gfxgfx
 
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
logo
 
gfx gfx
gfx
680601 Posts in 27601 Topics by 4068 Members - Latest Member: Dae Lims March 29, 2024, 09:35:43 AM
*
gfx*HomeHelpSearchCalendarLoginRegistergfx
gfxgfx
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.       « previous next »
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 [6] 7 Go Down Print
Author Topic: Monterey Pop Festival  (Read 33420 times)
filledeplage
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Female
Posts: 3151


View Profile
« Reply #125 on: May 26, 2013, 07:08:52 AM »

What  no one has mentioned is that The Beach Boys (without Dennis) DID play the 1970 Monterey Festival, and were warmly received. I have the show on cd, and they were very well received, not only by the audience, but also by the other artists.
I don't think its a contextually relevant comparison between the Monterey Pop Festival 1967 and the Big Sur Folk Festival at Monterey 1970. They were entirely different scenes. The former was in essence a cutting edge rock festival with numerous "hard rock" acts on the bill, while the latter was a "folk" festival with no hard rock at all. That said, it did garner the Beach Boys some positive cred and press with the softer end of the counter culture.

Saturday, October 3, 1970: “Celebration: A Day of Music,” Big Sur Folk Festival, Monterey
Fairgrounds, Monterey, CA, with Kris Kristofferson, Joan Baez, Mimi Farina, John Phillips, John
Hartford, Country Joe McDonald, Mark Spoelestra, Linda Ronstadt, The Beach Boys and Merry Clayton (Two
shows)

Thanks, Jon, for that clarification and distinction as between the two "Montereys." I think that the latter folk festival might have been the one Mike discussed in the Gaumont Palace Ina.fr interview which had concert footage.  Not too long, but had Country Air, (rare) and a few other gems. 

It's always been my opinion that the former one in 1967 while Carl was under scrutiny under a draft evasion charge, and corresponding Conscientious Objector defense, that it would have been a really poor move to attend. This was America's TV war, where the big three broadcast outlets had news correspondents in the fields of Southeast Asia, taping actual conditions and reporting nightly on how many soldiers had been killed or wounded in the undeclared war.  It made the combat real, and removed much of the "propaganda effect" of the government.

By 1970 there was a fully engaged anti-war movement which helped support the peace movement.  And the "folkies" had huge ties to PBS as a media venue, and free expression platform, which had begun to turn the tide of public opinion, which was less critical of Conscientious Objectors.
Logged
clack
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 537


View Profile
« Reply #126 on: May 26, 2013, 09:39:41 AM »

According to Carlin's 'Catch a Wave', Mike was initially opposed to taking part in the 1970 festival as well -- he thought Baez et al were a bunch of commies.
Logged
filledeplage
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Female
Posts: 3151


View Profile
« Reply #127 on: May 26, 2013, 10:07:35 AM »

According to Carlin's 'Catch a Wave', Mike was initially opposed to taking part in the 1970 festival as well -- he thought Baez et al were a bunch of commies.
That cracked me up! True, many of them had "leftist" (way leftist) tendencies.   LOL

But, by 1970, Dan Rather was working for CBS, and the war issues had filtered into everyone's living room.  So, "moderates" had more information with which to make personal decisions, and the absolute unfairness of the draft policies hit home with many parents, whose kids didn't get student deferments, and ended up in "Nam."
Logged
Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1565


SMiLE is America: Infinite Potential Never Reached


View Profile WWW
« Reply #128 on: March 31, 2014, 09:12:18 AM »

My 2 cents: I think there was a plethora of reasons the buys missed Monterey and Mike's thing was just PR cover for the real issues like Brian shutting down, Carl's draft and Dennis' divorce.

I do think some of you guys are understating the importance of Monterey and its legacy. It would have done the Boys a world of good to attend, to promote a new image and a new sound to the cool new hippie crowd. To be seen forever more in the film with Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and the other hot new bands of the age. They could've been seen as champions of a new style had they finished SMiLE and played it/PS at the concert. Even if SMiLE wasn't finished, they couldve done something with their back catalogue.

The fact is, despite the rumors of being booed off the stage, even Laura Nyro got a warm reception. As long as they ditched the shirts, I see no reason the Boys wouldn't either. It was a huge mistake any way you slice it, but what's done is done.

I'd love to hear the Stones and Pink Floyd at Monterey too...but that's not realistic seeing as they were UK bands. Love and the Doors would've been great though. And not showing up definitely hurt Love's career. The Doors survived and thrivex, but they didn't make the mistake of turning it down--they hadn't been invited.

It's possible the Boys get upstaged by Hendrix ala the Association. And it's possible they play a drugged out version of H&V, GV and Brian does a piano solo of Surf's Up that blows everyone away. The right mix of their old rockers, the melancholy pop symphonies of PS and a few psychedelic freakouts from SMiLE (had it been finished or not) could've reaffirmed the band to a new wave of non-surfer fans.
Logged

Here are my SMiLE Mixes. All are 2 suite, but still vastly different in several ways. Be on the lookout for another, someday.

Aquarian SMiLE>HERE
Dumb Angel (Olorin Edition)>HERE
Dumb Angel [the Romestamo Cut]>HERE

& This is a new pet project Ive worked on, which combines Fritz Lang's classic film, Metropolis (1927) with The United States of America (1968) as a new soundtrack. More info is in the video description.
The American Metropolitan Circus>HERE
[
SenorPotatoHead
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 272



View Profile
« Reply #129 on: March 31, 2014, 05:31:39 PM »



The fact is, despite the rumors of being booed off the stage, even Laura Nyro got a warm reception. As long as they ditched the shirts, I see no reason the Boys wouldn't either. It was a huge mistake any way you slice it, but what's done is done.



Been a while since I've seen the film, but Laura Nyro did get some booing and harassment.  As I recall she broke down in some amount of tears - which was a shame because her performance  was ahead of it's time IMO, she was great.
Logged
Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1565


SMiLE is America: Infinite Potential Never Reached


View Profile WWW
« Reply #130 on: March 31, 2014, 05:43:12 PM »



The fact is, despite the rumors of being booed off the stage, even Laura Nyro got a warm reception. As long as they ditched the shirts, I see no reason the Boys wouldn't either. It was a huge mistake any way you slice it, but what's done is done.



Been a while since I've seen the film, but Laura Nyro did get some booing and harassment.  As I recall she broke down in some amount of tears - which was a shame because her performance  was ahead of it's time IMO, she was great.

She was upset with her performance for whatever reason and tin interviews has claimed she was booed but according to the film and others who were there it never happened.
Logged

Here are my SMiLE Mixes. All are 2 suite, but still vastly different in several ways. Be on the lookout for another, someday.

Aquarian SMiLE>HERE
Dumb Angel (Olorin Edition)>HERE
Dumb Angel [the Romestamo Cut]>HERE

& This is a new pet project Ive worked on, which combines Fritz Lang's classic film, Metropolis (1927) with The United States of America (1968) as a new soundtrack. More info is in the video description.
The American Metropolitan Circus>HERE
[
SenorPotatoHead
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 272



View Profile
« Reply #131 on: March 31, 2014, 07:50:54 PM »


She was upset with her performance for whatever reason and tin interviews has claimed she was booed but according to the film and others who were there it never happened.


The film I saw, there is a point where you can quite audibly hear a voice, perhaps more than one, calling out what sounds to be put downs.   She appears to become visibly upset, maybe losing her confidence....this is what I recall seeing, but it has been quite a few years since I saw the film, so....i dunno.  Anyone else see the film and know what I'm referring to?

« Last Edit: March 31, 2014, 08:23:21 PM by SenorPotatoHead » Logged
Andrew G. Doe
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 17767


The triumph of The Hickey Script !


View Profile WWW
« Reply #132 on: April 01, 2014, 01:43:44 AM »

She was upset with her performance for whatever reason and tin interviews has claimed she was booed but according to the film and others who were there it never happened.

Speaking generally now, and not aimed at any posters in this thread,  but I'm not sure which is the more irritating - people who were "there" (say, at a recording session...) saying nothing happened, or people who weren't "there" saying it did.  Roll Eyes
« Last Edit: April 01, 2014, 01:55:56 AM by The Legendary AGD » Logged

The four sweetest words in my vocabulary: "This poster is ignored".
Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1565


SMiLE is America: Infinite Potential Never Reached


View Profile WWW
« Reply #133 on: April 01, 2014, 06:30:10 AM »

She was upset with her performance for whatever reason and tin interviews has claimed she was booed but according to the film and others who were there it never happened.

Speaking generally now, and not aimed at any posters in this thread,  but I'm not sure which is the more irritating - people who were "there" (say, at a recording session...) saying nothing happened, or people who weren't "there" saying it did.  Roll Eyes

Yes there's a lot of different kinds of annoying posters on here, surely...
Logged

Here are my SMiLE Mixes. All are 2 suite, but still vastly different in several ways. Be on the lookout for another, someday.

Aquarian SMiLE>HERE
Dumb Angel (Olorin Edition)>HERE
Dumb Angel [the Romestamo Cut]>HERE

& This is a new pet project Ive worked on, which combines Fritz Lang's classic film, Metropolis (1927) with The United States of America (1968) as a new soundtrack. More info is in the video description.
The American Metropolitan Circus>HERE
[
guitarfool2002
Global Moderator
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 9996


"Barba non facit aliam historici"


View Profile WWW
« Reply #134 on: April 01, 2014, 07:34:08 AM »

I'll come back to some points that were discussed in this thread a few years ago, just a few pages back. Monterey Pop took on an "importance" far beyond what it was at the time because it got filmed and distributed to the mass public so people anywhere outside California could see what was going on. There were other festivals going on in 1967 that had terrific lineups, everyone from the Doors to the Mothers to the Airplane and beyond had been playing these types of gatherings even before Monterey, shows like the Fantasy Fair, gatherings like the Human Be-In and handfuls of others, both around LA and SF and also on the East Coast to a lesser degree. Not all of them were as stacked with talent as Monterey, but the Doors were mentioned as not having played Monterey yet they were playing other festivals at this time which just didn't get promoted and distributed as well as Monterey.

This is not to diminish Monterey, but it wasn't the only show in town in 1967 as far as rock festivals.

So a band's playing or not playing at Monterey seems like a big deal now, but in the context of 1967 there were other festivals happening that could possibly have been just as influential in rock history had they been filmed and distributed. Were the Mothers or the Doors at one of these any less intense and incendiary than, say, any of the landmark Monterey Pop performances that we still talk about? As they weren't filmed for the most part, we just don't know.
Logged

"All of us have the privilege of making music that helps and heals - to make music that makes people happier, stronger, and kinder. Don't forget: Music is God's voice." - Brian Wilson
Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1565


SMiLE is America: Infinite Potential Never Reached


View Profile WWW
« Reply #135 on: April 01, 2014, 07:57:45 AM »

I'll come back to some points that were discussed in this thread a few years ago, just a few pages back. Monterey Pop took on an "importance" far beyond what it was at the time because it got filmed and distributed to the mass public so people anywhere outside California could see what was going on. There were other festivals going on in 1967 that had terrific lineups, everyone from the Doors to the Mothers to the Airplane and beyond had been playing these types of gatherings even before Monterey, shows like the Fantasy Fair, gatherings like the Human Be-In and handfuls of others, both around LA and SF and also on the East Coast to a lesser degree. Not all of them were as stacked with talent as Monterey, but the Doors were mentioned as not having played Monterey yet they were playing other festivals at this time which just didn't get promoted and distributed as well as Monterey.

This is not to diminish Monterey, but it wasn't the only show in town in 1967 as far as rock festivals.

So a band's playing or not playing at Monterey seems like a big deal now, but in the context of 1967 there were other festivals happening that could possibly have been just as influential in rock history had they been filmed and distributed. Were the Mothers or the Doors at one of these any less intense and incendiary than, say, any of the landmark Monterey Pop performances that we still talk about? As they weren't filmed for the most part, we just don't know.

According to many of the people who were there, musicians and attendees alike, Monterey was one of if not the best of these festivals. Grace Slick, as Jefferson Airplane's leading lady, was at many such concerts including Woodstock and said Monterey was the best by far. Anecdotal evidence, but take that for what it's worth.

Either way, I think it's indisputable that canceling was a mistake in hindsight. It's understandable why they didn't make it, but there's no denying it would've boosted their career. There's a persistent attitude that the BBs are not and never were "cool." I think to new fans (both in '67 and '14), seeing them perform VT and SU at the same concert that debuted Jimi, Janis and the Who would've helped their image in that regard.

On a separate note, I really wish the '68 Newport Festival had been filmed. Apparently the Airplane had a pie fight with Crosby, Stills and Nash.
Logged

Here are my SMiLE Mixes. All are 2 suite, but still vastly different in several ways. Be on the lookout for another, someday.

Aquarian SMiLE>HERE
Dumb Angel (Olorin Edition)>HERE
Dumb Angel [the Romestamo Cut]>HERE

& This is a new pet project Ive worked on, which combines Fritz Lang's classic film, Metropolis (1927) with The United States of America (1968) as a new soundtrack. More info is in the video description.
The American Metropolitan Circus>HERE
[
guitarfool2002
Global Moderator
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 9996


"Barba non facit aliam historici"


View Profile WWW
« Reply #136 on: April 01, 2014, 08:05:38 AM »

Off-topic: More fuel to add to the Laura Nyro at Monterey thing, I remembered reading this RS review and found it in the book, then found the excerpt online. The opening paragraph from Jon Landau's review of Laura's album from September 1968:

"I wasn't at Monterey. Consequently, I don't really know what Laura Nyro did there that turned so many people off. She must have done something, because the word was so thick that it convinced me that there wasn't any point bothering with her first album. It took a lunatic friend of mine, barging into my apartment a couple of weeks ago, frothing at the mouth about the record, to get me to listen to it seriously. All I can say is I'm glad he did."
Logged

"All of us have the privilege of making music that helps and heals - to make music that makes people happier, stronger, and kinder. Don't forget: Music is God's voice." - Brian Wilson
Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1565


SMiLE is America: Infinite Potential Never Reached


View Profile WWW
« Reply #137 on: April 01, 2014, 08:34:23 AM »

Off-topic: More fuel to add to the Laura Nyro at Monterey thing, I remembered reading this RS review and found it in the book, then found the excerpt online. The opening paragraph from Jon Landau's review of Laura's album from September 1968:

"I wasn't at Monterey. Consequently, I don't really know what Laura Nyro did there that turned so many people off. She must have done something, because the word was so thick that it convinced me that there wasn't any point bothering with her first album. It took a lunatic friend of mine, barging into my apartment a couple of weeks ago, frothing at the mouth about the record, to get me to listen to it seriously. All I can say is I'm glad he did."

She may not have been a crowd favorite, but part of her performance is on YouTube and theres no booing.
Logged

Here are my SMiLE Mixes. All are 2 suite, but still vastly different in several ways. Be on the lookout for another, someday.

Aquarian SMiLE>HERE
Dumb Angel (Olorin Edition)>HERE
Dumb Angel [the Romestamo Cut]>HERE

& This is a new pet project Ive worked on, which combines Fritz Lang's classic film, Metropolis (1927) with The United States of America (1968) as a new soundtrack. More info is in the video description.
The American Metropolitan Circus>HERE
[
Myk Luhv
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1350


"...and I said, 'Oatmeal? Are you crazy?!'"


View Profile
« Reply #138 on: April 01, 2014, 04:16:49 PM »

I think The Beach Boys touring band in 1967 wouldn't have been well received if only because I recall their live performances from '67 being rather thinly executed. Perhaps if they had a fuller band at the time, as they would even a couple years later, they might have done well for themselves.
Logged
Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1565


SMiLE is America: Infinite Potential Never Reached


View Profile WWW
« Reply #139 on: April 01, 2014, 07:23:58 PM »

I think The Beach Boys touring band in 1967 wouldn't have been well received if only because I recall their live performances from '67 being rather thinly executed. Perhaps if they had a fuller band at the time, as they would even a couple years later, they might have done well for themselves.

That's a fair point. Perhaps, if nothing else, Brian could've showed up as a representative of the band and directed some of the wrecking crew musicians who were there in some of the SMiLE material (had it been released or not) and taking to the piano for Surfs Up as a finale. Of course, that didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of happening, but it's a nice dream.

Realistically, if they didn't think they could "rock" hard enough, they still could've sang some ballads and perhaps debuted some Smiley material. Obviously there was no way for them to say, upstage Jimi or Janis, but they could've still made a respectable showing. They may have even made a performance art out of it--start off with some Smiley songs, after say, Gettin' Hungry, do a few old hits, transition to some Pet Sounds (as more and more instrumentalists join the stage as the music gets more complex) then a SMiLE remnant or two with full Wrecking Crew accompanyment and finally clear the stage for Brian to do Surf's Up Wild Honey style for the finale. Again, wishful thinking perhaps...but my point is they could've played a great set in some fashion if they tried.
Logged

Here are my SMiLE Mixes. All are 2 suite, but still vastly different in several ways. Be on the lookout for another, someday.

Aquarian SMiLE>HERE
Dumb Angel (Olorin Edition)>HERE
Dumb Angel [the Romestamo Cut]>HERE

& This is a new pet project Ive worked on, which combines Fritz Lang's classic film, Metropolis (1927) with The United States of America (1968) as a new soundtrack. More info is in the video description.
The American Metropolitan Circus>HERE
[
Magic Transistor Radio
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 2974


Bill Cooper Mystery Babylon


View Profile
« Reply #140 on: April 01, 2014, 09:34:12 PM »

The REAL reason Brian cancelled was that he found out it wasn't a soda pop festival.
Logged

"Over the years, I've been accused of not supporting our new music from this era (67-73) and just wanting to play our hits. That's complete b.s......I was also, as the front man, the one promoting these songs onstage and have the scars to show for it."
Mike Love autobiography (pg 242-243)
Micha
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 3133



View Profile WWW
« Reply #141 on: April 02, 2014, 04:34:07 AM »

seeing them perform VT and SU at the same concert that debuted Jimi, Janis and the Who would've helped their image in that regard.

Or the audience would have chanted "Play the oldies!" Smiley
Logged

Ceterum censeo SMiLEBrianum OSDumque esse excludendos banno.
Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1565


SMiLE is America: Infinite Potential Never Reached


View Profile WWW
« Reply #142 on: April 02, 2014, 08:09:32 AM »

seeing them perform VT and SU at the same concert that debuted Jimi, Janis and the Who would've helped their image in that regard.

Or the audience would have chanted "Play the oldies!" Smiley

Ok, one minute you're all saying they'd be booed for playing those lame oldies, next that they'd be booed for not doing so...so which is it?
Logged

Here are my SMiLE Mixes. All are 2 suite, but still vastly different in several ways. Be on the lookout for another, someday.

Aquarian SMiLE>HERE
Dumb Angel (Olorin Edition)>HERE
Dumb Angel [the Romestamo Cut]>HERE

& This is a new pet project Ive worked on, which combines Fritz Lang's classic film, Metropolis (1927) with The United States of America (1968) as a new soundtrack. More info is in the video description.
The American Metropolitan Circus>HERE
[
guitarfool2002
Global Moderator
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 9996


"Barba non facit aliam historici"


View Profile WWW
« Reply #143 on: April 02, 2014, 08:52:32 AM »

I'm glad I waited on this, because I wanted to try shedding some light on the whole Laura Nyro at Monterey mythology. I remembered Lew Adler - the guy who invited Laura to play in the first place, and who was one of the key figures if not the mastermind (and a lot of the money and clout behind it) - had talked about it and gave what I thought was the best rundown of how it played out, and possible reasons why. Instead of posting what I remembered, I did some digging and found the actual quotes online. Lew's answers are in bold, I'll comment a bit afterward.

Lew Adler 1:
You didn't see the Association in the film. You didn't see Lou Rawls in the film, you didn't see Laura Nyro. That was an unfortunate story. Laura came out not really knowing what the rest of the artists were going to look like, the music that they were going to perform. She had sort of a New York look to her. And it was very stark. She didn't have time to rehearse. She was one of the only acts that used a backup band that we had put together, and she didn't have full arrangements for the band. So it wasn't a very good performance. But she was devastated by the performance and carried it for quite a long time.
Then when D.A. Pennebaker and I were putting together something for VH1 and we went back and looked at the performance, what Laura thought she was hearing were boos from the audience, and it turned out that there were two people that were yelling "Beautiful!" to her. Pennebaker called her and said, "Just come in and look at it." And unfortunately she passed away before she had a chance.


Lew Adler 2:
"Everything that I hoped she would bring to it, she didn't bring to it," he says, "in the sense that I saw a girl sitting behind a piano singing some great songs. She brought a nightclub act. She came in a long black gown. She brought background singers. It pretty much stood out as New York and not California."


There were more facets to the story, as is usually the case. We know she wasn't booed or heckled, but Laura from the stage thought she heard boos or heckling, and it upset her, which basically collapsed and already shaky set.

Why do I say "shaky"? She was still in her teens, it was one of her first major performances of this type, she was coming into a scene that turned into a "Rock" more than "Pop" festival remembered for intensity, destruction, and blues-based heavy performances, and she comes from a New York stage performance background with an under-rehearsed backing band she had not performed with and with a "revue" more fitting of a supper club or as Adler says a Vegas show. Her look was sophisticated, long gown and all that at a festival where performers and crowd were letting their freak flags fly, so it seemed "showbiz" enough to look out of place with the acts who were throwing all of that convention out the window, including proper stage wear in favor of whatever they wanted to wear.

The tension was already there because, let's face it, it was a daunting scenario to come from the east coast to play what was thought to be a pop festival but which turned in other, heavier directions. It wasn't even "rock and roll", that term was 50's...this was "rock", a new and less formalized take on that 50's label.

Lew Adler spells it out quite well, I think, perhaps the definitive words on the myth: She took the stage with a Vegas act, an under-rehearsed backing band, and he invited her expecting something more akin to the style Joni Mitchell would soon own, that of the singer-songwriter performing her songs, which is what drew Adler to Laura enough to invite her as an unknown to perform.

And she didn't do what I think Adler expected to see, and as an unknown it may have caused a more "polite" response from the audience than perhaps what Laura needed to hear. It definitely was not hostile, there were people who really dug it, but...

As soon as she perceived that hostility, it shook her up to the point it shattered the performance, and that may be what caused the mythology to turn into the infamy it became, when there really were no boos or catcalls. It's a shame that after Pennebaker and Adler screened the unused footage decades later, and saw/heard the proof of this, Laura wasn't able to see it.

I think the infamy came from the performance collapsing after Laura got shaken up on stage, not the audience reaction, though that's what the mythology turned into until the actual film proof appeared.

Ultimately, though, look how it played out. Her songs got placed within the Lew Adler-Johnny Rivers-Bones Howe pipeline that was as strong as it ever was in the late 60's, and her songs got recorded by the 5th Dimension, via Rivers, put together by Bones, and they're classics which I'm sure helped pay her bills. David Geffen and Clive Davis were among those who saw her at Monterey and were so impressed they made offers, leading to her own albums and various Columbia artists like BS&T covering her songs.

I think it worked out, until she quit the music biz in disgust a few years later. But the mythology in these cases usually carries the most weight until actual proof or evidence to the contrary surfaces.

And that's about all I can say about busting the Laura Nyro got booed myth.  Smiley
Logged

"All of us have the privilege of making music that helps and heals - to make music that makes people happier, stronger, and kinder. Don't forget: Music is God's voice." - Brian Wilson
clack
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 537


View Profile
« Reply #144 on: April 02, 2014, 09:12:13 AM »

Not a biggie -- but it's Lou, not Lew. Razz
Logged
Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1565


SMiLE is America: Infinite Potential Never Reached


View Profile WWW
« Reply #145 on: April 02, 2014, 09:33:50 AM »

I'm glad I waited on this, because I wanted to try shedding some light on the whole Laura Nyro at Monterey mythology. I remembered Lew Adler - the guy who invited Laura to play in the first place, and who was one of the key figures if not the mastermind (and a lot of the money and clout behind it) - had talked about it and gave what I thought was the best rundown of how it played out, and possible reasons why. Instead of posting what I remembered, I did some digging and found the actual quotes online. Lew's answers are in bold, I'll comment a bit afterward.

Lew Adler 1:
You didn't see the Association in the film. You didn't see Lou Rawls in the film, you didn't see Laura Nyro. That was an unfortunate story. Laura came out not really knowing what the rest of the artists were going to look like, the music that they were going to perform. She had sort of a New York look to her. And it was very stark. She didn't have time to rehearse. She was one of the only acts that used a backup band that we had put together, and she didn't have full arrangements for the band. So it wasn't a very good performance. But she was devastated by the performance and carried it for quite a long time.
Then when D.A. Pennebaker and I were putting together something for VH1 and we went back and looked at the performance, what Laura thought she was hearing were boos from the audience, and it turned out that there were two people that were yelling "Beautiful!" to her. Pennebaker called her and said, "Just come in and look at it." And unfortunately she passed away before she had a chance.


Lew Adler 2:
"Everything that I hoped she would bring to it, she didn't bring to it," he says, "in the sense that I saw a girl sitting behind a piano singing some great songs. She brought a nightclub act. She came in a long black gown. She brought background singers. It pretty much stood out as New York and not California."


There were more facets to the story, as is usually the case. We know she wasn't booed or heckled, but Laura from the stage thought she heard boos or heckling, and it upset her, which basically collapsed and already shaky set.

Why do I say "shaky"? She was still in her teens, it was one of her first major performances of this type, she was coming into a scene that turned into a "Rock" more than "Pop" festival remembered for intensity, destruction, and blues-based heavy performances, and she comes from a New York stage performance background with an under-rehearsed backing band she had not performed with and with a "revue" more fitting of a supper club or as Adler says a Vegas show. Her look was sophisticated, long gown and all that at a festival where performers and crowd were letting their freak flags fly, so it seemed "showbiz" enough to look out of place with the acts who were throwing all of that convention out the window, including proper stage wear in favor of whatever they wanted to wear.

The tension was already there because, let's face it, it was a daunting scenario to come from the east coast to play what was thought to be a pop festival but which turned in other, heavier directions. It wasn't even "rock and roll", that term was 50's...this was "rock", a new and less formalized take on that 50's label.

Lew Adler spells it out quite well, I think, perhaps the definitive words on the myth: She took the stage with a Vegas act, an under-rehearsed backing band, and he invited her expecting something more akin to the style Joni Mitchell would soon own, that of the singer-songwriter performing her songs, which is what drew Adler to Laura enough to invite her as an unknown to perform.

And she didn't do what I think Adler expected to see, and as an unknown it may have caused a more "polite" response from the audience than perhaps what Laura needed to hear. It definitely was not hostile, there were people who really dug it, but...

As soon as she perceived that hostility, it shook her up to the point it shattered the performance, and that may be what caused the mythology to turn into the infamy it became, when there really were no boos or catcalls. It's a shame that after Pennebaker and Adler screened the unused footage decades later, and saw/heard the proof of this, Laura wasn't able to see it.

I think the infamy came from the performance collapsing after Laura got shaken up on stage, not the audience reaction, though that's what the mythology turned into until the actual film proof appeared.

Ultimately, though, look how it played out. Her songs got placed within the Lew Adler-Johnny Rivers-Bones Howe pipeline that was as strong as it ever was in the late 60's, and her songs got recorded by the 5th Dimension, via Rivers, put together by Bones, and they're classics which I'm sure helped pay her bills. David Geffen and Clive Davis were among those who saw her at Monterey and were so impressed they made offers, leading to her own albums and various Columbia artists like BS&T covering her songs.

I think it worked out, until she quit the music biz in disgust a few years later. But the mythology in these cases usually carries the most weight until actual proof or evidence to the contrary surfaces.

And that's about all I can say about busting the Laura Nyro got booed myth.  Smiley

Great post. Thanks for confirming what Ive been trying to say.
Logged

Here are my SMiLE Mixes. All are 2 suite, but still vastly different in several ways. Be on the lookout for another, someday.

Aquarian SMiLE>HERE
Dumb Angel (Olorin Edition)>HERE
Dumb Angel [the Romestamo Cut]>HERE

& This is a new pet project Ive worked on, which combines Fritz Lang's classic film, Metropolis (1927) with The United States of America (1968) as a new soundtrack. More info is in the video description.
The American Metropolitan Circus>HERE
[
Micha
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 3133



View Profile WWW
« Reply #146 on: April 03, 2014, 09:19:02 AM »

seeing them perform VT and SU at the same concert that debuted Jimi, Janis and the Who would've helped their image in that regard.

Or the audience would have chanted "Play the oldies!" Smiley

Ok, one minute you're all saying they'd be booed for playing those lame oldies, next that they'd be booed for not doing so...so which is it?

Wait, I was the only one who said they might have been "booed" for not playing the oldies. I'm a bit off the timeline there (for joking purposes), as this happened mostly during the Reilly era of the early 70s. Says so in Jon's and Ian's book.
Logged

Ceterum censeo SMiLEBrianum OSDumque esse excludendos banno.
Jason Penick
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 580



View Profile
« Reply #147 on: April 03, 2014, 03:53:29 PM »

Here's a first person account of the festival from none other than Robert Christgau. I for one had never seen this until I spent an evening poking around his website.

Fans of Peter Tork might be advised to proceed with caution if they don't like seeing their hero get badmouthed.

http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/music/monterey-69.php
Logged

SUICIDE
It only makes things worse. You can't solve anything by killing yourself. I mean, things can only get better, but if you're dead, they may not. -- Brian Wilson
Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1565


SMiLE is America: Infinite Potential Never Reached


View Profile WWW
« Reply #148 on: April 03, 2014, 03:59:00 PM »

Here's a first person account of the festival from none other than Robert Christgau. I for one had never seen this until I spent an evening poking around his website.

Fans of Peter Tork might be advised to proceed with caution if they don't like seeing their hero get badmouthed.

http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/music/monterey-69.php

Appreciate that link. Thank you
Logged

Here are my SMiLE Mixes. All are 2 suite, but still vastly different in several ways. Be on the lookout for another, someday.

Aquarian SMiLE>HERE
Dumb Angel (Olorin Edition)>HERE
Dumb Angel [the Romestamo Cut]>HERE

& This is a new pet project Ive worked on, which combines Fritz Lang's classic film, Metropolis (1927) with The United States of America (1968) as a new soundtrack. More info is in the video description.
The American Metropolitan Circus>HERE
[
KittyKat
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1466



View Profile
« Reply #149 on: April 03, 2014, 07:01:11 PM »

What he wrote about Peter Fork explains why Brian may have feared a bad reaction at Monterey, considering the Beach Boys also didn't play on a lot if their records and some of the  hippie wannabes like Christigau may have considered them LA plastic, too.
Logged
gfx
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 [6] 7 Go Up Print 
gfx
Jump to:  
gfx
Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines Page created in 0.782 seconds with 22 queries.
Helios Multi design by Bloc
gfx
Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!