Over 50 years later, the 1969 Woodstock festival remains a touchstone event not just in rock music, but in world history. It demonstrated the massive influence rock had on the entire Baby Boomer generation as well as our ability to assemble in such a large number peacefully.
The film of the festival became a huge box office hit in the summer of 1970 and helped boost the careers of many of the festivals acts. However, not all of the acts that excited big post-Woodstock frenzy were able to sustain it.
Herewith, at the distance of more than half a century, are the Winners & Losers of Woodstock!
LOSERS:
Sly & the Family Stone – No band lost more opportunity than Sly & the Family Stone. At a point when pop music was about to be siloed into Top 40, Album Rock, and Soul, only Sly’s band could cover all those bases. The group’s performance of “I Want to Take You Higher” was one of the film’s highlights, but the tour they undertook following the film’s release only took them lower. Plagued by chronic lateness, sloppy playing and related drug issues, Sly Stone’s career went down in flames following a riot at his free concert in Chicago’s Grant Park. Several attempts at a comeback over the years did not recapture the enormous success that could have been his.
Alvin Lee & Ten Years After – Another act that really stood out in the movie, Alvin Lee was never to sustain his career at the top-most level, as the kind of blues-flavored metal he promoted was eclipsed by bands who went on to much greater glory – Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and a few more.
Country Joe & the Fish – One of the bands at the forefront of the “San Francisco Sound” during 1967’s “Summer of Love,” Country Joe & company delighted people with their “Fish Cheer,” but never produced music that really caught on with the masses following the festival
WINNERS:
The Who – Having finally broken through to the American market with their rock opera, Tommy, the Who gave their career a second kick in the ass with their performance at Woodstock. Demonstrating a live act that was absolutely unrivalled at that time, Townsend, Daltrey, Moon and Entwistle finally made it to the top of the rockpile.
Joe Cocker – Had anyone heard of this British singer prior to seeing Woodstock? The combination of his great blues-style singing with his spasmodic performing style made Cocker – what’s the phrase again – oh yeah, an overnight sensation.
Santana – Virtually unknown outside of California before the film’s release, Santana’s fresh style of Latino-flavored rock was a revelation to moviegoers. While their segment in the film didn’t generate as much buzz as some of the others, it was enough to put them on the map. Carlos Santana’s talent and showmanship have kept him a headliner ever since.
Sha Na Na – How these guys got themselves on the bill is a complete mystery. Their one-song appearance in the film provided some genuine comic relief. Little did we know what a long & successful career lay ahead for the band – and really, they were instrumental (pun intended) in the fifties revival that was soon to come.
Let’s be clear. There were plenty of acts that performed at the fest who came off quite well in the film, but acts like Jimi Hendrix, Crosby, Stills Nash & Young, and others were already well-established and the film merely sustained what were already substantial careers.
So, on this 56th anniversary of Woodstock, let’s raise a glass (or take advantage of our medical marijuana card) and salute one of the defining moments of our generation. Give me an “F”…
