ISTM that Pete's memoirs not only trace a path through his own life, but also through a sweeping change in 60s culture than the 40s and 50s knew it. Many of us grew up in those changing times. Many others did not. Statistics show that the majority of those in the West who did, were the majority. The babyboomers. That Heidegger came up in PT's final thread involving a description of the Turn on, Tune in, Drop out 1 Generation is of little surprise. As someone mentioned, his deconstructionist thoughts exercised a profound influence on the philosophy, theology, arts and humanities of today. What impact does this have on our own thinking? On Pete's memoirs? What might this mean for music? And where pray tell does the Octave fit in? Or does it??
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1 Timothy Leary
Friday, July 13, 2007
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8 comments:
LOL! (for now)
I'll be back ...
"The simple secret is the *note* in a song" .......
That Heidegger came up in PT's final thread involving a description of the Turn on, Tune in, Drop out 1 Generation is of little surprise. As someone mentioned, his deconstructionist thoughts exercised a profound influence on the philosophy, theology, arts and humanities of today. What impact does this have on our own thinking? On Pete's memoirs? What might this mean for music? And where pray tell does the Octave fit in? Or does it??
I think that Heidegger laying the foundation for postmoderism philosophy, did pave the way for the West's *Me Generation* to push aside the cognitive/reasoned models of our forefathers for the experiential/mystical way we hear so much about today. Hence the transcendental acid trips, and explosion of new art forms. But I have mixed feelings about this.
I grew up in the footsteps of the 60s *movers and shakers*, having graduated HS in '72. I recall sitting on my best friends den floor watching the Beatles on Ed Sullivan (dressed in a Beatles wig!) and hearing of The Who blowing up their drumset on the Smothers Brothers Show (missed that episode live!). At 10 I knew something important was shifting. Something radical. This music did not sound like that which emanated from my mothers radio while I sat eating Rice Krispies at the breakfast table. And I liked the difference. Growing through my adolescence in art school as a *flower child*, my young (and later) adulthood as a performing vocalist/musician, I loved it. *Out with the old, in with the new*. The most timid and straight-edged one of my wild peer group, I never did turn on or drop out, but I did surely identify with the zeitgeist of those times.
That all being said, I have a difficulty with postmodernism in that in it’s seeking of the mystical, it often seems to toss out the logical/reasoned/thinking (wo)man. I've heard it said that postmodernism seeks to reach back into medievalism to find the heart of what was missing in the empirical age. Did the empirical age miss the boat in terms of emotional connection/expression? I think often it did. But reaching backwards to medievalism signifies reaching back to the dark ages, which to me makes little or no sense. Much better to follow the model that Pete Townshend seems to have followed. Deconstruct a drumset, find your heart, but keep a reasoned, grounded thinking in the process of your life. Reading both Pete’s memoirs and Rolling Stone comments I am led to believe he has done both.
Oh and as for the Octave? I always counted it as eight... Just my 2 cents :P
~Lace~
I dont understand the question!
In his last chapter Pete mentions that Gustav Metzger did the lighting for the 1966, New Year, show at the Roundhouse.
The brilliant Gustav Metzger developed the concept of auto-destructive art. I read somewhere that Pete called him his "teacher".
I wonder .... what influence, if any, did Heidegger have on Pete?
A good question Janice, perhaps one day Pete will come by and tell us.
Delbut, not to worry, I don't undertand the question either, and I posted it. ;)
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