By Rich Henrich
The power of rock and roll is the power of great music itself. It connects people of all ages and all generations and all walks of life. Music is an audio time capsule that gives us a piece of the past that we can hold on to while reflecting in the moment, recollecting on our individual and collective experience as we live in the present moment. This weekend Desert Trip rolls out the red carpet for three nights of rock and roll history with the icons of classic rock. From Coachella to ‘Oldchella,’ music is connecting the generations through music festivals like Desert Trip.
Indeed, we live among a changing landscape of culture and generational divide. I remember my dad sharing the music of The Rolling Stones with me on trips to the grocery store or while just out running errands. It was as though the music allowed him a moment of escape from his familial responsibilities and allowed me an insight into a world of music beyond Alvin and The Chipmunks. After my parents divorced, I discovered his record collection in the garage, when I was in junior high. I bought a record player and once the needle settled into the vinyl groove, I was hooked!
The music of The Who, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Neil Young and Crazy Horse and The Rolling Stones, became my music and my way to connect with a distant father. I used to see a red door and I always wanted to paint it black. Even to this day, I quote lyrics from a generation of music that belonged to my father’s youth yet it feels like mine. Through the sounds of music, an appreciation for lyrical phrase was born and I could always talk to my dad and connect with him through these bands. The music allowed me to transcend time and generational gaps, showing me my dad was actually once just a kid like me wanting to jam out to rock and roll!
I first heard about Desert Trip from my friend Monica when she called me to see if I could help her find accommodations during the festival for her, her sister Karissa and their mom, Momma Rose. They wanted to give their mom the gift of music and fun as a Mother’s Day gift. Once I started to call around, I realized that Desert Trip was a huge deal and housing was scarce and expensive. But we get by with a little help from our friends, right? After helping them secure a house across the street from the Polo Fields, she had an even brighter idea- to bring along her best friend from childhood and her mom, too. And thus, a Desert Trip for the generations was set in motion.
I found it fascinating that three young Coachella-goers were returning to the Coachella battlefields to party with their moms. At first glance, what seemed like a lovely gift from daughters to mothers to experience the music of their youth, turned into something far more, important. It was about the gift music was to each of them (and all of us). With Coachella Fest, an intentional community gathers in the shade of the cool kids and all things new blossom in the springtime of our discontented youth. Big brands and start-ups pop up parties and hand out gift bags to hopeful influencers and tastemakers, hipsters parade around in a haze of nonchalant wonderment and the locals hide. However, the tone of this pilgrimage to the desert was different. I didn’t hear the normal rumblings about what party to see what celebrity at or what alcohol or energy drink company was hosting an “after hours” party. This was about spending time with family, daughters wanting to give a special “thank you” to their moms for raising them the right way, with music.
“My mom is everything,” says Lizza Monet Morales. “I’ve experienced so much through her and learned to love music because of her,” says the trendsetting periscoper. She recalls hearing “Satisfaction” for the first time on the radio and her mom making her pay attention to it. “She would tell me to listen to the words, to feel the music. She really wanted me to connect to the music. “Satisfaction” was the first song I really connected with as a kid.” Her mom, Martis Duarte, laughs.
“I used to play a game called ‘who’s playing’ and would ask her who was singing the song. She didn’t always want to play so I would tease her and say you don’t want to play because you don’t know!” Ms. Duarte says she looks forward to sharing this Festival experience with her daughter. “The music connects me to a time when I was free, and it takes away a lot of pain. We just lost my cousin who played with Santana and the music will be healing. Music heals us.” The mother and daughter are also looking forward to the ample offerings of wine, culinary and cocktails over the weekend.
As for the Jaramillo ladies, Karissa says, “This era of music represents, to me, a radical time of change. There is the peace and love element, but also the rise of the anti-war and protest culture. While not everything about this time was flowers, free love, and amazing music, it is something I wish I could have experienced. I always say that I was born too late.” The Who’s song “My Generation,” will also have a special meaning for the family as they will remember their late father Mike. “He was 21 in 1969, perfect timing! I recall him getting so thrilled when he heard “My Generation” because it reminded him of some of the best days of his life,” reminisces his daughter. She says without artists like The Rolling Stones, an alternative path wouldn’t have been paved for her generation. This music “brings up strong feelings of hope for positive change in society,” says the youngest of the bunch. In the wise words of The Who…Long live rock!
