48 | / glavama da učestvuju u nečem izuzetnom. Njihovi menadžeri su za to vreme više brinuli o glasinama da je čitav poduhvat na ivici bankrota, pa su čekovi Rozmana i Robertsa postali vrlo sumnjivi. Kada smo kod honorara, najplaćeniji izvođač bio jeDžimi Hendriks sa 18.000 dolara, mada je verovatno najbolje prošla Džoan Baez inkasiravši 10.000 dolara sama na bini sa akustičnom gitarom (i Gejbrijelom u stomaku). Negde pri dnu finansijske liste bila je grupa Santana (Karlos je još bio samo gitarista i ravnopravni član) sa ukupno 750 dolara, ali njima je upravo ovaj nastup doneo svetsku slavu i obezbedio dugogodišnju (i višemilionsku) karijeru, koja traje do danas. Nasuprot tome, neki od bendova iz najvišeg platnog razreda, kao Blood, Sweat and Tears ili pomenuti Kridensi , nisu dopustili upotrebu snimaka svojih nastupa u filmu, što je nanelo nenadoknadivu štetu njihovim karijerama. Na Vudstoku su Krozbi, Stils i Neš predstavili publici zaključni deo svoje magične slagalice – Nila Janga. Dženis Džoplin se zauvek usadila na presto kraljice roka. Pit Tauzend je usred žestokog nastupa grupe TheWho nimalo biranim rečima najurio sa bine političkog akranks of well-standing “normal” people of thesamegenerationthat theyfoundtherequired nanciers–JoelRosenmanandJohn Roberts – initiallywith thedesire toopen a recordingstudiosomewhere intherural areanearWoodstock,where thegeneration’s unwilling leaderwashiding.That ideasoon shifted toadesire tostagea three-daymusic festival that would celebrate peace and love (but also earn some money). FAVOURITE REFUGE FOR VARIOUS HAIRY FREAKS However, thelocalauthorities ofWoodstock–whowerealready upsetbythelargenumberofundesirablevisitors totheir sleepy communitythatwas slowlybecoming an art colony and a favourite refuge for various hairy freaks – refused togrant permission to hold the event. Leaping to the organisers’ aid was one Max Yasgur, who o ered his own farm, located 70 km away, as a possible site for the festival. Productioncosts rose, and ticket earnings were doomed when organisers declared the event free of charge, after having decided at the last moment to invest their remaining funds inahigh-quality stage instead of more secure fencing and a ticket o ce. Composing theprogramme didn’t run smoothly either, but when Lang managed to reach agreement on collaboration with the then extremely popular Creedence Clearwater Revival, it became mucheasier toconvinceother performers. Amongst other things, from the perspective of travelling musicians, the summer festival season needed to be fully exploited. Thus, on the stage at the bottom of thenatural amphitheatreofMaxYasgur’s meadow, during the weekend fromFriday 15th August to the early morning hours of Monday 18th August 1969, there were 32 performancesofcurrentandupcomingrock stars, who would be elevated to the status of legends justby takingpart inWoodstock. “For us, Woodstock was just another festival. One that was more poorly organised than others and had too many people. It was only when the lm appeared that we realised it had been something important, becausewe started playing sports halls instead of theatres and clubs,”said Alvin Lee, guitaristof thebandTenYearsAfter.Thatwas my rst interviewwith any of the heroes of Woodstock and itwouldbe anunderstatement to say that I was shocked. Nevertheless, thousandsof youngpeople somehow felt that this remote farmwas the place to be at that moment. They ocked from all sides of the continent to this land washed withsummerrain,blockingaccessroadsand creating, over those three days, a separate country of love, peace and music. THE HIGHEST PAID PERFORMERWAS JIMI HENDRIX The expected number of 200,000 attendees was more than doubled, but this long-hairednationself-managedthespace ably. They shared food, water (and other stu ), helped each other to cope with the August rains and enjoyed themselves together likepigswallowing inmud.TheGovernor of the State of NewYork at onepoint threatened to sendNational Guard troops tomaintainorder, but theorganisers (“normal folk”) talked him out of such action. However, thepersonnel of the nearbymilitary base were extremely useful, and es-
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