woodstock festival 40 years old today!

the woodstock festival kicked off the first of its three days of music 40 years ago today, august 15, 1969! last night i watched the "woodstock: 40 years later" which is part of vh1 rock docs series (the woodstock documentary was co-produced with the history channel). tonight i even caught some of the original "woodstock" on vh1 classics.

watching both made me realize how woodstock was the high water mark of the 1960's. four months later, in december, the rolling stones tried to replicate woodstock at the altamont speedway. the west coast version resulted in the murder of one concert goer in a fight with the hells angels (hired by the stones for security)! in the wake of altamont, the grateful dead wrote "new speedway boogie."

in may, 1970, less than a year after woodstock, and 5 months after altamont, the national guard unleashed the kent state massacre - resulting in the shooting deaths of 4 students. in the wake of kent state, neil young penned "ohio" (and performed by crosby, still, nash & young).

hard to believe the peace and love of woodstock could have been dissipated so quickly!