A Perfect Haze: The Illustrated History of the Monterey International Pop Festival
"Rich in rare photos,A Perfect Hazeis a definitive talking-book account of the impossible standard that weekend set for future festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo." —Rolling Stone(June 11, 2012)"The definitive book on the unprecedented gathering of folk, pop, soul and jazz music icons." —Music Connection(November 2011)"A Perfect Haze. . . piece[s] together the story of the three-day 1967 festival that featured Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield and helped propel the careers of Otis Redding, The Who and Jimi Hendrix to mythic proportions." —USA Today(November 4, 2011)Publishers Weekly, October 24, 2011Before Woodstock, thousands of hippies descended on Monterey for the first ever International Pop Festival. At the height of the 1967 summer of love, many were unaware of the part they were about to play in the forthcoming "cultural explosion." Decorated producer Lou Adler cheerfully recalls the conception of the groundbreaking event, which gathered artists who represented the festival's harmonious principles. The authors provide sumptuous documentation through telegrams, contracts, newspaper clippings, line-up posters, and other rare paraphernalia. The work of celebrated photographers captures the atmosphere of this terrific spectacle: the rawness of Janis Joplin; the audacity of (then relatively unknown) Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar alight; the showmanship of The Who; and the "cultivated relaxation" enjoyed by the crowd spacing out to The Grateful Dead and Ravi Shankar before being blown away by Otis Redding. The Kuberniks's combined knowledge and passion make for a thoroughly entertaining retrospective. As David Crosby says: "What happened at Monterey was the flowering of an entirely different set of values." Festival organizer Michelle Phillips closes proceedings with reflections on this genuine happening, and the dawn of a far out philosophy that keeps on giving. (Nov.)"VERDICT: Well organized, beautifully laid out, and packed with insightful commentary, this work will find its way to the shelves of flower children of all ages. Strongly recommended for anyone with an interest in the music and culture of late 1960s America." —Library Journal(November 15, 2011)"This 'official history of this glorious festival' is a vivid, colorfully illustrated chronicle of the event, arriving in time to celebrate the fest's forty-fifth anniversary next year. . . . Well written and comprehensive, this is a rock-history coffee-table book for the ages!" —Booklist(October 31, 2011)