Woodstock '99
Report By Steven R. Rochlin

 

Woodstock '99
A Happier Day

  There are times when the exact opposite is needed. It all began July 20, 1999. i get this idea to attend the great Woodstock '99 festival that was held from July 23 through the 25. Alas, the new Enjoy the Music.com Review Magazine's launch date was set for my birthday, July29th. For the past few weeks many of the wonderful writers for the magazine and myself worked feverishly to insure a Premiere issue worthy enough for music lovers worldwide. Some people might have said taking a vacation at Woodstock '99 only days before the official launch was insane!

Maybe they were right i thought to myself. After all, there were still articles to be received and edited, graphics to be made, photo to edit/optimize, etc. What sane person would just up and leave his home base for a three-day music festival when there was so much work to be done? Well, since no one ever certified me as sane... As i sit here now on the last day of the festival enjoying Willie Nelson, tears filled my eyes as i realized this is exactly what was needed.

Looking over at the vast sea of people dancing, singing, and enjoying the music reenergized me (in fact this article is being written on my hand held PC as Willie Nelson is still on stage). You see, starting one's own magazine is no easy feat. No matter print media or internet, there are writers to hire, finding great editors such as the highly respected Dick Olsher, and so much more. So much work for a lone webmaster/music lover like myself, yet sadly, so little time. Even with the latest state-of-the-art computer gear and software, it all takes time to create layouts, graphics, group the writers into a family... and so much more. Even the notion of attending this festival could be seen as nuts, yet in fact the opposite was true!

Tears filled my eyes because of the realization that people will go through great lengths for music. Over the past few days i have heard many stories of how the hitchhiked to get here with only a few dollars in their pockets. How they have endured criticisms from their parents yet left home anyway to attend. When i ask these individuals why they came, it always came down to one thing. THE MUSIC!

Man has endured times of peace, war, riches, poor-dom, bare living conditions, great comfort, and from jail cells to vast lands. Music seems to have always been there. We humans seem not to just want it; we seem to need music for our very   survival! My decision to attend Woodstock '99 was the best decision i could have made.

Being here has brought me not just many great experiences, good music, and fun. It also brought inspired feelings and enhanced my passion for music in which i joyously write about daily. Sometimes reading the endless arguments on internet audio newsgroups take their toll on my soul (and maybe yours too). Where is the spirit of music? The joys it brings? The reason we music lovers search for higher enjoyment of it? (As i scratch my head and wonder) Did i miss something along the way? Is it me? Why did you get into this hobby? What resets your soul on fire in this pursuit of higher musical enjoyment? A new record? A new piece of gear? Getting a set of N.O.S. tubes that transform your system? Whatever the reason, can trying to enhance your enjoyment be wrong? Who is it that has the right to judge your decisions on purchases and criticize what you do or buy to enhance you musical enjoyment?

Sure i could criticize the sound system here at Woodstock, but why? The music is great! Without the great musical inventors such as Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Les Paul... we as a human race would be less, well, human. It seems that music is in our DNA! As the lyrics of a great song goes "If loving you is wrong, i don't want to be right."

So as i sit here enjoying the many different bands at Woodstock '99, it has only helped to reinforce the whole reason why many years of my life have been spent sharing my joys of music with others. And it is with this spirit that all the writer of the Enjoy the Music.com Review Magazine keeps our spirit and soul on one unified feeling. That feeling is that you too...

 

Enjoy the music (Willie Nelson live right now),

Steven R. Rochlin

 

 

 

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