ROCK & ROLL · ART · THE 1970s
Sometimes…I Don’t Remember Much of the ’70s
A rousing romp through the world of rock concerts, road crews, counterculture, and the political turbulence of the 1970s.
MEET COWBOY
Sex, drugs, rock & roll—and the people behind the sound
Big concerts filled the country with superstars, roadies, groupies, hustlers, activists, and larger-than-life personalities. In the middle of it all, Cowboy searches for a way to support his art and find his place in a changing America.
THE STORY
About the Book
After Nixon-era cuts to NASA derail Cowboy’s graduate studies, he returns to photography and amateur filmmaking amid the Vietnam War and confrontations with police. His path also leads into marijuana smuggling from El Paso in a small Piper Tri-Pacer airplane and a network of underground figures in Ann Arbor.
Drug money and a group of former NASA engineers at the University of Michigan come together around an extraordinarily powerful PA system. Their work helps fuel the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival and the “10 for 2” concerts, connecting music with marijuana-law reform and political activism.
On the road, their arena-scale sound system helps make room for the rock anthems of the era, including music by Michigan’s Grand Funk Railroad. But as the war winds down and the music business changes, Cowboy struggles to find a future that will support the artist he wants to be.
Adapted from the supplied book description; this is a synopsis of the story, not independent historical verification.
FROM THE ARCHIVE
Film & Video Collection
Watch five accompanying videos. Each player opens here, with an option to watch on YouTube.
LISTEN TO THE ERA
Music & Playlists
Three playlists accompany the book, including music addenda for Cowboy and Amy.
Sometimes…I Don’t Remember the ’70s — Playlist
Cowboy’s Music Addendum
Amy’s Music Addendum
KEEP EXPLORING
Discover the Full Book
Explore the story, the music, and the larger-than-life characters of the 1970s in Dr. Johnson’s book.
