The Road to Woodstock [Hardcover]

Michael Lang (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 2009

Michael Lang, the mastermind and creative genius who brought Woodstock to life, narrates the story of this cultural touchstone in music history. He began producing concerts and shows in the mid-'60s, organising Miami Pop in May 1968, then one of the first festivals of its kind. Miami Pop helped Lang create the blueprint for Woodstock, and the story of his long journey to and through three days of peace, love, and music has never before appeared in print. Lang's memories alone make a uniquely rich, personal portrait of the festival, but his access to the people who were there and the stories they share are equally remarkable, and equally fresh.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For three days in August 1969, half a million music lovers happily braved torrential rains, endured lack of food and clean water, and grooved to the cosmic blues of the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin, danced all night to the funky soul of Sly and the Family Stone and witnessed the birth of a new band called Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Held at Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, N.Y., the first Aquarian Exposition, or the Woodstock Music & Art Fair, grew far beyond the expectations of its creators. In this lively memoir, Lang, one of the festival's cocreators, retells the story—some of it already well-known—of the halting steps that he and his partners took to develop the greatest rock concert of all time. After a stint at NYU, Lang moved to Coconut Grove, where he opened a head shop and, with the help of some of his friends, organized Miami Pop in 1968, one of the first outdoor music festivals drawing major acts. Burned out on Miami, Lang headed to Woodstock, N.Y., to settle into the bohemian community of artists and craftsmen, and opened a recording studio. With a storyteller's verve and energy, Lang regales us with the tales of struggles with smalltown political leaders who opposed the festival, the kindness of Max Yasgur and the gargantuan task of feeding and taking care of a community the size of a large city. With the gritty insights of the ultimate insider, Lang weaves interviews with performers and others into his memoir, providing a glimpse of the madness, frustration, happiness and sheer euphoria that turned Woodstock into a memorable music festival. (July)
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Review

“Lang, one of Woodstock’s organizers, provides details about how the production was put together and kept running. His account is interspersed with interviews with performers and others, including, perhaps most interestingly, Hugh Romney, aka Wavy Gravy, of the Hog Farm, whose group provided order, reassurance and, as we know, granola.” (New York Times Book Review, Paperback Row )

“There are plenty of juicy tidbits in “The Road to Woodstock,” starting with the compelling opening of Lang sharing his backstage view of Hendrix’s sizzling performance at the rain-soaked end of the festival.” (Richmond Times-Dispatch )

“Totally rocking...what elevates this book above the level of most rock memoirs is the inclusion of voices other than Lang’s—including scenesters and key Woodstock players like Jimi Hendrix, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, Jerry Garcia….Well-written, informative and tons of fun.” (Kirkus Reviews )

“At Woodstock I saw a collective adventure representing something that still holds true today. When the Berlin Wall came down, Woodstock was there. When Mandela was liberated, Woodstock was in there. When we celebrated the year 2000, Woodstock was in there. Woodstock is still every day.” (Carlos Santana )

“Reading this inimitable account of how Woodstock really came to passmakes the Manhattan Project seem like whippin’ up one of my mom’s custard pies....[This book] he and Holly George-Warrenwill knock you out and once again make you wish that you were there.” (Terry Stewart, President of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum )

“The shelf of books about Woodstock is groaning, but Lang’s is the best fly-on-the-wall account, tantamount to having had a backstage pass to an iconic event.” (New York Post )

“Invaluable…[Lang] wraps up his cinematic reminiscing by taking a seminal thread from Woodstock’s history—Jimi Hendrix’s breathtaking interpretation of The Star Spangled Banner—and linking its poignancy to what some have called the 21st century Woodstock moment: the day Barack Obama became the first black president.” (USA Today )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Ecco; First Edition edition (June 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061576557
• ISBN-13: 978-0061576553
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #628,859 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars THE ROAD TO WOODSTOCK, July 9, 2009

By 

Stuart Jefferson (San Diego,Ca) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Road to Woodstock (Hardcover)

Hardcover,283 pages of text-including a short "Where are they now?" section,and a complete set-list of performers at Woodstock. There is also an index and source section,not included in the above page count. There are twenty-four pages of black and white photographs which lend a good,though limited,visual idea of the festival.

This is another good book about the three day event in 1969,which centers a lot on Michael Lang,which is fine. His partner,Artie Kornfeld, was crucial in helping distill Lang's ideas into something approaching a workable plan,especially in the beginning,for which he should be remembered. Between the two of them,they arrived at the idea of holding a music festival to pay for a recording studio set-up they envisioned in the Woodstock area,an area where a lot of musicians either "hung out" or lived nearby.

The book,written in a combination of first person and historical style,begins with a short overview of Lang's youth in Brooklyn,and continues with his college-age days and beyond in Florida. He talks about his "headshop" and producing the Miami Pop (with five dollar admission) Festival. After moving to Woodstock N.Y.,is when the studio complex/living area idea began to crystallize (no pun intended) in his head. Talking it over with Kornfeld (an A&R man in the music business) they thought people would love the bucolic surroundings and come into the area to live and record.

The story is also told through other people involved in the venture and through a number of performers at the event. This is where the "meat" of this book is found. The viewpoints of the many people (Chip Monck,Pete Townshend (among many performers),Wavy Gravy,John Roberts,et al) really tell the story in an immediate,"I was there" way. The story is told chronologically from the very beginning until the three day event came to a close. The small vignettes and viewpoints told by various attendees is what holds this book together and makes it worthwhile. The book's epilogue finishes with information on Lang and post-Woodstock activities. This is a real "insiders" look into how this festival came to fruition,and the narrative moves along at a good pace.

With a number of books being published on this,the fortieth anniversary of Woodstock,it's nice to have this book which combines not only Lang's thoughts and views from his perspective,but many others involved as well. The text is clearly written and makes for an entertaining and interesting read,no doubt with the help of writer Holly George-Warren. This book,together with two other recent books (WOODSTOCK REVISITED,Susan Reynolds,editor and BACK TO THE GARDEN by Pete Fornatale) the first of which tells about the three day festival through the eyes of the "average" person who attended or tried to attend,and the second,which combines historical and narrative styles,is a good overview of what went on at the festival (even though the author mistakenly has CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL's Stu Cook on drums and Doug "Cosmo" Clifford on bass) through the experiences of the performers. Together,these will give as much information and insight into the event that most readers will need.

The combination of Lang's "nuts and bolts,from the start" build-up,on through the festival,gives a good picture of how this event came to pass. In the end,THE ROAD TO WOODSTOCK will make most readers wish they,too,could have traveled to this pasture land for this once in a lifetime event. If you grew up in the sixties-here's a chance to relive a part of your youth. If you weren't around to remember the times-this book will help you understand it a bit better. This book gives insight into the "sixties" era,and the mind-set of the time-a time and event that will never happen again.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun to remember, August 11, 2009

By 

W. P. Strange "Bill's shelf" (Williamstown, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Road to Woodstock (Hardcover)

In a book like this, "THE ROAD TO WOODSTOCK" all that really matters is that it is a fun read. Whether or not it completely accurate is beside the point because after all if a poll were taken now, 40 years later you could well find several million people who will swear they were there/ Why? Maybe it is that sixties nostalgia that people now in their late fifties and early sixties - for the most part - want to believe they didn't miss one of the major events in their lifetime. Honestly, I wasn't there and even though I am now sixty, I admit I am glad I was not there, mainly because no one would believe me if I did say I was there. What I do have is a ticket to the three day event that is one of my prized possessions and one I will never part with. Unfortunately at the last minute the employer I worked for at the time (I was trying to save enough for the next semester at college) cancelled my vacation and insisted I work the weekend or don't bother coming back. Maybe I should have balked, but as they say water under the bridge.

What I do remember about Woodstock, and this book and many others have retold it over and over is that it was, despite the terrible weather, insane crowds, lack of food, medical services and sanitation, it all came off without any crime at all. Think about it, when have a half million people gathered under unexpected circumstances and everyone acted civilly. No rapes, no murders, no beatings and no theft. It is completely unbelievable but at the same time it says something absolutley amazing about that (my) generation, especially considering the social upheavals going on all around the world at that time. At the center of the SIXTIES, it was phenomenal, and shows something very positive can still come out of difficult times.

It was a pleasure to read, and contains no political tirades or hate hate speak from the right or left, and that alone makes it worthwhile. Highly recommended summer read

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Far-Out, Groovy Read, July 26, 2009

By 

Karen Bloom (Bothell, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Road to Woodstock (Hardcover)

This book is like a time machine which transports you back to an era of great social upheaval and change. Woodstock gave our generation a much needed ray of sunshine. "The Road to Woodstock" is such a fun read that it's difficult to put down. Having many of the musicians reminisce about their experiences at Woodstock gives this book a timeless feel, like it happened only yesterday. For young people, who weren't even born yet, this book will show them why Woodstock mattered well beyond just being a music festival and that their parents and grandparents did make a difference.