Sept.21 at Chula Vista 7p.m.

[graciegirl]

No. That gathering always stood for an extreme take on life to me.

I really rankle when someone refers to our age group as aging hippies.

[Pats2010]

No. That gathering always stood for an extreme take on life to me.

I really rankle when someone refers to our age group as aging hippies.

Me too, Gracie. We only had a handful of hippies in our whole town. If they totaled every person who claimed he was at Woodstock, there would have been over 50 million people at that event.:loco:

[ohiogolf]

We were heading out from Cleveland when we heard the NY Thruway was closed so we turned around. I still wish we had tried to make it. I always regretted not hearing Joe Cocker or seeing Peter Townsend.

[actor]

No. That gathering always stood for an extreme take on life to me.

I really rankle when someone refers to our age group as aging hippies.

that there were lots of people there who hadn't dropped out,etc. I wasn't there but I know plenty of folks who were, many of whom went on to do quite well in their careers. Most were college students at the time.

[Shirleevee]

We were heading out from Cleveland when we heard the NY Thruway was closed so we turned around. I still wish we had tried to make it. I always regretted not hearing Joe Cocker or seeing Peter Townsend.

DITTO...........from Brooklyn, we left too late and the traffic was horrendous............former hippie and damned proud of it!!!

[Shirleevee]

that there were lots of people there who hadn't dropped out,etc. I wasn't there but I know plenty of folks who were, many of whom went on to do quite well in their careers. Most were college students at the time. Nice of you to generalize and paint the entire crowd as extreme.

Thank you!!!!:BigApplause:

[Shirleevee]

that there were lots of people there who hadn't dropped out,etc. I wasn't there but I know plenty of folks who were, many of whom went on to do quite well in their careers. Most were college students at the time. Nice of you to generalize and paint the entire crowd as extreme.

P.S..............Imagine long hair and no drugs !

[tpop1]

3 of us young people from work (early 20's post college computer workers) decided to go because of the great group of performers advertised. Not hippies but music lovers. We even had tickets!

Left New Haven Friday after lunch and drove the backroads in without hitting much heavy traffic. Stayed off the highways. Pulled into our field (farmers had their fields open for campers) and we walked the 1/2 mile to the hill.

My most indelible memory of the weekend was walking up that road and hearing Richie Havens playing "Freedom" to open the show. Got to the Main gate to find all the fences were down...no tickets needed.

We had plenty of food, plenty of water and a great tent set up in the field so never felt in jeopardy.

I ended this great weekend by leaving Sunday morning, got home and cleaned up and caught the 1st Giants / Jets pre-season football game ever held at Yale Bowl.

Great music, great weekend!!!

[kentucky blue]

that there were lots of people there who hadn't dropped out,etc. I wasn't there but I know plenty of folks who were, many of whom went on to do quite well in their careers. Most were college students at the time.

Went to Woodstock with two of my college fraternity brothers, working in Atlantic City,NJ that summer as waiters.AC was a great place for college kids to work and party in the summer, and many went to Woodstock.They did a 25 year anniversary Woodstock special in our local newspaper, big article with lots of pictures and interviews. By looking at the pictures, you could see why i am often mistaken for George Clooney...........................or is that Mickey Rooney, i forget???????

:confused::thumbup::icon_wink:

[redwitch]

I didn't make Woodstock, but did make the Monterey Pop Festival. It seemed a great way to kick off the summer after a grueling year at UCLA. Had never heard of most of the groups that were playing, but what an impact they had on me! To this day, Janis can send shivers down my spine. I cannot hear Jimi without seeing him smash his guitar in my mind. The Who, Otis Redding, Ravi Shankar ... I do remember being disappointed that Dionne Warwick (she was shown on posters as one of the acts) didn't show.

Many who saw this festival did become hippies. Many of us did not. The peace and love, the gentleness of that crowd was a beautiful thing to see but not expected. I did not drop out; neither did five of my friends who went with me, one did. I certainly didn't tune out. I did inhale. For me, it was the music. Always has been, always was. I did skip Altamont -- college was over and life was beginning (good thing, I guess).

[graciegirl]

In my defense, Shirley..I was born timid. I am a chicken, a sissy and at that time I was a hard working young married mother. If I had been single, I wouldn't have driven all that way from Ohio to listen to music. I was way too serious and way too tight and way too afraid.

I thought of hippies as people who tried to avoid serving in the military and who used drugs. I drank beer. I didn't smoke pot.

There is the other definition of hippie as a person who was gentle and kind and loved music.

What do the readers think as their definition of hippie????

I did not wish to insult you or anyone.

We all grow up with ideas and they may be wrong.

[actor]

I didn't make Woodstock, but did make the Monterey Pop Festival. It seemed a great way to kick off the summer after a grueling year at UCLA. Had never heard of most of the groups that were playing, but what an impact they had on me! To this day, Janis can send shivers down my spine. I cannot hear Jimi without seeing him smash his guitar in my mind. The Who, Otis Redding, Ravi Shankar ... I do remember being disappointed that Dionne Warwick (she was shown on posters as one of the acts) didn't show.

Many who saw this festival did become hippies. Many of us did not. The peace and love, the gentleness of that crowd was a beautiful thing to see but not expected. I did not drop out; neither did five of my friends who went with me, one did. I certainly didn't tune out. I did inhale. For me, it was the music. Always has been, always was. I did skip Altamont -- college was over and life was beginning (good thing, I guess).

The movie from Monterey was on cable last night. Great film that brought back many memories. Janis Joplin was incredible, and her performance propelled her to stardom.

[Pturner]

Not really. Wasn't there. But, I've looked at Woodstock from "Both Sides Now".

Horrific. Magnificent. Outrageous. Historic. Extraordinary.

[graciegirl]

Not really. Wasn't there. But, I've looked at Woodstock from "Both Sides Now".

Horrific. Magnificent. Outrageous. Historic. Extraordinary.

Thank God for the wordsmiths. They enable those of us who flounder with thoughts they can't express.

Beautiful P.

This is the dawning of my education.

Peace to you.

[Pats2010]

In my defense, Shirley..I was born timid. I am a chicken, a sissy and at that time I was a hard working young married mother. If I had been single, I wouldn't have driven all that way from Ohio to listen to music. I was way too serious and way too tight and way too afraid.

I thought of hippies as people who did not want to serve in the military and who used drugs. I drank beer. I didn't smoke pot.

There is the other definition of hippie as a person who was gentle and kind and loved music.

What do the readers think as their definition of hippie????

I did not wish to insult you or anyone.

We all grow up with ideas and they may be wrong.

My own cynical definition of hippie is a college aged person who didn't want to get drafted so he grew long hair and attended protests. The music and the sex was frosting on the cake.
By the way, I was a draftee and had many conversations with ex-hippies while I was in Vietnam.;)

[ohiogolf]

I do not remember any college aged persons who "wanted" to get drafted in the late 60s and 70s regardless of the length of their hair.

[redwitch]

To me, a hippie was never a draft dodger per se. A hippie did believe in peace and truly felt war was morally wrong whereas a draft dodger avoided the draft out of a fear of dying -- HUGE difference. The Haight had many who played at being a hippie, but they were there for the drugs and the free sex. Hippies set up their communes (several in the wine country; Carmel Highlands had several; so did Central California and Big Sur). Yes, they used drugs but many times to bring a sense of enlightment rather than just to get high. They were willing to protest (peacefully) for their beliefs. In many ways, it was a form of Communism, but not the Russian version -- it was the original version of everyone doing their share and everyone sharing. Vietnam was protested with a passion -- not only was it a war, but it was a war that was morally wrong in and of itself. Segregation was protested. Equal rights was again starting to matter.

I did admire their convictions and their willingness to go to jail and be injured for those convictions. I knew men who became hippies upon returning from Vietnam. Muhhamed Ali was willing to give up a title and be imprisoned rather than fight a war he felt was wrong and corrupt (he wasnt a hippie but he certainly had many of their values). The biggest difference between Black Muslims and hippies was that Black Muslims were willing to fight for their beliefs -- peaceful protest was definitely NOT their thing.

I was never a hippie. I could never have shown that level of disrespect to my father or my brother. Also, I was a very materialistic young woman and giving up everything to share with my brethren was just not in me. Communal life was an anathema to me -- I loved my solitude. So, that's my take on hippies. It really was so much more than free love and drugs.

[Pats2010]

To me, a hippie was never a draft dodger per se. A hippie did believe in peace and truly felt war was morally wrong whereas a draft dodger avoided the draft out of a fear of dying -- HUGE difference. The Haight had many who played at being a hippie, but they were there for the drugs and the free sex. Hippies set up their communes (several in the wine country; Carmel Highlands had several; so did Central California and Big Sur). Yes, they used drugs but many times to bring a sense of enlightment rather than just to get high. They were willing to protest (peacefully) for their beliefs. In many ways, it was a form of Communism, but not the Russian version -- it was the original version of everyone doing their share and everyone sharing. Vietnam was protested with a passion -- not only was it a war, but it was a war that was morally wrong in and of itself. Segregation was protested. Equal rights was again starting to matter.

I did admire their convictions and their willingness to go to jail and be injured for those convictions. I knew men who became hippies upon returning from Vietnam. Muhhamed Ali was willing to give up a title and be imprisoned rather than fight a war he felt was wrong and corrupt (he wasnt a hippie but he certainly had many of their values). The biggest difference between Black Muslims and hippies was that Black Muslims were willing to fight for their beliefs -- peaceful protest was definitely NOT their thing.

I was never a hippie. I could never have shown that level of disrespect to my father or my brother. Also, I was a very materialistic young woman and giving up everything to share with my brethren was just not in me. Communal life was an anathema to me -- I loved my solitude. So, that's my take on hippies. It really was so much more than free love and drugs.
Definitions have a way of meshing, sometimes it is hard to distinguish.
Many hippies were draft dodgers. Many draft dodgers were not hippies.

Many cut their hair and used their diploma to make alot of money when the war was over. Funny, the conscience objectors who came to Nam and thought they would avoid conflict because they thought they were morally superior were made medics. The first time they went out to the jungle they were unarmed. The second time they went out, most of them took weapons with them. I guess you have to draw the line somewhere.:o

[kentucky blue]

My own cynical definition of hippie is a college aged person who didn't want to get drafted so he grew long hair and attended protests. The music and the sex was frosting on the cake.
By the way, I was a draftee and had many conversations with ex-hippies while I was in Vietnam.;)

Don't think i've ever talked about my Woodstock experience where the Vietnam War was not part of the discussion.April 30th 1975, the Vietnam War was officially over.58,195 names are on The Wall at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. The Wall pays tribute to the members of the Armed Forces who answered their country's call,we honor and remember their sacrifice.Thank God we learned our lessons well, never to be repeated again. OH !!! I forgot, Iraq,Afghanistan.................................. ........Never Mine?????

:rolleyes::ohdear::confused:

[Pats2010]

Don't think i've ever talked about my Woodstock experience where the Vietnam War was not part of the discussion.April 30th 1975, the Vietnam War was officially over.58,195 names are on The Wall at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. The Wall pays tribute to the members of the Armed Forces who answered their country's call,we honor and remember their sacrifice.Thank God we learned our lessons well, never to be repeated again. OH !!! I forgot, Iraq,Afghanistan.................................. ........Never Mine?????

:rolleyes::ohdear::confused:

I have no idea where your going :undecided:

[tpop1]

I have no idea where your going :undecided:

What ever it was, the politicizing of this thread effectively killed a very nice disscussion!

Too bad, I was enjoying it.

[Pats2010]

What ever it was, the politicizing of this thread effectively killed a very nice disscussion!

Too bad, I was enjoying it.

Well, if there wasn't a war I doubt very much there would have been protests, anti war demonstrations, anti-war songs etc. etc.

The original poster was asking about a discussion group. I suppose the group could talk about the concert and the music and all the fun they had, but it would not mean much without explanations on the origins of the counter culture. Let's be truthful, much of the music was about the war and how we should have "peace" right?

Remember, if the war wasn't politicized, it would never have ended.

[chuckinca]

Well, if there wasn't a war I doubt very much there would have been protests, anti war demonstrations, anti-war songs etc. etc.


Hard to argue with that.


.

[taylor111947]

In Aug '69 I was working in our airport coffee shop in Broome County, NY waiting to go back and finish my senior year in college. It's a VERY small airport and usually in the evening there wasn't much business. That Friday we started getting an influx of what could only be described as 'hippies'. They drifted into the coffee shop looking for directions to Woodstock and then drifted out into the night never to be seen again - hope they made it. At the same time my brother, who had just finished his freshman year in college, asked my parents if he and some buddies could go to a concert they heard about 'down the road a bit'. They piled into the station wagon and got as far as they could until the road closed, then they walked. They got home a few days later covered in mud with some wild stories (none of which they shared with my parents of cours). Can't help but think it made an impression on him. Today he is a musician and composer strongly influenced by the music that was playing that weekend.

[yogini]

:agree::agree:Were you one of an estimated 500,000 people that attended a 3 day festival of love, peace and music Aug. '69? It has been written up as the best party ever on Planet Earth. I'm not sure. Remember being very soggey but I doubt anyone who was at Woodstock was ever quite the same afterwards. I am looking for fellow villagers to participate in a discussion group on Tues. Sept.21 at Chula Vista 7p.m.

"Everytime you open your heart to love you create a space for a global altenative".

[RichieLion]

My Woodstock memory is such, that on the Monday following Woodstock weekend I was to report to begin my basic training at Fort Jackson, SC. Because of this I didn't go with my brother and friends who made the trip up there in my father's new '68 Chrysler Town & Country station wagon, which my brother abandoned on the side of a highway when he could drive no further because of traffic.
I first heard the music of Woodstock in the army and became a fan of these musicians who would become icons.
When I came home on my first leave my brother and my friends were well on their way to embracing the "hippie life" with the hair and the paisley clothing and the beads and what-not. It was surprising.
I eventually was shipped out to Viet Nam where I was one unhappy camper. I got through it though and eventually returned to my former life as best I could and grew my hair and blasted my Jimi Hendrix and the rest is history.

[graciegirl]

:agree::agree:

"Everytime you open your heart to love you create a space for a global altenative".

What is global altenative?:wave:

[scrapple]

Today is Jerry Garcia's birthday. Happy Birthday, Jerry! I miss you!!!

[bkcunningham1]

http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/music0_woodstock.html

[chuckinca]

Missed Swami Satchidananda!



.

[Pats2010]

Wow Zeppelin and Moody Blues turned it down. They were my favorite 70's groups.

[Hawkwind]

http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/music0_woodstock.html

Great 55 minutes of Jimi doing his thing. Great. Thanks

[mooshie]

Yogini

Great Topic. What beautiful memories. Over the years we've lost so many creative voices. Our generation spoke out with such passion. Now there is silence.

"The times they are a changing" ?????

[yogini]

What is global altenative?:wave:

To me a global alternative is: [and let me be the first to say I'm way too old to be so naive] a world without suffering, poverty, hunger and war. The festival became emblematic of a tumultous decade where assasinations and hope created a climate for change. (I am now retreating to my ivory tower-i.e. last transmission). P.S. me? I was not hippy, maybe hip-college degree, host of daily TV show, happily married, teacher, got high on yoga pranayama.

[wilsonem]

You can come to Bonneroo in Manchester, TN every July if you want to relive the hippie music festival scene. It's supposedly a close re-enactment of Woodstock. Naked campers gettig high to music, or so I'm told.
I'm not a Woodstock or Bonneroo Hippie!

[tpop1]

You can come to Bonneroo in Manchester, TN every July if you want to relive the hippie music festival scene. It's supposedly a close re-enactment of Woodstock. Naked campers gettig high to music, or so I'm told.
I'm not a Woodstock or Bonneroo Hippie!

To everything (Turn, turn, turn) There is a season.

And that season is 40 years long gone for this guy;)

[kyblue]

My husband went to Woodstock - we recently purchased the book at Barnes & Noble.

I love hearing his stories.

[brostholder]

I wish I could join you, but we are still part-timers. My family had a summer home in country club estates in White Lake, just a few miles from Max Yasgur's farm. While my younger brother was able to be at the concert, I was lucky enough to be in Viet Nam at the time. However, when I watch the movie, friends are amazed (and really probably don't believe me) when I can identify the "townies" that appear. What a year 1969 was!!!

[brostholder]

RichieLion..I was ahead of you by 1 year. Took basic at Ft. Jackson in 68 and was in Nam for Woodstock. I was up on tank hill by drag ass hill. D-3-1. Good as the best...better than the rest.....yeah Delta!!
Welcome home brother

[Pats2010]

Basic training in 69. Vietnam 70-71.

Welcome Home

[laurie91423]

Left New Haven Friday after lunch and drove the backroads in without hitting much heavy traffic. Stayed off the highways. Pulled into our field (farmers had their fields open for campers) and we walked the 1/2 mile to the hill.

My most indelible memory of the weekend was walking up that road and hearing Richie Havens playing "Freedom" to open the show. Got to the Main gate to find all the fences were down...no tickets needed.

We had plenty of food, plenty of water and a great tent set up in the field so never felt in jeopardy.

I ended this great weekend by leaving Sunday morning, got home and cleaned up and caught the 1st Giants / Jets pre-season football game ever held at Yale Bowl.

Great music, great weekend!!!

I left New Haven around 4 o'clock on Friday afternoon. I was supposed to be going to Saybrook to spend the weekend with a boyfriend, but once I drove down to the "Green", I got waylaid and convinced I should drive a carload of kids to Woodstock. :jester:

I didn't have tickets, I didn't have food... and it didn't matter. I had a wonderful time. It was the time of my life ... (what I remember of the weekend, that is.) :confused:

I, too, had to leave early on Sunday becase I had tickets for Led Zeppelin at Wallingford's theatre in the round. My mother threw a minor fit because I just came home, took a quick shower and ran out the door again. :swear:

I'm no worse for the wear. I'll never forget Woodstock OR Watkins Glen the following year... and I bought tickets for that! :shrug:

[graciegirl]

My husband went to Woodstock - we recently purchased the book at Barnes & Noble.

I love hearing his stories.

Omigosh there is you kyblue (a girl) and there is Kentuckyblue too (a boy).

[kentucky blue]

Omigosh there is you kyblue (a girl) and there is Kentuckyblue too (a boy).

Gracie, the jack of all trades, is now becoming a matchmaker.Sorry, not related to kyblue, but there were a few years in the late 60's that were a little fuzzy.

:confused::wine::confused:

[mermaid72]

Better aging hippies who believed in peace than aging Tea Partyiers who believes in guns, and causing strife between races & political parties!

LOL
Are Liberals welcome in TV? I am reading all sorts of comments that this might not be the best place for those of us who have a more liberal bend of mind!

[Pats2010]

Better aging hippies who believed in peace than aging Tea Partyiers who believes in guns, and causing strife between races & political parties!

LOL
Are Liberals welcome in TV? I am reading all sorts of comments that this might not be the best place for those of us who have a more liberal bend of mind!

You should bring your political commentary to the Political Forum.

By the way, Tea Partiers are your average brother, sister, mother, father uncle aunt etc. who are not happy in the direction this country is heading.

[PinkNana]

Better aging hippies who believed in peace than aging Tea Partyiers who believes in guns, and causing strife between races & political parties!

LOL
Are Liberals welcome in TV? I am reading all sorts of comments that this might not be the best place for those of us who have a more liberal bend of mind!



Well said.

[mermaid72]

Pat, I am new here & am trying to understand the political/social attitudes of a place before I might move. The best way to do this is talk to those who live there. One might be very uncomfortable in an atmosphere that does not welcome those who are not White, Christian, or Conservative. I am looking for an open & welcoming mindset.
I have picked up on several comments on other threads that are pretty indicative of those attitudes.... I know nothing about a "Political Forum", nor do I wish to become embroiled in an argument of political views.
I simply asked a question, and you certainly answered it.

[chuckinca]

So far, Sarah Palin has been to TV twice.


.

[Pats2010]

Pat, I am new here & am trying to understand the political/social attitudes of a place before I might move. The best way to do this is talk to those who live there. One might be very uncomfortable in an atmosphere that does not welcome those who are not White, Christian, or Conservative. I am looking for an open & welcoming mindset.
I have picked up on several comments on other threads that are pretty indicative of those attitudes.... I know nothing about a "Political Forum", nor do I wish to become embroiled in an argument of political views.
I simply asked a question, and you certainly answered it.

You did not simply ask a question. You gave a political commentary and then you asked a question.

By the way, you also profiled the Tea Party. There are many religions including atheists in our ranks. We also have many colors if you are uncomfortable with white.

[mermaid72]

Thanks Pat,
You and Chuckinca answered it ALL.

Peace & Love

[Pats2010]

Thanks Pat,
You and Chuckinca answered it ALL.

Peace & Love

Better aging hippies who believed in peace than aging Tea Partyiers who believes in guns, and causing strife between races & political parties!


I would take this forum with a grain of salt. With over 80,000 people already living in the Villages, the people who post here represent a small percentage.
When I first started lurking here I thought the villages was a liberal-leaning community.
Regardless of your leanings, I spent a week there last December on a Lifestyle visit and everybody was friendly and nobody talked politics.

I had a wonderful time and I never asked and nobody told me their political views.

[Blueshound92]

ah yes, Woodstock. We were in a local band and three of us headed to see if all those bands were actually playing there. Luckily, we left early enough to cross the border and arrive at woodstock around 8 AM on Friday, parked really close and sat about 30 feet from the stage and then waited until later that day for the music to begin and begin it did!! What a weekend and what a memory. Though it was hard to explain to my parents why our faces were on the front of the LIFE magazine that came out the following week when we originally told them we were at a friends cottage!