1967 MONTEREY POP FESTIVAL-THE CHANGE OF THE GUARD

[ECS]

"Talking 'bout my generation"
While not the first,Monterey changed rock music,making it more eclectic.It was put on by LA producer Lou Adler and John Phillips of the Mamas & Papas,and featured established acts like Johnny Rivers(LA ultimate club act),Simon & Garfunkel,Lou Rawls,the Association,and the Byrds.
But the times they were a changin'.
David Crosby of the Byrds introduced "He was a friend of mine" with the rant-"I wanna say it anyway,even though they will edit it out.President Kennedy was killed.He was not killed by one man!He was shot from a number of different locationsby different guns.The story has been suppressed,witnesses have been killed,and this is your counrty,ladies and gentlemen.Crosby later played with Buffalo Springfield that night,a precurser to C,S,N & Y.
As George Harrison(Beatles) and Brian Jones of the Stones were in the audience,the San Francisco "hippie bands" took the stage,and put the established LA produced bands to shame.
The Grateful Dead jammed,Moby Grape rocked with a three guitar attack and 5 part harmonies,Country Joe & The Fish had their acid and politic songs,Steve Miller Band combined Chicago with SanFran sound,Jefferson Airplane took flight,Quicksilver Messenger Service dazzeled with their dual guitar leads,Michael Bloomfield introduced his American Music band THE Electric Flag complete with horn section,and Janis Joplin,with Big Brother & the Holding Company impressed everyone.
Then there was Otis Redding with his soul and Hugh Masekela's black as night jazz.The Paul Butterfield Blues Band(Bloomfield's former band that backed Dylan at Newport)brought the Chicago blues to Cali.
The Who gave a guitar,amp,drum destroying performance,and Jimi Hendrix,new to American audiences,set his Fender Strat on fire.Eric Burdon & the Animals debut "San Francisco Nights" ,and later wrote the song,"Monterey" about the festival.
There is a movie made of this happening,and a CD box set,and is well worth the listen.It was when rock became more than "teen" music,and became a cultural force that moved a generation.

 

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[ECS]

The ELECTRIC FLAG at Monterey. Michael Bloomfield was the first American super star guitarist. Played with the BUTTERFIELDS BLUES BAND that backed up Dylan at that Newport Folk Festival when he went electric, and also did studio work on Dylan's early "electric" albums.
*NOTE* Young Buddy Miles on drums
https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/watch-mike-bloomfield-electrify-monterey-pop-festival-1967

 

[ECS]

QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE at Monterey.


On the right of this page are other bands performances at Monterey.

 

[ECS]

THE BYRDS-He Was A Friend Of Mine

https://www.rockpeaks.com/video/b/Byrds/Monterey-Pop-Music-Festival-1967/He-Was-A-Friend-Of-Mine

 

[Simon1]

I had forgot about Quick Silver Messenger Service ! Thanks for the history and reminders ECS. Nice work,

 

[ECS]

MOBY GRAPE with their 3 guitar attack and 5 part harmonies at Monterey



Peter Lewis was actress Loretta Young's son, and Skip Spence, early drummer for the AIRPLANE, guitarist/one of the Grapes songwriters, is considered as America's Syd Barret.

 

[Simon1]

Moby Grape, another name I have not heard for a long time. Where has time gone ?

 

[Simon1]

I am surprised to see that Lou Rawls was introduced by Peter Tork. Lou was probably surprised too.

 

[ECS]

Eric Burdon & The Animals "Monterey" song with video montage of 1967 Monterey band performances.

 

[SeabeeRon]

Just across the bay from me!! Graduated HS in 1966. Wish I had gone to it!

 

[ECS]

Big Brother & the Holding Company's performance at Monterey made Janis Joplin a star.



Many of the San Francisco bands at Monterey were unknown outside of the Bay area Fillmore and Avalon Ballroom environment which they owned, to the LA music scene promoters that put on Monterey, Lou Adler and John Phillips, SF bands were not the "polished" "3 minute singles" for AM radio bands, like Johnny Rivers, who was also performed at the festival.
Janis Joplin was an incredible force on stage, just look at Mama Cass's reaction during "Ball and Chain".
I saw Janis with the FULL TILT BOOGIE BAND sitting at the foot of the stage in front of Janis (yes, you could do that at a concert then) several months before her death.

 

[ECS]

I am surprised to see that Lou Rawls was introduced by Peter Tork. Lou was probably surprised too.

This is a collection of period news articles, etc about the performances at Monterey-including a dialog between Peter Tork and Grateful Dead bassist, Phil Lesh.

Grateful Dead Sources: June 18, 1967: Monterey Pop Festival

Ralph J Gleason of THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE was big supporter of the San Francisco music scene, and a co-founder of ROLLING STONE, has a good article .
Gleason was also a champion supporter of comedian Lenny Bruce in his courtroom battles over the use of certain words in his standup routine. Lenny Bruce was persecuted by "the man" , the various government powers during that time.

A complete list of performers and set lists and the order of appearance and who introduced each act at Monterey:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monterey_Pop_Festival_(set_list))

*NOTE* Grace Slick's first band with her husband Darby-THE GREAT SOCIETY- had a song about Lenny Bruce's harassment by the powers that be, "FATHER BRUCE".