Post #287920 by tiki mick on Sat, Feb 24, 2007 12:14 PM

Three waves of hippy, as I see it. Starting in the early 50's with the beat scene. I can stomache that. Then, the woodstock generation. Basically, every single band that played woodstock with the exception of the Who, sha-na-na, Ten years after and Santana.
Third, the neo-hippy jam band scene of recent years. The one I detest the most. This is I guess where I come up with my "trust fund" statements.
I have personal experience with that scene, because of a guy named "john" that I jammed with. He owned a warehouse filled with Djembes and smokeable substances. He always had the superior smirk on his face, and secretly hated me because I could play better then him. He also never had to work a day's labor in his life. Rich Grandma. Ok, I would not turn money down either, but I think it takes a way some of your right to talk politics when you don't really live in the same world as the rest of us. Ok, that's personal. But, I see the same smirk on the faces of people like Mike Gordon. The same gushing tributes to these people found in the pages of Bass Player magazine. The same attitude. A rich or upper middle class attitude that ensures they play the most expensive instruments, but don't quite know what to do with them. It's the hacky sacks, the Djembes, the rastafarian beany caps. I detest it. I guess it would not be so bad to me, if they were not exalted by so many. Not jealousie. I would not want to be them, or like them.

I have been to 5 dead concerts. I watched the band closely on at least 3 of those concerts. I felt they had a strong kinship with Jimmy Buffet, as I felt it was really mediocre music, but crammed with super adoring fans, who just could not get enough.

Now, I don't advocate putting them in concentration camps, or denying them jobs or rights, but they bother me. Would I help one in distress? Yes, I would. They are humans too. But within the anonimity of the internet (where no one can reach out and punch me for my opinions-which I know can be inflammatory at times-)I think it is a hoot to bag on them.

I feel that if there are any Hippies here (McDougal and others) that they are not real hippies (and I mean that in a good way) in that by liking Tiki, they totally redeem themselves. No real Hippy could like the Nixon generation's music. Tiki music, and lounge is the music for people who wear suits, and dressed up to go to the copa. People with a sense of whimsy and fun. Not the dead serious hippys.

A disclaimer. I grew up with hippies. I was around them all my life. My uncle was a dead ringer for John Lennon. Round glasses, che guevera beard, VW commie bus. The whole ball of wax. I listened to the conversations, and by the age of 5 already knew that the scene was something I did not like. These people came in to the house, and even though there were perfectly good chairs, had to immediately sit indian style on the carpet.

I can't help the way I feel about this. It's just something in me. I realize I come off as being negative, but in reality there are more things in life that I like then don't like.