WOODSTOCK (VAC#031)

VARIOUS ARTISTS

A WOODSTOCK CELEBRATION

(1969)

First of all, we'd like to wish you all an happy new year 2010. May it be much better than 2009 which was musically a bit sad.

But 2009 was the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock festival that took place in 17,18,19 august. The most famous festival in the world, thanks to the film, is also one of the very best, with Monterey 1967 and Wight 1970. It's my favourite one.

This 2009 saw the issue of a 6CD box set that contains never before released recording and complete the two other albums issued in 1970 and 1971. Some might say that this 6CD box is a good set of music to discover Woodstock, but some decision may be arguable. The decision to keep some songs apart or not does not make this box set, the best one. It is highly perfectible.

Even if I, as an hardcore woodstock fan, need to possess the complete recording (or something close), I think it's a hard job to make a good Woodstock compilation. That's why I really enjoyed making it.

First of all, I really considered every recordings in my possession, including Woodstock, Woodstock two, Woodstock Diaries, the 6CD box set, the complete Woodstock bootleg (13 CDs !) Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock and some of the recently complete live recordings of some of the bands playing there... and also a serie of bonus tracks uneasy available.

My first decision was to make every artist appear on it. The second was to keep only one song of each. You'll notice that I couldn't respect this contract for the Jimi Hendrix's set, keeping everithing from Voodoo Chile to Villanova Junction. I did it because, anyway, this would have been a 4CD set.

I rapidly understood that this wouldn't be a 3CD set as I was expecting (1CD for each day) because of the length of some songs I decided to keep for this baistophe (Jefferson Airplane = 20 minutes ! ; Canned Heat = 30 minutes and of course Grateful Dead's Dark Star with "only" 16 minutes).

Last but not least, I know some of my choices would not be understood by many of you, so let me explain them.

Joe Cocker : the logical choice would have been "With A Little Help From My Friends" because this is the song that really touched everybody's mind and made him a star straight away. But I didn't choose it because I don't really appreciat this version, to begin with the backing vocals that are a bit ridiculous. I prefered I Shall Be Released because it is really a good interpretation and there's a feeling in it that can touch anyone.

Joan Baez : I chose Sweet Sir Galahad simply because it's my favourite song in her recorded set.

John B Sebastian : I wanted Younger Generation because this is a really sweet song that really smell happiness and optimism. Also, I like when he was too stoned and missed the lyrics

Mountain : Southbound Train was to me the best one because it was the only one that was really different from the studio version. In fact, I really like Theme From An Imaginary Western too, but ST won its place.

Janis Joplin : Ball & Chain, because of the speach inside.

Jefferson Airplane : White Rabbit was a too easy choice and this 20 minutes version of Wooden Ships is simply amazing

Blood Sweat & Tears : Spinning Wheels was also to an evidence and You've Made Me So Very Happy is simply better.

Crosby Stills Nash : Suite Judy Blue Eyes was the best one to me but I chose 4 + 20 because of its slight difference with the studio version which is much slower.

Hope you'll understand my choices.

PS : Only Keef Hartley Band has a bootleg source and incomplete track. So sad that this however good band never got an official recording of their Woodstock performance.