Laurel Canyon’s Hidden Agenda: Was the Hippie Movement a Military Psyop?

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In his premature passing, the scholar and writer Dave McGowan unveiled some unsettling truths regarding the music industry. Was it possible that the psychedelic music style and the whole counterculture movement of the hippies were orchestrated as a psychological operation by the U.S. military?

I’m not sure. Decide for yourself.

In the first week of August, 1964, U.S. warships led by Admiral George Stephen Morrison in the U.S. Navy were reportedly attacked while patrolling the Tonkin Gulf in Vietnam. This event, later known as the ‘Tonkin Gulf Incident,’ would trigger the rapid passing of the Tonkin Gulf Resolution by the U.S. Congress, a resolution that was already prepared. This resolution paved the way for America’s involvement in the devastating and prolonged war in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. By the end of this conflict, more than 50,000 American lives, as well as millions of Southeast Asian lives, would be lost on the battlefields.

If the Admiral’s name rings a bell, it should.

In the early months of 1965, I found myself in the heart of Los Angeles, specifically in a secluded area called Laurel Canyon. This place was a mix of tranquility and unease, surrounded by dense woods, rugged landscapes, and an air of mystery. Little did I know that I had stumbled upon a gathering of musicians, vocalists, and lyricists who seemed to have been drawn here like moths to a flame. Unbeknownst to us at the time, this hidden community would soon become the cradle for the ‘hippie/flower child’ movement and the birthplace of the music that would echo through the turbulent second half of the 1960s.

Starting in the mid-1960s, Laurel Canyon saw an astonishing rise of rock music legends that continued well into the 1970s. Kicking things off was The Byrds, with David Crosby as their leading light. Their debut album, “Mr. Tambourine Man,” dropped on the Summer Solstice of 1965. This was quickly followed by albums from the Mamas and the Papas led by John Phillips (“If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears”, January 1966), Love with Arthur Lee (“Love”, May 1966), Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention (“Freak Out”, June 1966), Buffalo Springfield, featuring Stephen Stills and Neil Young (“Buffalo Springfield”, October 1966), and The Doors (“The Doors”, January 1967).

One of the initial figures in the Laurel Canyon/Sunset Strip area was Jim Morrison, the mysterious lead vocalist of The Doors. Soon, he would become one of the most recognized, contentious, highly praised, and impactful residents of Laurel Canyon. Interestingly, this self-titled “Lizard King” has another noteworthy distinction as well: he is actually the son of Admiral George Stephen Morrison, a fact that may seem inconsequential to many who study his career and potential early demise.

It seems incredible that so much musical prowess is emerging from a single location, often even the same city block or household. Zappa’s humble log cabin, remarkably, served as a nursery for many rock stars.

It’s an odd occurrence that The Doors had a military link, but as you’ll soon discover, it’s not an isolated case.

As a follower of Zappa, I was part of the lively group residing in what was popularly known as the ‘Log Cabin’. Far from being a humble abode, this place was actually a sprawling five-level home filled with a 2,000+ square-foot living room, three massive chandeliers, and an enormous stone fireplace. The main house, guest house, caves, and tunnels throughout the property were all occupied by various members of our group. However, contrary to the peaceful image suggested by its name, the ‘Log Cabin’ was anything but a cozy homestead.

Zappa, who was born on the Winter Solstice of 1940, played a significant role in shaping the style and ethos that would come to define the ‘hippie’ counterculture, although his crew preferred to be called ‘Freaks’. Yet, it was no secret that Zappa held nothing but disdain for the very culture he helped create and surrounded himself with.

It’s not unexpected that Zappa, known for his strict authoritarianism and support for U.S. wars in Southeast Asia, might not have felt a connection with the counterculture he helped foster. Similarly, it’s likely that Francis Zappa, a chemical warfare expert based at the Edgewood Arsenal (a location associated with America’s chemical warfare program and MK-ULTRA operations), had little affinity for the 1960s youth culture. Interestingly, Frank Zappa spent his early years living on the Edgewood Arsenal grounds before the family relocated to Lancaster, California, near Edwards Air Force Base, where Francis continued his military/intelligence work. While Frank eventually became a symbol of the peace and love movement, this seems fitting given their contrasting backgrounds.

But wait, there’s more.

Herb Cohen, who later became Zappa’s manager, was a mysterious figure with an intriguing past. Originating from the Bronx, he moved to Los Angeles with his brother Mutt just as the music and club scene started gaining momentum. Prior to his arrival in Laurel Canyon, Cohen had spent several years exploring different parts of the world. Remarkably, this globe-trotting ex-Marine found himself in the Congo in 1961, a time when Patrice Lumumba, the leftist Prime Minister, was being brutally murdered by our CIA. However, it’s important to note that Cohen wasn’t in the Congo for any underhanded intelligence purposes. Instead, he was providing weapons to Lumumba, defying the CIA’s actions. It’s worth mentioning that this kind of activity was common among adventurous ex-Marines during those days, as we will soon discover when we delve into the life of another notable figure from Laurel Canyon.

Completing half of the First Family in Laurel Canyon is Frank Zappa’s wife, Gail Zappa (formerly Adelaide Sloatman). Gail comes from a family lineage of career naval officers, with her father being one who dedicated his life to researching classified nuclear weapons for the U.S. Navy. Prior to settling in Laurel Canyon, Gail had worked as a secretary for the Office of Naval Research and Development, and she once mentioned in an interview that she had heard voices all her life. Interestingly, Gail attended naval kindergarten with Jim Morrison, whom you might recognize as “Mr. Mojo Risin’.” Later, two other future Laurel Canyon notables, John Phillips and Cass Elliott, also attended the same high school as Jim Morrison in Alexandria, Virginia.

Think that’s weird? It gets even better.

Before settling in Laurel Canyon and welcoming both up-and-coming stars, well-known figures, and controversial individuals (including Charlie Manson, whose group reportedly spent time at the Log Cabin as well as Cass Elliot’s Laurel Canyon home, which was situated right across from Abigail Folger and Voytek Frykowski’s home), John Phillips was, surprisingly, another offspring of the military and intelligence community. The son of a U.S. Marine Corps Captain Claude Andrew Phillips and a woman who asserted to possess psychic and telekinetic abilities, John completed his education at several prestigious military prep schools in the Washington D.C. region, ultimately receiving an appointment to the esteemed United States Naval Academy at Annapolis.

And the hits just keep coming.

Prior to settling in Laurel Canyon, Stephen Stills hailed from a military family, spending his formative years in diverse locations such as Texas, El Salvador, Costa Rica, the Panama Canal Zone, and other parts of Central America due to his father’s service. It is reasonable to assume that his father was instrumental in promoting ‘democracy’ during this period. Like many in our story, Stills received most of his education at military schools or academies. Within the Laurel Canyon circle, he had a reputation for being brusque and authoritative, which, as we have seen with others, was not uncommon.

Think that’s unusual? Check out Stills’ bandmate.

Beyond being the son of Major Floyd Delafield Crosby, David Van Cortlandt Crosby traces his lineage to the influential Van Cortlandt, Van Schuyler, and Van Rensselaer families. If you explore these names on Wikipedia, you’ll discover that this clan has yielded significant power for approximately 250 years or more. This family tree boasts numerous US senators and congressmen, governors, mayors, judges, Supreme Court justices, Revolutionary and Civil War generals, signers of the Declaration of Independence, and members of the Continental Congress. Additionally, it includes high-ranking Masons, such as Stephen Van Rensselaer III who served as Grand Master of Masons for New York. To top it off, David Van Cortlandt Crosby is also a direct descendant of Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, two key figures in the Founding Fathers’ circle and authors of the Federalist Papers.

Here’s another way of saying it: Beyond the unusual aspects, let me stop here, except to mention that Laurel Canyon is nestled at the base of Lookout Mountain, once an American Air Force installation and later transformed into a film studio.

In my perspective, was the ’60s counterculture more about a covert initiative by the government to dismantle America’s predominant Christian cultural foundation and shape a citizenry of independent yet consumerist, easily manageable individuals akin to NPCs (Non-Player Characters)? This theory suggests that the countercultural movement aimed to transform society into one that is more malleable for control.

Regardless of the motivation behind it, there’s no denying that a large number of Baby Boomers switched from VW minibuses to BMWs during the 1980s.

It’s plausible that a large number of individuals associated with Laurel Canyon grew up as military brats, given that it was approximately two decades post-WWII. During that time, many families had members who served in the military.

Despite this, we find ourselves dealing with an excessive amount of stars who rose to fame from the very same intersection in a questionable part of Los Angeles.

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2025-04-08 20:46