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Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2001 19:19:10 -0800 (PST)
From: jazmaan
Subject: Canned Heat

I'm currently reading "Living The Blues - The Canned Heat Story" by drummer
Fito De La
Parra. Its got lots of interesting information about the band and the
"tortured
genius" Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson.

But most interesting to ME so far is that the book verifies one of my
fondest 1960's
memories - the kind of memory that over the years you wonder "did that
really happen or
did I just dream it?"

It was New Year's Eve between 1968 and 1969. There I was at the Shrine
Auditorium in
Los Angeles, just having turned 15 years old a couple of weeks earlier.
Heading the
bill was Canned Heat. The supporting acts were Little Richard, Pogo
(before they
changed their name to Poco), and Lee Michaels. I'd been playing harp for
about one
year, and I think I might have already seen the Heat once at the Ash Grove,
but I was
certainly thrilled to be able to see the "Blind Owl" again.

Now this is where it gets weird: According to the book, the band was
passing out cups
of "laced" Kool-Aid to the audience from big jugs at either side of the
stage.. (I did
not know this at the time, and I don't THINK I drank any. But this I do
remember:

Shortly before midnight, Canned Heat came out onto the stage without Bob
"The Bear"
Hite. Then right at the stroke of midnight "The Bear" made his entrance up
to the stage
right through the middle of the packed crowd RIDING A FLUORESCENT PURPLE
BABY
ELEPHANT!! "The Bear" was NAKED except for a BIG DIAPER that said "69" on
the back.
The elephant also wore a matching "69" diaper!

The crowd went absolutely nuts as we got divided by this apparation like
Moses crossing
the Red Sea. Its a memory I'll never forget, but I sure am glad this book
verifies
that yes it actually happened! Fito says even the band didn't know
anything about it
until their manager grabbed Bob just before midnight and told him to put on
the diaper
and come out to the parking lot where they were purple day-glowing the
elephant!

Something like that could only have happened in the 60's. I can't even
imagine the
protests and lawsuits that might happen if they tried that stunt today, but
I'm sure
glad I was there to see it!

The book even has a picture of The Bear riding the elephant up through the
crowd!

I just wish I had a recording of that show because Canned Heat was
incredible that night.

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