Jerry Garcia (1942-1995...RIP)

Aug 10 00:40 UTC 1995

   Jerry Garcia, lead deadhead and party animal nonpariel, died today
at the age of 53.  He was in drug rehab again.  It had been a long
summer of concerts, and he was overweight and under-reformed.  But it
doesnt really matter.  Jerry was cool.  He was a real person who
never changed for anyone.  His was the one band that toured longer and
harder than any other.  The only time the Dead ever stopped touring,
it seemed like, was when Jerry had to do his rehab stints.  
   I think any of us who are of a certain age feel a little older
tonight.  Noone in their right mind is going to say the Dead were ever
great musicians.  But they had the right attitude.  And they represented
the collective memory of a time when our country grew up.   
    The Dead started as Ken Kesey's house band at his infamous kool-aid
acid tests in California in the early sixties.  They played in garages
full of kids tripping on Kesey's LSD Kool-Aid.  Background music for
what were supposed to be explorations of the mind.  
   In later years, the Dead became mostly a nostalgia act.  But Jerry
Garcia never got into the star thing no matter how famous he got.  Because
he was tripping along with everyone else at Kesey's parties and he never
lost sight of an important part of those experiences.  That everyone was
part of the show, part of the party, doing their own thing and finding
their own reality.
  Jerry just happened to have the guitar in his hands when Kesey passed
out the acid the first time and found out that the stage gives you a good
view of the party.  
   I've been to better concerts than Dead Concerts, but never to any where
I felt closer to the stage.  The problem in the 1990's is that we dont have
enough shared experiences.  Jerry you died too young man.  53 is too young!

response 2 of 69:

Aug 10 14:28 UTC 1995

"the stage gives you a good view of the party"  . . I like that.

response 4 of 69:

Aug 10 18:20 UTC 1995

  Last night I pulled out my one and only Dead tape and listened to it
while mentally kicking myself for ignoring the band. I wish I could 
have gone to a few of thier concert

 What a shame

response 6 of 69:

Aug 10 21:50 UTC 1995

(Agora #97 is now Music #170.)

response 8 of 69:

Aug 10 23:13 UTC 1995

  In the city of San Francisco, the city and state flags at city hall
are at half mast, and for yesterday and today, the stars and stripes was
replaced with a Grateful Dead Skull and Crossbones flag. Quite a tribute
to a man who was mostly an outlaw during his youth in that city.

response 10 of 69:

Aug 10 23:46 UTC 1995

Me too, Rane.  WE are really OLD, or out of touch with the music scene.  At
least the pop music scene.

response 12 of 69:

Aug 11 05:48 UTC 1995

...<ahem> as I was saying before I was so rudely BOOTED...
About 15 years ago, I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Garcia and company, as
I was room service runner the night they were in the hotel at which I worked.
I thought he was nice, a little goofy, and seemed kind of old to me at the
time. He seemed mellow and was very friendly, tipping me a $20. and a big,
fat, autographed joint.
The next afternoon, he caused quite an uproar in the dining room when he
kicked back and lit a 'funny' cigarette after finishing his lunch. Poor
manager nearly wet himself, but what was he going to do - toss 'im out?

BTW, AMC ran an episode of their "The Movie That Changed My Life" this
afternoon, featuring Mr. Garcia talking about _Abbott and Costello Meet
Frankenstein_. Seemed fitting.

I don't have anything profound to say, I'm just sorry he's gone.

response 14 of 69:

Aug 11 08:43 UTC 1995

  Audrey and Rane, don't feel too old. A few weeks ago, Marlene asked me
if I had ever heard of Stevie Ray Vaughan. I replied, "Sure- Didn't he
recently die? what did he play?" I never heard him play a note, but
that was remedied when I borrowed one of his CD's from the lib. Pretty
cool stuff, and way way bluesy. I regret not knowing who he was.
  Jerry Garcia was different. I knew of him, although my Dead tape 
gathered lots of dust, but I did appreciate his "Touch of Grey". NOw 

that I know that the Dead is a cool band, I'll buy some more Dead tapes
and listen carefully, and I'll try to know who's cool in rock and blues.

response 16 of 69:

Aug 11 11:23 UTC 1995

I've noticed the "Neo-Dead" movement for a number of years now.  It may be
hitting Ann Arbor later than East Lansing, where it has been pretty common
for around 8-10 years.  I've never liked the Dead, and somebody once told me
that it is a "black licorice" type of thing: some people love it, other don't
find anything in it at all.

response 18 of 69:

Aug 11 19:02 UTC 1995

Sorry, but I see nothing to be emulated.  Add his name to Jimi Hendrix,
Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Mama Cass, Kurt Kobain, John Belushi, 
River Phoenix, many more I'm sure I'm not familiar with, and many
more sure to follow.  Sorry if that offends anyone.  By the way, I
have been to a Dead Concert back in '71, and the music was good and
memorable.  But that's not the point.

response 20 of 69:

Aug 11 20:58 UTC 1995

There was some big special on the history of rock'n'roll, and the best quote
was from Pete Townshend, when asked about the deaths of Keith Moon and others:
"My friends are dead.  They might be your f*cking heroes, but they're *my*
f*cking friends, and they'r *dead*!"

response 22 of 69:

Aug 12 03:50 UTC 1995

 Otterwomn, you have a joint autographed by Jerry Garcia?!?! thats probably va
probably valuable!

response 24 of 69:

Aug 12 05:12 UTC 1995

Yes, I agree with that interpretation.