I saw this little blurb in my newspaper back home about a New Yorker article on Bruce Sprinsteen (aka “The Boss”). Dave Marsh, who is quoted here, has long been rock’s reddest, rawest smacked ass, but The Boss does his part, as always, to build his legend. I don’t care if he ever writes 30 songs I love, I’ll always be annoyed by this guy’s routine and the fawning that refuses to die. Too bad. He does and stands for some things I love.
I’ve been in Monterey, California the last 24 hours. It’s my second or third time in this delightful town. One thing, however, really bugs me: the only reason I ever knew and cared about Monterey growing up was the Monterey Pop Festival of 1967. The film of that festival was part of young hippie education. I’ve not yet found a Monterey Pop Festival t-shirt in this town. No offense to fans of Steinbeck, sea life, and the old canning industry, but is that too much to ask?
I hate to break it to you, but the California town you mention (in Cali, spelled Monterey) is now solely a tourist trap.
You can find some history in nearby Salinas, but it’s more of the literary kind.
I don’t care if it’s a tourist trap. It should be. It’s a really nice tourist town. I object to the fact that a key part of the town’s history – THE key part, as far as I’m concerned – is not evident. Tomorrow we will make some stops through Big Sur. I hope to find the swimming pool where Stephen Stills was “loved out” of smashing his guitar over that crazy hippie’s head.
I don’t know that story but it sounds intriguing.
But before you leave Carmel and Monterey, look for Clint and locations from his movies, like “Play Misty For Me.”
Glad to see you corrected the spelling. 🙂
Outside the tourist downtown, Monterey seems to be to just be a sleepy, foggy, little coastal town. The coastline is ruggedly pretty but then so is most of California. I spend a handful of nights a year in Monterey but my destination is Laguna Seca Raceway nearby.
The drive thru Big Sur towards Santa Barbara on hwy 1 is great as long as you aren’t in a hurry and can think “serenity now” in the face of traffic when it occurs.
Before I saw ladymiss’ helpful correction we were driving home from dinner and I saw a business with the name spelled “wrong.”
“Monterey has 2 r’s, doesn’t it?” I said to my wife.
“No,” she replied, “I just realized that preparing for this trip.”
We’ll be in Big Sur for a few days before SB. We will be taking it easy.
Now where’s my friggin’ Monterey Pop souvenir?
You should go see this museum exhibition on the festival: http://museumofmonterey.org/exhibitions/current-exhibitions/music-love-flowers/ They might have a souvenir or two.
Thank you!
Santa Barbara is one of our favorite places; we go every summer. Make sure you check out Warbler Records while you are there.
Mr. Royale and I are now in Portland and Have already spotted that elusive creature, the independent and fully operational record store. Were going scouting for more today.
Cool! I hadn’t heard about that so Mr. Royale and I may need to go.