"Summer of Love" 1967 (The Summer of Love) - history, music, impact on culture
"Summer of Love" call summer 1967when in one of the districts of San Francisco Hythe Ashbury several thousand came hippiewho are completely did not know each other, but gathered in order to promote love and independence. Then they are did not knowthat their gathering would be considered musical, cultural, social and political rebellion. This story can rightfully be considered main event of the yearwhen on a subculture hippie first drew Attention.
This Festival consider not only rebellionbut also social experiment, because image the life that the hippies were leading at that time, strongly different from what other people are used to. The congregation lived in communes, they are equal shared good, openly consumed psychedelic drugs, promotedfree love".
background
In order to better understand what it is "Summer of Love", necessary sort out where it happened and at what time.
City and the area were chosen not by chance. The event took place in San Francisco, the city of tolerance and freedoms. True connoisseurs and creators lived in it artwho devoted all their time creativity, did not have a normal job, were messy Lifestyle. San Francisco can be called the epicenter bohemia. Already in this connection it is possible understandwhy "Summer of Love" took place in this city: San Francisco was ideal starting point for cultural and musical revolution. Time is also worth talking about: in 1967, the United States continued to wage war in Vietnam. People are tired of the endless bad news, were afraid for their loved ones, went to the country coffins.
Hippie was distributed mainly among youth. Like any modern movement, they wanted declare about yourself, create your own scene, and therefore music and culture. At that time, the hippies already had their favorites. musicians, but they were not directly related to this direction. Of course, immediately come to mind The Beatles with their unforgettable "All You Need Is Love". But they are hippies were not and did not belong to this movement.
Should be remembered interesting phrase by American singer-songwriter Jim Morrison:
“Hippies were mostly from the petty bourgeoisie. This movement can only exist in our time and in our society. Why? Previously, it was more difficult for people to survive: there were constant wars, economic crises occurred almost every year. And now we are doing relatively well: people have enough money to experiment with their lifestyle. But this audience upsets me. Because she is a well-fed people who don't know what to do."
let's try sort outwho in the summer of 1967 was stars music industry? "The Kinks", "The Yardbirds", "Cream", "The Who", "The Beach Boys", "The Byrds", "Love" and The Rolling Stones. From the foregoing, the conclusion follows: hippies were not able to create their own scene, unlike the punks ten years later.
Summer 1967
In 1967 whatever was going on in San Francisco: music, psychedelic substances and thousands wonderful people. This year began with the prelude to the "Summer of Love" - "Human Being-In". It is thanks to this event in January 1967, San Francisco became symbol American counterculture. Entrepreneurs thought about why more and more young people come to the city, adjust to this and in every possible way begin to earn money. They hooked up advertising, furiously promoted future "Summer of Love". The Haight organized excursions: people from all over America came and were curious looked at representatives of the hippies. All this was reminiscent zoo, where tourists were the visitors, and hippies were the poor animals. Thus, they did not create a scene: they assembled huge the number of viewers for which it was worth creating scene and call musicians, performers.
Don't forget that hippies believed in various kinds otherworldly strength, supernatural energy, inaccessible ordinary people. In this regard, the festival was invited Srila Prabhupada. This is an Indian religious figure who promotes Hinduism. An American poet also came to the festival Allen Ginsberg, founder of beatnikism and one of the representatives bit generation.
Music Festival
Most important the event that took place in June went down in history under the name "Monterey Festival". It lasted several days - from 16 to 18 June. It was on it that the most large number of people: approx. 100 000 human. This event is considered the most iconic in hippie culture.
These days more than 20 musicians. Even the festival was attended exotic figures: for example, Ravi Shankar, an Indian musician and composer who enjoyed a special popularity among the hippies.
An American band also performed there. "The Mamas And Papas". They were considered the most main honored group last go on stage and close festival. There they sang one of their most popular songs. "California Dreaming". Also spoke separately Scott Mackenzie, track writer "San Francisco" and one of participants The Mamas And Papas. He wrote this song specially for "Summer of Love".
Important moment: almost all musicianswho spoke at this event did it is free. Many of them wanted to declare about myself: it was a big step for Jimi Hendrix, which in the future will become legendary musician. But there were also performers who refused work without pay Chuck Berry. In addition to them, there were also British rock bands "The Who", "The Animals", american collectives Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Byrds, singer Otis Redding.
Formally "Summer of Love" ended in October 1967. The farewell party ended with the traditional burning coffin. This ceremony even had its own name - "The Death of the Hippie".
Hythe Ashbury now
After the summer of 1967 hippie for a while did not leave San Francisco, but after a few years most of them moved to other cities and states. Someone returned home, someone continued live in communes, but in a different place. Now Haight-Ashbury is rather tourist place than refuge for hippies. Here so far come some art lovers, but hypewhat was before already No.
