THE SUMMER OF LOVE ANTHEM
MICHELLE PHILLIPS, 73, IS THE LAST SURVIVING MEMBER OF THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS. FORMED IN 1965 BY MICHELLE, HER THEN-HUSBAND JOHN PHILLIPS, DENNY DOHERTY AND CASS ELLIOT, THE BAND HAD THEIR FIRST HIT THAT YEAR WITH California Dreamin’ AND WENT ON TO SELL 40 MILLION ALBUMS. JOHN WROTE San Francisco
(Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your
Hair), WHICH HE GAVE TO EX-BAND MATE SCOTT MCKENZIE TO SING AND IT BECAME THE ANTHEM OF THE SUMMER OF LOVE. HE PERFORMED IT AT THE MONTEREY INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL (16-18 JUNE 1967), ORGANISED BY JOHN, MICHELLE AND RECORD PRODUCER, LOU ADLER. THE FESTIVAL INSPIRED SUBSEQUENT FESTIVALS INCLUDING WOODSTOCK IN 1969. JIMI HENDRIX FAMOUSLY BURNT HIS GUITAR ON STAGE
AND MICK JAGGER WAS IN THE AUDIENCE.
THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS SPLIT IN 1968 AND MICHELLE PURSUED AN ACTING CAREER, AND NOW LIVES IN LOS ANGELES. SHE HAS A PARTNER, STEVEN ZAX, AND THREE CHILDREN FROM PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS. THIS IS WHAT SHE’S SAID ABOUT THAT TIME: “JOHN AND I MET WHEN HE WAS DOING A GIG IN SAN FRANCISCO. WE MADE EYE CONTACT AND I WAS BESOTTED. WE ASKED THE OWNER TO INTRODUCE US AND HE DID. MY GIRLFRIEND STARTED SEEING SCOTT MCKENZIE [JOHN’S BAND MATE], AND
HE’D COME BY THE APARTMENT. I THINK PROBABLY TWO OR THREE WEEKS LATER, WE RAN INTO THEM AT A PARTY AND JOHN JUST MADE THE BIG PASS AND THERE WE WERE.
“THE WEEKEND OF THE MONTEREY INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL STARTED WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE SUMMER OF
LOVE. SCOTT MACKENZIE SANG THE ANTHEM AND WE, THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS, CLOSED THE FESTIVAL. I DIDN’T REALISE UNTIL HALFWAY THROUGH THE CONCERT THAT MY
MIC WAS BROKEN AND YOU COULDN’T HEAR MY VOICE. A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID, ‘OH NO, IT WAS A FABULOUS PERFORMANCE!’ I GUESS IT DEPENDED ON HOW MUCH YOU SMOKED!
“I WOULDN’T WANT TO BE DOING THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS ANY MORE, BUT I AM PROUD OF WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED. I HAVE WONDERFUL FEELINGS ABOUT THE GROUP BECAUSE I LEARNED A LOT IN THAT JOURNEY. IT WAS A VERY GROOVY TIME.”
The Monterey County Fair & Event Center where the 1967 festival was held is celebrating the 50th anniversary all this year. Visit seemonterey.com W&H
“Jimi Hendrix famously burnt his guitar on stage and Mick Jagger was in the audience”