California Dreamin': The True Story of the Mamas and the Papas

There's alot of reading between the lines here.Michelle didn't write about John inviting both Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate ,along with the hob-nobing crashing Mansons.One night a segment of Mansons went prowling and crawling into the Phillips' home basement.Searching for the quartet's gold records,that along with musical fame, had so eluded Charles Manson.John heard something going on in the basement,and grabbed his shotgun.With John's known hot temper,it's amazing no blood was shed.John also had an address book,(mostly of old drug dealers for suppling),with some names scratched out.Those were the power-players who had screwed him over on various dopes deals.Next to the bogus and/or defunct addresses was the listed words,"PIG".Denny claimed that he and John were invited guests for an evening with Polanski's wife,Sharon Tate.Denny and John narrowly missed being sliced up for a satanic feast that night.The Manson's claimed the ritualistic slayings were apart of Charley Manson's Helter Skelter.Yet,the Mansons may simply have been the doped-up and brain-washed assassins of revenge for Frytek Frykowski's increasing involvement in international drug dealings,that went against the wishes of a fixed cartel of old Hollywood dope-dealers.In the Bible,in the 'passover' section it is written that the meaning of 'passover' refers to a destroying angel passing over the blood-sprinkled doors of the children of Israel.Many blood sprinkled and smeared words were left at the victim's houses.The word 'PIG' was smeared on the Polanski/Tate front door.And in ancient Mayan culture,the over-head doorway was smeared with the name of the murdered victim.Dr.George Hodel had a keen interest in Mayan culture and his L.A.mansion was built like a Mayan temple.-Michelle is also a friend of the daughter of an eccentric doctor,Dr.George Hodel.Hodel is still a prime suspect in the 'Black Dahlia'case and possible Zodiac mentor.Nowhere does she mention this.She does reveal much about her numerous affairs.She forgot to mention the time she tried to entice Rock Hudson,in 1977.She believed in his screen image,and did not know of his real preferences.I think she would have had better luck with the center-square flip,Paul Lynde. This is still an readable and interesting autobiography.Fate is on her side.

I have read the three definitive books on the history of the Mamas and the Papas (including "Papa John" by bandleader John Phillips and the recently published "Creeque Alley" by Matthew Greenwald) but the only book that really captured my interest and gave me a truly in-depth view into the Mamas and the Papas was the wonderful "California Dreamin'" by Michelle Phillips. I bought this book when it was first published in 1986 while I was in college. I had always loved the music of the Mamas and the Papas but I really never knew how the band got together, how their relationships fueled their music and why the group eventually disbanded. It's all here - Michelle's coming of age, her romance with John Phillips, the burgeoning New York folk scene, the first fateful meeting with Mama Cass Elliot, their vacation in the Virgin Islands and then on to California where they met record producer Lou Adler and the rest was history. I think what I enjoyed most about this book was the detailed images of what it must have been like to have lived during the late 60's - Flower Power, the hippie scene and the "Summer of Love". The relationships between the band members, especially that of Michelle and Mama Cass was especially riveting. They were very close and their friendship survived bitter jealousy and deception. I also didn't realize the impact the Mamas and the Papas had on that generation and all they accomplished in just 3 years - several hit singles, four successful albums, a Grammy Award for "Monday, Monday", sold-out concerts from The Hollywood Bowl to Carnegie Hall and their participation (and headliners) with the Monterey Pop Festival in the Summer of 1967. I loved Michelle's writing style - you felt the gamut of emotions from her budding romance with John Phillips, her humilation of being briefly fired from the group, her enthusiasm for being a part of one of the most successful pop groups in history and, finally, the pride of having been so fortunate to have been so resilient and "better off for all you have read". I know I was!

Having been a die hard fan of The Mamas and The Papas since age 10 (now 21), I purchased this book along with John's with the greatest enthusiasm, and set out to read what the two Phillips' had to say about those glorious and the not so glorious moments they have shared.I can only say I never got around to finishing John's book, Michelle's however, I finished reading for the second time last week and found it to be every bit as exciting and enjoyable as I did the first time around...It is a a very personal book, Michelle certainly chooses the path of honesty in this book, she speaks the words of a woman who was a...lot more than just a shallow hottie as 'some' might put it, but as a woman who loved passionately, who was hurt deeply, what always strikes me as powerful is the pain I think she feels to this day over the death of Cass Elliot. In interviews she says very little, and not a lot of emotion is shown up front in the book, but when she speaks of it, something happens, be it facial, or something in the words, but you just find yourself missing a beat with her and empathising as she remembers the good friend she lost.For a non-writer, this biography is top knotch, not nearly half as self indulgent and hedonistic as John Phillips' biography is.I highly recommend this book, it will unveil the many depths of this wonderful lady I can only hope to meet one of those days.

THIS IS A GREAT READ FOR ANY M & P FAN. 'MAMA' MICHELLE PHILLIPS' VERSION OF THE EVENTS DURING THE M & P MUSIC REIGN IS FASCINATING. SHE'S NOT AFRAID TO TELL IT LIKE IT WAS. MOST PERFORMER'S SUGAR-COAT THE LOWS IN THEIR CAREER, BUT MICHELLE DETAILS THE HUMILIATION AND ANGUISH SHE FELT WHEN 'PAPA' JOHN AND CO. FIRED HER FROM THE GROUP BRIEFLY. SHE IS ALSO NOT AFRAID TO ADMIT THAT IT WAS MOSTLY BECAUSE OF HER MACHINATIONS WITH MEN, ETC., THAT LED UP TO IT. THERE ARE NOT MANY PEOPLE AROUND THAT WOULD WILLINGLY LET SO MUCH DETAIL ABOUT THEIR LIVES BE KNOWN, LIKE MICHELLE HAS IN THIS BOOK. THIS IS ONE STRAIGHTFOWARD WOMAN!