Get a taste of rock ’n’ roll history | poughkeepsiejournal.com Members of the Ohio National Guard on May 4, 1970, fired into a crowd of demonstrators at Kent State University in Ohio.
Just nine months after the Woodstock Music and Art Fair was held in Sullivan County, four students were killed and nine injured. And Neil Young was inspired to compose the song "Ohio." "Neil wrote the song on Monday, after he saw it on the news," said Johny Barbata, who played drums on the recording. "We recorded it on Wednesday — in one take. It was magic." Barbata has many stories. He was the drummer in The Turtles. He played drums on Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's infamous 4-Way Street tour. He played drums in Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship. Barbata has captured many of these stories in a book, "The Legendary Life Of A Rock Star Drummer." And — he will be in Poughkeepsie Friday at The Axe Shop to sign copies. "I'm part of rock 'n' roll history," Barbata said. "I've been with so many groups and have traveled all over the world. I'm very fortunate." Barbata's got some real gems when it comes to stories: • He was asked by record company executive David Geffen to play drums in The Eagles, but turned him down and ended up performing with Young. • At the first show on the 4-Way Street tour, Graham Nash and Stephen Stills were arguing between the acoustic set and the electric set. The beginning of the electric set was delayed, the crowd was stomping their feet and in an attempt to get the musicians out of their dressing room, promoter Bill Graham slipped $100 bills under the door. • After the release of "Happy Together" by The Turtles, Barbata turned on the radio and heard the song playing on three different stations at once. "That's when I knew we were happening," he said. -- http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20110127/LIFE/101270304/1005/Get-a-taste-of-rock--n--roll-history%3E Via InstaFetch -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Sixties-L" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/sixties-l?hl=en.
