'Laurel Canyon': An intimate portrait of a special musical space for artists who changed popular culture
Spoilers for 'Laurel Canyon'
What is it about certain locations that give off their own unique vibe? Or how much does the addition of people or the lack thereof affect the atmosphere? We take in the sights, the sounds, and our senses are prodded into awareness and potential creative inspiration. Let's get acquainted with the musical melting pot that is Laurel Canyon and explore such questions.
This magical place is getting its own definitive documentary. Featuring in two parts, Epix's 'Laurel Canyon' docu-series will take us to this special Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles neighborhood as we witness an "intimate portrait of the artists who created a music revolution through a wealth of rare and newly unearthed footage and audio recordings," as stated by Epix. The documentary also features all-new, original interviews with many of the iconic artists who imbibed inspirations in the canyon.
Taking us back to an incredible time in music of the late '60s, early '70s, 'Laurel Canyon', rich in the history of popular culture, features the lives of powerfully influential bands such as the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Love, Frank Zappa, Alice Cooper, The Doors, Eagles, the Mamas and the Papas, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, and many more.
In the first part of the series, the immersive documentary opens with a montage of old clips of Neil Young, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees, Love frontman Arthur Lee, Pandora's Box (the now-demolished nightclub which was home to some of the most adventurous musicians at the time) and more, as The Turtles' classic 'Happy Together' rings in the title.
A descriptive introduction from Henry Diltz, the extraordinary rock and roll photographer who was also a member of the folk music revival group Modern Folk Quartet, kicks off proceedings: "Sometimes in the afternoon you hear a solo guitar echoing from somewhere in the hillside, drifting through the canyon."
We are then immediately connected to the rustic canyon's early musical residents sharing their nostalgia, including The Byrds and Love. The documentary lets viewers in on countless remarkable chain-of-events moments that led to the bands inspiring one another. Arthur Lee explains how Little Richard "was also in the area" and would give him "advice and hints" before revealing that he went to England with him in 1964, leading to his meeting with The Beatles.
Diltz exclaims, "The Beatles, wow, it was a huge experience in life," adding, "We wanted every day to be a huge experience in life. So when The Beatles played on Ed Sullivan, all the folk groups went electric." He explains that the evolution into electrified sounds had its resistance from traditional communities. "The folk community back then were snobbish about electric music. They considered it bubblegum, kids' stuff," says Roger McGuinn of The Byrds.
Fans are also treated to personal discussions on The Doors frontman Jim Morrison. "At the time, The Doors were looked at by some people as a gloom-and-doom band," says keyboard bassist Ray Manzarek, clarifying that "The Doors were about joy, light, 'light my fire', burning up in existence."
As you soak in the good vibes of 'Laurel Canyon', its tethered story of the influence on popular culture is emotively portrayed more as a movement than an evolution of music history. LA producer and rock snob godhead, Lou Adler, once said that Laurel Canyon ushered in "the transition from cool to mellow," as reported by Vanity Fair. The special docu-series is a must-watch for anyone who wishes to advance their knowledge of music culture and enjoy the sounds of legendary musicians. As aptly stated by Gail Zappa (Frank Zappa's wife) in an interview with ABC7, "There's a Laurel Canyon in somebody's soul everywhere in the world today."
Be sure to catch the first installment of the Epix documentary 'Laurel Canyon' on May 31 at 10:00 pm. Part two will air one week later, on June 7.
