Monterey International Pop Festival
The impetus to stage the Monterey International Pop Festival evolved one night in 1967 at Cass Elliot’s house. Paul McCartney, John and Michelle Phillips, Cass, and Lou Adler were discussing the general perception of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and that although jazz was considered an art form, Rock ‘n’ Roll was continually viewed as a fad, a trend; both were American born music genres.
The idea for the Monterey International Pop Festival initially came from Alan Pariser, who had attended the 1966 Monterey Jazz Festival. Alan and his partner, a promoter named Ben Shapiro, who wanted to hire The Mamas and The Papas to headline a one-day blues and rock event at the Monterey Fairgrounds, approached John Phillips and Lou Adler. Later that night (actually three o’clock in the morning) John and Lou had decided (influenced by some heavy California Dreamin’) that it should be a charitable event.
With six weeks to go the Monterey International Pop Festival, a three-day non-profit event was about to become a reality.
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