Country Joe's Place

Amazing Stories Folks Have Sent Me

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AWOL
A Lesson Learned
A Fantasy
Guess He Liked the Video
A Critical Analysis
Banned Songs and Barking Spiders
On His Fourth Copy
The T-shirt that Wouldn't Die
A Big Movie Deal

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AWOL

Little story, perhaps I've mentioned it to either of you over the years here or there, but not together nor so formalized for historical purposes. I've also shared it with your old co-conspirator Bruce B @ Mime Troupe who I've known for years.

On my FIRST day at my first European assignment, in fact, on my way towards the Duty Officer to whom I was to report, I came upon another soldier sitting in front of a building with a small portable, kids, record player and several long extension cords reaching back to the nearest electrical outlet.

It was April 25th, 1966, a beautiful cloudless, sunlit French spring afternoon. I remember smelling fresh cut grass and flowers and poetry and wonderment. I was as excited as you could imagine any 20 year old would be to be stationed less then 10 miles from downtown Paris while a war was raging half way around the world. (I remember the date because I had flown out of McGuire AFB the night of my folks anniversary, on the 23rd & had spent one night in Frankfurt.)

The solider was sitting on the lawn with his legs crossed. I dropped my duffle bag a few feet away at his beckoning and sat down next to him. He was the first person in this new place to speak to me. There was a record spinning at 33 rpm's and he was holding its album on his lap. Unopened chocolate Easter rabbits, other food stuffs and shirts stuck out from the box. It was obvious this kid was serious about this music! I couldn't quite make out the title of the album in his lap as he showed it to me. Was it that German beer the night before or the altered lettering, I don't remember? He read off the band's name " 'Country Joe and The Fish', hey you gotta hear this!"

I listened for a few minutes -- from the way Sweet Lorraine has always made me feel, it could have been that cut, he was half way through one of the sides -- and all of a sudden, without any prior indication, the guy puts away the record, pulls the plug out of the record player, picks up his stuff & declares with a most definitive expression, "I'm outta here!" and walks away.

I continued on my way to check in. Later I heard he never showed up for work & thirty days later was classified a deserter. I was the last to have seen him in uniform (an investigation would later reveal). His unwashed fatigues and all his military clothing were found the next afternoon in the laundry room. He took the record player, album and clothes, leaving several Easter rabbits on his bunk! No one ever heard from him again! For 33 years I have credited you guys for causing that defining moment in that young man's life when he KNEW he had to ACT at that EXACT PRECISE moment. And he did!

I've always wondered who he was & if he was still alive. After all, he turned me on to your band and his action was compelling enough to have me remember it thus far. With all I've managed to forget over the years, I'm amazed I remember such detail. Thanks to all of you.

Hal

A Lesson Learned

Dear Joe,

Great to find your site - a fine effort! I'm hitting the record shop tomorrow. Here's a personal memory....

Back in the early 70s when I was at college, we had a Social Studies class: Tutor: "OK, we're going to talk about the way that women are discriminated against in modern Britain -- Andy what do you think?" Me: "Well I really can't see any problem, I mean, they get the same treatment as we do don't they?" (Hey, come on, I was 17, ok?) Snorts of derision from half the class, "Yeah" from the other.

Now that evening I went to see the All-Star Band somewhere in Bristol. After "Sexist Pig," I was starting to think; after "Coulene Ann," I was feeling a real berk. The reconstruction started there....

It doesn't quite end there: sometime ago, we were watching Top of the Pops (UK chart show) -- The Spice Girls were just hitting. I've got 2 daughters & the youngest (7) pipes up: "Dad, girls only sing in bands don't they?" We come back with Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Chrissie Hynde etc., but she still looked unconvinced.

At the Bristol gig all those years ago, I'd asked the drummer (Anna Rizzo?) for one of her broken sticks as a memento -- she gave me a pair. (Flash forward.) I dug the sticks out and showed the kids the split stick and all the bruising & dents (they're heavy sticks too) & told them how this female drummer had beat the @*&% out of the kit. Voila! another shift in perception!

Sorry about rambling on, but I thought you might like to know how you touched 2 generations in some small way. I'll shut up now.

Love and peace
Andy Paxton <
a.paxton@uea.ac.uk>
Norwich, UK

Arridge wrote me this postscript to the above story:

Hi Joe, amazed to read on your amazing stories of a guy who was at your gig in Bristol, England in the 70s.I hitched down from Oxford to catch it, in fact you were supported by local Oxford heroes "The Global Village Trucking Company." Remember you played the Hokie Cokie for an encore after a set that incuded most of the Paris sessions album. You might like to check out a book written by my former landlady, sociologist, & ex band leader of the Mistakes & Jane Goes Shopping. It's called Frock Rock by Mavis Bayton & it's published by Oxford University Press. Thanks for many years of great music, intelligence & humour ... Richard.

A Fantasy: Tearin' Down the Establishment

Forewarning

If none of this story seems to make any sense to you, do not fret. None of the occurrences are really possible i.e. Kassidy and I were 3 years old at the time and certainly could not drive a red VW microbus.

Basically disregard anything that doesn't seem right, because it isn't. It makes sense only to Kassidy and myself, and to share this understanding, a few hundred thorough viewings of 'Woodstock' and 'Alice's Restaurant' are necessary.

Enjoy,
Trica

It was a dark and stormy night. The year was 1984 and the punks were ruling their hairsprayed universe.

But the times they were a-changin'. For little did they know that deep in the heart of Arlo Guthrie's church, the hippies were conspirin'.

They had a plan: to take down the establishment. But first they had to get the eighties freaks out of the way. The hippies were tolerant of all walks of life, and they admired the eighties freaks' spirit, but they were going about it the wrong way (Gowan. Need we say more?)

The hippies tried to get Country Joe McDonald to lead the pack, but alas, his war stoppin' days were over. He had put down his army ensemble and geetar for the button-down life of teaching high school science at St. Joseph Scollard Hall under the pseudonym 'John MacDonald'... so they got Bob Dylan instead.

Second in command were good ol' Arlo, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Robert Plant, Richie Havens, Lou Reed and Joe Cocker.

Their main plan: to take out the leader of the eighties freaks, Gowan, and his army of hired goons, Bauhaus, and teach him the error of his ways.

"Here's the specifics." said Bob Dylan. "The eighties freaks are having a rave tonight at 8:00 at Starlight. While Gowan is getting ready we'll create a diversion."

"I don't know how many of you can dig how many people there are, man. Like I was rappin' to the fuzz, right. Can you dig it? Man, there's supposed to be a million and a half people there by tonight, man. Can you dig that? The New York State thruway's closed, man! Yeah, it's far out, man. Lotta freaks." rambled Arlo Guthrie.

"What did he say?" asked Joan Baez.

"Oh, just ignore him." said Joni Mitchell. "He's just one of our many raving derelicts."

And so their plan unraveled.

"Whatta we do, boss?" asked Lou Reed.

"We bring out the big guns... Leonard Cohen."

The group was taken aback with shock as a dark figure holding a cigarette emerged from the shadows. As the smoke cleared, the face of Leonard Cohen appeared.


Meanwhile, at the Starlight in downtown North Bay, Ontario, the eighties freaks were preparing for the rave by setting up their mist machines and Poison posters. Gowan was sitting at the head of the bar yelling orders to his goons, Bauhaus, and his special guest, Modo.

"Hey, lads, get the makeup crew in here with more orange eyeshadow and rouge. And those posters are too straight. Unstraighten them. Crooked is cool, brother." He took a sip of his daiquiri. "Oh, and boys, what hot acts did you get for me tonight?"

"Well boss, the Northern Pikes, Loverboy, A-Ha and Wham all said yes. Boy George jumped at the chance and David Bowie rudely declined." answered Modo.

"Did you get those two delicious Coreys from that movie 'License to Drive'?" asked Gowan.

"But boss, they're not musicians, they're actors."

"And they're adorable actors. I want the two Coreys here by 8:00 or you're all fired. Is that clear, Modo?" and with that he threw his daiquiri in Modo's face and stomped up to his hotel room to sulk, leaving his hired goons in charge.


"LEONARD COHEN!" the group exclaimed.

"Groovy, man. I thought you were dead, man. Can you dig it? What a trip." said Arlo.

"Can I have a little help from me friends, here? I mean, am I the only one seeing things?" asked a bewildered Joe Cocker.

"Just because no one buys my records, that doesn't mean I'm dead. I never die." said Leonard Cohen, slick as in his earlier days.

Come on, man. It's a long flight from Massachusetts to North Bay. Let's haul out." Arlo said.

Suddenly an unexpected visitor flew through the window: the vampire Keith Richards.

Just then, Nigel Planer (best known for his role as 'Neil' in the hit British TV series 'The Young Ones') emerged from the bathroom. "OH NO! Keith's dead, but still alive, like Leonard Cohen!"

This upset Leonard, so he dropped a walk-in humidor on Nigel's head.

"Hey, man, karma. I could have sworn that Now and Zen you're hangin' with the Buddhists. Aren't they teaching you anything, man?" asked Robert Plant.

"Karma shmarma. He pished me off!"

"Sham blen ugh naesqpenn... maaaaaaww!!" said Keith unintelligibly.

"Get out of here, you yuppie. You're working for the establishment, not against it." yelled Joan Baez.

"Yeah, man, pesha bleeeem; pknaqssd." said Bob Dylan.

"Marwsk queeaissd. Meniss, boy. Blingg mmmmmm, dde naway." replied Keith.

"Boni waye! Sceho si besth, sceho si besth, dena-oooh!" yelled Bob.

"You tell 'im, Bob!" cheered Richie Havens.

"I'll sick my dog on you!" Keith retaliated.

"You'll sick Mick Jagger on me? You don't have the guts, man."

"No, no, I guess not. Okay, well, I guess I'll be going then. Cheerio." And with that, Keith Richards flew through the window, never to be seen in Massachusetts again.


The hippies arrived in North Bay at 7:00 p.m. that night, giving them just enough time to set up.

Dressed in black cat suits and armed with macramé (handcrafted par Trica) sacs full of necessities, they climbed to the top of the Mr. Topper's Pizza next door to Starlight. A mysterious red VW microbus bee-boppin' to the tunes of 'Rock and Soul Music' lurked across the street. They then jumped onto the roof of the Starlight building. The hippies creeped over to the glass sunroof and, using special glass cutting tools, they carved out a chunk of it. They cut it in a shape familiar to the freaks so as not to alarm them, or announce their presence: a bottle of hairspray.

By then it was 8:10, Glass Tiger was performing and the party was well under way. It was time for the hippies to make their move. One by one they slid down hemp ropes (no synthetic fibres here) into the middle of the shindig.

Glass Tiger stopped playing. "Oh no! Folk singers!" screamed the lead singer.

"Oh no! Glass Tiger!" screamed Arlo Guthrie as he grew faint and weak in the knees. "Okay, everybody man (or woman) your stations!"

And they did. Leonard Cohen scrambled onto the stage as Richie Havens (their thug) knocked out the DJ and put on a 'First We Take Manhattan' record. The rest of the team silently watched, waited.

Synthesizers started blaring "do do do do do do do do." A gruff voice spoke; "They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom/ for trying to change the system from within.

The eighties freaks started jumping around and head banging.

"Tell it like it is, dude!" screamed Corey Feldman.

"It's true! It's true!" yelled Corey Haim.

"What did I tell you two about talking?" snapped Gowan.

"Not to, sir." the Coreys said, frightened and ashamed.

"That is correct. Now, shut your gobs and massage my feet." And they did.

"Stop the music! Stop the music!" yelled Bob Dylan. He ran onstage, smashed the turntable and pulled the microphone away from Leonard. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"The song's cool, man. Listen to the words. It's anarchy, man."

"It's techno. They like techno! What are we going to do now?" asked Bob.

Joan Baez, reminded of the song 'Joe Hill' about a man who never gave up, spoke. "Not to undermine your authority, Bob, sir, but I always feared that Leonard, as cool as he is, was slipping into the eighties, so I came prepared with a backup band." She opened her macramé satchel and out popped Country Joe and the Fish, decked out in army ensemble, tie dye, bandannas and geetars.

"What are you doing here, Joe? I thought you were working for the establishment." exclaimed Bob Dylan.

"No, no, man. Teaching high school science is a cover. The fuzz was after me, so I had to blend. Two of my groovy students, Trica and Kassidy, told me what was goin' down and snuck me here in their red VW microbus. Now, sir, if you don't mind, I'd like to get on with the plan."

And with that, he reached into Joan's satchel and pulled out a bomb full of unknown gas.

"MARIJUANA!" Country Joe and the Fish screamed as the bomb flew through the air, releasing condensed weed smoke.

"NOOOOOO!" screamed the eighties freaks as they writhed in pain on the floor. For you see, they were not used to such gentle drugs as weed. They preferred crack and ecstasy.

Ten minutes later the hippies surveyed their surroundings and saw that the freaks were all in comas. But what was this? The Two Coreys were still conscious and well, sitting at the bar, drinking Singapore slings.

"How come you guys aren't knocked out?" asked Country Joe.

"I don't know." slurred Corey Feldman. The hippies eyed each other in bewilderment.

"Ah, too late now." said Arlo. So they threw the Coreys into a potato sac and carried them off.

And to this day their girlie screams for Singapore slings and daiquiris can be heard coming from behind the altar of Arlo's church.

The End

par Trica and Kassidy

Guess He Liked the Video

I sent a copy of my video "The Vietnam Experience" to Sibley J. Smith, Jr., Director of Education of the Vietnam Era Educational Center in Holmdel, New Jersey. Later I e-mailed him, "How did you like the video?" This was his reply.

Oh, very much! I often play it at the Vietnam Era Educational Center, in the All-Purpose Room adjacent to the multi-media Resource Room, as a backdrop on the screen behind me (with sound muted initially) as I give an orientation/museum-interpretation session to high school groups that visit the Center & the adjacent NJVV Memorial. Then, before exiting this classroom setting to go and explore the exhibits (multi-media) of the Center, particularly if it's a class of high school seniors, I usually invite the students to fall back to the room later to watch the flick with the sound on. I've had good return on that offer, with captivated audiences.

I explain who did the video, talk of Country Joe's Vietnam Veteran status with the Navy in '62 (BTW, that's when Jimi Hendrix received his Screaming Eagles patch as a member of the 101st Airborne), and of his later VVAW-ish-type stand immortalized in his "Fixin' to Die Rag," and of his spear-heading the establishment of the Berkeley Vietnam Veterans' Memorial and of his continued advocacy for Vietnam Veteran rights and recognition and for education about the Vietnam Era.

One day, Phil, a gentle-giant of a Vietnam Veteran, who volunteers to lead school tours of the Memorial & the Center, calls out when we finish the session, "Play the song, Sib! Play the song!" So, I rewind it and start it again at the beginning with the old clip of Joe reciting to his audience the singalong part (when was that? '65?, '66?). The song starts and former-Huey-door-gunner Phil (eventually lost both legs due to complications that set in from all the shrapnel he took---but he walks on his titanium today as well as WWII RAF ace Douglas Bader did on his two wooden legs---so, Phil, as daffy as he can sometimes be, has earned a place in my heart as one of my heroes), . . . so, Phil, I noticed, was rocking. He's nodding his head to the beat, he's singing along off-key, and he's wiping the tears from his eyes. (You'll remember Phil. He ordered his own copy less than a week after I received mine, after I played it for him.) And the kids were grooving. During another school tour (Phil was there for this one, too), I started talking about the issues that are still so important to Vietnam Veterans and their families today. I told them about the struggle to obtain a full accounting of POWs & MIAs, I told them of PTSD, and then I asked them if they'd ever heard of Agent Orange. They hadn't, so I started to explain what it was and what it did (and still does) to people exposed to it, and as I'm talking, Phil interrupts with, "Hey, Sibbo, look!" And I turn to see the the clip of the planes flying over the treetops spraying Agent Orange. So we both use the images presented then, including those of the Vets demonstrating to receive Agent Orange care benefits, to explain the situation, and I tell the kids that the refrain of the song in the background is, "They killed me in Vietnam, but I didn't even know." (Even now as I write this I get chills).

And then I speak of the women in Vietnam, and I've got the images accompanying "The Girl Next Door". I wear the KIA bracelet of New Jerseyan Capt. Eleanor G. Alexander, USA (killed 11-30-67, along with 1st Lt. Hedwig Diane Orlowski, USA, and a number of wounded GIs they were caring for, when the C-47 they were in crashed on the way from Pleiku to Qui Nhon).The sculpture in the midst of our circular, black granite memorial wall, includes the figure of an Army combat nurse, tending to a wounded GI. I tell students that, to me, she represents all the women who served in Vietnam (including civilians, like Army Special Services librarian Ann Kelsey, who now volunteers to help me with my library), she represents the 8 women listed on The Wall in DC, and she represents the one woman among the 1,555 names listed here as from New Jersey, Eleanor Alexander. And I think of a couple of photos of her. Of this shot, obviously early in her career in the Nam, in which she's wearing fatigues and her helmet and sporting this beautiful smile, grinning from ear to ear, as if with pride. Then there's one of her in her operating room scrubs, mask and cap, and she looks so . . . haggard, like she's bearing the weight of the world, like she'd seen enough of what man can do to man in warfare. I like to think now, as I champion for her, that she is now my angel, too.

So, YES! I liked the video.

Judson (Sib Smith)

A Critical Analysis

Hello, Country Joe ! My name is Scott and I'm 32 years old (born in '67). I live in Akron, Ohio. I just recently got "on-line" & quickly discovered the wonderful Country Joe & the Fish web page. Being an avid music fan & musician (drummer), I had heard of Country Joe & the Fish but never experienced the music of the group. Since my tastes in music run more towards Sixties Rock I naturally came across the Monterey Pop movie (mainly because of my passion for The WHO). I was so engrossed by the Section 43 segment that, about 5 years ago, I started gobbling up Country Joe & the Fish albums & CD's. I was not disappointed. The ying-yang of CJ & F is what I find brilliant (along, of course, with the kick-ass songs). Like The WHO you guys seemed to balance humor & irony with anger & frustration so well that it created a pure expression of ideas both exhilarating & thought-provoking. In other words: I dig it! My question to you, Country Joe, is Will there be a CJ & F CD box set in the future from Vanguard? I really think such a collection is long overdue. Also, are there any books (out of print or in print) on CJ & F? Please let me know the answer to these questions if you have the time, and I will be most grateful. I'll leave you with a list of some of my favorite CJ & F songs and some comments as to why. Cheers (a Fish Cheer, that is !).

Rock & Soul Music - Just what the title says! Great bass lines. Did you guys open with this number often? The backing track of screaming girls is hilarious. "Spot on" irony! Fits well.

The Masked Marauder - Starts out in a tentative, uneasy tone and then goes into the "La La La..." part. The juxtaposition is brilliant in that it creates a sort of island of happiness stuck in dangerous, threatening seas. More ying-yang.

Love - Sometime while lusting, I may sing this song to myself. It's like saying, "Hey there! I got a big stockpile of love! Why don't you partake of some!" I love the swirling drums, too.

Section 43 - Again that eerie, uneasy tone as in The Masked Marauder but longer, more developed and explored. the harmonica brings an earthy, backwoods, kind of campfire-like mood which adds to the song's eeriness.

Super Bird - The ying-yang of CJ & F is most evident in this song. It's hilariously funny & yet at the same time it's calling for the ouster of a sitting President! Beautiful ! Plus, it's got comic book references.

Sad & Lonely Times - Another great song with a melancholy mood. Even though this song sounds sad, it has a kind of nonchalant optimism about it. I especially like Chicken Hirsh's crescendo building snare rolls at the end of the song which act as a needed tension release through which the narrator's sad and lonely times may exit. Superb !

Eastern Jam - Wow! I really dig this song! The eeriness again overlapped by a fantastic guitar solo. There is so much expression & mood in that guitar solo ! My thoughts transcribed into notes ! Now how did you guys know what I'd be thinking here in the 90's approaching the millennium? Cathartic!

Porpoise Mouth - What incredible lyrics ! Beautiful earthy images mixed with everyday images of humans and animals. A great song that lets the listener decide what the message is. I love songs like that.

Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine - I've met evil women like this. Sometimes a man can feel helpless against the Sweet Lorraines of this world. These type of girls do have to memorize all they know & sure enough, they don't get high like most normal folks do!

Mojo Navigator - This song reminds me of "Love" in that the narrator is saying, "Hey, here's what I can offer you! I'm not going to lie to you and I'm not even going to pursue you ! If you want some of what I have, just call !" Bruce Barthol is amazing in this song, climbing & falling & running around like a kid in a playground!

The Streets of Your Town - I take it you guys didn't have a good time in New York City ! While I must admit I do love NYC (I've visited there dozens of times), there have been times when I was only too glad to get the hell outta there ! I also like the serene, quiet part in the middle of this song. More juxtaposition.

Cetacean - An upbeat song with that wonderful final message about love. More brilliance !

Scott Schrade

Banned Songs and Barking Spiders

Hi Joe, Hello from Cleveland; hope all is going well.

I'm writing to tell you about the Banned Books Week commemoration held earlier this month at The Barking Spider Tavern. The event was organized by Dawn Grattino, CAT2@FRONTO.cpl.org, whom you may know from Kent State 5/4/70 events. I assisted Dawn in writing press releases and suggesting musical aspects for the program, which largely consisted of authors and poets reading from "banned" works.

Singer/songwriter Annette Keys, keys@stratus.net, was tabbed to perform, and I suggested your "Fixin' To Die Rag."

And here's where the fun begins: She found music for it over the Internet but only one verse was included. So...I dusted off my turntable and got out 2 versions of this song that I have in my large C.J. McDonald LP collection and called her number and played them for her answering machine.

She called back for more details from me on the lyrics, and we laughed and laughed at your deft touch in putting across your right-on point of view. ("You know that peace can only be won when we blow them all to kingdom come; just hope and pray that when they drop the bomb they drop it on the Viet Cong; be the first one on your block to have your boy come home in a box.")

Needless to say, Annette's performance of your song galvanized the crowd and made everyone sit up and take notice--and sing along. Annette later got a chance to play one her own songs, "Get Off The Cross, We Need the Wood" from her "On The Edge" CD. The song is about a person who needs to be a martyr, but Nashville producers feared the public would think it was dissing Jesus.

So, Joe, I just wanted you to know how amazing and wonderful "Fixin' To Die..." really is to this day.

Your song is a true masterpiece. It has withstood the test of time. In 1969 I was a youngster, (6th grade) but I can remember that funny tune sparking my interest in finding out more about the war and questioning its wisdom. This led to me becoming a journalist. Imagine how many other people were captured by the humor and then motivated to question their stand on the issue. WOW!

And now, fast-forward to 1999, and your song is just as funny and relevant as it was way back when. It truly captures the true essence of how ridiculous--and tragic--that war really was. Amazing!

THANK YOU for a great song and your contributions toward ending that war. And your efforts nowadays toward healing the vets.

Next year, I'm lobbying for "Tricky Dicky." (Or maybe "Kiss My Ass")

Thanks for everything,

Jim Guyette

On His Fourth Copy

Kevin ordered a CD of War War War on-line and added this note.

I first listened to this recording in the early 70s. I had listened to your other recordings but had never heard of this one. I won it purely by chance at a game at the Jersey shore. I put a quarter down on a number, the wheel was spun and I won. This particular game stand gave records as prizes. I pointed to one on display, the cover caught my attention and asked for it. I didn't even know it was one of your recordings until I had it in my hands.

I got home later that night and put the LP on. I listened to it at least 5 times that night.

I had read Robert Service's Rhymes of a Red Cross Man only a couple of weeks before this.

I was mesmerized by the recording. I think I wore the album thin within a month and still listened often until it was barely an album any more.

I moved to Berkeley in '78 and found a used copy of the album that was in better shape than mine at Rasputins and started wearing that one thin.

When I got divorced in 1989 my wife asked for very little but she insisted on having the album.

My second wife found a copy of the album at a used music store in New York. I listened to that often and taped it but that album wasn't in great shape either.

I am new to the internet and looked for the album without luck until I finally thought to see if you had a website and here we are.

I was never an activist but listening to War War War enkindled an interest in poetry and novels that dealt with WW I experiences which still exists. This lead to an awareness to and hatred of war of any sort or era.

I thank you for your gift to all who have listened to any of your recordings and in my case especially this one and I appreciate the effect you have had in all of your work against war and for mankind.

War War War is in my opinion the most moving work of art I have experienced dealing with horrors of war. Thank you.

Kevin Fitzsimons

Hal

The T-shirt that Wouldn't Die

Sarah in 1994 when she got the t-shirt and in 2005. The Amsterdam concert that the shirt commemorates took place on November 15, 1968!
Hey Joe,

Just a stupid story:

When I was 17 (11 years ago) I went to a second hand store in the town where I live and bought a tshirt with "Country Joe and the Fish - Nachtconcert" emblazoned on the front. I wore the tshirt to death, without knowing who the hell CJ&TF were.

I found it today, washed, ironed it and finally though to myself "who the hell were they?" So thanks to the trusty internet I was able to find out.

Strange that one of your tshirts, from a concert in the Netherlands, found its way to Roleystone, a rather small and inconsequential town in Perth, Western Australia, and now you, wherever you are, may be reading this email.

Anyhow, I'd just like to finish off on this note; whoever the merchandisers were, the chose a high-quality tshirt, because after 11 years of wear and tear, that shirt looks good as new. Keeping the dream of Country Joe and the Fish alive on the other side of the world.

regards
Sarah Hammond

A Big Movie Deal

I recently found this letter in my files, addressed to Country Joe and the Fish manager ED Denson. It doesn't have a date, but it must have been from the late 60s.

Ed Denson,

I have a project that I would like Mr. Country Joe McDonald to consider. It is a film version of Pinocchio (original screenplay by myself and Jack Lipner) in rock musical form. I think that Country Joe would be right for the music and for the lead role of Pinocchio. I have no money but a lot of promises. I would like to send you a screenplay if you are the right person to help me get through to Mr. McDonald.

The project is artistcally right and the financial arrangements will be amenable to all if the artistic commitment is secured.

Please let me know if I should send you a screenplay.

Thanks,
Dan Pasley

For some reason, nothing ever came of this project.

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