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Richie Havens Remembered

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It was a hangover from the 60’s. An idealistic time. Also, a musical time.

Richie Havens

Filming in NM


New Mexico had been featured in independent films, ‘Easy Rider’, ‘Two Lane Blacktop’, and ‘Greasers Palace’. Now would come ‘Catch my Soul’. British music TV producer, Jack Good, (Shindig), had recently moved to Santa Fe, and decided to film his latest project here. The story was a Rock Musical version of Shakespere’s ‘Othello’, updated, and set in a trash strewn Hippie commune in New Mexico.

Movie Set Design, hippie style

Movie Set Design, hippie style

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.

Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett Band

Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett Band

Starring was Ritchie Havens, having heroicly opened the Woodstock festival, 2 years previous. He was great, and caused no upsets, or controversy. He sang some great songs. Music was provided by Tony Jo White, and by one of the best groups of the late 60’s. Delany and Bonnie Bramblett Band.

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’)

Richie Havens

Richie Havens in NM

In the film, the story was this updated version of ‘Othello”, which had worked well in theatrical trials in LA, starring Jerry Lee Lewis(Yago?), as I recall. Now, in NM, Jack Good gave Directorship to another Brit(Scot), Patrick McGoohan(remember him from TV’s “Secret Agent Man”). He too was living in SF at the time, and drinking heavily. Another interesting character was Director of Photography, Conrad Hall, who had recently(’69?) won Oscar for ‘Butch Cassidy, and Sundance Kid’. He always had in tow, his lover from that film, Kathryn Ross. He would much later win again for ‘AmericanBeauty’.

Kathryn Ross

Kathryn Ross in NM

Drinking in NM

Drinking in NM

Filming in NM

Filming in NM

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….

The End… Doug