Published to tie in with the 50th anniversary of these festivals,
Brian Ireland revisits the events, taking stock of their historical
importance, and to note their influence not just on popular culture
and society, but as part of a new musical culture that developed in
the late 1960s and which saw young, similarly-minded people engage
about multiple rights issues such as military draft, free speech,
civil rights, gender equality, drug use, spirituality, capitalism -
even revolution. It explores the festivals' organisation,
promotion, and unfolding, as well as their immediate and enduring
impact. The book is also about the 1960s, particularly the
political, social, and cultural changes that provided the context
for these festivals. A catalyst for these changes was the `baby
boom' that provided the `foot soldiers' for both the Vietnam War
and the counterculture that opposed it. It also provided the
audiences for music festivals such as the annually recurring
Newport Folk Festival, and for one-off events like 1967's Monterey
and of course 1969's Woodstock, and Altamont. The activism of this
young generation, the `New Left', looked to American values of
freedom and democracy, but found them undermined by rampant
consumerism, political assassinations, and by the horrors of the
Vietnam War. All of this is explored behind the backdrop of the
music festivals to form a broad social agenda for change that, by
the time of Woodstock, transformed how Americans viewed themselves
and their society. The Altamont Speedway Free Festival occurred
just a few months later. Meant to be a `Woodstock West' it is
nevertheless remembered as the antithesis of Woodstock, mainly
because of the violence that unfolded and especially the tragic
death of Meredith Hunter - killed by Hells Angels who were employed
to provide security at the festival. Country Joe McDonald, a
notable performer at Woodstock, sums up the popular memory of both
festivals: "Woodstock and Altamont seem like bookends to the great
social experiment of the late sixties.' The former seems proof that
hippie idealism about peace and love was possible; Altamont,
however, seems to reflect the dark side of the hippie dream - the
flip side of the coin which has Charles Manson's face upon it.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
