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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsJerry Garcia did not actually spend half his life doing time for some other fucker's crime.
It's just a SONG, people.
Happy 50th, Grateful Dead.
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)Here's a pic from the horse chase that ensued. Note, this must have been after he left his dead ass there by the side of the road.
Lochloosa
(16,019 posts)Lochloosa
(16,019 posts)And stealing your face for good measure.
Miles Archer
(18,837 posts)I am of the belief that you cannot hear "Bird Song" without being transformed.
I was transformed.
CrawlingChaos
(1,893 posts)I ask because I went to several Grateful Dead shows back in the 80's (one of them 14+ hours) and never got transformed. Although admittedly it wasn't my idea to be there - it was the guy I was with at the time. I always felt I wasn't on enough drugs for the experience. I know I wasn't properly medicated for the 45 minute drum solos.
Still, I do like a lot of Grateful Dead songs. And I will say that Deadheads are the nicest, friendliest arena crowd I've experienced.
Miles Archer
(18,837 posts)Some THC here and there but that's about it. I just thought Jerry had what Neil Young has...this raw, primal "musician" core that infused his performances. They both know how to TOUCH you. In terms of technical proficiency, Jerry is obviously light years ahead of Neil. I put Neil on the same plateau as Lou Reed...they could pick up a guitar and plug in and hit a LOT of bad notes but rock you like you've never been rocked. Jerry clearly noodled...hell, he had to put up with Weir learning how to play slide guitar ON STAGE...but in terms of compositions like Bird Song and Stella Blue, a bowl or two amplified their beauty, but really wasn't required.
CrawlingChaos
(1,893 posts)Some weed, no acid (I always felt like the *only* person there not tripping). Okay, mushrooms once but they were kind of underwhelming. I was very young then and quite distracted by everything going on in the crowd. Too bad I missed all the nuances.
Funny what you said about Bob Weir - I remember the guy I was with having similar complaints that Weir wasn't on par with Garcia. And also what you said about Lou Reed - I know what you mean! I love Velvet Underground but I swear sometimes it sounds like they're in a bathroom playing instruments from Toys R Us. But they have so much, I don't know, visceral power I guess.
I will listen to Bird Song later and see if I can pick up some of what I missed back in the day.
Miles Archer
(18,837 posts)...listen to Bird Song along with David Crosby's "Laughing" (which also features Jerry on what may be the single greatest pedal steel performance of his career). I seldom listen to one without listening to the other. I am convinced you'll "get what you missed" if you do that.
CrawlingChaos
(1,893 posts)I'm predisposed to trust your taste based on your username (I'm such a huge fan of both book and film) so I will certainly give this pairing a listen.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)ghostsinthemachine
(3,569 posts)I was at a football party one sunday long ago. Mid eighties. Somehow I got control of the music between games and put on Birdsong from Without Annette on the stereo and turned it up. A house full of non dead heads if there ever was one. As soon as the song started the house pet, a cockateil starting singing and dancing in her cage. And I mean really signing. Her owner said she never did that before and was flipped out over it. I asked "do you know the name of the song" and she said "No". I told her "Birdsong".
After that both the bird and owner became lifelong dead heads.
Sometimes you get shown the light, indeed......
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)I love stories like that.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)Just sayin'.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Live at the Mosque 1977-5-25
https://archive.org/details/gd77-05-25.sbd.shannon.13399.sbefail.shnf
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Good luck with that, dude!
Miles Archer
(18,837 posts)"I've seen a million faces, and I've ROCKED them all."
My ASS.
There are documents on file PROVING that at the time of "Wanted Dead Or Alive," Bon Jovi had in fact seen a million faces, but informal polling revealed that 37% of the people felt "rocked," a whopping 46 percent felt "moderately aroused but not quite rocked," 10% were "undecided," and the remaining 7% claimed to be "in the loo" while the band was performing. Yes, for their entire set. We are either talking weak bladders or a public restroom fetish MAYBE both.
LiberalAndProud
(12,799 posts)Or not.
Happy anniversary!