Jerry Garcia and deadhead age question

[goosefish]

Do all deadheads have to be over a certain age? It seems that I'm right on the cusp--I'm thirty-five--and went to a lot of shows when I was in high school in the mid-eighties. (I inhaled more than once. Do not vote for me. I am unstable.) Then Jerry's habits caught up with him, and he died. Fans younger than me seem to have gotten into Phish, whereas I didn't.

Are there any deadheads left? Are they heading the way of the dinosaurs? Regardless: Eyes of the World is still one heck of a song.

I went through a long period where I didn't listen to any of their albums but lately I've been playing them again. Great stuff.

?///????////

[afterhours]

we're out here...a little older and a lot wiser...

[Slipknot]

There's no reasons deadheads have to be over any certain age, there are plenty of teenagers that are into them I'm sure. I began listening to them in 1978 and yes , Eyes is an awesome song, one of my absolute favorites.

things have certainly changed since Jerry has been gone, but there are still many deadheads. there are lots of sites for fans.

check out the Great American Music Hall one from the vault CD, definate classic, I had that bootleg from way back and just about wore the tape out. There were so many good shows. I have a friend that tried to get atleast one live recording of all the songs they ever did in concert. He found quite a few rare ones in my collection of tapes.


Roll away the dew

[Tagger]

53 I liked the Dead .. bluegrass vibe .. Keep Tr#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& like the doo dah man

[Backbeach Jake]

Little trivia note: One of the first mega-bucks prizes was won by Dead-heads at the Little Store in P-town. They said that they were gonna buy some land out West. DeadHead is a state of mind , not an age.

[Nebe]

jerry is so verry

[mosholu]

The great thing about being a deadhead even now is that there is so much material to listen to. They still put out a few shows a year and you can go back and find new things in each one. Granted they were not great every night or all the way through one show but when they were on it is always enjoyable. I do not find many new bands that I think can play very well live. Too often the best they can manage is to replicate the record. I too could not find my way into Phish however I think the Allmans, Gov't Mule and Derek Trucks are good bands that will carry on the tradition of playing and improvising. More of my time spent listening to music is devoted to jazz for that reason.

[zacs]

I am 31 y/o.

first show, 12/31/91. Oakland coliseum. Out visiting family in the bay area for xmas, my uncle took me and my cousins.

Hell in a Bucket
Candyman
Beat it on Down the Line
It Must Have Been the Roses
Black-Throated Wind
West L.A. Fadeaway
Masterpiece
Help on the Way
Slipknot!
Franklin's Tower

Not Fade Away
Eyes of the World
Estimated Prophet
drums
space
The Other One
Wharf Rat
Sugar Magnolia

Knockin' on Heaven's Door

Obviously I was seriously hooked. Wish I kept count but probably around 45 shows. Last show was 6/15/95 (highgate, vt). Nothing to write home about, but a really fun time. I don't know too many deadheads much younger than I am.

I did get majorly into phish in an extreme way. had the luck of a [real] job that allowed me to travel, and would book business trips around entire summer tour. Nothing like changing out of business attire in the lot in my rental car. I also did not keep count like I should have but easily saw 120, probably over 150. And well over 20 trey shows. Towards the end I started feeling old at the shows compared to the crowd, which is how I am sure a lot of the hardcore old school heads felt.

I think that Phish may hold a little bit more of a special feeling for me, but that is difficult to type. There is magic in Jerry's guitar and soul in his vocals that has never been reached by anyone IMHO. I definitely am way more knowledgeable in all things phish, and have a way bigger collection of phish than dead.

I think I saw or heard on Sirius that they are going to have an all Dead channel. Jam on & Howard are all I listen to now.

[RickBomba]

I still have a Steal Your Face tattoo, even though all you guys who know me would say I'm way punk rock.
Me and Mikey used to run a hot dog stand at Mt. Tom in the late 80's-early 90's and blasted really good, really loud second generation bootlegs.
Strangely enough, I still like all my old hippie buddies even though it's really not my thing.
You cane be 8 or 88 and still like the Dead, Bruce and Fred, don't get too mad at me (cause I like the really loud angry music), but we all get along when the music's blasting.
Just make sure you have a good system and your bro's along way from anything that's valuable.
Peace, Love and Ludes,
Rick
PS-Even though I'm not as old as Bruce or Fred, please do not skip me if you're selling the dollar beers...the flaffel, I can pass on, though.

[RickBomba]

Oh, yes...not to hijack the thread, but Tagger...
please bring me a plug for Cutty or I will be forced to give you no lobster roll and maybe you can sit in the corner and listen to my bootleg from Cornell in 77, the last time that they played St. Stephen.
PLEASE BRING ME PLUGS.
OK too much inspiration,
Rick

[RickBomba]

Oh, and by the way, the 91 stuff was way convoluted.
87...Hartford...ooooohhhh so good,
89 in Foxboro.wow.
91 in the garden...sort of ok, but way too homo with the Bruce Hornsby stuff...
Looks like I know a little more than I let on.
Rick

[Clammer]

Not to mess this thread up // but zac struck a nerve :::


my son, was is a D/H first Jerry then Phish >>>>>>>>>.....excellent music on the JAM channel on sires [sp]

Anyway /as most of you now my wife fought one hell of a F #$%^&* battle with cancer / fighting it well over 7 + years >> she wouldn,t have made one /if it was for her determination >>>> she just kept settting goals /never quitting >>>>> damn i miss her><><

anyway ...her dieing wish was to go to hawaii >>>>>>> most of the doctors said noway /but there was one / who did everything possible to make it happen ;;
she couldn,t no longer eat & had a feeding tube // but everything was lined up ;;
My son & his wife went with us / they had been there twice before & wanted to chaffuer {US} around >>> but we knew he was there in [Case] ..
She loved it & saw every single sunset & she snokeled [[alone]]
By time we had gotten to our last night >> we saw another awesome sunset >>>>>> She then asked to go to the hospital >>>> she stayed there for 4 hours /got fluids & sent back to the condo // but the next morning she was back in >>>>>>>> we left there in time to catch out flights & the long ass ride home :;

we were [[home]] but exhausted ......... we sat around for a couple of hours & then she asked to go to the hospital >>>>>>>>>>>>>>
She was in the hospital for 5 weeks & they finally said that if she tried the one expermental Kemo that was left >.it would kill her // that afternoon we met with the doctor / social worker & hospice >>>>> by noon the next day she was home & with all the equipment necessary ;;
I set the bed up right in the living room /so see could see the sun & the birds / & friends that came to visit . we have a awesome family >>>>>>> & with & of us we were able to grant her wish of dying @ home ... while we all kept out work schedules /close to normal :;
Hospice /couldn,t believe it /she lived 5 more weeks @ home ;;
My son would go to work on Monday ..then stay on the couch / next to his mom ><>< make sure she was set . go to work & repeat the process thru Thrusday night // he & his wife had the weekend to recup to do it over again ;;
they say some %$%$%$%$ about [[not being there when a loved one passes >>>>>>>>
She passed on a Sunday afternoon & we were all there except her 85 Y/O father & Jay & kate ;;

we had some private time with her as we waited for hospice & the priest & the undertaker //

I had to call Jay >>>> & I wouldn,t let them move her until he got there ;;

being in the living room /I had tacked up a sheet /so when she was sleeping or needed privicy [sp] she had ;;

We all had some time with her while waiting for Jay ... jay & kate came in the side door >>>>>> which is always open to friends & family ;;


Jay & Kate went into the living room & the rest of us stayed out & let them have there time >>>>> About ten minutes go by >>& we hear music >>> Kockin on heaven,s gate & another song / that i can,t remember ;;
When it ended /none of us went in /But I yelled to jay place it again >. But loauded [sp] which was repeated a few more times /each time getting louder ;;

If there is a heaven >.. they heard her coming ;;

Sorry /i just lost it ,, MIKE

[RIROCKHOUND]

Great post Mike.
Always puts it in perspective!


On a lighter note.. it Tautog01 is lurking he should post..
he's a deadhead from way back...

and goosefish... I already knew you were unstable dude!
I just keep forgetting how O-L-D you are

[rockyroady]

Clammer's posts have always made me want to fish with him. Another good one. I'll play a tune and wet a line today.

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by goosefish

Do all deadheads have to be over a certain age? It seems that I'm right on the cusp--I'm thirty-five--and went to a lot of shows when I was in high school in the mid-eighties. (I inhaled more than once. Do not vote for me. I am unstable.) Then Jerry's habits caught up with him, and he died. Fans younger than me seem to have gotten into Phish, whereas I didn't.

Are there any deadheads left? Are they heading the way of the dinosaurs? Regardless: Eyes of the World is still one heck of a song.

I went through a long period where I didn't listen to any of their albums but lately I've been playing them again. Great stuff.

?///????////

29 years old.

There's some sort of GD and fishing connection, because working at a tackle shop, I've run into a LOT of deadheads.

[goosefish]

Great post Clammer. The birds, the bed, the family, the song. Keep writing about it, keep talking about it. Isn't that how we heal?

some great stuff you guys, I figured there'd be a fan or two here.
I got Stella Blue on right now--this could be the season of some dead revival for me. I guess the music really does never stop (incredible corny line).

I wish I could find my high school year book. One dead quote, a good one. And one Pink Floyd quote.

[piemma]

Mike:
Great post.
Even though we have fished together and I ve shared my battle with the demon C, you never shared the whole story of Sheila and the Knocking on Heaven's door. Very touching story.

May she have peace and non-stop Greatful Dead tunes. I'm sure she's met Gerry by now.

I'll be back from the Left Coast about 2 AM tomorrow. Call ya Friday

[zimmy]

I'm 32 and first fell in love with them when I was 12 thanks to MTV and Touch of Grey. There will never be another Grateful Dead (ed.). I spent alot of time over the last decasde at Phish shows, enjoying them, but always with some lamenting that it wasn't Jerry. Funny, today I past a truck with an outline of a steal your face on the back. Thought about how you don't see it much anymore. Although... my 17 yo brother in law has really gotten into the garcia/grisman stuff so the music will live on to some degree.

[striprman]

Providence Civic Center/Dunk, Foxboro Stadium and the old Boston Garden. The memories are kind of hazy though.

[tautog]

Being a Deadhead is about listening to good Old music as you try to remember those days gone by.
RIRockhound and his brother were subjected to the Dead quite often as my 1st show was 72.
Can't remember how many shows seeinfg the Dead,JG Band,Ratdog Old and in the Way to name a few of the offshoots of the band.
Best memory was 1st row center in PVD which I received as a wedding gift(screw the toasters).
In the gym this am listening to a few obscure tunes by the boys. Dear Prudence and Dear Mr. Fantasy and others on the Ipod.

Never too old
" The Music Never Stops"

[zacs]

i you clammer!

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by goosefish

I got Stella Blue on right now--

turned some on as well.
seems to pair well with side-scan data processing

[zacs]

I wanted to name my daughter Stella Blue. Wife was 99% sold, but she was never really into the dead like me, and we ended up chosing Sophia. She is way into phish, but i was not up for Tela or anything like that.

Did name the boat Dark Star, though

There is a sick stella blue in this show, in which Jerry POURS HIS HEART OUT.
http://www.archive.org/details/gd72-...081.sbeok.shnf

you can just go straight to the stella or listen to the whole show..... definitely makes the day seem a little more sunny!

by the way, does anyone have a clue what Stella Blue is about? I have tried to figure it out, but I can't.

There are some theories here that I can't really understand or follow.

http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/stella.html

[Swimmer]

Thank you for thinking enough of us to share that with us. It was touching.

[l.i.fish.in.vt]

i am 52 ,have been listening to the Dead since 67,though they are one of my favorite bands,i don't consider myself a Deadhead.i do know quite a few Dead heads.living in the Green MT. state,there are quite a few old dead heads around.the dead are still pretty popular with kids in high school and college up here,but i don't think they are dead heads since the band is no longer touring.

[reelecstasy]

35, same deal.... I grew up listening to the dead since my brother would play it for me even when i was just 4 or 5, then as soon as i could start I went to many many shows...BUT I never exhaled!

Dave Matthews is now my obsession...

and I have heard him play Eyes of the World, and it was awesome

[reelecstasy]

I could never get into the "alblums" studio recorded stuff :P
just live, the whole vibe.
I can still see Jerry just barely swaying
and they are one of my 3 Artist alerts on my sirious radio, nothing like singing along to all the tunes..

Anyone have that poster with all the dead songs, like 150 or so all drawn out, I still have mine in my rod wrapping room
can still name most of them...

Almost forgot to mention, JGB, that was always a blast too....

[HighTide]

Being a Deadhead knows no age. I've been listening to them since the early eighties, but I never really got into Phish.
Been to alot of shows over the years and one of the best was Providence, sept 87- the Good Lovin'/La Bamba show. Some others were at the Garden in the early 90's (the Dark Star show they closed out the tour with was fantastic, too bad they had Bruce Hornsby with them).

Slip, is that GAMH show the one with the Bill Graham intro and they go into Help on the Way? My tape wore out too

[Pete_G]

In keeping with where this thread kind of went, a bit of history on "Box of Rain":



Hunter notes in his anthology of lyrics, named for this song,

"Phil Lesh wanted a song to sing to his dying father and had composed a piece complete with every vocal nuance but the words. If ever a lyric 'wrote itself,' this did--as fast as the pen would pull."

From Classic Albums: American Beauty, a film by Jeremy Marre:

Lesh (On "Box of Rain"): "The lyrics came about in an unusual way. This was the first time I had written a song in a long time, and I had worked out the melody and the chords, and in fact the whole song, from beginning to end—introduction, coda, and everything—and I put it on a tape and gave it to Hunter."

Hunter: "He'd just written these lovely changes and put 'em on a tape on a tape for me, and he sang along (scat singing of melody)—so the phrasing was all there, I think I went through it two or three times, writing as fast as I could, and that song was written. I guess it was written for a young man whose father was dying."

Lesh: "And at that time, my dad was dying of cancer, and I would drive out to visit with him, in the hospital, and also at the nursing home he spent his final days in, and after Bob gave me the lyrics, on the way out there I would practice singing the song. I sort of identified that song with my dad and his approaching death. The lyrics that he produced were so apt, so perfect. It was very moving, very moving for me to experience that during the period of my dad's passing. I felt like singing it in other situations similar to that since then."



Box of Rain has always rung true, but especially so knowing it's origins. My Dad has 3 sisters, and all 3 have been hit by cancer so unfortunately it's something I'm all too familiar with.

[wader-dad]

Two old maids lying in the sand each one's wishing that the other was a man- aint it crazy. Love the Dead.

First Dead show was Buffalo New York 1978 I think and During Tr#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&- "tr#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&g off to Buffalo" the place went wild but no one flew away off their seats like legend has it during Wharf Rat at a concert. My girlfiend in high school embroidered the Europe 72 Album cover (rainbow side) on my jeans- I may still have them somewhere. Great shows at Radio City with accoustic sets in 1980 was it?
Also saw the New Riders about 16 times as those tickets where easier to get.

My 16 year old son is positive that being into the Dead means I must have been "doing weed" which apparently is the latest way to say smoking dope. I absolutley refuse to admit to my son any such activity.

He just got his first girlfriend and went over to her house to meet the parents. He was nervous as hell. The father and mother started asking him all sorts of questions like why his hair was long and then my son see some Dead CD's lying around and says oh my father is into the Dead and that broke the ice. Turns out that both are Dead fans and the father is some bass tournament guy. My sons says my father is Secretary of the CT Surcasters Assn and we fish together. Now the parents love him and told the daughter he is a great kid and so now of course since the parents like him, the girl is not sure.

The following is from a Hunter song "The End of the Road" with great surfcasting lyrics"

"My head was full of nothing but the pounding of the surf
And whirling kind of slowly like the spinning of the earth
Everything I lived for seemed played out like a joke
The all-night revelations and the poetry we spoke"


Peace man.