Dave Stone – KYA, San Francisco – October 19, 1970 –
1970 started off with a lot of promise. New year, new decade, new city. You left L.A. behind, at least for the next four years while you dive head-first into adulthood and a higher education (in more ways than one) at Berkeley.
You had previews of coming attractions when your friends decided at the last minute not to hitch to Altamont to see the Stones. But the year started reasonably okay and maybe the chaos at the Festival-turned-ugly was a blip on otherwise rosy radar.
Um, no. There was still a war going on and Nixon announced we were headed to Cambodia. And then it got crazy – things were flying off the handle everywhere – it was serious; people were getting killed, you saw it on TV – you and the rest of the country. And you thought 1968 was bad – you were in high school then – it wasn’t up close and personal like it is now – it’s worse now.
And to top it off – The Beatles broke up in April, Janis died in July, and only a few weeks ago Jimi died. You’re almost afraid to wake up in the morning, paranoid some other part of your life as a teenager would be going up in smoke.
And even your radio is up and changing on you. Not so many happy tunes as there were, even a year ago. Fire and Rain is a good song, but it’s kind of a downer.
1970 will be over soon. Maybe if you just stayed in bed until January it will all blow over and, fingers crossed, 1971 should be a lot better, you have hopes – you’re convinced, 1970 is as bad as its going to get. Nothing will be worse than this year.
That’s what you keep telling yourself.
At least there’s Music.
And almost an hours worth of KYA, San Francisco from October 19, 1970 just to let you know.
