"If you can remember the Sixties," says the Capt, quoting Robin Williams, "you probably weren't there." But I can
remember some...um...high points, and I definitely was there. I have the gray and wrinkles to show for it, along with the memories. Now it can be told: I lived in communes and on open land from time to time, went barefoot as often as possible, grew my hair long. Danced at Altamont, the Left Coast's not-so-utopian version of Woodstock, to the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil," unaware some poor fellow was being knifed by Hells Angels fifty yards away. Lived in a two-story treehouse on Lou Gottlieb's open land, cooked over an open fire, hitchhiked, lived on beans and rice with chapati, sweated gallons in sweat lodges, burned a lot of incense, and stayed up all night playing guitar and singing. Consumed illegal substances. Protested the Vietnam War, PCBs and nuclear power. Rooted for alternative energy and dreamed of a farm powered by solar panels and biofuel, surrounded by animals (not for food but for company). Wrote an article about Morningstar Ranch for an alternative commie pinko newspaper, got an unpaid job there and eventually became its unpaid publisher. Never arrested — just lucky, I guess.What changed for me was having weekly deadlines to meet with the accompanying responsibilities, a son to raise and a subliminal awareness that at some point, the original idea became somewhat obscured by imitators, fads and fascination with the trappings. Stockbrokers kept long-haired wigs and headbands stashed in their Porsches for weekend visits to country communes where free love reigned supreme.
Now we are at a sort of milestone, 40 years since Woodstock, invited to dig up our peace sign earrings, tie-dye shirts and bell-bottoms (if we can still squeeze into them) for a nostalgic fling. If, as the Capt says, you really weren't there, if you weren't even a gleam in your daddy's eye yet, fret not! Wiki-How has a tutorial on How to Be a Hippie. Not only that, but How to be a Cool Hippie, and How to Be a Hippie (Not the Stereotype) and, if your heart's not really in it but you're off to some retro shindig, How to Dress Like a Full-Blown Hippie. Some of the instructions are hilarious, written by someone under 30 who spent a couple of days immersed in films and videos like "Hair," "Easy Rider" and "Alice's Restaurant," and listening to the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan and Country Joe & The Fish.
Makes me wonder what they'll do when Woodstock turns fifty. Who knows, by then maybe we'll be able to time-warp our way back to the original scene, dude. Far out.
12 comments:
I was born late. But I did have Alices Restaurant memorized. My parents took me to San Francisco around 68 or 69. They had hippy friends that had a VW Van and 2 daughters the same age as my sister and I. I have memories of incense, Lancer's white wine in a clay jug and wearing flowers in my hair.
I think you should write more on the subject.
Probably not hard to believe but I never was a hippie. Went to an all boys Catholic High School where we wore ties and sport coats every day and were taught by Vincentian priests, joined the Air Force when I graduated at seventeen, always had short hair, never used dope of any kind and am not nostalgic for "woodstock". I still don't understand the sixties and probably never will. It was mostly a whole bunch of foolishness if you ask me. Yes, there are still a few of my kind still around :)
Chrissy - I've still got my VW van! Now and then I get an urge to paint flowers and unicorns on it but it's still primer gray. I remember Lancers and wearing flowers in my hair. I was in SF right about that time, going dancing at the Avalon Ballroom. Woo hoo!
Bob - A lot of it was foolishness, yes. Some of it was fun. I wouldn't have missed it. But I can't picture you in long hair and tie dye anyway. Cada changa a su mecate.
Great post, I agree with CyK, write more about it. I wasn't even a teenager yet. But I remember all the hoopla over Woodstock. I remember my "young swinging Uncle" giving me my first cassette tape of The Band. My sister and I were the first in our Texas Red-neck town to wear fringed leather vests and carry fringed purses to match. I'll have to drag out my pictures from those days and post them.... oh this is going to be fun. I was just told last year by our school counselor "you are such a Hippie." I was so proud!
Even though we are close to the same age, our paths were so different. I already had 3 kids by Woodstock. Was working in Houston and being responsible. Bummer. Never got to do any of the irresponsible stuff....and I'm working on that now.....ha.
Sure woulda liked to have been there then though.
Beginning in 1968, the captain lived on Haight Street in SF (as in Haight-Ashbury) in a 4 bedroom apartment with four other space cadets and a cat, who was the house Zen instructor. He (the capt, not the cat), having served a tour in 'Nam in the Marines, also marched in peace parades, attended the People's Park confrontations in Bzerkeley, and consumed industrial quantities of hallucinants, rode a motorcycle for a living and didn't have to keep his long hair in a drawer. The capt. had a nickname then, but doesn't recall what it was...
Hmmmmmmmm
Should I admit that I'm STILL doing all that stuff, (and have been since the late 60's)....just got home from the Sir Paul McC concert in Piedmont Park in Hot-Lanta.
AJC.com dubbed it Woodstock II.
I wore my long Rainbow Tie Dye dress and had a matching Huge silk scarf. Sir Paul approved !!! ;))
Had a ticket for Ms Mmmmmm but she was a no-show. ;((
Mata ne
Liz-in-japaul Teeee Heeeeee
BTW, I should not be credited with the creation of "If you can remember the Sixties..." That was Robin Williams.
However, "The internet is the suppository of all the world's knowledge"... that's an original Capitan...
Jomamma - As you know, I grew up in Texas, but moved to CA before I turned 21, and I have no idea what it was like to be a Texas flower child. Or an Austin flower child as opposed to an Abilene flower child. We all had different slants on it, but what bound us together for a while was the music, certain attitudes at odds with the establishment, and our appearance. In CA I started off as a city girl but ended up a rural hippie and I never regretted it. Cities still make me feel a little claustrophobic. "Don't fence me in!"
Babs - Nothing like a kid or two or three to set you on a different path. And now look, you get the grandkid dividend! I've already told you how much I envy that. But it's just as well, I can't picture the Capt trying to act like a step-granddaddy. No way.
Capt - We missed each other in SF by one year! Probably just as well, we weren't ready to meet until we met.
I would think Austin, TX was probably the ONLY town in Texas in the 60s that was even a tiny bit living with the Calif. scene. The rest of Texas was still living the Leave To Beaver life well into the 70s. I too prefer the country life over the city, but have learned that it's so much more expensive to live in the country. That's why we live in a Bedroom Community.
I remember reading the Rolling Stone with my best friend and we made plans to attend Woodstock. Somehow we got sidetracked making a run to the left coast for a supply of "product". Spent a month out there using up most of our investment. I still have my late 60's and early 70's albums that get played regularly on a new and improved Dual turntable. Nothing beats the sound of British rock on vinyl, with the assistance of a much smaller amount of product. Loved the 60's but the product is better today. Thanks for sparking the memories. daniel
Liz - I somehow doubt you're doing ALL that stuff, at least I hope not. But getting to see Sir Paul must have been one of those lifetime memories. Glad you were so well spiffed up for the occasion. I can no longer participate in monstrously huge crowds, and neither can the Capt.
Daniel - You would have probably found all the "product" you could use and then some, if you'd just headed straight to Woodstock. But then, it's those decisions that shape our lives, right?
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