Any 60's young adults here?

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CalvinV

CalvinV

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Hi everyone, I joined this forum because I've been trying to find people who were young back in the 1960's and especially people who turned on to the hippie movement early on (1964-67, before the summer of love).

I'm currently working on a graphic novel/comic that loosely revolves around these themes.

I'm mostly interested in individual experiences and not what was going on in the era in general as I've done my research on that already, I'm interested in things like what it was like going to private parties, what coversations people had, what did clubs like fillmore, avalon, matrix etc. look like inside and what types of people went there and what did they do there and what did people do outside of all the parties and events.

Also, if there's anyone who's been to one of the early 13th floor elevator shows in austin or acid tests back in -66 I'd like to hear what it was like.

The decade interests me because despite being young I've been through some experiences that young people from that era went through as well, for example just this winter I was arrested by the military police for draft evasion, dropped out of high school after a few trips back when I was 18 and have been self-employed ever since and so on.

Anyone who might have some interesting stories from that era can either post in this thread or send me a private message, both are fine.
I might have some follow-up questions for those who do.
 

arrested by the MP's for draft evasion...? after all these many decades...?

didn't Carter grant a pardon when he was president? I'm I reading right - you arrested in the winter of 2020?

back in 1964, and at the beginning of the hippie movement, I hung out on Wells Street, Chicago's equivalent to the East Village and the Haight.

I'll check back to see if you post any specific questions that I maybe can contribute to.
 
SmoothSeas said:
arrested by the MP's for draft evasion...? after all these many decades...?

didn't Carter grant a pardon when he was president? I'm I reading right - you arrested in the winter of 2020?

back in 1964, and at the beginning of the hippie movement, I hung out on Wells Street, Chicago's equivalent to the East Village and the Haight.

I'll check back to see if you post any specific questions that I maybe can contribute to.
Click to expand...
Oh no, I'm not American haha, my country's govt practises conscription.

What did you usually do when hanging out?
Was it just loitering around and talking or were you actively getting into all kinds of activities?
Did you try acid before it became illegal?
 

Husband and I went to the Avalon every weekend in 66-67.We were in high school. Looking back,it was a total firetrap! Old,old building,too many people and smoking allowed. Everyone smoked-cigarettes and weed. Except for two people-hubby and me.We didn`t smoke cigarettes or weed until after we were married at the end of `67,although most of my friends had been smoking weed and dropping acid for a couple of years before that. I brought weed home one day from a friend`s house and hubby got soooo mad at me.He was a jock and not into smoking anything. Then I became pregnant a month or so later, so that was the end of my smoking anything. Hubby did continue to smoke weed for years-I just never really cared for it.

Anyway,back to the Avalon...I just remember it being very dark in there,with lots of OLD sofas people had donated for the place,I guess. I`m talking OLD sofas-like mohair fabric stuffed with Lord-knows-what. We cuddled up on them-ewww-makes my skin crawl to think about it now. We were just there for the bands-Jefferson Airplane,Big Brother and the Holding Co./Janis Joplin etc. We were so lucky to have seen so many great bands when they were just becoming known.

Too bad a few of my old high school friends aren`t on this forum-they could really give you the lowdown on what it was like then. They were fully immersed in the hippie movement.
 
CalvinV said:
Oh no, I'm not American haha, my country's govt practises conscription.
Click to expand...
The U.S. ended mandatory enlistment around 1970 or so, but it's still required to register for the draft at age 18. Unless I'm mistaken, women are exempt from registering. At one time in the U.S. you could pay someone to take your place when drafted.
 
CalvinV said:
Hi everyone, I joined this forum because I've been trying to find people who were young back in the 1960's and especially people who turned on to the hippie movement early on (1964-67, before the summer of love).

I'm currently working on a graphic novel/comic that loosely revolves around these themes.

I'm mostly interested in individual experiences and not what was going on in the era in general as I've done my research on that already, I'm interested in things like what it was like going to private parties, what coversations people had, what did clubs like fillmore, avalon, matrix etc. look like inside and what types of people went there and what did they do there and what did people do outside of all the parties and events.

Also, if there's anyone who's been to one of the early 13th floor elevator shows in austin or acid tests back in -66 I'd like to hear what it was like.

The decade interests me because despite being young I've been through some experiences that young people from that era went through as well, for example just this winter I was arrested by the military police for draft evasion, dropped out of high school after a few trips back when I was 18 and have been self-employed ever since and so on.

Anyone who might have some interesting stories from that era can either post in this thread or send me a private message, both are fine.
I might have some follow-up questions for those who do.
Click to expand...
How old are you, Calvin?
 
I became a teenager in 1951, the Fabulous 50s, so I suppose 10 years later I was a young adult. However, I was in the military and they tended to keep us well clear of recreational substances and those who used them!

20 years later, in the 1980s, at the summer solstice, I was guarding a military installation near Stonehenge when a young lady, who actually really did have flowers in her hair, one of a group of demonstrators, came up, put a flower in the battle of my submachine gun and said, "Peace, brother"

I left it where it was and replied "Love, sister", and we carried on with our lives!

We gave them tea and toast when we got fed and they offered us puffs on their cigarettes, which we politely declined! All very civilised and very British!

My wife was a bit nonplussed later when we were shopping and I was warmly greeted by a bunch of scantily clad nubile young ladies!
 
Mrs. Robinson said:
Husband and I went to the Avalon every weekend in 66-67.We were in high school. Looking back,it was a total firetrap! Old,old building,too many people and smoking allowed. Everyone smoked-cigarettes and weed. Except for two people-hubby and me.We didn`t smoke cigarettes or weed until after we were married at the end of `67,although most of my friends had been smoking weed and dropping acid for a couple of years before that. I brought weed home one day from a friend`s house and hubby got soooo mad at me.He was a jock and not into smoking anything. Then I became pregnant a month or so later, so that was the end of my smoking anything. Hubby did continue to smoke weed for years-I just never really cared for it.

Anyway,back to the Avalon...I just remember it being very dark in there,with lots of OLD sofas people had donated for the place,I guess. I`m talking OLD sofas-like mohair fabric stuffed with Lord-knows-what. We cuddled up on them-ewww-makes my skin crawl to think about it now. We were just there for the bands-Jefferson Airplane,Big Brother and the Holding Co./Janis Joplin etc. We were so lucky to have seen so many great bands when they were just becoming known.

Too bad a few of my old high school friends aren`t on this forum-they could really give you the lowdown on what it was like then. They were fully immersed in the hippie movement.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply!
This definitely clarified some things for me as I haven't been able to find pictures or high quality footage from any of these clubs that I mentioned.

Reminds me of some underground parties that I've been to back in my teens although I'm sure the experience overall was much different.

I saw one video of the Matrix club I think and one thing that I noticed was that they were givong out free apples to anyone who wanted a snack, do you recall anything like this?
Not specifically just apples or food but free things in general.

Some clubs allowed children to come there with their parents, do you think that was actually alright or was it not a suitable environment for children?

Did you attend the trips festival which is said to have kickstarted the mainstream hippie culture in SF back in -66 if I remember correctly?

Do you prefer the early SF sound to what came later as the bands became more refined?

If it's not too much asked, would it be possible for me to contact your friends somehow in case they'd be interested to share some of their experiences for my project?

Thanks again and I hope you had a nice weekend!

Here's a sketch of the first page from my comic, it's a scifi themed comic about these aliens on Mars:
 

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Laurie said:
I became a teenager in 1951, the Fabulous 50s, so I suppose 10 years later I was a young adult. However, I was in the military and they tended to keep us well clear of recreational substances and those who used them!

20 years later, in the 1980s, at the summer solstice, I was guarding a military installation near Stonehenge when a young lady, who actually really did have flowers in her hair, one of a group of demonstrators, came up, put a flower in the battle of my submachine gun and said, "Peace, brother"

I left it where it was and replied "Love, sister", and we carried on with our lives!

We gave them tea and toast when we got fed and they offered us puffs on their cigarettes, which we politely declined! All very civilised and very British!

My wife was a bit nonplussed later when we were shopping and I was warmly greeted by a bunch of scantily clad nubile young ladies!
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply, Laurie.

Did you ever come across any hostility from hippies?

Did you ever feel like these people considered you inferior in any way or acted arrogant towards straight edge people in general?
 
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