Beneath the Diamond Sky: Haight Ashbury 1965 1970

Book Description

Tells the story of Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, in the years 1965-1970, the years "the Haight" emerged as the mecca of the countercultural scene. Hoskyns begins his history of this 8-block-wide area during the Beat period, which created the aesthetic for the psychedelic period that followed. He goes on to document the era's end with the defining moment of Altamont. Between these signal events, he analyzes the place & the people that became the catalyst for the greatest social revolution of 20th-century America. Includes more than 100 reproductions of the great bands, the fashions, & the psychedelic posters/artwork

Customer Reviews:

4 1/2* Psychedelic Music and Culture in 1960's S.F........2004-10-25

This nicely illustrated musical history explains how the "psychedelic" sound of mid- to late- 60's San Francisco bands (e.g., the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Janis Joplin, Country Joe and the Fish, Moby Grape, and others) were an extension of folk music with roots in 1950's beat culture. Thus, Kesey, Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Burrows figure prominently in the book, giving the music its foundation, it's apolitical ethos, and (as Hoskyns repeatedly emphasize) its acid and other drugs. The author's most fascinating and best writing occurs when he explores the roots and evolution of the San Francisco sound, and its love/hate relationship with the subcultures in which it was embedded.. For example, his analysis of the tension between the Berkeley radicals and the hippies is surprisingly astute and well documented (especially since there is inadequate analysis in much of the book).

The end of the psychedelic scene is a familiar and shallow account that includes legions of teen runaways, rampant drugs and violence, and, (must we hear this again?) the conveniently symbolic disaster at Altamount. More instructive is his description of how the music industry co-opted the scene (with help from musicians who actually wanted to make money!), the organizational talent of promoter Bill Graham who competed with the established but looser "Family Dog" outfit, the overdoses, and the dissolution of the beat-inspired ethos. Hoskyns writes that some of this was dissolution was inevitable, as the once young hippie musicians became the establishment, and a new generation rebelled against it. However, while San Francisco was a major part of the 60's scene, it was not the only part, and Hoskyns doesn't place it within the national context of the Nixon presidency, the increasing military/police complex, and the growing politicalization and militancy of women and other disenfranchised groups.

More importantly, for a music history Hoskyns' musical analysis is fairly weak, you don't get an idea of what the music was like, nor is there much discussion of how the groups differed. But that would have required a more serious, even scholarly book. "Beneath the Diamond Sky" is meant to appear a bit trippy, with different fonts and font SIZES and various tie-dye colors thrown in to replicate the feeling of the period. This mostly doesn't work; it's too much artifice, but at least you get some feeling for the creative impulse of the time. Finally, the book would have been better with a epilogue tracing what more of what happened to the S.F. musical and cultural leaders after the 60's ended, and what their influence has been on others.

However, that's not really what this book is about (despite its excellent early cultural analysis). The book is best for its great photographs of these seminal musicians and cultural icons in their prime, including pictures of street scenes, posters, and free concerts at Golden Gate park Still, the book can be annoying because of typos and other mistakes, and seemingly contradictory statements. It appears there was no single Haight Ashbury scene, and that's why this book may offend some who were actually there. However, I can strongly recommend this for its photos, and as an introduction to the subject (especially if you can find it used or discounted}. A short bibliography--but no discography!--may encourage further research into "Hashbury" history. Note: The book title is taken from Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tangerine Man."

Quite Disappointed.......2001-08-30

I am quite pleased I ordered a used copy of this book, and would have been quite disappointed if I had paid the [money on the] price tag.. Nice photos and much ado about music. In short, I lived in the Haight-Ashbury during those wonderful years. And this book reflects nothing of what life was really like. At all, to us that were not directly tied to a band. I partied at ...Ashbury and other places. I had hopes this would address what street life was truly like back then. It does not.

Yawn and great disapointment!.......2001-08-30

...Great photos and much ado about music. In short, I lived in the Haight-Ashbury during those wonderful years. And this book reflects nothing of what life was really like. At all, to us that were not directly tied to a band. I partied at 710 Ashbury and other places. I had hopes this would address what street life was truly like back then. It does not.

It's beautiful, man!.......1999-07-10

If you are like me, the subject matter of Beneath the Diamond Sky will be quite familiar turf: Haight-Ashbury in the sixties. In this case familiarity does not breed contempt. It breeds Love (as in "Summer of"). This bygone pop culture big bang has never been more concisely or attractively typified as in this book.

I fell in love with this book at first sight. I held it in my hands and yea, it was beautiful. I paged through it's rainbow-hued, lavishly illustrated pages and was filled with Satisfaction. I read the text and it was Righteous, dude. I admired the posters and buttons, rare photos and it was all very far out. This is a very reassuring book, a chronicle of the time when the universe swirled psychodynamically around Haight-Ashbury. It betokens all things Hippie and San Francisco without being sugar-coated.

Previous books addressing this topic have not found the right mix of form and content. "Summer of Love" by Joel Selvin, for instance was a pop history document which lacked the design and illustrative qualities of this book. Also, Selvin tended to rewrite things to the chagrin of the psychedelic cognoscenti enough to bring doubt upon the enterprise. "Diamond Sky" tends to neglect revisionism in favor of what is actually known.

Hoskyns does an admirable job of running all of the characters across the page for our scrutiny. The quotes, the deeds, the legends are all covered. I can't quibble with any of it, it's there and its familiar and as I stated before, it is beautifully presented. Hello to Jerry, Janis, Skip, Grace, Chet et. al.

Barney Hoskyns is a very adept pop music writer whose work appears quite often in 'serious pop music' magazines like Mojo. What I like about him here is that he doesn't seem to intrude upon the luminous subject matter at all. He lets the Haight speak for itself, which it continues to do quite well.

beautiful addition for all libraries.......1999-07-03

This book is small in size only! Author Barney Hoskyns' historical narrative of San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury 1965-1970 reads like a fascinating novel. I read this book in one siting and when I reluctantly turned the last page I suddenly realized that I had just received an intense lession in California history and the world of music. What a joy! I went out and bought three more copies for some close friends. Buy it!

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The Haight Ashbury
The 60ies unfolding before your eyes
The Late Great Haight
Best account of Haight Ashbury in the '60's
Fast shipping, product exactly as described.

The Haight-Ashbury: A History
Charles Perry
Manufacturer: Wenner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 193295855X

Book Description

2005 marks the 40th anniversary of San Franciscos Haight-Ashbury district. The psychedelic community was probably the most widely written-about phenomenon of the 1960s apart from the Vietnam War. As unexpected as it was inevitable, the whole eventfrom public manifestation to gaudy collapsehappened in less than two years. In this acclaimed, definitive work, Charles Perry examines the history, the drama, and the energy of counter-cultures defining moment. First published by Rolling Stone Press in 1984 and now re-releasedwith a new introduction by the Grateful Deads Bob Weirto time with Haight-Ashburys 40th anniversary, this highly acclaimed work is a must-have for anyone interested in the original sex, drugs, and rock n roll lifestyle.

Customer Reviews:

The Haight Ashbury.......2007-07-07

A lame "history" concentrating on a few famous characters. Boring reciting of facts with no sense of the excitement, the feeling that "we can change the world", no emotions of the sheer joy of being alive at such a time. Was it misguided? Was it without a deep philosophy and not well thought out? Was it more fun than anyone ever thought possible? Yes, yes, and yes.
I was there. Perry wasn't and it shows.

The 60ies unfolding before your eyes.......2007-06-12

What a great book! I got it because i wanted to explore how the whole hippie movement started and how it evolved (and eventually collapsed). This book is just perfect for that! The author has done a great job researching the era and presenting detailed stories and nice pictures. He also mentions various other historical milestones in the course of events in order to put the whole story in perspective. The narrative conveys a feeling of nostalgia, although it also lays down some hard facts and shortcomings of the "experimentation" that took place during those years. Overall it's a very good book, a one i really enjoyed reading. If you've always wondered about what exactly happened in the Haight-Ashbury during the late 60ies that's a very good place to start.

The Late Great Haight.......2007-05-31

For anyone even mildly interested in the 1960's, this book is a must.
What was it about the Haight during this time period that made it so very famous? Charles Perry examines those ingredients that set the Haight-Ashbury apart from every other place and generation.
If you are trying to change the world now, it is helpful to look back at those in the Haight who were trying to change it then- and use the things that worked and avoid what did not.

Best account of Haight Ashbury in the '60's .......2007-05-09

This is the best account of Haight Ashbury in the 1960's that I have read. Brings back a lot of memories of that time.

Fast shipping, product exactly as described........2007-05-07

The book came in time and was what we expected. What more can you ask?

The San Francisco Oracle / The Psychedelic Newspaper of the Haight Ashbury (Digital Re-Creation)

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AMAZING NEWSPAPER!

The San Francisco Oracle / The Psychedelic Newspaper of the Haight Ashbury (Digital Re-Creation)

Manufacturer: Regent Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

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ASIN: 1587901188

Product Description

A complete digital re-creation of the legendary psychedelic underground newspaper originally published in San Francisco's Haight Ashbury during the Summer of Love.

Customer Reviews:

AMAZING NEWSPAPER!.......2007-02-18

LONG LIVE THE SAN FRANCISCO ORACLE!!! This is one of the best publications of history. You can print out everything and color in stuff and there are colored pages, too. Has all 12 issues with all of the fun, pictures, articles and stories! There are many typos in the articles-but this is natural due to it being underground, cheap (15 cents a copy!) and from the 60s. Get it-you won't regret it!

Eight Miles High: Folk-Rock's Flight from Haight-Ashbury to Woodstock

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Encyclopedic coverage, flawed by many glib/inaccurate characterizations
an entertaining and worthy sequel

Eight Miles High: Folk-Rock's Flight from Haight-Ashbury to Woodstock
Richie Unterberger
Manufacturer: Backbeat Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0879307439

Book Description

Eight Miles High documents the evolution of the folk-rock movement from mid-1966 through the end of the decade. This much-anticipated sequel to Turn! Turn! Turn!(00330946) - the acclaimed history of folk-rock's early years - portrays the mutation of the genre into psychedelia via California bands like the Byrds and Jefferson Airplane; the maturation of folk-rock composers in the singer-songwriter movement; the re-emergence of Bob Dylan and the creation of country-rock; the rise of folk-rock's first supergroup, CSNandY; the origination of British folk-rock; and the growing importance of major festivals from Newport to Woodstock. Based on firsthand interviews with such folk-rock visionaries as: Jorma Kaukonen, Roger McGuinn, Donovan, Judy Collins, Jim Messina, Dan Hicks and dozens of others.

Customer Reviews:

Encyclopedic coverage, flawed by many glib/inaccurate characterizations.......2006-12-07

Richie Unterberger is a well known, oft-published, and very skillful writer. Part of his skill manifests when he has a negative opinion about something - he (as if by magic) makes it seem that everyone who mattered back then shared this opinion, consensus-like. Not so much in 'Turn Turn Turn!: The '60s Folk-Rock Revolution' as in 'Eight Miles High: Folk-Rock's Flight from Haight-Ashbury to Woodstock', this tendency very often produced woeful results at best - the trouble being that it usually it wasn't the way he's saying it was. One might consider that his tastes are quite narrow - I'd hazard to characterize them, after a fashion, as (mildly to wildy) sectarian, that is to say, canonical - in other words his judgements seem to bear the stamp of those who are and were "in the know".

I am also supposing that he arrived at a good number of these original opinions by reading certain critics whom he favors, as he himself was barely out of the toddler stage when the music was happening that he writes about. At least that's how much of 'Eight Miles High' seems to read, like he's quoting a series of sound bites he picked up various places, and are still simmering in the back-burner of his brain.

This is not to say that 'Eight Miles High' isn't a valuable resource, encyclopedic in its scope - but it can be difficult to look past the hurried and/or glib judgements that threaten at many points to stink up what otherwise seems like a valiant and meritorious effort.

I imagine hopefully that there won't be this sort of a problem with his new book on Beatles music.

an entertaining and worthy sequel.......2003-06-10

I found this to be a fine continuation of the story of folk rock. It's just as good as Unterberger's first book about folk rock, called Turn Turn turn. I highly recommend it to fans of Unterberger's other writing, as well as anyone who likes folk, folk-rock, or sixties /early seventies music in general.
Unterberger writes with an opinionated but reader- friendly style. His writing lacks the bombast, snobbery, and smug attitude that we often find with some of the old guard of music critics. Unterberger tends to see things in a more open- minded,inclusive way than many of the famous writers like Christgau and Dave Marsh, and Jann Wenner and the other rolling stone writers, who seem to have picked the obvious choices of the era and a few pets like Springsteen and Jackson Browne when considering who is worthy of respect and worth hearing for the era. Nothing against those talented guys, but let's face it: they are where they are in large part because of their annointing by scribes with friends in high places. Everyone else is either dismissed as irrelevant or trash to those writers. Unlike Christgau,Unterberger doesn't waste time with poisonous diatribes. Unlike Marsh he doesn't stick to boring, predictable lists generally comprised of overplayed hits. it's all subjective, true, but anyone with the audacity to list the best Beatles single of all time at a lowly #29 simply should not be read, period! Unterberger lets you know where he stands on a musician or group but doesn't try to force his opinion on you. One can picture getting into a friendly argument with Unterberger , the way guys in bars debate who is worthy of enshrinement in a sports hall of fame, and that's something I have trouble imagining with some of these other writers. I don't always agree with Unterberger, for example, he calls the Jefferson Airplane album Surrealistic Pillow the best of the San Francisco sound, while i would say that while its a great disc, and it might be the most important, i would opt for Moby Grape's stunning debut, even though it is perhaps not exactly indicative of the S.F. sound per se( the most obvious parrallel album is probably Buffalo Springfield's first)- but that is what makes the book so compelling and thought provoking. I also wonder why he mentions the first , much more psychedelic and jazz influenced album by Mad River, who were probably, in my estimation, the best San Francisco area band that never made much of a dent nationally. While their second album is derivative of the likes of The Band, Creedence, the Youngbloods, and others, ( the first one was a lot like Quicksilver or Country Joe) I actually think it is the better of the two, and more of a folk rock/ country rock album.
unterberger's book is sure to please the entire range of music afficionados; both the person who just wants to know the story of folk-rock and the sixties enthusiast who is hoping to unearth some interesting tidbits about obscure figures from the remote past are sure to be pleased with the work. most people think of folk rock as the dylan newport incident, the byrds, eve of destruction and a few other big events and hits, but this book shows there was so much more going on during this era. musical mutations (and regressions) were occurring at an astonishing rate. simultaneous movements were happening both here and in the british isles and elsewhere. unterberger skillfully demonstrates the changes , differences, and similarities that were passing back and forth, leading to distinctive styles as well as overlapping features. if i have one complaint about this work it is that it's too brief. it will definitely make you want to more about the figures it desrcibes, and will probably send you to the internet to discover more facts about some group or artist.
before reading this book , i knew that folk rock was more than a few major hits and a handful of well known performers. but it did make me think just how pervasive the influence of folk and folk rock was on pop and rock in the sixties and early seventies. the innovations and strengths of the music of that era, for me, have not even come close to be being matched since. this book made me think that even much of the far out music of the era had connections with folk. in fact , it is much harder to think of music that isn't, in some way, folk-rock. for instance, the silver apples and the United States of America, pioneering electonic music innovators,would not make anyone's list of folk rockers, but on the Silver Apples 2nd record, contact, we hear a song called Ruby that features some banjo and even bluegrass vocals, and on the USA album the songs are sometimes interspersed with magnificent Civil War era sounding tubas and the like. In another bizarre example, both 1970 DEBUTalbums by the hard rock/early metal bands UFO and Uriah Heep, renditions of the standard 'Come Away Melinda " are featured. The much maligned Heep actually do a very impressive version of this tune, perhaps best remembered for the Tim Rose version, although Judy Collins and even Harry Belafonte did this great anti -war song. Even one of my favorite all time bands, The Move, got into the act with songs like Mist on A Monday Morning, their magnificent cover of the baroque rock/ sometimes folk band Ars Nova's Fields of People, and the Bee Gees meets British Isles Folk number called "No Time." These facts show that Unterberger's book is likely to make the reader create connections of his or her own. I highly recommend this book, and look forward to the next Unterberger tome.

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Flying eyes are classics.
I MUST HAVE READ THIS BOOK 100 TIMES

The Dead
Hank Harrison
Manufacturer: Archives Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

Flying eyes are classics........2005-11-17

This book goes beneath everything you know about Mother Mcrees uptown jug champions, the Warlocks, the New Riders, the Pranksters, and anything else that the Dead spawned, or spawned the Dead. Cassady, Kesey, Mountain Girl...it's got the whole bunch. I highly recommend this book to any DeadHead, just to test your knowledge, or to a casual Dead listener, to inform them, it's a great read.

I MUST HAVE READ THIS BOOK 100 TIMES.......1997-07-14

It's interesting to see how the book is dedicated to "Coutney,Nana and the boys at the Bohemian Club". Little did Hank know in 1980 that his daughter Courtney would wind up with Mr.Cobain, who would give the Gratful Dead a big thumbs down. Funny how life is, although the Dead and Cobain both 'blew thier brains out', Cobain did it litteraly. Maybe if Kurt read the Chapter "Encountering Neal" he might have understood what Cassady meant when he told everybody to "always keep that light lit,your candle can snuff itself,man....you can lose the wick and f*** over the candle so it can't work." Anyway,when I first read the book,I got this sense Mr.Harrison was under the care of Dr. Feelgood while he wrote. It gave me a sense of 'You Had To Be There......',that's why I read it so many times until it finally set in. It's a book for real purists. It made one out of me.

The Summer of Love: Haight-Ashbury at Its Highest

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Innocent, Naive, & Hopeful

The Summer of Love: Haight-Ashbury at Its Highest
Gene Anthony
Manufacturer: Celestial Arts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0890872503

Customer Reviews:

Innocent, Naive, & Hopeful.......2006-01-31

This visual essay of hippies in San Francisco and especially in the Haight Ashbury area during the Summer of Love (1967), does a good job of portraying the surface of the scene. The attentive viewer will notice that all the photographer's subjects are well-fed, white, and typically very young. These qualities were in fact characteristic of the hippie phenomenon, rightly viewed as a middle-class revolt against conformism and institutionalized violence. It's a good idea to remember that at the time these innocent youths--of whom I was one--were assembling in an undirected, searching way at the Be Ins and Love Ins, most black people in America still could not vote without great personal risk; the Vietnam war was in full swing; and in most locales of America, it was an invitation to harassment or even assault to wear hair or clothing in unusual and flamboyant fashion.

What is not shown here--and why I give this photographic essay only four stars--is the real underside of the hippie phenomenon. This is not the place to write at length about the bad trips, murders of drug dealers, or exploitation of innocent youth (especially women) appearing on the scene, expecting to be loved, protected, and cared for. That there were indeed widespread acts of love and concern for others, including total strangers, is a credit to the ethos that marked especially the earlier phase of the hippie phenomenon. Once the hippie scene became marketable, this supposed alternative quickly devolved into simply another commercial venue...prompting the famous "Death of Hippie" parade through the Haight.

The value of this volume is of course historical, and there is a wide variety of subjects and personalities to make it visually appealing apart from any knowledge of the place and time it portrays. Most of the photos are in black and white, with a small, full-color middle section. Some of the famous personalities portrayed include Allen Ginsburg, Timothy Leary, and rock performers such as Grace Slick.

This is a partial but accurate portrayal of a moment in our history when millions of young people simultaneously asked whether commercialism and war were the future they wanted for themselves. That question remains in front of us; perhaps a better answer is still to come.

High Societies: Psychedelic Rock Posters from Haight-Ashbury

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High Societies: Psychedelic Rock Posters from Haight-Ashbury
Sally Tomlinson , Walter Patrick Medeiros , and D. Scott Atkinson
Manufacturer: San Diego Museum of Art
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0937108278

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Awesome
Telling it like it was
Entheogens: Professional Listing

The Haight-Ashbury: A History
Charles Perry
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0394741447
Release Date: 1985-08-12

Customer Reviews:

Awesome.......2002-04-09

No reason this should not be republished. An anecdotal history of the times. Makes one's head swim with stories of the street, the happenings and the love. Born too late, but feel like I've been there.

Telling it like it was.......2000-05-24

This book is an excellent source for those seeking an unbiased, non-romanticized account of the period when San Francisco was the center of a cultural whirlwind. By the time the media caught up, it was pretty much over with. A very readable work. Beware, may bring about flashbacks. A definite candidate for another printing.

Entheogens: Professional Listing.......1999-05-12

"The Haight-Ashbury: A History" has been selected for listing in "Religion and Psychoactive Sacraments: An Entheogen Chrestomathy."

The Dead book: A social history of the Haight-Ashbury experience

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The Dead book: A social history of the Haight-Ashbury experience
Hank Harrison
Manufacturer: Archives Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Haight Ashbury Flashbacks

Manufacturer: Ronin Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0913990299

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