The search for the band MADD - Iowa's Legendary Garage Band

Where have all the flowers gone?

Tired of the political constipation in Washington?  Once upon a time there were a lot of good things that happened in our world and lives.

A long time ago my basketball teammates at the University of Arizona used to call me a "hayseed" from the fields of Iowa, a label I wore proudly.  They could never understand why nothing seemed to bother me no matter which way the winds blew, good or bad.

In Iowa we grew up to believe things could always be better and not just for ourselves but for everyone on God's green Earth.  So we sang, we danced and we got on with fixing the problems rather than becoming a hostage to them.

Think about it.  We grew up with a Cold War, the constant threat of nuclear annihilation, a civil rights revolution, colleges torn apart by Viet Nam, the military draft and academic freedom, multiple assassinations of our president, his brother and the leader of the civil rights movement, and even the murder of Marilyn.

As a people we faced these problems and solved them, not without great difficulty and perseverance, but we solved them because we were first Americans whose love of freedom and individuality drove us to make our world better for everyone, not destroy the system just to get our own way.

Back in the good old days when people looked at each other as people rather than some ridiculous label; things got worked out.  Now our leaders can't even keep the Lincoln Memorial open.

In the middle of the chaos we grew up in back in Iowa, there came a group of young teenagers who just wanted to bring people together through their music and it was people like them who showed us the light at the end of the tunnel.

For a few hours in a concert they could weave a magical spell and make us forget all the real problems we faced, Viet Nam, civil unrest, prejudice, assassinations and nuclear disasters.  If they could just get us to stop and sing and dance, the world could be a little safer for all of us.

So I set out to discover what had happened to one of the best bands I had ever heard after they disappeared in 1970 and to resurrect the remarkable journey they took through the chaos to bring a touch of happiness to our world when we really needed it.

What I discovered was just as remarkable as the events that brought MADD to us in the first place and I am more than happy to share their story about a group of humble lads from Iowa who just wanted to share their songs with anyone who would listen.  They were the messengers of peace, joy and happiness in one of our darkest times and they never stopped pursuing their mission in life.

So please turn down the hatred, fear and anxiety for a few moments and read the remarkable story of the band MADD and their quest to help everyone remember how to sing, dance and be happy.

http://coltonspointtimes.blogspot.com/2013/10/madd-iowas-greatest-garage-band-of-1960s_2.html

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