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Riders on the Storm

Series looking at US rock music from the late 60s to the early 90s. Exploring the artists that made the soundtrack to the peace and love generation.

During the era of flower power, Vietnam and LSD, bands such as the Doors, Jefferson Airplane and MC5 not only sang about the revolution, they were the revolution. This episode explores the artists that made the soundtrack to the peace and love generation. The culmination of this era was when half a million people descended on a field in the small hamlet of Woodstock. At that moment rock music seemed a beacon of hope for those who believed in the ideals of equality and freedom. But instead of inspiring a new generation of artists to lead the revolution through political songs the festival proved to be a watershed moment for rock music's reactionary era. The marketing men lined up ready to sign and keen to turn this music from protest into profit.

Interviewees include John Densmore and Ray Manzarek of the Doors, Creedence Clearwater Revival's Doug Clifford, Marty Balin of Jefferson Airplane, Alice Cooper, Tom Petty, MC5's Wayne Kramer and Steppenwolf's John Kay.

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Music Played

  • Bruce Springsteen

    Born in the USA

  • Eagles

    Hotel California

  • Guns N’ Roses

    Welcome to the Jungle

  • Jimi Hendrix

    Purple Haze

  • The Doors

    Break on Through

  • Steppenwolf

    Born to be Wild

  • Jerry Lee Lewis

    Great Balls of Fire

  • Elvis Presley

    Jailhouse Rock

  • Neil Sedaka

    Calendar Girl

  • The Wellingtons

    We Wear Short Shorts

  • The Beach Boys

    I Get Around

  • Joan Baez

    We Shall Overcome

  • The Supremes

    Baby Love

  • Bob Dylan

    Blowin' In The Wind

  • The Beatles

    She Loves You

  • The Beatles

    A Hard Day's Night

  • The Byrds

    Mr Tambourine Man

  • The Rolling Stones

    Little Red Rooster

  • Howlin’ Wolf

    How Many More Years?

  • The Beatles

    Tomorrow Never Knows

  • Steppenwolf

    Born to be Wild

  • Creedence Clearwater Revival

    Bad Moon Rising

  • Country Joe and the Fish

    Death Sound Blues

  • Creedence Clearwater Revival

    Fortunate Son

  • The Doors

    Break on Through

  • Big Brother & the Holding Company & Janis Joplin

    I Need A Man to Love

  • Country Joe and the Fish

    Flying High

  • Jefferson Airplane

    It's No Secret

  • Grateful Dead

    The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)

  • Jefferson Airplane

    White Rabbit

  • Steppenwolf

    Magic Carpet Ride

  • Jimi Hendrix

    Wild Thing

  • Jimi Hendrix

    Purple Haze

  • The Doors

    Spanish Caravan

  • The Doors

    The End

  • The Wellingtons

    We Wear Short Shorts

  • The Doors

    The End

  • Quicksilver Messenger Service

    Who Do You Love?

  • MC5

    Ramblin' Rose

  • MC5

    Kick Out the Jams

  • MC5

    Borderline

  • MC5

    I Want You Right Now

  • Iron Butterfly

    In a gadda da vida

  • Creedence Clearwater Revival

    Born on the Bayou

  • Jefferson Airplane

    Today

  • Jefferson Airplane

    Volunteers

  • MC5

    Motor City is Burning

  • The Doors

    Riders on the Storm

  • Jefferson Airplane

    Plastic Fantastic Lover

  • The Band

    The Weight

  • Jefferson Airplane

    The Other Side of this Life

  • Jefferson Airplane

    Won't You Try

  • Jimi Hendrix

    Star Spangled Banner

  • Jefferson Airplane

    Embryonic Journey

  • Alice Cooper

    School's Out

  • The Doors

    When the Music's Over

Credits

Role Contributor
Narrator Shaun Parkes
Producer Rhodri Huw
Director Rhodri Huw
Executive Producer Paul Bullock

Broadcasts

Born to be Wild Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Music Playlist

Hear music from the series, with Bruce Springsteen, Eagles, The Doors & more.