I was only 9 years old when Woodstock took place, but when I turned 12, I started playing guitar and haven’t stopped. I am now 62. Your dream and vision changed the world. We need more people like yourself. Rest In Peace, Michael. Woodstock will never die.
if he only would realize WILDSTOCK and so live forever.. the star rock legends are LIVE and the wildstock concerts (world wide wake up call IS REAL.. please share and allow Michael and group to come to the NOW and make it SO.. WILDSTOCK WOODSTOCK REGENERATION vid ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bJN4jKWrKz4.html
@showlogicprod Monterey wasn't THE first, as you correctly point out. But it WAS the one that the music world first took notice. And formed the paradigm_structure of all subsequent rock festivals for decades to come.
You were really not too young - I was 15 and come from Wisconsin to be there. I admit, I was young but, I understood why we were there: the war, civil rights and the environment. Looks like we need another Woodstock today.
Another Woodstock would be awesome but most of the new music now sucks. If they were playing rap and angry rock it would not go well with todays crowd.
I have watched Woodstock festival 1969 full document movie many times. Thank you Michael and friends you that happen possible 1969! Good regards Tuomo Finland 👍
@Noteman They will yes, but also rock, pop, and classic acts. He said it himself. Wait till the lineup comes out before rejecting the lineup right off the bat.
A belated RIP to Michael Lang, who helped create one of the defining events in US history. The paradox of Woodstock is that the very aspect that ensured its fame - the eponymous documentary - also ensured its singularity. That film is really what made the show legendary, and so many rock shows since tried to recapture its spirit without success. It’s no wonder the 50th anniversary show didn’t happen. The 1960s are over. Just read the news and you’ll see.
Woodstock 1969 - I was there... Some of my buddies and I decided the night before and we just went. I got there just in time to see the tall chain link fence go down...! I soon took a job selling hot dogs at a concession... all the food was gone in one hour. I made a small pay check for that. I saw a friend from my home town, Steven Tallerico who you will know as Steven Tyler of Aerosmith fame... He was in a very bad condition, if you know what I mean. The crowd continued to swell. I ran into a previous girlfriend and her sister who put me up in their tent. I stayed two or three days on then bummed a ride back to Westchester. I noticed a professional photographer on the stage take a shot in my direction just before I left and when the TIME Magazine special came out in December spotted my distant image although without enough facial details to convince anyone but myself.
Great story, I love reading people’s experiences from there. You’ve gotta follow up on an in depth detail of what Steven was doing and wearing man, that’s rock n roll history that you have! He’s only briefly mentioned that he was there.
This experience was definatly an eye opener for me. I traveled to Woodstock on a rented Greyhound with a bus load of friends from Belleville Ontario Canada. $24.00 for a three day concert, but turned out it was free when we arrived on I think was August 13th/14th
Michael Scott Lang ,,,born December 11, 1944 - January 8, 2022 died (aged 77) ,,,i cant believe he died this year,,there didnt seem to be any news report on it
I was 14, I can remember the huge impact it had on society in general, there were many opinions pro and con but overall a little thing that turned into a big thing very quickly. I knew a guy that was there, he said the cops were searching everybody coming out for drugs but not everybody going in because they just didn't have the staff to do both. So people coming out were throwing their stuff over the fence to people coming in.
They shouldn't feel bad about Woodstock 50 being cancelled. It would've been a total disaster, anyway. Even with all the "re-dos" every 10 years, there will only ever be ONE Woodstock, and that is the "original" one in 1969. (Even though I heard that Woodstock 40 wasn't bad as far as anniversary ones went, since much of the original artists were still around to perform. 40 was the absolutely last chance). With half of the original artists either gone or retired (and all of them over-70), there's no point. The producers aren't at fault. Lang did fine. It's just not meant to be anymore. Different generation, different mindset. Besides, what passes for "music" these days is, in my opinion, raucous, computerized noise. I mean, Jay-Z and Miley Cyrus as headliners? I didn't know whether to laugh or cry!
Que bien ver a este gran joven del ayer ( + 50 años ) , con buena salud y mucha simpatía LONG LIFE TO MICHAEL FOR OTHERS 50 YEARS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PEACE , LOVE and MUSIC FOREVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chile , 19 Agosto 2019 .
According to the book "Barefoot in Babylon" Lang and Artie Kornfeld wanted to build a recording studio in Woodstock. They went to see John Roberts and Joel Rosenman to finance the studio. In the plans for the studio was a note to have small concert with a few acts, to help fund it. It was John Roberts who wanted to turn it into a big festival. Lang was not that keen on it, as he had already done Miami Pop. My point is that Lang takes most of the credit for Woodstock, when it never would have gotten off the ground if it were not for John Roberts. It didn't cost Lang a penny, and it was years before Roberts got his investment back. Lang doesn't even mention him. That's just plain wrong. I have read a lot of Books on Woodstock and "Barefoot in Babylon" (Robert Stephen Spitz) is the best. Highly recommended.
As I in my late years really start to look into what went on there.. It strikes me here and now why he doesn’t even mention the other names.. Why not ?
IT WAS A LOT COOLER AND EVERYONE WAS ON THE SAME PAGE THEN! " IT IS NOT LIKE THAT ANYMORE"! THERE WAS A CERTAIN STYLE AND HIPNESS THAT DOESEN'T EXIST ANYMORE, AND IT WAS A LOT SAFER!
@james c RAP IS PEOPLE WITH NO EDUCATION YELLING SWEAR WORDS! FUCK KINDA TALENT IS THAT? AND IF ITS COOL HOW COME PEOPLE GET MAD WHEN I TELL THEM THEIR MOTHER HAS A LICE INFESTED CUNT? JEEPERS!
I know Michael has passed away since this interview, but there's no reason they can't have another Woodstock. I know Woodstock 1999 was a disaster, but that's mainly due to the physical HOT concrete airforce base they were on, the scorching hot rare weather, and the bad planning. Not trying to knock Michael personally, but the planning and location choice were just awful. When done right, this concert could be epic. Nowadays, they have the planning of these events down and perfected like a simple equation. Just hire experts, don't get greedy, and it will be an amazing time.
Woodstock gets all the publicity but in fact, the Goose Lake rock festival (Michigan) was at least as good, and didn't have the rain and mud. The final act was Jethro Tull, their album "Benefit" had just been released. Wow -- we brought 'em back for 13 encores.
I love Jim Kerr and Shelley Sonstein, Grew up listening to y Them on WPLJ years ago. I also loved the fact how Jim mentioned Bert Sommer!! Right on Jim! Kudos to you!!
He got screwed because he couldn't get a license. It would have been an amazing week. The most legendary music festival that ever was and it couldn't be celebrated. Doing future Woodstocks is important, they keep the history going and the memory going of 69. It was sad not see the 50th happen. Total narrow minded officials that couldn't see how important that event was for American Music History!! They got scared because the 50th would have been bigger than 69 because of social media and the event itself.
I would think you might get some disagreement with San Francisco hippies as to whether Woodstock "changed history", or maybe "changed history" more than the summer of love did (1967). I did not attend either event, but have lived in New York as well as on the west coast. But the music flowered a bit earlier out there, and then was brought to Woodstock. The Woodstock lineup thought was amazing.
I guess it’s not impossible for something like -69 festival to happen again ? But it’s impossible to try to re-create it, you can call it anniversary or whatever.. Still I must give my great respect to Mr. Lang and his partners from back then for his role in what turned out as one of the largest acts of unselfishness in modern culture. Something about people shined (and smelled) in that festival August-69. Rip Max.
Haha I have been celebrating this ever since it was announced! People have asked me, "What is Woodstock?". I already have my plans, waiting for those tickets, at least one hippy will be there ;)
THERE WAS A GREAT WEEKEND EVENT AT LAUREL RACE COURSE, IN JULY OF 1969 AS " LAUREL FOLK FESTIVAL". WHERE EVERYBODY THAT PLAYED THERE , PLAYED AT WOODSTOCK THAT YEAR ALSO.
What should have been the 50th anniversary fell apart like a really bad dream. It would have been great to see them pull it off. Unfortunately the chaos of the 30th anniversary held in Rome was not forgotten by local governments. Watkins Glen is not capable of safely hosting this kind of event. In my opinion Michael has milked the Woodstock cow dry!!!
You musta not been at the Phish superball festival at Watkins a few yrs back......ton of people, and no incidents....we even had a 3 k race sunday morning
Woodstock 50 is basically Coachella in New York with a couple bands sprinkled in that nobody will know and anyone that is old enough to know is too old to go to something like this
I WATCHED A CLIP**** A GUY BAUGHT THE WOOD FROM THE STAGE WHEN THEY TORE IT DOWN>>HE MADE A GARAGE>> WHEN THEY WENT TO SEE IF IT WAS THE STAGE THEY PULLED DOWN A PEICE OF PLYWOOD AND IT SAYED IN BIG LETTERS "FADED" Michael Lang ....
And no cellphones allowed, sly stone at 3.30 night again and druuuugs. I hope that the crowd will not have so much cellphones holding into the air and that the festival be free again
I was 15 in 1969. Lived a few hours away in Syracuse. I loved the music, but was never into the counter-culture scene, which I thought - even then - was unbelievably naive. As well as plain stupid. Most people I knew who did go there weren't into this hippie/counter-culture thing, either. They went mostly for the girls. And to hear great music.
2019 (Dream) Lineup: The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Queen (w/ singer), Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Who, Guns N Roses, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The White Stripes, Greta Van Fleet... OR JUST REUNITE LED ZEPPELIN !!!!!!!
@@bdee7874 I think it'll be a lot of fun to go from psychedelic rock to Ariana Grande while I'm dancing out of my mind, and I don't even listen to pop!
dang, this D.J. has the perfect voice,...thanx for sharing this interview. i was heartbroken to hear that we lost Michael, but he will always live on thru woodstock.
The "atmosphere" and interest in everyone getting along, unfortunately is waaaay long gone. An attempt to have a festival like Woodstock, would be nothing short of a modern day "bloodfest"!
Greta Van Fleet, Foo Fighters, the Black Keys, Cage the Elephant, etc. Should play this year. No rap or hip hop. If at least GVF will be there, I'm all in.
There was another festival called Stomp in 76..It had a crowd like Woodstock. It was in Carroll Co Virginia near Pot Rock back in 76..I hear they may do another one but not sure...
Same. Since Woodstock 94 went down I have been a huge fan of these festivals. I was disapointed when another one didnt follow 99 as fast as 99 followed 94. Pretty much gave up on another one happening. Then I heard this news. Super Excited wish I could be there. If not maby it will be on Pay Per View!
Shame you glossed over The Miami Pop festival which Michael Lang booked. Many years ago I had the pleasure to have been drinking around Soho with Mitch Mitchell. He originally played in a band called The Coronets with another chap I knew before he joined the JHE. He was quite derisory about Woodstock apparently they took ages to get on stage, it was cold and Jimi, Billy and him were playing more by intuition because they could not hear themselves, and Mitch was not overawed by the extra percussion section which if you watch parts of Woodstock were playing out of time. So back to Miami Pop Festival which was the JHE on fire!! I have also talked to other people I know and it was apparently a pretty incredible moment for the JHE who hit the stage running, Eddie Kramer recorded both concerts and is on record about the JHE performance at Miami. I am in no way criticising Woodstock which is a historical event of extreme importance but just wished the presenter had taken more time with the Miami Pop Festival which Michael was involved in and was the prelude to Woodstock. Also in it's own right quite a spectacular line up. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Pop_Festival_(May_1968)
If you don't mind Michael where are the other three of your co-organizers of the original Woodstock, are they still around? . . . Benjie from the Philippines.
If they tried to have another one, the police would be so thick, it wouldnt be worth going. Must have been nice to have an idea and run with it, without asking permission from the mafia ruling our un-free country.
J Mazz It was about money then too but they failed with organization and couldn’t charge people once they were already there. They were forced to make it free.
