Richie Havens Remembered
The outcome was a cinematic disaster, which was never widely released. I think it now can be had on DVD?
Nevertheless, it happened, back in September/October 1972, and for the time of the production, it was an amazing circus of characters and events. Not all of it felt good. Like I say, a ‘hangover’, and nobody really knew it. The idealism of the 60’s was fading into something else. The production wasn’t working. People were confused. The weather was bad. But, a lot of local people got work, including me, which I needed badly, just at the start of my silverworking career.
They had no big hits, but their live shows were so good that major names like George Harrison, and Eric Clapton joined and toured with them. Making things more interesting, they had divorced 6 months previous to this gig, and now were playing together for the first time since. There band is composed of some of the biggest name studio artists, including Carl Radle and others.(think ‘Derrick and the Dominos’)
Filming was progressing, when Jack Good suddenly turned Super Christian, and kept wanting to change the script, causing problems.
He suddenly made a deal with the “College of Santa Fe”(a Catholic school) to put on a benefit Concert with all this talent, only none of it was in their contracts. They all did it anyway, but were not happy. I got pictures.
Delany and Bonnie, left abruptly, after a fight at the production HQ, Inn of the Govenors.
Other squabbles had threatened to shut down production, also.
It was my hope to cover all this for ‘Rolling Stone’, and Was given the green light by editor Ben Fong Torres, to submit ‘free lance’.
Nevertherless, I was forbidden by the production publisist. I did it anyway, while working with the set dresser, and special effects.
Jack Good returned to England, after living for years in the NM village of Cordova, but his wife Margaret, is still here, and I am sure others could collaborate on restoring this long forgotten tale….