Pop Music Study Notes on the End of the Hippie Era

Introduction to the Fall of Peace and Love

  • Discussion on the decline of the psychedelic movement and the era of peace and love associated with the hippies.

  • Key questions:

    • What happened to the hippies?

    • Why did this cultural phenomenon come to an end?

Historical Context

  • The lifecycle of major musical movements typically spans a generation (approximately four years).

  • Psychedelia timeline:

    • Emergence around 1964-65.

    • Decline by 1970.

Law Enforcement and Social Change

  • By 1968-69, police in San Francisco began cracking down on hippie activities due to an influx of outsiders.

    • Local police tolerated local hippies but were less forgiving of outsiders seeking to party.

    • Resulted in increased arrests and drug crackdowns.

LSD Usage and Its Consequences

  • LSD's long-term effects became evident by 1968-69.

    • Users experienced symptoms akin to PTSD, including flashbacks of previous trips.

    • Dangers of driving or performing everyday tasks while under the influence of the drug.

    • Increased reports of user fatalities caused by these experiences.

Series of Tragic Events

  • The late 1960s witnessed a string of tragic events undermining the joy of the peace and love movement:

    • Assassinations:

    • Martin Luther King Jr. (1968) intensified national unrest.

    • Robert Kennedy's assassination shortly after.

    • Deaths of Iconic Musicians:

    • Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones: Died in 1969 from overdose (labeled as "death by misadventure").

    • Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Jim Morrison all followed suit within a short period.

    • The collective impact of these deaths severely dampened the earlier celebratory atmosphere of the era.

The Altamont Tragedy

  • In December 1969, the Rolling Stones organized a free concert at the Altamont Raceway, intending to emulate Woodstock but leading to chaos:

    • Venue chosen without proper planning, leading to a lack of facilities.

    • Hired Hells Angels for security, but violence escalated during the event.

    • Attendees were violently managed with pool cues; a murder occurred on-site.

    • Outcome: Four deaths at the event marked a stark contrast to the joyous Woodstock, contributing to a shifting cultural landscape.

  • The Stones wrote "Gimme Shelter" inspired by the tragedy, acknowledging their role in the violence and loss.

Disillusionment Among Hippies

  • Utopian ideals of the hippie movement began to crumble:

    • The 1969 military draft lottery introduced fear among young people, signaling a shift in societal engagement with war.

    • The military draft expanded rapidly, leading to further protests and violence across the nation.

  • Kent State Shooting (May 2, 1970):

    • National Guard fired upon student protestors; four students killed, leading to national outrage and widespread protests at colleges.

    • 200 colleges shut down due to unrest; major impact on the youth driven by the realization of violent government response to peaceful protests.

Transition to New Musical Movements

  • The shift from peace and love to aggression and anger in music reflects the cultural changes:

    • Heavy metal and hard rock begin to dominate, creating music that resonated with the emotional climate of the era.