What used to be a counterculture magazine covering rock music and political reporting is now a popular culture magazine that focuses on entertainment. This happened in the 1990s.
The original Rolling Stone magazine is said to have gotten its title from the 1950 blues song "Rollin' Stone" from Bob Dylan's hit single "Like a Rolling Stone"and from the expression "A rolling stone gathers no moss." Its founders were Jann Wenner and writer Ralph J. Gleason and the first issue came out in 1967. The most likely inspiration was Bob Dylan's song - it was revolutionary at the time, hostile in tone, and intensely direct. That seems to be the style the magazine took on.
It defined itself a counterculture news magazine. Especially with Hunter S. Thompson's political section. Thompson's highly subjective blend of fact and fiction became known as gonzo journalism. Fear and Looting in Las Vegas first appeared in the Rolling Stone magazine in 1971. And then there was Annie Leibovitz and her provocative photographs covering musicians and celebrities. The first issue featured John Lennon - as a British soldier in Richard Lester's 1967 film How I Won the War - that wasn't an Annie Leibovitz photo.
Looking at the meaning of the old proverb, a rolling stone gathers no moss - the traditional meaning is that a person who does not settle in one place will not accumulate wealth or status, or responsibilities of commitments. The modern meaning is that a person must stay active to avoid stagnation. And so Rolling Stone magazine has fulfilled its destiny, moving on to become a more standard entertainment and popular culture magazine to avoid stagnating in its past.
Our picture today was taken at the Seattle ferry dock.
