Rolling Stone issue #26 had a cover date of February 1, 1969. 32 pages. 35 cents. Cover photo of Jimi Hendrix by Baron Wolman.
This issue was the look back on 1968 with cover star Jimi Hendrix honored as “Performer of the Year.” It’s crazy to think that Jimi Hendrix was an active musician at this point, still very much alive, and not just a commodified personality for endless repackaging. It’s nice to see great artists being celebrated before they’re dead.
Within a couple years, of course, Hendrix would be gone along with Brian Jones, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison. But they’d achieve immortality in the pages of Rolling Stone — and in the mainstream American consciousness, due in no small part to Jann Wenner’s endless glorification and nostalgia.
Features: “The Memphis Debut of the Janis Joplin Revue” by Stanley Booth; “It Happened in 1968”; “Rock ’68” by Jon Landau; “Dino Valente” by Ben Fong-Torres; “Miami Pop Festival: The Most Festive Festival of 1968” by Ellen Sander; “The Band: Three New LP’s Are In The Works” by Paul Nelson; “Nash, Crosby & Stills: ‘Happiest Sounds You Ever Heard!'” by Miles; “A Short History Of Oregon” by Richard Brautigan
News: “Lower East Side: Motherfuckers Hit The Fillmore East”; “Police Harassment Staggers LA Clubs”; “Traffic Is Re-Born, Frog and New Name”; “Jefferson Airplane: New Live Album Ready to Release” by John Burks; “Nick the Greek To Do Solo LP”; “The Rascals: Won’t Play Unless Bill Is Half Black”; “FM Radio Clock”; “Columbia Records In Record Stores”; “Kingston Trio LP”; “Ravers in the Nude” by Our Special Correspondent; “Monterey Pop Film”; “TV Special & Album: Beatles First Live Concert in 2 Years”; “Gary Burton Named Jazzman of the Year”; “[Beggar’s Banquet press luncheon]”; “Country Joe & Fish Take No More Gigs”; “John and Yoko in Newark, New Jersey”; “Rock Business Booms in S.F.”
Columns: “Astrology: 1969” by Gavin Arthur; Perspectives by Ralph J. Gleason (“Dawn of True Sexual Hysteria” on Elvis Presley); Visuals by Thomas Albright (“Computer Soul”); “Books” by Richard Kostelanetz (on The Poetry of the Blues by Samuel Charters, 1963).
Full-page ads: Traffic on United Artists; Randy Newman on Reprise; Spirit on Ode; KSAN Radio; Skidoo by Nilsson.
More ads: Measure-Of-Pleasure by P.F. Sloan on ATCO; 4 Is A Four Letter Word (ft. Bob Seger, Stained Glass, Gandalf, and Hedge & Donna) free on Capitol; Informed Sources by Willard Bain on Doubleday; Aquarian Age Books; Migration by Amboy Dukes on Mainstream; Chicken Shack and Fleetwood Mac on Epic; The Roots Of America’s Music on Arhoolie; Ovation Instruments; Mamas And Papas/Soul Train by Classics IV on Imperial; Eastern Ferris Wheel by Addis and Crofut on Columbia.
Reviews: The Zombies’ Odessey and Oracle (by Paul Album); Buddy Miles Expressways’ Expressway To Your Skull (by David Gancher); Jerry Lee Lewis’ Another Place Another Time (by Andy Boehm); John and Alice Coltrane’s Cosmic Music/The Best of Thelonious Monk (by Michael Zwerin); Tim Hardin 3 Live in Concert (by Alec Dubro); Masters Of Modern Blues: Vols. 1-3 on Testament (by Barret Hansen).
Poems: “The Listener” by Steve Crumley.
Subscription offer: New subscribers could get a free copy of Steppenwolf’s The Second (with 50 cents for shipping and handling). $6 for 26 issues; $10 for 52.
Previously: Issue 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25.