"People who work in mass media are supposed to be 1/2 manipulator and 1/2 prophet; and all around the mulberry bush now producers, performers and persons who just like to rap are wondering about the Future of Rock (and roll). They talk about stuff like the following:

"During 1967 rock music, thanks to Beatles Doors Airplane etc., greatly expanded its audience to the point that maybe two-thirds of the people buying any reords at all were buying rock albumns. Meanwhile, also thanks to Beatles Doors Airplane etc., the number of creative musicians and groups within the field grew even faster. ... But already in December 1967 the difficulties are becoming apparent. For one thing, there are quite a number of good groups making records, and they all expect a slice of the pie."

Paul WIlliams . . . . . OUTLAW BLUES

Richard Meltzer . . . . . R. MELTZER SURVEYS THE BRITISH SCENE

Albert Bouchard . . . . . THE LOVLIEST READYMADES

Jon Landau . . . . . WILSON PICKET

WHAT GOES ON

Sandy Pearlman . . . . . VAN DYKE PARKS' NEW RELEASE

Neil Loison . . . . . PLASTIC SEX

Robert Somma . . . . . COUNTRY JOE AND THE FISH

COVER: Van Dyke Parks, photograph by Guy Webster, design by May Breen