Grateful Blogger
Welcome to the first posting of “Grateful Blogger” which I have created out of my love for the Grateful Dead. The inspirational, creative, innovative music of the thought-inspiring San Francisco band is know and loved around the world. The way the Grateful Dead transcends psychedelic rock, blues, jazz, Cajun, Reggae and traditional American music is prolific, original and they are true pioneers of music, sound and lighting. From the early days of the Summer Of Love to the bitter end, with Jerry Garcia's death, the Grateful Dead and their music are and have been an integral seem in the fabric of rock-n-roll history and the counter culture it came to represent .
It was the music of the Grateful Dead and the beautiful soulful guitar playing of Jerry Garcia that not only helped me grow and survive through some rather hard times but made me want to survive and thrive. It was Jerry Garcia ripping it up on his Doug Irwin guitars, up and down scales, the circular arpegios that are characteristic of Jerry's playing that made me want to play my guitar night and day. It also made me hit the road to make sure I saw every show possible so as to not miss a note, not a lick of that sweet music.
I have singled-out Jerry but , of coarse, I love Bob Weir's model rhythms, the pounding of Phil Lesh's bass, Brent Mydland's screaming keys pumped through Leslie amps and the unmatched solid core, the drumming of Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzman! On top of all that incredible music is the usually deep, thoughtful lyrics of Robert Hunter and John Perry Barlow.
I have singled-out Jerry but , of coarse, I love Bob Weir's model rhythms, the pounding of Phil Lesh's bass, Brent Mydland's screaming keys pumped through Leslie amps and the unmatched solid core, the drumming of Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzman! On top of all that incredible music is the usually deep, thoughtful lyrics of Robert Hunter and John Perry Barlow.
The Beginning:
The first recollection I have of the Good Ol’ Grateful Dead was listening to my transistor radio in the bicentennial summer of 1976 where I lived out in the country in, what was then, an largely undeveloped part of Connecticut.
It wasn’t until the spring of ’84 that I first really started getting into the Grateful Dead’s music. I was a young teen cleaning up lawn debris after a long New England’s winter. I was listening to “Skeleton’s From The Closet” and “Go To Heaven” on my Sony Walkman and I was hooked on Jerry Garcia and the boys and rather than getting in the bus, I do believe I got run over by it.
There were the obvious long-time favorites that struck me like Truckin’, Sugar Magnolia, Lovelight, One More Saturday Night and St. Stephen off the “Skeletons” LP and on to “Go To Heaven” with songs like Lost Sailor and Saint of Circumstance that blew my mind and the Althea, Far From Me and Feel Like A Stranger, I mean come on!
The very next week found me driving around in my 4-door ’76 Chevy Nova with Terrapin Station, Live Dead, Bear’s Choice and shortly thereafter, Europe ’72. What a long strange trip it’s been indeed.
This is just the very beginning, come back and check out more post, they will be coming hot and heavy .
Stay tuned for interviews with Grateful Dead insiders, in-depth discussions about the band’s equipment, sound and light engineering, Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia’s guitars, the future, the past, the present.
Be here Now
Be Well
And… Happy New Year 2011
Feel free to post you comments, experiences and please be kind. The Grateful Dead is not for everybody and if you don’t like them just move on peacefully! Thanks
Next Grateful Blogger: Working for a Dead Head and Hittin' the road in '86.