October 12, 2024
I’m not in the habit of writing to the Alumni, and I don’t travel to exotic places like some of those I read about in Williams People. Suffice it to say, I remain in good health and I can still put in a day hiking across rough country for geologic field work. However, I thought my classmates might rather read about an experience I had while a Williams student — an experience that also involved a fair amount of walking.
In February of 1969 I heard on the radio that Janis Joplin would perform at Clark University in Worcester during their Winter Carnival. I was a fan and still regard her as one of the greatest blues women, although much of her repertoire wasn’t blues and some of her numbers (such as “Mercedes Benz”) seemed downright silly. Asking around, I found a classmate who also wanted to go to the show. He was Roy Simon, then known as Andy.
Having little money and no car, Andy and I decided to hitchhike. He had some experience here, but this would be my first (and only) use of this mode of transportation. So, on the morning of the show, Andy and I went to the crossroads and tried to flag a ride. The day was cold but sunny, and little or no snow lay on the ground. Few cars stopped for two hitchhikers, so we separated. On my own, it took six or eight rides and most of the day before I covered the ~120 miles to Worcester and was dropped off at the gates of Clark University.
After grabbing a bite to eat somewhere, I found my way to the auditorium and rendezvoused with Andy. We went inside, bought our tickets, and took seats in the balcony. The warmup band came onstage and launched into a stirring set of blues rock. I didn’t know the group, but they had formed in Worcester and were gaining a strong following in the Boston area. They were the J. Geils Band. Closing with an extended version of John Lee Hooker’s “Milk, Cream, and Alcohol”, Geils and company left the stage and we awaited the main event.
Having left Big Brother & The Holding Company, Janis was backed by the Full Tilt Boogie Band. Alas, her performance was sloppy and punctuated by frequent slugs from a bottle. It was a foretaste of her tragic demise, like so many other stars of her time. I left disappointed, but uplifted by J. Geils. I knew they were going places.
Andy disappeared with a new-found friend and I went hunting for a place to rest my head. A sofa in a dormitory lounge had to suffice. Little sleep was to be had as the lights stayed on all night, as did the partying Clark students.
In the bleary morning, I couldn’t face another day holding out my thumb. Finding a little money in my pocket, I asked directions to the bus station, walked downtown, and asked the agent for a ticket to Williamstown. After brief thought, she replied, “You’ll have to take the New York City bus and transfer there to Pittsburgh”. After convincing her that I wanted Williamstown, Massachusetts (“It’s west of North Adams on Rt. 2”) and not Williamsport, Pennsylvania, I purchased my ticket and shortly enjoying a warm and pleasant ride back to the Purple Valley.
John Nelson
Pesotum, Illinois