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What Woodstock Means to Me

by Dr. Bob Hieronimus, Ph.D.

It took historians several decades to comprehend what Woodstock was, and why it is remembered by the entire planet as a watershed moment.

Ultimately, I believe the legacy of Woodstock is in the name that the originator Michael Lang gave to the event: He called it “An Aquarian Exposition”. Those of us who have studied astrology know we are moving toward the time period in which humanity will adopt a more inclusive philosophy based on the ideas of Aquarius – the brotherhood of humans and the philosophy that we are one people on one planet.

Woodstock was the seed for the revolutionary idea that humans could rise to the occasion, overcome all kinds of obstacles of the most fundamental sort, and still hang in there and work together. It was living proof that human beings are more than just physical bodies, and that we possess something within us of a higher consciousness and awareness.

Over the past 45 years the media and the conservative regimes have tried very hard to distort or destroy this vision, but these seeds will eventually flower and come into manifestation on a more permanent level. The great weather and earth changes just ahead of us will force the entire planet to the challenge of working together harmoniously – just as they did at Woodstock. The heavy rains and mud are coming, lack of food, lack of water, etc., these climate change realities in our future will make Woodstock seem like a microcosm of what we will face on planet earth in the future. I hope the lessons from Woodstock of sharing, great compassion, care, and love will help us remember we can rise above the great challenges that we face.

In 2009, 21st Century Radio produced a six-part, 10-hour radio series of interviews with the people who had organized the original Woodstock, or created films and books about it. We invite you to enjoy all these interviews again with easy clicks to order their books or visit their websites. Click on the names to listen to their interviews.

5-31-09

Lisa Grant and Gregory Walter

Woodstock: A New Look, Writers Collective, 2008

www.TheWoodstockBook.com

Bob’s notes on this interview: Grant and Walter’s hardcover book used the AP photo of the Woodstock Bus showing Trudy Morgal and Ricky Peters sitting on top of it, as well as four other photos of the Woodstock Bus, showing its exact location from the sky above, and from the stage, and another from the audience’s perspective.


6-21-09

Brad Littleproud and Joanne Hague

Woodstock Peace, Music & Memories (with Brad Littleproud), Krause Publications, 2009

www.woodstockpreservation.org

Bob’s notes on this interview: This book was especially important because it is the only 40th anniversary publication that interviewed Bob Grimm, the owner of the Woodstock Bus, as well as Trudy Morgal who is in the AP photo sitting on top of the bus that is in numerous books and articles. Trudy and Bob Grimm were members of the legendary “Light” band. It is also the only 40th anniversary book that carries two full pages describing the Woodstock Sunstar Diecast model limited edition of 3,000 worldwide.

 

6-21-09

Bob Grimm

Owner of “Light” the Woodstock Bus, Vocalist and Composer of the ground-breaking "Akasha" album; Guitarist for The Progressions; A Taste; Light; Good Grief; Touch; and Flow; later part of the Four Seasons

www.BobGrimm.net

Bob’s notes on this interview: My old friend Bob Grimm was not only the owner of the Woodstock Bus, but he commissioned me to design and paint it in 1968. In this interview he tells us his first-hand memories of how they got the bus through the crowds into the festival. Brad Littleproud and Joanne Hague's second interview is followed by Bob Grimm in this audio.

 

7-5-09

Barry Levine and Linanne Sackett

The Woodstock Story Book, BookSurge Publishing, 2009

www.WoodstockWitness.com

www.WoodstockstoryBook.com

Bob’s notes on this interview: An excellent and beautiful book!

 

 

 

7-5-09

Stan Goldstein

Woodstock’s second employee with titles ranging from Executive Headhunter, Campground Coordinator, and Director of Emergency Services

Bob’s notes on this interview: Stan was also known as the “Holy Ghost”! He was the guy who knew where everything was. Stan's interview follows Barry Levine and Linanne Sackett's in this audio.

 

7-5-09

Elliot Tiber

Subject of the new Ang Lee film “Taking Woodstock”, and author of the memoir by the same name, Taking Woodstock: A True Story of a Riot, a Concert, and a Life (with Tom Monte), Square One Publishers, 2009

www.ElliotTiber.com

www.PalmTreesOnTheHudson.com

Bob’s notes on this interview: Elliot Tiber is an absolute joy to talk to! We also interviewed him later about his second book about his hilarious encounters with Judy Garland and the mob. This audio starts off with the remainder of Stan Goldstein's interview followed by Elliot tiber's interview.

 

 

 

 

7-26-09

Elliott Landy

How he was hired as an official photographer for Woodstock '69 and why Bob Dylan never showed up. Woodstock Vision: The Spirit of a Generation, Backbeat Books, 2009

www.LandyVision.com

Bob’s notes on this interview: Elliott Landy is a world renowned photographer famous for his images of Bob Dylan and The Band, Jim Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and more. His extraordinary book has an introduction by Jerry Garcia and commentary by Richie Havens.

 

7-26-09

Janie Hendrix

Sister of Jimi Hendrix and producer of the film Jimi Hendrix “Live at Woodstock

www.JimiHendrix.com

www.ExperienceHendrixTour.com

This audio interview is the remainder of Elliott landy's interview followed by Janie Hendrx's interview.

 

Bob’s notes on this interview: Janie’s film also shows “Light” the Woodstock Bus in the only film footage I’ve ever seen of my bus. It shows up in the first minute of the production, used here as a visual symbol for the overall meaning of Woodstock.


 

8-9-09

Fred Weintraub

Warner Bros. Executive Who “Green-Lighted” the Woodstock film, “Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music Director's Cut” (40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition) 

Bob’s notes on this interview: Without Fred we would never have seen this film that brought Woodstock to the world.

Eddie Kramer

Sound Engineer in Charge of Recording the Woodstock Concert, and almost all of Jimi Hendrix career.

www.Eddie-Kramer.com

Bob’s notes on this interview: Eddie joined Fred Weintraub to describe the new Director’s cut of the 3-disc production of the legendary Woodstock movie.

 

8-9-09

Paul Kingsbury

Co-Editor of Woodstock: Three Days That Rocked the World, Sterling Publishing, 2009

Bob’s notes on this interview: I enjoyed this book especially for the insights about how Joni Mitchell wrote the words to the song “Woodstock”, made a Number One smash for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, when she wasn’t even there!


 


8-16-09

Billy Cox

Bass player for Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock. Cox was an old Army buddy of Hendrix, who played with him before his fame with the Experience, and also for the remaining months of his life after Woodstock on the Jimi Hendrix Experience tour and albums.

www.BassistBillyCox.com

www.JimiHendrix.com

Bob’s notes on this interview: Billy Cox has become a good friend of mine, and we’ve enjoyed hanging out with him backstage every few years when the Experience Hendrix tour rolls into town.

9-13-09

Patrick Colucci

Attendee of Woodstock ’69 featured on Dateline NBC and Good Morning America remembers 1969 and how Woodstock dramatically impacted his life

Check out his Flip Me The Peace Sign Page on Facebook

Patrick's interview follows Elliot Tiber in this audio and is continued in the audio files for Hour Two.

Bob’s notes on this interview: Patrick gave a detailed fan’s-eye account of the peace and love festival. And besides, we enjoy flipping the peace sign as much as he does!