The San Francisco Tape Music Center: 1960′s Counterculture and the Avante-Garde

Finally finished reading this book. This book describes the history of Avante-Garde music in San Francisco. The cast of characters include Ramon Sender, Pauline Oliveros, Morton Subotnick, Terry Riley, Lucianio Berio, John Cage, Stewart Brand (of the “Whole Earth Catalog” and the Long Now Foundation), Don Buchla (Synthesizer pioneer), Ken Kesey (and the Trip Festivals), Phil Lesh and the Grateful Dead. Most of these people started their careers in the Bay Area, and many later went on to jobs on the east coast. This book describes the intersection of the Avante-Garde music scene and the “West Coast Sound” of the psychedelic bands. The whole notion of light shows during a concert was created by these people. Definitely a book worth reading.

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