Via Boing Boing, I recently discovered some mp3s (steal these mp3s!) of Abbie Hoffman's album "Wake Up America!" from 1969.
I was curious to give it a listen, since I'd heard about this Hoffman fellow, but never had a clear idea of what it was exactly that he did. I haven't listened to the whole thing, but I listened to enough to form an initial impression. I thought he had some nice lines, but I'm afraid my reaction was really . . . square. The whole thing struck me as juvenile, thuggish, simplistic, obnoxiously self-righteous, etc. etc. Now, I'm sure a sociologist, or an old fogey who was young when this stuff was cool, could tell me a long story about why Hoffman was groundbreaking and innovative and influential and tremendously important. And that sociologist might even be able to convince me of all that. But I'm talking first impressions here, and so that's that.
Posted by Chris at April 9, 2005 10:11 PM