Rolling Stone magazine issue 45 November 1, 1969

Vintage issue # 45 of Rolling Stone magazine dated November 1, 1969 and featuring a classic cover of a buff and youthful looking Tina Turner. Interestingly there is no article on Tina, or even Ike. I guess back then the editors just got who they could to pose for the cover. The “inside” cover is of the Reverend Wilbert Minzey of the Shiva Fellowship Church......see what I mean.

The article on the Shiva Fellowship is entitled A Temple of Cannabis. There is also a report called Straight Dope on the Crisis which chronicles how American dealers were managing the cannabis shortage. There is a profile on Johnny Cash, and one on the blues music scene. The photo of Howlin’ Wolf on stage wearing a baseball cap backwards might have been what started that trend. The RS interview is with Phil Spector and is feature length. Writer Tom Wolfe also contributes a profile on Spector.

There are also good reads on the band Taj Mahal, that year’s Monterey Jazz festival, and getting stoned on Mount Tamalpais. The column Random Notes is a fascinating time capsule which provide glimpses of the events and perspectives of the time. The Musicians Free Classified section was an important national networking forum for aspiring rock bands looking for that last missing piece.

Album reviews are of Arthur by The Kinks, Words and Music By Bob Dylan by The Hollies, Kozmic Blues by Janis Joplin, The Chantels by the Chantels, Tracy Nelson Country by Mother Earth, Dusty in Memphis by Dusty Springfield (written by Greil Marcus), Melanie by Melanie Safka and many, many more. The book review is of The Making of a Counter Culture by Thoedore Raszak.

Full page advertisements are for KOSS headphones, Buddha Records series entitled The First Generation: Rock / Blues / Early Soul, the album Whatever’s Right by Lonnie Mack, the album The Music by The Band, the debut album by the Swedish band Blond, the blues album Fathers and Sons by various artists, the album Generations by Electronic Music, the album On Time by Grand Funk Railroad, an industry publication called Official Talent & Booking Directory. My favorite tho is a small add for the soundtrack to the film Easy Rider on 8-track tape!