Episode 20: Ohio

Rock N Roll as the First Draft Of History

We begin in the midwest college town of Kent, Ohio, in the late spring of 1970. We’ll meet three future rockers--students at Kent State University, barely out of their teens--who will be changed forever by what they witness. We’ll check in on Motown, where the fluffy pop “Sound of Young America” is still alive, but there's a big change coming, a movement towards a tougher, more topical sound. We’ll foreshadow that just a little--lots more to come in a later chapter. Rock N Roll is now Rock, and it is mainstreamed now, big and getting bigger. It set out to subvert the dominant paradigm, now it is the dominant paradigm. It can be downright paradoxical at times; defined by its own contradictions. We come back to the campus for the shattering events of May 4th. They inspire a unique musical response, something we really haven’t seen since then.  

Written by Richard Evans and Christian Swain

Hosted and Produced by Christian Swain

Sound Design by Jerry Danielsen

Voice Actors

• Holly Cantos as the voice of the Kent State Official History

• Dr. Stephen Arnoff as the voice of Prof. Charles Reich

• James O’Laughlin as the voice of Jimmy McDonaugh

• Eric Nash as the voice of Kevin C. Smith

• David Browne as the voice of David Browne

Songs

• Randy Newman: “Burn On” from Sail Away, 1972

• James Gang: “Funk 48” from Yer’ Album, 1969

• The Stooges: “1970” from Fun House, 1970

• Rare Earth: “Hey Big Brother” single released in 1970

• Graham Nash: “Chicago” from Songs for Beginners, 1971

• Edwin Starr: “War” from War & Peace, 1970

• Eric Burdon and War: “Spill The Wine” from Eric Burdon Declares War, 1970

• Frank Zappa and The Mothers: “Nanook Rubs It” from Apostrophe, 1974

• John Lennon and the Plastic Ono: “Working Class Hero” from Plastic Ono Band, 1970

• Jackson 5: “I Want You Back” Single released in 1969

• Marvin Gaye: “Inner City Blues” from What’s Goin’ On, 1971

• War: “Slippin’ Into Darkness” from All Day Music, 1971

• CSN&Y: “Carry On” from Deja Vu, 1970

• Neil Young & Crazy Horse: “Come On Baby Let’s Go Downtown” from Tonight’s the Night, 1974

• Neil Young: ”The Needle And The Damage Done” from Harvest, 1972

• Elton John: “Burn Down The Mission” from Tumbleweed Connection, 1970

• Ten Years After: “I’d Love To Change The World” from A Space In Time, 1970

• CSN&Y: “Find The Cost Of Freedom” single released in 1970

• CSN&Y: “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” from Four Way Street, 1971

• CSN&Y: “Ohio” single released in 1970

• Led Zeppelin: “What Is And What Should Never Be” from Led Zeppelin II, 1969

Books

• David Browne: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

• Bob Burroughs: Days of Rage

• Robert Giles: When Truth Mattered

• Todd Gitlin: The Sixties: Years of Hope, Days of Rage

• Chrissie Hynde: Reckless: My Life as a Pretender

• Jimmy McDonough: Shakey: Neil Young’s Biography

• Rick Perlstein: Nixonland

• Charles Reich: The Greening of America

• Neil Sheehan: A Bright Shining Lie

• Kevin C. Smith: Recombo DNA

• Hunter S. Thompson: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Online Sources

• The Cuyahoga River

• James Gang on Tour

• Port Huron Statement

• Jerry Casale at Kent State

• Kent State University Official History

• More Resources on the The Kent State Massacre

• Assassination of Fred Hampton

• Assassination of Fred Hampton--Gov’t Docs

Podcasts

• WTF With Marc Maron: Episode 942, interview with Joe Walsh

• Deeper Digs in Rock With Christian Swain: Interview with David Browne

Films and Documentaries

• The Murder of Fred Hampton, Directed by Howard Alk, 1971