NO PEACE, OR LOVE BUT PLENTY OF MISUNDERSTANDING: When you think of the name "Woodstock", the first thing that comes to mind is the festival that took place in Bethel, NY during the summer of 1969, a gathering of the younger generation to celebrate peace, love and plenty of music that resonated with the young people at that time.
Thank goodness that, after thirty years, that is what still comes to mind.
 |
| A scene from the HBO documentary Woodstock 99: Peace Love and Rage. |
A few weeks ago, I had watched a three-part documentary on the three-day festival called Woodstock 1999: Peace, Love and Rage streaming on HBO Max. The purpose of the event was to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original concert. After watching this, I thought to myself, "what a sad joke, and to be attached it to the Woodstock name is atrocious. Because nothing about this festival had anything to do with the intention of the original, other than to pretty much "mock" it.
These types of gatherings had become more common during the 1990's, with traveling festivals such as Lollapalooza, the Vans Warped Tour, the Lilith Fair, and even South By Southwest (SXSW), and soon, Coachella. So, this event wasn't too much different. Except that, in an attempt to find a diversity in the artists (not just ethnically, but also via subgenre), it tried to be "all things to everyone", though the crowd (mostly rowdy white males) seemed to be homogenous.
Needless to say, the concert was a disaster from the get-go, and there are many people to blame for it, from the organizers right down to those that attended it. And along the way, it probably killed rock music, at least as a popular music form, for good. I am listing several reasons why this was such a horrible idea.
1. The "Woodstock" name. If you're going to make music history, the best way NOT to do it is to name it after a popular, important event of the past. I mean, when you think of "Band-Aid", for example, it's the original "Do They Know It's Christmas?" where they gathered popular British artists to help African famine relief; you DON'T think of Band-Aid 30 or any other remake. This is NOT the 1960's, it's a different era, attitude, lifestyle. The music has changed, who listens to it has also changed. The community that attended the original is long gone.
2. The Venue. It was a stumbling block for the original, as it searched for a pertinent site to hold that 1969 gathering, but what they wound up was a beautiful, naturally landscaped slope on a dairy farm in White Lake, owned by Max Yasgur. While the field was out in the open, there were plenty of woods nearby for shade, and a lake was nearby, the scene of much skinny-dipping, but to also keep cool if need be. For some reason, Woodstock '99 was held in an abandoned Air Force field in Rome, NY. It was a flat piece of land, and mostly covered by pavement. Holding such a festival in mid-July, where the temperature soared over 100 degrees on such a field emits even hotter temperatures steaming up from the ground bordered on dangerous. The fact that attendees couldn't even bring their own water bottles (or any outside food for that matter), left many of them helpless and angry, which in part led to what happened at the end of the concert.
3. Greed. The promoters for Woodstock '99 were Michael Lang, who was part of the original group of organizers from the 1969 original, and local promoter John Scher, responsible for many concerts in the New York-New Jersey area. While the primary purpose of these ventures is to make money, this was in total contrast to the original. The 1969 festival was supposed to have an admission charge, but because the fences didn't go up in time and fans arrived early, it essentially became a free concert. The promoters lost a lot of money but were lucky enough to recoup that with the documentary film that came out in 1970; thus, all performers got paid. So perhaps understandably, not wanting to make this same mistake, there was a hefty admission charge of $150. Not only that, but since attendees couldn't bring their own food and drink, they were at the mercy of the vendors who sold food and drink and charging them an exorbitant price. Perhaps it was a necessity, but then, the festival should have had a different name.
4. The Music. Back in 1969, just two years removed from the "Summer of Love", many "hippies" as the mainstream press called them, were still peace-loving and mostly non-violent. There was a big generation gap then, and those three days were that generation's way to having their own sense of community, an escape from the big cities and suburbia. The young people were helping each other. And while, yes, there were drugs galore, there was very little or no violence amongst each other. Men and women co-existed and went with the flow. Much of the music by the bands that played the original spoke to them, and while there were different genres represented, those that attended listened to all of them. In 1999, the music changed drastically. While the original preached peace, it was completely different. Popular genres during the 1990's like grunge, pop-punk, hip hop and especially nu metal were the rage, and most preached violence in the lyrics. During Limp Bizkit's song "Break Stuff", that's what the audience started doing. The original put the folk-oriented singers and groups on one night, the likes of Joan Baez, Melanie, Arlo Guthrie, and Richie Havens, while the more rock-oriented bands played the following two days. This time, the promoters threw in performers like Alanis Morrissette right before Limp Bizkit. Korn played before the still-rock-but-tame-in-comparison Bush. And it was pretty much nu metal, and its lyrics that suggested the rage that caused much of the violence that wound up the last two days of the festival.
5. The Crowd. As much as the promoters were to blame for Woodstock '99, the fans must take equal responsibility. Females were often raped by male concertgoers who were pretty much drunk; that was pretty much unheard of at the original. It no doubt let to the creation of #MeToo. Having known people who were into that kind of music, it's a far cry from the fans of thirty years prior. Then there was the rioting after Limp Bizkit's set and especially towards the end of the final day, especially during and after Red Hot Chili Peppers' set.
6. Trying to Treat This Like the Original. Despite the different eras, and the violent crowd as well as the music preaching the same, the powers that be tried to make it like the original. Sorry, but 1969 was long gone, the sense of community out the window. The "peace patrol" there to regulate the crowd, was a joke. The biggest mistake was announcing, during the Red Hot Chili Peppers set, which was to close the concert, was to offer a "surprise" afterwards, which turned out to be a film of Jimi Hendrix performing the Star-Spangled Banner to close the original concert. Very few people saw it for the reasons I'm about to tell you. During the original concert, on the first night, in a move signifying peace, attendees were given candles and were lighted; an inspiration for Melanie's song "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" which was about her experiences at Woodstock '69. With rape and violence permeating Woodstock 99, who was the dummy who thought they could duplicate that in this environment? Nonetheless, they were given candles which would be lit during the Chili Peppers' ballad "Under the Bridge". Needless to say, those candles were instead to torch various portions of the concert field, creating massive bonfires that raged in several spots throughout the field. Drunken fans, tore down one of the towers, tossed any loose objects into the fire including the "artwork" on the boundry walls. They then went to the vendors tents and destroyed what was there, including breaking into ATMs. All this while Hendrix on the screen was playing. Essentially, Hendrix fiddled while Rome (NY) burned.
The concert was a sham, it killed the meaning of the original, and pretty much nailed guitar-driven rock music to its death as a popular music form. While I was watching this, I got pretty angry, and as a music fan, I was outraged. I remember the violence when this was first happening, but upon seeing the documentary, I had no idea of the extent of it. And while much of the nu metal bands made my year-end lists of the late 1990's and early 2000's, I am pretty much ashamed of ever liking this music. First of all, it hijacked my favorite genre, alternative rock and turned into something even worse than heavy metal's heyday. And while there were rock hits during the 2000's, it's been pretty much dead in the last thirteen years or so...one look at the Hot 100 during that era proves my point.
Rock had endured many setbacks over the year, coincidentally happening in years ending with a "9". In 1959, a private plane crash killed top star Buddy Holly, along with emerging artist Ritchie Valens, and musician/announcer The Big Bopper. But rock recovered. Just a few months after the peace of the original Woodstock, in December 1969, we had the Altamont Free Concert, headlined by the Rolling Stones, marred by the violence from the Hells Angels, hired to provide security, stabbed an attendee. But that turned out to be a blip. Then there was the disco blitz which came to a head in 1979, causing paranoid rock fans to declare "disco sucks". Rock got its way again. But in 1999, what happened at Rome, NY, was instrumental in killing rock, at least the form we knew growing up, for good. It coincided with the death of album rock stations that used to play songs the deejays wanted and became a systematic corporate suit-controlled playlist. Even this blog, which I had attempted to dig deep to find some good rock and alternative music is now starting to get eclipsed by beach music and other music forms.
To quote Charlton Heston's character at the end of the 1968 movie Planet of the Apes, "You Maniacs! You blew it up! Damn you! Goddam you all to hell!
BEACH RULES: For the first time, Carolina beach music takes the top two spots on the SNS 100. The Carolina Coast Band featuring Rhonda McDaniel holds the #1 slot for a second week with "The Thing About You". Sliding into the #2 slot is The Main Event Band's "Poor Side of Town", featuring Sharon Woodruff, exchanging places with Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)". Rick Strickland's "Sandy" (10-7), and Deb Browning's former #1, "3 More Minutes" (5-8) round out the beach music entries in the top 10. However, the Carolina Blue Dots' "Cruzin' Down the Boulevard", last week's Top Debut, grabs the Impact award in a 46-15 move.
Rock oriented songs still exist, however, led by The Black Keys' "It Ain't Over" (7-4) and Einstein's Dad's "White Shoulders Lace and Leather" (9-5) make gains. Also new in the top ten is The AZIZ Project's funk driven "Thought I Was Falling in Love" (13-9). There are no other new entries in the top 20 aside from the aforementioned Carolina Blue Dots song. Instagram find Juliet Callahan grabs the Mover award with "Burning" (82-56).
DEBUTS: The Top Debut this week is the new one by Nick Waterhouse, "Monterey". It continues his laid-back jazzy-retro-lounge sound that he's been known for. The production is light, but effective. Just picture yourself in an after-hours club and you'll get the gist of this one. It's part of a new three-song package the West Coast artist released a few weeks back. This also includes a reprise of the song, as well as a new "45" version of his blog-topping "Straight Love Affair" which was my #1 song of 2018. "Monterey" should top the recent "Place Names".
Two beach music entries this week is Doyle Wood and Sylvia Johns Ritchie, the debut blog single for both singers, "Days of Sandy Toes and Salty Kisses". In the usual beach beat, it's another tale about the end of the summer, holding onto the season. In this case, the song looks back at the summer of 1969 when beach music was in its prime. Just another song to fantasize about the Myrtle Beach scene. Speaking of holding on to summer, the Original Carolina Girl, Terri Gore debuts in a duet with Classic Soul, to follow-up her top 20 "Summer's Gonna Last" with "Oh Boy", which is a remake of the Chi-Lights 1972 hit "Oh Girl", rather true to the original.
Bush, one of the bands that played Woodstock '99 (and is interviewed in the HBO Max documentary mentioned above) is back with 'More Than Machines". Gavin Rossdale and company must love machines; prior songs from the band include "Machine Head" and "Warm Machine". It's been a while since I've added one of their band's songs; you have to go back to 2015's "Man on the Run" which only reached #102 as a Tremor. Thought the new one can't touch classics like "Everything Zen" (my #7 song of 1995), the above mentioned "Warm Machine" (#6 song of 2000) or even the blog #2 "Afterlife" in 2010, but it's their best in a while. Worth checking out.
I picked up a song from 2018 during my TV viewing (I don't remember which show; could be Ozark, but "Lonely Heart" by Gizmo Varillas has a cool vibe to it, the song reminds me of 2012's blog #1 "Nunca" by Trails and Ways. Varillas is from Spain, and the song is from his second of three albums, 2018's Dreaming of Better Days.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
August 21, 2022 (Week ending August 27)
|
This
Week |
Last
Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks
on List |
|
1 |
1 |
NUMBER ONE:  CAROLINA COAST BAND featuring RHONDA MCDANIEL Album: Happy Go Lucky (Various Artists) (2 weeks at #1) |
10 |
|
2 |
3 |
13 |
|
|
3 |
2 |
11 |
|
|
4 |
8 |
9 |
|
|
5 |
9 |
8 |
|
|
6 |
4 |
12 |
|
|
7 |
10 |
12 |
|
|
8 |
5 |
16 |
|
|
9 |
13 |
7 |
|
|
10 |
6 |
10 |
|
|
11 |
7 |
20 |
|
|
12 |
11 |
11 |
|
|
13 |
16 |
14 |
|
|
14 |
18 |
7 |
|
|
15 |
46 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  (Single Only) |
2 |
|
16 |
12 |
18 |
|
|
17 |
15 |
16 |
|
|
18 |
19 |
6 |
|
|
19 |
14 |
13 |
|
|
20 |
20 |
8 |
|
|
21 |
22 |
12 |
|
|
22 |
21 |
9 |
|
|
23 |
27 |
5 |
|
|
24 |
17 |
10 |
|
|
25 |
29 |
10 |
|
|
26 |
23 |
23 |
|
|
27 |
26 |
11 |
|
|
28 |
31 |
Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - In My '64 |
9 |
|
29 |
32 |
9 |
|
|
30 |
34 |
8 |
|
|
31 |
33 |
16 |
|
|
32 |
24 |
Jerry Powell and The Carnival Band ft. Dave Sandy - Merry-Go-Round |
15 |
|
33 |
37 |
6 |
|
|
34 |
36 |
13 |
|
|
35 |
28 |
13 |
|
|
36 |
30 |
13 |
|
|
37 |
25 |
19 |
|
|
38 |
38 |
10 |
|
|
39 |
41 |
5 |
|
|
40 |
44 |
4 |
|
|
41 |
49 |
3 |
|
|
42 |
39 |
9 |
|
|
43 |
35 |
Winnetka Bowling League & The Knocks - I Like
to Hide in the Bathroom at Parties |
12 |
|
44 |
54 |
3 |
|
|
45 |
40 |
9 |
|
|
46 |
47 |
7 |
|
|
47 |
50 |
5 |
|
|
48 |
43 |
20 |
|
|
49 |
59 |
4 |
|
|
50 |
42 |
8 |
|
|
51 |
61 |
5 |
|
|
52 |
53 |
8 |
|
|
53 |
48 |
14 |
|
|
54 |
68 |
3 |
|
|
55 |
57 |
7 |
|
|
56 |
82 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  "Burning" (Single Only) |
2 |
|
57 |
51 |
18 |
|
|
58 |
58 |
14 |
|
|
59 |
78 |
2 |
|
|
60 |
71 |
4 |
|
|
61 |
52 |
16 |
|
|
62 |
75 |
3 |
|
|
63 |
64 |
6 |
|
|
64 |
74 |
3 |
|
|
65 |
45 |
11 |
|
|
66 |
88 |
2 |
|
|
67 |
56 |
6 |
|
|
68 |
72 |
15 |
|
|
69 |
92 |
3 |
|
|
70 |
60 |
6 |
|
|
71 |
62 |
14 |
|
|
72 |
77 |
4 |
|
|
73 |
91 |
2 |
|
|
74 |
65 |
10 |
|
|
75 |
63 |
14 |
|
|
76 |
81 |
3 |
|
|
77 |
67 |
8 |
|
|
78 |
55 |
8 |
|
|
79 |
70 |
23 |
|
|
80 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  "Monterey" (Single Only) |
1 |
|
81 |
96 |
2 |
|
|
82 |
73 |
19 |
|
|
83 |
--- |
Doyle Wood and Sylvia Johns Ritchie - Days of Sandy Toes and Salty
Kisses |
1 |
|
84 |
66 |
11 |
|
|
85 |
76 |
9 |
|
|
86 |
84 |
30 |
|
|
87 |
69 |
20 |
|
|
88 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
89 |
80 |
12 |
|
|
90 |
93 |
15 |
|
|
91 |
97 |
2 |
|
|
92 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
93 |
83 |
20 |
|
|
94 |
95 |
7 |
|
|
95 |
79 |
8 |
|
|
96 |
94 |
6 |
|
|
97 |
99 |
2 |
|
|
98 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
99 |
90 |
4 |
|
|
100 |
--- |
1 |
Tremors:
101. Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Spitting off the Edge"
102. Goo Goo Dolls, "You Are the Answer"
103. P!nk, "Irrelevant"
|
|
Songs
with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week. ●
Songs with
25 or more plays on iTunes/iPods ▲ Songs with 50 or more plays.
Tremors:
Songs which have steady or increasing points but not enough to chart on the SNS
100.
