60 Years Ago, Bob Dylan Turned The Beatles On To Cannabis, Transforming Them And Rock Culture Forever
On August 28, 1964, following their sold-out show at the Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, The Beatles had an encounter that would reset their creative compass forever. In a room at the Delmonico Hotel in Manhattan, Bob Dylan introduced the Fab Four to cannabis – a move some say shaped the trajectory of rock music.
The Beatles’ First Successful Cannabis Experience
Known for their polished image up to that point, the encounter with Dylan and his pot stash marked the beginning of The Beatles’ transformation into explorers of the mind as they eventually moved toward psychedelic rock. In a Live For Live Music article, Gideon Plotnicki eloquently captures the scene. The meeting was set under humorous circumstances, as Dylan, having misheard the lyrics of “I Want to Hold Your Hand” as “I get high” instead of “I can’t hide,” presumed the band was already familiar with marijuana. To his surprise, the group admitted their previous attempts with weed were unsuccessful.
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