Ahead of a return to Freshwater’s Dimbola on Friday, the Isle of Wight County Press got the chance to speak with a true legend of rock music about his time at Woodstock, hanging out with stars including Jimi Hendrix and The Who.

Barry ‘The Fish’ Melton, the original guitarist with psychedelic rock pioneers, Country Joe and the Fish, is bringing his band to the Island to showcase the hits that made him famous.

He will perform alongside David Bennett Cohen, Country Joe’s keyboard player from 1965-69.

Before finding fame as an integral part of the San Francisco group, Barry started out as a solo folk singer, drawing inspiration from blues artists, Reverend Gary Davis and Mississippi Fred McDowell, as well as his neighbour Woody Guthrie.

In a change of genre, Barry joined forces with Country Joe McDonald and famously performed to the masses at Woodstock in August 1969.

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Tickets are available by calling Dimbola on 756814 or by clicking here 


Just what was it like walking out on stage to over 300,000 people at Woodstock?

“You can never play to an audience of more than 30,000 people,” Barry said.

“Beyond that you can’t see their faces. 

“The audience is something of an abstract concept when you’re playing in front of such a huge throng of people”

Barry revealed that in a helicopter flight to the site, he ended up chatting to Joe Cocker, who was on stage before Country Joe and the Fish.

No stranger to hanging out with the stars, Barry met The Who for the first time at the legendary 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival.

“It was the first time I ever saw all those guitars go in the trash.

“We were in total shock when we saw them crash their instruments against the stage!”

In 1970, as Country Joe McDonald began to lean towards a solo career, Barry oversaw the soundtrack for Roger Corman’s film Gas-s-s-s. 

Jump forward fifty years and Quentin Taratino used Barry’s Gas-s-s-s song ‘Don’t Chase Me Around’ for a fight scene in his Brad-Pitt-starring-film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. 

From hanging out with Jimi Hendrix at the Golden Gate Park to touring around America, Barry acknowledged that the Isle of Wight Festival is ‘legendary in rock and roll’ and said he was aware of its significance at the time, even if he didn't manage to make it here.

Despite this, Barry is no stranger to the Island, having performed at Dimbola multiple times before.

“I really love the Isle of Wight. We always walk to the water and it’s just lovely, gorgeous and beautiful.”

Joining Barry on stage will be Rob Beckinsale, Steve Browning - a former member of The Pretty Things - Natalie Martel, Chris Hughes and David Bennett Cohen.

Making this concert extra special, Barry will be performing with David for the first time together since supporting Robert Plant and Bob Marley in the 1970s.