A Perfect Haze: The Illustrated History of the Monterey International Pop Festival [Hardcover]

Harvey Kubernik (Author), Kenneth Kubernik (Author), Michelle Phillips (Afterword), Lou Adler (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2011

The sights and sounds of one of the most famous music festivals in history come to life in this extraordinary compilation of photography, memorabilia, and firsthand accounts from the Summer of Love’s biggest event. It is the definitive book on the unprecedented gathering of folk, pop, soul, and jazz music icons, such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, the Who, and Otis Redding. This chronicle features a wealth of previously unpublished material from the producer’s archives, rare items from collectors, personal photographs from concert-goers, and dozens of new interviews with musicians involved with the concert, including Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Ravi Shankar, members of the Jefferson Airplane, and Canned Heat. Through hundreds of photographs from notable artists alongside ephemera and memorabilia, such as programs, posters, advertisements, and album covers, the book evokes the magic moment of the festival as the epicenter of a groundbreaking movement, showcasing it in all its kaleidoscopic glory.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Rich in rare photos, A Perfect Haze is a definitive talking-book account of the impossible standard that weekend set for future festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo." —Rolling Stone (June 11, 2012)

"The definitive book on the unprecedented gathering of folk, pop, soul and jazz music icons." —Music Connection (November 2011)

"A Perfect Haze . . . piece[s] together the story of the three-day 1967 festival that featured Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield and helped propel the careers of Otis Redding, The Who and Jimi Hendrix to mythic proportions." —USA Today (November 4, 2011)

Publishers Weekly, October 24, 2011

Before Woodstock, thousands of hippies descended on Monterey for the first ever International Pop Festival. At the height of the 1967 summer of love, many were unaware of the part they were about to play in the forthcoming "cultural explosion." Decorated producer Lou Adler cheerfully recalls the conception of the groundbreaking event, which gathered artists who represented the festival's harmonious principles. The authors provide sumptuous documentation through telegrams, contracts, newspaper clippings, line-up posters, and other rare paraphernalia. The work of celebrated photographers captures the atmosphere of this terrific spectacle: the rawness of Janis Joplin; the audacity of (then relatively unknown) Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar alight; the showmanship of The Who; and the "cultivated relaxation" enjoyed by the crowd spacing out to The Grateful Dead and Ravi Shankar before being blown away by Otis Redding. The Kuberniks's combined knowledge and passion make for a thoroughly entertaining retrospective. As David Crosby says: "What happened at Monterey was the flowering of an entirely different set of values." Festival organizer Michelle Phillips closes proceedings with reflections on this genuine happening, and the dawn of a far out philosophy that keeps on giving. (Nov.)

"VERDICT: Well organized, beautifully laid out, and packed with insightful commentary, this work will find its way to the shelves of flower children of all ages. Strongly recommended for anyone with an interest in the music and culture of late 1960s America." —Library Journal (November 15, 2011)

"This 'official history of this glorious festival' is a vivid, colorfully illustrated chronicle of the event, arriving in time to celebrate the fest's forty-fifth anniversary next year. . . . Well written and comprehensive, this is a rock-history coffee-table book for the ages!" —Booklist (October 31, 2011)

"A very well written, gorgeous book commemorating the historic Monterey Pop Festival. The authors' exceptional work here, alongside the eye-opening photos and graphics, makes this one of the year's most essential book purchases. Do check it out." —www.music.yahoo.com (December 2011)

"Anyone who wants a complete record of the events that took place June 16-18, 1967, at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in California will want to pick up this book. . . . This is a great scrapbook that really brings the flower power era of the '60s alive again." —Goldmine (August 2012)

About the Author

Harvey Kubernik is a writer and the former West Coast A&R director for MCA Records. He has contributed essays to several anthologies and articles to numerous publications, including Goldmine, the Los Angeles Free Press, and the Los Angeles Times. He is the author of Canyon of Dreams: The Magic and the Music of Laurel Canyon, Hollywood Shack Job, and This Is Rebel Music. Kenneth Kubernik is a writer, a musician, and a record producer. He was editor of Music Connection and he has contributed to numerous publications, including the Los Angeles Times, MIX, and Variety. Lou Adler is the legendary producer of the Monterey Pop International Festival. He has produced albums for numerous bands and musicians—including Carole King, Johnny Rivers, and the Mamas & the Papas—and several movies, including The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Michelle Phillips is a singer/songwriter who was a member of The Mamas & the Papas. She is also an actress who has appeared in television shows such as Knots Landing, Fantasy Island, and Star Trek and the feature films The California Kid and Dillinger. She is the author of California Dreamin'. They all live in Los Angeles.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Santa Monica Press (November 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595800603
• ISBN-13: 978-1595800602
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 0.9 x 11.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #580,164 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST BOOK ON THE FIRST MAJOR FESTIVAL OF IT'S KIND November 8, 2011

By Stuart Jefferson TOP 100 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Hardcover-4 page Forward (including photographs), 242 pages of text, 6 page Glossary, 2 page Bibliography, plus a list of Photo Credits. The book is filled with very finely reproduced photos and memorabilia-both in color and b&w. The book itself is laid out chronologically, first as a money making venture, and then it's subsequent change into a non-profit festival. From there each chapter is broken down into performers on each day. A perusal of the groups covered in the book's chapters is awesome-the chapter on Saturday night, for example, includes MOBY GRAPE, Hugh Masekela, THE BYRDS, Laura Nyro, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, and Otis Redding and Booker T. and the MGs, with the Mar-Keys. Besides the great photos, there's overviews of the performers, and in depth comments from band members like Jim (later Roger) McGuinn, Chris Hillman, Jack Casady, Paul Kantner, and so on, and others such as D.A. Pennebaker, Michelle Phillips, Art Garfunkel, Al Kooper, Eric Burdon, and Jerry Wexler, among other first hand accounts, and they all have something worthwhile to say. And every other chapter is filled with the same interesting observations, accounts, and photographs of this, the first (and last) festival of it's kind.

This book, endorsed by Lou Adler (one of the festival's organizers), brings to life all the people, performers, music, and the times, when many styles of music and performers came together over one weekend in Monterey, and transformed rock music into the juggernaut it became. Included in the book are many first hand accounts from musicians, fans, festival staff, and people attending the event. You'll read first hand accounts from Pete Townshend, Ravi Shankar, Al Kooper, Chip Monck, writer Robert Christgau, Lou Rawls, filmmaker D.A.... Pennebaker, and members of many of the bands who played over this one spectacular weekend in 1967. It's staggering to think that in the space of one weekend, some of the finest rock, soul, folk, jazz, and pop artists were together for one glorious musical explosion. I remember that just the fact that bands from S.F. were willing to meet with the organizers-from "platic L.A.", (seen as the epitome of commercialism)-and decided to play the festival, was met with much trepidation and suspicion from many people in the Bay Area at the time. And it's all covered in this book.

Besides the many great photographs, there's a slew of posters, programs, ads, album covers, and much more ephemera-a lot of it never seen before-and never in one book. The combination of insightful first hand accounts, the many penetrating, exciting photographs, all combine into what's probably the definitive inside look at this era-defining event. It's hard to decide between the comments and observations from performers and observers, or the photos, as to which is more important. Ultimately they both come together and tell an exciting, insightful, in depth story of music, youth, and the burgeoning rock culture that sprang up in it's aftermath. In some ways the Monterey International Pop Festival was even more important than Woodstock. Monterey was the first time that the majority of important bands came together to show the world (and themselves), that something truly new and exciting was beginning to happen. With instrument breaking, lighter fluid burning, soul shouting, blues belting, South African township jazz, melodic pop, innocent folk stylings-it's all here.

This book brings that era back to life, when rock music, over one weekend (during the real "summer of love"), began to assert itself as a powerful force on a number of fronts-culturally, economically, and metaphorically. Anyone interested in this era, the music it produced and popular culture in general will like this fine book. If you were there, this is an in depth reminder of that fine weekend. If you weren't, this book will tell the story as it's never previously been told. Reading this book, I was reminded of two other worthwhile reads-"Waiting For The Sun-The Sound of Los Angeles" by Barney Hoskins, and "Riot On Sunset Strip" by Domenic Priore. Together, these three books paint an accurate, interesting, informative, and exciting picture of the music, the musicians, and the late 60's era West Coast scene.

There were a number of events ("happenings") during this short but fantastic/weird/generation defining period, love-ins, be-ins, a "gathering of the tribes", etc. Speaking of that, the "seeds" of Monterey grew, in part, from the "Fantasy Fair and Magic Mountain Music Festival", also in 1967, in Mill Valley, Ca., held on Mt. Tamalpais. Tickets cost two (!) dollars, and transportation was provided by "Trans-Love Bus Lines". The general, unofficial description of the Fair, in those innocent times was, "The major happening is you...." Performers scheduled to appear included THE DOORS, THE SEEDS, Tim Buckley (a personal favorite), THE FIFTH DIMENSION, KALEIDOSCOPE (another personal favorite), and several other bands of the era. But the Monterey International Pop Festival was, in some ways, the capstone of it all. This book tells the story of a never to be repeated event, from a never to be repeated era. "A Perfect Haze" is a perfect title. Read more ›

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Whether you were there, or just wish you were... November 3, 2011

By eyeread

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

You may have seen the movie; you may have heard the music; or, maybe you were there. Whatever the case, this book is a fascinating read. There are wonderfully rare times throughout history when everything just seems to come together for a few shining moments -The Monterey Pop Festival was one of them. This passionately compiled book is a must-read not just for music fans, but for anyone interested in social history. The "Summer of Love" is often looked back upon, as a romantic overstatement, but, not those 3 days in Monterey... This detailed narrative embraces first-person accounts from everyone involved, and numerous never-before-seen photographs. Hendrix, The Who, The Byrds, The Dead, Simon & Garfunkle, Janis Joplin, Buffalo Springfield, Ravi Shankar -the list goes on, and on... In more ways than I realized, Monterey created a benchmark template for virtually every Rock festival that followed. All the more amazing when I read that the whole thing came together in 6 weeks -impossible to imagine now, let alone in the days of no internet or email! I had no idea the whole thing was put together as a charity, still active 25 years down the road... This book reminded me of what's possible, and why I fell in love with music in the first place.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Parsley Saged November 3, 2011

By Cosmo Topper

Format:Hardcover

This is not your parents Monterey Pop Book
if this were simply a coffee table book with these never before Scene eye opening photographs
it would be so well worth the price of admission
Instead the follow up to Mr.... Kubernik's game changing "Canyon of Dreams" Bible
Harvey & his brother Kenny have gifted "A Perfect Haze"
which for the first time actually lets you inside the offices
and the supported mindset that it took to realize the execution of this cultural defining moment

A Perfect Haze also illustrates just how important a role Los Angeles played
In fertilizing the seed that would forever be the blueprint for every single Rock festival to follow(Hello Coachella)
While seemingly defying the rumored rivalry between Los Angeles & San Fransisco
Just add the sage guidence of Brits Andrew Loog Oldham & Byrds/Beatles publicist Derek Taylor
and your riding shotgun along for the magic carpet ride as histories & future's are being made

The attention to detail in this book is remarkable
including the actual telegrams confirming performances
As well as Each performers line up and song selection
Even including the original line up that was subject to forever changes
where you can clearly see how diverse the festivals intentions were from the very beginning

The Kuberniks even honer the incarnation
and show you the importance of the Mount Tam festival just prior to the
Monterey event
Tam was the AM radio version of what Monterey Pop would become
Not only utilizing some of it's very same line up
but Monterey Pop passed that AM FM radio torch
You can almost feel the programing axis shift as
THE festival grooves through Lou Rawls To The Association
To Jimi Hendrix & Ravi Shankar
Spontaneously experiencing frequencies modulate
A Perfect Haze gives you a virtual backstage pass inside those three strange days
where everyone just seamed to be on The exact Same Jimmy Page
A collective agreement to make something magical happen that was SO not about greed and exploitation

The Kuberniks have written and put together-along with the absolute magic of Henry Diltz's quintessential photography-
an amazing transformative journey deep inside the insights
Dancing Lou Adler's Technicolor Dream Awake

In a age of Kindles and streaming from a Cloud,
A Perfect Haze is the ultimate physical manifestation
for anybody intending a hands on have you ever been
Experience Read more ›

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars When Rock Was Still Pop November 5, 2011

By Peter Hudson

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

In "A Perfect Haze," premier LA music historians, Harvey and Ken Kubernik,bring to light a musical miracle that for too long has been remembered only as a predecessor to another better-known event in Woodstock,N.Y,two years later.Until now, the Monterey International Pop Festival has been regarded as a quaint footnote,rather than the three day explosion of color,music and joy that the Kuberniks recreate here in loving yet precise detail,obviously relishing the telling of each moment of backstage intrigue and onstage excitement.Where Woodstock later seemed heavy and dark, Monterey was nothing but a celebration, a chance for the world to see all the magic that was the West Coast scene in 1967, that "Summer of Love." Here, very early in their careers,we see The Who,Big Brother and the Holding Company,Jimi Hendrix,Otis Redding and the Mamas and the Papas before "Rock and Roll" in all its fun and flash became "Rock". Here in "A Perfect Haze," we see previously-unpublished photos of the festival and hear the words of surviving participants in new interviews and experience a perfect celebration of what the '60s,at its best, promised: the power of the possible.It's true that" East Coast girls are hip",but as Harvey and Ken show us,in the Summer of Love,it was all happening at Monterey.