One Satisfied Customer

Every year at Christmas, I inevitably get a multitude of gift cards. I guess I'm "hard to shop for". C'est La Vie. This year, after receiving the usual Barnes and Noble fare, I was finally able to purchase the object of my gifting lust for years now- The Complete Monterey Pop Festival film. It's directed by D.A. Pennebaker, the genius behind Don't Look Back, the glorious film chronicling Bob Dylan's 1965 UK tour- another staple of my collection. Maybe I'm getting a little worked up over a DVD, but this is no ordinary concert. The Monterey Pop Festival, which took place in the summer of '67, marks the springboard for such talents as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Otis Redding.

I ran home (translation- I took a bus, walked 3 blocks, got on a subway, and arrived home 40 minutes later) and popped that bad boy right in to the DVD player. As I cooked dinner and listened to Janis Joplin sing "Ball and Chain", I was reminded why I've wanted this for so long. In my opinion, the music prevalent at Monterey represents the height of modern music. The Who, Simon and Garfunkle, Eric Burdon and the Animals, even Laura Nyro. Nearly every act went on to establish themselves as leaders in their genre- in any genre. I bask in their musical greatness.

While I relish in my glorious purchase, enjoy Otis Redding, singing "I've Been Loving You Too Long".