iron. I was thinking, ‘He’s cleared this land himself.’ ”
There were further twists, turns, and complica-
tions, including some opposition from locals. STOP
MAX’S HIPPY MUSIC FESTIVAL, read one rudimen-
tary plywood sign. NO 150,000 HIPPIES HERE! BUY
NO MILK.
But the show would go on, after about 300 people
worked around the clock to prepare the site. And, of
course, there was the ongoing matter of booking tal-
ent, which took considerable negotiation—sometimes
in vain. In April 1969, Lang and Kornfeld secured their
first act, the red-hot Creedence Clearwater Revival,
for $10,000 (about $70,000 today). “Once Creedence
signed, everyone else jumped in line and all the other
big acts came on,” CCR drummer Doug Clifford
recalled. Of course, not every big name could make
it (see page 81)—or wanted to. “Led Zeppelin said no,
the Doors said no,” Lang noted.
Lang, whose unflappable cool under pressure is
apparent in the Woodstock documentary, also had to
contend with the fiery Yippie leader Abbie Hoffman,
who sensed the festival could be an excellent forum
for his militantly antiwar political agenda. He also
wanted a $20,000 donation to his cause. “I don’t give
a rat’s ass about your festival!” Hoffman screamed at
moneyman Rosenman. “We’ll bring this motherf---ing
festival down around your motherf---ing ears unless
you meet our demands.” Hoffman settled on $10,000,
which his cadre used to buy a printing press.
Lang, for his part resolved to keep the festival from
becoming a political rally. “Politics,” he wrote, “would
not be part of the onstage proceedings. It was the
place where art and commerce could coexist, where
opposing ideas could coexist, where our humanity
would come first and our differences would just add
color. Elements of the festival were deeply grounded
in the underground movement, but the focus would
remain peace and music.” l
The show would go on, after about
300 people worked around the
clock to prepare the site. And, of
course, there was the ongoing
matter of booking talent. In
April 1969, Lang and Kornfeld
secured their first act, the red-hot
Creedence Clearwater Revival, for
$10,000. “Once Creedence signed,
everyone else jumped in line.”