Woodstock 40th anniversary

By FRITZ MAYER

BETHEL, NY — It’s not easy to come across high quality pictures from the original Woodstock Festival that took place in Bethel in 1969, but they do exist. A new book called “Woodstock Vision: the Spirit of a Generation” features the work of Elliott Landy, the official photographer of the festival, who has also photographed some of the most prominent musical legends of the 20th century, such as Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.

With the 40th anniversary of Woodstock at hand (for information on the events at Bethel Woods see page 17) Landy has been deluged with requests for interviews and pictures, and made time for an interview with The River Reporter.

Landy said, “The experience of Woodstock was to be cut off from everything in your life, it was a meditative type of experience, meditation being a separation from your normal thought processes, from your normal cares and worries and emotions that take over your mind.

“Meditation helps you connect with the all-ness that we’re all part of, and Woodstock was like that for people who were there. Their parents weren’t going to call them, their parents couldn’t possibly see what they were going to do. They had no one to answer to except the moment, and the moment was beautiful.”

He said it was beautiful because everyone at the Hog Farm kept everyone fed, and the performers performed some of the best music of the era.

“Everyone at the concert had a group consciousness of love, everyone was nice to each other—well, almost everyone, everyone minus two, let’s say. The message of what Woodstock means, and why it is remembered and what the media is looking for, is that the group consciousness of love can change the world and make the world a better place.”

In the book, Landy’s wife Lynda writes about her experience of going to the festival with a friend, being separated from him and sharing the weekend with fellow travelers. Landy quoted from her piece in summing up what it was all about.

She wrote, “On Monday morning, after the strains of Hendrix’s ‘Star Spangled Banner,’ we hugged each other one last time and started off in different directions. We never met again and, even though many years have passed, I would like those wonderful caring people with whom I shared such a life altering experience to know that I will always keep them in my heart as I continue my life’s journey.”

To view Landy’s work go to www.elliottlandy.com .