February 15, 2019

"I thought this was perfect because she is Acquarius [the water-bearer]. What could be wrong?"

"Bill Graham told me [concert promoter] Michael Lang would be calling me about a poster for this festival they were calling the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival. I had been doing a lot of rock stuff at the time. I just thought it was another one of those concerts. I had no reason to think otherwise."

Said the artist David Edward Byrd — quoted in "Bethel Woods, Keeper of the Woodstock Grounds, Is Looking for a New Poster—With Help From the Artist Who Did the Fest’s Original/How peace, love and music make for colorful marketing—then and now" (AdWeek) — about the poster he made that was rejected 50 years ago:

21 comments:

rhhardin said...

Acquarius is interested in getting stuff, just from the name.

rhhardin said...

She probably trades water for beads and makeup.

Wince said...

Bow and arrow. Naked women.

Is Ted Nugent playing?

mockturtle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mockturtle said...

Acquarius is interested in getting stuff, just from the name.

That's what I was thinking. Acquarians are compulsive shoppers.

Bay Area Guy said...

Far out, Man

JohnAnnArbor said...

Let's talk about the moon program, which is also 50 years old. Apollo 9--first test of the lunar lander in space--was launched 50 years ago, March 3.

effinayright said...

The original Aquarius of Greek myth was a guy, Ganymede, not a femme.

zipity said...


Whoever chose that font should be shot.

rhhardin said...

Not safe for woodstock.

wild chicken said...

Nostalgic artwork, but gad the typography was always so hard to read. Rather like gang tags.

I guess we were supposed to trip out on it for an hour while trying to discern which bands were playing at the Fillmore that night.

Earnest Prole said...

Girl, you’re thiccer than a bowl of oatmeal.

Known Unknown said...

Blessing in disguise. This poster is not iconic at all. It's a regurgitation of other pieces of art.

The dove on the guitar was strikingly original and now over time instantly recognizable.

Fernandinande said...

Except for the chick in the middle it's just a mess.

Maillard Reactionary said...

Hubba hubba.

Bill Peschel said...

So no consultation, no sketches, no guidelines (like room to put the bands' name on it). Just do it, then crash and burn.

Yup, that's the '60s all right. The kids were in charge, and they weren't alright.

RMc said...

Note the poster mentions the original location of Wallkill, which is about ten minutes drive from my house.

Temujin said...

Never thought I'd say this, but I miss those times.

LordSomber said...

Nowadays digital versions of those Uncial typefaces come with non-shadow and non-outline variations, so the opportunity for improvement awaits, but I'm not holding my breath.

Sprezzatura said...

That would be a ridiculous amount of work in Illustrator. No time saving tricks.

Vectors re Freehand = Digital v analog.

Oldies but goodies:

http://www.transrotor.de/en/products/1-plattenspieler/41-argos.html

Like Althouse.

IMHO.

Sprezzatura said...

It's beautiful.

Fer the same reason my 1935 Packard is.

New stuff is trash.

IMHO.