Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Ol' Hippie Music and Other Stuff


My honey gave me a new stereo for my birthday after the old one died back in September. I think I blogged about it...I was limited to using cassettes and most of mine were long gone, thanks to sticky-fingered children. I remember I had certain cassettes and was looking forward to listening after taking them out of retirement, like my B-52's, The Doors, Mary Ann Faithful, Buffy St. Marie, the above album and so many more. I told my daughter about the missing cassettes, during one of our conversations, and she laughed and said she and Joel, my oldest one, got into many of those years ago. Love the big confession after the fact!! Well, I tried to remember some of them and decided to treat myself and order them on Amazon. While helping Joel last week moving his stuff out of the storage unit, I noticed he had a plethora of vinyls...my vinyls!!! Told him some of those covers are worth some $$ and he better not sell them or else, I would haunt him!! He assured me he wouldn't and he loved listening to them on his old stereo...really old stereo I suppose and probably my old stereo!!

The above album is one of my favorites from my youth. In 1966, when I was a freshman in high school, my sister went away to college to USF, a small Catholic college in San Fransisco. The school was located in an area that is now full of history. She was just blocks away from Watts, during the Watts riots, and the Haight-Ashbury district, or known back then as "the Haight." She came back that Christmas break and introduced me to what was called the Bay Area sound and The Jefferson Airplane was one of them. She told me she had gone to this club where people were turning on and tuning out, ala Timothy O'Leary, and of course, she didn't...yea, RIGHT!! LOL She described all the lights and stage special effects during their performance, something our children and grandchildren would scoff and laugh at now. She also introduced me to the "The Association," and their song, "Cherish." So, I fell in love with the Bay Area music and in turn, introduced it to my high school buddies. That sound or songs didn't reach the El Paso area till at least 7 months later. I recall looking for the Airplane albums at this funky record store downtown, and they looked at me as if I were growing lobsters out my ears!! "The Jefferson what??" or the "Who???" well, I also was a Who fan, but I was referring to the "Association." There was also, "Country Joe and the Fish," and of course, "Big Brother and the Holding Company," with none other than, Janis Joplin.

I wasn't a full-blown hippie...I wasn't allowed to be...my parents didn't let me!! LOL However, I attempted to wear the paisley dresses and skirts, the wire rim John Lennon glasses and the "l-o-a-ve" beads!! LOL A dear friend of mine went to Mexico City and brought me back all these cool necklaces and bracelets, so they became my "love beads." This girl once at the school library, who was dating my ex-boyfriend, told a friend of hers, who was a friend of mine, that I was "a hippie" because I wore wire rimmed glasses....so did my friend!! She said it as if I were some kind of weirdo...another words, it was a bad thing!! I wasn't a very good hippie, though. I bathed and washed my long locks every day, shaved, wore make-up, but I dressed really kewel!! LOLOLOL I also didn't tune in or out either...drugs scared the crapolla out of me. I saw too many friends experience bad trips and I could swear, some of them didn't return!! I experienced first hand, how these additions contributed to the demise or death of some really nice people. Hey, this isn't far from over...still going on and now there are more drugs around and quite available.

So the only drug of choice for now is a vodka cocktail. I still like the hippie look, have a few of my peasant shirts left over from the late 60's and 70's, in storage since I've put on some weight since then. I still enjoy the music but now, I dance around in my studio, alone, while jamming to the "Airplane" instead of the smoky, pot-infused environment from back in the day. Prefer the air I breath now and glad I'm not 15 anymore...that sucked!! Peace out.

6 comments:

GlorV1 said...

What an era. Even so, things seemed better in those days. Hippie huh? Tee Hee. Sounds like your days were filled with lots of fun. I still have a lot of records and one day I was going to donate them and changed my mind. Thanks for sharing your fun days, enjoyed the pleasure trip. Have a wonderful day. ::hugs::

Sam said...

I was a senior in 1966, love that music. Remember, Melanie, I've got a Brand New Pair of Roller Skates? I lived in Southern California and saw/met everybody you mentioned. The Iron Butterfly lived in my close neighborhood. The Association, the Beach Boys, Big Brother, Doors, Gracie Slick, Beatles, Stones, Bee Gees.... Ricky Nelson, Jan and Dean, Spiral Staircase, Frank Zappa, Chuck Berry,...Carlos Santana, okay, I'll stop! But the feeling, of possibility, of freedom, .... You really captured it. My mom thinks the Beatles ruined America. (What if she'd heard the Stones?)

Georgina said...

Gloria, I was a teenager, who on my time, was a hippie, otherwise, I was a good, Catholic, Mexican-American girl living in Jewish neighborhood...got the guilt down to an art!! LOL

Sam, wow, girl, you sure did bring back some great memories with your list of vocalists and/or groups...still love Carlos Santana, The Bee Gees, Spiral Staircase, and have the best of Frank Zappa...my oldest son, Joel, gave it to me a few years ago after his death...dems were good times, but I will admit, I like where I am now!! LOL

yoborobo said...

I love all that music (except the BeeGees, I never liked them :). Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart used to practice in a garage near where I grew up. I had to ride my bike past them on my way to my art lesson, and I was more than a little scared of them. LOL! Of course, when I hit high school, I thought it was very cool that I went to the same high school he did. Ah, the good old days. I just treated myself to the Woodstock CDs!
xox Pam

Georgina said...

Pam, I can understand the fear of Zappa!!! LOL That guy was scary all by himself, but quite a talent. I liked the BeeGees, but wasn't crazy about them, but did enjoy their music.

El Paso's claim to fame is Bobby Fuller and The Bobby Fuller Band....a bit before my time or just not old enough to care!! My ex said they used to practice down the street from him. Also, we claim F. Murry Abraham, the actor. He was born and bred here and went to El Paso High School with my cousin, Rene, who still remain friends.

Cindi Myers said...

Bread, Three Dog Night, Elton John, Beatles, Stones, Carole King...I graduated in 75' so I'm just a couple of years younger but that's what I remember.
I was a late bloomer and didn't really experiment until the 80's
.....
:) - Cindi